So, what have I been up to these past few months? LOTS!! Stick with me as I fill you in on what has been happening in my little world, and there will be a fun giveaway at the end of the post!
The beginning of the school year was hectic, which is to be expected. But it only took a month or so to get routines and expectations established, and I quickly discovered that I have been blessed (again!) with a group of fun, hard-working, special little firsties.
This picture was taken by our superintendent during the first week of school. Smiles and raised hands make my heart happy!
During the first few weeks of school, I realized that my classroom really needed some flexible seating options during our Daily Five rotations. So, I attempted my first Donors Choose project, and I was incredibly fortunate to have my project fully funded in less than a week!
We are now the proud owners of four fuzzy rugs, two bean bag chairs, two yoga ball chairs, and four bounce cushions. These new seating options have completely transformed my rotations, and I'm so grateful!
It's not all about the kiddos (well, it is). But I also decided to use some of my TPT earnings to make my own work space a little more "me."
"Hamilton" quotes behind my desk make me happy!
My favorite casual Friday shirt. Do you sense a theme (or an obsession)?
In an effort to keep both my students and myself better organized this year, I did some revamping of old systems.
My old filing system is on the left. It worked for awhile, but now that we're using Engage NY for math, there are TONS more papers to file! So I am now using 3-drawer storage to keep my weekly files organized. I'm loving it!
My kiddos are becoming more organized, too! Every Monday morning, they are given time to get their desks straight for the week. The Desk Fairy and Desk Police (Princess A) visit on Thursday after school. It's been super motivating for my students!
Over the summer, a good friend and teaching colleague pressured convinced me to work toward earning my Administrative Certificate. I took my first course over the summer, and this coming week, I'll finish up my second class. I've always loved school (obviously!), so I don't mind the class time or work that's involved, but it does make life a bit more hectic than it already was.
I'm not a huge fan of reading from textbooks, but the class that I'm currently taking is really interesting!
So now that you've been kind enough to stick with me through this meandering blog post. it's time for a GIVEAWAY! I just posted a new product in my TPT store, and I'd love to give you the chance to win it. It's my High Frequency Word Fluency and Fun Pack! The description is below:
These words are the high frequency words that my district assesses each quarter, so they may be different than yours, but this file is FULLY EDITABLE! You can edit it to meet your needs! Each quarter is a different color to help you stay organized.
All you have to do to enter is leave a blog post comment, telling me what you are thankful for this holiday season, and head on over to my Facebook page (I'd love it if you'd "like" my page, but it isn't mandatory). The giveaway begins today, and it will end on Princess A's ninth birthday, December 2nd.
Stay tuned for a fun Maryland Instagram hop that's coming soon!
Stay tuned for a fun Maryland Instagram hop that's coming soon!