I'd Like to Accept This Nomination...

...0n behalf of Teaching Blog Addict (TBA). That's right folks! TBA has been nominated by Parents magazine. I mean, Parents magazine, that's big time. I even think I applied there when I was sending resumes out to publishing companies in NYC. So, please take a moment and go vote for the one and only TBA.

click here to vote: Teaching Blog Addict

By Best All-Around Mom Blog

Once you have done this, go on over to my giveaway and tell me so for an extra entry.

With much thanks, an author and contributor of TBA,

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Sub Kit + Giveaway Time

First and foremost I just wanted to thank everyone for their kind words the other week. It took me a good week to get out of that slump. Okay, I'm not gonna lie they are kind of like humps - some days I'm up and some days I'm down. Most days I am up. How's that saying go, If you don't laugh you'll cry. I prefer to laugh. 

The county I worked for last year does some tutoring and they called me about that - Great! You need Middle School certification - uh oh. 

Well I am taking the tests for it (I still can't believe you can just take a test. I mean here I sit with a Master's--------oh, sorry that shpiel is for a different time) - it's this weekend. Cross fingers. 

Same day I signed up, my old school called and asked if I could sub for two weeks. YAY and fabulous. Yes, on one hand it feels a little weird. I mean, I taught there just last school year. But on the other hand, I will be familiar with the school AND I will get to see my kids from last year. SUCH a special treat. 

As a teacher, I was super organized and anal when it came to subs (shocking huh?). I had a 'Sub Tub' and inside were stacks of extra sheets, just in case. Then there was also a 'Sub Binder' inside. 

The first part of my Sub Binder came from Persnickety Pickles:

and the meat of my Sub Binder was from PreKinders:

You have got to get this download ASAP. Some pages I deleted, some I made my own, but basically all you have to do is plug in your information and your are set - year after year except for changing out names and schedules. I LOVE this resource. Subs probably thought I was bonkers, but ya know what anything they needed was right there. Of course, each page was put in a plastic page protector. 

The very final page was the "while you were out" page that is in Persnickety Pickle's packet (try saying that 5 times fast!). However, n one ever left me a note of how my kids did. When I subbed before I got my teaching job, I always left notes, or if I was friends with the teacher I told them and they said that is why they loved having me as a sub because I did what they were supposed to and didn't let the kids get away with stuff. I, also, personally like to know how my kids did. 

So here's the question: Do you like to have a note from your sub or could you care less?

I missed my follower milestone the other weekend, but to those of you who are new here, you will notice that I am kind of random at when I celebrate YOU, because as always I appreciate your being here, reading, and joining me on this (sometimes) crazy ride of teaching and learning, er I mean life. 

So for those of you who told me last time how much you liked Lindsey so much - you're in luck. I snagged an adorable tiny pouch (this is the one I said I use to keep my teaching ID and all my teacher cards inside, ya know from Staples, Office Depot, Barnes & Noble, etc.)

To enter please leave one (1) comment below with an answer to the substitute question posted above. 

This giveaway will end on Thursday, August 18, 2011 (8/18/2011) at 9:00 p.m. EST.

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Pinterest Made Me Do It!

I've been inspired all summer. I've been collecting supplies and staring at them sitting here. Now, I am LOVING my creations. I am sure you have seen them floating around Pinterest and Blogland. Two projects involved magnets. One involved crayons. One involved stickers. Three involved my hot glue gun. I love that thing.  

I think I will start with the one I think was most unique. I found these AWESOME bingo wooden chips by Tim Holtz's line in the scrapbooking section at both Michael's and Joann's (1. Please tell me you are familiar with his stuff! 2. Aren't they cool?!) So they have numbers on them, going all the way up through the double-digits. Immediately I thought - MAGNETS. They have got to be turned into magnets. I mean, not only can these be amazing little decor items, but what about math centers? Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division - take the first number and do that operation using the second number. Pull two numbers and do the operation. The possibilities are absolutely endless.

Here is the other magnet project - which you have seen around. I used scrapbook stickers. These stickers are just the letters themselves. I peeled them off, stuck them directly onto the magnet, put a drop of hot glue onto the bottom of the clear stone and you can still see the letters perfectly. NO Mod Podge involved! Super easy! There are even bigger upper case letter that I think I will put onto a larger size magnet and use a larger size stone. I like the idea because it will be nicer to have the two different sizes for upper case and lower case. 

Here is my crayon wreath, which again I know you have seen, but it's just my version and I think it is SO pretty!

Last but not least, here is a gift for my friend I took to her birthday dinner last night that everyone got a laugh out of. The flower pot was from Michael's. The label says "30 Sucks!" and it is stuffed with Tootsie Roll pops. I made the label on my computer and am happy to share it if anyone is interested. You could also use Blow Pops and do "30 Blows!" Likewise you could insert any age. This was very easy to put together. I just got a styrofoam ball that fit right into he pot and started sticking the lollipops inside. I did cut the "stems" as it got lower around so that it would "fit" better. 

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Halfway There!

Do you celebrate half-birthdays with your kids (maybe not your students but your children, if you have them)? We sometimes recognize them in my family, more by mention than anything else really. However, my dad's college roommate who we remain good family friends with to this day has a daughter who I share the same birthday and when we were younger every now and then we would get to celebrate our half-birthdays together at the beach (because we live in different states, so celebrating regular birthdays never really got to happen). Well today is my half-birthday! And I always remember what is the 6th month from another month because a teacher of mine had them set up that way (six and six, rather than in one long list - so August was always next to February for example). Anyway, these six months lead up to the big 3-0. So, since I have finished having my pity party from last week (kind of, last night I had a small break down) - it's high time I get busy living (wrong movie I know, but Morgan Freeman was in both of them)! Without further ado, here is my list, written to myself. (and if you are really looking for a teaching aspect of this particular post, this would be a great writing activity, especially even in the form of writing a letter to themselves).

Part 1. Small Things

1. Get off your behind and get it back in the gym - you didn't lose 55 lbs. two years ago for nothing! Plus you live on the same floor as the gym in your building. Seriously? Zero excuse. 

2. Meet People. I know it's scary, but can we at least try?

3. Get dressed every day. Duh, it seems simple and I know it's comfortable to lay around in pajamas, but I think it's nicer to actually get dressed. 

4. Put on  Okay, we will work on getting dressed and out the door before we actually deal with the makeup part. I mean, maybe having a job helps with all of that. 

5. Keep doing what your doing - the perfect job will come, well I don't know about perfect, but clearly we like routine so one is bound to happen. 

6. Pay off ALL bills - that may take a while, again the job thing will help with that cause the whole paycheck thing helps with that.

7. Keep being creative ALWAYS.

8. Be yourself always, no matter how anyone else makes you feel.

9. Read more. You used to like it.

10. Shop less <-- I seriously just typed that?! But I think it will help with some other numbers listed above.

Part 2. Big Things.

1. Take more vacations, you used to like to travel. Do it again - Jackson Hole, New England, Vancouver, Portland, Australia, New Zealand

2. Hike

3. Raft.

4. Maybe, maybe attempt to go back up in a helicopter with Ryan (maybe) *note for readers, my brother is a helicopter pilot in Alaska, first time up with him, I got sick :(

5. Go Visit Ryan in Alaska

6. Do a half-marathon or triathlon, or something to that effect.

7. Learn to sew with a machine

8. Learn to be more handy.

**This remains a work in progress..perhaps a more official one will be available in 6 months and some of these items will have been taken care of. 

1

Monday Must-Sees

A whole sheet of 3M Post-it coupons. You know you want to print these. Post-It Coupons

Then, head over to Target's coupons and there is an additional coupon for some Post-It labels, as well as Scotch Tape, which also had a coupon in the paper this weekend.   

Also in the paper yesterday was a whole page for some 3M Command Hooks, so if you still have that lying around, you are going to want to go cut those. 

Next, you have got to go check out Eighteen 25's post today. I mean, here's a sneak peak. They are printable and they are free. Need I say more! 

I'm going to use the "You're So Sharp" for my pencil labels and I already asked if they would make a matching "You're so Dull" ;)

Happy Back to School. 

2

Advice to New Teachers

As I was reading some blogs last night to try and get some inspiration going again I saw a post on Simply 2nd Resources a post for advice to new teachers. Well I sure thought I could take any advice I could get and I am still "new" so to speak. As I kept reading though, I thought back to last year which was technically my first year. However this year will be (when I ever do get a classroom) my 5th year in a classroom - two years as an assistant, one year student teaching, one year subbing, and one year in my own room. Here I am. While I feel like these to posts: My Goodbye Speech and The Top 10 Things I've Learned (so far) are some good advice and I may take from there I wanted to participate in this linky party over at Fun in Fourth.




1. GIVE IT YOUR BEST AND YOUR ALL, BUT NOT ALL OF YOU. Your best will not be perfect. As a perfectionist this was hard to learn and I still work on it, but I would often spend 11 hour days at school - sometimes people don't notice even if you want them to. You're not being paid to do it and even though it's cliche you WILL burn out. GO HOME!
2. ASK FOR HELP AND ACCEPT IT. Don't be ashamed. It's nice to think you can do it all, but the truth is this is a hard job and no one can do it on their own. It really does take a village. Find a mentor, a friend, a co-worker across the hall, even if it's someone on another grade level (I was in a trailer last year and there was only one other person out there in my grade. I didn't want to disrupt her, but I had a 3rd grade friend that could watch my class for a few if I needed to go to the bathroom). It helps. 
3. DON'T GOSSIP - make friends with your team but know when to be quiet. This will take you far! 
4. BEG, BORROW, STEAL. - I mean that in the kindest way. Build your files up your first year. I saved everything - every handout, every copy, any extra sheet there was, any email with an idea someone sent. If I get a job in 1st this year I am set! And especially with all the wonderful blogs too! 
5. SMILE. People are watching you - not just 20 kids but all the other teachers and administrators. 
6. For some kids YOU are the best part of their day. ALWAYS remember that. 
7. BE CONSISTENT. With rules and procedures - and remember there is a difference between a rule and a procedure. A procedure is in place for how our class runs. A rule is set for classroom management and there is a consequence. 
8. BE PREPARED AND ORGANIZED. Kids like to know where they are going and what they are doing. They like to know what time things are and what their schedule is. If they know the routine it helps the class run smoothly. 
I think I will end here. A lot of things have been said. If I think of more I will add to the list. 

2

Did I Say I Wanted to Go For a Ride? ch. 11

* Author's note: You may read any of the other 10 chapters about how I got here in the posts labeled 'getting to know me'

Tuesday: 
So there I sat. On the couch. All. morning. long. I picked up my phone every five minutes - was there a call I missed? An email that came through? Nope. There was nothing. I could not take it. It was the day after my interview and the principal said that she had hoped to make a decision by the end of the day.

I went to run errands. I helped out a friend with her child. All the while still checking the phone of course. Nothing.  By then people were calling me to see if I had heard anything. I mean that was reasonable, 3:00 is kind of like the end of the day for a teacher. But not for a principal.

At 5:30 I went to my friend's (she happens to also be the parent of a former student) for dinner by the pool with her kids and our other friend (she is my former co-worker) so I would not have to wait in agony.  By 8:00 day was done we decided. I left. At 8:20 an email comes that they will need to meet with a few more people and they will need til the beginning of next week. Grrreaaat. That can't be good. 


Wednesday:
Okay so fine, I'll move ahead (oh and by move ahead, I mean run some errands, watch TV, and take a nap) while I wait. Fast forward to 10:00 p.m. and an email pops up asking if I could come in for a second interview on Friday morning at 8:30. Yes! I contact, through Facebook, someone I know on the first-grade team there to get her pumped as well. And now, it's a few more hours before I can go to bed I'm so pleased.


Thursday:
Get so thrilled. Pull dress out of closet. Take dress to mom's for her to iron. <--- You read that correctly. I do not iron. I believe in the, 'take it out of the dryer fast and shake real hard' method. Ever tried it? 5:45 p.m. an email arrives from the principal saying the following: "HR has cut the position due to low enrollment." Yes, she does say that numbers could go back up after Open House and should anything change she will let me know, but what I read was CUT POSITION. 


Yes those are the words I read a little over an hour ago. My dress is pressed. Shoot even my legs are shaved! In less than 15 hours I was supposed to be sitting in front of seven other team members feeling pretty excited about an opportunity. Instead I sit here on my couch currently in gym shorts and a Piggly Wiggly t-shirt with my head pounding and my eyes burning. Who knows, I may even wear the same outfit tomorrow.

6

Currently...For Now...At This Moment

Oh Boy Fourth Grade is having a little party and it's a kind I love - cause I love to get to look back and see what I was thinking that day or particular time. So fun! It's like a quick little journal entry, and guess what she even made one we can use with our students cause she is so cool like that! So come, what are YOU currently doing?! You know you're living it up in these last little bit of fleeting moments of summer. 

Here's how you play: 

Write down what you are currently

listening

loving

thinking

wanting

needing

&

stalking (include 3 Blogs one has to be non teacher)

Okay so I wish I were cool enough to figure out how to take the blank one Farley made and get it from her blog to where I can edit it, but my brain and technology are not meshing tonight. It's not my night, what can I say?! And I only had the gelato I wanted, can you imagine if I had had the glass ----------on second thought, ah yes that's much better! 

Here goes -

CURRENTLY: 

1. LISTENING to Everybody Loves Raymond (that show never gets old, and I always laugh) through the rattling of my AC vent)

2. LOVING that a dress just came in the mail today and it fit! Wooohoo. 

3. THINKING I should finish putting up the laundry that is on my bed, cause I am going to get tired and throw it on the floor, where it will sit until the next time I do laundry (telling it like it is). 

4. WANTING my niece to come back from NYC so she can go swim with me and give me sweet kisses. I love to hear her say my name (she calls me Ney). 

5. NEEDING A JOB! Please!

6. STALKING all my favorite teacher blogs. There are way too many to list. They are over there to the left and if yours isn't there let me know. I'm trying to categorize and do my best! Since there has to be some that are non-teacher related and I can't choose - www.eighteen25.com and www.thepleatedpoppy.com

Come link up!

3

Here We Go Again, ch. 10 + FREEBIE

As I mentioned in a previous post, I had an interview this past Monday. I never like to say or speculate how I think they went because after my ordeal I don't like to get excited. I didn't even call my parents the whole day, not even after the principal called me and asked about my references (and you better believe I was excited then). But then yesterday no call, and not an email until after 8 at night. I'm still waiting (which I don't take as the best sign that she still has more people to meet with. UGH!). I didn't sleep at all last night.

But if I do get a job, look how cute this binder my kids will have is, and help yourself if you'd like (again, I just ask that you give credit where credit is due). You can clearly tell my theme, huh?!

Ice Cream Binder Blog

1

Mountain Math

Okay folks - who knows Mountain Math? Whatdya got and what can ya tell me? PLEASE!

 

4