Getting Ready for the New Year

This is going to be a quick post as I have company coming in for the afternoon.  

But I had to share about Remind 101.  I'm sure that many of you have heard about it, but I just got to courage to sign up and set up an account for my class this year!  

Working in a very urban area with much of my school receiving free or reduced price lunches, I am always trying to find new ways to communicate with my parents.  Unfortunately many do not look in their child's folders, address change, and phone numbers change.  It is my hope that by using Remind101, I am able to effectively get information about the comings and goings of my room and school; but also put some responsibility on the parents for making sure that they always can get the needed information to your parents.

I am including a copy of my parent information sheet for you to use with your information.

Please let me know if this is going to be helpful to you.

**I am not being compensated by Remind101, in any way to let you all know about their services.  I'm just a teacher sharing her knowledge with you.  Throughout the year, I hope to share my experiences with their services.**

Have a great day :-)

Til Next Time,

Debbie

Currently... August

I am so excited to be linking up with Farley from,

for her monthly 

I am so excited to share my very first Currently...

Here is what I am currently thinking about.

Listening... I am just loving the current music playing. And I'm trying to get my fix now before school starts and all I'm listening to is kid music. 

Loving... I have been wanting to organize all my monthly theme binders for a while now.  So I spent the first part of my vacation taking everything out of each binder and organizing it by theme/topic.  I have one binder for every 2 months... August/September; October/November; December/January; February/March; April/May; June/July.  This way when I am planning all I have to do is just pull the binder and all my holidays/themes are right there.  My husband is glad that this project is done because I had papers and page protectors everywhere.  I can not wait to have at least this part of my year organized. 

Thinking.... I am realizing how much I still have to get done for the new year and that there is just no time.  I think I will feel better if I can just get in my classroom. We haven't received word yet that we are allowed back in. Does anyone else have this problem of not being able to get in your room until the last possible moment??  So stressful!

Wanting... I finally put together all the file folder games that I have been coloring and cutting out for what seems like FOREVER! Last week when I went to the Va Blogger Meet Up, I stopped by Lakeshore first to laminate all the file folder games... I had about 125 (eeekkkkkk!!!!).  When I got home and started to cut them apart, I am realizing that not all of the laminate is sticking (big sad face). So I am hoping that what has stuck is going to stick, and I am off to my local teaching store and see if they can re-laminate the others that have not stayed.  Has anyone else had any problem with the Lakeshore laminate not sticking to whatever you have laminated?

Needing.... I just finished redoing my morning journal pages.  Now I need to print them off, cut them out, and glue them into their journals.  If you want to read more about my morning journals, then read here.

B2S Must Haves.... I just love the Mr. Sketch Markers.  I loved them as a kid, and I love them even more as a teacher.... I am always in need of laminate.  I love buying it from Amazon.  So cheap and so durable.  

Finally, my B2S must have is a horseshoe table! I request one at the end of last year, and hope that I was able to get one.  It will make my small group time so much easier!!

My first day of school is Sept. 3, so I still have some summer left.  To those of you already back in school - have a great school year!!! 

Till next time,

Debbie

Back to School Goals

I have decided to link up with Jess of

for her school year edition of monthly goals. 

Here are my goals for this school year...

Personal:  I know that I am like many other teachers who spends a lot of free time working on things for my classroom when I am at home.  This being said, I am determined to get my work done either at school or before 9pm, so that I can spend time with my wonderful husband.  He is so understanding and accommodating with the blurred lines between work and home life.  It is my goal this year to give my husband the attention that he deserves. 

Organization: This has been a year long project that I am hoping to finish this year.  I have finally finished organizing  my books, and now I am working on finishing my labels to put on my bins and my books. This I am determined to complete!

Planning:  I have never been good at real long term planning.   I am ok at looking at where I need to be by the end of the month, but struggle with longer than that.  This year I am going to work on getting better at this. 

Professional: I love attending Professional Development conferences.  Unfortunately, we do not get money to attend these conferences, so I am hoping that I can figure out my budget to attend some conferences.  I am especially hoping to attend, the 2012 Conference for Virginia Kindergarten Teachers, where Kelly H. from, 

is presenting!  I met her at the Va Blogger Meet-up and hope that I can see her again at the conference. 

Students: Many of my students do not have the role models that they can be anything that they want to be. This has been my goal since my first year teaching at my current school, when I had a 4 year old come to school and tell with such conviction that when she is 16 she was going to be a mommy.  From that moment on I have been determined to make sure that my students know that they have so many options open to them and that they do not have to settle for anything less.

Motto: I love this quote by Yoda!  It speaks to what education and teaching is all about. 

What are your goals for this new school year?  

Til next time, 

Debbie

Help! I don't know what to do in the morning!

I know we have all been there, we have gotten through the first week of school, and now you have to figure out what you are going to do while all those little cherubs come into the classroom and get settled.  

As a Pre-K teacher, it is important that my kids learn good handwriting techniques.  This includes practicing how to hold a pencil, how to form lines, among other things.  After 5 years of trying to figure out how best to teach these skills, it finally dawned on my to incorporate it into my morning journal time.  That's when I created my Morning Journal pages.  

I plan on gluing one 'box' per day into their morning journals. Besides the 'box' they will also have their name to either trace or write (depending on where they are in the year).  These journals are excellent for differentiation, as you can give more practice if needed or move on if a student has mastered a particular skill. 

In celebration of my newest product, and to get more followers, I have decided to do hold a giveaway. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for entering, and good luck!

Til next time,

Debbie

10 Things I've Learned From Teaching

I am excited to be linking up with Miss Kindergarten and share 10 things that I've learned since becoming a teacher 6 years ago!

1. Be Prepared!  You never know what is going to happen, from a sudden downpour (where you remember your moon roof is open and you're soaked), to needing a sudden sub.  Teaching is all about the unexpected and it's important to be prepared for anything that may come your way!

2. Breathe!  It's OK that everything is not going to plan and even the best laid plans go out the window sometimes.  In these situations, it is important to breathe. And not just to take things as they are with how the day goes, but also with parents, and administrators.

3. It's OK that not all parents don't like you.  This is especially important.  We are all human and everyone has their own personalities.  It's OK that you don't get along with Suzzie's mom and dad, or that Mike's mom emails you every hour.  As long as you are polite and professional it doesn't matter.  Make sure you still keep the lines of communication open with all parents, no matter what their opinion of you is.  By maintaining professionalism you may bring them around. 

4. Dress your role, but appropriate. You don't want parents, visitors, or administration questioning if you are a teacher or not.  I especially dress more professional than others because of my height and I naturally look young for my age.  It's really embarrassing when you are at Orientation and parents are asking if you are old enough to be a teacher; or when I was subbing in my old high school as a college student and was asked for my hall pass!! Yes, dressing your role is important. Also, please do not wear your 'Saturday Night' shoes to school.  I really don't understand how any K teacher can teach in shoes like that. **off my soap box**

5. Make friends with the school secretary, custodian, and cafeteria manager! You never know when you are going to need something last minute and these people are the only ones that can help you.  It doesn't hurt to leave them tokens of your appreciation for doing a job well done and helping you out.  I always leave the left overs from class parties for our custodians.  Happy custodians make your classroom easier to manage.  Same goes for the cafeteria manager, especially on those days that you forget your lunch!

6. Show your kids that it's OK to make mistakes. So many students are under so much pressure to always be perfect at home and in the community that they are afraid to make a mistake in school.  I always make sure that I point out when I make a mistake and show my kids that it's ok, and that even adults make mistakes.  By showing them that you make mistakes sometimes allows them to learn that mistakes are not the end of the world.

7. You never know the importance of a hug!  Kids come in with so much baggage that they are just overwhelmed.  Even if a kid doesn't ask for a hug but you go and put your hand on their shoulders may be just what they needed. 

8. Be on time! Nothing is worse than missing a meeting or walking into the classroom late because you got your morning started off wrong.  You cannot give your kids the best that you are if you are walking into the building the same time as the kids.  This goes along too with being prepared.

9. It's ok that you may be mom! I have at least 2-3 kids per week call me mom and I don't mind.  I still answer, but remind them of my name.  At times like this you just have to laugh.

10. Have Fun! Teaching Pre-Kinders and Kinders is the best job in the world, have fun and enjoy your kids!!

Till Next time, 

Debbie

Va Blogger Meet-Up

Hi everyone, this is my first post and over the next few posts, I'll introduce myself to everyone.  But before I do, I wanted to share about my time at the Va Blogger Meet Up, last week! 

On Thursday, I had the opportunity go to the Va Blogger Meet Up! It was a wonderful afternoon of laughing, talking, and fun with some amazing other bloggers from Va.  

Here are the wonderful bloggers that I spent the afternoon with,

Those who attended included: 

First Row:

Cindy

Jenn

Karen

Valerie

Desiree

Carmen

Karen M. 

Second Row:

Chrissy

Kelly W.

Me

and finally,

Kelly W.

Our afternoon concluded with a White Elephant gift exchange and some wonderful grab bag gifts.  Not only did they take such good care of us, but we were all allowed to choose a wonderful door prize from the one and only

Heidi generously donated some of her amazing products for all of us.  I already have some of Heidi's CDs and DVDs in my classroom and LOVE them.  

I got Heid's Classroom Management CD and cannot wait to use it with my kids this year.  I know that they are going to love it, just like they love all the other CDs that I already have.

Here we are with all of our gifts from Heidi

And the Christmas in July did not stop with us at the blogger meet-up.  We have one more CD to give away.  To find out how you can win one of my favorite Heidisongs CDs, go to Mrs. Stamp's Kindergarten and enter her giveaway! 

Til next time!

Debbie