Stuffed Animal Book Ends

So this project is actually a gift for my friend, Sarah's, sweet baby girl, Josephine.  She is expected to arrive in a few weeks.  :) I read of a similar idea in a book years ago and I am just finally getting around to trying it out.

But... the same idea could be used for your classroom.  I am thinking of using a few of my characters from Kohl's Kids Who Care.

Here's what you need...

Materials: 
2 stuffed animals  $5.00 each
3lb bag of River Rocks $2.99
Puff Pant $1.49
Needle and thread

I scored two "Frenchies" - the famous dog from Fancy Nancy at Walmart

These book ends are SUPER simple to make.  First, you snip a hole in the bottom.  I removed just a little bit of the stuffing.  Then, drop in about 1.5 lbs of the river rocks.  Make sure you stuff some rocks in the legs too!  Sew up the bottom.  Last, I painted the bottoms of each Frenchie with the puff paint so that they wouldn't slide.  Of course you have to allow for a little drying time.

Ta Da!  It only took about 10 minutes from start to finish!  (minus the drying time of course)  :)

Post-it Holders

The office staff at our school does so much and they are always so eager to help out.  So, I wanted to make them a little thank-you for the start of year.  I got this idea off of Pinterest!  So simple and super inexpensive...

Materials:

4 x 6 Picture frame $1.00

Scrap book paper $0.59 (1 sheet makes up to 6)

Ribbon $1.99

Post-its 5 pack $5.00

Embelishments $2.39

They are pretty simple to make.  Cut the paper to fit the frame.  Tie a ribbon around the frame.  Stick on the embellishment and pad of post-its.  Done! Total time:  5 minutes

Neuroplasticity and Hope

Alright Folks... this is my first of many (I hope) research related posts.   I will do my best to keep my opinions out of my writing.  But I am not promising anything. :) So here goes...

Perhaps the most influential belief that drives my philosophy of education and daily classroom practice is this...

 A teacher's expectations for her students proves to be the most influential factor in their success.

Over the past five years, I have dedicated my time as an educator working in schools with high percentages of lower socioeconomic students.  Teaching in these communities makes my job seem even more significant and powerful.  There have been children who have entered my classroom with less than desirable attitudes, work ethic, ability, family, hygiene, or language, but these children tend to be my "babies."  The ones who tug at my heart strings each and every day.  The ones that make my eyes water when I think back to their successes and the transformations they made in my classroom.  You'll read later that I firmly believe there are not expert teachers.  Teaching is a profession that is truly dynamic and constantly changing. It is impossible to leave a lesson and think, "That went perfectly.  There isn't anything I could of done better."  So by no means do I think their success is a result of my expert teaching.  However, I do believe their success is a result of my HOPE and my BELIEF in them.

Below are the links to three related articles.

Each article links the effects of poverty to brain damage, while illuminating the idea that HOPE and HIGH EXPECTATIONS can be more than a mere possibility for change, but can facilitate the change for these students.   

The Effects of Poverty on the Brain

Down and Out in Children's Schools

Study: Poverty dramatically affects children's brains

"Paige's" Notes:  

• Neurons are designed by nature to reflect their environment.
• Students who are exposed to chronic poverty often display problems in these areas:
• working memory
• impulse regulation
• language
• visuospatial 
• goal-setting
• decision making
• planning
• attention
• concentration
• higher-order thinking
• problem solving
• 9-10 year olds living in poverty show brain damage equivalent to the damage caused by stroke
• Four factors have been linked to the experiences and effects of growing and living in poverty
• Exposure to toxins (artificial additive, noise, carcinogens, lead, smog)
• Chronic stress
• Chronic exposure to substandard cognitive skills
• Impaired emotional-social relationships
• Students living in poverty are more likely to develop emotional problems, have a lower IQ and lower reading scores, and suffer from memory loss
• The effects of poverty can cause anger, aggression, passivity, and even helplessness
• Educators should realize these behaviors are not the problem, but a symptom of the problem
• A study shows that children who are active in environments that stimulate the brian and are filled with hope and high expectations were able to raise their IQ 22 points over the course of 8 years.  
• TEACHERS CAN FACILITATE CHANGE: Be the CHANGE
• Hopeful kids are more optimistic and they try harder.  They persist longer and perform better. 

Have hope. 

Have hope for every child who walks through your door.  Look past their clothes, their attitudes, their speech, and their families.  Remember that our neurons reflect their environment.  Create an environment that is positive and nurturing.  Create an environment that instills that belief of "Yes. I can."  Force their neurons to reflect hope, courage, persistence, and love.  Be the factor that changes their lives.  Be the teacher that they quote ten years later, the teacher who they remember as the one who cared, and the one who facilitated the change.  

Create hope.

Lesson Plans and RTI

Ooooo RTI!  Education's new BUZZ word.

I am sure like most schools, RTI is the new push and focus of administration.  At our school, we are also required to complete grade level lesson plans and have a copy available for administrators to look at upon entering the room.  We are also required to keep a copy of  RTI In The Classoom and data on our Tier One, Two, and Three groups.

In the past, printing out these lesson plans and keeping this information neat and organized has proven to be one of my weaknesses.  So this summer I devised a solution, with the help of Pinterest (of course!) A very organized woman plans her family activities by the week and keeps file folders of important dates, doctor visits, birthdays, vacations, etc.  So I thought,  "That will so work for First Grade."

  So here it is....

Each Nine Weeks is hanging in a different color file folder.  I have hanging files for each month and folders for each week.  I also created a document and corresponding calendar that shows all the teacher work days, holidays, grading periods etc.  Each week of year is planned on the calendar!  Now all I'll need to do is drop fun ideas or current lesson plans in the corresponding week and I'll have it ready to go and easily accessible for administration.  At the back, I'll create folders for each student (numbered of course, no names).  I'll keep copies of anecdotal records and RTI data and reports there.  Here is to hoping!!  

This guy will be a part of my "Communication Station."  

I'll post pictures of it when I am actually allowed in my classroom.  Our school is undergoing huge renovations this year and it is looking like I'll have FOUR days to set up my classroom! YIKES !

Guided Reading

I once read that learning to read is one of life's most difficult challenges, but we are required to accomplish reading at such a young age.  Either way, it is one of the best parts of teaching.  There is nothing more rewarding than starting with a student in August who can barely write their name and who thinks that words are just strings of letters who transforms into a fluent, proud reader of chapter books by May.  <3

I am huge on Guided Reading.  In my classroom, I implement Daily Five.  I use the CAFE and love Jan Richardson's book, The Next Step in Guided Reading.  I have started creating learning cheat-sheets for parents.  These cheat-sheets go along with everything in this book.  Check them out in my TPT store.  (It is my only item so far.)  I will have levels A-J complete soon.  I keep finding mistakes so if you do download them and notice a mistake, just shoot me an email and I'll send you the latest copy.  Sorry, I am new at this.  :)  I hope to use these cheat-sheets and teacher recording forms (to be created) to generate a "word work" grade.  Students will use the cheat-sheets during Daily Five and for homework. I will use them to guide instruction during Guided Reading Groups.   It will be great for differentiating instruction and assessment.  

I got a chance to test out levels A and C with some students I tutor. They live down the street so it is super convenient.  I left the sheets with Mom and she said she really liked them.  She said, "It will help to know what kind of words to practice reading and spelling with them."  That's my hope!  :)

If you love those mats check out Really Good Stuff! I ordered them last week and love them.  They are perfect for word building.  :)

Kindergarten is so last year...

First Grade ROCKS!

Because we are welcoming three new teachers to not only our First Grade Team, but to our school, I wanted to give them all a little something to make them feel extra welcome!  T-SHIRTS!  :)  This was my first t-shirt making experience.  I'll be honest I need a little help in the font/graphics department, but they are my first!  I am so excited.  I hope they like them!

Let's be real... what you teach is only about 5% of the experience, who you teach is about 45% of the experience (we all love children), but who you teach WITH is about 50% of the experience... your team can make or break your school year.  I am hoping these little shirts will help make the start of our year just a little more exciting!

Here are the details, if you'd like to make them for yourself:

T-shirts: Target for $8
Dark t-shirt transfers: Target for $11

Total time spent: about two hours

p.s. The shirts are really a cute coral color, but the lighting in my house stinks!  :)

In the beginning...

Well, I have decided to start a blog (joining the rest of the world.)  I spend so much of my time talking about teaching, reading about teaching best practices, and searching (Pinterest) for cute teaching ideas. I decided it was time to share a little of what I love with the world.  I hope that I will keep up with all that goes on in my classroom, as well as, sharing great resources, ideas, and happenings.

This year marks a bit of a "beginning" for me.  I will be working with three new teachers on our team, teaching Common Core Standards for the first time, teaching in a new room, and serving a leadership role for my district.  All of which I am very excited about, especially my new team.  :)

I teach at a National Paideia School.  We are the currently the only one in South Carolina.  Paideia is greek meaning child rearing, education.  It was a system of instruction in Athens in which students were given a well-rounded cultural education.  In today's world, Paideia aims to teach the whole-child.  There are three main components that are unique and special to Paideia practices: Seminars, Coached Projects and Student-Led Conferences.  During Seminar, students discuss content or ideas without raising their hands. Students are taught to question other students' thinking, but to appreciate and respect varying opinions and ideas.  They learn it is ok to agree to disagree.  Coached Projects allow students to showcase their learning.  No more at-home project where students with the most creative parents have the best projects.  A coached project must have some sort of product that is critiqued using a rubric by an authentic audience.  Each child is held accountable for his learning and performance.  My favorite component is the Student-led Conference.  These conferences are held three times a year.  The child presents to his parents his learning, strengths, and weaknesses.  Together the families and the learner set goals for new learning.  The teacher is there but watches over four to five conferences at a time.   My school is home to a diverse population.  This is often forgotten because we are fortunate to be a uniform school.  I live in the neighborhood that serves my school and love teaching there.  This years marks my third year at Meadowfield.  It is a school that I hope to grow old in. :)

With this year being so full of "firsts," it is sure to be a challenging one.  I hope I am able to enjoy all the ups and downs, and I hope I am successful at sharing the experience with you.