Bloggy Love, Pen Pals & Jitters

My blog received another award from Holly over at Fourth grade Flipper, the One Lovely Blog Award.  Thank you Holly for sharing the blogger love! 

For receiving this award I have to....

1. Follow the person who gave me the award.   Check

2. Link back to the person that gave me the award.   Check

3. Pass to 15 new bloggers and let them know they have received the award.....  Ummmm Check??

Since so many blogs have been nominated for this award and it is just about impossible to find 15 blogs to nominate I am going to go out on a limb.  If you have not received this award please feel free to pick this one up for your blog.  I hope I will not offend anyone.

I am hoping to find a fifth grade class that would want to be pen pals with my fifth grade homeroom for this school year.  I have always wanted to find another class that my class could correspond with and even Skype with a few times a year.  I did participate in an online reading project last year with Projects by Jen where we read Charlotte's Web and the final activity was to Skype with other classrooms around the United States.  It was okay but the students wanted a more personal experience.  If another blogger out there would be interested email me or write something in my comments & I will contact you to see if pen pals would work. 

 

Lastly, a very fun linky party from Ashley over at Fierce in Fourth.  Even us old timers  (16 years) get the first day of school jitters.  So I am going to share three things I am worrying about.

1.  My school adopted a new textbook math series, Go Math.  I actually have never used a math textbook series.  I have used Simple Solutions & my curriculum as my guide on what to teach & then supplement my own materials.  So if anyone out there in bloggyland uses or have used the Go Math series and can offer any advice please do.  I am hoping this change is going to make things easier on the planning end.  But I am worried about the pacing for my students.  Will it go too fast or too slow and how to I differeinate my lessons for all my students?   I feel so confused:/

2.  The unknown really drives me nuts at school.  Some years there is so many changes such as; students, co-teachers, new teachers & curriculum right before school starts.  I am a planner and I am happiest when I can prepare ahead.  But I also know as a teacher you must go with the flow & be flexible.  Everything always works out just how it needs to be. 

3.  Last year was a very stressful year.  Physically I was totally drained at the end of the year.  I so needed summer break.  I use to not want school to end for the summer but not this last year.  Is it my age or just that school year (I had 15 students, 6 of them on the autism spectrum and 2 others labeled LD in math & reading.).    I just cannot do that to myself and my family again this year.  So I vowed no more late nights at school & all weekend planning.  Just how do I do that is the question?

Check out the other blogs that have linked up at Fierce in Fourth.  Also any advice for my jitters?

Another Blog Award!!!!

I have been reading all the awesome teacher stories when I looked at my email and I read that Caralee over at Confessions of a Teachanista nominated my blog for an award.

Thank you Caralee!  I am so (jumping up and down) excited!!!  Ok now I need to follow the rules for this award...
First I need to share 7 random facts about myself.

1.  I never finished fourth grade due to a medical illness.  I had a tutor over the summer so I could go to fifth grade with my class.  Weird, since I have been teaching 4th & 5th grade for almost 10 years.

2.  I have 4 Amerucana chickens that lay pink, green or blue eggs.  Yes, they are edible and the insides look like grocery store eggs.  In fact if you ever have the chance to actually eat farm fresh eggs do not pass it up.  They are delicious!

3.  I grew up on a small non-working farm in Ohio.  We had almost every farm animal (No pigs, Mom thought they were dirty animals.) even peacocks and Guinea hens.

4. If you have read my teacher story you already know this but I have been a hairdresser for 26 years and worked in a shop up to a year ago.

5.  I am very shy around people (adults) I do not know.  My class always tells me I am NOT like that at school.

6.  I want to live to be 100.  A "healthy" 100 years!

7. Number one on my bucket list is to go to Italy with my husband and kids.  Both our families are from Italy.  My husband still has family there.


Here are 5 AMAZING blogs to check out.  Take a look....

1.  Hop 'n' Dots Teaching Blog
2.  Still Teaching After All These Years
3.  The Groovy Teacher
4.  I Love my Classroom
5.The Resourceful Apple

Thanks again Caralee!

My Teacher Story and Monday Made It # 8

I just read that Janaye  over at Tales of Frogs & Cupcakes is having a great linky party, "My Teacher Story."  So here is my story...

Teaching is actually a second career for me.  I have been a hairdresser for 26 years and worked in a shop up to a year ago.  Hairdressing is in my blood.  My mom, two aunts (her sisters), a cousin and even a great aunt all on my mom's side are hairdressers.  For 24 of the 26 years I worked at my aunt's shop with her and my cousin. I had a BLAST!  It was like going and having coffee with my girlfriends everyday.  I was persuaded to be a hairdresser by my mom when I graduated from high school because I had no idea what I wanted to do.  So I went to the same beauty school as my mom and after graduating and passing my state boards I spent two years perfecting my craft.  Then I went to work for my aunt for 24 years until she passed  away a year ago.  Here is my daughter's First Communion updo...  (Ugh my only picture is on my desktop which will not turn on due to a virus! I'll keep looking!)

Then one day my BFF who was also my roommate said why don't you go to school to be a teacher, you absolutely LOVE kids.  I was the only one at the beauty shop that would cut and style the little kids' hair.  I am in quite a few "1st Haircut" pictures - Yuck I hate getting my picture taken!  I said I can't go to college but my BFF brought all the paperwork home and helped me get the paperwork completed and signed up for my first classes.  After my first college class - "Intro to Psychology"  I was hooked.  I LOVED college!  I loved even more then college was teaching.  I at last felt like I found why I was put here on Earth - to teach!  Don't get me wrong I still love doing hair but I always felt it wasn't my true calling.  Teaching made my heart sing and still does 16 years later.  My BFF that was my roommate back then is still my BFF and my inspiration.  She went back to school too,  after receiving her bachelor's in political science and master's in juvenile corrections before I even went to college.  Guess what her new degree was?  Teaching!  She is now a SBH teacher at a near by high school and I am an elementary teacher.  If it was not for her believing in me I would have never took the chance to become a teacher.  I have shared that story with all my students in hopes that I can inspire them to follow their dreams no matter what others might say.  My road has been a little different then most but I would not have changed it for the world! 

I did one small Monday Made It project for Tara over at 4th grade Frolic.  I know I said I would share my Science in a Bag project but the week flew past! I promise I will post it soon.  But I did make really cute labels for my plastic science unit containers from PreKinders and they were free!  Take a look....

I would have been really happy if I could have patiently figured out how to type on the labels instead of hand writing them but I have absolutely no patience with myself.  I also thought I was pretty tech savvy but obviously not!  If anyone would like to add those directions in their comment I would forever be thankful. I am hoping that these last few Monday Made Its will motivated me to get some more school stuff done.  I have fallen deeply into summer break and just can't get out!

Newbie Blog Hop

Here is a great blog hop of newbie blogs from Janice over at Grade Three is the Place for Me! that I thought I would try it out since I am a newbie.  Check it out and link your blog.  Do not forget to tell us about yourself.

1. what state you are in

2. your current teaching position

3. your teaching experience

4. when you started blogging

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource

1.  I am in Ohio.
2.  I currently teach 4th and 5th grade math and science at a small Catholic school.  We have regular education students and children diagnosed on the autism spectrum in our classrooms.
3. I have had my license for 16 years now and I have only taught 4th and 5th grade.  I have subbed in 1st - 8th grade classrooms and student taught 3rd grade though.
4.  I started this blog back in April but was waiting for my new blog design to really getting into blogging.  Isn't it pretty?  I love the look of my new blog.
5.  Only make 1 post a day.  Hmmmm?  I am still working on trying to blog 1 a week:) 

Here are some awesome newbie blogs.  Get a cup of coffee or a cold drink and enjoy!

Newbie Blog Hop

Here is a great blog hop of newbie blogs that I thought I would try out since I am a newbie.  Check it out and link your blog.  Do not forget to tell us about yourself.

1. what state you are in

2. your current teaching position

3. your teaching experience

4. when you started blogging

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource

1.  I am in Ohio.
2.  I currently teach 4th and 5th grade math and science at a small Catholic school.  We have regular education students and children diagnosed on the autism spectrum in our classrooms.
3. I have had my license for 16 years now and I have only taught 4th and 5th grade.  I have subbed in 1st - 8th grade classrooms and student taught 3rd grade though.
4.  I started this blog back in April but was waiting for my new blog design to really getting into blogging.  Isn't it pretty?  I love the look of my new blog.
5.  Only make 1 post a day.  Hmmmm?  I am still working on trying to blog 1 a week:) 

Here are some awesome newbie blogs.  Get a cup of coffee or a cold drink and enjoy!

Teacher Mom Blog Award - Please Vote For Me

Well I am trying to get some more followers.  I nominated my blog for the Circle of Moms Teacher Blog Awards.  The award is for blogs of teachers that are also moms.  That fits my blog.  I am a teacher and I have three wonderful kids. There is some great competition that has been nominated.  I would love to receive this award and be included.   If you could vote for me by clicking the button below that would be awesome.




I also I am going to try to complete a "Monday It Monday" project for next Monday and post it on 4th grade Frolics by Tara.  Just a tease "Science In A Bag."  Wish me luck!

 

Class Library & Lemonberry Yogurt

Wow!  I just found this very cool website Classroom Organizer.  It is all over Pinterest and I had to take a look.  The website lets you scan in all your books in your classroom library using the upc bar code on the back of the book.  You can also include the AR level and points, grade level, interest level and so on.  Then you can import or type in your class lists. 

Then when one of my kiddies ask, "Can I take this home?" I can say sure and hand them either my I-Phone or I-Pad where the child scans the bar code under their name.  When they bring the book back, they rescan the bar code under return and their name.  Voila ! I know WHO has my book.  Over the years so many of my books had never been returned.  Now I have an easy way to track them.  Seriously, I do not know for sure what is in my classroom library.  When I first started teaching and my library was small, I typed up a list.  Now, I have no clue and the thought of typing them all up sounds yucky!!!!  I have already started scanning the books I picked up over the summer.  Hopefully I can convince my oldest daughter to come to school with me and scan in all the books in my classroom.  Maybe a trip or two to Lemonberry Frozen Yogurt will do the trick.  In fact I need to go, we are on our way to Lemonberry now!  Yum

My First Blog Award!

Yahoo!!!! I recieved my first blog award from Randi at Teaching in an Organized Mess for the a blog with less then 6 followers.  I do not have any followers so I think I qualify:(  So thank you Randi!  Now I just need to work on getting some followers.  I know I need to start posting on a regular basis but I am still a newbie at this blogging thing.  Please be patient with me. 

Ok here are the rules...

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you.

2. Post the award to your blog.

3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.  (Very hard to find blogs without this awesome award.)

4. Let the other bloggers know they have won. 

For the Liebster Blog Award I nominate:

1.Teaching 5th Grade In Pearls

2.Oragnized Teaching Addict

3.Fifth Grade Findings

4.Fifth Grade Dugout

5 Fabulous Finch Facts

New Blog, Summer's Sweetness & To Do List

Ok, I can't wait to get this blog up and going. I was trying to wait for my new blog design before I started to work on this blog but I just could not wait. Especially after reading all the awesome teacher blogs out there. I am so excited to see what Kenna at Project 3 is designing for ME! I have definitely been bitten by the blogger bug! I have another blog mrsparentesclasspage.blogspot.com but it is more geared towards my students and I am sure they will not want to read about teacher, mom & wife stuff that I want to blog about on this blog. So...... I started this blog. Is that normal? Another reason I have left both my blogs untouched was that my buddies at my school promised each other no school stuff until July. It was a tough school year and we all needed a break from the school grind. AHHHH it is going to be tough to get back into the swing of things, summer has been so sweet. No alarm clocks, drinking my coffee watching my favorite morning shows, shopping with my girls, driving my 3 kids here and there, blog stalking until 1 am and my most favorite addiction... PINTEREST! OMG I am so addicted. There is so many amazing ideas for school (I have stolen borrowed so many great ideas.) and lately I have been looking at all the beautiful home decor. I even tried a Pinterest idea from Katie at Clarendon Lane for my hallway.

I am so excited how it came out. I still need to tweak it a little more. Maybe some small lamps & a metal egg basket. Notice the egg theme, we have 4 cool Amerucana (I hope I spelled that right I am too lazy to look it up.) chickens. I will blog about that at another time.

Now on to my list of school things I need / want to do.
1. Organize my metal cabinet at school. (I will hopefully post before & after pics soon.)
2. Get my documents ready for my license renewal.
3. Find 9 cool home science experiments for my Science In A Bag Club.
4. Redesign my curriculum maps for science, math, social studies & religion.
5. Start planning my 4th & 5th grade math lessons with our new math series, Go Math.
6. Pick a theme for my classroom (Do I need an excuse? PINTEREST!).
7. Organize my home office. Its a huge mess that I do not think I would want to post before & after pics. Gross!

Well that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed my attempt at blogging. I would LOVE if you would follow me on either or both blogs. I will do my best to keep you posted. I would also love some comments / advice. Thanks and Happy 4th of July!