SO THANKFUL AND HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS!

Hello all!  I am so sorry that I have been neglecting my blog, but happy to say I have been working and playing hard!  This past summer was really tough for my family and I, but thankfully things are looking much better and I can return to some fun passions like blogging.  I have always been reading other blogs and getting great ideas as well as buying amazing things on TpT.  That didn't stop! I just didn't have the extra energy to post on my own blog.  I will also admit that I feel less motivated to post because I don't sell on TpT. It seems that many of my favorite blogs are written by creative and hard working teachers who sell great units on TpT.  I'm just not ready for that, nor talented in that way.

Anyway...I hope to post weekly and share some ideas and things that I am doing in my classroom.  So many changes at my school that it is very overwhelming, but exciting!

Here are a few of the newset things I am doing:

• I am using Aimsweb for benchmark assessments and just starting to progress monitor several of my low babies.  Lots of work, but so meaningful!
• I have 2 ipads in my room now and I am loving apps like Reading Raven, Teach Me Kindergarten, Monkey Math and ABCMOUSE.com
• I am using ABCMOUSE.com in the classroom and have sent invites to my students so they can use it at home.  What an awesome site!
• I am doing Debbie Diller style Literacy Workstations.  My students work in pairs and I love it for the most part.  They are getting much more independent and I am ready to begin Guided Reading and small group work.
• I used Sign-up Genius for conference sign-ups and I loved it and so did my parents!
• We just got on board with Gmail as a district and that was a big change.
• New principal, new kinder partner (we still share a classroom and do AM/PM) 30 students
• Our District is beginning to put pressure on us for beginning Common Core (I know we are behind!)
• Rumors have begun that we will be adopting Treasures for next year and I am both scared and excited. (any thoughts on Treasures would be greatly appreciated!)

So much new stuff and yet I am loving my class and my job!

I just got a new Windows 8 laptop with a touchscreen so I can do my assessments on the go.  It is really cool!!!!

Well, thanks for reading my post and I hope to get back into posting photos and such soon.  I use so many wonderful products from bloggers and I hope to share links to their work. 

Kindergarten Common Core

Hi Everyone!  I have come out of hiding for nothing less than the most important book any kindergarten teacher can purchase!  Kindergarten Common Core

My school district is a little behind the times on implementing The Common Core Standards, but this year we are in an "exploration mode". In other words... we are supposed to figure a lot of it out on our own! We are forming committees and trying things out in our classrooms.  I have learned so much from the amazing teachers here in blogland...much more than my own district!  Now along comes this fantastic resource for all of us to use.  What is such a great bonus is that it has really cute worksheets, posters, cards etc... They look like the stuff we go crazy for on TpT!  Since finding the world of blogging, I haven't purchased another teacher idea/workbook.  I just go to TpT and get exactly what I need with the cutest clipart.  This book is an exception!  It is chock full of the essential information we all need...plus cute clipart!  HEAVEN for this kindergarten teacher!

I am going to be sharing this book with my District Curriculum Department (maybe not this post though ) and suggest (beg) they purchase it for all of our teachers.  It looks THAT good!

I can't wait to read this resource and begin to learn more about Common Core Standards.  Check it out for yourself!

My next post will hopefully be coming soon...now that I have resurfaced from a very difficult summer and start to the school year! Things are looking up!!!! 

My Target Addiction Begins Again!

I went to Target today to pick up some things I need for my trip to Las Vegas (I leave tomorrow morning) and I of course had to check the dollar aisle and look what I got:

These will be better than sheet protectors!

I use these for homework folders and take home books



These go over the student's chairs!  Sorry I couldn't get it turned around even though it looked right on my desktop!

I know it is summer, but I just couldn't resist and if you don't get them when you see them...they are gone!  I really love the little bags.  My students bring backpacks, but these are a good way to keep all of the homework in one place.  It makes it easy for my parent volunteers to put the folders and books into these.  Backpacks always carry so many other items.I LOVE that they are Dr. Seuss again this year!

So head over to Target ladies so I am not the only one already loading up the cart for another school year! Have you already found some great things for next year?




I'm so excited!!!

On Tuesday morning bright and early, I am flying to Vegas for the I Teach K Conference!!! I will be attending workshops Tuesday and Wednesday and hopefully getting lots of great ideas to share and use. I am especially excited about seeing Fran from Kindergarten Crayons when I attend her workshop! Of course Tuesday night will be sooooo much fun when I go to the blogger meet-up. I wish you all could come along! I will definitely share what I learn with you all!

Do you "stagger" your start times? New Pete Book

Wow!  I can't believe how long it has been since my last post.  I guess you can say that I burned out on posts and blogging and was just plain overwhelmed with the end of school.  I still found time to read other blogs and check out awesome stuff on TpT and pinterest, but that was ll I could do.
Anyway...now it is summer and I am happy to say that I am enjoying time at home with my family and friends.  I am still looking at blogs and doing some summer reading for school and of course thinking about this coming school year.

Here is what is happening at my school:

• We are going from 25 students to 30+ kids in our classrooms
• Our students are only in school for 3 hours and 20 minutes
• We are having yet another new Principal (yet to be hired)
• Not sure if we will be AM/PM and sharing classrooms or getting our own rooms and staggering the day with early and late start
• Starting RTI (if the new Principal wants us to)
• Using Aims Web as the universal screener (again if the New Principal wants that)
• Having 2 new teachers on our K Team of 4 (this past year we had 4 new teachers who were sadly laid off) These 2 new teachers for this year are coming from other grades at our school

I guess that really isn't a lot of new things, but it all feels very "up in the air" for me.  I am waiting anxiously to see if I will have my own room or if I will be sharing.  That will make a difference on how I arrange my room and set things up. 

Do any of you have your own classroom and stagger the start times so you can have smaller groups at either end of the day?  If so, how do you like that schedule?  Do you feel it is helpful for your students?  I would really appreciate any feedback you have.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer and are getting recharged.  I will be attending the Vegas "I Teach K!" conference for the first time. Just for 2 days, but I am really excited!  I am so happy that the blogger meet-up is on the night I am there. It will be so fun!  I hope to learn a lot of new stuff and add some to my blog!

My daughter just told me this new Pete book will be out in September!  Love it!

Pete The Cat Saves Christmas

What a Day of Shopping!

HI Everyone!  I am sure you are all busy shopping the amazing TAP sale today.  I have spent some time picking up awesome freebies and now have a few items in my cart.  Things are so busy at school and in my personal life.  I have been slowing down on blogging and buying TpT units.  It was just getting to be too much!

Here are a few photos of what my class and I have been up to:

Our Spring Bulletin Board

The Bug Lady Came to our class!

Using Picasa to create this effect.

Buggy Shadow Writing Freebie

Just a quick freebie for anyone who is studying bugs or ladybugs.  These are great for handwiting practice.  Our sight word (heart word) of the week is said, so I added quotation marks. That should be a good challenge for this time of the year.  Enjoy!

Grab It Here!

Please let me know if you will be using this! Thanks!