M.I.A.

I'm back!!

..Well, I never really left but I have been neglecting this poor little blog. One day I will be able to go to school and come home at a decent time while being energized enough to form sentences on this blog! {imagine that} haha

First grade is in full swing!
We just wrapped up a unit on ten-frames. My students really enjoyed the hands on activities and learned a lot but I am glad to be moving on after two weeks! We just started our new unit on graphs.  We made a pictograph on Friday displaying our favorite seasons. To my surprise I am the only one who likes fall the best! :-O Tomorrow I will be introducing bar graphs using M&Ms. (I will add pictures).

I have been doing running records and letter/number assessments since the beginning of the school year.  I finally finished testing and have placed my students in groups and the work stations are up and running!  yay! For the past couple of days I have been getting guided reading assistance but tomorrow is my first day working independently with my groups. eek! I am hoping for smooth transitions!

Sleep with this under my pillow for good luck?

gotta go-The Sing-Off and DWTS is on!!
Happy Monday :-)

Open House help??

School just began and Open House is right around the corner! Any suggestions on parent activities??

I found this dragonfly clothespin on Pinterest! I made some to hang up student work in the classroom to go with my garden-ish themed room! (I'm just not sure where to put them?)  How do you display student work for Open House?

Added some bees to hold up the "What's the Buzz" bulletin

Meet the teacher Monday

I have linked up with Blog Hoppin' for Meet the Teacher Monday! Sorry this will be short..I need catch some zzz's.

Tell us a little something about you...

I'm Heather! I am new to blogging and teaching. I just graduated from college and I am so excited about this new chapter in my life!

How long have you been teaching?

...one week today! :-)

You might not know...

I started school in Hawaii and since then have gone to 10 different schools before college! My dad was in the Army and we moved constantly...Virginia, New Jersey, Missouri, South Carolina

What are you looking most forward to this school year?

I'm most looking forward to getting to know my students, parents and coworkers.  I moved to a new town and this school year is sure to bring a lot of new experiences.

What do you need to improve?

I need to work on time management.  I seriously do not know where the time goes.  Hmm That's why I spent the last thirty minutes cutting out laminated color words. 

What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?

I couldn't live without post-its (at school and home)!  I have them on everything!! Sharpies and Avery labels come in 2nd and 3rd.

175 more days of fun!

It's 7:40 P.M. on a Friday and I just completed my first week of school.  Sleep is in the near future.

I had a great week with my firsties!  Monday we did a lot of singing, dancing and name games.  A few students told me that it was the best first day of school E.V.E.R.!! I was so relieved that the first day went as smoothly as it did.

goody bag for the first day of school

The rest of the week consisted of going over rules, procedures, and doing art projects.  The students also reviewed letter sounds and how to count by fives and tens.  Since all of the students made it through their first week of first grade (as in-didn't cry everyday), they received Magic Dough!  I spotted this cute idea on Sarah Cooley's blog First Grader...At Last!

...then I wrapped white play dough around it

I did orange play-doh for the boys and pink for the girls

I told the kids that if their magic play-doh turned colors, that meant that they would have a great year in first grade! One by one they screamed with excitement when their dough turned into a color.  "Yes! I will have a great year!"  hehehe I loved it


What is the first week of school without some getting to know you activities!?  The class ended the week with Show & Tell.  The students were allowed to have a Q&A segment after showing their goodies from home.   I thought I would participate in all of the sharing fun.....

Nearly died laughing with all of the oooohs and ahhhs when I whipped this out for Show & Tell :-)
 {My teacher's helper was the photographer eek}

'Twas the night before first grade

I am beyond excited and anxious for the first day of school tomorrow!! I spent a few hours at school today putting together treat bags, cleaning, organizing books in reading corner, organizing massive piles of papers and  putting the finishing touches in the class!  I know I will not be able to sleep tonight..or at all this week {but that's what the weekend is for right?}

I love seeing everyones classroom pictures..Here's mine!!

classroom Bee-havior clip chart

"Information Station"

"Ducky Helpers" -classroom jobs

Reading corner

Apples ready for the kiddos on their desk :)

Calendar/Meeting area

computer, listening & writing centers

cubbies

"Flying into First Grade"

Happy Sunday :)

Life in a nutshell

This week has been crazy busy!! Here is the short version:

-I moved 2 1/2 hours away to the town where I am teaching and moved from kindergarten to first grade all in the same day!!

-I absolutely love everyone I am working with! They have been so helpful and kind! My mentor teacher and other first grade teachers are amazing!!

-I have been setting up my room non-stop all week and its almost DONE!! phew!

-Our school had orientation yesterday and 15 out of 20 families stopped by to my classroom!! I was so excited to meet my students and their parents!!

The  room at the beginning of the week...

blah

boring...

hmm

I will be (hopefully) finishing up the classroom tomorrow! I will post new & improved pics soon!!

Change of plans & breaking news

It's been a while since I last blogged and so much has been happening!!...

Heres a recap:  Last week I had my district orientation and then went to the school meet my principal and fellow teachers.  I also spent the day setting up my first grade classroom.  Everything was a little overwhelming but I had a great time.  The next morning my principal informed me that I was just reassigned to another school and possibly a different grade!!  I was completely shocked and a little nervous about the change of plans.

Yesterday I packed up my room and headed to my new school where I will be teaching kindergarten!  I am really excited to meet my twenty-one cutie pies in less than two weeks!  I spent the whole day setting up my new {huge} room!

Wow this is long! Thanks for hanging in there!! Here's some pics...

View from the door

Meeting area and tables

   

Word Work Area/Reading center

front of the room

Guided reading corner

near the front door

Assistant's table

Breaking news:  Just as I was about to click and publish this post...I got another call.  I am going to first grade!

To be continued....