A Passionate Teacher

This week my principal showed this video.  I think it sums up the way I feel as I embark on my new journey.  I am so grateful to be working at a school with an amazing staff and administration. 

Grab the tissues...

What's Important in a Classroom?

I just read a very interesting blog article written by Debbie Clement from Rainbows Within Reach.  It seems like there is quite the controversy brewing in Blogland.  Should a classroom be cute? How important is it for a classroom to be cute?

This brings me to my theory.  I feel that a classroom needs to be organized, visually appealing, neat, and functional.  But I also feel as if Pinterest has kind of become the new Face*ook.  People are scouring it thinking, "If only I had a nicer classroom. If only my bulletin boards were as pretty.  If only my reading area was more amazing." I think it is an wonderful source of inspiration but we need to make sure that we don't beat ourselves up over it.  


Your students are going to love you whether or not your classroom has the most amazing bulletin boards or if they are just plain jane with some basic borders.  You got this job because YOU know what to do.  YOU know how to make a difference.  Remember this classroom is for the students to learn and for us to transfer knowledge to them.  After that first day of school the bulletin boards will be covered with anchor charts, the book baskets will be out of place, and the puzzles pieces will be missing.   So don't get caught up on all the photos of the catalogue worthy classrooms. All that matters is that we enter and exit our classroom with the same frame of mind...to make a difference. Lets foster a love of learning within our students.  Lets show the world that teachers are the most important people out there.




What are your thoughts?

New Blog Design and Monday Made it Link Up

Yay! For a new blog design! I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out.  I owe a huge thank you to Christi from Design By Christi who designed my page and Crystal at The Library Fox who created my custom blog button and "mini me."  I highly recommend both of these lovely ladies if you are in need of a blog design or custom clip art.

Monday Made It!

Let's kick off Monday Made it with Tara from Fourth Grade Frolics.  I have been very busy today. With only 1 more day left of my summer vacation, I have been running around to Walmart, Target, Joanne's and Michaels gathering up last minute items.  

MADE IT #1

After seeing the student toolboxes that The Ladybug Teacher Files created, I knew I had to change up my original plan.  I originally planned to do the table caddies but knew that in 1 week I would get frustrated when the markers, pencils, and crayons were scattered about inside the caddies leaving the caddies dirty and just plain...gross.  To ease my mind I created these beauties...

Goodbye dirty caddies, hello hidden dirt!

MADE IT #2

This weekend while on vacation in Chicago I decided I hated my word wall that I previously made.  I mean REALLY...hated it.  I thought about it  A LOT and I came up with another idea. I wanted to create a word wall that had items attached to it that began with each letter of the alphabet.  I didn't just want clipart so I decided to use the wooden cutouts that can be found at Michaels or Joanne Fabrics.  I adhered everything to chevron scrapbook paper and made the letters on the computer.

Stay tuned for pictures of it once I hang it in my classroom.  That's all for now! Make sure to jump on over to Tara's blog and see all the Monday Made Its!

Super School Shopping Saturday!

Smart Kids

Today I am linking up with Smart kids for Super School Shopping Saturday.  This whole summer I have been scouring all the local stores for the best deals in town.  I was lucky enough that our local teacher store celebrated its 9th Anniversary and had an AMAZING sale earlier in the summer.  I grabbed most of my decorative items and big things during that sale.  

Yesterday, I stopped by Target to see what all the fuss was about in the Dollar Spot.  As usual, Target didn't disappoint.  

Check out my haul! 

Some of the items definitely weren't in the Dollar Spot such as the chevron bulletin board or owl art line however, I am going all out for my desk area this year.  I am coming from a school that didn't allow us to decorate at all.  My desk had to be relatively clear, I couldn't have a bulletin board or really personalize my space.  While I respected their beliefs I am just ready to make my desk area more functional and personalized.  Therefore, those two items will be used in that area.

Under all those items is my border holder.  I have always wanted to get one but I couldn't get myself to pay $19.99 for the brand name ones.  I also saw various storage options on Pinterest for bulletin borders but the only problem was it was using food containers such as icing and peanut butter.  That is where my problem lies, I do not eat icing or peanut butter and I certainly am not going to just buy it to use as a storage container.  Target has now solved my dilemma and if they fall apart and don't work well so be it, they were 3 bucks! 

The next items were the tin buckets.  I will use the tin buckets to house supplies such as scissors, pencils, markers etc. 

The alphabet stickers will find their home in my word work station and or writing station.  The students will use these for letter recognition, letter matching, and making words in word work.  In writing they are used for making signs and cards. 

The clocks I use to display important times such as lunch, specials and dismissal. 

The Alphabet cards will be used in the word work station.  

The other miscellaneous items such as pencils, push pins, giant cassette eraser will just be for personal use in my classroom. 

This is my Target haul! I look forward to seeing what you all purchased.  

xoxo 

Renessa

P.S. Sorry my blog isn't so appealing right now it will be undergoing a design transformation this week! 

Teachers Have More Fun!

They always say blondes have more fun but obviously whoever came up with that saying never met a teacher!  Check out these fun videos.  If these don't get the kids moving and excited to learn, I don't know what will!


The fabulous Daina Roberts from Sticky Notes & Glitter and Tamara Russell from Mrs. Russell's Room rocked it out "Gangnam Style" to help their kids remember the vowel sounds! Click on the video below to watch.

Next, I present the 5 Little Piggies Rap by Debbie Clement.  I am so sad I missed the I Teach K! conference in Vegas due to my move and grade change but I will be there next year no matter what! Click on the video to see these teachers rockin' out.




I am so thankful to be in a profession that is so much fun.  Yes, it is challenging, demanding, and exhausting but I wouldn't change it for anything.  There is no where I rather be then in my classroom with the tiniest of learners. 




xoxo

Renessa

Let's Get Acquainted: Advice for New Teacher's Link Up!

Happy Sunday! Two more Sundays and I am officially back to school! I love when I say that and people look at me as if I am crazy and ask me what grade I am in.  

Today I am linking up with Flying Into First for her weekly series Let's Get Acquainted.  Today's topic is new teacher advice.  Without further adieu...

ALWAYS...

love what you do.  This goes for anything in life.  If you don't love what you do you will not be happy.  Your emotions, thoughts, and feelings transfer to your students so always arrive each day with a clean slate.

FIND...

a mentor teacher.  I didn't have a mentor my first year because I was in a VERY small Christian school and was the only Kindergarten teacher.  This is when I became in love with blogging and searching the Internet for the latest and greatest.  I took to the blogs and the web and used it as sort of my way of mentoring myself. We might have never spoke but there are some people that truly helped me establish my first year Dr. Jean, Deanna Jump, Clutter Free Classroom, Debbie Diller and many more. 

INVEST...

in your classroom for years to come by starting a classroom library.  Even if your budget is super tight skip the cutesy borders and bulletin board sets and head straight over to Ebay, Amazon, or Craigslist and search for "Lots" of books.  If you are gasping at the thought of not having a fully themed classroom this year I can promise you that the Monkeys you are dying to hang from your bulletin boards today will be the Monkeys you will want to tear off your bulletin boards come June.  Just look at Mrs. Tab's classroom.  She decorated it for cheap and it is exactly what you need!

READ...

I know you might have just graduated and reading is the last thing you want to do but try to always stay ahead of the learning curve and know the teaching methods that are out there and could eventually be thrown your way. 

ENJOY...

your first year.  Each child you will make a lasting imprint in their heart.  Be the teacher that they will always remember.  Be the teacher that makes a difference.

That my dear is my advice.  Thank you for reading my FIRST linky ever! Thanks for stopping by and be on the lookout for my new blog design that Christi Fultz is creating!  

Keep Learning,

Renessa

Organizing for Common Core

As the school year approaches more and more schools are switching over to Common Core.  I myself am quite excited to be working with the Common Core Standards.  I rather work with the Common Core versus the 1,000,899,000 standards attached to the NGSSS...ya' know what I mean? 


This will be my 2nd year implementing the Common Core but my first year implementing it in a Kindergarten classroom.  As I have been gathering materials and buying more and more items on TPT, I knew I had to get my act together and start organizing my materials.  

This was my first step...

On the left hand side you have my Mathematics Common Core Organization Chart.  This chart I think will be my lifesaver when I begin to plan.  I listed each standard on the left and activities I have in my possession to meet the standards on the right.  If I haven't printed out the activities I simply put the pathway that it can be found on my computer's hard drive.  Now onto the photograph on the right.  

The photograph on the right are labels and if you keep reading you will understand why I did this.  

I scored these amazing Small Group Instruction Learning Mats from Mailbox Magazine during a Buy 1 Get 3 Free Sale Event.  Yes, BUY 1 GET 3 FREE! This is a teacher's dream...FREEBIES.   Call me cheap but I just love me some Freebies.  I picked up the Learning Mats for Math and Literacy.  

My next plan was to cut and organize these puppies.  I took their idea of organizing them into a binder. I then decided I wanted to be able to have all my CCS's written for me so I can just grab and plan.  I went through each activity within the book and aligned them to a standard.  I then took Avery Labels and wrote the standard name and description along with the activity.  I printed the labels and adhered them to the front of a 3-ring binder.  I then made a label for the spine of the binder that simply has the standard name written on it.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out and think that this will make my planning and preparation efficient during the school year.  

This organizational idea is something you can use with all your activities.  Simply type your standard onto labels and place them on your binders, in your plan book, or wherever you have it so you know what standards are attached to the activities that you plan on implementing.

How are you organizing for the school year?