Friday excitement!

Friday was full of excitement-one of our K5 teachers got engaged (or "married" if you asked any of the students from k4-2nd grade)  her fireman boyfriend surprised her and the whole school got to be a part of it.  Sweetest moment ever witnessed!  Our principal came around that morning pulling teachers out in the hall one by one just to say-"We're having a fire drill at 10am, but it's not a real fire drill-Rob's proposing to Sophie.  So, when the ladder truck pulls up you can gather your class up so they can see."  Even the maintenance guys had their camera phones out!

Fall Updates

Wow!  I feel like I fell off the blog-o-sphere for awhile.  For months I've told myself I was going to sit down and blog, but life happened instead!  Do the DEW was a HUGE success   Junior high kids were overheard discussing words they used in the writing, another class asked if they were going to do it every month, and the little ones seemed to be totally engrossed in their writing.  We haven't had a chance to start going through our writing samples gathered, but I think I'm definitely going to push for this to become a monthly activity (not gathering samples but simply the whole do the DEW concept allowing the students to write freely).
  This week I decided to "clip down" for ANY behavioral "bad choices", meaning pretty much no more "talking paragraphs" no warnings just walk over and clip kids down.  It felt harsh but then again we've been in school a few months now and the consent talking out by several needed to be nixed.  That new plan of action coupled with not being able to have a "job" if work wasn't completed, worked wonders!  All my students really gave their all this week and I was able to get so much done it feels great!  Yes, I realize that Thanksgiving is about to hit and I will once again feel like I didn't get half of what I wanted covered!

Finally

Finally!  It seems as though we are all settling into our 2nd grade routines and responsibilities.  We've begun our Phonics Dance & I really think it's going to be a great asset for the children!  Been sick it seems the past month, but somehow things are getting done.  We have a big school-wide writing assessment tomorrow and I am so excited!  We are calling it...                              

                                  Do the

D.E.W.

Drop Everything & Write

BACK TO SCHOOL

covered old desk with contact-plan on painting drawers black at some point

taken before it was fully set up but its still a hot mess-my library area

Wow! Finally have the first full week back under our belts!  Things are so different this year with my little man in K4 now, he has surprisingly been a really big help.  I still have a few things to do in the room and with some of my files, etc but for the most part the room is where I want it to be.  Except for my classroom library, which I've decided is just going to be a thorn in my side till I can get it organized and set up the way I want it.  Until then, I just have to let it go.  I decided to stick with my "rock star" theme and somehow ended up bringing in zebra print! (It went with my turquoise and black color them) Check out some of my pics-

Setting it up & Personal home media monitoring sheet FREEBIE

So long summer fun in the sun, so long lazy days & timeless schedules!  It's almost time, and the excitment is mounting.  Oddly I am not ready to begin the process of setting up the classroom and what not-it's taken me years to realize my brain does not function well during "set up" time.  I have even drawn maps and planned out on paper only to rearrange once it was actually set up.  At least this time my hubby has stepped up to the plate and really been helpful.  From annoyingly telling me to get in that room while he's off & able to help with our son to coming in and uncovering and helping me arrange some things.  :)  Finally-it only took about  ten years for him to be this supportive in my teaching career (no joke literally about 10 years!).  I am tempted to rid myself of my desk but I need it for the laptop & paperwork stuff.  Other than that I really don't use it.  I have to connect the laptop to the SMARTboard b/c student computer has no sound (hence being the "student" computer) I'm going crazy trying to set up this part of my room, I have another area where I do my small group stuff....wish me look and any tips are greatly appreciated.

   On another subject-I have been meaning to post a Media Time Limit sheet for those with kiddos at home. It has helped me to keep up with how long my son's sat in front of a screen and given him a visual aid as well.  There were too many times I've sat and balanced bank account, paid bills, etc on the computer and fallen into the "sure" for every "Can I watch another Mickey? SuperWhy? Octonots" etc I laminated the sheet and we color in a star with an expo marker-I'll upload a couple I've made so help yourselves!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Media-Time-Managementhttp://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Media-Time-Management

What's up with Teaching blog addict site?

For two days now my computer says "possible threat" whenever I try to access Teaching Blog Addict site, anyone else have this problem?

AGAHAHAHHGH! Classroom libraries

Yep I misspelled the title of the post-I can't seem to get my classroom shut down and it's so frustrating!  I've covered and bagged, cleaned and put away....for a week now!  I should be reminding myself that the last work day was just Tuesday-but really was hoping to not take all week.  I finally took my computer down, just have to bag it tidy up my mess I've left and cover class library bookshelves.  Which brings me to my request and outcry for help with CLASSROOM LIBRARIES!!!!!

  This seems to be the one huge thorn in my side for two years running.  It's just my second year in second grade (was in k5 before), and it's my first year in this classroom.  I've arranged and re-arranged and finally have  all other areas of my classroom how I would like them (for the most part).  But no matter how I organize or categorize my books, I feel like the students still aren't able to search as easily as I'd like, not to mention put them back in the matching basket, I think my mix of overly labeled books from k5 and the extra genres and categories are confusing for a second grader.  Next year I'm going to use color codes for reading levels.  I recently obtained a metal shelf that I thought would be great (I even measured the small spaces for baskets-just clearly not very well) None of my baskets work and the ones that fit do not hold that many picture books.

   I originally wanted to move my library area to the corner of the room, and the metal shelving to the side of it can be used to hang some of my cloth world and U.S. maps.  Then I thought maybe I should separate the larger book bins (science, reptiles, birds, animal families, etc. my really large group of books) and have a "class community boxes" basically by themes, then have an area with the chapter books and leveled books,  but I'm hopelessly lost :(  Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated!
As you can see I just began with a pile and then got ready to get my shelves covered.  So I had some kind of progress in a way. ;)