Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time, there was a second grade teacher...

It's not a fairy tale but it definitely does not feel real!  I have known for a while now and the reality still has not settled over me.

I am going to have an iPad classroom!  One iPad for each kiddo and Apple TV and a document camera and a projector... I am feeling kind of spoiled but I LOVE being spoiled!

I am really am keeping my fingers crossed for a spectacular year because I could not be more excited.  If you read any past posts, 2011-2012 was not my year :(  which also kept my blogging to a minimum.  They are still in my draft folder and they just sound like complaining.  Oh, that's right I was complaining!!  But I had enough restraint to keep it to myself.  As my pregnant teacher friend says, "Power of Positive Thought!"  So I am positively going to have a positive year this year.  We will see if she is right!

Anyway, I am starting this blog to document this adventure and hoping to share and learn with other techno teachers out there!  We are starting to format iPads next week, so I will let you know how it goes!

And the story continues :)

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Change Happens!

If you know me personally, you know that I am a little bit of a truck fanatic.  I drive a F250 Ford Diesel with a 6" lift.  It's a big truck and I absolutely love it!  Her name is Darla and she helps me decompress after school everyday.  I would consider her a friend because she has witnessed more frustration and tears this year than anyone else in my life.  I can't imagine driving anything else.

Why am I telling you about my truck?

I would give up Darla if I could skip the next 11 weeks of this year!  I am so ready for change!  Change happens a lot in the teaching profession or maybe it's just our school.  It's coming my way and I am ready to embrace it.  It's Spring Break and all I have done for the first two days is think about work.  Crazy, right?  I am so excited about next year that even the people that try to squash my excitement haven't been successful.

So, I have been working and working and WORKING!

Here are the Common Core Mathematical Practice "I Can" statements.  Thanks to Scrappin' Doodle for the cute clip art.

CCS Mathematical Practice "I Can" Statements

Here's to a productive Spring Break and a fast end to the year :)

♥Christa

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Doughnuts with sprinkles!

So, we started our writer's workshop today. I am not ashamed to admit that I am not the strongest writing teacher. My kids make gains and goals but when asked where I need improvement, I have always said "writing". Which is why I am taking the Professional Development class with the Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy Calkin.

We took a quick tour of our writer's note book and all the tools we have available. I purchased a notebook pack from Mrs. Patton's Patch. This is an amazing kit and since I have never taught like Lucy, I needed something to get me started off on the right foot.

The kids were very excited! It is my philosophy that when things look nice, the students seem to take better care of them. I printed everything in color, purchased 1 inch binders and created a cute cover. Anyway, we started with circle maps. My circle map was about an airplane that I saw on the way to school. I am writing and one little cutie raises his hand and says, "Mrs. England, it looks like a doughnut." Well, my goodness, it does look like a doughnut. Hmmm? I keep writing my thoughts around the circle. Another little cutie raises her hand and says, "Look the details are like the sprinkles on the doughnut!" I literally got goosebumps! They are so smart and they will tell you what they need and how to teach them, you just have to listen and be open. We will officially have "Doughnut Maps" during writing...the clouds are starting to part, I think I saw a small slice of sunshine today. Maybe this will be a good year after all!

DONUTS WITH SPRINKLES!

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Poppins Vs. McPhee...who will win?

So, if you have been following, I loved my class last year! They were practically perfect in every way and they made me feel like Mary Poppins. I am seriously going through the stages of grief and think I may need counseling. This is not normal for me!

Anyhow, so the new 2nd graders all came on the first day! Cute as could be in their new clothes and perfectly combed hair. Uh? Tears to start (two of them, not me)...oh no! Defiant behaviors by 9 am...um, wait! A fist fight at lunch...whoa! Mary Poppins flew away and in dropped Nanny McPhee, warts, bad teeth and all! Holy smokes, first day was a disaster.

I have to tell you my first teaching position, I took over a 4th grade class that had rolled over 3 certified teachers and 6 long term subs before November. I was the one that stuck and believe me they tried to get rid of me. I survived that experience and I know (some where deep down) that I will make it through this first week and everything will work out but still it knocks you down and takes your breath away.

I am still trying to decide if I need a spoon full of sugar or a magic walking stick! Poppins or McPhee...who will win?

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The Pinterest Tree!

As I have stated before, blogging is amazing and I absolutely am addicted! But...Pinterest is equally as addicting! Guess which one of my boards is gigantic? Creative Classroom (of course)! There are so many interesting things to look at and so many creative, sharing teachers out there.

If you would like to see my board...click here!

This is currently my favorite find on pinterest, the bubble tree! It is adorable and I plan on displaying student writing on the circles throughout the year. I found the idea on Pinterest called Project Nursery

We are in "teacher training" tomorrow, so it is back to alarm clocks and routines for me. Here's hoping for a great 2011-2012 school year for everyone!

♥Christa

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The Students are Coming!

The students are coming! The students are coming!

Does anyone else get overly excited when they get their class list? Oh my gosh, I got my list yesterday. So stinking happy that the students are coming!! I still miss my class from last year but I am finally moving past that and looking forward. Plus, bonus! I have a little brother and a cousin of past students, so I already know them....love that!!

13 girls and 12 boys...so far! The lists always change but right now I am in teacher bliss. It a fresh new school year, the possibilities are endless and I get to meet 25 new friends in 8 more days! It's going to be a fantastic year!

I am adding a couple of my binder add-ins. I have to give kudos to Listy Listerstine (she knows who she is) because she had a creative hand in a few things. So if they seem wordy, blame Listy :) Use them as is or email if you would like a editable copy!

♥Christa

Parent Info Sheet

Binder Explanation (We have a CAMPing theme this year)

Daily Behavior Report

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Writing Menu

I don't know if that is the right title...Writing Menu. Hmmm? It's more of a guide than a menu. I am hoping that it will be a way for the students to use and understand the 6+1 Traits a little more. Last year I felt like I was talking way above their heads with the Traits because they had nothing concrete to look at or connect to.

After teaching CAFE and Daily 5 for 2 years and loving it, I decided that the "menu" had to be part of writing also. One of the things I love about CAFE is that the visual is always there. It is a way to quickly refresh a students memory of a past lesson or remind them of their next step.

I have read so many writing books this summer: The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy Calkins, No More I'm Done by Jennifer Jacobson, Razzle Dazzle Writing by Melissa Forney, Craft Lesson by Ralph Fletcher and A Writer's Notebook by Ralph Fletcher. When I sat down to create these, my head was swimming with ideas but I wanted to keep it simple.

So here is the final product. I am hoping to have classroom pictures within the week and I will show you how it looks. The images are from Scrappindoddles...so cute!

Writing Menu

♥Christa

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