Blog Hoppin' Back to School Week

Friends.  This is one of my most favorite weeks of the year!  It's Blog Hoppin's back to school week, where they pick a different theme each day for a week.  It's also a time when I generally tend to over commit myself.  Maybe this is really the week where I learn how to use the schedule post?  Stay tuned for that.  Without any more babbling I'm going to link up for Monday of BtS Week.

First up, let's talk about family.  Now I have the song We are Family! stuck in my head.  So, there's that.  But seriously, my family is fantastic.  I want to say the best, but I bet y'all are pretty fond of your families, too so I don't want to get anyone panties into a twist.  So we'll just say fantastic.  Because that's absolutely true.

Here's a picture of me and the hubs at our wedding.  Obviously.  Per the dress.  (As a side note, I wish it was acceptable to dress up in your wedding dress outside of your wedding.  I would wear that at least a few times a year.  That dress is my jam.)

This nugget here is the legitimate love of my life.  (Don't tell the hubs!)  My four year old niece is adorable.  I love hanging out with her, and it hurts my heart that we don't live nearby.  This is a picture from Christmas morning.  G got a make-up set from Santa this year and she had to do our make-up so that we looked beautiful.

This picture makes my heart happy, too.  It has almost all of my favorite people in it--the hubs, my parents, my super bestie and her boyfriend.  I wish all of these people lived close by to me.  Instead I settle for soaking up as much of them as possible whenever I'm back in Cincinnati.  I'm sure you're starting to get bored of pictures of random people, so I'll start moving along.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

Starbucks.  My sweet pup.  Color-coded calendars.  Running.  Drinking wine with the girls.  Watching re-runs of Friends.  And Criminal Minds (who am I trying to kid?).  Reading.  Especially reading an entire book in a day.  Baking.  Gum.  Shopping.  Visiting home and spending time with my fam.  

IF YOU WEREN'T A TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?

If I wasn't a teacher, I would want to be the President or a Supreme Court Justice.  Or an NFL coach.  Or a baker.  (Clearly, I'm assuming that actual skills aren't a prerequisite.)  

THREE LITTLE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU.

Friendly.  Out-going.  Team-oriented.  

FINISH THE SENTENCE, "________,  SAID NO TEACHER EVER!!"

"Yes.  I'd love to stretch a 20 minute meeting out to fill an hour!"

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE {DEAD OR ALIVE} TO THE PARTY. WHO ARE YOU INVITING?

Um, so this is weird, but Abraham Lincoln.  And Jennifer Lawrence, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler.  All together.  

IF SOMEONE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?

There's No Such Thing As Perfect.

YOU GET TO PICK ONE SUPERPOWER. WHAT IS IT?

I don't know if this is really a superpower, but I want to speak all the languages of the world.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING?

I know this is awkwardly long, but I LOVE this Teddy quote.  Also?  I sort of wanted to invite Teddy to my birthday party, but I was trying to tone it down a little.  

IF YOU HAD TO SING ONE SONG ON AMERICAN IDOL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone.  Or Yesterday.  It's hard to decide.  It's unlikely that I'll end up on American Idol though, so I don't think a decision is necessary.

ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL

Probably morning person.  Especially if I can get a few cups of coffee.

SHARE SOMETHING WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU!

I have a problem that I call Feelings Face.  It's basically the total opposite of Bitch Resting Face (BRF).  In BRF people are nervous to approach you because you look so aggressive.  With Feelings Face nobody needs to approach  you because they can already tell exactly how you feel.  

I'm sure that's more than you ever wanted to know about me.  I can't wait to hear more about you, and I can't wait to participate in the rest of BtS week with Blog Hoppin!  Have a great night, friends!

xoxo

Sale Time, Y'all!

Hello, friends!

Unless you don't follow any other blogs, I'm sure you already know that there's a HUGE Teachers Pay Teachers sale going on right now.  In most stores you can get almost 30% off.  (To be honest, the math confuses me a little.  Tpt gives 10% off with the code, and most teachers put their store at 20% off, but for some reason it only shakes out to 28% off.)  But still.  A discount is a discount, yes?

So if you're in the shopping mood, and heading back to school shortly allow me to make a few suggestions.

I use these data folders weekly, usually starting after the first six weeks of school.  I send them home on the same day each week (one year I did Tuesdays, and one year I did Wednesdays).  Students create a graph to show their scores on a quick weekly check-in.  I used assessments that monitor fact fluency, because that was a first grade power standard in my school, and a quick Fundations check-in for whatever unit we were currently studying.  I also had students write a note to their families about their work that week, and I had parents sign a sheet saying that they had looked over the folder with their students.  They also had to make a comment, which ultimately showed whether or not they had actually looked over the folder.  

I also have several bundles of math tasks in my store.  Math tasks are basically really open-ended word problems, but they usually have multiple correct solutions.  I've blogged about math tasks in the classroom here, here, and here.  But even if you're running a more traditional math block these tasks still definitely can be used to push your kids' thinking.  I have some tasks that focus on place value, as well as addition and subtraction.

This is the last product I'll highlight today.  This is a quick, informal check-in that I created for students struggling with rote-counting and number sequence.  I used it with first graders who were below grade level, and I definitely think it would also be helpful for kinderbabes as well.  It assess rote counting, number id (to 30), and 1-to-1 correspondence.  I would give my strugglers this assessment every time we finished a targeted unit to see if they were picking up the skills I was hoping for/making progress towards those fundamental skills they needed to shore up.  It was also helpful data when I took them to student support team meetings.  With the sale it's under $1.00.  It's a win-win.  =)  

One last reminder--during the TpT sale you can also use your credits that you get for reviewing products.  So if you've recently purchased items make sure you go back and give feedback to those sellers today so that you can use some credits towards your purchases during the sale.  

Have fun filling your cart!

xoxo

August Currently

Y'all.  How can it be August?!  I literally feel like June 24th (my first day of summer break) was just a few days ago.  This summer was so busy, with a week long visit from our nephew and a 10 day trip back to the Midwest that I refuse to believe that it's almost over.  For the first time in I don't even know how long I have not been to a pool or a beach all summer long.  That's a shame.  A damn shame.  As I generally take up residence at the pool over the summer.  But, it just didn't work out that way this year.  C'est la vie.  Well, I don't want to spoiler alert anything, but I'm linking up with Farley for the August Currently.  The design this month is super cute.

We got a new puppy almost 2 weeks ago, and she's so dang adorable.  I just want to play with her all the time.  Except that puppies are like babies, so after like 2 minutes of activity she wants to sleep for like 20.  It's so nice that she's gotten along with basically every other creature she's met, and she loves kids.  She's just been such a love bug.  Tonight, I took her to a grill-out (the reason this is a evening post, and not an afternoon post) with a bunch of friends, and a few dogs.  It was great!  Everyone had a great time.  I definitely am putting off a few things until tomorrow that I had planned to do today, but I figure that I'm allowed to have a fun evening with friends, yes?  

One last thing, friends.  Tomorrow (well, technically I think in an hour and a half) starts the TpT Back to School sale!  I'll be back with a more detailed blog post tomorrow, but I just wanted to let you know that I am participating and everything in my store will be 20% off, plus you can get an extra 10% off with the code BTS14.  I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a Fundations bundle?  I don't have my units bundled now, and I know that not all of them are out, but I was thinking maybe bundling by 5s for now, and then I could also offer a 10 as well, once I complete more.  Is that interesting, or a waste of time?  

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy the waning hours of summer.  =)

xoxo