Teacher in Training

I am a third grade teacher who LOVES her job. I am constantly evolving as a teacher, and training along the way. I hope to offer teaching tidbits, and the occasional tangent of fun.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

As stated in my last post, we are starting with sentence structure but also the four types of sentences. I found an easy assessment (and FREE!) from Mrs. Prince and Co. I will be using it this week.
See how easy it is! 

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Welcome Back! School with students began for me this week! I am totally excited about my class. They are well behaved. The co-teaching is going well!! My partner and I have found much common ground. My blog today is not about co-teaching though. It is about Interactive Notebooks. They are all the rage, and everyone teacher you read about loves them. Our grade level has decided to commit to doing interactive notebooks this year, BUT where to begin? I found a blog as I was searching Pinterest with a few tips to read BEFORE you begin. The blog, All Students Can Shine, has 10 tips for newbies, like my grade level. She also has interactive notebooks for sale on TpT (I am not endorsing them. I have not looked through them). Check them out though. It is a very overwhelming task and one great piece of advice is to start small. Our grade level is going to start with different types of sentences and place value. We are not diving in without getting our feet wet. I hope this is helpful. If you have any tips for us, please leave them in the comments section. Have a great day!

Friday, August 8, 2014

I changed my dismissal procedures this year after seeing so many cute entries on Pinterest. I adapted several to make the one that I am using. I made the background University of Illinois colors (I-L-L). I did have to make it two pages. The border didn't quite reach the page side, so I had to trim and tape the two pages together. I printed it on card stock and laminated it.I will also be making an arrival procedures in the next few days.
Sorry it is sideways!
Today's cute idea comes to us from 4th Grade Frolics. These stop signs are given quietly, so no other students are disturbed. I will be testing them out this coming school year. I will let you know how they work out. To get your own (they were free!), click on the link above. Have a Great Day!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Cute Comprehension Cards

How many students don't want to say that they don't know something because they are afraid of what their classmates will think. Here is a great idea for checking for comprehension when presenting an idea. It will take a lot of persistence in using but I am very optimistic. I got these adorable cards on classroom freebie too! (I figured out how to add a link!)

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I also have been searching for a sub binder idea; something simple that doesn't take to much to put together and I found one on TpT (it was FREE!).
from Persnickety Pickles. It didn't take much color. I will put it in a binder and put it on the shelf for the day I need a guest teacher. Once again, when I figure out how to link to her site, I will do so and let you know I did. It is not going to take too much time to put this together.
I was hoping to blog a little sooner than today, but the laminator at school was broken and I wanted to have a finished product to show you before I posted. WELL, the laminator wasn't completely fixed, as I was lead to believe, and I had to hand crank these absent folders myself. I felt like I was a kid again, wringing out the clothes from my grandma's washer (dating myself a little). Anyway, here are my absent folders for this year. I got the printouts from Hand Me Down Mom Genes. They were free! I liked her idea of putting them on manilla folders (accessible and free from school). They turned out pretty neat! I can't wait to use them! As soon as I can figure out how to add a link to her blog, I will. There were some really cute ideas on there.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Almost A Year!

I can't believe it has been almost a year since my last post! Time flies, that's for sure. This coming school year I am going to be in a co-teaching classroom. I have an amazing co-teacher and I hope to share our journey. This will be the first time that we have worked together, so hopefully I can share some insights to help others as our year progresses.

My new title, which I have been giving much thought since I rekindled my need to blog, is from my favorite movie, How to Train Your Dragon. I thought this fit me this coming year, as I am trying to train myself to create items to post to TpT. I am amazed with the inventiveness of the teachers on there and know I can put my ideas on paper in a creative, inspiring way, and let's face it make some extra cash. I am learning that this creating thing is not as simple as copy and paste. Clip art I have is not moving where I want it to, frames and borders are not behaving and staying on the page and with that in mind, I will share those tips as I acquire and master the skill. I have already talked with the technology guru in my school district to help and she seemed all willing to impart her wisdom to me. I am also trying to train myself on how to be more organized.

My school will start four weeks from yesterday and I am freaking out! Inwardly right now, but there is so much to do. While on Pinterest, I found a very interesting blog with five ideas to do right now. The blog is called The Third Wheel at thinkingabout3rd@blogspot.com. Her ideas were just what I needed. Just knowing there is another teacher out there starting to panic makes me feel normal.

I hope to share more with you later. I must go and edit my beginning of the year teacher letter (idea from The Third Wheel). I have a few classroom ideas that I will share, pictures included, next time.