Happy New Year!

 

Hello teacher friends! Happy New Year to you! 

Tis' the season to think about goals and resolutions...

and one that always comes to mind is FITNESS.

 

I tend to be a "go-go" personality and have a hard time sitting still so I get a lot of random (usually kinder-related) "exercise."  One of my personal goals this year (Ok... Let's be honest... EVERY YEAR) is to commit to an actual exercise/workout program. 

 

However... This year I'm even more committed to improve my classroom "Kinder-Fitness" program.  As most of you know, I teach at a small private school... therefore I have the privilege of serving as my own "gym" teacher.  I gotta be honest... gym class is NOT "my thing."  I do an O.K. job of keeping my kinders actively engaged in fun, physical activities every week but I'm ALWAYS looking for more engaging resources for my kiddos.

 

Two of my VERY FAV teacher bloggers, Dee Wills and Kathleen Pedersen,

have passed on a great resource for me... AND YOU... to check out! 

(Be sure to check out their blogs by clicking on their names above. 

These gals seriously ROCK!  They make me a better teacher with every post they share!)

 

Take a moment to check out adventuretofitness.com.

I'm positive you will LOVE it as much as I did!

Did I mention you can use it for FREE?  Yippee! 

It's a great "indoor" recess option, in addition to being a good P.E. resource!

 

 

 

Great October Resource!

Looking for some GREAT October resources for your classroom?   Well, I have a GREAT one for you!   The GOOOOOOD kind.... the "print and little prep" kind!  Take a look at one of my FAVs for this month!

Simply click on the pics to check it out!   

Here are the Common Core Standards that are addressed during this 4 week poetry set: 

Here is how it works.  Each week there is a new poem with new activities to do each day. Once you have finished with the poem, it can go right into your literacy stations (pocket chart and/or poetry).

Thank you Dee-Dee, my wonderfully talented kindergarten colleague, for sharing your creativity and hard-work with the rest of us "Kinder-Teachers!"     You are a blessing!

New Perspectives... New Posts!

Hello Friends!   Have you ever had good intentions to start something new?  You know... you envision it as this great idea that you WANT to do so badly that you "sugar-coat" it in your mind so that it seems like this easily, do-able and exciting addition to your schedule.   BUT..... THEN.... "LIFE HAPPENS" and you realize.... WOW!  This is NOT working.   Hee!   I have to just giggle at myself!  Ok, I'll admit... I'm a dreamer!  I am SO the type of person who wakes up in the middle of the night saying "Hey!  I've got this awesome new idea! I gotta try this.... TOMORROW!"  Yes... I'm a "plate-filler".... and I tend to pile my own "plate" (schedule) chock-full 24/7.  It's a blessing....and a curse! Ugh!  

SO... to get to the point... (Yes!  I actually have one!)... When I began my BLOG this summer I had envisioned these wonderful and lively DAILY posts filled with treasures of information to share.   Then when school started, I realized.... I just can't keep up with it.  So... I do what all good "perfectionists" do... I re-pressed it!  Hee!   Ok... so now, as you know, it's October and I've made peace with the fact that my initial dream/plan of daily, frothingly-rich posts is NOT happenin'!  I've now set a more realistic goal of posting weekly, or simply as often as I successfully can.  So I'm hitting the "re-start" button....and movin' ahead!   Woot!  Woot!

Document camera on your wishlist?? I've got the magic answer to your dreams!

Have you secretly dreamed of having your own "Elmo" or other "Doc Cam" in your classroom?  Let me guess.. you've seen the multi-hundred dollar price tags of the "Elmos"... or worse yet the $1800 price tag of the "SMART Doc Cam."   Not possible on your school or personal budget?  Well...no worries!  I have the answer for you!!!

Meet "HUE"...

This little guy is the answer to all of your doc cam needs!

He simply plugs into your computer and operates just like an expensive document camera!  He takes pictures, he records, he projects things onto your "Smart" board (or other interactive board), he can zoom in and out, he can SKYPE, and he can record sound!  He's super flexible and re-positionable too! (For MAC or PC!)

This little guy does it all!

And did I mention they come in PINK!  (And many other colors too!)

The BEST part is.... He is only

$49.00!

It's one of the best kept "techie" secrets out there!

Are you excited or what?!!  The possibilities for making your content come alive are now limitless!   How about recording a video snippet everyday of those tadpoles in your science center...then combining the snippets to create a mini-movie of the life cycle of a frog?!  Or using "HUE" to record student reading behaviors and creating developmental portfolios for your kiddos?   How about using "Skype" to communicate with "pen pal" classes around your district, state, or world?!  Or... simply use this little man to project a regular book up on your interactive whiteboard screen for the whole class to view! 

(Check out the above picture-link to gain more info!) 

Be sure to post a comment on my BLOG if you liked this "techie" tip! 

I always love feedback! 

It lets me know what resources my followers are most interested in!

Gotta give a "shout out" to Lori Elliott

from SDE for sharing this incredible find with me! 

My First BLOG Award!

I just received my very first blog award! Actually... was blessed to be "double nominated!" Thank you to Cindy over at Hop n' Dots Teaching and Angela at Hippo Hooray for Second Grade for nominating me for "The Versatile Blogger" award.  I'm honored!  : )  So now I need to tell you seven random facts about myself and then tell you about some great blogs that I found.

Seven random facts about me:
1. My favorite dinner is a grilled cheese sandwich and a chocolate shake.  (I know... healthy, right?!)
2. I have been married for 18 years... and we dated 6 years prior to that.  (Yep!  Married my high school sweetheart!)
3. I have twins that JUST turned eleven two days ago.  (Twins that are 'tweeners!)
4. My youngest child is 7... and was a twin too...but Colton's twin is waiting for us in Heaven.  :)
5. I teach at a private, Christian school.
6. I used to be a Reading Recovery Teacher and an Early Literacy Coach/Consultant.
7. I recently won a $25,000 grant for my classroom from Pepsi!  Woo-Hoo!  Talk about feeling like I hit the jackpot! :)

 There are sooo many out there...but here are some of the awesome Blogs I found and would like to nominate for the BLOG award!  (Check them out):
1. K is for Kinderrific
2. Modern Kindergarten
3. Heather's Heart
4. The Groovy Teacher

Newbie Blogger Hop!

 

Janice at Grade Three is the Place for Me is hosting a Newbie Blogger Blog Hop to help

all of us new to the blogging world link up with each other.

First, post the following 5 things about yourself. 

1. what state are you in

2. your current teaching position

3. your teaching experience

4. when you started blogging

5. share a blogging tip/blogging resource

Then, head back to Grade Three is the Place for Me and link up using your post.

Here are the 5 things about me...

1. I teach in Indiana.

2. I teach Kindergarten... and also "LEAP" (Literacy

Enrichment and Achievement Program for kinder-aged kiddos!)

3. I am starting my 15th year of teaching : ) 

Eight years in public school as a kindergarten teacher, Reading Recovery teacher,

Literacy Specialist and Literacy Coordinator/Consultant....

and starting 7th year in Private School Education.

4. I started my own blog in June 2012....but am well experienced in BLOG stalking! Hee! 

5. I love sharing creative resources with other teachers!  I know my favorite BLOGS to follow are the ones that I can get tips/ideas from that I can use in the classroom the next day!  One of my favorite professional development instructors is Lori Elliot!  Check out her site at www.lorislatestlinks.com to find an unlimited number of educational and techy resource links! 

Now it's your turn! Join the fun!! I can't wait to meet you!!!

Oh... on the "personal" side... I had a glorious day with my newly "tween" twins!  It was their birthday, and we spent a wonderful, fun-filled day in Chicago!  I managed to sneak in two early morning professional development classes at the SDE conference before the rest of my family got up and got ready!  (Lazy bones! Hee!)  Then... we had a nice lunch together, walked down Michigan Ave. to the INCREDIBLE Chicago Museum of Art!   (My family and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE art!!! You will find out more about how I teach the "master" artists in my kinder-classroom soon!)  Then... after a stroll back, we opened gifts and then headed for the super yummy Cheesecake Factory!   Wow!  How can eleven years fly by so quickly???

Here's a Cool Tool for Ya!

Hello everyone!  Still here in Chicago enjoying the SDE Midwest Conference on Differentiated Instruction... and lovin' every minute of it!   The National "I Teach 1st!" Conference is going on here at the same time.  So... this is one fun place to be!  Everyone is so kind, warm and creative!  It's great!  Well... as the title of my BLOG suggests, my goal is to use this BLOG to share great resources.   So here is my tip of the day!  It's called "TAGXEDO."   This awesome website allows you to create awesome images (like the one below) in one minute or less! 

Don't ya' love it?  Think of how many ways you could use this!!!  Create a cool poster for your back to school board, print up T-shirts, make notecards, print and frame this for your kiddos' Christmas gifts... the possibilities are endless!  And the best part...... it's FREE!  You can adjust the colors, pick your own shape, save it, print it, post it in your blog or an email, etc! 

Simply follow these steps!

1. Go to www.tagxedo.com

2. Click on the "CREATE" tab at top right.

3. Click on the "LOAD" button on left side of page.

4. Type a file name in the "WEBPAGE" box.

5. Type the names or words you want in the "Enter Text" box.

6. Pick your color, shapes, etc.

7. Save, print, tweet or post! 

It's that simple!  Do ya' like it?  Will you use this?  

Send me a comment and let me know! 

I have dozens of new, cool tips to post in the upcoming days!  Keep the comments coming to help direct me to what types of resources you like and don't like!  Feel free to "pin" the ideas you love!

I'd gotta go!  My darling hubby is on his way here with my kiddos.  Tomorrow we are going to celebrate my twins' birthday here is Chicago!  I have to finish up decorating the hotel room with balloons and streamers before they arrive!   Can't believe my "twinn-ers" will be "tween-ers" tomorrow!  Time flies!

I am so blessed!