Hello 2017!

Well I'm a little late to the party, but HELLLOOOO 2017!  I don't know where the time goes, but man it sure goes fast.  I'm excited for all of the things 2017 is going to bring and what I plan to accomplish (and not accomplish) this year.  These goals are mostly focused on all things Teach Jane Teach and in my classroom.  Do you have goals for your teaching life?  I'd love to hear them, so please share!  We can all hold each other accountable!  

People, I waste SO MUCH TIME!! Whether it's on pinterest or instagram or chatting with co-workers in the hall.  This year I want to get better at knowing exactly where my precious minutes are going.  And I want to be sure they are going exactly where I want them to go!  Any tips on this?  Help a sista out!  

I am the queen of starting projects and NEVER finishing them.  I started a project nearly two years ago...that is still unfinished.  Who does that?!  Me apparently.  So my goal is to finish all those projects that are sitting around on my computer or in my camera or on my desk.  Some of them are really cool too, so I will definitely be sharing them here!  

I am SO EXCITED about this.  I will be holding a poster session this summer at the ISTE conference in San Antonio.  I am presenting on integrating reading and STEM.  I also plan to share some of my thoughts and ideas here so be on the lookout. (This goes back to finishing my projects!  ha!)

Since I'm presenting at ISTE I thought I'd add this to my list.  I plan to invest in myself to further my educational practices.  I recently signed up for a restorative practices class through my district that starts the first of February and I will finish up a class on reading recovery in April.  #ilovelearning

My professional learning goal this school year is to focus on getting students engaged and keeping them engaged all while keeping the content rigorous.  I'm doing my second classroom transformation tomorrow, so I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!  I already have 3 more planned.  Try to keep things interesting! 

So there you have it!  I hope to stick to these and share my progress here!  Please let me know your goals!  

Make the Most of Your MInutes

We all know how fast the days fly by and how much we have to teach in just a few hours.  I'm here to give you a few quick and easy-to-implement tips for maximizing the time you have with your students during instruction!  

Transition time can eat away at your day in no time!  Teaching your students the expectations of transitions can help you add a few minutes to your instructional time.  Choose a signal.  I like to use music. I choose a new song every week.  I like to choose theme songs from TV shows because they are about one minute long.  By the time the song is over, students should have their things cleaned up and be in their spot ready for the next set of instructions.  I like to keep the same song for a week because it allows the students to become familiar with it and know when it is coming to an end.  

People, these make my stomach hurt or 2 reasons.  They are a management nightmare for me.  

"Stop talking."  

"No, you may not knock on the wall to the classroom behind you."

"Girls, hurry up in there!"

BUT HERE'S THE KICKER:

If you take 2 bathroom breaks during the day that last roughly 10 minutes each, that is 100 minutes every week.  Let's say your calendar allows for 6 hours of time with your students for 180 days....those bathroom breaks translate into SIX DAYS OF INSTRUCTION.  

So let them go when they have to go and teach on.  

You might call it something different at your school, but basically this is a place for students to write down a question or thought they have while you are working with a small group or individual.  When you are finished with your instruction, you answer the questions in the parking lot!  This can be something simple like a spot on the board and the students use a dry erase marker to write.  No supplies needed and no interruptions take place!  

THIS has saved my life.  I keep the step by step directions for an activity on the SMART board while the students are working, that way they can refer to them if they have a question.  You can also display the options for things they can do when they are finished to eliminate the "I'm done!  What can I do?!"

Maybe this should have been number one because it is SO important.  If you are spending your instructional time cutting out supplies and sorting materials, you are wasting precious moments.  I like to lay out my plans and materials I need for the next day in the afternoon before I leave.  Obviously life is not perfect and sometimes I'm downright TIRED, but it helps so much!  Then I don't have to stress about rushing to school in the morning to be the first person to the copier!  

I know these tips aren't rocket science, but I hope they help you make the most of your time with your learners!  

Happy Tuesday!!  I am sure many of you are already a couple of weeks into school like I am.  I remember being a new teacher and setting up my classroom and doing all of the things my school expected of me, I barely even had time to think about a big picture for my year, I was so focused on getting through those first blurry weeks!  Today I'm here to help out a bit.  I have 5 tips that I still use to help me stay on track and remember what's important.  

I put this one first for a reason: this is ESSENTIAL.  If you say you're going to do something, always make sure you follow through.  Whether it is for a student consequence or reward or when speaking to parents and colleagues.  Make sure you stick to what you say.  Your students will catch on really quickly if you say you will do something and you don't actually do it.  

Some students come from hard lives and they aren't given praise, these might be the students you have to really focus on giving them positive feedback because they will only know how to get negative attention.  And in a totally different area, find a colleague who will help you avoid negative talk.  Being a teacher is HARD work.  It's so easy to get sucked in to someone else's negativity.  Try, with all of your might, to avoid that kind of talk.  You will be so happy you do! 

As a teacher, you will have an infinite amount of things on your mind to distract you. Once you step into your classroom, set it all aside and focus on what's most important: your students.  I promise, they will notice and they will love you that much more.  

Keep lines of communication open with everyone you interact with: parents, students, administration, colleagues, and support staff.  Everyone working together makes for a smooth and effective team!  

This one is kind of silly but....I loathe piles.  They stress me out and give me anxiety.  Don't be a paper-piler!  If you use it, keep it, if you don't, get rid of it.  Once you're done with it, put it away.

That's all folks!  Wishing you a smooth year!

HAPPY TEACHING!! 

5 New Read Alouds for 2016

Hey there!  I know there are plenty of great books out there for the first days of school and I know we all have our favorites, but sometimes I need something new to spice things up a bit!  And I'm so excited to tell you about some of my new favorite books I found at Barnes and Noble today!  Most of them are geared toward primary grades, but in my opinion you're never too old for a fun read aloud!  

#1: The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak 

This is PERFECT to introduce reading to the younger kids and instill a love of books without pictures for those readers transitioning to higher levels.  It's also great to practice reading with expression, because the whole book is all about how the words make books fun even without pictures!  So when you set up your reading time, this is a fun one to add in!  

#2: Monsters Love School by Mike Austin

This one is just plain cute and the monsters look a little bit like the ones on GoNoodle so I thought the kids would enjoy it that much more!  

#3: The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires 

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!!!!!  It is all about a little girl who is trying to invent something magnificent.  It takes the reader through her journey and ends by her enjoying her perfectly, imperfect invention.  It gives you ALL THE FEELS!!!  If you do STEM or a Maker's Space in your classroom, this would be perfect for that!  

#4: Watch Your Tongue Cecily Beasley by Lane Frederickson 

Poor Cecily has the WORST manners.  But luckily in this book, she learns her lesson!  Perfect for introducing your rules and expected behaviors.  

#5: Journey by Aaron Becker 

This book has no words, but it is still amazing.  Sometimes I love to just show the pictures of a book and let the imaginations run wild.  It's all about the character's journey through a magical land.  It would be great for interactive story telling and for introducing expectations for students during read alouds to practice sitting quietly on the carpet.  You could also do PLENTY of crafts with this one!  

Interactive Notebooks FREEBIE!

Hi there!  I can't believe that summer is winding down so fast...where does the time go?!  Just one week from today I'll be back in school ready to start another year!  

While prepping things for back to school I got to thinking about my interactive notebooks.  I know for younger kids it's so hard for them to keep all of their supplies straight and sometimes we don't require them to bring in a notebook for every subject.  Also, sometimes I find the notebooks crumbling about halfway through the year.  

So I've decided to combine all of the interactive notebooks into one notebook.  I created some tabs and a cover page that is printable on Avery Labels.  The labels work with 3.5" by 4.75".  You can also just print it on regular paper.  I like to wrap the notebooks in contact paper, I think it holds them together longer!  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Interactive-Notebook-Tabs-2689503

I also printed the labels on cardstock so they hold up a little better too!  I didnt count the pages in between each tab...I just kind of eyeballed it....I might regret that later, but....details.  

Click either picture or HERE to get your own FREE COPY!!

Enjoy your last days of summer!  

Office Tour

If I'm being totally honest, I RARELY sit in here and work.  The couch seems to be where I do my best thinking and multi-tasking (working and tv watching, of course.)  Maybe if I get an actual office chair, I will do more work at my desk?

I'm here to tell you that it is possible to get a cozy work space to fit your needs on a budget!  I'll break down my costs under each photo!  Enjoy!

I found my desk in someones trash one night.  My husband carried it home for me and I stained the top and painted the bottom white.  I found my lamp at a thrift store for $3.  My chair came from a thrift store for $5 and I spray painted it white and recovered the cushion.  I got my printer for about 75% off when an office store was going out of business in my area.  The white shelf was a wedding gift from Crate and Barrel.  

I made the banner using my silhoutte and some glitter cardstock.  The clipboard was a gift and it has 10 different prints that I can change out for the season or my mood...I love it!  

The book shelf was $25 from a garage sale.  I changed out the handles and cleaned it up a bit.  It works perfectly for my space.

The red chair and ottoman was $10 from a thrift store.  Yes, ten dollars!  I bought the same fabric and recovered the chair to match the room.  The two canvases came in a two pack and I used some black paint to make a quick simple pattern.  The glass table was a hand-me-down from my grandparents and the silver and white lamp was on clearance at Pier 1.  

Thanks for swinging by!  

Friday Finds: The Dollar Tree

Earlier this week I stopped in one of my favorite places to load up on goodies...The Dollar Tree.  I went in for a Garage Sale sign and found many other wants needs.  I'm here today to share with you what I found!

Clothespins: 

I use these all. the. time.  I use them for lunch count, to hang student work in the hallway, to hang anchor charts, behavior charts...and the list could go on.  

Baskets and Bins: 

These really speak for themselves.  I love the baskets from the dollar tree. The best part is that this year, they have purple!  I refrained from buying any though, because this year I counted my baskets and bins...I have 136.  TOO MUCH!!  

Baker's Twine: 

This is perfect for stringing banners on your bulletin boards.  I have also used this to tie my book bin labels to each basket.  

Finger Lights: 

PERFECT for those emergent readers needing to work on one-to-one correspondence and tracking!  

Bingo Marker: 

I use these for bingo obviously, but I have also used them for reward charts in place of a stamp or sticker.  Easy peasy.  

Tote Bags; 

I know you might be thinking  I'm a little crazy for putting this on the list, but one year I used these for student book bags instead of book boxes.  I let them decorate their bags with Sharpie markers before filling them with books.  Then each student had a spot around the room to hang their book bag.  It was fun but I haven't found them for $1 in forever so I was so glad to see these!  

Neon Starbursts: 

I thought these would be cute for a bulletin board display.  Or you could laminate them and use them as labels!

Thanks for reading, now get to shopping!!