Room Update and Summer Shopping Linky

I get super-excited about a lot of things when it comes to getting my room ready for school if you haven't already noticed!  Right now, I'm pretty pumped up about how well my room is coming together.  If my husband hadn't decided he needed a mini-vacation this weekend, I might have actually been able to meet my goal of having all of my "stuff" put away by the end of the week!  During my visit to school today, I fixed a broken table, got my books organized in my class library, defined some different areas of my room, and reupholstered a VERY UGLY rolling chair (see below).  Whew!  Combine that with the final night of VBS at church this evening, and you have one worn out person!

I didn't want to mess with cutting the fabric, so I just tied it up with a ribbon!

I'm SOO glad I didn't throw this chair out and buy a new  one--it looks good as new!

Anyways...I'm thrilled to be joining in on Kristin's "Summer Shopping Linky Party" over at Ladybug's Teacher Files!  While I was gathering the things in my house to take to school today, I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to take a quick snapshot of some of the items I've purchased to get my room ready for the first day of school.

Are you ready to catch a glimpse of the goodies I've found??

Wal-Mart

I pretty much knew what I wanted when I walked into Wal-Mart, but I left with a few extra items I hadn't planned to purchase.  Here's what I got: tension rods for curtains, card stock scrapbook paper for my "Bravo!" student work wall, buttermints in zebra packaging for open house ($1 each), plastic table cloths for bulletin boarrds ($1 each), zebra table cloth for open house ($1), permanent markers to replace the ones that were stolen from my classroom last year, colorful staples because I love them (>$1), pen holders for my clipboard, caddies for group supplies ($1 each), ribbon for caddies and wall hangings, plastic containers for dice math fact practice, and zebra flower pot for first day of school activity.  $$

Target

Normally I find tons of stuff at Target that I can't live without.  This year?  Not so much.  I do, however, love the pink magazine holders that I have yet to decide how to use!  I also picked up the last four light bulb stress relievers and a black container to use in this awesome "Light Bulb Moment" freebie from Mrs. Plum at There's No Place Like Second Grade.  Seriously, check it out!  The good news about my Target finds is that they were all $1 each--love that Dollar Spot!

IPA Educational Supply

Bargains and education stores do not seem to go hand-in-hand, but I still feel like a kid in a candy store when I walk into an educational supply store.  I found the perfect lanyard for my keys and ID which is definitely a necessity since I am constantly sitting them down in my room and forgetting all about them.  I got some pretty great Kagan cooperative learning tools that I look forward to using with my kids this year.  Could I make them?  Yes.  Would it have been cheaper?  Not in the long run!  The election kit comes with a voting box, display signs, and more for only $7.  Last but not least, I simply fell in love with the zebra index cards.  I'm thinking I might print all of my word wall words on them and save myself from having to cut each word out.  I hope it works!

Mardel

If you missed out on the Mardel teacher sale, you missed out on some great stuff!  I got both of those timers for $2.50 each.  The velcro dots were only $1 each, and I plan to use on the tables on the student name tags to make it easier to move them around.  (I got that idea on a blog I read this summer, but I don't know where.  If it was you, I thought the idea was brilliant!)  The rest of the stuff was just 20% off, but I had to have them.  The editing stickers will be convenient to have in their writing folders.  The zebra cards and zebra star name tags are part of the collection that my room theme originated from last year.  I also got the nifty 5th grade pencils that I used in my welcome bags.  The border...well, let's just say I'm weak and couldn't resist!

*sigh* I just LOVE buying new things for my classroom!  My husband definitely thinks I'm crazy from time to time when I come home gloating about my newest finds.  If you could ask him, he would probably tell you that I can't walk into a store right now without searching for something that I just have to have for school.  Ahhh...welcome to the life of a teacher!  Hope you enjoyed browsing through my fruits of my shopping extravaganza!  Until next time...

Love ya!

Heidi

Belated Monday Made It

I should totally be in bed right, but I just couldn't wait to share this new project I just finished for my classroom!  What better way to share than by joining my very first linky party?!  So...I'm linking up with Fourth Grade Frolic's "Monday Made It"--hopefully it's okay that I'm a little bit late!

See more fantastic ideas here!

Before I show you my latest creation, I should tell you that I absolutely love School Girl Style's classroom themes.  I really like the color combinations and design of the owl classroom products, but owls just aren't for me.  That is how it all began.  I was looking through her classroom themes a couple of nights ago and kept coming back to the big circle labels and hanging pennants in the owl theme.  While I sat holding my baby girl tonight, I started creating.  At first, I was just going to create the big circle labels to label things around my room.  Before I knew it, it was WAY past my bedtime, and I had created big circle labels, little square labels, and a pennant to hang in my library!

Check it out here!

Oh well...it was completely worth it!  All that's left to do is print, cut, laminate, and hang on some pretty ribbon!  I can't wait to show you how it turns out when I post pictures of my room!

Because I'm so excited about how it turned out, three lucky teachers will get a free copy to use in their classroom!  All you have to do is be one of the first three people to follow my blog and leave a comment with your email address.  Feel free to check out my TPT store if you miss out on this freebie opportunity--I'll be posting it sometime tomorrow night!

Well...I have to get up in a few hours for a teacher giveaway and technology group meeting, so I better head to bed!  Until next time...

Love ya!

Heidi

A Bit Overloaded...

It happens every year.  About two weeks before school starts, my life becomes JUST A BIT overloaded.  I'm starting fresh this year in a new building and grade, so I have to admit that is not helping my stress/anxiety.  Once I have my room set up the way I want it, I might start to feel that stress melt away!  Setting up my classroom is all about scheduling around nap time, meals, appointments, back to school meetings, household duties, last minute trips to visit family, and church events.  Fortunately, I was able to get the basic furniture arrangement out of the way last week.  (A big THANK YOU to my husband for helping me move 12 ridiculously heavy tables and putting the computers on them!)  My goal this week is to get my "stuff" sorted, organized, and out of the way.  Sounds simple, right?  Let's hope so!

Here's a sneak peek of what the room looked like when I walked in last Wednesday before moving tables:

The tables are now in position, and the "stuff" will be out of the way soon.  I'm looking forward to transforming this room into my second home classroom and sharing the end results with you sometime next week!  Until then, I hope to join in on one of the linky parties that I have recently discovered--we'll see!

Love ya!

Heidi

A Pin-spiration!

While doing my nightly review of ideas repinned by friends and family on Pinterest, I ran across this awesome goal setting idea, and I thought to myself...wouldn't this be a great way to encourage my students to set academic goals throughout the school year?!

Original Pin-spiration

The original was actually created by hand on 11X14 paper and has an easy-to-follow tutorial to go along with it if you want to make your own.  BUT...I'm too much of a perfectionist to create things by hand--I would never be satisfied with the way it looked.  So...with a little of this and a little of that, voila!

Student Goal Setting Form

My pin-spiration was transformed into a goal setting sheet that I can use with my own students!  Each box fits a 3X3 sticky note for students to monitor and adjust their goals as they meet them.  My plan is to schedule a time to review our goals during small groups or at the beginning of each month.  I will either give each student one copy to put in their binder in the area of their choosing, or I will give them two copies to use for reading and writing goals.  Either way...I LOVE IT!

Like the idea and want one for yourself?  Follow my blog and head over to my TPT store to get it for FREE!  Until next time...

Love ya!

Heidi

Living. Dreaming. Teaching.

For me, teaching has never been just a job.  It is a part of who I am.  I feel like God placed me in this position for a reason although I never can seem to figure out why.  I honestly don't know when it happened, but there was a point in my life when I transformed from a normal person into a teacher.  I was one of those kids who knew they were going to be a teacher early on, because I enjoyed school and had some really great teachers.  Maybe that's when it all began...who knows.  I do know that education started to take over my life (and thinking) around the same time I got married and entered my final years of college prior to teaching.  Not long after, on the same day that my husband and I celebrated our second anniversary and about a week after graduation, I got offered my first teaching position.  Coincidence?  I like to think not.  You see, intertwined in this life of mine is my husband.  He's a youth minister, so I think he kind of gets what teaching is like.  Fortunately, he understands that I view teaching as my "ministry" through my example/love for my students, and he listens (or at least pretends to listen) to my school ramblings night after night.  

Anyways, my first teaching position was teaching fourth grade in a rural district near the town we live.  I was blessed with many learning experiences and great friends; unfortunately, the commute to and from school was a bit much for a soon to be growing family.  Switching school districts was sad, but I knew it had to happen eventually.  So...I interviewed for a couple of positions in town, and that's how I came to work in the district I'm in today!*  Now, I have a two year old AND a two month old.  I thought teaching before having my own kids was stressful, but adding in those bundles of joy has made it a tad more challenging.  Nonetheless, being a mommy never ceases to amaze and stretch me beyond what I thought possible especially when balancing it with being a minister's wife, teacher, and everything else.

Well, that pretty much sums up the past eight years of my life.  I look forward to introducing you to more of me (and my family) as I reveal tid-bits about my life, dreams, and teaching from time to time.  Until next time, this is me.

Love ya!

Heidi

*This will be my seventh year of teaching.  I am teaching fifth grade this year, but I have also taught a year of first and five years of fourth.  I'm nervous about moving up a grade but excited to start this new adventure!

Pencils, Paper, and Crayons...Oh My!

SOOO...

If you're like me, you look forward to seeing the aisles of school supplies stocked and ready to go even in July!  There's just something about school supplies (and good deals) that gets me excited about a new year of school--no matter how challenging the last year may have been.  This past week I loaded up in my friend's car with a few teacher friends to hit the teacher sale at Mardel and make a pit-stop at IPA Education Supply while we were at it.  When we walked into Mardel, it was like walking into teacher heaven.  Seriosuly.  Teachers were everywhere.  Classroom resources, decorations, and supplies consumed the store.  It was AMAZING...until...I started noticing that the more I looked at stuff, the more I wanted to load up in my cart.  Needless to say, we finally called it quits just before our pocketbooks were completely empty.  At the end of the day, my dear friend kindly and with laughter in her voice blamed me for all of the money she spent.  Guilty?  Probably so, but what can I say?!  I LOVE shopping for teacher stuff!!

One of the projects on my agenda and shopping list for the new year has been my welcome gift for students.  I call it my "Back to School Survival Kit" and hand it out on the first day of school along with a note that explains the purpose behind the items in the kit.  I started this a few years ago, and it's so fun to see how excited the kids get when they see it on their desks the first day of school!

Isn't it cute?!  Here's what you need to make your own survival kit:

• Little Treat Bags or Cups
• Sharpened Pencils
• Highlighters
• Mints
• Bandaids
• Erasers
• Ribbon
• Gift Tag (Make your own, or get one similar to mine on my TPT store!)
• Circle Survival Kit Tag
• Square Survival Kit Tag

Tried and True Tip: If you live in a town with a high transient like mine, you'll probably want to make extras for students who move in during the year.  It's amazing how you can make a new student feel welcome and loved simply by giving them this small welcome package.  It's like you're telling them the minute they walk that the class wasn't complete until they joined it. :-)  I always keep extras of these survival kits and my class handbook ready for students and their parents--it helps to make everyone feel a little more comfortable with the transition.