Room Reveal 2015

Okay, my room has been finished for a few weeks now, so I realize this is REALLY late. Like maybe I should have just skipped it and waited until next year. I was waiting to get my bookshelves in to store our new Fountas & Pinnell LLI system, which meant that I was able to get rid of old, mismatched shelves and cubbies used as shelves. It just looks so much cleaner!

I wanted to add a little more decoration to the room, so I bought some lanterns and poofs from Amazon. They add a nice little touch.

And since I'm so late in posting pictures, I also have some fall details that have been added to the room.

Print is free from Nest of Posies - super cute!

This garland featured on Eighteen25 was just TOO adorable to pass up - plus I had all of the supplies in my room and could do it in a day. Of course mine isn't quite as cute.. 

I made some for my house, but then I realized both of our mantels (yes we have two now) are white, and it just wouldn't show up. Oh well...

Now if only I could get a new filing cabinet and black storage cabinets to match, it would be perfect!

First Week Down, But Classroom Still in Progress

Normally my room would have been done two weeks ago. I basically just take the paper off my bookshelves, decorate, and I'm done in a day! Not this year, though...

We ordered a new program for Title I - LLI - have you heard of it? I'm really excited because it goes with our Fountas and Pinnell assessment program (made by Fountas and Pinnell also). What I didn't know, though, was how BIG it was.

THESE are just MY boxes. For grades 3-5. That's 21 big boxes of materials each weighing an estimated 40 pounds. Trust me. I almost dropped one on my foot.

So instead of decorating, I spent my work week purging and moving other resources into a book room we had to create JUST to make space for all of this in my tiny room.

All of the shelves left of the filing cabinet are now gone. I saved some of the games and was able to move them elsewhere, but those shelves were full of books last year.

The new system is so big that they're having to order huge shelves (like 18' deep) to fit it all. Right now I still don't have them, so the boxes are all set up and stacked in my room. I'm praying they get here soon because I start working with kids next week, and these boxes are too heavy to keep unstacking to find the box I need.

For now, though, I do have my door ready to show off. I'm so proud of it!

It took about 1.5 hours, but I did it all on my own! The excerpt is from Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. The fact that it's about Shel Silverstein made me laugh! I think my kids are going to love it, and I just might keep it up all year.

Hopefully my shelves will be in soon and I can give a complete tour of my room all finished and pretty!

My Room is (almost) Done, and I have some cute freebies!!

I feel like every year I say this, but I think this is the best my room has ever looked! There are still some additions I would like to make and eye-sores that I'm working to phase out and/or cover, but overall I'm very proud of how it's turning out for this year!

This is how I came back to it last Thursday. For once, I didn't come in ahead of time. But I always cover my shelves and keep all of my big furniture in place. The only thing I had to move was my desk/table which is pretty light. I also kept my "boards" up from last year.

Since I don't actually have bulletin boards, I bought one cheap plastic table cover (like the $1 ones in the party section at Walmart) and cut it to the sizes I wanted. Then I found this adorable chevron duct tape on Amazon to use as my border.

It's perfect! No fading, and the cloth is thin enough that my magnetic posters can go over and stay up.

Click links to find CAFE, Daily 5 Posters, Decoding Strategies, and Comprehension Strategies posters!

Yes. I have magnetic walls, which is a HUGE time saver. All the posters you see in this picture have been laminated and have those little magnet circles on the back. It makes set-up and tear-down SUPER easy, which is one of the main reasons I could wait until the day I had to report back to work on my room!

Under my CAFE board, I want to find two or three little black bookshelves. Then I can also display some great books on the top for students to have recommendations, etc. I've been checking Craigslist and may go to Salvation Army, Goodwill, and the Habitat Restore this weekend to see what I can find!

Click links to find VOICES and Pencil posters!

This picture shows more of my "eye-sores" - the rug and filing cabinet being at the top of the list. I need to get some scissors and just cut off some of those fly-aways, but I honestly don't even want to waste my cute tap on bordering that rug. It's not so bad with everything else, so I'm just dealing with it now. The cabinet just is what it is. I also want to get up to IKEA sometime to buy black stools for my table. Then I can get rid of those chairs!

I think my word wall is going to go above my desk area this year. It's not ideal, but it's really the only place big enough to put anything. Plus it desperately needs something. I may go buy another tablecloth to frame out another "board" for it! Then I may add a cute border (like a real one) to my Promethean board. I think I have a few from when I actually had bulletin boards...

I am SO proud of my new signs!! I actually made these on my own. And there *might* be a fourth sign on my desk with a certain Paramore song quoted...let's just say it kind of goes with my favorite "Life's tough. Get a helmet!" quote from Boy Meets World!

I had a cute pencil sign with this same quote that I got from Farley about 3 years ago, but I wanted a bigger one to put in these frames (Btw, thanks for the frames, Mrs. O!!)

If you want to download the signs I made, I'm attaching the links to my google drive. They're already in GIF, but I would recommend printing with a black border if you can because it was hard to cut them out to the right size.

Use Your Brain

May Your Grades Be Ever in Your Favor!

Pinky Pencils

Bonus: Paramore quote

And finallly, I have a tiny bulletin board outside my classroom. It used to have a little "Where are we" sign for my aide and I, but we always forgot to change it. This year I decided to try something new.

Did you scan it? Just in case you don't have your phone nearby or can't scan it, the QR code takes you to Reading Rocket's Parent Page. Farley posted a picture of hers on Instagram, and I instantly knew I wanted to do this! Mine definitely pales in comparison. I may change the letters to look a little better before Back-to-School Night!

I can't believe that we'll have students here on Tuesday! Good thing there's a long weekend to get some more summer in before hitting the ground running. I'm excited to start!

Blasting Off the Year with High Flying Ideas

Welcome to our back to school blog hop! I hope you have gotten some great tips for back to school. If you're just starting out, make sure to head over to Andrea's blog (Reading Toward the Stars) where the hop begins! 

I don't have my own group of kids anymore (Title I Reading), but I have been lucky that some of my co-workers let me come into their classrooms to start CAFE lessons and help prepare the students for Daily 5 (or 3 in some of our upper grades classrooms). We are now entering our third year of full implementation for Daily 5 and CAFE, and I just have a few quick tips for starting it in your own class!

• I recommend starting with read to self. Use the T charts they discuss in the book, then have EVERYONE practice it together, then come back and discuss what worked/didn't work. 
• Don't get discouraged when your kids only have a stamina of 1 minute. Chart it and celebrate growth! They have to start somewhere, and they will get there!
• Get the kids into "Good Fit Books" as quickly as possible! I know at the beginning, you're just trying to get them to read quietly while you work on running records and other beginning of the year assessments, but the faster you can do this, the easier it will be for them to build their stamina. 
• Once they have the hang of "Read to Self", go ahead and introduce the other stations the same way. I would have everyone do the same thing until they are all used to each station.
• Use your own judgement for whether you will give student choice or assign stations. Some classes are ready for it from the beginning. Others need a lot more guidance. Trust your gut, and remember you can always change it if it's not working for you!
• Have some kind of "assessment" for the stations to make sure they are on task. Since I work with struggling readers, I have MANY students who "read to self" without actually understanding a single word. Have them do a quick reading reflection or a sticky note summary...something to help hold them accountable. It doesn't have to be a grade, but it's important for them to know that this isn't just a time for them to sit quietly and pretend to be a good student.

There are SO many facets of Daily 5/CAFE! This is only scraping the top. Fortunately there are a ton of resources out there (and btw, they should all be free on TPT, so don't worry about paying for them). If you haven't already read the book, that's the best place to start. The sisters really break everything down into a very manageable and easy-to-follow format. I keep my book close-by to refer to even after 3 years!

Keep on moving to Jennie's blog for more tips to start the year off right!

Win a PINK pencil sharpener!

I'm so excited to officially announce this! Classroom Friendly Supplies has upped the ante and now carries their amazing sharpener in blue, green, red, black, and PINK!!! When I first got mine a little over a year ago, they only had blue and green, so they're really cranking out the new colors. I KNOW this one is going to sell out quickly, but for now it's still available.

If you buy the PINK sharpener right now, $1 will be given to support cancer research. What's better than buying something awesome AND helping with a noble cause?

Haven't heard about these sharpeners? Click on the picture above to read my personal review.

And even more exciting, I get to give one away (any color) to one of my fabulous followers!! The giveaway runs until midnight next Tuesday, so be sure to enter before then! I made this giveaway really simple, and there's only three things to do for entries. When you like Classroom Friendly Supplies on Facebook, please leave him a comment and let him know I sent you!

****IMPORTANT NOTE: These pencil sharpeners can only be shipped to U.S. Residents. If you happen to live out of the country and win, I will offer winner's choice of THREE items from my store to make up for it. Sorry about that...****

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And may the odds be ever in your favor! Today's my first day of school, so I'm hopefully sleeping peacefully right now in preparation!

Currently September: Turning a New Leaf

September is officially here, which means SO many things. School starts, fall is on it's way, and Farley's newest currently is up! I'm going to jump right in because it's Labor Day and we're going to a cookout in a little while.

Listening: Last year, we decided to cancel DISH, so now we have a grand total of 14 "channels" - 2 or 3 for each of the six local stations (CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, FOX, and CW). Sometimes I'm glad we got rid of it because cable is so expensive and it's not a need, but when the channels keep cutting out, or when I'm home during the day and nothing's on, I miss it. Not a big fan of The Big Valley, but sometimes I luck out and get some fun older shows, like Batman or The Brady Bunch. I've even caught a few episodes of Dennis the Menace!

Loving: My room still isn't 100% finished because I bought a few more items yesterday, but I feel like it looks so much bigger and cleaner. Even Steven commented on how nice it looks this year!

Thinking: Now that I'm not a classroom teacher, the first day of school is actually a nice time. I don't feel like I'm running a marathon and honestly don't have many assignments. I will be going around to test new students and start working in some of the classrooms I will push in to this year, but nothing big yet.

Wanting: I actually reached my weight goal at the very end of the school year (even bought a bikini and felt comfortable in it when we went to Puerto Rico), but I gained about 6 pounds over the summer and am struggling to lose them. It doesn't help that Steven doesn't need to lose any more weight and can't diet with me, but I'm trying.

Needing: We're past the "want" phase. My phone is BARELY hanging on now. We're still on a very tight budget until Steven gets his first full time paycheck September 15, then we're going phone shopping! I kind of still want the iPhone, but we don't want to upgrade our plan and have to pay more, and I don't have $500 out of pocket to spend on a phone. Thinking about trying to get a Samsung Galaxy if I can find it for the right price. Honestly, anything will be better than what I have, though...

Personal Goals: 

1. I've been kind of in a slump in my faith for a little while. I mean, I still was active in church and everything, but my personal relationship with God was struggling. This past week, I dusted off my bible and a devotional book (Unglued), and I'm spending my morning breakfast time reading and praying instead of watching the news.
2. As I said earlier, I need to cut back a few pounds, and I've been doing Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred. It's hard, but I like that it's not as long or crazy as Insanity that I did at the end of the year. Still, I feel like I can get results from it. I trust Jillian!
3. Last year, I spent too much time trying to fit in and be a part of something I'm not. When this school year started, I decided it wasn't worth the frustration. So I'm trying to surround myself with people I truly feel like I can be myself around and accept me as I am. I don't need to be everyone's best friend, and I don't have to have the top of the line everything to feel like I am part of the group. 

Go link up! I will have to read other posts later, but I haven't forgotten about you. Oh, and be sure to check back tomorrow (or at midnight) for something you won't want to miss!

Five for Friday

I can't believe teacher work week is over and that students will actually be back on Tuesday! It doesn't feel like it's quite time yet, even though I know many of you have been back for almost a month now (or at least 2 weeks). I feel like I'm as ready as I need to be with just a few things to work on before I actually start pulling kids in a few weeks.

The past few days, we have been at probably the best professional development I've been required to attend. We had Fred Wolff from Six Traits Live! come and do a workshop on getting the traits started in our classrooms. 

If his name sounds familiar, this book may be why.

I first heard about Six Traits (or 6+1 Writing) a few years ago when I was doing my Master's program, but this was the first time I truly had a chance to learn what it was all about and how to make it happen in my class.

The workshop even inspired my new door decor! I had been browsing Pinterest, but nothing really felt right for me. I saw a few cute doors for if I had a regular classroom, but I wanted something that connected to my being the Reading Specialist. When we were talking about good leads, I finally saw my future door!

I came in this morning and put it together, and now I'm in love with it! So bright and cheerful :-). I think my para will be proud when she comes back on Tuesday. 

This afternoon, I finally got my order in and am SO excited about my new professional book that came with it! 

Maybe you've already read it and I'm behind, but vocabulary is an area where my kids really struggle. I'm making it a big focal point this year, especially with my older students. A girl I met this summer highly recommended this book, so I'm excited to check it out. And of course, I'll share any wonderful insights or tips I find!

Here's my book selection this time around. A little bit for everyone! I spent most of my money this time on different odds and ends I needed around the classroom, like duct tape, construction paper, hanging file racks, folders, and....

...those blue bins that now neatly organizing my books for independent reading! That shelf and the other one behind my stool on the right have FINALLY been painted and returned to the school. I really like how they turned out, and now I just need to make some labels to show what levels each bin holds. The other shelf has larger sections, so I'm thinking of collecting diaper boxes and covering them...maybe even in burlap?

It was a VERY busy week, and this is really only focusing on the past three days. I also had to run a quick PD for each of my grade levels about setting specific goals during reading conferences. Hopefully next week will be a little calmer (yes, I know it's the first week for kids) and I can do a whole post explaining it. For now, I'm going to prop my feet up and relax! It's a THREE DAY WEEKEND!!!

Five for Fraturday - Back to School

It's time to link up again, and as promised I have a few things that have to do with school since I had my first two workdays back. Without further ado, here goes! (And as always, feel free to steal my cute numbers if you want)

Keagan went back to the sitter on Monday, which was hard for both of us (probably Steven, too). Actually, Monday was fine for him. But by Tuesday, he understood that this wasn't just a play date with his friends. When I pulled up to get him, he was standing at the window and went into hysterics! Broke my heart...fortunately his papaw had something to cheer him up!

He LOVES this activity board, and now we don't have to deal with him wanting to turn all the other light switches on and off.

We started attending a new small group Monday night (we recently switched churches). It was weird because we're still close to the members of our old life group, but we didn't want to be split between two churches. This group is about twice the size, so it was a little overwhelming at first (especially since we really didn't know anybody), but everyone was really nice. It will just take some time to adjust.

I just finished two books this week (figured I needed to end my summer reading with a bang since I won't have as much time now). The first book was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Not my absolute favorite, but it wasn't a bad read. Now I can cross it off my list and sell it at the next yard sale. Immediately after, I started the Divergent series.

Oh. My. Word. If you haven't read this yet (especially if you teach upper grades and/or liked The Hunger Games), you need to! I finished it in two days only because I was working and had to go to sleep earlier (and I try not to read while Keagan's awake). It's similar to Hunger Games, but they don't throw kids into an arena to fight to the death. There are 5 factions of people, and you choose your faction at 16. Of course, their version of the perfect world is starting to crumble, and the main character, Tris, has to learn how to survive! I finished Book 1 last night and can't wait to start Insurgent. Good thing it's the weekend!

On Thursday, we officially went back to work, and I'm starting to make a lot of progress. Everything now has a home (although I had to make stacks of books so I could take my two furniture pieces home and finally paint them), and I have begun the decorating process...barely. I made my school purchase order, and now I'm checking my emails constantly to see when they ship!

Finally, I want to give you a sneak peak of what I'm working on for my next TPT product. I'm SO excited! Instead of coming right out and telling you, I'll just let you know it has to do with these guys that I purchased during the TPT sale at the beginning of the week! Hopefully I will finish it by the end of next week, and I'm thinking of doing a quick flash sale right after they post.

Now it's time to get to work painting that furniture, which means I may actually be linking up for Monday Made-it for the first time this summer!

More glimpses of my classroom + Who doesn't want a Silhouette?

Today was my first official day back to school, and I feel like I got a lot accomplished. Everything now has a home, and I'm to the decorating point. I even got a few of my things on the wall already. Maybe a Walmart trip later today (or at least tomorrow) to buy the tablecloth and duct-tape for my CAFE board, and I will look even more accomplished!

Anyway, I decided to play with the panorama feature of my camera today so I could show more over my very tiny room. It's crazy how big it looks like that, but I made a full circle. The only thing your missing is the wall with the Promethean board actually on it (which is pretty boring).

I also wanted to make sure you knew about this amazing chance to win a Silhouette Portrait although secretly I hope I do and not you because I'm such a nice person! It's kind of similar to the Cricut but WAY better, and I've been drooling over them for over a year now. The price is high for one, but it seems totally worth it! Click on the picture or don't to head over to Megan's blog for a chance to win!

Now I'm off to read more of Divergent. SOOOO good! I will blog about it later though.

Five for Friday on the last week of summer

This linky has been back for a little while, but I'm finally jumping back on board. This is my LAST full week of summer and the last week with Keagan at home. He goes back to the sitter on Monday, and we go back to work Thursday for our first of SEVEN workdays (yeah, I'm a little annoyed about that and felt the need to mention it again). So I thought I would share what we've been doing to make this last week special! We've been busy!

By the way, I made these numbers at the end of the school year (using a Kevin and Amanda font, but I don't remember which one). Feel free to borrow them!

My brother came into town last Friday before he goes back to GA Tech for the year. He was in Bosnia for 6 weeks with a mission group, so he couldn't come visit with my family last month. We had a great time! Monday was his last full day, and we decided to head out to Redskin's Training Camp. They moved it to Richmond this year, and it was free (you just paid for parking). We didn't stay long because it was hot, but it was neat to be able to go!

Isn't my brother such a cutie?

RGIII started actually practicing with them on Monday, which was really exciting!

When we were at training camp, Keagan and I each won 2 tickets to the Flying Squirrels game for Tuesday night (that's our minor league baseball team). Steven and I ended up going with friends while Keagan spent the night with his Papaw and Grammy. He's not quite ready for an evening game. Maybe next year!

The stands actually filled up nicely, but I took this picture shortly after we sat.

Wednesday was going to be another trip to the beach, but temperatures dropped a LOT the night before, and it was too cold for the beach. However, it was a perfect day to be outside. We headed to Maymont park so Keagan could go to the petting zoo. His new favorite sound is the rooster!

Yesterday morning, I had to go to school for a meeting with my principal and the other reading specialist, so Keagan had some daddy time. When he woke up from his afternoon nap, we went to a local mall for Keagan to play in their play area. There was a childcare there, and Keagan loved having extra kids to play with. I didn't get any pictures because I couldn't get any without other random kids.

This afternoon, we headed out to Steven's aunt's pool for some fun since the temps had risen to the 80s. We picked up two of Steven's younger cousins who stay with his grandmother so they could have some play time (and it helped keep Keagan entertained). This little fish loves water and is getting braver every time! We're definitely doing swimming lessons next summer!

It's going to be harder to leave him this summer because he is growing so much and learning so quickly! He's been such a blast to hang out with, and I'm going to miss our morning snuggles and play time.

Next week you will begin to see more school-related posts. And don't forget that I'm having a sale in my TN store through Sunday. Then I am participating in the big TPT sale August 18-19. You don't want to miss it!