Classroom Digs

Today you get to see inside my new classroom! Aren't you special?

This classroom is ENORMOUS!! Even with that though, there is not a ton of storage space and because of the large windows, there is not a lot of bulletin board space. We also have the descended lights so I cannot hang things on the walls above the bulletin boards very easily because the lights block it.

In places like this, I've had to get creative. These were windows, but I covered them with poster board and added the scrapbook paper. I attached clothespins with glue dots and now hanging student work will be easy! I added chalkboard numbers to help with student privacy.

Here I hung our first day "Davids." I got the idea from Fall Into First. You can see the idea here.

Here is my little reading corner. I used bonus points from scholastic book orders to buy the chairs and book sling. The blue magnetic book holders are from Lakeshore, seen here.

To help with distraction, my student computers face out to the window. I butt my desk and computer table up against this table to section off the room in this corner. I then added the filing cabinets adding another "bulletin board" of sorts that is magnetic. 

For my birthday, my mom and I made my chair pockets using duck cloth. I bought little Dr. Seuss shopping bags at Target for $1 during back to school for them to hold their books in. 

Lastly, this is my leveled library. It is my pride and joy. I leveled all my books according to guided reading levels. Each level is associated with a color. Each book has a colored sticker on it that matches the color of the box it belongs in. It makes it easier for students to put the books away themselves.

Hope you enjoyed your tour!

Keep on Swimming

Sorry about not posting pictures and linking up with Blog Hoppin', but I have been so busy! I am taking a few classes this summer and my last one for a lane change is going right now. I wanted to post pictures of it set up, but I couldn't get in yesterday to get anything done because of my class.

Anyhoo...

I am hoping that I can get in today and get a bit done and be ready to go. If that happens, I will post pictures. I am continuously amazed at just how long it is taking me to set everything up.

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my new "mansion" of a classroom, but it is hard work trying to refigure my space and design. And this is in addition to the unpacking and set up that I had to do with the move anyway!

 I wish I could be linking up with blog hoppin today about organization, but I am in no means organized. I drive myself crazy with my disorganization. That is one of my goals this year is to get more organized and now that I am learning from the experts, that will be great!

There is just not enough time to do everything I want to. Do you feel that way? Let me know your goals for this school year in the comments below. Then we can support each other and keep each other on track!

Keep smiling! ; )

Teacher Week 2013

Welcome back! After the Utah Blogger Meet up, I have been challenged by What the Teacher Wants and The Teacher Wife to get my blog up and running for real. So, to get started, I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin for Teacher Week 2013!

Today's post is about...ME!

I am the youngest of 7. I have 2 brothers and 5 sisters who all loved (and still try) to mother me. I grew up in Orem, Utah. One brother, Ryan, is disabled. He has Cerebral Palsy and a seizure disorder that has caused his body to degenerate over the years. I have 2 siblings and their families that live in Germany and another one who's husband will be stationed over there shortly. I have 17 nieces and nephews, all of whom are adorable.

I graduated from BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, one of the coldest places ever I've decided. I have a bachelors in Early Childhood/Special Ed. I went the early childhood route.

Now my awesome teaching story.

My 1st year, I taught half day Kindergarten/ half day 1st/2nd reading intervention in Magna, UT at a year round school.

 I liked teaching year round. It made it so I could take a 2 week trip to Germany to see my siblings that live there. But at the end of the school year, they opened a new school nearby and we were losing many students, so I got surplused. I had a rough year so I was not particularly sad to go, but was very nervous about a new school and new faculty.

Enter Rosecrest.

I was now teaching 1st grade. I had my own classroom. I could decorate it however I wanted. 

My teammates were amazing! They were so helpful and full of great ideas! One particular teammate, knowing I was overwhelmed with trying to figure out a new grade, always made an extra copy of everything she did and gave it to me so I would have files of things to have my students do. It.saved.my.life.

Now I am about to start my 3rd year at Rosecrest, teaching 1st grade and I love every minute of it...most of the time. ;) Even moving classrooms : / (I'll post pictures of the new room tomorrow)

What about you? What is your story?

Make sure to link up with Blog Hoppin to meet other bloggers and post your own story!

Chio!

Hard Work this blogging

Sorry for the absence. I promise this will not be a regular thing to go so long between posts. I have been researching to try to figure out how to link an image to the app store so that you can go straight to the app and download it. I think I have it figured out so hopefully it will work.Leave me a comment if it does not.

So... Now on to the next app.

Since I highlighted a reading/language arts app last time, I am going to feature a few different math apps that I really like.

The first is also a free app. It is great for students who are learning number concepts such as place value as it helps them study the tens and ones in a variety of ways so you can tell if they really understand the concept and hone in on the specifics of where they are confused. This is called Splash Math. There is more to it though than just tens and ones. There is also Numbers and Comparison, Addition, Subtraction, Addition Strategies, Subtraction Strategies, Mixed Addition and Subtraction, Two digit operations, data and graphs, Time, Money, Measurement, Geometry, and then Addition and Subtraction refresher.However, only the first two sets are free. You can purchase the rest if you really like it later. As a student reaches a certain percentage correct, the next skill is unlocked. So, the harder questions that will frustrate lower learners will not be asked until they are ready for them and yet the higher level students are not stuck on an easier skill than they are able to do. They will keep progressing. In addition to Splash Math for 1st grade, there is one for 2nd, 3rd, etc. If a student is too high for even the most challenging, place them on a 2nd or 3rd grade level so they are being individually challenged. It is an easy way to do differentiation. Again, click on the picture for a link.

The second App I want to feature is a great paid app. Now, I said it was , but in reality it is much more. It combines addition, subtraction, spelling, and sight words into one $.99 app. It cycles through them all to keep them engaged. It gives one question of each type and then will cycle around. Another great aspect of this app is that even if you only have a few iPods or iPads for your class, it has the ability to keep track of up to 4 students at a time and be able to track their progress. Like splash math, it will also start easy and get harder as the student is ready for it. Great differentiation!

Hope you are able to use these. Post comments to tell me what kinds of things you are interested in.

Welcome Bloggers!

I am new to this whole "blogging" thing, but I really enjoy getting ideas from other blogs so I am going to try it out.

Please be patient as I figure this out.

So,
I figure I will post great ideas I stumble across, things I create for my own munchkins and any tech stuff. I started this because I had several people in my district ask me to just tell them great apps to use with the iPod touches our district purchased for the schools. If you know of great ideas, please post them and help us create a great learning community as we move into the technology age.

Without further adieu, here is my first contribution to the first grade techies out there.

My favorite app I have found so far is made by Lakeshore. It covers a lot of the skills we learn in first grade phonics such as: blends, digraphs, long vowels, syllables, etc. It is called TicTacToe phonics interactive. Here is a sample round. My students loved using it in small group on the iPad.

 

click the image for a link to the app in the app store.