Score and Sore

I hope everyone got really good deals with all the sales going on! Myself....I got some great things for nothing out of pocket! :) I won some TPT giftcards ($35 all together) and due to some careful planning, splitting up purchases (cause you can't combine giftcards...does anyone else find that weird?) I did use some of my TPT credits (less than a $), so I wouldn't have to pay something ridiculous like $.12.

I got Ms. B's Government Pack as well as both her Fractions pack, Amber's Geometry Lapbook as well as her Foldable Templates, some of Janaye's Math Notebook packs, Dana's Math pack and her Multiplication and Division word problems and Stephanie's calendar pack. It's all downloaded and just needs to be printed, cut and laminated.

So that's the score part of this post...now for the sore

I went in today to start doing my room. I was able to rearrange most of the furniture and set up about 3/4 of my library as well. I also starting organizing my desk...AFTER I cleaned it out from the previous teacher. Am I wrong, or should she have cleaned it out? 

So...you want to see the progress?







Yes?







Okay!
Here is the BEFORE:

view from the door looking left

view from the door looking straight

Shelves/Manipulatives I have to organize

And here is the AFTER...I still have to get rid of some furniture, and move the desk/filing cabinet...but you get the general idea :)

View from the desk

View from the door

Classroom library :)

Middle of the room looking towards the door...some of those desks will be moved out of the room

Middle of the room SMARTBoard :), new literacy program

I also made a new friend...his name is ELMO :) I'm really excited about having a document camera...I was going to buy one and a projector (before I found out about the SMART Board and ELMO) He will be a really big help when we do our interactive notebooks!

Sore was also contributed by Target...they had 5 shelf book cases on sale, and I needed one....so, my back now hurts. But I have a fairly nice 5 shelf book case to hold my graduate binders and romance novels!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Saturday Shopping

Today I decided to go and get a back to school hair cut (I visit the hair salon 2-3 times a year, and the last time I went was March!), and it turned out SUPER cute! :) The stylist really listened to what I do with my hair (nothing) and gave me a cut that should grow out really nicely, especially since I am no/low maintenance with my hair.

 She took up the length about 2 inches, did long layers (it was all one length before), and angled the front to help my growing out bangs blend in better. It feels soooo much shorter and better!

Since I was in the area, I had to stop at Staples. I got some good deals (like 1 cent binder filler paper) and some stuff to get ready for the new year. Take a look!

Desk Calendar to mark meeting, important dates (like pay day! :), and to keep track of days (providing it doesn't get covered with papers)

Stickies for the kids on the first day of school, as well as pre-sharpened pencils (WELL worth the money in my opinion!)

Binders for organizing worksheets/units, dividers to help with organization, labels for notebooks, filler paper for writer's notebooks, and command hooks for the apartment-I plan on using them to hang necklaces, so they don't get as tangled!


I also stopped at McDonald's to have lunch...and was amazed when I walked in. They had flat screen TV's, couches, low tables, comfy chairs, and a circular booth. It was the fanciest McD's I've ever been too!

My wishlist at TPT is getting larger for tomorrow's big sale...(hence the binders), plus I've been holding onto some giftcards that I won for a hopefully cheap day. Good luck shopping tomorrow!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Thoughts

Hi Peeps!

I've been moved into my new apartment for about a week now, but I'm still only a quarter/third of the way unpacked. Mostly because I'm lazy I don't have storage or furniture to put stuff in.

After I moved, I was plagued with doubts (especially since my neighbor somewhat gleefully (at least to my mind) informed me that my pipes freeze in the winter, the last tenant paid almost $2,000 for heat last winter, and while the landlord was a really nice guy, he was lazy about the upkeep and fixing things-case in point, I'm missing a knob on a kitchen drawer, and the walls were supposed to be fixed (as in mudded, taped and repainted in the damaged areas) and were not (I took pictures so I will hopefully get my security deposit back).

After thinking about it, I realized...I really miss my hometown. And although it's an hour commute each way to my job (if I have it next year), I'm seriously considering moving back there next summer. This area is nice, but small. I went from living in the second biggest city in the state (with a population of almost 100,000, two Targets, two Staples, countless grocery stores and a mall...and cable tv/internet!) to a small town of just over 2,000. It's also about 15-20 minutes away from a Target, Staples, and grocery stores (with satellite tv that sometimes disappears when it rains). The only good thing about it is that it's 20 minutes from work.

I totally don't mind living on my own, but I think I like having the city and the hustle and bustle of people/things near me (even though I'm an introvert and basically stay in my apartment the whole time :) It'll will be something for me to seriously think about next spring.

I totally meant to go into the classroom today to start setting up, but I overslept and turned off the alarm took advantage of a rainy day to stay and snuggle in bed. I'll definitely have to go in (most of) next week to start setting up and getting ready. I have to go back on the 24th, but the kids don't start until the 30th, and since all those days are staff development, I really want to be set up before then.
 
Tonya's Treats for Teachers is having a flash giveway before the big TPT sale this weekend.

  She is also planning a 500 follower giveaway...and she's almost there! You need to check her out, she is one of my favorite bloggers and has awesome task cards in her store (as well as cool freebies!). New followers can get their choice of her Listening Center Task Cards or her Writing Center Task Cards. Go follow!!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

August Currently

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

You Might Be a Teacher If....

Hey Bloggers!

After a day of moving stuff, I come back to find a fun linky from
So, here are my 

 ...you watch Target Dollar Spot for Holiday Pencils and get them as presents for your kids
...you start doing laundry and realize you still have paper clips attached to your pants from when you were passing out papers
...your hands are multi-colored at the end of the day
...you also look slight frazzled at the end of the day
...you accessorize around your ID badge
...you have a slight book hoarding problem :)

Tomorrow, I'll be moving big stuff (but I rented a UHaul, so hopefully it will go better than taking trips), and my parents are kind enough to let me stay until Saturday when my cable/internet gets installed :)

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Advice for the Incoming Class

Stephanie from Teaching in Room 6 has this really cool linky going on for giving advice to new teachers. I know I was a new teacher not too long ago, but I still have some advice to pass onto even newer teachers!

1. Find someone at or near your grade level who you can talk to (a kind of second mentor) if you are not lucky enough to have a mentor at your grade level. They will be an invaluable resource of things to do, how to solve problems, deal with parents, etc.

2. I know it will be hard, because you want to impress, but leave school work at school. If you try to be super teacher and are taking home work every night, or staying late, you will get burned out and teaching will consume your life. Pick one night to stay late and get stuff done. Your kids won't really care if it takes a week or two to get graded papers back...but they'll care if you start to lose patience and not be the fun teacher that you normally are.

3. It's okay when that lesson bombs. Reteach it and move on. It'll actually be a great example to the kids that everyone makes mistakes and that's how you learn.

4. Most importantly, have fun. Learning should be fun! Joke around with your kids, play games (as long as they still respect you and your classroom management is good). They'll enjoy coming to school more knowing they have the super cool teacher :)

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

School Year Resolutions

Hi Peeps!

I'm linking up with Amanda from Teaching Maddeness for her

Resolution # 1: Implement some sort of Math Workshop, with whole group, small group and center teaching. My mentor for the new school suggested that the 1 hour math block was all whole group teaching, but I think it needs to be divided up into sections (like calendar, problem solving, whole group lesson, practice, etc.)

Resolution # 2: Staff bonding (hopefully!) I'm moving to a new area, so I know no one (and I'm further away from my friends), so I'm hoping to make some friends among the staff (which is hard, because I'm more of an observer/introvert)

Resolution # 3: Track my kids progress better. I want to have a better idea on where my kids are at a given time, and a better handle on what skills they are strong on and where they need to make more progress

Resolution # 4: Better organized! I'm hoping to have a better handle on my organization this year. I found a system that works for me (at least it did last year!), and it took until Feb/Mar for me to feel comfortable with the organization. I'm hoping that I can do it a little quicker this year!

Well, those are my resolutions for this school year. Folks, I know that you will be uber disappointed ;), but there will be no Monday Made It from me tomorrow...it's more like Monday Move It! I've been packing all week and tying up loose ends for my move at the end of the week! I still have a little ways to go, but I've been to busy to craft (unless you count creative packing and trashing!)

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn