Last day of School-Ready for Winter Break

I am excited but also a little sad to say goodbye to my kiddos.  Today is the last day before winter break and I am not coming back until April 8th!  OMG!  I really have enjoyed teaching these students this year and getting to know them well.



THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BROUGHT A SMILE TO CLASS EACH DAY!  I will be at home learning how to be a mom.  I will share pictures with the 8th grade teachers so you can meet my lil guy ASAP!  Happy Holidays to you all and I hope to chat with you soon!

Love my ELA BLOCK 2

I just wanted to pop by today and give reasons to why I am thankful for my students this year.  Every Wednesday, in ELA class, we blog.  We call it, "What do ya say Wednesday!?"  So..... I say that I am loving this school year!  My students are very polite, share a lot of their creative ideas and I actually learn a lot from them!
      I am thankful that they offer to fill up my water bottle and some have brought me treats even!  I have had homemade cookies and tamales!   MMMMMMM!  The students are also very positive kiddos who have a lot of interests that I like to learn about.  They share at appropriate times and can be honest.  They enjoy watching Netflix, play video games and even show me pics of their pets!
   











I have become more patient and positive with this group.  It has helped to remember:  Give what you want to Get.  If I want to be treated with respect, then I have to slow down and respect them with the words I choose and the tone of voice I have.  Let's be honest, students don't like angry teachers who lost patience easily.  I am for sure making growth and becoming stronger with my patience.





Here is a pic of my lovely BLOCK 2 kiddos!

Silly Boys!  

TWIN PIC!

Helping each other out!!!

OH No!!!!

Blog Time!!!!

Reflections/September Currently

Happy Saturday!  In this blog I would like to share some happy things going on in my life.

We just finished our 3rd week of school and I am so happy each day.  I have amazing students who are polite, engaged in their learning, and who make me laugh.  My co-teachers are wonderful and I love learning from them each day.  It's been great going home happy.  It makes my husband happy that I am not too stressed or feeling frustrated.

My husband and I are also happy since we have moved from the apartment to a house.  We feel free and so safe in our home now.  We enjoy using the extra space for our own offices, have fun with decorating ideas, and have been loving the two full baths!


The baby has been busy since I have been back at work.  He moves a lot and it's an amazing feeling.  I am so excited for him to arrive.  We still have time though.

I am connecting with Farley today by doing my "Currently"  I have always enjoyed filling these out each month.  It's cool to go back to old ones and see what I wrote.

Gettin' Ready For the First Day Back...

Hey bloggers out there!  It has been a LOONNNNNNG time since I've been here on my blog!  Ever since I took a few years from teaching ELA and went to Math, I didn't blog as often with my students and share as much as I wanted to....  :(  Shame on me

Now that it's one of my goals, to get back here on my blog, I am back and posting about what I have done so far to get ready this year!

I have met with my co-teachers for ELA and Math.  We are teaching a platform called, "Summit" which entails individualized learning with a base curriculum.

Here is a video as well for those who like a visual

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Our classroom is set up and looking fabulous in my opinion. Meg and I only keep one desk in our co-taught room, because we like the extra space for student learning areas. She usually uses the front little desk and I sit at the other. But we share the big desk with both of our belongings on it and make it clear that it is our room and our area together!

Sticker charts this year to incorporate our Growth Mindset goals and Summit Focus Areas! We want to reward kids at the end of each class to always end on a POSITIVE NOTE! We got that idea from our book we read, "I Wish My Teacher Knew" I totally recommend it. It's an easy read and inspires you to be more positive!

Back in my ELA room with my other co-teacher, I have created my space as well to have some conference time with students and maybe project some nice desk lighting at for independent work time as well. Rachel and I are excited to back together and co-teaching ELA! We are going to start the year off with the Outsiders. Always a classic!

I also have met my new mentee this year. She is fabulous and learning a lot so far! She will be a special education teacher in 7th grade, so we will have a lot to discuss this year!

I am very excited to share throughout the rest of the year with all of you!

May 20, 2016

I am here live at a Literacy PD at Heritage Middle School by Leah O'Donnell!  She is amazing and has so much to share.  Her PD for the 8th grade teachers this morning was called, "Single Point Rubrics for Middle School."  I was thrilled to listen and engaged with many questions and thoughts of my own.  I love sitting at PD's and jotting down notes!

The PD was helpful to know how and when (most importantly) to create a rubric.  According to Leach, "Make sure you make it first before the unit, so that you know what you want your students to be doing in class and by the time the assessment comes."

Another helpful push for me was using these single point rubrics for math explanations next year.  I feel like Meg and I will for sure use Math practices in our rubrics more often next year.  I also want to collaborate more with other 6th and 7th grade math teachers so that we all can agree on what a "3" means on certain topics!

THANKS LEAH, YOU ROCK!

It has been a wonderful change for me this year teaching Math.  I know many of my close friends and family know that I love it, but I just have to keep saying it.  More excitingly is that I get to do it next year with the same co-teacher, my friend, Meg Navolio.

I hate that I haven't shared more here on blog from everything I have learned, planned, and accomplished this school year.

DAY FOR MARCH!

Holy Moly!  I can't believe I did this to myself!  I can't find enough time to just make it about "Me"

It's been September since my last post and I have been asked to get a ride for the March Madness of

DAY 1 OF THE MARCH SOLSC! #SOL16

I guess I should have no excuse.  I should know that I HAVE TO make time for just me and my writing.  It will help become a better teacher, daughter, aunt, friend, and co-worker.  If I don't take time to stop and clear my head, I will go crazy!  

But, I will brag about all of the things that I am doing that get in the way....because I am proud that I am doing it.  I do want to thank my great friends and co-workers at school though.  They are super supportive and if I do overbook my schedule or unclear on what to do next, they are there to help me in every way!  LOVE!

1.  Got a second job waitressing at Ann Sather in the Chicago.  LOVE IT!  

2.  I coach POMS in the fall and now VOLLEYBALL in the winter.  Love my teams!  Love coaching and building relationships with students.

3.  Working on my health!  I have changed my diet by eating WAY MORE HEALTHIER.  I have stared the plant based diet and am down 16lbs!  YESSSS!  

4.  I go to bed by 9-10  (not tonight)

5.  Researching more about IEP's so that I can become masterful and help my colleagues!  Yes, I am reading books on IEPs!  

6.  Finding time to be with family and friends, even though it is so limited.  Miss them so much.

Currently September

I am linking up with Farley today to currently share my Currently!  

I love sitting in my home in the quiet and getting stuff done.  I do enjoy music to get me going...but once I need to focus and really complete certain tasks, I love the silence (with the exception of the clicking on my keyboard as I type)

I am hopeful that my new 8th graders stay this way.  I know it's "honeymoon" stage as some people call it, but I absolutely love our students and how they respond in the classroom.  They are polite, engaged, aware of their surroundings, and they are interested in meeting us teachers!

I have already applied for grad school, but haven't done the second set of papers yet.  I need to get that going!  It starts in December!!!

I am reading a book for some motivation and professional development right now, (Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom), but I would like to read for pleasure.  I just don't know what I should read next.  This means I should just go on to Goodreads soon!

I am waiting for some paperwork to come through.  I just was approved for a car.  My old car is just slowly dying out.  I feel like it's wheezing every time I start it.  Poor silver bullet.  

I hope to continue to shine each week within my blogs by sharing what I read, teach, and staying positive.