Year End Reflection Linky

Today I am linking up with Big Time Literacy for her Year End Reflection Linky (click the link to go link up).  My last day of school was May 20th.  I woke up the next day with crazy allergy issues and ended up resting Thursday-Sunday and now am on 2 prescriptions for it.  This week I had a curriculum team work Tuesday-Thursday.  So today truly feels like the first day of summer.  Here's my reflection of this past year!

Best Memories

Some of my best memories this year have been school events.  Our field trip to the Christmas tree farm was so fun!  Our 100th day of school is always a hoot...we have the kinders dress up like 100 year olds.  The last day was great...this has been such a challenging year in and out of the classroom and I wasn't sure if I would even be sad on the last day of school.  Surprisingly, I was.  One of my kids who has struggled all year with behavior and home life issues gave me a hug before he left then I turned around to lead the car riders into the cafeteria and felt little arms wrap around my back.  I turned around and he said he just needed to get me another hug.  My heart melted.

Missed Opportunities

I really wanted to start Math Tubs after their independent work is complete.  I frankly just didn't ever put the effort into getting it started.  I am going to this coming school year.  I even bought an awesome cubby shelf and getting tubs for it.  This will house early finisher tubs for Math & ELA.  Students will be able to grab a tub when finished with their work and work on the activity or task in the tub.  Here's the shelf!

Game Changers
I have learned that all students can learn, but not at the same time or in the same way.  This group has really challenged me to differentiate my teaching.  I had some reading chapter books and some who by Christmas finally wrote their name.  I had to find ways to challenge a really gifted student (thank goodness for flexible 1st grade teachers who took him in for some subjects).  I also had accept that a couple of very low kids would eventually get there, they just needed more time and more of my help and confidence.

Focus

Honestly, my focus during the first few months of school was all over the place.  I had some personal life distractions and hard times this past fall.  Once I gained my school focus again I was really focused on Writer's Workshop (conferencing with students, goal setting, and new ideas to implement).  I also was very focused on literacy and getting my kids to meet their reading level goals.  

Forgot

I wanted to incorporate more science (we do not officially have science curriculum and they want us to throw it in there if we can).  I did some science experiments and activities but I definitely forgot to do more.  :(  I'll work on that next year.

Reflections

* I am so glad I expanded my classroom library area.  My students couldn't seem to get enough of it this year.  I'm even thinking of adding more book bins and things this summer.

* Goal setting and students being able to talk about their learning is going well.  I hope it continues to get better next year as I become more comfortable with this new success criteria and learning intentions that we are doing (part of our visible learning PD this year).

* My third year of teaching is finished.  I feel like every year I am becoming more confident in what I am doing and how to best teach my kinders.  Hoping to learn more this summer and get new ideas to continue to improve!

Here's to a relaxing and fun summer.  I'm taking it easy for a little while, then I will be back at it creating some new resources for my TPT store and hopefully blog more!

A "Me" Weekend

Today's post isn't too teachery.  Yes...teachery.  

So I'm giving up social media for the weekend.  Yes, giving it up.

Why?

I have been noticing how much I am on my phone.  I was at a friend's house last weekend and we all went to dinner and what were we doing?  Eating and between bites on our phones looking at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I know we all know this.  It's absolutely nothing new.  We are a different kind of social being than we were 20 years ago.  Even really 10 years ago.

I absentmindedly check my phone ALL the time.  

I decided yesterday to delete my Facebook app (not my account but the app).  I rarely use social media on my actual laptop.  Part of it was that I was having a rough day and just didn't care to see everyone's stuff.  The other part was me wanting to delete it for a long time.  

Last night while in bed at 9:00pm (it was a busy and rough day!) I deleted my Instagram and Twitter apps.  

So on Sunday at 8:00pm I will redownload my apps.  I hope this will show me to enjoy the little things and that I miss a lot being glued to my phone.  I hope I don't get any crazy texts wondering if I'm alive!  I didn't post anything on Facebook that I was done with it for the weekend and I forgot to on my Miss Kate's Desk Instagram account.  :/  

I'm ready for a nice relaxing weekend.  Today I've already got a tiny workout in and I may go walk some trails later.  I have a date tonight *gasp*.  I have 3 new professional development books that Paul Bloomberg suggested to me on Wednesday that I want to start (well, on one of them)...more on that in a future post.  Tomorrow I will just be doing more of the same.  My friends are busy and for the first time in a month or two and I have no plans this weekend!

Don't get me wrong, I love my accounts.  I do.  But sometimes I feel like I am too attached and I need to just stop and smell the fresh air instead.  I'll do an update to this post after Sunday and tell you how it goes.  

Also, if you have a Fitbit...let me know. We can become friends!  I'm currently doing some weekend step challenges with a friend.  I just got mine on Monday night and I LOVE it.  

Have a relaxing weekend everyone.  Go outside and enjoy!

WHOA! Where has this been?!? A Touchtronic review.

*Disclaimer*- I am not being asked to write this review but I have had many people ask me about these letters or who have sent me a DM on my Instagram asking what in the world these cool interactive letters are.  I just love it and want to share how/why I use this in my classroom.

We have had the letters for almost two weeks and so far I am loving them!  I can't wait to use them in August when the kids are really working on letters/sounds.  The ABC app will be great for the first part of the year!

I still have a few kiddos have just recently mastered all their letter sounds...so this app is great practice for them.  Now, my kids who are reading DRA level 4 or higher...not so much.  But this is a great resource for your kids who are still struggling with letters/sounds or who need CVC practice (the app not shown in the video...but coming soon).

I love how the CVC app says the sounds, helps the students sound out the words, and lets them know if something needs to be changed.  The CVC app is great because the students can build CVC words, it sounds it out, and shows a picture of the word.  I even made some odd words that they may not think of...such as sob, and it had a picture of crying.  I did rob and it showed a thief.  Pretty neat stuff!  

Currently I am using this for my low readers/writers during RTI and station time.  On occasion I'll call a student up to my table to do one of the two apps just for extra practice if they finish early.  I just wish I had more than one iPad!  :)  Don't get me wrong, so thankful for our PTO...I know lots do not even have that.

Here's how it works, you buy the letters (box shown below) and then download the FREE apps (Touchtronic ABCs or Touchtronic 3 Letter Words).  The video down below shows a couple students using the ABC app.  

What I love best about it:

*Hands on

*Very interactive

*Great for individual or partner practice

*Uses technology...we all know how much our kids gravitate towards that.

Hands down amazingness right here!  You can purchase the letters on Junior Learning's website or they also have them on Amazon.com as well.  

Here is a short video of the ABC app in action.  Tomorrow or Thursday I will try to video students using the 3 Letter Word app. 

There is also a numbers set that I will purchasing next. :)  

Hope you enjoyed this little review and those who follow me on Insta who have thought it looks cool...now you can see a little what it looks like.

Be sure to check back in a day or two for the update with the second app (CVC word) video.

100 TPT Follower SALE 3/29/15

I have reached 100 followers on TPT!  I've been creating resources since June 2014 and started selling a few weeks later in July.  

It has been such a fun journey!  I've connected with many awesome educators across the country!  

In honor of my small milestone of 100 followers...I am throwing a sale at my store.  Go to my TPT store: Miss Kate's Desk . 

The sale runs tomorrow (March 29th) and I may extend it longer than that.  ;)

Check my Instagram: @misskatesdesk to see what best selling items I will be putting as *FREEBIES* for tomorrow only!  Follow me on IG to know what is a limited time freebie.

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!  Thank you so much for supporting my young TPT store.  

Spring Break Recap

My Spring Break is coming to an end.  I have a few more hours until I hit the hay and get rested up for tomorrow.  I wanted to share some of the highlights of my break.  I feel pretty refreshed but anxious for the busy times coming up this last 1/4 of the school year.

#1 Yummy food.  Joplin has really come along the last 5 or so years with new local restaurants and bars with great food and drinks.  Throughout my break there was several times that I met up with friends for some delicious local food!  My favorite is Instant Karma.  I tried Gaslight for the first time (nachos picture below) this break.

#2 Bedroom Makeover.  I decided it was time for a new and bigger bed.  I found a deal at a local furniture store and it was a metal frame.  It wasn't exactly what I had pictured but I LOVE it.  The prints in the frames were found on various Etsy stores.  I also purchased frames on sale at stores like Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and Target.  I went for a sorta girly and mismatched look.  Suits my personality well.

#3 Working out.  I have been back to working out daily and it has been great...besides the fact that there are some days when I moan and groan when sitting down.  The below picture accurately describes the pain.  So far since last Friday (first day of break) I have lost 4lbs!

# 4 Friends.  I have spent a lot of time with friends this break. I have seen a movie or two, went to dinner, went to karaoke, and to a day trip to Bentonville, Arkansas.  Here is one of my best friends and I at our karaoke night.

#5 Day Trip.  My friends and I went to Bentonville, Arkansas to go to Crystal Bridges.  Crystal Bridges is an awesome museum in Northwest Arkansas.  If you are ever in the area...stop by!  It is free...but we got a $10.00 ticket to see a special exhibit for Van Gogh to Rothko.  It was great!  We also walked a little on the trails around the museum and I saw the new Frank Lloyd Wright house being put together (well, it's not new...but they are moving it from NJ to AR).  

(a Jackson Pollock and I)

Not quite sure if I'm ready to power through the next month and a half.  It's been a trying year in my personal life.  One day I'll share about that and how depression affected me this past school year.  Good news is that dark cloud hovering over me since the fall is more like a little fog now.  

Positivity.  :)  I do feel refreshed...which I was in desperate need of.

May will be here soon.  It's the most magical month to me.  Happy Spring everyone!

It's almost March?!?

It has been a while.  Eeek.  February has been a bizarre month for me so far.  Lots of ups and downs in general and I've been in a creative slump.  Here are somethings that has been happening this month that I want to share.

My blog design is on Designs by Kassie.  :)  I absolutely love the new design she made for me.  Go check out her website (click the picture).  She does great work.  I had a very tiny idea of what I would like and she took it and made it awesome!

I am going to PARIS again this June.  It's is definitely official now because my friend and I booked our flights.  I have been to Paris, she has not.  We are beyond excited!  I'll be gone 7 days and have 6ish days in the city.

Last week we were off for 2 days because of snow and ice.  It was a 3 day week with Friday because a professional development day.  On Monday I had a slight freakout that 3rd Quarter is almost up and conferences are around the corner.

If you follow me on Instagram you know that this little guy has been showing up in random places in my classroom.  One of the kids has fallen in love with the penguin and he leaves it in the most interesting spots (but I never see him do it...sneaky).

I have been letting my kids read aloud to the class when we have a few extra minutes here and there.  They LOVE it.  Here's a few who finished math early listening to one of our friends read.  They pick a leveled book they've read before to read loud and proud to their friends.  I've found it to be great motivation and love seeing their excitement.  It's that time of the year where the reading is booming.  I need to make more time for this.  :)  It's also that time of the year that I'm trying to provide my kids opportunities to read to whoever.  I have kids that read to other teachers, other classes, the secretary, principal, or whoever has the time.  Our school does this a lot because we put a big focus on it and on our kids who are below the reading targets.

This friend read a whole Fly Guy book without any hesitation or mistakes to the class before going home one day.  Since this day he's been reading up a storm.  I loved seeing other kids gain motivation from watching books being read to them and thinking they can do it too!  

I made this wooden sign to go above my newish area on the whiteboard for our learning intentions and success criteria.

All teachers and staff gathered at the new high school (the tornado took our old one) to listen to the super talk about our direction.

Snapped this one while waiting to leave the gym and get a goody bag.  Such a funky building.  I love it but I miss the old JHS that I graduated from.

Here I was an hour ago.  Sore throat and feel terrible.  Hoping this crud goes away.  I am sitting upright now typing this...so that's a start.

Have a great week everyone!  Sorry for the lack of posting lately...sometimes life happens.

Five for Friday

Woohoo!  It's Friday.  I was at a training today and everyone was talking about how the past few weeks have been exhausting.

I just want 1 snow day.  That's all.  Please...

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday.  Go link up.  Click the image below!

#1

100th Day of School.

Wednesday was our 100th day of school.  I'll do a post later in the weekend about our activities!

#2 On Monday it snowed...you can hardly see it.  

We have not had a snow day yet...grr.

#3 A student gave me these for reading groups.  

His mom is a teacher.  :)  I use to have some of these little eyeballs but have no idea what I did with them.  Hooray for new ones and thoughtful people!

#4 Paris

I am going to Paris in June.  One of my best friends and I decided this past weekend to go!  I have been once before back in 2011 but I flew out the day of Joplin's tornado and so I slept very little and was very worried.  I'm excited to see it with a level head and just to have fun!  

(Photo by me and an old app I use to have)

#5 New Blog Design

It is almost ready!  Eeek!

Have a great rest of your Friday and a wonderful weekend!  I'm off to Springfield, MO tomorrow to see friends.