Next Year...Decor

As this year comes to an end, I begin to think about next school year.  I always wonder about the kids I will have, the things I did this year that worked well and what I would like to change, and my actual classroom looks.  I thought it was funny last night when a colleague of mine posted on Facebook that she was look for classroom setups for next year.  I was doing the same thing last night on Pinterest!

So, as I ponder and rearrange Pinterest Boards, I thought I would share some thoughts for the way things look for next year or some things I would like to try.  Here are my

TOP 5 PINTEREST IDEAS TO TRY FOR NEXT YEAR-DECORATOR EDITION:

 I think this is simple, effective, and super cute.  I have a love/hate relationship with my calendar.  I love having one; I hate changing the month.  It just gets put off every month.  I will be halfway through the next month and someone will come in the room and say, "Kim, it's April...and you still have February up!"  Last year I had a student that obsessed about my calendar so I never had to fix it, sadly he moved on to middle school.  Now I have to employee my daughter to fix it. :)  I like that this has all information stuff in one area place, not to mention I love the polka dots!

 I enjoy this saying so much.  I never know what to put on my door, that is one thing that I do not really enjoy doing, but these words are so powerful and meaningful.  I do want my students to know that I love and value them.  I may change up the saying a teensy bit, but I want to do something like this.  Quotes are so fun!

  This is a super cool classroom reward system.  The teacher at this blog assessed what each group of his students would like for a reward and then if the students' behavior earns a letter then they choose where to put the letter on the word.  When a word is filled up the class earns what they spell.  The different colors are for the different groups he has during the day. I think this would work wonderfully for my resource room.  My colleagues and I are always refilling candy buckets and treasure boxes, but these items are rewarding and LOW cost!  Win, win!!  (Click on the picture to go the blog post about this behavior incentive)

Here is a great blogpost about cleaning out all of the teacher stuff and some research to back it up:
http://emilystuff.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/spring-cleaning/  I found some interesting ideas and food for thought here!

Finally, because this is just so stinkin' cute!  I love deco mesh wreaths and I could totally make this.  The colors are adorable and this would be a perfect accent for my door!

I don't want to wish my life away, but I wish it were time to get next year's room ready! :)

Kim

PS...I'm also joining in the Backward/Forward Linky from iTeach 5th!  Join me!

New Social Media Butttons

I have new social media buttons!!  Yay! Feel free to contact me via email, Facebook, Twitter, or follow my Pinterest boards by clicking the link to the right.

If you would like to add your own social media buttons, I would like to share with you how I did mine.  I am not an HTML code writer, but I can search the internet!  Below are the sites I used to find code to help me add pictures and code in Blogger.  Today I would like to share some free resources with you so you can make your own buttons!

Find or create your image for each appropriate button
I found my images here as a free download.  Diana from Custom Blog Designs offers these icons for you to use as a FREEBIE!!



You will need to upload your images to Photobucket or something similar so you can get a URL link for the image.

Next you need to add your HTML code.  Hop on over to the website below to copy the code you need to make your buttons

http://beautifuldawndesigns.net/tutorial-add-social-media-icons-to-blogger-step-by-step/

Add your buttons to your blog and enjoy some new traffic to your social media sites!

Tweet All About It!

I recently joined Twitter and I also found a teacher blogger/Twitter user linky!  What luck!  Follow me!

Follow me on Twitter  @MrsHsResourceRm

https://twitter.com/MrsHsResourceRm

Click the Button above to find some other awesome teacher bloggers!

Spring Break 2013...A Farewell

I am so sad that Spring Break is over.  This week was only a sneak peek for summer and that makes me ready for school to be out.  Don't get me wrong...I love school and my kids, but man, I love being at home!

So what did I do that made it so amazing?

Easter
Swimming with friends at the Pavillion
Visited Frankfort--Salato Wildlife Park, The State Capitol Building, and Rebecca Ruth Candies

Watched The Impossible.  This movie was INTENSE!  If you don't know, it's about the tsunami that hit Thailand.  This whole tragedy is unimaginable, but so inspirational.  I heard it was life changing...it was! Whew!  I highly recommend it, but it is NOT for kids!

Shopped-I bought new dishes!  I love red!

Chilled with my family and enjoyed some wonderful weather (well at least one day of it).

Alas, all good things must come to end.  Six and half weeks until summer...I can make it! :)

Pass The Torch Linky

Get Ready for Bloggy Olympics!!!

Join The 3AM Teacher, the Reading Olympians, and over 80 SUPREME education bloggers as we take you through a tour of the Reading Olympians Root Study Program!!

First of all, confession is good for the soul.  I was not able to teach this series of lessons yet.  In fact, I spaced out on the fact that this was supposed be posted on April 6 and thought it was the next week.  That would have given me the week after spring break to get this worked into my curriculum.  However, I was off on my calculations...so I am instead sharing my plans with you for next week.  Still friends...right? ;)

I teach special education in a resource setting for reading.  My students are in grades 3 and four, but working below grade level.  When I signed up to participate in this program, I requested a younger set of materials.  The 1/2 grade lessons I decided would work well for my students.

I will use the materials as my word work for the week.  I set up my hour reading block with my students in the following way:

• Corrective Reading program for the first 25 minutes of my reading block 3 days a week.
• Guided Reading using a trade book or a book from Reading A-Z.  (I especially like these books because they are leveled and suggestions for lessons are given).  I always teach the same concept they are learning in the regular ed. class, so they do not miss out.
• Sight Word Practice-I employ a time delay strategy to work on sight words.  Each student is at a different level.  I have one student that can read any sight word you put in front of him, so he does reading comprehension time delay using reading comp. task cards (more on that another day).
• Word work (while I call student individually to do sight word time delay or fluency checks)

Day 1:  Give my students a pretest on prefixes and suffixes.  You can find it here.
Show presentation of the materials.  Discuss prefixes and suffixes.

Day 2:  Center: Make prefix book

Day 3: Center: Make suffix book

Day 4: Center: Prefix/Suffix puzzles

Day 5: Quiz.  I will give the same quiz that I give on Day 1 to see how much progress the students made. 

I will post pictures all next week to show our work and progress in understanding the roots of reading!





Discover the program IN ACTION in more K-6th grade classrooms as you Pass the Torch!! Get ideas, discover the progression of the program, and enter the Raffle for a chance to win ONE of the three prizes listed below!!

First Place Winner : Gold Medal

  Prizes: Complete Reading Olympians Program
            $50.00 Amazon Gift Card
            50% off Discount Code for a 1-Day shopping spree at The 3AM Teacher's Etsy store!

Second Place Winner: Silver Medal

   Prizes: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
              40% off Discount Code for a 1-Day shopping spree at The 3AM Teacher's Etsy store!

Third Place Winner: Bronze Medal

    Prizes: 30% off Discount Code for a 1-Day shopping spree at The 3AM Teacher's Etsy store!

Pass the Torch!!!
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