Goodbye Messy Filing Cabinet! HELLO Organized Binders!

Messy filing cabinets are a very real part of my teaching past. I never had a really good system for organizing my teaching materials and so they ended up in a file that I always intended to refer back to, but...I swear that filing cabinet had it's own life! 

This year we have been kicked out of our classrooms during planning times/specials because we have other classes using our rooms for Spanish. That filing cabinet situation became an even bigger challenge with this development. My awesome colleague down the hall suggested I try out binders. She was totally right! These babies are awesome!  

I have only three binders. They are big. They are sturdy. Each binder contains all of my teaching materials (other than center activities) for each Trimester.  They are bulky, but definitely not too big to take one out of the classroom for my planning period or to take one home for some Netflix/couch inspired planning.

I have organized everything according to the standard. Each standard is printed on an Avery label and slapped onto a clear sheet protector. I have sorted each standard into the binder according to which Trimester it was to be taught.

One sheet protector for each standard. Simple.

Inside each sheet protector, I store all of my goodies related to that standard. This has made my planning a breeze!

I LOVE this system! Have you tried binders in your classroom? Do you have another organization tip?

How To Use a Math Word Wall

Math Word Walls can do so much more than just be a nice display! This is a lesson I wish I could give my younger teaching self. Over my career I have struggled with word walls in general. But since adopting Common Core, I have realized my students need to have and USE a common vocabulary that is mathematically specific. With a high ESL population in my classroom, I thought this would be the perfect time to figure this tool out! After researching and delving into this task, I can sum up my positive experience with these five tips:

Post words as you use them: In years past, I have put up all the words on the word wall ahead of time so that they could be in alphabetical order and my students can find the word alphabetically. People who are way more of an expert in this subject have suggested forgetting all about alphabetical order and instead replacing that with the order in which you are teaching the words. I tried it this year and LOVE IT! As you'll see below, I keep a limited number of words up at one time so they are not sorting through tons of words to find the one they need. 

Each day, I post the words I am introducing in their own special spot near my teaching area. I only add these words to our main word wall when the students have a pretty good grasp on them and I am ready to introduce some new words.

I suggest forgetting all about alphabetizing and instead organizing a word wall by unit. My huge stack of word wall words are color coded according to the math strand they are most closely aligned to. This makes it a breeze to gather the cards I need before starting my unit. Of course, I don't post a word until I have introduced it to the class. But I do keep that stack of words easily accessible throughout the unit.

Before my lesson, I try to be mindful of the words I want to emphasize throughout my lesson. I also encourage my students to use the words and I have a lot of praise when they use them correctly.

We are using interactive math notebooks this year and we simply put a tab in the notebook for vocabulary. Each student has their own visual dictionary of words that they can refer to! I always give them a definition to paste in their notebook but I also require them to create their own illustration or example of the definition to be included. If you don't use interactive math notebooks, then you might consider making a individual student vocabulary notebooks, especially if you have ESL/ELL learners in your class.

My students LOVE to play "Guess the Word" as an end of unit activity. Sometimes I say "I am thinking of a word that means...". Sometimes I draw a picture and point to something and they must guess the word. You can even let a student take a turn as the leader of the activity. Lots of fun and lots of learning!

I am working on creating word walls for K-5. But for now, I have 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, and 3rd Grade word walls available. Each pack includes the word wall definitions in three different sizes. They are pretty awesome!

1st Grade Math Word Wall

2nd Grade Math Word Wall

3rd Grade Math Word Wall

A word wall is so much more than a visual display! If you have good words, then these words have deep meaning that can only increase the depth of understanding of your students. We need all the tools we can get to help our students succeed mathematically and a word wall is a great tool for this!

December Currently

I am bracing myself to accept that the long weekend is over! Thankfully next week is a four day week for us. Gotta love the Spanish "puente"!

I've linked up with Oh Boy 4th Grade to bring you this month's "Currently" theme. 

No joke, my body is desperately needing some exercise after this weekend. Just to clarify, I am NOT one of those people who is the queen of fitness. But seriously, there was some REAL laziness up in here! Ha ha, maybe I'll make up for it all this week :)

So, I mentioned setting up a Belen as my favorite tradition. Well, this is something new since I've lived in Spain. It is basically a nativity scene but here in Spain they take it to a whole new level! My spanish teacher has her ENTIRE living room set up with the scene (moving waterways throughout, working lights and electricity, growing grass (!!!). Each year, my husband and I buy some new pieces for our Belen and we are slowly growing our collection. Here is an example of an overboard Spanish Belen...

...and here is our cute little collection (We are the first to admit that it looks pretty pathetic by Spanish standards!!)

Ha ha! I'll skip the story out about how my husband lost Joseph!! That definitely had to be one of our most ridiculous fights :)

My Cyber Monday Playlist

Hooray! Hooray! It is almost cyber shopping day! My wishlist list is FULL this time folksies. I am stocking up big time. My bloggy friend Christina at Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge is hosting a fun linky that includes a lot of my favorite tpt sellers. The bloggers included are the names that are all over my wishlist! 

As you are reading through my "playlist" of favorites, be sure to be humming your favorite Christmas tune!

The"Classics"

This is my classic common core product. My "Deck the Halls" if you will...

These are FAVORITE product! I use these babies everyday and I am super proud! You can find them here.

Song Two...Walking in a Math Wonderland

These math journal prompts are a dream! They include differentiated problems for EVERY 2nd Grade Common Core math standard! Find them here.

Song Three...I am Dreaming of a Holiday Product

I know how crazy the month of December is! Don't worry, these packs are totally easy on the teacher (no prep) but full of the stuff kids actually need to be learning. No fluff! Lots of fun! You can choose either a winter theme (no Santa or Christmas) or a traditional Christmas theme. Get them here.

Enjoy and have fun shopping at the cyber sale tomorrow! Do not forget the checkout code "CYBER"

Take Me Back Tuesday!

I am so excited for this linky hosted by Hope at Second Grade Shenanigans because when I look back on my posts from a year ago, I can see just how far I have come! In the 13 months I have been blogging, I have made so many new teacher friends, my writing has improved, I have learned a TON about fonts/clipart/designy stuff, and most importantly, I feel like I am a reinvigorated teacher! I had no idea how much this little journal would affect me!

So here is a little somethin' somethin' for you...(hint, hint FREEBIE alert!)

-------- Originally Posted November 29, 2012--------

The weekend of traveling, eating, and touristing really sucked up my time! Having house guests/travelling partners last week was so much fun. After they left, I had the kinda lonely feeling of wanting someone else to come. You know, it is kind of like the feeling the day AFTER Christmas. So, to not think about it too much, the last couple of days I have been cramming in as much time as possible on a Christmas literacy unit. It is kind of cutesy with the name "Twelve Days of Christmas" but it actually has tons of really good stuff! All twelve printable activities are common core aligned to the 2nd grade standards and they are REAL activities (not just Christmas crossword puzzles :) that match what we need to teach. I don't know about you, but I am kinda freakin about how much I have to teach in the next quarter. I'll take as little downtime in the classroom that I can get!

If you are interested in this unit, you can get it at my Teachers pay Teachers store here. I extended my sale until Wednesday so if you are quick, you can get it for a steal!

     

I have also been working on a Christmas Math printable pack. But that one is gonna have to wait a bit :) But I have a free sample! Click here to download these task cards/word problems with a fun Christmas theme! Did mention they are FREE?!

Now I am off to pack my bags because I am on a trip to Paris for the weekend! SOOOOO excited!

Last Minute Thanksgiving Math FREEBIE

I feel like I am the only one who has to work for the majority of next week! It also feels like all of a sudden that schools all over the US are off for the week of Thanksgiving. Is that sort of a new thing or have I just always been working in schools that aren't in the spirit of giving? Ha! I know I am not all alone so if there are any 2nd Grade teachers out there looking for a quick Thanksgiving/Fall math activity, here is a little turkey love for ya :) It's a freebie!

Download here!

Organizing your Math Manipulatives

I have finally figured out a method that is working for me in terms of distributing math manipulatives to my students/table groups! We do A LOT of problem solving work in my classroom and I want my students to have their hands all over manipulatives that help them visualize, solve, and reason with the tasks they are tackling. 

In the past, I have tried putting all of my blocks and manipulatives on a centralized shelf where the students could pick and choose what they needed. Everything was orderly and technically everyone had access to what they needed. But...I felt like students would avoid getting out of their seat because of laziness even though the tools a few steps away could help.

So, now each table group has their own box of assorted goodies. It includes:

- Base Ten Blocks

- Unifix Cubes

- Paper Hundreds Charts (to be glued into Math Problem Solving notebooks)

- Paper Number Lines (to be glued into Math Problem Solving notebooks) 

My favorite part of this manipulative tub is that students have access to as many hundreds charts and number lines that they can use in their math journals. They are another option of a "model" that the students can use to show their thinking. For example...

Did I hear someone say they need some free printable hundreds charts? You got it! Download them here (google doc).

This is working out so well for me and maybe it gives you some new ideas!

Tame the nose pickers in your class!

Nose picking is a problem in more classes than mine, right? I am happy to join up with Laura Candler's link up on Corkboard Connections that is focused on Julia Cook's awesome books! These books are great for solving classroom problems (such as nose picking).

You know that feeling when you are pleasantly reading a book to your class when out of the corner of your eye, you see one of your most adorable students slyly stick their finger up their nose. In that brief second, you are filled with hope that they will quickly pull their finger away realizing they have no exit strategy. Sometimes they choose a better strategy and you breathe a sigh of relief. But SOMETIMES, you see their finger slowly make it's way to their mouth. You either interrupt the lesson and boldly suggest a tissue or you stifle your gag reflex for the rest of the book and quietly suggest an alternative in private with the student. However, that image is already burned in your mind.

Well, every year I have had my fair share of pickers (sometimes eaters, GAG! Dying of gross thoughts even as I type it!) This year after a particularly bad incident, I did a google search for books that could help me broach the topic with my class. This led to my discovery of Julia Cook's, I am a Booger...Treat Me With Respect!

As soon as you introduce the title of the book, you can expect a room full of giggles and blushing cheeks. It is fair to expect this for the first few pages. But then, once the kids start to get sucked into the book, they become engrossed in the cute illustrations (by the author's son!) and facts about the human body that the students may have never heard.

Julia Cook explains the topic with a balance of silliness and true facts. A particularly funny page shows an illustration of boogers hiding in a nose and defending themselves from a finger with a shield and picket signs. The text says, "Since boogers swallow germs, and touching germs can make you sick, you should try to never, ever touch boogers with your fingers."

My favorite part of the book is that the author suggests children make a "Booger Ghost" with a tissue over their finger if they ever need to put their finger in their nose. She cleverly says everything I want to say with class, humor, and age-appropriate sensibilities.

All of the nose picking issues are touched upon:
- No one likes to see people pick their nose, because it is DISGUSTING!
- Boogers can spread germs
- Flicking (gaggggg!!!)
- Using tissues
- Washing hands
- Try not to leave boogers hanging
- And the infamous, EATING

After teaching Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade, I can say with certainty that this book is a MUST-HAVE for any teacher in these grade levesl! Since reading this, I haven't caught any of my notorious pickers {sigh of relief}. BUT, just in case anyone in my class is tempted, I made this sign and have it hanging by our tissue box.

Get your hands on this book and download this freebie here for your classroom and tame those pickers!

Holidays With the Hard-to-Handle Student (Guest Post)

I am happy to have A House Called Home here sharing her excellent advice for working with hard to handle students. She has some personal experience and I find her advice sooo helpful!

Holidays With the Hard-to-Handle Student 

by a House Called Home

I raise kids that come from hard places.  It's what I do.  It's what I love.

My three girls came out of the foster care system. They felt unloved. They felt unwanted. They felt out of control. That kind of stuff can be impossible to process and can lead to some intense behavior. Both at home and at school.

Especially around the holidays. 

Why were the holidays so rough? Mostly because their Thanksgiving dinners didn't look like the ones on television. The Christmas their classmates described didn't look like theirs. Their expectations were unmet year after year. Sometimes their families were even unsafe. 

So with the holiday season fast approaching, I'd like to offer a few things that worked for me at home and in my classroom with some of my hard-to-handle students.

1.  Remember it's not their fault. This is a hard one for me. When the nine-year-old from crazy life circumstances is making every aspect of my day difficult, trying to see things from her point of view or extending her a little bit of grace is the last thing I want to do. In all honesty, however, if she could have chosen a different life, she would have. No child would have chosen some of the roads parents have taken them down. Remembering that will help you keep your cool, even if she's losing hers.  

2.  Tell them what to expect. It's been my experience that kids who feel little to no control over their daily lives have a hard time with changes in routine. A school routine might be the only "normal" in their day. Knowing that lunch comes after math and that Anna, Ruth and Curtis sit at her table might give that little one some comfort.  
So when holiday time comes around and the schedule or room arrangement changes, she may be unequipped to handle it. But what if you took a few minutes each day to prepare her? Knowing what to expect might mean the difference between a crazy outburst and a compliant participant.  
Let's say the fourth grade classes are having a special Thanksgiving lunch on Friday. Starting Monday, spend a few minutes at the end of each day talking about what Friday will look like. Tell the whole class how the room will look and what time lunch will be served. Tell them where everyone will sit and what will come before and after the special lunch. Tell them how long the lunch will last. The more information that little one has beforehand, the better she'll be able to take the changes in stride.

3.  Set behavior expectations and stick to them. Preparing her in advance will be beneficial, but it won't magically change her into a pleasant, well-behaved kid. Believe me, I've tried.  Take her off to the side before the special event.  Remind her of your expectations. Tell her you know she can do it and then spell out what will happen if she doesn't rise to the occasion. Having clear expectations and clear consequences will help her as she chooses her behavior. If she fails, do what you said you would do. Just make sure you haven't given her an all or nothing type of situation. Students that fall into this category will most likely not meet every one of your expectations. Be sure to have several small consequences lined up, rather than a "one strike and you're out" situation.

Please remember, those who are hardest to love are usually the ones that need it the most. Give that hard-to-handle student of yours a little extra grace this holiday season. There's just no telling what her holidays will look like at home.

BLOG HOP for awesome freebies!

I am so excited to join in the blog hop hosted by Second Grade Perks! Ten awesome teacher bloggers have joined up to offer you a super freebie at each of their websites. If you want to join in on the action from the beginning, visit Second Grade Perks and get going. (psst...there is also an incredible giveaway happening there as well :) 

It's freebie time for you!

This year my goal is to really delve into teaching the Common Core Mathematical Practices.  I haven't quite figured out my entire system for keeping on track and organized but this FREEBIE has really helped me get started and I hope it can also be helpful to you.

                          Click here for to download this FREEBIE.

Keep Hoppin'!

Are you ready to continue the BLOG HOP? Then head over to visit my friend Hilary at Second Grade is Out of This World to check out her FREEBIE and continue hopping!

Stock your classroom GIVEAWAY!!!

Can you believe September is around the corner?! I know some of you have been in full swing for a while and some are just gearing up to meet your new little sweeties…. Which to me sounds like the perfect time to Stock Your Classroom!

I am teaming up with 8 of my blogging friends to offer  an amazing giveaway package to help stock your  classroom for the coming year. Check out what is up for grabs!

Gain entries by following us on TpT, our blogs, and/or Facebook. Good luck! The winner will be announced Thursday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway