"Nice to Meet You, Number Two"

My second year teaching--HUZZAH! So much more excited for this year than last year. Notes to self:

• be more organized
• do not be afraid of parents (I don't care how old they are)
• don't let Common Core ruin your (or the kids') life
• use more fun lesson plan ideas from Pinterest
• teach art
• don't take (too much) work home
• celebrate the small successes
• RELAX

Yes. There was much to reflect on at the end of last year, so hopefully I can do better this year. I'm trying to shift out of survival mode so I can enjoy my job more. Though I can say I love it more than anything in the world. I feel like every time I talk to people about it I just whine and complain (because I'm a terrible, negative person), but I really can't imagine a better job. I get paid for teaching kids that I love and that love me back. I really do enjoy being in charge (just ask Scottie) and these kids listen to me and love me when I'm bossy structured. :) 

Anyways, I updated my room a little. Not a ton. ...it's still a work in progress, and probably will be forever. But I like it.

I was such a loser teacher last year doing birthdays. I'm going to try to be better this year.

I bought these superhero bulletin board guys last year but never used them. How silly of me.

I know you can't read the signs, but they're for mean, median, mode, and range. Read this poem I found on pinterest:

 

Hey diddle diddle,

median's the middle!

You add and divide for the mean.

Mode is the one you see the most,

and the range is the difference between.

 

There! Now you'll never forget.

I stole this idea from bestie Rochelle. All of the prepositions we're supposed to memorize in fourth grade. I'll have the kids put them to whatever tunes they want, then we'll vote on which one we like best and memorize that as a class. I used those little Velcro dots, so I an remove one or two at a time while we memorize until they're all gone. :)

My Idaho History wall! I missed my bestie Sara while putting this up since she helped me last year.

Also, I got those bins from DI and Walmart. Art supplies are irresistible...and it was a constant battle keeping kids focused instead of pouring glue all over their pencil boxes. So they'll keep all art supplies in those bins until we need them. Problem solved!

I didn't get my chart in there very well, but Scottie built the stand for me!! It's wonderful. Someday I'll take the time to spray paint it so it's nice and pretty.

My Back to School Night table. I had most of my parents come--yay! They ate all my cookies, but I had very few offer to bring extra supplies for the class and only one volunteer to help me out in the classroom once a week. This is very different from last year. I understand that they're all buying supplies for all of their kids...but I bet none of them have 23 they're buying for. When they run out of anything, I usually end up supplying it...and it gets expensive!

So I can keep track of who is where when we're writing...

The Batcave. I had one student's mom say her child was a little afraid of Batman...so I tried to explain to her that he's my protector, especially when I'm at the school alone at night and there are funny noises. She asked me to be in a picture with her and Batman, so I think she'll warm up to him.

More math stuff. Positive and negative (because we don't use those enough) number line, angles, lines, rows, columns, diameter, and radius.

I spray painted the brick here black. When they took down the chalkboard last year and put in a new white board there was empty space where this nasty brick was visible. I'm trying to use the space now that it looks nicer. These are my classroom jobs, and I used the Velcro dots again so I can switch out the stars more easily. Plus, Velcro is just fun.

What they kids saw on their desk at Back to School night

 

A note from moi with a glow stick bracelet

Everybody was doing all this cute stuff in their hall for BtSN, and I had nothing. So I ran to the Dollar Store, bought some crepe paper, and did this. My sweet father-in-law bought me the School House Rock dvd, so I used their theme: Knowledge is Power!

I promised Scottie I wouldn't post these to facebook, but I didn't say anything about the blog...

Here's Scottie on his first day of school!! We're too poor to be able to afford a parking permit at the ISU satellite campus, so he's riding the bike his grandpa gave him a few years ago. I'll probably give him rides during the winter, but it's nice for him to ride his bike while it's nice outside.

 

Out of the driveway...

And away he goes!