My First Award!

I am so very excited to announce I have received my first blogger award.  It’s amazing how you can go from just a typical blog stalker to a “Liebster Award!”  Thank you so much, Crystal over at Ms. Jones Junction for nominating me for this award. 

This award is named for the German word "Liebster," which translates to "beloved" or "favorite", and is given to a "new, up and coming blogger."

Here are the rules:
1.  Link back to the person who gave it to you. Post the award to your blog.

3.  Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers
4.  Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

I am giving the award to:

·       TIPS: Teach, Inspire, and Prepare Students

·       Teaching Kindergarten Kiddos

·       Crazy for Kindergarten

·       Fancy Free in Fourth

·       Teaching Fabulous Firsties

This blog post is short and sweet.  Summer school is taking a lot out of meL.  10 hour days with 24 students……….um, crazy???  This is my 5^th year teaching summer VPK and it’s actually not as bad as it seems.  Our days are jammed packed with activities, play and a short NAP! 

Stay tuned this weekend for more exciting blogs and freebies!

I’m thinking Fonts!

Ok, so lately I have been working on a number of school projects.  I have been downloading a lot of cool fonts for upcoming DIY posters.  Then I got to thinking, I wonder what everyone’s favorite font is??????  My previous favorite was ABC print.  Which is a font I got from some program or some other teacher…I have used this font for so many years.  Now, I can’t remember where I got it. 

But my new favorite font is the one you’re looking at right now.  It is called cinnamon cake.  I downloaded it for free at dafont.com.  What do you think?  Is it a keeper?  Here are a few of my other favorites:

·    Janda Safe and Sound Solid

• Gilligans Island (This one goes great with my jungle theme)

• Annie Use Your Telescope

• DK high tea

• Young forever

I would love to learn some of your favorite fonts that you use in your classroom.  Please feel free to leave a comment. I can’t wait to add to my collection of fonts! 

Yet another Freebie!

And the creativity keeps on rolling!  I am in total back to school mode, especially since my summer is officially over.  I am teaching summer school this year and this past Thursday was my first day back.   No more summer for meL.

I now must make my weekends count!  So, today I started my day off relaxing and sunbathing at New Smyrna Beach.  Beach days are always a great way to kick off the weekend.   Although my beach day was short, I didn’t mind because I got to come back to my new addiction, “My blog world!”

I also had time to create some reading strategy posters for my classroom.  I have seen so many different types of reading strategies/comprehension strategies on TPT and I love them all.  However, all of the samples I have come across weren’t quite right for my classroom.  See, I teach Kindergarten and mainstreamed ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students.  Therefore, I find I really have to keep anything I do simple and straight to the point.  So I made a set of the 5 important reading strategies I thought would best fit my little readers.   

These are free on my TPT store. Click here if you want to download them. 

Sometimes I wonder if it is too simple/easy.  Maybe I should try to add more to challenge my students?  I kept going back and forth with this question all day.  And I thought each year is different.  Why not start small and build as the year goes on.   So 5 strategies is what I came up with for now, but as the year progresses maybe I will add some more.  Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.  Any suggestions on what I should add? 

Thank you Lisa at Learning is something to treasure and Writing rules!

Yes 17 followers!  

First, I would love to thank Lisa over at Learning Is Something to Treasure for the shout out.  As you all know I am new to all of this so please bear with me as I go through the learning process. Lisa has already been so patient with all my texts filled with questions about blogging.  I can't express how much her friendship means to me.  She was one of my first friends when I moved to Florida and I can surely see our friendship is meant to last!  Besides being my co-worker and blogger inspiration, she is also a great beach buddy!!!!!

Lisa (Left) Me (right)

Now onto my topic for the day….Writing! 

I find this to be my most difficult subject to teach.  Each year I am trying to find a new and exciting way to teach writing.  This year is no different.  Pinterest has giving me such great ideas!  I am absolutely hooked.  This is what I found on Pinterest…

and it inspired me to create my own jungle themed writing rules. 

Again thank you to my new followers!  I love linking up with others.  My new blogging and Pinterest addiction has once again inspired many creative projects.  Stay tuned for more to come!  

Here is are some classroom rules I have been working on.  I have a jungle themed classroom and I am excited about my new simplified rules.  I believe with Kindergarten students sometimes LESS IS MORE!   These rules are FREE on my teacher pay teachers website.  Hopefully more creations will follow as I am feeling very creative lately.  

Although my summer creativity may slow down since tomorrow I officially start teaching summer school.  I have long days to look forward to for the rest of my summer vacation.  Our VPK summer program here in Florida is 4 days a week; 7:30-5:30.  I think I may be a little tired in the weeks to come. 

Wish me luck I may need it!

I don't know about you but I always get super excited when Target rolls out teacher products in their dollar section.  I am so excited that they added some new products this year.  I quickly snagged them up for my classroom.  I have been wanting a set of dry erase pockets for some time now but have not been able to find a class set cheap enough.  So when I saw them in Target they were quickly added to my cart with out hesitation.  Here are some of Target's great buys!  

In year previous I have always assigned my students their "All About Me Poster" as their first homework assignment.  I usually buy the large posters from Really Good Stuff or Oriental Trading.  But not this year.  Although they are much smaller than the ones I have used in the past they will do just fine.  Especially since you get a pack of 10 for $1.  You cant beat that! 

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.  I am new to blogging but excited to learn.  I was recently inspired to start blogging while watching a great friend of mine become a master mind in the blogging world.  I can not wait to start this voyage and begin sharing ideas!