I got my ROOM!

I can't even begin to say how excited I am! Brinn loved it too, I need that reassurance. 

Writing in the younger years!

Younger children usually can't distinguish between drawing and writing. They think if you ask them to write you something they can also draw you a picture! Usually you can ask them to "read" their writing and they will tell you a story! WHICH IS AWESOME!!! My favorite is when they begin to see us writing and then they start to scribble. They are recognizing differences and they want to be like us so they scribble! Usually ages 3-4. Gradually their writing begins to somewhat resemble the English System which I THINK IF PHENOMENAL!!!! 

So today while I was showering, I let Brinn draw. By the way side note, I lock her in my room and continually make sure she is in the room. She would totally walk out the front door and down the road to Rebekah's house, if I didn't have her on lock down. So usually I find something to keep her occupied. I showed her last week how to draw a circle. She's really been practicing circles now, that's all she draws are circles. WHAT HAVE I DONE!!! Ok, sorry, I'm getting to my point! So I asked Brinn what did you draw! I used draw because lets get rea,l she's two she will not be writing anytime soon :) I'm not that crazy! She said, "ahhhh circle."  What else? "Momma and Daddy." "My arm." "My hand."  She then started to trace her hand! It was SO NEAT she was telling me her little story sort of. 

Teaching POINTS ARE EVERYWHERE!!!! I think the best thing we can do with little ones is just encourage their little creations. Encourage their little brains. Not make them learn and get worried when they don't know their colors! (used to be me) Just to celebrate those little times when you know they are learning!!! Celebrate learning is the best thing we can do, and there is always something to celebrate! 


Also having that conversation with your child. Making sure they begin to see that you're also invested in their learning, you're committed as a parent. Not trying to tell you what to do just what has been working for me! I've never taught on my own what do I know!? This is basically what I've learned from Brinn :) 

Happy Saturday much love!

This is boring but...

This is boring but I've really been into reading lately. For Fun. Which I what I'm supposed to teach kids to do, however, almost everything we read in college is not fun at all and very dry and boring. So I've picked up my own reads lately just to soak up whatever I can to embark on this new, fun, crazy, wild first year teachign experience I hear is the hardest thing a teacher does in their career. (pretty sure that was a run on sentence and I don't care). 

So, what's been on my nightstand lately that I'm loving. 

IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD OF HER OR HER BOOK RUN FAST AND GET IT NOW. My idol teacher Ann Marie Corgill has a book. I read it cover to cover in a week. I pretty much cahnged my entire teachign philoshpy because of her. I. Love. Her. Proabably more than I should. Of Primary Importance is her book, and yes I will have this at my side every single 180 days next year. This book is amazing. It's more about teaching writing in the primary grade levels but wow what a lady :) I'm SO inspired by her.

Next, I just got is On Solid Ground By: Sharon Taberski this is a book about guided reading in the primary grades. I most excited to get into this one because I feel guided reading can be very frustrating at times. I want to be prepared for that, and I want the confidence in teaching children how to read (which is why I'm getting my reading endorsement and oh my is that another story). I want to come to my groups each day being confident that my students will love to read and I will be doing my very best to guide them... hint guided reading. Wow I'm dry.  Ann Marie suggested this one wink ;) love her.

The next one I have is Envrionments for Learning by: Eric Jensen. I don't know much about this book it's shot only about 50 pages, howerver, I know there is a great amount of reserach on the importance of the learning environment. One thing I learned from Ann Marie Corgill is that it's not about how cute you're room is. It's not about what YOU do and waht YOU put on the walls. It's about what the students do and what they put on their walls. I really want them to feel that way, that the room is centered around their learning and their growth throughout the year. However, there are some fun things I just can't NOT do :) Like cute curtains for my awesome window, and maybe a few woodburing pieces. So I'm looking forward to learn more about the learning envrionment for my kiddos. 

I might just end with this... I just started my summer classes. I'm pretty excited to learn, not so excited to spend 2-7pm in class. Howerver, in five weeks I will have my reading endorsement!!!! I get to tutor a student for four of the weeks pretty pumped for that, poor kid. Anyways enough boring teacher talk for now. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! 

P.S. I'm also finishing up A Wife After God's Own Heart that's a good one too. Not too teacher oriented but a good read. I'm all about professional and charcter development these last couple weeks. 

Happy Monday Love you all!!! 

My Team!

I was able to go and meet my team today!!! I went in for the day just to get to know them and observe them in their classrooms! I even got to see my classroom it ROCKS!!! I love love love love love it :) It has a BAY WINDOW yes, bay. Also a door with a breeze way that I share with another team member (who is also a new first year teacher!) 

Today was an awesome day!  I was going to get a picture of us but some had to leave right away after school... soon I will get one! I'm going back for their graduation in 7 days so I"ll get one then and share it with you.

There is a first year teacher and myself. Then we have a teacher who has taught 12 years a teacher who has taught 5 years and then a teacher who has taught 25 years. It's going to be a great year!

I've been truly blessed with this job and all that it has to bring. I see four new friends that will be entering my life and also 25 little boogers that I get to help inspire and celebrate learning with. 

I can't wait to take Brinn to see my room because I KNOW she will just LOVE that her Momma is a teacher :)

That's all for now! 

Happy Thursday

Kindergarten Inspiration!

Thinking about my NEW room! I've been pinning some things! 

I love RED and Green :) I'm thinking that would be a theme color??? 

I Love these bins for my classroom library and they are cheap! 

Teaching my little Kinders how to put a pen away... HUGE :) Also how fun is this? 

Love this way to do a word wall save some wall space for THEIR work :) 

I do a Mystery Suitcase why not a Mystery Calendar???!!! 

Nikki found this for me! I'm thinking my Momma could wood burn me this!? 

I also know that I want some front facing book shelves so that the kids have easy fast access to GOOD BOOKS! I won't obviously be able to do this with all of my books, but for the author study we are doing or the reading for writing books I definitely want out and VISIBLE. 

I won't have time to do half these things but still so fun to look. More tomorrow I get to go to Southeast and hang with my team for the day! Pretty excited to get in there and meet everyone and start collaborating!!!