Updated Product on my TPT!

Hi blog world! Long time, no post! I've been SO busy lately with both of my jobs, taking care of my 3 year old and everything else. I have, however, had a few minutes to update my curriculum map planning guide that so many people like on TPT. I added some cute graphics and split it up into Fall, Winter and Spring/Summer pages. It is also a fillable PDF so you can type in it, and it has an extra column for you to add another curriculum area you may teach.

Click on this link to see it on my TPT store. If you have already purchased it, just go download the updated file, don't re-purchase it!

{2013-2014 Curriculum Planning Tool}

Special Ed Teachers Unite!

It is Annual Review time, and in honor of that, I have used IEP Direct to create a document that will help me draft IEP's before actually putting them on IEP Direct. Hopefully this will help me save some time when it comes time to go online and do it, since it will be just me copying what I've already done. This way I can take it with me and work on them during my spare time at home or waiting for appointments, or whatever.

Teachers Pay Teachers STILL is not letting me upload new things, so it is posted on Teacher's Notebook. Click the link below to see it for yourself!

IRA, Jury Duty, and More Snow

This is my overstuffed teaching bag. I clearly have many things to do to get back into teaching after 8 weeks off. However, I don't know if I'm going in on Monday!

I got a jury duty summons.

*Groaaaaaannnnn*

I am not happy. I had to go a couple years ago and watched while the judge dismissed teacher after teacher, and they never called me to answer the questions and I just wanted to jump up and yell, "Me too! I'm a teacher too! Dismiss me!" I don't think I would make a good juror to be honest. I've read too many Jodi Picoult books and watch too many true crime shows.

I have to call after 5:30 today to find out if I need to report on Monday.

Anyway, I am going to be planning a bunch of Interactive Read Alouds for our persuasive writing unit.

We have been working on writing about things we want, but we are struggling with giving solid reasons as to why we want something or why we like something. I have outlawed "Because I like it" as a reason! We ADORE the pigeon series in our classroom, and we are using those to help us think of reasons as to why we should get something we want.

I'm not good at planning IRA's. I like to have guidance and support when I'm planning as I'm not good at picking out parts of the book that are good for teaching specific skills. We have an IRA book that is AMAZING at our grade level, but there's only one copy. I'm dying to get my hands on it so I can get some more ideas and get better at these!

Maybe its just me, but with all the Common Core standards going into action, I would prefer a program that is structured, similar to our EnVision program for math, so I know that I am meeting the standards and teaching them effectively. I feel kind of lost and like I have to do it on my own. Especially with the new teacher rubric that we're being evaluated on, I'm willing to sacrifice my creative license as a teacher for a structured program that I can be confident with! Does that make any sense?

In other news, its still snowing here. I'm so over the snow! I'm ready for flip flops.

Snow, Lesson Plans, & PBIS

So it snowed.

Maybe you heard about it.

Just a question - when did we start naming winter storms? I have lived in Upstate NY my whole life and never once have I heard a winter storm named until this past weekend.

I like how the snow formed around my phone wires. :)

And my street does look pretty.

But I still hate snow.

Since I go back tomorrow, I decided to make some new plan book pages to write on with my new Flair pens. Yay! I love Flair pens!

Old plan book pages:

Blech. Boring! Even Flair pens can't liven that up.

New plan pages!

Pretty! I took out some blocks that I didn't use, such as a spot for Morning Work and Literacy Centers. I never wrote in them, I just knew what I was going to do for morning work, and I used a chart to keep track of literacy centers. I also increased the space between the lines so I have more room to write.

I like having my plan pages go according to my daily schedule.

So while going through pins on Pinterest, I came across a great site for behavioral interventions. You may know it, it is called PBIS World . I was so excited to find it! You can click on specific behaviors you want to target, and clicking through the description, it takes you to Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Today I printed out three different BIP plans, each one different and targeted for specific behaviors that my kids demonstrate. I loved that they were so easily accessible and the site is SO easy to use. It's perfect for RTI, and best of all - ITS. ALL. FREE.

Doesn't get any better than that!

Returning to work on Monday!

I went in to my class yesterday to surprise the kids, and boy were they surprised! They weren't expecting me until Monday, and they are even marking the day of my return on the calendar as a special day in February. I was surprised and flattered. They can be so cute, when they're not chucking chairs. ;)

My sub has done a great job with them. My room is not an easy room to just walk into and take over because of their difficult behaviors. She did awesome, and when I observed yesterday, I learned a few new things that I never thought of doing before, and I loved that. We are going to split Monday in half and she will teach in the morning, and I will take over in the afternoon.

I really want to get her a little thank you gift but I don't know what I should give her. I know you all out there in blog land have great creative ideas! If you have a cute idea of a thank you gift, please share it in the comments!!

My first font!

So, I caved and bought iFontMaker for my iPad. I played around with it this morning and created a cute little font for you, for free! I now have 2.00 left on my iTunes gift card but I think it was worth it!

Click here to download it!

More fonts are going to come soon! I am having fun playing with this app!

One last week at home!

I visited the hand doctor that did my surgery on Thursday and I am able to return to work next Monday. This week at home is going to go by WAY. TOO. FAST. I have lots of things to get ready for returning to work, most importantly - digging out my professional work clothes! I've been living in sweats for 8 weeks! My work clothes are buried somewhere under all my comfy clothes.

Since today is the Superbowl, I'm doing absolutely NOTHING, except for making chocolate chip cookie oreo brownies for indulging in tonight. I am probably going to take full advantage of all the sales going on at TPT as well - such cute stuff is on sale! I'm having a sale too, so don't forget to check out my store while you're waiting for the commercials to come on during the game tonight. Not gonna lie, the commercials are my favorite part and have been kind of disappointing over the past few years. I'm hoping there are some good ones tonight.

Happy 'Bowl Day - enjoy the show!