Tell Me More Linky, and WINNER!

I'm linking up with Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons for her Tell me More Tell me More Linky!

I've been blog-stalking for a little over a year now, but really got into posting this summer.  I'm hoping I can keep it up during the school year, and post ideas that I come up with for 4th grade math.  Last year, my school year was CRAZY, so hopefully this year will NOT BE! 

1. I have been married to a wonderful, Christian man for a little over a year now.  Our marriage got off to a rocky start when my dad died the day after our wedding.  Definitely not a way you want to start your marriage...but he was there for me (even though I'm pretty sure he was a little freaked and had NO IDEA how to act) and we made it thru.  They say the hard stuff makes your marriage stronger...well we started out pretty strong :) 

 

2. I love watching What Not To Wear, and think I would benefit well from going on the show! I try my hand at using the "rules" while shopping, but tend to always end up in jeans and a tee!

3.  I graduated from UNC-Greensboro, but am a HUGE NC State fan!  Football is my FAVORITE sport...I blame my daddy:)  We used to go to all the home games, and if there wasn't a game at home, we would sit at the house all day and watch football on TV!  

 

 

4.  The hubs and I just got back from a mission trip to Haiti! It was life-changing! We are so blessed here in America, and we just waste, waste, waste.  There are some really sweet people down there, and they are working hard to not only heal people of their physical ailments, but to teach them about Christ and his love and mercy for them!  The NC Baptist Men have been there since the Earthquake, and they have seen over 1,600 salvations! That is amazing!

 5.  Oh, I grew up in church, and didn't get saved until I was 27...I fought it for a long time, not even realizing it, but I finally surrendered my life to Christ, and I haven't been happier!  

6.  I started teaching in 2006, Kindergarten.  I taught Kindergarten for three years, before being moved to 5th grade.  (I thought something was fishy with that move, and I was correct.  But I prevailed!  PS- you'd have to know the principal at the time to understand that)  Anyways, after that, I transferred to another school, and was placed in 4th grade.  I LOVED it! I taught 4th last year too, and although I still love the grade, last year was a ROUGH bunch.  So I'm praying that this years group will be better :)

7.  All of my life, I never let my hair get past my shoulders...I didn't like it.  When I got engaged, I grew it out for my wedding, and it has stayed long ever since! I'm scared to cut it!  I go to the hair dresser in 2 weeks, and I have a shorter cut picked out, but the closer it gets, the scareder (is that a word?) I get! Anyways, I want it about this length...my hair is naturally straight, but I love wearing it curly. 

8.  Thanks to Pinterest, I'm becoming a pretty great cook! I didn't like to cook before, but I can't resist trying these yummy recipes! The fact that most are simple, make it even better!  I'm spoiling my husband, so he can't complain about me being on Pinterest anymore :) 

9.  I started dancing at the age of 3, and it was my LIFE growing up!  I was on a competition team at my studio, and on dance team in HS.  We even went to Nationals my Senior Year, and had the chance to dance on ESPN! I went to college to major in Dance Education, but obviously changed my mind to Elementary.  I still have a concentration in dance though, and teach the Liturgical Dance group at Church!

 

(I'm the one on the far right...not smiling..HA)

(2nd from right on front row- this was Large Prop, and the theme was "Working")

10- I was in a sorority in college...Alpha Chi Omega.  I made some great friends, and it definitely made college more enjoyable :)  Are there any other teachers in bloggy-land that are Alpha Chi's?

 

Bid Day my Senior Year of College...waiting for our newbies!

Be sure to go Link up! 

Now for what y'all have been waiting for.....The winner of the Thirty-One Organizing Tote is..........................Amanda Seigler!  I have contacted you by email, so be sure to check it! Thanks to everyone that entered!  Can't believe how close to 200 I am now!

Newbie Blog Hop!

Grade Three is the Place for Me! is hosting a Newbie Blog Hop!  I still consider myself a newbie, even though technically I guess I'm not.  I started my blog last summer, but mostly just stalked :) This summer though, I was determined to blog more, and meet for bloggers! So for me, that means I am still new :)

 

    1.  what state you are in:  North Carolina

    2.  your current teaching position: 4th grade

    3.  your teaching experience: Kindergarten (3 years), 5th grade (1 year), 4th grade (starting my 3rd year)

    4.  when you started blogging: technically, last summer, but really getting into it, this past June. 

    5.  share a blogging tip / blogging resource: never be afraid to ask for help! I have emailed quite a few bloggers asking for help with certain things, and they are always willing! It is so nice to be in a community of teachers who WANT to help each other and collaborate on ideas, instead of always competing against one another! 

That's it! Don't forget about my 100 follower giveaway! It ends TONIGHT!! 

 

Disappointing News and Reminder

Well, I got a call from my AP today, and we aren't going to the PBIS workshop in Greensboro now.  Something happened with the registration, and they are over-booked and we got kicked out somehow.  I was really looking forward to it.  But now, that means that I will actually be here the day my hubby is off work next week, so I am making him go with me to school to move the heavy furniture :)  Something good came from it at least! I usually refuse to step foot into my classroom until August, but I have found so many organizational ideas, that I want to go ahead and get it done while I'll excited about it and willing to do it :) 

Secondly, I wanted to remind you of my Thirty-One Giveaway!  You also have the opportunity to make a purchase, and if you spend $31, you can get some items for $5!! Can't beat that! Plus, all personalization is only $5 this month also!  I don't know about you, but I LOVE having my bags monogrammed :)

Positive Behavior

Next week, I will be attending a PBIS (Positive Behavior) workshop in Greensboro, NC.  Our school is sending a team to the workshop, to learn all about it, and come back and present and implement the program at our school.  We are a PBIS school, but I guess this is a refresher?  This all started before I started teaching, and I never had any training in it, so I volunteered to go.  I learn better when I hear it directly, not second hand ;-) 

So I was wondering, do any of you work in a PBIS environment, and if so, what should I expect to get out of this workshop?  I am all for creating a positive environment in my classroom, and I feel like I already do, but at the same time kids need consequences for their negative behavior.  Each year it seems like more and more consequences are taken away, and students feel like they can do whatever they like.  I just hope this doesn't encourage that more.

Are any of you in NC attending this workshop next week? If so, I'd love to meet up and chat for a while!

Don't forget about my Give-Away! An organizing tote from Thirty-One! Every teacher needs one :)

Monday Made It!

It's Monday, so you know what that means....time for 4th Grade Frolics Monday Made It!

 

This week, I've been reading blogs about Calendar Math in 4th grade.  I am going to implement it this year, to give some refresher skills every day.  I'm excited about it.  I saw on Clutter-Free Classroom, that she has a small whiteboard underneath her calendar to write the date.   Since this will be the numbers used in the calendar daily, I knew I had to have one :) So, I went to the Dollar Tree, picked up a small whiteboard, cut out some letters using my Cricut, and came up with this: (Don't ask why it's sideways...it shows up fine on my computer)

 

She also talks about sprucing up the boring calendars with duct tape and ribbon too :) 

Another project I worked on was making dice to practice math facts.  

 

I made sets, one is numbered 1-6, and the other is numbered 7-12.  This way, they can shake them, and multiply the two together.  I saw some cute containers I can put two in, and have 12 different sets.  I don't have them yet though, so I put them in a small container so you can get the idea.  

 Another idea I saw somewhere, but can't find it now (so if its your idea, let me know and I'll add your link) is I made little trash bins for my groups. 

 Now, when we have to cut something out (which happens almost daily with math journals), they can put their trash in this small bin, and the group leader can take then bin to the recycle bin.  Hopefully, this will cut down on trash around the tables on the floor :) I HATE that!

One more thing I made, are signs for car-riders, bus-riders, and CIS after school.  (Communities in Schools...they have an after school program at every elementary school in the county. I still need to attach ribbon and clothespins, but I need to make a trip to Wilmington to the craft store to get cute ribbon...so that will have to wait until later in the week.  

Here is the inspiration from Tattling to the Teacher: 

 

And here is what I made: 

 

So that's it...I'm still working on my bench...I figured out that I can get a twin bed foam mattress pad, and put it on the plywood as the cushion!  I just have to get the fabric to cover with...again, once I get to Wilmington :-\

Don't forget about my 100 follower give-away!  

100 Follower Give-Away!

YAY it's here :)  I passed 100 last week, but I was in the middle of a give-away already, so I waited until it was over to host this!

I am so excited to be giving away an ORGANIZING UTILITY TOTE from Thirty-One!  I LOVE my tote, and carry it every day during the school year! I saw a pin on pinterest, that  lets you organize even more! I didn't think it was possible! You can see the pin here

So I talked to my friend/cousin who sells Thirty-One, and she is going to donate one for one of my lucky readers :) Since a lot of you are decorating with black and white, we chose this bag:

 I am also having a thirty-one party online, so if you want to order something else (and up your chances for winning an awesome bag!) just click HERE. 


 Be sure to pick up my button below, and create a post on your blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!

The winner of my Gift Card Give-Away is.................................................................................

 

Congratulations!  I have contacted you by email!

To everyone else, thank you so much for entering!  Be on the look-out for my 100 follower (I'm up to 127! WOW!) to start either later today, or tomorrow!