A little Q & A... Q: When do you grade?  A: Ummmm…grades?! HA!! Just kidding. In our district, we don’t technically do grades in K-1. We do a 1-4 numbered system, each number representing their level of mastery with 4 being the highest {mastered}. We enter our grades at the end of each 9-week grading period and I base their “grades” on classroom performance & informal/formal assessment. Q: How do you stay organized? How do you organize all your units/TpT stuff?  A: If anyone who knows me well is reading this, they’re LAUGHING right now because I am SO not organized. Well…it doesn’t look like I am anyway. I like to call ... Read More

1.  Texas Teachers…are y’all ready for another lunch date?!  I AM!!!  Time to get this party started…again.  We’ll be meeting here in Dallas on December 20th.  Location and time TBA.  If you’re interested, email me at texasteacherblogmeetup@gmail.com.  You can also get updates on my little FB page! Can’t wait to see some of y’all again and finally meet the rest of you! 2.  I enjoyed EVERY.SINGLE.MINUTE. of my Thanksgiving break.  Why did it feel like I blinked and it was over?!  LOTS of QT with the fam…tons of way too good food…and lots of shopping :)  Now the countdown to Christmas ... Read More

Okay, so as much as I love shopping in the stores on Black Friday, I *almost* love Cyber Monday even more!!!  Shopping from the comfort of my living room…pj’s and junk food A MUST…LOVE it!  By now I know you guys are FULLY aware that a whole bunch of fabulous bloggers are throwing big sales in their TpT shops.  Today TpT is offering an additional 10% off using the coupon code CMS28.  I’ve got several things in my shopping cart and I’m about to stock up! If you’re looking for some fun Christmas related activities to keep your kiddos busy and engaged, I just posted three new units to my little shop!  Here’s a little ... Read More

I’m teaming up with my sweet friends Abby {The Inspired Apple} and Kelly & Diane {Made for 1st Grade} to bring you a fabulous sale to kick start the Christmas season!  Starting at midnight tonight, you can grab all of the items in our stores for 20% off the regular price!  On Monday, you can combine that discount with the TpT coupon code {CMS28} for even more savings!!  Happy cyber shopping :) Quick links to our TpT stores: I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving!  I know we certainly did!  There’s nothing I love more than spending time with my sweet family :)  Hope you were all able to be with the ones ... Read More

I’m sure there’s lots of teaching related items I could blog about tonight, but I’m just not feelin’ it.  So here’s just a little brain potpourri for the night… 1. I went and had my hair done today.  First time in TWO years.  For real.  Actually, 2 years and 3 weeks, but who’s counting?!  It was LONG overdue.  I even got some color.  First time my hair has ever been colored!  I’ve got a nice crop of gray hair that I color in each morning with dark eyeshadow & a brush :)  I figured it was time to get something a little more “permanent”…or at least something that doesn’t brush off by noon.  ... Read More

I could go on for days and days all about the things for which I’m thankful, but for your sake, I’ll keep it simple.  Sweet Rachelle & Natalie over at What the Teacher Wants are having a little “I’m Thankful” linky party so I thought I’d link up and say my thanks :)  1. What are you most thankful for in your classroom? My student teacher!!!  She’s AMAZING.  If something happened to me and I wasn’t able to make it in, I’d have NO doubt in my mind that she’d know just what to do and my kids would be in great hands.  She’s helped me SO much these last 6 weeks and I swear I don’t know what I’ll do when she leaves ... Read More

I have been SO inspired by all the Random Acts of Kindness ideas I’ve been seeing {& pinning!} on Pinterest.  The boys and I had our very own RAOK day a few weeks ago and we delivered homemade cookies & muffins to the fire station, friends, and neighbors and did a whole lot of other kind things that day, too.  Hands down, one of my favorite days ever.  I was especially inspired when I found the idea to start a Christmas advent calendar counting down the 25 days of Christmas by performing a different random act of kindness each day. I know Christmas is still over a month away, but the holiday season is quickly ... Read More