Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Christmas Cheer! New craftivity!

Hey guys! I wanted to share a new product I just loaded. We got to use this in third grade right before Christmas break and the kids loved it! They turned out so cute!! You could use this in January too (especially if you live somewhere that winter actually lasts longer than a day haha).

Ms. Jumonville completed this in her holiday rotations. We read the book "Snowmen at Christmas" stopping every once in awhile to orally think aloud and ask questions. Afterward, the kids each got the templates for the body and the arms. They filled out the title, main idea, and 2 details to support the main idea from the story. They used the arm templates and also drew their own face details on themselves. They also added details around as time permitted.

If your kids are not ready for main idea and details don't worry! The resource also included basic story elements (character, setting, problem & solution)! 


Here is an overview of the resource:
Winter is such a great time to have some fun and get creative! Use this with a snowman book or any winter/holiday book fiction or nonfiction!! 
It covers two different skills:
-main idea and supporting details
-Story elements (setting, character, problem, solution)

You get to choose which template works best for you! 

What's included:
-two templates (as described above)
-list of snowmen books (to get you started or use any book of your choice)
-picture examples of kids work
-templates for body parts or tracers (optional)
             


Click here to take a look for more! 





Have a BLESSED week!! 
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Easy, Healthy, and oh so delish! In 5 ingredients or less!




Are you like me and loathe cooking? No? I probably am the 1% of the population that basically just loves to eat but hates the prep work. I would think that after having a stay at home mom who basically taught us our way around a kitchen that it would have rubbed off or something...or something eh? Now I am so very grateful and blessed to have been able to be raised on good home cooking but it just didn't seep into my bones to want to do it myself lol. I just really need to be in the mood too. And you can forget about any recipes that have more than one ingredient...haha just kidding, but for real, it needs to not be a very intricate recipe. We do a lot of crock pot around these parts. I am a dump, stir, wait kind of girl at the end of a long work day. Well, crock pot does get old too after awhile and I need variety so we decided to branch out. haha. This easy little chicken "stir-fry"ish recipe is super easy and very tasty!!

Ingredients:
-ground chicken (2 lbs is what we do to have left overs)
-chopped broccoli (fresh is best-but we had frozen on hand)
-Riced cauliflower (substitute for rice-my friend showed me this and it is AMAZING!)
-salt/pepper/onions/butter (to taste) 
-olive oil (we use avocado oil)





1. Toss some oil in your skillet
2. Brown your chicken
3. Dump your broccoli in and stir
4. Sprinkle in your riced cauliflower and stir some more
5. Sprinkle in the salt/pepper/onions/butter as needed and stir

It should only take about 10-15 minutes maybe 20 including browning meat time. You can tell when that meat is good and cooked.
We also love to sprinkle cheese on top while it is still hot!! 

The great thing is the oil, butter, and the riced cauliflower makes everything moist and creamy. The best part is this is low carb from not using actual rice and high protein with your veggies included!! YUMMO! See what I mean when I say I am a low maintenance gal when cooking. Well and my hubby was the one who whipped this one up too! Love him! 

Let me know what you think of this if you make it! Hope it helps make dinner a little easier and faster for all the peeps on the go! 

Hope you all had a BLESSED Christmas!!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28: 19

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Easy Ornament DIY


Ever have an interest in making your own ornaments? They are super easy and can be easily within a budget! 

Here is what you'll need:
-Mop & Glo (some people use poly acrylic)
-Funnel (not pictured)
-Glitter (colors of your choice- Hobby Lobby has a great selection, but I have also purchased from Walmart)
-Clear ornaments (Hobby Lobby is where I find the cube ones, many people use the rounded ones, it is all preference. I have found applying the vinyl is super easy with the flatter surface)
-Vinyl/Silhouette Machine (optional- if you don't have this item then you can always buy pretty stickers!)


So here is how easy it is!
1. Open the top of the ornaments
2. Pour some Mop & Glo in (I eyeball the amount every time-but you don't want a ton)
3. Put your finger over the ornament opening and swish the Mop & Glo around really well to cover all of the inside of the ornament
4. If you have extra liquid you can pour it out
5. Use the funnel to pour your glitter into the ornament (you'll want enough to cover all of the inside of the ornament without any bare spots so you may need to play around with the amount for yourself)
5. Shake it all around really well
6. If you see any bare spots you can add more if needed
7. Let it dry over night 

Now if you have a vinyl machine then you can measure and cut your choice of decoration for the outside as I did, if you don't you can always use sharpies to decorate and get creative. I have also used pretty stickers as well! 

See how easy?! Now go make some ornaments! 
Hobby Lobby had a 6 pack of the clear ornaments on sale this week for 66% off of $6!! You can't beat that! So I stocked up for next year! 

Hope you have a BLESSED week!! 
Next up: Christmas Wrap up-a ton of activity ideas you can use for next year!! Keep your eyes peeled!

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17




Friday, December 9, 2016

FREEBIE, Giveaway, Collaboration, & Christmas Spirit


Hey everyone! Just a quick check in- this time of year is chaotic for all! Most of the following updates I already posted through my FB page, but in case you don't follow that, then here are some updates of the Beierleland world! 
PS. You might want to follow the Facebook page to get regular updates and see giveaway's and freebies that I may not do here all the time! 

New song!!
If you don't follow my FB or Twitter (@blessedocdiva) pages then you might have missed the new song! So my third grade team and I were planning for the newest unit of study in January and it is mainly about character development, analysis, comparisons, and how our stories are like mountains. One of the third grade teachers started singing "She'll be Coming Round the Mountain" as a joke, but I took it a little seriously and got super excited and told them I'd make them a song for it! Well I went home and started singing and humming and I laid in bed thinking of all these lyrics and fell asleep only to not remember anything in the morning. *sigh* BUT, have no fear, I came home again with my voice memo and walked around the kitchen and created something better than the night before. 
I wanted it to be something they could easily teach and hit the concepts they were trying to incorporate. One of my 3rd grade teachers just so happens to live two houses across from me and once I finished we were in the street singing for all to hear haha. 
Even though it was created for third grade, it really could be used in multiple grade levels-even if taught in sections. :) At this point I have gotten over the embarrassment of singing-maybe from years of first grade or maybe just because I don't care because I am having so much fun creating and sharing. So with that said, feel free to use the download with your kids so you don't have to sing, or use it to model and then sing along! The link below will take you to the audio file and downloadable lyrics as seen here. 

You can also visit FB to listen to the song audio file before downloading below.
 (it was too big to load here)

Click HERE to go to TPT and download your FREE tune and lyrics!



So if you've known me for awhile, then you probably have figured out how important the element of collaboration is to me. #soapbox. I truly believe that we can not reach our full potential for ourselves but better yet for our students unless we are collaborating and sharing. I saw this quote and it just spoke to my collaboration soul. When I was team leader one of my goals each year was to make sure we were collaborating and adjusting our abilities. This field of education encompasses so many aspects and could very easily swallow your every waking hour. So why not spread that weight across people? Why not support each other? Why not help others? There are so many amazing ideas out there and so many different ways to teach concepts. Don't be an idea hoarder. Sometimes it may be hard to share because you may feel what you have to offer isn't worthy or people may not like it or use it, but the truth is how will you know if you don't share? 




Our third grade team has made their community area very festive for Christmas. They had the kids create little ornaments for the tree.  Funny story, I walked out of my office to find my crate of books had gone missing. I was like "Someone stole my crate!" I mean I guess they needed it more than I did. Well I walked into the 3rd grade community area and found it sitting under the tree with the books in it to help the tree stand. I found the culprit and thank goodness I love her ;) but actually we started talking and realized it was super cute under the tree and next year probably have books around it too! 



 I love using Vista-Print each year for our holiday cards. Well they always seem to get me at the end when I am checking out-kind of like the road to the checkout at TJ Maxx, Homegoods, or Ross. All those little fun trinkets and food they place in all the most convenient spots to tempt you on your way to checkout. Vista-print does the same thing! And of course I gave in and added to my order. I added a custom mousepad with my blog series and logo.




Lastly, Guess what is knocking on our door? 2017!! Can you believe it? It is that time you are hitting mid-year with the kids and you may want to update parents on student progress but you are short on time to hold 24 conferences all over again. That's what these progress notes are meant for! To give updates on all your kiddos right before holiday break, or even right when they get back! They are easy to fill out and cover behavior as well as academics. Easily adaptable to fit your needs! 
A winner will be announced Saturday!      
Go over to my FB page to enter asap! It is super duper easy in 3 steps!





Have a BLESSED weekend! Christmas break is SO close!!

"Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
2 Corinthians 7

Sunday, November 20, 2016

You're an Instructional Coach..Now What?! 10 Tips to help navigate the field!


So I have done 4 months so far on the other side. Is there a learning curve? For sure! Is everyday a learning day? You bet! This job is unlike anything I have done in 9 years. I have never multi-tasked like a boss as I have in these short 4 months. When you are in the classroom bubble as a teacher, you don't always get to see the full spectrum of learning K-5. Especially if you have spent all your teaching time in primary, it is quite an eye opener for working deeply in intermediate. But I have also seen the benefit of a primary teacher having some acknowledgement of what intermediate does and vice versa-to help understand how it all aligns.
I can tell you, there is no training that can fully prepare you for the IC world. It really is kind of a crash course day to day haha. I have a feeling this top ten list may grow throughout the year and years but for now maybe it can help anyone brand new to the IC world get a jump start!

You're on an island:

Okay so this is more of a realization but leads straight into find your tribe! You have to find your accountability partners. So you're not a "teacher" anymore and you're not "admin", but still part of the leadership team. It really is a gray area. In our district we have Cohorts-groups of about 8 IC's. We have the entire district group of IC's to reach out to but this really helps kind of narrow it down to a smaller group to reach out to when needed. When I first met them I was really riding the Strugglebus and I was upfront about that with them haha. Now that is our cohorts name ;) 

Having a few or a group of other IC's that know and understand what you do and go through is such a wonderful thing. You can trust if you need to vent it's a safe place. If you want to share victories they  are there to celebrate. If you have a million and one questions (like me) they are there to reach out to and help- without judgement! 


Keep seeking, investigating, and digging:

As a teacher you are always learning. Education is an ever moving target. Just when you think you are aiming at the bulls eye....
Being an IC is learning new things on steroids. K-5 is a very large span to try to be proficient. Even with all my experience in primary I am always learning, but with very little experience in intermediate this learning curve is quite large. You have to be disciplined and driven to seek information and want to learn, not only for yourself, but for the benefit of your teachers and their kids. 
Here are some great books to dive into:




                                   





Clarify expectations-what is your focus:

This is so important!! If you don't, you may end up spending time in an area that is not worth it or not spending time in area that really needs it. This would be a great conversation to have with your principal. Have an open discussion about what their expectations are for your job that year, semester, nine weeks, etc. The goals might change throughout the year and that is okay, but to make the expectations very clear is what is important. What is your principals/schools mission and vision and goals? Are you aligned with those? Or are there some discrepancies?  Does your principal want you to focus on coaching, co-teaching, data, PLC (professional learning communities)/PWC (professional working communities)/PDR's (professional development rotations), or other unlisted areas? Once you know the expectations, you can dive in and really make an impact for success.


Prioritize your many hats: 

In one day I could be anywhere and everywhere.
Working in literacy library coding books, in plannings, making assessments, meeting with kids, earning playtime with kids who made good choices, off campus at meetings, observing and giving feedback to teachers etc,etc, etc.
You will probably never have real balance, so I am not going to say to maintain a balance. What you do need to do is be wise with your time and resources. Obviously I am a planner so I make tons of lists to help myself stay on track. I also have learned (will always be learning) how to say no or not yet. 




Build relationships:

This encompasses a domino affect. 
Building relationships-builds trust-makes for effective communication-plants the seed for effective collaboration-in turn makes targeted planning-turns into effective teaching-increases student engagement- helps raise student achievement.
Pretty self explanatory! Trust is so important to build with other teachers. They need to know that you are for them and with them. Knowing you are not there as a "gotcha" or to pass judgement, but to help foster and grow their passion. 

Something I'd always joke with my team when I was team leader was "Hey if this ship is going down, we are all going down together." Not that I meant it in a negative way at all but more of a, "we are going to work together to be navigating this ship and if we encounter a problem we aren't sacrificing just one, but all in it together no matter what." Now hopefully we have some awesome life boats and life vests. ;) 
I want to know that my colleagues have my back and I have theirs. That we can count on each other to lift each other up and push each other (not each others buttons or off a ledge haha) but our ability to think outside the box and try new things with the risk of failure, but safety to know if you do fail it is going to be alright!





Teach them to fish-coach to problem solve not solve problems:
I want to hug this tip! Steve Barkley gave so much insight when he said this! Don't create learned helplessness!! In kids or adults, people! Don't become an enabler. Now, I LOVE to help, anyway I can, all the time. But I have to find the balance between coaching, leading, helping, and doing it FOR them. 


Importance of using questioning with teachers:

We learned the importance of this very recently when Steve Barkley came to visit our group and spent two days discussing this and he provided a document to help get the brain trained to do this. Because for real, tailoring your questioning is an art form! 


Ask Questions:

And not to disappoint Mr. T...
This one is for yourself. You don't know what you don't know. So don't be shy asking and clarifying. There are SO many new aspects that present themselves when taking on the IC job. Especially if you are coming from a primary background and now swimming through the intermediate world or vice versa. I am currently working on a growing document for this year as a new IC -a tips and tricks and helpful trainings for new IC's coming from primary, intermediate or even just new IC in general. I am hoping to submit that at the end of the year so they can share it out to hopefully incorporate that each year when hiring. 
I am not normally shy about asking questions because I'd rather know than be oblivious or act like I know it all. I also like to know the "why" behind things as well. Not just personally, but also to be able to reinforce and describe that to teachers. 



Gain a common knowledge:


Having only been teaching for 9 years and moving campuses I have still noticed how different teaching can be from classroom to classroom, campus to campus, even district to district. This also goes well with asking questions. Asking- What does it look like? What does it sound like? How do you deliver it? 

Listen and observe more than talk:


If you are married then you might understand the scenario of venting having a productive conversation talking to your hubby and just wanted him to just listen vs. giving a solution or fixing the problem right away. Not that it is meant to be harmful or from a negative place, but sometimes I just want him to listen so I can get it out into the open. This can ring true for teachers as well. Sometimes you just need to listen, observe, and process for them. 



Well that's my top ten! Thank you to Kelly (my IC BFF) for giving her input on this list also! 



Have a BLESSED week!
Thanksgiving is coming! Get those fat pants ready!





Sunday, September 25, 2016

Jennifer Serravallo's Reading Ladder-getting kids motivated with a FREEBIE

Happy Sunday! 
So since being in my new position as an ELA/SS Instructional Coach I have seen the other side. I have gone to the dark side....j/k! For real though, I have seen a whole new world...ok ok, enough movie puns...
Since I plan with every grade level and we have had a chance to start getting into the groove of things I have had many conversations with teachers about getting kids to think and respond about their reading. Many students either: A: don't know how to (whether it be from incomplete modeling or lack of experience) or B: are not motivated to do so.

Enter in Jennifer Serravallo's book- The Reading Strategies
On page 57 she talks about a reading ladder. Creating goals for kids as well as a visual for them to see where they are headed. I love this! I also like the fact that it is for any level and any genre, creating a resource you can use anytime! Especially in the lower grades the power of stamina comes into play daily. The other great thing about this idea is it can be used whole class (make an anchor chart) or tailored to individual kids so they can create individual goals and celebrations.  Once they reach the top of the ladder they get to "party".  This "party" can be something the kids and teacher have come up with together. 
Some ideas:
-read a favorite genre
-choose extra free choice book
-read to a teacher
-share with class/read to class
-etc etc etc!!
I'd love to hear your ideas! Please feel free to leave them below in comments or share them on my FB page!

Well if you know me at all I like to "cutsify" my things. #sorrynotsorry 
So I took this wonderful idea and just made it "cutsified" on paper. ;)


I wanted it to be generic enough that it can span grade levels. Of course, I recommend making this into an anchor chart too so that you can model it yourself for the kids and set the expectations. You could even use it for a read aloud and complete one together as a class as well and enjoy a "party" too!

I have also included a version that they can list the book title, author, and date as well. 


The kids can keep these in their reading journal or any other designated spot you like! 

I hope this helps motivate and give some guidance for your kids and if you have not purchased your own copy of The Reading Strategies book, you should! She also has a writing one coming out too!! 


Click HERE to grab yours!


Have a BLESSED week ahead! 



Saturday, September 10, 2016

Getting the MOST out of your days!





Hello all! So this will be a different type of Five for Friday post this week. I wanted to throwback a tad to a post I had done previously, but felt pulled to re-post some of it. It is the beginning of the year for a lot of folks and that means excitement AND chaos! No matter if you are a first year teacher or veteran- reflecting on your practices is KEY! Even this being my first year out of the classroom I still strongly believe these following ideas!

So first off, I just want to say that I appreciate honesty and truth. I try hard not to sugar coat things (I am not Willy Wonka) too much because a lot of times in the end it ends up all at the bottom of the bowl anyways right?

 I appreciate other blogs I read that are real and raw and discuss and showcase the true side of teaching/life. It is a hard job, I think we all know that. Is it the hardest job of all? mmmm probably not but it is up there. I say all of this because my post today is about setting the tone of your classroom. What I talk about today is not always 100% perfect and goes according to plan everyday... fire drills happen, crying happens, meetings happen, lice happens , life happens. However, I just want to share some ideas of things that have seemed to work for me even through all of that chaos. I don't want to give an image that the classroom runs perfect all day, everyday, but that there are strategies and practices you can use to help it get there as much as possible.

The thing about teaching is it is, and can be, so drastically different year to year, class to class. Some kids have backgrounds that could rival "The American Dream" and others can make you question "The American Dream". The classroom and teaching is essentially, in Forest Gump's words, "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." One thing I have learned over 8 years of teaching so far is to try hard to be compassionate to it all. Extend grace. Now like I said, I like to be real...there are some years it is more of a struggle to do this. I mean, I am trying to do my job here people and your issues make that difficult. But here is the thing, we ALL have issues. Big or small. Deep or shallow. Hence; the reason we are human and need our own grace from our God. So how can you try to make it a positive environment in your classroom? Here are some ideas.

Greet at the door:


This is an oldy but goody. Like I said things happen- like the mornings we sometimes "Noah's Ark" it to school because of all the rain we've gotten and things just aren't running as normal. Or maybe the morning your head won't stop itching and you just can't figure it out and lo and behold have some very special visitors, have to leave immediately to douse your head in bleach. The list can go on. BUT those are not everyday occurrences so do what you can to stand at that doorway and give that first smile. I have also made sure to teach my friends to say good morning everyday. It actually gets to the point that if it doesn't happen I am a little sad lol. I tell them it is important to acknowledge others and make them feel welcome and visible.
This is a wonderful book to help pinpoint mini lessons if you need to teach your little friends interactions throughout the year. It really breaks it down by social skill and role-playing!



Quiet time:


 At our school we have a moment of silence every morning before the announcements. I have tried to explain that this is their time to think about their day and set the tone for how they want it to go. What kind of choices do they want to make to lead into their day? We even try to rate our day on a scale of 1-5. 5 being an epic day and 1 being, well, just isn't my day. We do this before it even gets started to show them that how we see our day going can affect it and we want to try to start out on a positive note! Once again, are there days we forget to do that particular piece? yes, and if I notice I try to place it later on such as walking down the hallway rhetorically "How's your day going so far? Are you making the choices to give yourself an epic day?" I'll let them show me on their hands 1-5 quietly what they are thinking. Some of course don't feel the need and they are totally meditating on it in their heads eh? We also discuss that some days can be a roller coaster and can go from a 5 to a 2 and back up again. We have to learn to navigate those curves and bumps. (This is GREAT for morning meeting time!) I also use this moment of silence too. I think about my own day and typically ask God for his leadership in the classroom that day. 



Morning Song:

So a few years ago I was pondering while laying in bed not being able to sleep. This is normally where I do all my good thinking haha that, or the gym. I wanted to find another way to positively start our days. I wanted it to be a song of some sort, but something original to our little classroom environment. Long story short, I came up with this:
Kids sing-
"We are Beierle Owl's and we work very hard! We do this everyday so we get really far."
I say-
"Are you ready to work hard?
Kids say-
"Yes we are!"
I say-
"Make each other proud?"
Kids say-
"Starting right now!"

Here's a little video of them in action.



We try so hard to do it as a start to our day. Again, truth, does not always get done, but we try! And  I have friends that will help remind me and say "We need to sing the Beierle Owl song!" 


Music:


 I play it daily in the classroom. I play it while they come in and when we work. It helps to take the cold, uninvited vibes that might be trying to lurk around the room and dissipate them. 

I play music every morning while getting ready. Pandora is my BFF. I can really get lost in it and it helps to calm me. 

Some of my favorite stations:
Tenth Avenue North
Toby Mac
Lecrae (christian hip hop-more for just me!)
Calm Meditation
Jeremy Camp
Owl City
Capital Kings
Jack Johnson (for kids)
Switchfoot
Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling
Film Scores- fun to guess which movie it is from
Enya
Michael Buble
Jammy Jams-kids radio
80's hits (me again)




Reassurance:


Goodness doesn't everyone need this from time to time? But little kids who sometimes don't ever have that? Try to reassure them daily of your love for them and that you want the BEST for them. You are there to help and lead. The moment they walk through that door, whatever happened that morning at home, on the bus, in the car matters to you it does, but that once they are in that classroom you are there to love and guide. That our day does not always have to be determined by circumstances 2 hours prior or by another person. Yes, even  as adults it is hard to leave things at the door frame and walk in confident and ready for action. But also as adults we can lead by example. I often will share little things that go wrong in my own life, morning, or day so they can see a glimpse into the fact that everyone has struggles. It is what we do with them and how we react to them what can change the course. 

I had a little friend make a sad choice in cafeteria causing him to have a think time during fun stations. I sat with him and discussed his choice and what happened and he started crying and said "I just made a sad choice and don't want to be in trouble" I immediately talked with him about how sometimes we do make choices that are not the best ones but it was a mistake. People make mistakes, what we do from here with it is up to us and will determine where we go. The important thing is knowing when it is a mistake, learning from it, and then making a decision to rectify it. 
At the end of the day they are just kids. Do I have my own moments when I am like "REALLY friend?! *head explosion* of course! Once again, human.

Pull out positive:

 Some days are tough!! Some days it is hard to find the positive when you feel buried in all the negative. I promise though, God promises, there is sweet victory in there somewhere. It may not be deer in headlights apparent or it may literally kick you in the chest (true story from my first year of teaching- got kicked by one of my sweet autistic babies- not on purpose of course, but still warranted paperwork for injury lol) You can find something to celebrate! I dare you!

Leave it at the door:
Do this for yourself too, just like we want our kids to do. There are days I wake up on the wrong side of the bed....no like literally, my hubs wanted to change sides and it was not happening. Spilled protein shake on my shirt, forgot my zip drive, dog threw up, etc, etc, etc. (I don't have any "kids got into a fight" analogies at this point in life...yet) Let's talk about that word GRACE again. Sometimes you have to give grace to yourself too just like you extend it to others. I use my morning drive to think. But one thing I have really cherished is I call my hubby right before I get to school and we pray before I get out of the car. Some days the prayers are short and some days a little longer, but it really helps set the tone before I walk in. Some days I don't feel the affects of the prayer until later.


Brain Breaks:


So this is more for the kids throughout the day to get them up and moving but, hey I can whip and nae nae with the best of them ;) Go Noodle is a life saver and SO fun! I know probably everyone and their g-ma uses it now and that is awesome!! 


Build a Growth Mindset: 

Wow this could be a whole blog post on it's own! This goes for kids and adults! How can we expect them to follow and grow in their abilities if we don't MODEL it?! 
Opening those doors for them to walk through physically, mentally, and emotionally is the key to their success. We have an obligation to make them feel safe to make mistakes and to GROW!


Again, are there days you feel like you accomplished almost nothing or did not make an impact at all..yes! But it is how we handle that and process it that will make the difference. We could all go home, throw on our PJ's, grab the ice cream, turn on Netflix and chill until...



Which there is nothing wrong with a little Netflix "are you still watching" action haha...just have to come out of it at some point right? no? 

Over the summer I spent a lot of time brainstorming for Growth Mindset and various ways it can be applied throughout the classroom and school in general. Ultimately it comes down to the person. No one can make you have a certain mindset.  However, I developed a bundle for teachers to use to help promote it and model it for their kids and for themselves!
Feel free to check it out- I am so thankful for all the positive feedback I have received from teachers already utilizing it! 
Here is an example of how one teacher (Mrs. Hahn's class) has set up their board. 

Here is a link to a video I did as well to preview it and give you insight to what I was thinking when creating it! 

Click HERE to get yours!




Reflection & Journaling:

I have found that this works wonders not just for my OCD lol but for everything. If you truly want to be an effective educator you have to educate yourself too! Not just doing PD and reading books etc. But to reflect on your time. It is so important to reflect and learn from aspects that went/go really well and flawlessly but also that go bad too. 
How can you tweak it, make it better? 
What went wrong? 
What went right? 
Honesty time again- I am a hoarder....of journals...it's true I normally can't leave Ross, Marshalls, or Homegoods without one. I am always like "SO cute! I'll use that for sure!" well I plan to haha...

I have one (not so exciting or cute) journal for teaching. I have made tabs for ideas I get, you know, at the gym or while I am supposed to be sleeping. 





I also keep one for personal/bible journaling/prayer requests.


It really does help to take a step back sometimes. Mentally and physically. 


Find a Balance:

Well this is the pot calling the kettle black. I can be the worst with balance. Sometimes I do not know
when to SHUT IT DOWN! I will tell you, though I have found ways to do this better.

-Time management is key!

-Set goals for yourself (grading, plans, paperwork) get to what you can then pick up later.

-Prioritize- I was once given advice to create a list based on priority. Instead of just writing it all down in one long list (which is daunting) make a scale 1, 5, 10. 1 being not too important, still need to get done but I won't lose sleep over it. 5 being medium priority, it needs to get done with some alertness. 10 being most important, I better get this done now! These are things that might have time constraints. Now the real key is not writing it all on the 10 section. lol...comes with practice.

-You won't get to it all! Once you come to understand and accept this it makes it a lot easier to deal. Trust me, coming from someone that makes a list for everything and wanting to accomplish it all. I have learned what to let go of, that I am comfortable with. What I am comfortable with letting go of or not letting go, may not be the same for the next person. You have to decide. 


 My job, the kids, the work, the effect I can extend means the world to me but one thing has to be repeated to myself daily. "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." My life is also at home waiting for me daily. My family. We get one shot at this blessing called life and we don't know how long our time in his temporary home will be. I take the gift God gave me seriously, but like everything requires balance. My husband has been helpful in reminding me of this....now I need to remind him too #workaholic ;) 

I have been struggling with some things lately and came across this verse. 
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (this could be a whole other post too!)


Life is messy people. I am sure you already know that. You never know what others are going through. Extend a hand, offer grace. If teaching is what God has called you to that is an amazing journey filled with up's and downs. Be the best YOU and lead by example. Those little minds will soak it up and you can leave a lasting effect on them you may not even realize. 
Keep it real! There are no perfect people, situations or classrooms. Everyone has a story. Being willing to share and be transparent and build that trust. 

Have a BLESSED weekend!!