My Lollipot

As a teacher, you need incentives.  Treats.  In a special needs room, there are lots of dietary things to consider-gluten free, non-chewy, chewy, salty, etc.  One thing my class loves are dum-dums.  I hand them out as we check behavior charts, or when there is extra amazing work going on.  The Kindergarten teacher had a lollipop tree, and my friend and I loved it.  So we made one for ourselves! Here is how mine turned out:

I think it is precious! I can't wait for my class to see it.  They will love it.  I will have to teach them not to help themselves either.  The first thing we did was paint our pots.  We used acrylic paint and then mod podge to seal it after we decorated them.

I painted mine basic black, and I cut out some flowers and dots that match my curtains and such in my classroom.  I used the mod podge to adhere them to it.  (Mod Podge is the best stuff ever.  Just Sayin'.)

We then added some of those floral rocks that you can get at the dollar store to the inside to give it some weight at the bottom.  Then it was time for the ball.  That was a dilemma.  How do we attach it?  We decided to just use good ol' hot glue.  We set the ball in the pot and made a continuous stream of glue all the way around.  Worked well!

At last, it was time to add the lollipops.  My friend bought two huge bags of them (one for each of us), and we began to put them in.  We thought we'd start at the bottom since it was a straight line to follow.  We put them right next to each other as close as we could.

Man, it took a lot of dum-dums to get that thing filled!  It took almost the entire bag to fill one-over 300 lollipops!  There were less than twenty left.  It was crazy.  Crazy cool!  They turned out even better than we thought they would.  I love the lollipot.  I can't wait to use it.

Cuteness is Coming to the Classroom

During the summer I catch up on all those little things in the class to make it cute and homey.  A few years ago I found some floral fabric I absolutely loved at Hobby Lobby.  Originally I bought it for my kitchen curtains, but I really didn't like it in there, so I didn't make them.  I just held onto it until I thought of a good place to use it.  The opportunity came--my classroom!  The past few years I've used the Poppin' Patterns calendar set, borders, the whole shebang.

I love it, and so I added my fabric for different things, like my Ribbon board and countdown board (I remade it as the year went on). I also made curtains from ones I had for another classroom.  They happen to match wonderfully!

This year I am putting my whole morning meeting on the SMART board.  I am so excited!  So all of the things on the chalkboard will be digital, mostly.  I am keeping the fabric things I've made because they are too cute.  I made a 100 day count too.

The 1 is somewhere in my classroom--I'll find it when I get back to school.  I love how it turned it out.  So, now I think I am going to try to make borders out of the fabric for the bulletin boards, a little lamp shade, and maybe a calendar.  We'll see about that.  When I figure out the borders I'll show you how!

My Lofty Summer Goals

Hey There!
We are into the second full week (for me) of summer, and I'm finally ready to get this show on the road.  I am determined to not waste my summer!  Here are some of the things I want to do this summer:

• Ukulele Practice.  I received my little jem for my birthday in September.  I've picked it up a few times and had some good practice, but not as much as I would have liked.  Most of the year I would see it sitting there, and I would just sigh and wish I had a little time to visit.  So now I will!  I'm learning chords and how to read Tab.  I use this ukulele tuner to make sure I'm in tune, and am slowly learning songs from  the website Ukulele Tabs.  Loving my little thing!
  
• Craftiness.  There are so many things I have put off until the summer!  Suncatchers, brush holders, candle making, sewing.  Lots of things.  
• School projects.  All those things I didn't have time to do during the year--organizing folders, finding new activities, making worksheets, etc.  Keeping myself in check so I don't do too much.
• And last, but most certainly not least, PLAY WITH MY GIRLS!!  They have been patient all year, so we are trying to get in as much time together as possible.  Lots of laughter and fun ahead!

Not too many goals.  I think it's gonna be a great summer!

Silly Season...Teacher Style

Allen always laughs at me when I call ESY and OAAP time Silly Season.  Secretly I think he's proud that I used the NASCAR term the right way.  Well, it is Silly Season!! Everyone is trying to get everything done for testing, and get summer school paperwork done in time, and get things wrapped up for the year.  All in about ten weeks or so.  I can't believe that the school year is almost over.  I think we have 54 days left.  This is exciting and scary and overwhelming all at the same time.  Exciting because summer is a'comin', scary and overwhelming because I have a ton of things to do in those 54 days. This is what is scary--

ESY, otherwise known as extended school year, or summer school, is the easiest one of the bunch.  I am actually getting that knocked out pretty quick.  Each student that goes needs a meeting to go over if it's imperative or not.

Last of the IEPs and Re-evals are next on the oh-my list.  I've done quite a bit of them this year already, but I have a few left, and those re-evals keep popping up! I think I've done three or four already this year.  These happen annually or every three years.  Normal stuff, but they take time.

OAAPs are the biggie.  This is the Oklahoma Alternative Assessment Program, or portfolio testing. Woohoo!! (not really).  I don't mind spending the time working with my students, in fact, I look forward to it.  They tend to either impress me beyond measure, or I realize I need to change my approach for things.  Last year's OAAPs were impressive.  I was so excited when we got the scores back because they did so well.  I am very proud of my boys.  This year, though, I am afraid of what I will find when I do the last bit of them.  I have been teaching them these skills all year long, but when put in a specific situation with a camera on them, things can go a little bit astray. We'll see how they do.  I've got five of them to do this year.

Other than that, we are on the downward slope.  Hold on tight!

So there is my Silly Season!  Bring it on!! (and don't forget the Dr. Pepper--I'll need it.)  

The Crazy Train

Lots of people see the new year as a clean slate, a fresh start.  Time to make changes to how we approach everything.  I am no exception.  I'm not going to be like so many people that vow to exercise and diet. I am trying to do these things already.  This year I'm gonna stop the crazy train.

This school year has eaten my lunch--quite literally.  It has been very difficult for me on many levels.  Lots of responsibility, paperwork, and events I will not get into have made it probably the hardest year I've ever had.  I also feel like all the other places I've been and the classes I've taught has been getting me ready for this.  I feel very blessed to have a family who is supportive and patient and an amazing faculty that sticks with it everyday, with me.  This is the Crazy Train.

I am going to try my best to decrease the "crazy" in my life.  Some of it I have no control of whatsoever.  The other part of it, I most certainly can help it.  It will take some time to get things streamlined, but I know that I if I can get the paperwork easier, the Crazy Train will start slowing down into the station.  That is my resolution.

Ribbon Bulletin Board

This is something that I've wanted to try making for a long time.  I think these boards are beautiful, and they can be simple or fancy, and functional at the same time.  At the end of the school year, I had important papers (like checking out lists, etc.) that I needed to keep track of.  I had them in one spot, but there are eight other people who spend the day in the classroom with me, and they were accidentally lost.  I eventually found them in the recycle bin! (It sits right next to my desk.)  That is when I realized that I desperately needed a bulletin board-just for me for all those little papers I need.  What a good opportunity to make a ribbon board! So I did.

I absolutely love this fabric!! I originally bought it for curtains for the house in Woodward, but that just didn't happen.  Now I'm glad it didn't.  It gets to go to school with me now. Anyway--

Here are the materials:

Bulletin board

Batting

Fabric

Ribbon (I used grosgrain)

Upholstery tacks

Hammer

Staple gun

Tape measure

Pins

Hot glue gun

1. Cut the batting and fabric large enough to cover your board and wrap around the back for a finished edge.  I left the fabric a little bigger than the batting so I could fold it over the batting when attaching it to the board.  Use enough batting to give your board some puffiness when the ribbons are attached.  I think I used four layers.  This is the part I fumbled.  I didn't put enough batting in, and it wasn't padded enough.  I had to start over.

2.  Fold the fabric and batting around to the back edge and using the staple gun, staple it to the board.  I did one or two on each side so I could get the fabric tight and smooth on the front.  Once I did that, I went all the way around.  I left the corners for the end.  I trimmed the batting and fabric a little because it was super thick.  Then I folded the fabric like a present and stapled it.  The back turned out to look fairly neat.

3.  Figure out where you would like your ribbons.  I think I did mine a little differently, but I like how it turned out.  Make sure they are parallel with each other.  That was hard with this fabric, but I accomplished it!  Pin the ribbon down on each end until you get the upholstery tacks on.  Also, leave enough ribbon when you cut it to wrap around the back.

4.  Once the ribbons are pinned, gently tap in the upholstery tacks at the intersections of the ribbons.  Make sure the tacks are in straight lines vertically and horizontally.  Take out the pins.  Be careful that you don't hammer the tack all the way through the board.  I did this a couple of times.  This is when the padding will really start to look cool.  

5.  Take the ends of the ribbons and hot glue them to the back of the board.  I tucked mine under the fabric if I could. 

6.  Add your mounting hardware.  At this point, I added a ribbon to hang it from.  I think it might need a frame to go around it, so this is still a work in progress!

I was amazed at how easy this was. I will probably make one for the girls also.  They will be able to do a lot of this project on their own.  

Oh! Here's a little side note.  When you've got a cute board, you need cute tacks, right?  So I made some!  I had some large head thumbtacks and some of those glass beads on hand.  I drew flowers that matched my board with a sharpie on the head of the thumbtack, hot glued the bead on, and voila! Cute tacks!

 

Flashlight Derby

Every teacher tries their best to help their students learn.  I am no exception.  When I was teaching preschool, I wanted to be able to review what they learned in a fun way.  That is how I tried to teach everything--masked in fun.  You have to with a special needs preschooler just to keep their attention.  Anyway, we were studying the letter F and I came up with the idea of Flashlight Derby!  We reviewed colors, shapes, numbers, and letters.  It was a wonderful success in preschool and the idea stayed with me.

Now that I teach elementary school, I wondered if I could make it work for my guys now.  So we tried it.  I still had the same cards I used with preschool, plus I added words and names, since all of them are reading!  We tried this in May, so we had lots of material we could use.  Here's what you need:

Flashlights (I asked the students to bring their own, and I had ones from the dollar store just in case)
Masking tape
Bold marker (I used a black Marks alot)
Paper/Index cards (I used 1/2 sheets of recycled copy paper or construction paper for the colors)
A bit of time to put it up

The premise is simple.  Make the sheets/cards using what you want to review, and tape them to the ceiling.  Put them randomly in one area (across the room is hard to see) where the students can be on the ground.  Then make sure everyone has a flashlight.  Have everyone lay down on the floor (YES, Teachers too!!) and turn off the lights!  I was the caller, and I would say, "Find the number 30."  The students would have to shine their flashlights on the number.  Do this for all of the items, or until you run out of time or patience.  My boys found this extremely relaxing and fun.  They were really good at it too!  We put all of their names up there, as well as the teachers, principals, and their sight words.  It was loads of fun.  In preschool as a prize to the "winner," (they all did well) I let them pick from the treasure box.  My elementary class was happy with just playing it.  Here is what my ceiling looked like.

Semester Calendar

As you are probably noticing, I have a thing for calendars. Small ones, big ones, flippy ones, I love them all. There are many times when I find myself needing to see a month or two in the past and a month in advance for the same task. Just a quick glance-something that drives me crazy to have to pull out the big planner for. I decided that I would like to have a semester at a glance calendar in my room. And--why not make it awesome? That's what I did.

I just took an extra frame, fabric, and styrofoam from a package that I already had at home to make this. I cut the styrofoam to fit the frame, wrapped it in fabric, and installed it in the frame, using the original backing to hold it all in. I was going to put the months directly on the fabric, but it got lost in the pattern. So I put the calendars on a piece of black scrapbooking paper and it works. The calendar is pinned on with straight pins. It will be easy to change out the calendars or even change the format if I like. Just print and pin.

The "In" Box

This past year I finally found the perfect inbox for turning in papers.  I was using a wire stack-able letter tray for turning in work, but it just wasn't fitting what I needed.  That's when I found this.

The lid fits underneath, and the student's completed work fits nicely in it.  The best thing is--when I need to take papers home to grade, I just snap the lid on! And--It was just $3 at Wal-mart.  Score!

Now, as I sat at my desk, thinking about how I could make my classroom look and feel better, I realized I could cover it.  This is how it looks.

I cut my fabric the width of the sides and Mod-Podged it to the inside of the container.  I really didn't need to do the bottom (I was afraid papers would stick to the fabric if I did), but if I covered the lid, it would show right through the bottom.  That's what I did.  I measured and cut out a piece of fabric that would cover just the top of the lid.  I used Mod-Podge to adhere the fabric to the inside of the lid.  I did a little bit at a time, and I used a straight edge, a plastic putty knife, to push the air bubbles out and make sure I got the corners stuck tight.  I love how it turned out!!

Perpetual Calendar

My students are getting in the habit of writing the date on all of their papers.  I have seen the flip calendars with the month, day, and year spiral bound on an easel.  I didn't want that.  I wanted something I could hang on my chalkboard where the big calendar is.  So I made a calendar the way I wanted it.  I made the months one color, the days another, and the years yet another.  Then I laminated, cut them out, and punched holes in them for rings.  It is such a help in the classroom!  Last year I didn't know what to put it on, so I found something on hand--half and curtain rod and fishing line.  I didn't like it, but it worked.  I figured out something even better.  I put it on a hanger!  Then of course, I had to cute it up.  I took off the hook part of the hanger off because I didn't need it, but it would be just as cute with it on.

The Comment Box

There are many things I would love for my classroom.  Some of them are crazy expensive, some take time, and some are simple and easy.  This one falls under simple and easy.  I found this idea on Pinterest and I knew I needed it!  I have a student that can never stay on the subject, and I hate to tell him he has to wait to tell me or not at all.  Enter the comment box!  Now my students can write notes or draw pictures to my assistants and I without interrupting class, and do it without the rest of the class hearing if they choose.  I will set it up on the counter near my desk with paper and pencils.

Materials:
unfinished wooden tissue box
acrylic paint and brushes/sponges
paint pens (optional)
Mod Podge sealer (optional)

First, cover your surface.  I couldn't find a wooden tissue box cover, but I did find a box with a hinged lid with a wire mesh inlay.  I took out the wire and it's perfect.  My classroom is done in black with multicolored dots, so that's what I painted it.  I painted the box black then used different size circle templates to make my circles.  I used a pencil to lightly trace them on.  Then I colored them every color of the rainbow.  I wrote "comments" on the lid with a paint pen.  Done!

Once it dried, I looked at it and realized that I probably should seal it, since some of my students have a hard time keeping their fingers clean.  I gave it a quick coat of Mod Podge and we are set to go.  I decided to just paint/glue the lid shut since the opening is wide. I hope this will be effective at school.  If not, it's darn cute!

Summer is NOT Just a Vacation!

Every year as the school year goes on, I have a list (shocker).  When I run into things that would be great to have in the classroom that requires some time to do, I add it to the list.  It is my summer list!  Then, when I am at home during the summer, I take the time to do all of those things I didn't have time to complete.  This year, the list was on my iPad.  It was four pages long!  I think it was longer because it is a new classroom (to me), and I need more school age things. And--it needs to be cuted up!! So, I've been working on making things to make my classroom run smoother and cuter too.  As I finish things, I will post pics, the how and the why.  Just in case you wanted to know.  I love summer--so I can sleep in, be with my family, and do stuff for the classroom.

May 20, 2013--Snow Cones, Students, a Bathroom, and a Tornado

It was the first day of the last week of school. I had so many fun things planned for my students! The day before a huge tornado ripped through Shawnee, Carney, and Little Axe, leaving lots of destruction. The entire state knew that the weather would be favorable for severe, even tornadic weather on Monday too. The dry line stalled, so we needed to be ready.

I had been preparing the students all day that we might not be able to walk to the snow cone stand. If we couldn't, one of the adults would go for them. Two of my students were having a hard time staying calm (which should have been an indicator) so we decided to stay in the classroom for music. We looked out and saw that it was clouding up. I went to tell the office that we were going to go, and to ask what kind of snow cone they would like. This was right at 2:00. It was very warm and humid-unusual for Oklahoma. The air felt electric. I was a little concerned because that is how it feels when a big storm is coming. Anyway, when I went to the office, they told me we were under a tornado watch and the students could not leave campus. That was fine, since we had been prepping them all day. When my assistant and I left, the wind started to pick up and the temperature began to fall a little. As our order was finished, the first thunder sounded. We looked at each other and hurried back to school. This was approximately 2:15.

It wasn't five minutes and the parents began to come. They came quickly. Lots of them. It got to the point that Mrs. Gifford asked everyone to turn off the movies and smart boards and all equipment so we could hear dismissals. She read a constant list of names. She was very calm. At this time, it was the normal time my students were leaving. We were frantically trying to get everything ready for them to go, get the room together, and get ourselves together because we knew we would be doing our procedures soon.

My daughter called and said they kept her at school. All of my students but one were checked out or left like normal before the first siren sounded.

Our procedure is to go to the Kindergarten room, line the inner walls with Kindergarten and Sixth grade. At the beginning of the year, the other teachers and I had decided that if the real thing ever came, that we would pile into the bathrooms between the two rooms. That is exactly what we did. My student didn't really understand what was going on. He just knew that I wanted him to come and sit on the bathroom floor.

We were there a few minutes and my student's mother came to the door to take him. I almost didn't let her leave with him, but the sirens were not going at the moment, so I did. At that point I left the Kindergarten room and went to the office to see if I could help. The line of parents was long. Staff had clipboards and had them sign out as Gifford was saying their names as fast as possible. Toni, our assistant principal, asked me to listen to the tv or radio and give her updates, away from the office. I went back to my room and listened. That is when I heard Mike Morgan say it was a wedge tornado, heading straight for Moore. I tried to text Toni but it wouldn't go through so I went and told her. The sirens began again. I went back to Kindergarten to help.

The sixth grade boys were doing alright with being in the situation, but some of the girls and the Kindergarteners were scared. They began to tear up. We kept reassuring them that it was going to be okay. We were together, we took cover, and we will be fine. Mitchell and I went and got the crash pad from my room to put over them if it veered to us. We were all in the bathroom, waiting and listening. Pelley had Gary England on her phone, and he said it was at Orr Family Farm, coming straight for us. We kept telling the kids it was going to be okay, we were safe right here and we were together, and they were doing great. Inside I was pleading to God to watch and deliver us all.

By this point Gifford wasn't dismissing anymore, but telling us to be in position, that it was on its way. She was very calm. On the phone I heard them say 4th and Broadway. That was close to my oldest daughter's school. I stepped out of the bathroom for a sec to get myself together so the kids wouldn't see me upset. Gifford came on again and said, "Take your positions now!" And we did.

The lights began to flicker. It was very quiet. The girls whimpered. We reassured them. I prayed. Gary said it was past Bryant. I popped my head out of the bathroom and I saw it. It was huge. I prayed it would steer clear of my youngest daughter's school, Bryant. It did. 

We knew we were in the clear, so we let the kids out of the bathroom and into the class. We fed them some snacks and calmed them down. There were a few sixth grade girls quite shook up and crying. I held them for a bit and let them cry. They were in shock of it all, I think, and one was worried about their family. I helped them calm down a little, and then I got a text from my sister.

She had no idea that we just had a tornado go through. She knew about storms, but that was all. Then she asked about our other sister. She lives in a group home on Santa Fe between 4th and 19th. So all of my family could possibly be injured, for the exception of Lauren, because I saw it pass her by. I had no idea about anyone else at this point. 

I helped bring all of the kids up to the main building for dismissal. I stayed for a bit until Toni said that if we needed to go, we could. I went. My truck was filthy with small flying debris. It was all stuck to it. I headed home.

Then my husband called. He was safe! He fled the pharmacy, grabbed the pugs, and went to Crossroads. He said he had Lauren and she was safe. He was closer to getting Anna than I was, so he went to get her and I began to call the family. Our house was still standing, no damage, and even had power, but no water. When my family came home we all hugged each other tight. The next task was to find out about my sister. It took a bit, but I finally got a text that she was fine. 

Later on we found out my husband's work was spared by yards. He works in the pharmacy between Highland East and Moore Schools Administration. There were damaged cars and lots of debris in the parking lot. Not a window was broken in the pharmacy. They still do not have any power or Internet to do business. They have been renting a generator to have power. My sister's home is in the quarantine area, and they were evacuated Tuesday morning. She is still with us. She was quite shaken up when I got her, but she seems to be recovering fine. When utilities are restored, I'm sure she will want to go home.

I am extremely blessed. I hurt for my neighbors and my hometown that we are going through this again. But one thing I am positive of is that God has been with us, and he will continue to bless us with this indomitable spirit and we will recover, rebuild, and grow. We are an amazing community, and I am proud to be a part of it. 

5/22/13

Time Passages

Today is another one of those days that marks the passage of time. Not only for the girls, but for me too. Anna left the elementary school set and forged into middle school without a hitch, including switching classes and having six teachers. Lauren walked with me into a new school, bravely facing a whole new environment, people, riding the bus, and not having Mom on the premises. She was apprehensive but got through it with a little extra love from the faculty.

As for me, I now know what just about every parent feels like dropping their child off at school with people they don't know. I was a bucket of emotions--wanting them to fly and do well, worrying that they didn't, and anxiously awaiting their return. Waiting for them to get home was the hardest. I've thought about my mom through this process and wondered if this is what she felt like with us girls. I'm sure it had to be. Above all, I am so very proud of my daughters. They are such fabulous girls!

I had dreamed of this day for a long time, being a stay at home mom. Even though that is not exactly what I want to be doing at this point, here I am. I did do a couple of things to enjoy the day. I stopped by Starbucks on the way home through town (I got locked out of the house so I had to get Allen's key--graceful, I know), and I enjoyed a little bit of the morning outside swinging. The rest of the day was filled with chores and that I-don't-know-what-to-do-by-myself feeling. By the time the girls got home, the dogs and I were so ready to see them. I hope they felt the same way.

Happy First Day of School!


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Crayola hearts

A couple of years ago I read in Family Fun about how to make crayon heart valentines. We made them for Anna and Lauren's classes, as well as mine. They were a hit!

When we moved, the girls found the molds. Since it is summer and we like to do things on the cheap, we made some for ourselves. First, the girls peeled the paper off of the colors they wanted to use and broke them in pieces.



They arranged the pieces in the mold, and then we put it in a 250 degree oven. I don't exactly know how long it was, since we watched it. I'm guessing around ten minutes. We pulled them out when they were completely melted.






We let them cool completely and popped them out. That was the hardest part of the whole process! And now, the girls have their own custom crayons.



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