Sunday, July 26, 2015

BTS in a Flash! Teacher Faves


Hello friends! Can you believe it's already time for back to school!? I know some of you are already in the classroom but I am still cherishing my last few weeks. Along with enjoying the time, I'm getting ready for my next crew! It's funny how a teacher's brain never really turns off. Your classroom & students are always in the back of your mind it seems. But now it's finally time to take action!
I'm so excited to be joining all of these FABULOUS bloggers to share a super fun Back to School linky! Hopefully I'll find some more items that will make all the difference this year.
We hope you'll join in the fun too!
So this week is Teacher Faves! When I sat down to write this post I tried to think of my favorite teacher things. You know the things that just keep you going. The things that make your life just a little bit easier. As first I couldn't think of anything but coffee. I know that's totally shocking here on this blog *sarcasm* but soon my list was really long. It turns out I like  A LOT of things. That might explain my issues with spending far too much money at Target.... Which is also one of my favorite things. Haha!
So I chose the very best of my favorite things. All the while humming that catchy song from The Sound of Music. Ha! I seriously loved that movie as a kid. But getting back on track here. :)

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

This past year was the first year I tried using interactive notebooks & glue sponges in my classroom. I mostly used them in math and I LOVED them! The kids were engaged when we used them. We were able to go back to older pages and refresh our memories. I also liked being able to complete a page on Day 1 and then on Day 2 the kids would look it over. They would talk about the topics and show that they understood it with an example using words or pictures. The glue sponges worked really well, One things I learned was the importance of using a good container to keep the air out!

These drawers kept me organized this year. It forced me to put things in their place. When I made copies they went in by subject & I was no longer searching through piles on my desk. These cute labels add a pop of color & fun. I also used a set with my writer's workshop drawers. The labels were fun to make so I ended up creating a couple versions. If you like a little clip art click HERE and if you like it simple & blue click HERE.

Post its! Sticky paper! Why didn't I think of this idea!? I just love these. I really like this size because they're great to use in reading group. The kids write notes about how they responded to the text and stick them in the book. I've also used them as a color coded book marks when more than one reading group is using the same book.

Lattes, machiattos, and frappuccinos! I like them all! These wonderful treats just keep me going. It's my Friday treat and sometimes my Monday or Wednesday pick me up. Haha!
Milanos just make working those evenings easier for me. I sometimes have just one as a treat for making it through a stack of papers. Sometimes I have more than one...
I know books seems obvious since I'm a teacher, but I just can't leave them out, and I can't just pick one. If I had a bigger home I would have a giant library. I'd even have one of those cool rolling ladders that you're never allowed to climb on in the store. You know like in that scene from Disney's Beauty & the Beast!? You know you want to try it! :)

Individual dry erase boards make my life easier.
Less paper = less grading = happy teacher & less paper usage = happy planet.
Plus their more fun than paper! They're perfect for teaching a skill in small group, student skills practice. and they're great for quickly checking on student's understanding of topics. They can be expensive at school supply stores. I was lucky to find these just last week at the local craft store for $2.00 each! Woohoo!

What are your teacher faves!?