Lucky to Be a Teacher Giveaway!

Well, it's been awhile since I posted last, and I thought a great way to get back into blogging was to share a giveaway opportunity with you! Brooke, over at Countless Smart Cookies, is hosting the Lucky to Be a Teacher giveaway.

Today I am writing to share with you why I believe I am lucky to be a teacher. There are many reasons why teachers choose their profession. For me, I love working with children and sharing my love of learning with them. However, my favorite part of teaching is experiencing those 'aha' moments when something just clicks in the mind of a child. When I taught kindergarten, there were a lot of 'aha' moments when it came to learning how to read. One day, the students might have been struggling with a reading skill, but then something I said would change how they approached the same skill the next day, and then 'aha!' They would have it. And there is no end to those 'aha' moments. They happen each and every day.

Now it's your turn! Comment below on why YOU are lucky to be a teacher and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win some GREAT prizes!!

You can also check out Brooke's website at http://countlesssmartcookies.blogspot.com/

PreK-Kinder

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First-Second

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Third-Fifth

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle-High

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SPED

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leaving Work at Work

Do you ever get so caught up in work that you wonder where your day went? You say, "I can't wait to read my new book tonight" or "I'll put that puzzle together soon" but you never do? I was feeling that way last semester. After the new year, one of my goals was to set a time limit for myself with work.

Now, you could be thinking, how can I do that? There is NO way I can possibly get everything done that I need to and teach at the same time. I thought so too. But after two weeks of setting my new time limit, I can tell you that it can be done.

My one little word for this year is happiness, which means happiness in all areas of my life. I felt that I was missing out on the happiness of coming home from work each day and spending time with family or doing my hobbies.

There are so many things that I like to do:

I like to cook!



I like to play games!

I like to color!

I love puzzles! 

Now with my new time limit of 5:30 every day (with some exceptions) I have been able to be more productive at work and then more relaxed at home! WIN WIN!!

Teachers should always remember to care for themselves. Then, and only then, can they take care of others.

January Currently

Happy New Year!! Perhaps this year I can actually stick to my resolution of blogging more! It all starts with a Currently!

Listening: If I am listening to the clock ticking, that means that there are no other sounds going on around me. Which means, silence. Sometimes it's nice to just sit and listen to nothing.

Loving: I love puzzles and I got three new puzzles over break! I can't wait to put them together.

Thinking: Even though we just finished break yesterday, I wanted to take tonight to relax. That is also one of my goals for this year: to take more time for myself.

Wanting: Nothing! Life is good :)

Needing: Another one of my goals for this year is to exercise, so my husband and I are going to try to walk/work out a few times a week after work. Then, of course, I need to eat dinner. I'm starving!

One little word: I thought about what word I wanted to represent my year and I settled on happiness. I want to seek happiness in all aspects of my life, including at work, in my family, and with myself.

Even though I was late, you can still link up with Farley!

Have a great week back to school!

Blog T-shirt

I recently ordered a blog t-shirt after my new blog design was finished and I wanted to share it with you all!

I ordered my shirt from A+ Images, Inc. Here is their main website http://www.aplusimages.com/. I was able to design my own t-shirt here: http://designtool.aplusimages.com/. I chose to use the color pink and my blog and TPT logo. It was a very easy website to use. On the design page, I just chose the color I wanted, inserted the picture of my logo and was done! I would highly recommend this website if you are seeking to create your own blog t-shirt for the next TPT or SDE conference that you attend.

There are also many other t-shirts to order from their websites. I found a lot of cute ones! You can check them out here: http://www.teachershirts.com and http://www.classroomfaces.com.

Here is a closer look at my shirt!

Check it out!

October Currently

Two whole months have gone by!!! I cannot believe I haven't blogged in this long. Since then my blog has had a facelift. Thanks to Lindsey Paull at L. Paull Designs for All  for creating my new blog design! I love it! And now for my first post with the new design: my October Currently!

Listening: I LOVE watching Friends! I know I have written that on my blog many times before, but chances are, if I am working on my blog or my TPT store, I am watching Friends on Netflix.

Loving: Finally, we are starting to cool off down here in Texas. Not quite the fall weather I was used to up in Illinois, but getting into the 70s and 80s during the day is such a relief.

Thinking: I recently went to a professional development training by Anne Beninghof and I loved her ideas! She provided us with many ways to engage our students with little to no prep on our part. I can't wait to try out some new ideas this week!

Wanting: As always, I am in need of some relaxation time. I desperately needed a nap the other day, but just couldn't fall asleep. I am the type of person who does not know how to relax; I constantly am doing things. I want to relax, just don't know how!

Needing: I recently posted on my Facebook page that I am struggling to find the motivation to work on TPT products during the school. I am in the middle of a project right now, but finding the energy and motivation to work on the project is difficult.

Boo-tiful: I love getting dressed up and going out to dinner with my husband. I love date nights!

Now it's your turn to link up with Farley!

Have a great week!

August Currently

I cannot believe I haven't blogged in an entire month! I was doing so well. But then, I actually switched grades again (back to first! :), went to Dallas for a weekend, and have now been busy in the classroom setting everything up. But I still have time to link up with Farley for this month's currently!

Listening: I am listening to the dishwasher in the kitchen. Otherwise, nothing else is going on.

Loving: Reading Notching Up the Nurtured Heart Approach by Howard Glasser with Melissa Lynn Block. This is how I will be structuring my classroom from now on. No clip charts, no prize box, no coupons: just encouragement each and every day. Authentic encouragement, resets, and lots of time-in, not time-out! A great read for teachers and parents alike!

Thinking: My office space WAS clean. I started bringing things in to school, I was throwing things away, I was stuffing putting things in my closet to try and hide the mess. But it all came back. We are actually having company over, which means more than the usual stuff is in this room.

Wanting: A snack, perhaps some pretzels and hummus. Yum!

Needing: More time in the summer! I go back Monday!

B2S RAK: I am planning to do a few small gifts for my students on Meet the Teacher night. I also want to get a small gift for the other teacher in my first grade team. This is my first year working with another teacher in the same grade level as me, and I want to start off the year with kindness!

Now it's your turn to link up with Farley!

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Michelle

July Currently

Oh.my.goodness. It is already JULY!! I'm starting to feel the need to organize and plan and decorate and everything else school related. Hence, my Target trip earlier this afternoon. But first, there is always time to link up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this month's currently!

Listening: So I went shopping earlier and there was no rain. Apparently, it rained while I was in the store checking out the One Spot. No rain when I left. I got home and inside and then the rain just came down. So it is nice and loud and even making the lights flicker a little bit. Not a fan of this weather. Not a fan.

Loving: As I mentioned, I just went to the Target One Spot. And I got all of this cool stuff! (More to come on that later.)

Thinking: I am thinking about this weekend and all of the great plans we have. Parades, fireworks, hamburgers, friends, etc. What a great holiday!

Wanting: I have had a chocolate craving for two days and I don't seem to have any in the house!

Needing: I recently moved all of my teacher/TPT related items into our spare bedroom. This has now become my office so as to keep the mess in the living room to a bare minimum. However, I keep going to the store and buying more things and making more things (Did you see my curtains?!) and need a place to put all of it. Not to mention, we are having company over this weekend, so I should probably move my classroom library out of the hallway leading into the guest bathroom. So where do you think it will go? In my office. There is just not enough room for all of my things!

All Star: I am an expert in procrastination. There are many things that I will gladly do right away, such as eating haha. However, when it comes to housework, cleaning, packing, unpacking, making dinner, cleaning up after dinner, etc., I try to avoid it.

Well, there you have it! Now it's your turn to link with Farley!

Michelle