My 2013-2014 Chevron Teacher Planner

I created a teacher planner for next year and have blogged about it over at The Learning Effect {my teacher blog}. I think I can easily convert the files to create a 2014 weekly {personal} planner. Check it out and let me know what you think!

4th Grade, Here I Come!

Last Thursday I was offered a job at a brand new charter school for a 4th grade position. The school has a business emphasis. Technology galore at this school - right up my alley! I am excited for many reasons, but now at least I don't have to spend the summer stressing about whether or not I'll have a job next year.

So, fellow teachers - do you have any tips for me for teaching 4th grade? I just taught 2nd and completed my student teaching in 3rd. Any tips, websites, etc. that you could share would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Brought to you by USC Rossier Online Master's in Teaching

How I... Give Homework Each Week

I believe in routine and predictability for my students, as most teachers do. I give the same homework routine each week, and just tweak some of the activities to go with the spelling words and change the math homework to match our daily lessons. Here's what our homework looks like each week.

I change the spelling activities when I notice that they're becoming too easy for my students. I leave some easy ones so they have a break on one night a week and can do a quick spelling activity. I have separate homework for my students who need extra support and have only 10 spelling words a week. I've seen such a difference in their confidence and achievement since I've change their homework (and class work). They're finally feeling success.

I have my students on a number system. I alphabetized them by first name when I became their teacher in November. Then I assigned them each a number. This helps me (and my volunteers) see who is missing assignments, and allows me to put grades in my grade book a lot faster. The kids love having numbers. Who knew something so simple could make them so happy? Ha!

On Friday, I rearranged my classroom and got rid of my "teacher's desk". There's so much more room now! I really needed to move my small group instruction table to another location in my classroom. Some of my students were distracted by what's going on outside the window - which is nothing since we're on the 2nd floor and you can't see anything but a bare tree. Now we're in a better spot. I'll share pictures later this week or next Monday. I'm still in the process of rearranging and tweaking. LOVING my classroom now! =]

College Course Organization

Last week I received an email from a reader named Jennifer with a question about college organization. She wanted to know if I had any tips on organization related to taking courses at a university/college level. You bet I do!

I just graduated from college last year in May. I was always good at keeping things in order in school, but came up with a really good "system" last year. I really wish I had pictures for my post, but unfortunately I don't.

I first chose some quality 1" binders, all in different colors. I chose colors that I also had the same color pens and highlighters for, so that I could color coordinate on my calendars. (I also ended up color coordinating Post-It notes after awhile.) I bought colorful tab dividers for the binders as well. Each class typically had the same tab names: class info, notes, handouts, assignments, resources.

I would use these "assigned" colors for each course to add assignments/test dates/etc. to my planner with corresponding colored pens. It was easier for me to relate colors with courses and than anything else. It became really easy when I had reading and math courses every year, because I would keep the same colors for those courses. I also used Google Calendar to add important test days or when big assignments were due, and set up email reminders so I wouldn't forget. You can color coordinate in Google Calendar as well.

In the "class info" section, I had this class overview form (below, download it for free) that I would copy the important information onto from the syllabus. Sometimes the syllabus is just too confusing and all over the place. This allowed me to have all of the important info up front, in one place. I also kept any documents (such as the syllabus and assignment list) that were important for the length of the course in this section.

class overview

I kept a copy of the my monthly calendar in this front section, too. I wrote out all important class dates on it so I could easily see what was due for this specific class on the exact date.

Yes, I was a bit overly obsessed with calendarizing everything several times, but I never once ever missed a thing. I really think I actually need to get back in the habit of doing these things.

I made sure my binders had front pockets on the inside so I could easily and safely stash papers that I'd received in class until I could get them home to hole punch them.

I had a specific spot designated for my school binders and books (on the bottom shelf of my bookshelf), so I always knew where they were.

I was always the one in class who knew when things were due, what was handed out when (because I also put a date on the top right hand corner of every single handout), and what was going on. I felt really nerdy at first, but then didn't care after a few weeks because I was on top of my game.

I enjoyed being organized for school because I liked my system. It was bright and colorful, so it made it something I wanted to keep up with.

And a tip for saving money on books: don't buy them from your school store unless they give you an amazing discount. The only time I ever bought books from my school's bookstore was when they were written by the professor I was taking the course from, so they weren't available elsewhere. Check Amazon and Half.com for books. That's where I bought all of my books during my 6 years in school. I also used my books carefully and never wrote in them or anything, that way I could resell them after the semester. I was able to get most of my money back each time, so it was worth it.

Not in college? Apply some of the tips by using different color binders to organize family members' information or household tasks (cleaning, bills, menu planning, etc. all in different colors). Then use corresponding pen/marker colors on calendars.

Do you have any college course organization tips to share?

My Favorite Things: Erin Condren Teacher's Lesson Planner

Earlier this year, before I even graduated from college, I bought an Erin Condren Teacher's Lesson Planner. I thought they were amazing and really wanted one, so I went ahead and bought one before I even had a job. I figured it'd be okay, even if I didn't get a job, because it's not pre-calenderized (lol, like my word?). I was able to pick up and start at the beginning of the planner, even when I started in November. No "wasted time".

Here's what I love about it.

the personalized cover - and the cute owl

the colorful pages

a student checklist section, with several pages - perfect for recording who brought back their report card envelopes, who's had a turn reading in the window, and more

monthly calendars & "what's going on in..." lists

love the format of the weekly planning pages - I set mine up by hourly time block, and it all works out perfectly

lots of notes pages in the back - perfect for faculty and student services meetings

positive encouragement throughout and lots of planning stickers

a two-sided folder to keep my to-do lists and ideas, a plastic zip pouch, and a 2 year in advance calendar for 2012/2013

This planner is $50 - which is a bit hard to swallow for me...for something that my school actually makes for us and gives every teacher for free - with all of the school events already printed into the weekly calendar. If I'm at my school again next year, I won't buy another EC planner. I used the school's planner last year and it worked perfectly (it has most of the same features as this one, just missing the pockets and zip pouch in the back...and the stickers and checklist section...and I can't customize the cover). But considering that I won't be keeping my planner when the year is over, there's no sense in spending $50 to get it I suppose. (Seems like I'm talking myself out of this...lol.)

I'd like to eventually create my own planner. My school has a binding machine, so I'd be able to do it really easily and at a cheap price. If I ever do create my own, I'll show y'all. =]

To learn more about this awesome teacher's lesson planner, visit Erin Condren's store.

Disclaimer: I was not paid or sponsored to write this post. I simply wrote it because I love my planner and wanted to share.

My Classroom...In Progress - Part 3

This will be my last classroom "in progress" post. Winter break starts next Monday! (Although I hear my secretary may be in on Monday...so I may go into my classroom to fix the rest of what bugs me.)

The Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie ever. So of course I had to have some Wizard of Oz decor. The scrabble-like letters came from a PDF I purchased from Lesson Plan Diva. My kids love it - each letter has a number and they have to add up the total for their spelling words.

Much cleaner desk than previously.

I love these planters from IKEA. I use them for storage at home, and love them in the classroom. The sticks on the left have the kids' names on them (for randomly choosing them to answer questions) and the numbers on the right are for classroom bingo (they're playing for free time - a.k.a. my approved education activities).

Today we're erupting volcanoes and having a popcorn party. I'm super excited. I'm sure they'll love it.

And while I absolutely love my job, I really need to clean up my home. So that is first on my to-do list for the break. =]

Pinterest ... x2

It's no secret that I love Pinterest. I love it so much, I have 2 separate accounts. One for all things organization/home/crafts/etc. and one for all things education. Lately, I've been sucked into searching through my education-based Pinterest. So many amazing ideas. I will be busy, for sure, over the break.

Even if you're not a teacher, the educational things I've pinned are amazing, and you may want to check them out. Many of the ideas are things you could do at home with your kids - on a rainy day, for extra practice, over the summer/holiday breaks, or for homeschooling.

Do you use Pinterest? What are your favorite things to pin? (There are so many great things out there on Pinterest...I'm sure I'm missing out on certain "categories" - I'd love more ideas.) Feel free to leave your Pinterest web address and I'll follow you!

If you need a Pinterest invite, let me know. Leave your email in a comment (or email me at tiffany (at) thenesteffect.com) and I'll send you an invite!

Free Printable for a Limited Time: Daily Plan for Teachers -- EXPIRED!

Update: This printable is no longer available for free. You can purchase it through TeachersPayTeachers store for $3.

Today and tomorrow I am subbing in a 2nd grade classroom. I just opened up a TeachersPayTeachers store. I don't have very much in it yet, but I figured it's worth a shot. I have this daily plan for teachers for sale in my TPT store and am giving it to my awesome readers for free through Friday night.

To download the daily plan for teachers, click here. (The document looks better than the picture, I promise.) Please save the document to your computer. You can do so by clicking file (within Google Docs, not your browser) -> download original.

Organizing Your Child's School Work & Art

About 2 months ago my wonderful cousin, Jennica, asked me if I had any ideas of how she could organize and keep her sons' work and art from school. Since I do not have any children yet myself, and therefore no way to really show how I'd do it, I've been saving links of different ideas from around the blogosphere. Here's what I've come up with.

Keeping their work:

Blue Cricket Design :: a hanging file folder for every year of school, with a picture of the child and their name written, by them, on the front of each folder

Super Organiser Mum :: a binder with page protectors, holding the art with a label indicating when the work was created

Sunny Side Up :: letter boxes // Erin also scrapbooks, so she includes the important pieces in her children's books she creates

Delightful Order :: expanding file box

Home Grown Hearts Academy :: keepsake boxes

a bowl full of lemons :: another binder system

iHeart Organizing :: another filing box

Better Homes & Gardens :: {video} how to decide what to keep & how to store it

Buttoned Up :: if you're looking for a quick and easy way to store things every year, purchase a school.files to get their work "buttoned up"

Displaying their artwork:

Clean & Scentsible :: clipboards

Positively Splendid :: cables

a thousand words :: take photos of the artwork and create a collage

a little of this, a little of that :: clips on a wall

Random Thoughts of a Supermom! :: another cable system

My thoughts:

Working in a classroom last year, I did learn a few things about saving children's work:

• periodically go through their work, or if they can make decisions on their own, let them go through it -- if you save it all year and do this at the end, you'll be overwhelmed and want to keep a lot more than you want to
• because I was at an art-focused school, we had to keep all of the students' art work all year so it could be put in the art show at the end of the year -- to keep 23 students art, we used a large Rubbermaid tote box to "file" their work, which was nice because it could fit all sizes of art

Always being a teacher on the inside, I kept my school work myself ever since I was in elementary school. I stored it in a drawer and only kept the stuff I thought was special and unique (as in, not everyone colored the same exact apple tree...not unique). I found all of my treasures this last Christmas at my dad's house and have since brought it back to Utah with me. It's fun for me to be able to see what I wrote about and created in school, and also inspires me for things I can do with my students. I'm glad I was in charge of keeping my school work because everything (with the exception of a few) that I kept, I love. And the things my parents kept, they love...and they can keep it (or trash it) because I don't want it.

I think when I have children of my own, I'll keep their work in a filing box. Any really special art, I'll keep for them. Everything else I think I'll photograph and create a collage (like the picture created above). Or perhaps I'll create a photo book through Snapfish. We'll see.

How do you store your child's school work and art?