What I Wore Wednesday-Teacher Edition2

Here is this weeks peek at my outfit of the week. This happens to be a bad picture but hey it's not about my expression or lack of one it's about the clothes.

I'm wearing brown and cream striped slacks from New York and Company along with a cream blouse from New York and Company. This was super comfortable all day long. I was even happy about the long sleeves by the end of the day since we had a fire drill and it was FREEZING cold outside today since it rained.

In other news...

OMGosh, this school year is really wearing me out! I'm not complaining though because I am having a GREAT time with my new little friends. It's only been FOUR weeks and I already feel like we have learned so much and that they have grown to be a tad bit more responsible than they were. These are all GREAT things but they also cause me to be TRIED TRIED TRIED by the end of the day.

I hope you guys are having a wonderful school year also!

Top 10 Award

I'm a tad bit late posting about this topic but I must thank a couple of my fellow teacher bloggers Jess from Rambling about Reading and Chistine from Hopping into First Grade for awarding me with the Top 10 Blog Award. A year ago when I started this blog I never thought I would have people reading about the things going on in my classroom. Heck I never thought people would be interested in ME at all. Lucky for me I was wrong! But more than anything I'm so grateful to have all of your wonderful blogs to read everyday and to keep me encouraged.

What I Wore Wednesday-Teacher Edition

A couple weeks ago a really good friend of mine asked me to start blogging about what I wear to work. I didn't really understand why that was important. After she explained to me that she is a member of a fashion board (she is a merchandise major) and the one thing that always comes up from non members is "What should a teacher wear to work?" So I've decided that I'm going to do her a BIG favor and blog every Wednesday on what I wore to work. Please know that the outfit may not be from Wednesday every week but hey I wore it to work so that's all that matters. If you want to join in on this I'll post a linky tool next week.

Here is my outfit of the week



This dress was super comfortable and the cardigan was the pop of color I needed.



Missing "N" Action Blogger Update

Hey all!!! These last two weeks have been ALL KIND OF CRAZY! I did three weeks of professional development spent some of those days in my classroom. I've showed you some of the in progress pictures but the following is the finished product. I think out of the five years I've been teaching this is my FAVORITE classroom set up EVER! I owe most of that to your guys.

A view from the door

Library Area

Library area/leveled books in the back/behavior chart and common core stands from Deanna Jump

Up close of the same board

Spelling Words/ Word of the Day and Daily Rotation Chart

Math Tubs and Word Work table

Writing Center

Listening Center

Read to someone center (books are inside of seat)

Pendant Banner (The Inspired Apple)

Board in the hallway

Up close of the Gumball Machine

The top of my students desk. (D.O.T. Binder, Math Folder, Data Folder, Math Journal and Poetry Journal)

Front Cover of D.O.T. Binder (you can download this cover at my TpT store

So that is my classroom for the 2011-2012 school year! My students really have been enjoying everything about the room. I'm sure there is something I missed but I'll take a picture of anything else I think you guys should see.
I want to share my first day of school tonight but I see this post is already to LONG so I'm going to make a posting. Be on the look out for a review of my first week back at school.

Where It All Goes DOWN Wednesday-Classroom Pictures

This isn't going to be the BEST post. Why? You might ask. Well it's because my classroom ISN'T finished yet. That's not a bad thing though, school doens't start until September 6 so I still have some time. Infact I've been in my class for a total of five or six hours. Below you are going to find some before pictures and some in progress pictures. I'll do a update once the room is completed.

The MESS I call my classroom (before pic)

Above the board are the colors. On the board is my book report chart, birthday chart and on the lower left hand side is where the students will turn in homework and classroom. The cute little sign came from Teaching In Flipflops

"On The Spor Work"- This is where I will display student work. (Disregraurd my closet it's not in the best shape yet)

Word Wall! I really love this board. The letters came from Teaching in Flip Flops also!

Library Area. The books on the self are grouped by genre and the books on the small bookcase are picture books.

Where my pencils will live. I have three more sets to put out around the class.

These books sit by my guided reading table. They are leveled! Organization coming soon.

My board in the hallway. I'll post this again later because I'm adding a gumball machice in the center. Super CUTE!

Math Wall!!! I love Saxon Math!

Subtraction and Addition key words. From theteacherwife

So far that's it folks!!! I've only worked for a couple hours so I feel like I accomplished a lot in that small amount of time. The finished product COMING SOON!!!

Don't forget to HOP on over to Blog Hoppin' to see what the other GREAT teachers have to share with you today!

Teacher Talk Tuesday- Advice for New Teachers

It's the second day of Teacher Week 2011! I've read so many great things about my fellow teachers yesterday on Meet The Teacher Monday. It's great to get to know the "inside scoop" about you guys! Today I have some advice that I think would be great for ALL teachers not just NEW teachers.

1. Your students are going to LOVE you no matter what! When I first started teaching I dreaded giving my student repercussions when they did the wrong thing. Put I learned that even after being punished those students will STILL love you to pieces!

2. Always be prepared. NO be OVER prepared!!! It's great to have a lesson in your mind that would work great for your students. BUT you must remember that lessons don't always go as planned, take as much time as you planned, etc. So you MUST have a plan A, B & C.

3. Use your resources. When I say resources. I'm talking books and people. I know that when going to a new school it's best to have a teacher mentor that can teach you the ropes. Use this person wisely. Even if you don't get assigned a person seek out someone that can lend you a hand when needed.

4. Classroom Management- I believe this isn't a skill that can be taught. It's something that is learned through experiences.. Be willing to try new things in your classroom until you find something you are conferable with and something that allows ALL students an opportunity to succeed.

5. Organization/Time Management- Be thoughtful of others time when it has to do with meetings and other staff related things. In the classroom think more about transition times from one activity to another. We don't want to waste our time.

I think these are the top five most important things I would share. Hop on over to Blog Hoppin' to learn some other great things from freat teachers.

Meet The Teacher Monday- Teacher Week 2011

Welcome to my blog "Thirst for First". I've been reading educational blogs for about a little over a year now, I've learned so much from you awesome teachers. I hope you guys enjoy reading about the things I do in my classroom as much as I enjoy reading your blogs.
.

  This is me

My name is Takara, I'm 26 years old and I've been teaching for four years. This upcoming school year will make my fifth year in the classroom. I graduated in December with my Masters in Elementary Education and today I start my new Masters program in Administration and Supervision! I'm sure these next two years will fly by before I can complain to much about homework!

 Last year I was telling you how great my boyfriend was and how I was hoping for a proposal. Well it happened on April 9, 2011!! We set our date for November 17, 2012. That's our five year anniversary! I'm so excited to become his wife. I'm also having a ball planning our wonderful wedding!

                                          This is my favorite engagement picture

Now for the Q & A

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?                                             
A:I would own a daycare center. In fact I'm still going to pursue that in the near future!

Q: What are your hobbies?                                                                                    
A:  Well, well my hobbies are few and far in between. I love reading blogs, learning about natural hair, oh and I LOVE taking pictures of myself!                                                                

Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?                     
A:  I wanted to be ANYTHING but a teacher. Why? Because my mom was a teacher and I saw how much work she brought home!   

Q: What are your guilty pleasures?                                                          
 A: Ginger Ale, Real Housewives {all of them}, House, HGTV, and WE channel (I love those wedding shows)
Q: What is your biggest fear?!                                                               
 A: Not being needed and disappointing people I love

Q: When you’re on vacation, where do you like to go?                           
 A: Fort Lauderdale!!! I love it, but ONLY in November because that is when they have PERFECT weather.    
                                                      
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?                                                   
A:  My great grandfather always told me to believe in myself. Those words have stuck with me since the first time he spoke them to me. Because of him I'm never afraid to try something new.

Q: What do you value most in others?                                                                   
A:  Honesty, Loyalty & Dependability

Q: If you could choose one of your personality traits to pass down to your kids, what would it be?                                                                                                        
A: Being persistent, Once I put my mind to it there is NO STOPPING ME!

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world….living or dead…who would it be?                                                                                                       
A:  Jesus and my great grandfather "Pops"

Happy Teacher Week 2011! Be sure to stop by everyday this week!
Also hop on over to Blog Hoppin' to see all the other wonderful teachers that have linked up!