2016 Teacher Blogger Retreat...AMAZING

How do you wrap up an amazing weekend of networking, friendship, motivation, and fun into a blog post?  I am not sure, but I am going to try!  This was my first year attending the Teacher/Blogger Retreat, and I certainly hope it won't be my last.  

A look back...

5:30 a.m. DEPARTURE 

In order to arrive on time, we had to start our adventure early...but look at these smiling faces!  My travel companions, Molly at Miss K's Little Rays, Stephanie at School Days with Steph, and Sara at Life in the Fast Lane.

12:30 p.m. Let the fun begin!!!

I am looking back and realizing I was horrible with pictures!  Our afternoon started off with the amazing Holly from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections!  The room at French Lick was filled with awesome teachers some who I felt I knew because I read their blogs and Instagram and some I met for the first time!

Holly shared a video made by Chad at the Male Kindergarten Teacher,  What is passion?  Passion is what its all about and it was also the them for the weekend.  Take your PASSION and make it HAPPEN!!

We also got to hear from Amy at TPT!  It is amazing to me that a company like TPT is so invested in the people who actually work in the classroom!!!  Amy was awesome to listen to and a great keynote speaker.

One of the big highlights for me was the round table sessions!  I loved that we got to go to four 15 minute sessions.  I picked four different topics, Twitter, Brag Tags, Writing, and Tech in the Classroom.  These are all things I want to incorporate into my room and I learned just enough to get me started...as well as have the resources to assist me.  I will be sure to blog about all of these separately as I don't want to forget the information.

Another great highlight was the grade level teacher gift swap!  Everyone who brought a gift sat in a circle...a huge circle and we passed gifts, while playing musical gifts.  I got a Paper Pro Stapler from an awesome teacher, whose name unfortunately I didn't get.  I love it!

You hear of the stars getting swag bags at the award shows, well thanks to the great sponsors we got to feel like stars for the day!!!  We were able to fill a bag of great teacher gifts.

After an afternoon of inspiration and motivation, we took a little break to experience 

the French Lick Resort. We had a great dinner at the Power Plant Pub and even checked out the Casino, where we didn't win:(

After a little relaxation it was time to get our 80's on!!!  A huge thank you to GoNoodle & TPT for sponsoring a fun night out.

As I type this I am getting lots of help from my favorite three year old, so this isn't the best but it is my life!  My reflection in one sentence....I am so grateful to be a teacher and grateful to have had this opportunity to hang out with teachers who get it!!  

I am ready to take my passion and make it HAPPEN!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Holly is an amazing lady, with some amazing friends that pull off an AMAZING event!!!  But I think Holly would agree, there must be a huge shout out to the sponsors as well!!!  The following companies value the work we do on a daily basis and for that I am sending a big cyber hug and some love!!!  Please support these sponsors!

The following sponsors LOVE to support educators!

 

   
  

 

  

    

 

  

Wanna know what others have to say about this event?  Check them out!!!!

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Peek at My Week

Ahhh Monday!!! How I love you when you are not a work day!?! That's right NO SCHOOL for this teacher, thanks to Casimir Pulaski!!!

My teaching bestie, Molly, at Miss K's Little Ray's and I are sharing what our week looks like! It's a fun short week in the kinder/first hall!!!

ELA: We are working on Dr. Seuss again!!! This week we will see what happens when The Cat in the Hat Comes Back! Our spelling words will have the final "th"!

MATH: Addition word problems are in the air and we are choosing the best strategies!!!

Science/Social Studies: we will continue learning about Weather, while also learning about close reading! We will also learn about our core value, COURAGE!

WRITING: We will work on picking our favorite parts of the story, while also fine tuning our sentence writing skills!!! All of this leading up to next week, when we compare and contrast the adventures of the Cat and the Hat!!!

That is a quick look at our short week! What are you doing in your room???? Don't forget to check out what Molly and her little rays are up to!

Sunday Sccop

A Sunday Scoop with a Monday off, AMAZING!!! So that means I'll get it all done right???

HAVE: The laundry looks like it blew up!! Seriously, there are only 2 of us!!! Spring fever is in the air and the need to clean and PURGE is real!!! Since the arrival of my little cutie, my car has become a hot mess!!! It really needs a little TLC!

HOPE: I have a few station activities I need prepped so they are ready to go! Joey and I have been together for 367 days and this coming weekend we will have separate mini vacays!! I know she is going to be in amazing hands but I still want to get her a few goodies from me!!!

LOVE: As much as I am worried & nervous about our first mini vacay away from each other, I am over the moon excited about meeting amazing teachers this weekend at the Teacher Retreat at French Lick!!! So excited!! 

There you have it, my scoop! Now head over to the 

& link up yours!! It is simple, easy, and most of all FUN!!!

PBIS Boot Camp First Grade Style

This is a late post, but one I really wanted to make sure I shared!!! Back in December, my team was asked to discuss initiatives to improve some of our identified behaviors.  We are a PBIS school and we are continuously working to reinforce our expectations.  We chatted about a boot camp and decided the first week back after Winter Break, was the prime time to hold it!!! 

My wonderful and talented teammate Stephanie took the green light and began planning!!! She ordered rewards, created schedules of the topics we would cover, planned the rotations, and even put together an Animoto showcasing Cafeteria expectations, starring my team!!!

What went well?

Our enthusiasm and commitment! We greeted students that first day in full "military" gear and about 98% of our firsties were on board to becoming First Grade cadets. 

How did it look?

The rotations were great. We have four teachers and we each took an expectation. Students rotated through and every first grader heard the same thing! Rotations were 20 minutes long and were repeated at the end of the week. The four major expectations that were showcased in the rotations were Hallway focus, Arrival, Dismissal, & Bathroom.  Each class covered classroom expectations individually. We also viewed the first grade teachers starring in the Cafeteria Expectations video, as individual classrooms. We gathered together in the gym and practiced Assembly Focus! Students had paper dog tags with each expectation, as the week progressed and students demonstrated their competence, they received a punch.  

How did we evaluate the success?

Students who had all their punches, graduated during our closing ceremonies that Friday!  At the closing ceremony, each graduating cadet was invited to the front of the room. They received official PBIS dog tags, as well as a camo pencil and bracelet.  In my class, 80% of my students graduated!!!

What would I do differently?

Try to incorporate the teaching of expectations even more! Including assignments and more hands on experiments.  More videos of the teachers!  The kids loved those! I would also create a plan for those students who don't graduate, allowing them the opportunity to also get all their punches in order to receive their real dog tags.

I loved that we set the stage and our firsties were engaged!!! This will definitely be an annua experience!!!

Currently

Love the 1st of the month!!! I also love me some Currently!

 Here is my Currently!!!

Listening: I am almost positive I won't be the only person listening to Chip & Joanna!!! I mean who doesn't love Fixer Upper!!!

Loving: I hit the student teacher LOTTERY!!! Ellie is amazing! She is teaching me so many things and is in the hearts of our fabulous firsties!

Thinking: I am one of those teachers that changes up her room, almost every year! Why!?!? Because I love it!!! I love making our room an extension of home. I am thinking about what I want to do next year!

Wanting: SPRING!! Yesterday, I went without a coat and today it's snowing:( Come on SPRING!!!!

Needing: A good tax return would be amazing and a nice stress reliever. The best stress reliever, however, would be our townhouse selling so Joey and I can get our new home!!!!

Polling Site: NO! We are not a polling site, we are locked up nice and tight. Scary that some schools are!!

Thanks for checking out my Currently!!! Head over to Farley at Oh Boy It's Farley and link up!!!!