Books! Books!! and more Books!!!

Well now that I have the opportunity to return to my favorite curriculum... if you haven't picked up on it yet it's 6th grade, it is time to refresh some of my teaching resources.  I get so many of my resource books from this wonderful business here in Arizona called Treasures 4 Teachers.  It's a non-profit organization which collects donations from businesses which can be recycled and repurposed by teachers for classroom use.  There is a section of resource books as you enter the facility and you can put as many as you can desire or select in a bag which you fill and it only costs $5 upon checkout.  Way in the back of the store is a section which is filled with items for free these include 3 ring binders in a variety of sizes, empty shoe, and tissue boxes, magazines, and other items.  This is a wonderful place for teachers here in Arizona to get their classroom set up and the resources we are in need of for pennies on the dollar.  I LOVE THIS PLACE.  It does require a $35 membership fee to be paid annually but, the savings is well worth it 5 times over!!  Because of this wonderful group, I have almost 2 cabinets full of teaching resource books, and not to mention the electronic resources I purchased from TeachersPayTeachers I am inundated with options of creative ways to teach the expected content.  Even with this abundance of resources I still find myself buying more.  I hate textbooks so I do everything in my power to find resources which will be engaging but not found within the permabond covers of a textbook which here in my district are at least 15 years outdated.  Here are pictures of the new treasures I purchased through Amazon and Carson Dellosa to help revamp and rejuvenate my curriculum.

Here are some of the new books for my collection.  These will be used for my Social Studies curriculum because here in Arizona we focus on Ancient Civilizations for 6th Grade.  This content is why I love 6th grade so much.  There are so many different projects and ideas that come from this content which is rich in content, history, and culture it is really engaging for the students.












I am really excited to use Interactive Notebooking this year.  I have already asked my administration for 6 composition books for each of my 35 students because we all know they will not buy enough or the ones you are expecting no matter what you put on the back to school supply list.  So, to appease my Type A issue, I made sure they had exactly what I wanted to ensure success upon utilizing this strategy to learn the expected content.

Finally, I want to use more differentiation since students show their "What I Know" different ways.  So, in turn, I am planning on using the option of Menus for performance assessments.  I plan on using a lot of performance assessments next year.  This allows a lot of integration, cross-curricular, and problem-solving strategies to come into play.  Along with my wonderful opportunity to create a paperless classroom with Google Chromebooks next year I cannot wait to get started.  I know I am going to drive my teammates crazy with everything I want to implement.  I know I need to do it in steps and little chunks at a time but, I think by mid 2nd trimester we will be in a great rhythm and the students will show wonderful growth and retention of the expected content.

I am so excited for this next school year to get started... now if I could just get my Donor's Choose project funded I will have an amazing year to the wonderful start so far...

I'm Back!!

Well, that didn't last long!!!

I know I have been absent from my own blog but, when your heart really isn't in the content you are teaching it's kinda hard to write on it.  I love teaching and that is what kept driving me this past year.   I don't know what it is about the 4th grade age group but, wow their mouths don't stop.  In the past, with my 6th graders, yeah they talked, a lot of time when it wasn't warranted but, seriously I these 9-10-year old mouths/jaws should be exhausted because they were non-stop last year!  I liked my team and there were some highs last year but getting used to a whole different age group, curriculum, school, and administration did not leave a lot of time or drive to keep up on my posting.... and for that, I apologize  - to those who actually read my ramblings on...

Now I am excited and rejuvenated for the next school year.  This will be the first year I will be teaching in a contained 6th grade class since my 1st three years of teaching 6th grade was semi-departmentalized in which I focused on ELA & Social Studies.  Now, I will be covering all subjects so I say ... Bring it On!!  My Pinterest boards have been getting refreshed with new content and removal of some old (4th grade Social Studies especially).  I will keep quite a bit of what I did with my 4th graders this past year as a resource for interventions and scaffolding for content which some of my lower students may not have mastered as expected before entering  6th grade.  Planning has begun and it has created quite an excitement for me.   I LOVE 6th GRADE... the content and the kiddos.  I know there is the chance of great drama and anguish but, I deal with it really well and the kids seem to really get me at that age.

I already have my 1st activity of the 1st week of school planned ... I am going to do an Escape Room activity to help create teamwork, collaboration, and community with my new group of students.   I actually completed the activity with my summer school colleagues and  I LOVED IT!!  the thought process, critical thinking, and  challenge  presented  to get through the tasks to "Escape" was fun and gave a great sense of  accomplishment when you were able to solve a series of problems which in turn allowed you to earn your freedom.  Along with this activity will be a series of community building activities which will segway into starting the book Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  I fell in love with this book last year and want to have my 6th graders read it and implement many of the teachings and lessons which are integrated with the book towards our classroom environment.  This will also allow us to have a field trip in November when the movie is released in theaters to see it on the big screen then compare/contrast between the book and the movie.   Anytime I can use a movie to enhance a lesson I am all over it!!  Mary Poppins for setting being a background character, a montage of Disney movies to help hone in theme, comparing/contrast the literature to the movie... all that fun to help solidify the expected content is one of the many tools in my arsenal to help my students achieve success for the year.

See, I jump from one area to another because I am that excited to get the 2016-2017 school year started and back to my wonderful and delightful 6th grade.  I cannot wait and I will try to make this a better habit ...  I need to reflect and grow and this platform will give me just the avenue to do this.

On another note, I have decided, along with 2 other colleagues to pursue our National Board Certification.  Please pray for me as I begin this journey...  hopefully I will still retain my sanity and some hair when it is all done.

In the Blink of an Eye

I cannot believe it is here.  My first teaching class is promoting today.  It seems just like yesterday this rambunctious group of preteens was entering my class for the first time to begin their 6th grade year.  Now, they are receiving their promotion certificates and moving on to high school.

There was my one-star student who was quiet and a hard worker.  I persuaded her to run for Student Council President at the end of that year and won.  She is now promoting as Salutatorian of her class, as well as receiving a $500 scholarship to use in her high school's bookstore for the next school year.

Then there was another student who devoured all my books.  It seemed like every weekend I was on the search for a new book to help keep her on the path of deeper and appreciative reading.  She has a very good head on her shoulders and is a natural leader.  I convinced her to run for Student Council President last year and she won.  So, I was lucky to continue to work with her and watch her grow into an amazing and intelligent young lady.  Today she will be speaking before the audience as the Valedictorian of her class and was accepted into a prestigious College Prep academy here in Phoenix to help guide her to the boundless opportunities set before her.

Finally, the hardest one to release into the academic world.  My one student who I have become closest to these past three years.  Not only with her but with her entire family.  I know I will be in constant contact with her and her family even after she leaves the school, but not having the daily interaction will her will be a little strange.  She has worked hard her entire Jr. High experience.  Last year, her father's job took them to another state for a full quarter, so when they returned and re-enrolled at our school it was an uphill climb to catch back up to her class.  She was constantly involved in many extra-curricular activities.  She was involved in the Student Council all three years, the last two as Treasurer.  Participated on the volleyball and basketball teams. Even with all this going on she kept in mind her career goal and will finally find out tomorrow if she is accepted into her preferred high school, which is a preparatory high school for fire and police careers.  She has overcome great scholastic hurdles to the point she is exceeding or meeting all her curriculum subjects to ensure her acceptance.  I truly cannot wait to see what she accomplishes in her life because it will not be short of amazing!

These are only three stories of the 52 students who I had the privilege of teaching their 6th grade year and I am undeniably proud of each and every one of them.  I know they have their whole life before them and will make some mistakes but, they will do some phenomenal things as well.  Watch out for these kids... I know they will change the world and have an amazing impact on anyone they come in contact with from here on out.

Congratulations Jorgensen Class of 2016 ... and high school class of 2020 ... you have made me one proud teacher!!!

What a difference time makes....

Well, I stand corrected.  I am no longer going to be teaching 4th grade.  I am no longer going to be at the school I have loved for the past 3 years.  I have been fortunate to be retained by my current school district, but have been transferred to another school and I will be teaching ... 6th grade.  I am extremely happy that I will continue to teach the curriculum I have grown into.  The big difference taking place is my new school is not departmentalized in the 6th grade.  So, I will have to adjust my thinking and planning to working with the same group of students every day and teaching all the subjects.  I have mixed feelings on this issue.  For the past 3 years, I have either taught ELA/Social Studies or Math/Science, but never all of them in one day to only 26 students.

So, my new adventure begins.  I will dearly miss my small community school and my students I have loved and interacted with for the past 3 years.  I will have to get accustomed to new surroundings, the expectations of a new administrator, and the climate of a new group of students.  I am hoping to meet with my new principal soon so I can begin planning and gearing up for the 2016-2017 school year.  I hope with this new opportunity comes with wonderful chances to make new and even more fantastic memories.

Let's see where this leads....

My Deepest Apologies!!!!

    My wonderful friends, first off I need to ask your forgiveness for my lack of posting over the past school year.  But, as you can tell by the title of my blog I WAS a first year teacher.  I rationally thought I would be able to keep on top of everything and be able to regularly keep you all up to date, but alas I was not.
So, to aprise you of my status thus far.  I did end the school year wonderfully with signing a new contract for the 2014-2015 school year.     There is one great change, I was fortunate to stay on in the 6th grade, but I will be teaching Math & Science next year.  I really enjoyed teaching Language Arts and Social Studies (especially since I am a book hound and I adore teaching about Ancient Civilizations) -- I am ready for the challenge.  So, with my eyes and mouse constantly on Pinterest I think I am beginning to feel that I am ready to meet the task before me.  I also am going to be working with a new teammate.  One of our 4th grade teachers moved up to 6th grade and I am excited.  We have already begun collaborating and getting things planned for the insuing school year.
Along with having to recreate my curriculum from last year I have also been asked to be the advisor for the Student Council.  So, I have to get things ready to help ensure success for our future government leaders and help raise money to better our school community.

    Now on my enourmously growing to do list...

• Paint my classroom (it is 1/3 of the way done - I am painting it a calming and delightful color called "Sea Glass"
• Finish printing the the rest of EngageNY 6th grade Math Modules...our district has recommended them for a resource and has incorporated it into our Curriculum Maps
• Finalize my Math syllabus (I luckily have finished my Science one)
• Finish completing my bulletin boards for Meet the Teacher night.
• Get volunteers for our Scholastic Book Fairs (we scheduled it for Meet the Teacher night to boost sales and encourage parents to buy their students books to start the year off).
• Finish my schedule for the Student Council workshop that I will be advising the week before school.
• and there is so, so, sooooo much more!!!

So, my friends again I apologize for not making a better presence on my first attempts of blogging.  But, now I kind of know what to expect I will make a better effort on entering my adventures for these first few years of teaching.

AHHH-MAZING!!

I got really excited about something on TV this evening.  My husband has this knack of forcing me to watch CNN, and finally it paid off for me.  I was so stoked when they reported on the discovery of the lost Egyptian port city called Heracleion.  My wheels got spinning because my part of the 6th grade curriculum next year is ELA & Social Studies - and the focus is on ancient civilization.  This will be a great addition to my unit on Ancient Egypt.  I am already thinking of activities, writing prompts, and reflections that correlate to this great discovery by the underwater archaeologist, Frank Goddio.  If you want to see all the pictures posted on his website about the discovery thus far follow the link below....

Lost Egyptian port city of Heracleion

Here are a few of the engaging pictures I want to include in my unit plans...

I cannot wait to get the lessons on this unit created, this is such an great opportunity to share with my students how the world is full of treasures & lessons.

Let it begin

Well the paperwork is in, and my staff badge has been made.  Today I sat down with my new boss and discussed the plans and expectations for the ensuing school year.  The discussion was not as formal because I spent the past semester working with her during my student teaching tenure.  Within this conversation I learned that the format for the 6th grade would be changing.  My cooperating teacher and I will be each teaching 2 subjects, and I opted for Language Arts & Social Studies.  This new format will cause the 6th graders to get used to the changing of classes that comes with Jr. High.  I welcome this new process because this means less lesson planning for me.  Only having to focus on 2 subjects rather than all the subjects allows me to ensure all required content is covered.  Of course I will be implementing a cross-curriculum method, incorporating the Math and Science my partner teacher will be focusing on will help create a well rounded learning environment.  I left my meeting with the Principal with the curriculum created by the district.  With this arsenal in my hands I am not beginning to start curriculum map.  It will be nice to come with an idea already in line when I finally sit down and plan with my new 6th grade teaching partner.

After much research on the internet for curriculum map templates, I decided to create my own.  I downloaded an adorable universal border and using a table started the blueprint to begin planning my first year of teaching.  Below are the forms I created to begin this process.  Since I am only focusing on Language Arts and Social Studies I only created 4 templates - one each for Reading, Writing, Speaking/Listening & Language, and Social Studies.  Using this will help me get the year in line so I am not trying to scramble to make sure I cover all the required content to ensure my students are successful and ready for 7th grade.

  

The Countdown Begins

T-minus 7 school days and counting.  Yesterday my soon to be boss approached me and advised me she ordered me a classroom library kit.  I thought that was a nice gesture for my impending first year teaching.  But, little does she know I am a bit of a book hound and already have quite a bit of money already budgeted into building my classroom library.  It will be nice to see which books come in this order, she informed me all three different reading levels were included in the kit, but now the fun begins & I get to implement different pieces of literature within this grouping.  I have been checking out quite a few different blogs and websites trying to ascertain proper reading material for my new students and trying to build my library using those lists as a baseline.  On top of the recommended reading for 6th grade, I am also going to incorporate higher level 4th & 5th grade reading books along with lower level 7th grade books to ensure I am giving each student an opportunity to get their hands on a book they can read, understand, and enjoy.  I really want to impart my enjoyment of reading to my students and make my classroom a literature rich environment.