Back to Bloggin'

As I look through my blog, I've come to realize how much I have neglected it.  So many times, LIFE has gotten in the way.

Since my last post in August of 2013, I have become a grandmother to the beautiful Olivia.  My husband and I moved from our home of 20 years, the place where I raised my children, to a brand new home.  I graduated with my Master's Degree in Teacher Leadership.  We lost my beloved father-in-law to cancer.

Yep...life got in the way.

But life has also stayed the same.  I'm still a "former" fourth grade teacher.  I am still an instructional specialist at the same school.  And I still love teaching.

However, I think I may tinker with this blog just a bit.  I may just send more than ideas into the great educational internet void.  I might journal my thinking.  Maybe I'll rant!  Or maybe, I'll just make a list.

That's what I've missed about blogging the most...sharing what I want when I feel it.



So...I'm back!  I promise there's more to come!

Always,

My Two Cents on Pinterest and Twitter...

It has been one heck of a week!  Returning to school from summer break always seems packed with "have to dos"!!  I'm entering my second year as a campus instructional specialist and I still feel like a newbie and that it's just a matter of time before everyone finds out I'm in the wrong position!! But, I love working with teachers and helping them find out what works (and doesn't!) in their classrooms.

Now on to the reason for my post...

Pinterest and Twitter have been invaluable resources for so many educators.  Where else can you find exactly what you're looking for, in all content areas, without having to type 15,000 entries into Google search??  But many teachers, I feel, fail to use these social media sites effectively.  You may have a classroom loaded with Pinterest ideas, but do you really know why? 

I encourage all of you to take the time to investigate the ideas you gleam from Pinterest.  Don't just pin the idea without clicking on the link.  You may be surprised at what you find...and not in a negative way!  Links take you to the website the idea was originally pinned from.  Don't just look into the clicked idea, peruse the website.  Many of the ideas I initially pinned led me to new, exciting ideas on the same website!  It's also interesting to see why a teacher had an idea and how they actually use it in their classroom.  I'm always leery of using ideas that a teacher created, but has not used.  What is the purpose?  What are the results? What were the kinks that had to be worked out? If they don't know, then why would I try it???  It's great to have a cute classroom with 100 anchor charts, but did you use them the way they were intended?  What is the relevance in your classroom?

If you don't have a Twitter account, I highly suggest you get one.  Almost every educational institution, including local school districts, regions, colleges, and government educational agencies, have a Twitter account.  The great thing about Twitter is you don't HAVE to tweet to use it!  I follow so many blogs and educational accounts.  There always seems to be a link to follow full of ideas that I would have never seen on Pinterest or Facebook!!!  There may not be cute posters or colorful baskets to label, but Twitter keeps me updated on every day education news that I never see on a news website!  I can follow whomever I want.  It may be a classroom teacher tweeting about a new activity they've tried in their classroom.  Or a blogger with no cute pictures to pin.  But Twitter is happening NOW.  If a teacher posts to their Twitter, they are sharing an idea they JUST used!!!  I don't click on a five year old idea that is no longer relevant.  If an educational institution tweets, it's about what's happening NOW in education; not what happened in 1972!!!! Love, love, love it!!!!!

On to one of my many favorite Pinterest pins::::

Always,

Just sharing...

As an instructional specialist on my campus, I have the opportunity to write "creative" lesson plans for our teachers and students.  I don't do this for their classrooms; I do it for our Saturday Academy.  This is a special instructional time, where selected students get to learn skills they are struggling with in a "new" way.  I get to create games, and write unique plans.  Then, I have to gather the materials.  That's the hard part...I have to make foldables or game pieces for 7 classes of 10 students.  Time con-su-ming...and time is not what I have a lot of at the moment!!!

I wanted to share several foldables that our students have done.  Our 5th grade students are working on inferring (yikes!!) and our 4th grade students are working on revising and editing.  All are preparing for the first round of STAAR testing the first week in April.

Let's begin with a foldable and an anchor chart for FANBOYS.  These are the conjunctions students need to expand sentences.  They include For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So.

I did this activity with my small group first.  They looovvveeeddd it!! It's something they go back and tell their homeroom teachers!! Wow!

They have also worked on subject/verb agreement.  Here is a foldable we created:

Finally, here is the foldable we used for my 5th grade group to continue our work on inferring:

I truly believe that using creative ways to reach students, which includes creating fun foldables, reinforces learning and helps students gain ownership over what they need to know.  I love allowing students to use foldables to help them answer questions or create their own questions.

On a personal note, I am working on my Masters Degree in Teacher Leadership.  I am currently working on Student Motivation and Achievement.  Though I'm excellent at time management, I found myself, for the first time since I started in January, struggling to get motivated! HOW IRONIC! (Alanis Morrisette is playing in my head right now!)  However, I completed my assignment 5 hours before it was due.  So, at least I wasn't late. Hmph.

Here is a great quote from my the creator of my favorite cartoon characters, Calvin and Hobbes:


"You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet.  You have to be in the right mood.  What mood is that?  Last-minute panic"--Bill Watterson

My. Point. Exactly.

Always,