Fourth of July...and Teaching Tip for Today

Did you have a fabulous Independence Day?

Our's was quite memorable and this old dog actually learned a new trick!

Here is a peek at my new love...

See that brave woman in the water?  No, not the one standing in the water!  The one on the paddleboard?  Yep, that is me!  And the other cutie is my hubby.

This year my hubby decided to purchase paddleboards to rent on the beach when conditions are favorable.  Well, yesterday it was pretty much lake Atlantic out there.  I had been telling him that I would try one of those puppies out when I got a chance.

So of course I couldn't back out of it!  Even though I tried!

He said I did great for a newbie!

I only fell off once!  As soon as I realized that I couldn't touch the bottom, you should have seen how quickly I shot back up on that board.  I don't even want to think about what other unmentionables were lurking out there in that deep water.  I do believe I saw Bruce from Nemo.

But I have to admit!  What an experience!

It is so peaceful out there and the view of the coast is spectacular.  I can't wait until the conditions are favorable again; however, this time I need to wear a more flattering bathing suit.  Thank goodness this picture is from a distance or I don't believe I would have even shared it, but I know that I am amongst non-judging friends so I have nothing to worry about!

Here are a few more pics I thought I would share...check out the cuties in their new suits!

I just love these littles!  They make being an an adult so much fun because they know that I will act like a kid with them anytime!

Here is a pic of my hubby's business...

If you are ever in the Daytona Area, connect up with us!

Okay!  I really need to stop babbling...for those of you who stuck with my long windedness, here is my teaching tip for today.  It's simple but maybe it will help someone out there!

One of my biggest pet peeves in the classroom is SHARPENING PENCILS.

I don't know about you, but once my day has begun, I do not like to stop what I am doing to sharpen pencils. I don't know...maybe it's just that lovely sound that come out of that little gadget.  For me, it is kind of similar to sensation some get when someone runs their nails down a chalkboard!  I get that same curl up your spine, scrunch up your nose, want to hit something sensation!

 Furthermore, since I teach KINDERGARTEN, I am the only one in my room old enough, responsible enough, capable of using this machine.

Now, for those of you who don't teach this age group, just ask one of your kindergarten teachers at your school what little ones do with an electric pencil sharpener.  I promise, first you will relish the expression on their faces as they tell you about all the shenanigans a five year old can do with an electric pencil sharpener.

Anyway, since I despise this so much.  Here is what I do in my classroom.

First, after all the supplies have come in at the beginning of the year, I count my pencils into stack of 25 (Yes, remember I am diagnosed OCD...currently non-medicated too.).

I store them in a drawer near my teaching table.  Every Friday afternoon (before I go home), I sharpen two sets and have them ready for Monday morning.

On Monday, I pass one set of the freshly sharpened pencils to my table baskets and the other set goes in my pencil buckets similar to these found on pinterest.

You can find the free printable for these here.

Then, during the week if a child has a pencil that breaks or gets dull during the day, they quietly place the dull/broken one in the "Sharpen Please" bucket and then selects a new one from the "Ready to Write" bucket to be placed in the table basket.

This management system has worked for me over the past few years and HAS KEPT ME SANE TOO!

An added benefit, I have had the same electric pencil sharpener for the past FIVE YEARS!  I know, that is unheard of in the teaching world!

Oh great! Now I probably jinxed myself!  Watch it bite the dust on the first day of school!

Well that's it!  That's my teaching tip for today.

Do you have any pet peeves in the classroom?  Please share!

Until then, happy blogging!
Ann