Kindergarten Conference.....and November in pictures

Wow!  What a day!

I took the day off!

Well, kind of!

I spent my day in Orlando at the SDE Kindergarten Conference.

I'm telling ya, there is nothing better than hanging out all day with a bunch of kindergarten teachers!  

I learned SO MUCH!  

Oh...and here is just one of the wonderful presenters I saw today...

 Yes, that is THE DEANNA JUMP!  

What an inspiring and creative teacher!

I can't wait to use some of the wonderful ideas that she shared in my classroom.

So, that is how I spent my day!  I am one happy, but slightly overwhelmed girl right now!

Anywho...Can you believe that this is the last day of November?  Where did this month go?

We have been busy, busy, busy learning!  We are at that time of the year that I just love.  You know...the time of year when procedures have become habitual...when the classroom can pretty much run itself.  That time of year when you can just sit back and enjoy the "hum" of a classroom filled with fully engaged learners.  IT IS THE MOST HEAVENLY TIME OF YEAR.

Here are some pics of what we have been doing this month...

 Pattern Block Math Numbers from Making Learning Fun

 Seasonal Number Cover Ups

(leaves are table scatter from Dollar Tree)

(Number cards came from a blog, but I can't remember where. If you know, leave a comment that way I can give credit where it is due.)

 Ten Frame Building Cards

(leaves are table scatter from Dollar Tree)

 Seasonal Number Cover Up

(I love how this child incorporated patterning as well into the cover up game.)

 Native American Craft

(notice the patterned headband)

 Our cute turkeys

 Native American Head Bands

(notice the pattern on the front)

Fall Wreaths

The poem on the wreath was at our pocket chart center for them to practice reading.

(yellow paper plates and leaves from Dollar Tree)

Well, that's just a taste of some of our learning in November!  

Now onto December!  We will be kicking the month off with our Gingerbread Man Unit.

Do you have any cute ideas to use with The Gingerbread Man?  I would love for you to share.

Happy Blogging!

Ann

I'm Thankful

Hey there!

I know...I know...it's been awhile.

I would like to say that I have a good reason....but I don't!

Just life and work getting in the way...but it is all good!

I decided to take a few minutes to link up with Lyndsey.

She is hosting a fun linky party where you get to share what you are most thankful for right now!

So here goes....

#1  I am most thankful for my family.  It is so nice to come home and spend time with them.  We love to travel, play games, watch movies, and visit Disneyworld (we live way too close).

#2  I am thankful for my job...I love being a teacher!  Although I complain a lot about being exhausted and overworked....I know I wouldn't want to do anything else!  Teaching makes me happy!  Here is a pic of my home away from home.

#3  I am thankful that I have awesome friends who just happen to be my co-workers as well.  Here I am with Julie, Melody, and Mel...we are all dressed up in 50's gear for Melody's 50th birthday just this week (Don't you just love how her crown says she is 29?).

#4  Lastly, I am thankful for you...my blogging friends.  Blogging has completely changed the way I teach.

After teaching for 20 years I was feeling a bit...well...let's just say in a rut.  You know...same old...same old.  Then I found the blogging community.  All of you have inspired me to be a better teacher.  However, I do believe I have gone through 3 printers since I started blogging....anyone else have this problem?

Reading your wonderful ideas that you post on your blogs get me so excited about teaching.  I rush to school, eager to share with my team...and then they get excited too!  Thank you for inspiring me and my co-workers!

What are you thankful for?  Go link up with Lyndsey at A Year Of Many Firsts and share what you are thankful for.

Happy Blogging!
Ann

November Currently...and Overwhelmed

Hi all!

Wow!  It is November...already?

Where has the school year gone!

It seems like this school year is passing by so quickly for me...and I can't seem to fit everything in that I want to... or get caught up for that matter.  Ugh!!!!!

Anyhoo....it is that time again.

You know...Currently time.

Currently with Farley.

I thought I would at least take a moment or two for my little blog (who I have been terribly neglecting) to share what is CURRENTLY going on in my neck of the world.

So here goes...

Outside of teaching....did I mention that I have a family?  Yes, I have a wonderful husband who is so supporting of the astronomical amount of time I spend at school this year.  I have a intelligent/handsome son who is in middle school and a beautiful daughter who is in 2nd grade.

Does anyone feel like it is difficult these days to balance the expectations of home and school with all of these common core expectations?

I know I am currently living for the weekend because that is the ONLY time I really have to do laundry, clean house, and spend time with my family.  It seems that during the school week, I am so swamped between teaching, meetings, parent/teacher conferences, lesson planning, etc. etc. etc.  I come home and literally FALL into bed completely exhausted.

I keep searching for a happy balance...but I haven't found it yet.  I am sure it is out there...let me know if you have found it and please give me a clue of it's location.  LOL!

Enough of that!

Here are a few pics for you of what I have been doing in school...(unfortunately, I can't remember if I already shared these...blame it on the STRESS...so if I already did...please excuse me).

These images are of some of the Math Workstations that I have been using for the month of October.  Not sure at this moment where I got them from but I am sure I can search it down if you are truly interested (just let me know).

My students have been working on fluency to 5 and after giving assessments last week, I had 100% mastery.  I am so proud of them!  Now we are moving on number through 10.

Of course, I have to go in to school tomorrow to change out my math workstations.  If I remember, I will take pics and share the new workstations.

If you have stuck with me for this long post, thanks for reading!

Oh, and don't forget to link up with Farley and tell us what is currently going on in your life.

Until next time...

Happy Blogging!
Ann