Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Book Club Details!!

http://thinkingofteaching.blogspot.com.es/

Interested in joining a book club??  Want to research ways to balance your literacy schedule??  Join us for a book club, starting May 23rd!  We will be reading 100 Minutes by Lisa Donahue.  You can get some more information in the video below!  {Heads up- it's 33 minutes long} But it will give you a great idea of what you can expect from the book!  Learn more the book club here!

http://www.amazon.com/100-Minutes-Making-Minute-Literacy/dp/1551382768

What are you waiting for?  Go grab yourself a copy!



Monday, April 28, 2014

Activities for the End of the School Year

 I don't know about you, but the end of the school year is always packed with stuff- and not all of it is "learning" stuff.  It's challenging to figure out how to spend time in between celebrations and field days while still holding student's attention.  There are MANY great ideas bouncing around the blogisphere and I thought I would share some that I have found.  These activities and ideas are not mine originally, but they are ones I have found online and from bloggers and that I feel are good and helpful ideas.  Be sure to follow my Pinterest Board to keep up with ideas as they are shared!

- Find out about six engaging projects you can do, here!

 
 - WOW, this website has lists upon lists of different things you can do!  Create a "Boring" lesson or play the Mystery States Game!

- A TV commercial?  Learn more about it here

- Have you ever let students choose their own homework?  What a good way to keep them motivated!  Learn more about that and MORE at About.com.

- Host an Expert Symposium and invite other classes to observe!  Find 11 more brilliant ideas here




- Think about the year as a class.  What do students need to "survive" the grade level?  Create a Survival Guide to pass down to younger classes or keep as a classroom book.
- I also LOVE the idea of creating a time capsule or stage a service project!  Find out more about these ideas from Scholastic!

- And what better way to get students ready for Summer than to create a Summer calendar!!  Check out that and more here!
 I hope you were able to pull together some fun ideas and activities to make the end of the school year effective and enjoyable for everyone!  Don't forget to follow my Pinterest Board to get caught up on new ideas and activities!! 


 

Friday, April 25, 2014

100 Minutes Book Study!


What are your feelings on continuing your education?  Have you started taking extra classes?  Getting another degree?  Getting a PhD?  Or are you more like me and just ready for a good old fashioned book club?

I am a huge fan of book clubs- in the classroom, in the school, and in the real world.  There's nothing that says "I'm a reader!" like being part of a book club.  Are you interested in joining a book club?  Well get excited because Beth from Thinking of Teaching is hosting a book club!  Me and some other amazing bloggers will be co-hosting as we read through the book, 100 Minutes.  Are you a Daily 5 teacher?  A workshop teacher?  A "what works for my class" teacher?  No matter what type of teacher you are or what you believe in, you can take something away from this book.  I am looking forward to discussing, sharing, and picking through this book.  Whether you agree with Lisa Donahue or not, come join us... I think that's what makes a great teacher.  Picking and choosing what you believe and what can work in your classroom.  And knowing why you do what you do- and most importantly- why you don't do what you don't do.  And by sharing your thoughts and feelings with us and other bloggers and blog readers, we can grow as professionals and educators.  Think you're ready to join?  Go grab yourself a book!  You can pick it up from any of the stores below!  {I recommend Stenhouse or Pembroke because they're the cheapest I've found!}  We'll start May 23rd so you have PLENTY of time to pick up a book!


 Stenhouse Publishers (The cheapest I've found!!)



And in honor of this celebration, Beth is hosting a giveaway.  You can pick up your own copy of the book for FREE if you win!  Be sure to enter below :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can't wait to get started!!



Wednesday, April 9, 2014

The Traveling Teacher Checks In

I really feel like I should change the name of my blog these days... The Traveling Teacher really would be more fitting {as a side note, do you know that in British English the word traveling is spelled with TWO l's?  Travelling just doesn't look right}.  I am LOVING travelling {ha! sorry!} around the world these days.  And I really do feel like using the word "world" to describe my travels is fitting(ish).  In the past two months my hubby and I have been all over our Spanish Island, Mallorca, to Barcelona, Madrid, Belgium, London, and Georgia, USA.  In TEN days we will head to France {ahhhh!} and visit Paris and the Champagne country for our {please pretend I'm shouting right now} HONEYMOON!!  What a year this has been :) 

Our travels up until have been uh-mazing.  In every city we visited we ate delicious food, explored museums and enjoyed the"feel" of that particular city.  They all have a "feel" ya know?

I'm looking forward to hanging here for the next ten days... getting work done, sharing what I've been learning about teaching ESL, and unpacking and clean-clean-cleaning!

Just a few pics from our journeys.
And speaking of traveling, I have to admit to y'all, one of my fave places to visit is VEGAS!  Annnd, speaking of Vegas-  Who else will be attending the TpT conference this July?  I am getting sooo excited to be there.  I'll be getting in Wednesday and spending Thursday at the Conference on Differentiated Instruction.  Anyone want to join me for dinner and a drink on Thursday evening?

And in other news... I have something new and exciting in the works!  Be sure to stop by later this month for more details :)

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

April Currently {Traveling to the States!!}

Y'all... my hubby and I are heading back to the States for a long weekend and I am sooo excited to go back and speak English, have drinks TO GO {these do not exist in Spain... sigh...} and eat an amazing hamburger.   My amazing friend, and my own Maid of Honor, is getting married this weekend.  I am having lots of fun with the Matron of Honor duties {but does anyone else hate the name we get?  Matron... OIY} and am ecstatic to be back for a long weekend :)  Want to see some travel pictures and details of the wedding??  Be sure to follow me on Instagram where I'll be posting all about it!!

So, all of that leads up to this month's currently!  Happy April, y'all!!  Have you said Rabbit three times today? 

Be sure to link up with the amazing Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade to join!! 


Listening... to a football {aka soccer} match completely in Spanish.  My hubby is watching it while I blog stalk, but it makes for a pleasant background.  And it's good to know what's happening in the world of football when I work with my kiddos tomorrow.  

Loving... my new "Muchas Gracis Por Todos" stamp!!  I found it at El Corte Ingles, our Spanish department store, and it means "Thank You For Everything".  I've been stamping up our wedding thank yous with it, which makes writing them all the better.  In all actuality, I like writing thank you cards... it gives me a chance to connect with your guests and really thank them again.  But that means my cards take twice as long to write... I'm taking a batch back to the states with me to mail.  {It's SO much cheaper that way!!}... And yes, that is a stamp of mine and my husband's face...


Thinking... what to pack- at least I already have my dress for the wedding chosen and at the bride's house ready to go!  

Wanting... a new dress for the rehearsal dinner.  I have one that is a "tried and true" dress.  But there's just something about a new dress.  Maybe I can find something before Friday...

Needing... to print/prep/and finalize everything.  My least favorite part about traveling, but arguably the most important.  Flying in Europe can be super cheap, at a price.  RyanAir has great flights for realllllly cheap- as long as you're willing to print, stamp, pack, and work for your tickets.  It's totally worth it but still a pain.  Does anyone have any trips for this part of traveling??  

Hours and Last Day... My normal day begins around 8 and goes until noon.  Then we have lunch and a siesta {either at school or at home} and then return for school from 3-5.  It makes for a long day but I do enjoy my break/ plan time in the afternoon.  My last day as an ESL teacher is May 31st, although my schools must continue due to the teacher strike that they've been battling. 

Btw... I am so happy that I didn't have to "celebrate" April Fools Day today.  Spain celebrates a similar day in December, so I was one lucky teacher today.  P.T.L.