Thanksgiving Phone Wallpaper

It's here! Thanksgiving week! Time to hang with family, eat delicious food, enjoy bloody marys (if you're anything like my family), and maybe run a turkey trot or watch the Macy's Day parade. Happy happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Just save this image to your phone & enjoy!

6 Habits for Surviving the Holidays as a Teacher

Before we even get to the tips, a few teacher buds and I are spending the week sharing our favorite tips for getting through this crazy time. Stop by all week + enter our giveaway!

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1) Focus on the BIG picture.
This time is crazy hectic. It just is. But when I start each day with a little She Reads Truth over coffee, I feel the Holy Spirit within me. Not just for the moment, but for the day. It sticks with me and reminds me that I am here to serve those kiddos. (even as a not-currently-in-the-classroom-teacher). They need you. They need your patience. Starting the day off by pointing you in the right direction makes a world of difference. (Truth moment - this isn't easy. I have to force myself to stop and read, but I pray that one day I won't have to force myself and that it will become something I need).

2) Rely on your friends.
Teacher mentors, Lucy Calkins, you fave teacher bloggers. These are the people I turn to when life gets insane. Embrace the insanity and find ways to steer your kiddo's enthusiasm into some good ol' fashioned learning. Find great activities that fit your curriculum and use them to keep your learners engaged. Check out some of my favorites here, here, and here!

3) Stick with it.
Just because I recommend embracing some fun activities, does not mean get off schedule. Stick to your routine! Kiddos crave structure. Even if Writing doesn't look like writing, call it writing and do it during your writing time. It helps keep structure and expectations in your schedule.

4) Don't be scared to laugh.
You're reaching that time in the year where you know your kiddos. They know you. Show them the real you. Don't be scared to laugh, make mistakes, and get messy. January is all about building back those expectations. Use this time to build relationships and gain their trust. You'll never regret it.

 5) Stay organized.
Keep with it. Always hand out student papers as soon as you get them. File away papers the second you get back into your room. Delete e-mails once they are no longer necessary. Don't get bogged down. Stay on top of those piles and you won't feel the weight of this season (This coming from a woman who hides stacks upon stacks under her desk... but it's still a goal that I reach for! You can do it too!)

Save this image to your phone!

6) Surround yourself with pretty reminders.
Grab this weekly reminder and save it as you iPhone wallpaper. Then stop back by my blog every Sunday for a new one. It reminds you to keep hustling and remember that YOU ARE AWESOME. You've got this teacher friends!

Now hop on over to my dear friend Martina's blog! She's sharing some other amazing tips with you today :)

Weekly Inspiration

 Preach.

Happy November! Save this image and make it your phone wallpaper!

Weekly Inspiration

It's not even November, but some days you just need some reminders to be thankful. For everything.

Save this image to your phone and use it as your background!

What Does the Turkey Say?

It's been about a year since the iconic What Does the Fox Say?  song came out.  Although we were living in Spain during this time, we still heard the song everywhere we went.  Ohh silly Spaniards.


So, feeling inspired, I decided to create a silly activity {you can also read about it >>here<<} that would be perfect for this time of year.  I need super engaging activities to keep my 4th graders focused.  Not just anything will do.

SO, enter James.  James is a nice turkey struggling to make his way home for Thanksgiving Break.  He accidentally crash lands in the Carnivora's front yard during a horrible blizzard.  The Carnivoras offer to take James in until the storm clears up, but as the weather worsens and nobody can leave their homes, it looks like James may be tonight's dinner!  What should everyone do?  This fun mini unit includes newspaper articles for your class to read and respond to, a ~WORKING E-MAIL~ address for them to send their opinions to, a turkey craftivity, and MORE!

 Grab this silly, fun, and engaging activity in my TpT Store for just $2.50!!  

And for the next three days it will be 20% off!  

Go!  Now!  Why wait?!

Cheers!  TGI{almost}F!

Why I Heart Election Day This Year

Y'all... I've always had to work on Election Day.  I've never had school off - BUT, I DO this year.  A Tuesday off school is more than needed right now.  Like - it could not have come at a better time.  EVER.

This mid-Fall slump is hitting hard.  I'm in survival mode and am living day to day off pizza, to-go coffee, and school lunches.  Thank goodness for school lunches.

That's as large as coffees come.

I mean, who has time for this?

Or for blisters?

My lessons are mediocre and uneventful.  Which isn't a bad thing.  Every teacher knows each lesson can't be magical and earth shattering.  They just need to get the job done.  But engagement level is low.  And I needed (LET ME REPEAT - NEEDED) today.  This glorious day.  To pin new ideas to Pinterest, drink coffee in my jammies, and snuggle a little extra longer with my hubby before he scuttled off to work.

And after my day of classroom soul searching, I am ready to come back and share some great stuff with y'all.  Be sure to stop back by later this week for some updates on what's going on in our classroom!

Cheers!