Five for...Sunday....

I think I've determined I was never destined to create a really useful teaching blog. I'm more about blogging about my life and such. Hence why this is like my favorite linky right now. I think I'll have to create incentives for myself to post those more teachery things! :/

5. The lack of snow in the middle of the week really let me down! I live for winter time.... Getting the snow day was nice - first one in two years! - but without the snow, it just sort of rings empty, you know?

4. Testing started this past week.  I, much like the students, cannot wait for it to be over!! It's such terrible timing though - our marking period ends in two weeks, right before our spring break.  Testing will be going on for one more week.  I'm telling you, I don't think the end of the 3rd marking period was this quick or stressful last year!! D:

3. I saw the new Oz movie!! IT WAS SO WONDERFUL!  I very highly recommend it!  As an added bonus, the movie theater we went to had a bunch of fun stands to pose with! See below :)

2. This was after Friday, but since I'm late, I'm going to mention it anyway! A college friend and I went to go visit another college friend this weekend.  It was really nice to be able to meet up again twice in less than a month! We usually go months without seeing each other, so this was an amazing change of pace.  We spent a really relaxing night in and enjoyed good food, good company (of course), and good times.

1. One of my students, who I often struggle with because of his fluctuating attitude, said something Friday that stunned me.  A few were good-naturedly teasing me for my inability to play any of the ever-popular first-person shooter games like Call of Duty.  He exclaimed, "It's okay.  You're good at teaching!"  That's the first time he's ever said something like that to me, and it melted my heart, of course.  He's, on occasion, tried to provoke a reaction from me by telling me any other teacher he's had was the best teacher ever, so on and so forth.  So to hear him say that was extra special.

Let's Continue These Linky-Inspired Posts

In my email subscriptions, I've been seeing some of you do the Five for Friday, and that also has been making me want to come out of hiding!  I realize it is not Friday any longer, but I hope you'll forgive me. :) Link is attached to picture.  What a genius idea, btw!!!

1.) These week was filled with entertaining quotes from my babies. My two favorites were:

"I'm on your poopy list. That sucks."

and,

Male Student: Taylor Swift is dirty.
Me: (surprised) What do you mean?? I've never heard anyone say that before.
Student: In her new video, she's in this club and dances like this! (proceeds to swing around like TSwift in "I Knew You Were Trouble")

Oh child, I hope you always stay this way.  Not approving of girls behaving like that.

2.) Speaking of Taylor, I know you all have seen the Goat Versions of songs... well - on Tuesday, we started our Reading time with these videos.  We watched Taylor's (the most popular, so I shan't link it), then Justin Bieber's (shown below), and then found a hilarious One Direction version.  I actually had tears in my eyes by the end.  Needless to say, we had an entertaining Tuesday.  I shared this with the music teacher when I dropped them off, so they also ended Music with the Goat Remixes. Boy, was my class lucky that day!!

 

Sidenote: Anyone seen "A Pep Talk from Kid President"? Showed that to my class in January - we love it.  Still quote it.  "...and I love Space Jam..."

3.) Candy Crush Saga & Plants v. Zombies have become my obsession on my iPhone this week. It's awful.  Those free-apps apps that I downloaded (apps that feature free apps daily, to clarify) were the worst best decision I ever made. Just awful.

4.) I went to Chik-Fil-A for the first time since it was in my college food court this week with the music teacher, and we spent over an hour eating and talking.  It was so much fun!  I also drove up over the weekend to go to a goodbye party for a college friend.  It's reminded me I need to spend more time outside of myself.  Good life reminder this week.

5.) Ummm, I don't know! I really just wanted to share the first two things. Last week was a little more exciting, honestly.  More of my oldies came back to visit. But I won't cheat. Let's see...oh! Students had a chorus concert, and they sounded amazing! And on an equally delightful note, I officially have some favorite items to order at Panera.  Why is this exciting? Because I have loathed Panera since its existence. It's the little things in life, right?

And that's all folks!

Where Has The Time Gone??!

I am a terrible, terrible blogger, who has little to no excuse.  I planned out all these cool lessons that I could blog about, but pictures stopped me, because I somehow failed to get pictures of my favorite one! :( Sadface. 

I did get pictures of one activity though, and I should/probably could post it soon.  This year I've been trying out M.A.T.H. rotations as found via blogs/pinterest.  My kids LOVE it.  So do I, quite frankly.  The idea of getting to see each of my students on a small-group basis is awesome and so obvious.  Downside is that my math class isn't long enough to successfully squeeze in all rotations, transitions, and explanation of stations. So it eats up 1.5 days, and puts me behind schedule in comparison to my teammates. It's a whomp-whomp. Sadface again.

So, two things dragged me out of hiding:
1) ALL THE CURSED SPAM COMMENTS ON MY POSTS!!! Is anyone else plagued by this nonsense?! Because I am contemplating taking off the anon option / have the verification code thing, which I know no one likes. (I'm having Taylor Swift ticket-buying flashbacks that made me want to curl up into a ball and die. I hate you TicketMaster.)

2) Natch, Farley's "Currently."  I cannot resist a good rainbow (obviously). It's my favorite. I will return later today to fulfill the Rule of 3 (comments/love).

Loving - I feel like "weekend" = 'nuff said, but I'd like to just state for the record... I am really just loving life right now.  Teaching has been really good to me these last few years.  I've *knock on wood* had some of the best classes with the best kids.  My coworkers are amazing, and so are this year's parents.  I'm making more plans to get together with friends I don't often see. Life is good! :)

Thinking - I'm sooooooo sorry. Literally. No excuse. I just fell off the face of the Earth and had nothing outstanding to contribute like the rest of you.

Wanting - seriously, has anyone heard of this? I got sucked in by an informercial, then trolled YouTube, found an awesome trial price, and now I can't see any reason NOT to try this system? So...someone stop me or encourage me, please! :)

Needing - And you know, I'm actually looking forward to grading. I had my students write me TWO different pieces this week. One was a persuasive piece about a field trip I was then not-keen on taking them on.  I'm almost done reading/grading them all, and I'm overall floored by their writing! I was so impressed, that I made them the best PowerPoint ever to praise them.  It was overly dramatic, and just my style. Each bullet flew in with each click of the mouse. Lots of "...." were used. They loved it! But I digress. The 2nd was a Reader Response Letter, which I believe was in the top 10 freebies section of my weekly TPT email.  I'll have to link it later, because ladies and gentlemen, THIS is what I have been looking for in reading. I've needed SOMETHING, and I love the system the creator has.

Like - I originally had this in "love," but ultimately decided classes won.  I'm cruising again during Spring Break and I cannot wait!! Oh, to have the wind in my hair as I lounge by the balcony of my room, thinking of how if I were in Camp Half-Blood, Poseidon would TOTALLY be my dad.

Also, I'd like to add Candy Crush Saga to the Currently - ugh, I never should have downloaded it. Stupid Plants v. Zombies. Terrible life choice...

Love - My classes! Seriously, my last three classes have been the lights of my life.  My 2nd graders, who are now 4th graders, are just adorable. It's so strange to see them grow into these young pre-teens! They're so excited to possibly have me again next year. It's completely endearing.  And my 5th graders from last year  - I so miss their personalities on a daily basis.  I get visits every so often, which just about make my day - as I have previously blogged about.  I miss seeing them.  But luckily my class this year is so sweet and special, that it eases the pain.  I have really lucked out, and I so hope it continues. They are why I love my job.

Hate - Okay, so I don't hate C2.0, but I got to preview it yesterday, and it terrified the bejesus out of me!  There is SO MUCH going on, it's INSANE! I cannot stand how long it takes for links to load. Honestly. I'm not sure why they stopped printing the guides, but...I'd rather have a printed version. Then I'd be able to leaf through everything so I can see what files I should keep and which I should put away, to gather dust for a rainy day.  It's very overwhelming.  I love the idea of it, because as a newbie, I complained that there was too much curriculum to teach.  I hated that we seemed to shove students onto a bullet train of learning and hoped they were fast enough to see all the sights.  Slowing it down is nice.  But it's unfortunate the way it's being rolled out in 4th and 5th next year, because the next set of 5th graders will have never seen 2.0, so they won't be used it it. They won't have whatever terminology they're supposed to have. It's just...insane.

Phew.  Keeping it somewhat light for my return post.  Some things I aspire to cover in the next post or two:

1. Some math stations I've done
2. How Percy Jackson has taken my class by storm
3. Some great resources I've found
4. Thank you, Pinterest, for my favorite bulletin board! - EDITED: I JUST REMEMBERED! It was the snow globe poetry one!

 Until next time!! (Which hopefully won't be another several months..... yikes.)