It’s been a while since I’ve included anything related to education on the blog. I think the last post I did was over a year ago! If you are new around here, I am currently in my fourth year of teaching and I absolutely love it. I feel so very passionate about teaching and being in the classroom is like heaven for me. While there are challenges, just like any job, the reward of teaching is great.
This year I am teaching second grade for the first time, as I taught the last three years in 4th, 5th, and 5th in succession. I love both upper and lower elementary school, and have really loved diving in to second grade curriculum this year. It’s a shift from the independence and level of understanding at the upper elementary but the primary grades have their own set of rewards. This year, I have found I am incredibly passionate about teaching reading to my students and focusing more on phonics and phonological awareness. (Basically teacher talk for teaching the different components of reading.) Teaching reading has turned out to be my greatest and most exciting challenge. After Orton-Gillingham training last summer, I feel like I’ve found more of my passion with teaching. I loveee teaching reading and am grateful to be at this point where I can instruct and understand how to best help kids learn how to read.
I also feel incredibly blessed to be at a truly amazing school. The people I work with have been the biggest inspiration to me. Their passion and dedication to teaching is what I strive for. Teaching really is a work of heart and this staff really embodies that phrase.
If you’re ever around me in person, I will most likely bring up education in our topic of conversation. (Sorry to many!) I am passionate about education both at a local level and a national level, and I’m always curious to hear more about different initiatives that are taken in education across the nation and across the world. (If you’re ever looking for a good book to read about education around the world, I’d highly recommend this book.) I’m pretty passionate about it and will be curious to see the pathway education takes in the next few years. Right now I’m working on my Masters in Educational Technology which is another area of education I am passionate about besides Reading. I certainly feel grateful to be in a career I am incredibly passionate about!
Anyway, long story short, as I know there are teachers who follow this blog, I wanted to bring up a few resources I’ve been using consistently the last few months and that have helped me immensely in the classroom! (Scroll down for the specific products I love and use daily.)
1 // Core Inspiration-organization and resources
I am mildly obsessed with this blog. It’s been a huge resource to me to find new ways to set up my Daily 5 reading rotations in the mornings as well as my math centers. Second Grade definitely has a greater emphasis on small groups than fifth grade and Laura’s resources have been extremely helpful. Her classroom is also organizational goals. I’m in love with her blue and green theme which matches the colors in my own classroom. Her Teachers Pay Teachers Site is also amazing. I’ve been inspired by her blog to organize my classroom even more, so the last month I’ve been setting up more solid organizational systems to help me teach and it has really made planning instruction and grading even more streamlined.
2 // IKEA Furniture + Organizational Systems
I absolutely love these magazine holders for organizing the copies I’ve made for the week ahead. They’re $1.99 and worth every penny. I use five separate holders for organizing the copies all ready to go. (One holder for each day of the week.) I also like so much of the IKEA furniture for my classroom. I have all alternative seating and have been using these basic desks as standing desks for years. They seriously work so well and are durable!
3 // ID Badge Holder
Such a basic, but so necessary! I bought this on Amazon after my ID badge’s picture started wearing off because I didn’t have a cover for it. I love this one as it holds both my ID’s and can hold our PBIS reward tickets. Of course I bought it in pink, but there are a few other colors as well! Such a reasonable price to pay for both the holder, a lanyard and retractable holder.
I have two of these organizers. One is for my own papers and each drawer is labeled, “Copy, File, Grade” to streamline my own work process, and the second set of drawers is for the three math games I currently have in rotation. For the math games, the drawers are big enough I can fit each of the math game tools needed inside of them so the kids aren’t scrambling to find them at the last minute.
I’m obsessed with this website. One of my co-workers brought this to my attention about a week ago, and being able to pull up one of these videos during our transition times or use it as a reward/brain break has been a joy. The videos curated are mesmerizing and I find myself watching them with as much spark and excitement as the kids.
Individual Products I LOVE:
1 // Shiplap Paper (Rolls of fadeless paper, stapled to the wall to create shiplap look.)
2 // Chevron Bulletin Board Borders
3 // Metal Chairs
4 // CHAMPS Chart (Teachers Pay Teachers find for Classroom Management.)
5 // Tractor Trailer Stools (I was gifted these years ago and they have held up for 4 years!)
6 // Noise Cancelling Headphones
7 // Book Bins (Plastic Magazine holders) These are my student’s “cubbies” since we do not have desks to store their things!
8 // Cardboard Magazine Holders for files
If you’re a teacher, what are some things you’ve loved that have helped you in your classroom??
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