nErDcamp Battle Creek!

Anyone on Twitter and follow Colby Sharp?  He's a teacher from Michigan and co-founded the Nerdy Book Club with Donalyn Miller.  You know, The Book Whisperer.  Well, he and his wife have also founded the first (hopefully annual) nErDcamp, that is taking place this coming Thursday, July 11 in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Has anyone ever been to an EdCamp before?  I had never heard of them until recently.  Many teachers I follow on Twitter have been to them and tweet from them using a EdCamp location-specific hashtag.  From what I understand, EdCamps are FREE professional development organized by teachers for teachers.  They are sometimes referred to as "unconferences" because it is exactly the opposite of a conference your district or administrator requires you to attend.  There are also no scheduled presentations or topics.  The session topics are brainstormed on the day of the conference by conference participants.  

So what is nErDcamp?  nErDcamp is the first ever EdCamp organized by the Nerdy Book Club.  It is a literacy-specific EdCamp.  I was just checking out the Idea Board on the nErDcamp blog and there are lots of really neat topics cropping up!  Last I heard, there are over 200 participants registered!  

So why am I telling you about this?  Well, for starters, my good teaching buddy and I have decided we are GOING!  Less than four hours away from our homes?  We cannot pass this opportunity up! Neither one of us have ever attended an EdCamp before, so this will definitely be a learning process, but hopefully a very beneficial one.  I don't even know why I just said that.  It definitely will be a beneficial one.   Forget the fact that we are Buckeyes traveling into Wolverine country.  We can put our differences aside for a few days.  

If you live in the area (or within a driving distance of the area) you should definitely register to attend!  If I haven't convinced you enough, read Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Come to nErDcamp.  Anyone already planning on attending?  Hopefully we can meet up!  

Words Their Way Word Study

Back in August 2011, I posted about a new word study program I was starting called Word Journeys.  I used that program for the entire year and loved it.  I felt like my students were making so many gains in their word knowledge.  In fact, the fifth grade teachers who taught that group last year were so impressed with them!

This past school year, my district adopted a new reading program which came with the Words Their Way program.  It was a very easy transition for me, having used Word Journeys in the past, as the two programs are very similar.  Though I'm wanting to revamp somewhat, I plan to stick to the shell of how I ran my word study program.  At the beginning of the year, I give the Words Their Way spelling inventory.  I start out with the "Elementary" form, then give the "Upper Elementary" form to those students who got more than 20 words correct.  I typically end up with about four groups.  I meet with each group once a week (usually Tuesdays and Wednesdays) to discuss the new spelling pattern.  I used to give a notes page for students to keep in their binders, but I was finding them on the floor, in their desks, and every other place except their binders!  I put a composition book on the supply list this year and I want to try a word study notebook instead.  So, at the group meeting, students will take notes in their word study notebook.  They will record their spelling pattern, then brainstorm words that fit their pattern.  Students will then be given their word sort.  I give them a word sort page for them to record it on.  I do not have students glue down their words because I want them to access the words for ABC order and to do other sorts throughout the week.  The word sort is due the following day.  This allows me to see if anyone is struggling so I can do some reteaching before it is too late.

I was also struggling with finding the word sort words all over the floor.  I asked a 2nd grade teacher in my building how she handles this with her students and she told me that she found zipper pockets similar to these on sale and each student has one that they keep in their homework binder.  She sets aside time at the beginning of the week for the students to cut out their words and put their name on each one before putting them in the pocket.  If a word is found on the floor, it is very easy to tell whose it is.  I like this and I'm going to try it this year!

Other word study assignments that students have due throughout the week are ABC order and Super Sentences.  In the past, I have allowed my students all week to work on the assignment and have it due during the next group meeting.  Last year, that did not seem to work and students failed to turn in the assignments. Mid-year, I started having the ABC order due on Fridays and Super Sentences due the day of their next group meeting and that seemed to work out better.

I feel very strongly that word study is the best way to teach spelling.  Students are learning spelling patterns based on their individual needs.  It really doesn't make sense to have students memorize "4th grade words" when they don't even have the concept of long vowel patterns.

Do you use Words Their Way or a similar program?  What other word study assignments do students complete throughout the week?

Monday Funday: Big Brother & A Little Housewives

I said yesterday I was going to write about what I know.  Well, it's summer, and I know my favorite part of summer (besides being off of work!) is Big Brother!  Now, I wouldn't call myself a Big Brother Superfan, but I will admit that I am a little obsessed and I even read the live feed updates.  See, a superfan would subscribe to the feeds.  I don't do that.  I read the Jokers Updates that the people who do subscribe to the feeds write minute-to-minute what is going on the house.  If you're a BB fan, check it out for yourself.  Warning:  because they are live feeds, there are things you will find out that has not aired on TV yet.  Like who is the MVP, who they nominated, and who the house is planning on sending home.  Yep, I know all of that already.  Don't be jealous. :)  I promise you, though, when I write about BB, I will not talk about anything that hasn't been aired on TV that all you regular folks have been watching.

Ok, here goes....First of all, who was shocked that Rachel's sister is on the show?!  And she really thought she would be able to keep her identity under wraps?  Not smart, girl.  I like the alliance that is forming with McCrae, Howard, Nick, Jeremy, and Spencer.  I usually root for the girls, but I have to say, so far I am not impressed.  As my husband so eloquently put it last night, "are all these girls in heat?!"  I'm not a big fan of the "I'm here for a showmance attitude."  Aaryn and David kind of make me want to throw up.  They've known each other for what, 10 days?!  Ugh.  Respect the game people! Plus, Aaryn has said some things on the live feeds that have not been aired that really, really make me dislike her.

Real Housewives of New Jersey and Big Brother were on at the same time last night.  Oh, the nerve of those TV execs.  Good thing my TiVo has four tuners.  I don't really have a lot to say about the Jersey girls.  I'm kinda over the Gorga-Giudice family drama.  I hope they work things out.  What I do want to talk about is Jacqueline's struggle with her autistic son.  It completely breaks my heart.  My son is almost the same age as her son, so I can really feel for her.  Anytime that storyline graces my television, I am in tears.  I think Jacqueline has gotten some slack for "exploiting" her son, but I feel like what she is showing is very real and she is doing her best to give her son the best therapies and the best opportunities.

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If you didn't mind my little side-post about my favorite TV shows and  you read the whole thing through...you get a little treat!  You can download a freebie from my Teacher's Notebook shop!  This freebie is a poster that I use to offer options for my students to do during Word Work time.  It's also a little hintedy-hint about my blog post tomorrow!  Click the link above to be directed to this freebie.  But hurry!  It will only be available for the next 48 hours!

July Currently!

Are you tired of me linking up and ready for some original content?  Sorry, not today.  Because today, I am linking up to Farley's Currently party!  It's not even July, but she's ahead of the ballgame!  These are always so much fun and I didn't want to miss out. So without further ado....

My son, who is almost four, has been into superheroes since he was two.  We kinda joke that he's Sheldon.  Right now, he's watching a classic (codeword: old) episode of the Superfriends.  Remember the Wonder Twins?  Yep, they're in this one, activating their powers and all.  

I think I mentioned Friday that we saw Monsters University.  I'm a huge Disney and Pixar fan as it is, but this one was just one of the best!  I loved it so much!  How can you resist that cute little Mike Wazowski?  The movie actually inspired me to go with a monster-themed classroom this year.  I downloaded some super-cute monster graphics from Scrappin Doodles today, so be on the lookout!  BTW, Scrappin Doodles has a free item-Chevron Paper when you spend $5.  They also have the discount code June2013 for $1 off.  

Laundry.  Hate it.  I truly don't think anyone can hate laundry as much as I do.  You may think you do, but you don't.  Trust me.  My husband learned early on that I don't keep up with the laundry.  He does his own and I do my own, and we share the kid's.  Whatever works right?  I think I have three baskets of clean laundry taking up space in my bedroom.  I wonder, if I had a smaller bedroom would I put it away sooner?  Probably not.  

I'm wanting dinner to be ready because my hubby is smoking chicken and I have been smelling that delicious mesquite smell all afternoon and my tummy is a-grumblin!  

Tips, tricks, hints-Farley wants us to offer our blogging advice.  Ha!  She doesn't know I just took a year off and really shouldn't be offering advice.  So, I'm offering blogging/writing advice.  It's the advice I give my students--good writers write about what they know.  Obviously, I'm a teacher, so I write a teacher blog.  But, will there soon come a time when I'll write a post about my son?  Probably.  Will you see some Disney posts from me?  Yep.  Will I write about Big Brother and The Real Housewives and those other trashy reality TV shows that I call my guilty pleasure and my hubby says I'm too intelligent to be watching?  You betcha.  If people don't like it, they don't have to read it.  But, I'm going to be true to myself and write about what I know.  

Alright, that's all for July's Currently.  Go link up with Farley and check out all the other awesome blogs!

Picture Books for Back-to-School

I'm joining yet another linky today with First Grade and Fabulous!

I L-O-V-E picture books!  Who am I kidding?  I love all books.  Mostly kid-lit and YA, but who cares. One of my good teacher-friends texted me the other day after reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and said, "Whoever said YA is just for teens is a complete idiot!"  I whole-heartedly agree!

Anyways, I'm linking up with DeAnne to talk about my favorite picture books for the first week of school.

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg.  Surprisingly, most of my students have never heard this book when they get to fourth grade, which makes the ending even more fun!  

I truly identify with Miss Malarkey in this book, Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley.  I'm sure many of my students agree.  Miss Malarkey refuses to give up until she puts the right book in each child's hand.  

I use A Crazy Day at the Critter Cafe by Barbara Odanaka when I am introducing Daily 5 and CAFE. It's just a fun book when we start talking about the CAFE reading strategies.  

How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague is a fun tall-tale about a boy and his summer adventures.  It is also a great book to jump start your first writing assignment for the year-have students write their own tall-tale vacation stories!

Nothing builds a classroom community like bucket-filling!  How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids teaches kids how their words and actions affect others.  I didn't read this or do bucket-filling last year, but I will definitely be starting right off the bat this year!  

Make sure you go check out all the other awesome back to school picture books and link up with 

Five for Friday

What better way to get back into the bloggin' thing than to link up with Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday?!

This is my little astronomer checking out the Supermoon this week.  We got him this telescope for his birthday last year.  He loves looking at the moon-even when it's not super!

This is my baby at Vacation Bible School.  Each night, at the end of VBS, they had a little song and dance for the kids to do.  Each night, my little one didn't want to do it.  He has this thing against singing and dancing.  My husband blames me since that's what I love to do, and he things I overdid it when I was pregnant with him!  Anyways, on the last night, my little guy decided to sing and dance!  My mom and I couldn't believe it!  

This is the professional book I have been reading-Notice and Note by Kyleen Beers and Bob Probst.  After I was about one chapter into it, I text-messaged my friend & colleague and told her if she reads only one professional book this summer, Notice and Note should be it.  I highly recommend it.

My Disney photopass pictures came yesterday!  When you visit Disney, their professional photographers will take your picture for free!  Get a photopass and add all your pictures throughout your trip.  The photographers will take pictures with your own camera as well.  We always buy the photopass CD, though, because the pictures are so much better!  And you can add cute enhancements, like the little phrase in the picture above.  This was our first trip to Disneyland, after visiting Disney World several times.  We loved it, though, and plan to go back!  You just can't beat the southern California weather in the summertime!  

We went to see Monsters University tonight!  This is my son with his "girlfriend."  It was a triple date.  

They've known each other since they were infants.  Her mommy and I work together and they go to the same sitter.  As we were walking into the theatre, he grabbed her hand.  Of course, we had had to snap a picture!  Monsters was super-cute!  As you can probably tell from above, we are huge Disney fans, but we are even bigger Pixar fans.  I have to say, this movie might be one of my favorites.  It was so funny!  You do not need to have a kid or be a kid to enjoy this movie!  

Thanks for reading!  Make sure you go check out Doodle Bugs for all the other Five for Friday posts!  

Side note-I want to thank those of you who commented on my post yesterday.  It was so nice to read all your supportive comments!  

Back from a LONG absence!

Hello everyone!  It looks like I still have my followers and you all didn't abandon me in my year-long hiatus from blogging.  If you're reading this, I thank you.  Yesterday my little sis, who owns a food truck in Orlando and runs a food blog told me, "You should start a blog!" I embarrassingly admitted that I have one, but haven't written anything in over a year.  Her little shove put me back in the saddle.  

This past school year was a very difficult year for me.  In fact, the most difficult of my (short) career.  Without going into details, lets just say there were many sleepless nights, many tears shed, and much stress on my family.  I'm sure many of you can relate.  I was so exhausted by the time I got home, it was hard enough to just fix dinner and take care of my son, let alone think about writing this blog.  Looking back, I'm sure so many of my awesome followers could've offered support that only teachers can with one another.  

Although I wasn't blogging, I kept up with the education field through social media.  I continued to read blogs (through Feedly since I knew Google Reader was going to disappear), follow my Twitter, and of course pin away on Pinterest.  

I also read A LOT.  I love reading.  I am definitely a member of the Nerdy Book Club.  Reading is my oasis.  If I was having a bad day, I could easily escape into a book.  Needless to say, I did a lot of escaping this past year.  Follow me on GoodReads to keep up with my reading life.  

Though it is still June, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that yes, I am gearing up for next school year.  I'm trying to be stay positive.  Last summer, I completed my generalist endorsement so I added that to my Middle Childhood license.  Knowing I needed a change, I asked my principal and my teaching partner if they would support my decision to try a self-contained classroom.  This will be a HUGE change for me, but one I am looking forward to.  This time I will be reaching out to all my bloggy friends for their help and support!