Do you "Cute-sy It Up?"

Yes I realize "Cute-sy" is by no means a word, but admit it....we've all used it at some point. 

Why do you “CUTE-SY IT UP?” is a question I hear A LOT. 

 Simply stated: Cute is my love language.

               

As a new teacher and blogger is it easy to become so overwhelmed by the amazing work going on in other classrooms.  Blogging has opened up the doors into so many other classrooms and access to wonderful resources. Seeing such can and often does make me self conscious about my teaching and my classroom.  

Blogs, Pinterest, TPT, and TN flood our minds with fantastic ideas and we feel like we have to do it all and be it all.  I am blessed to work at a school overflowing with astonishing educators but there is a clear difference I have seen.  The CUTE level.  Mrs. Kelly Stamps over at Kelly’s Korner once hosted a discussion of the differences in regions.  How us Southern girls tend to be a little over the top with things like decoration and coordination etc.  It had never crossed my mind that that’s not how everyone does things.  On my Teaching Team I am the baby in age as well as in experience, I am also the only Native Southerner.  I am in no way saying that has anything to do with it, its more likely due to personal style.  But, there are many things we are required by the district to have in our classrooms and naturally there are variances in how we go about it.  My Team finds it hilarious that I spend the extra time to change fonts and add layers of color to each and every aspect.  I already catch a lot of flack (lovingly) but they attribute this *cute* factor to my being new.  There is much more to it than that.  Cute is my love language.  Taking the extra time, effort and money is my way of showing others I care; even the little cuties in my class.  My school is beyond diverse; we have over 15 nationalities and languages represented among less than 700 students.  In addition to that we have SESs from both ends of the spectrum.  All of these factors lead to a wide variety of home experiences.  I want to build unity at school at least.  So I always try to go overboard with things.  I often take for granted that I had parents who read with me, did craft projects, listened to me, and celebrated my birthday(sometimes extravagantly).  These are not experiences many of my children have had, so I feel that it is my duty as a teacher of the whole child to show them they are valued by me. 

As we embark on this new school year what is your approach?  Why do you do things the way you do?
Is it for the personal satisfaction of having everything look nice? Is it to appeal to student interest and keep attention? Or do you do it for some other reason?

Why do you “CUTESY IT UP” ?

Does It EVER End??

I know there are many of you who are already back in school, and others of you are still weeks away.  I have been in my classroom since Monday Morning just a working away.  And I feel like I have accomplished absolutely NOTHING.  But I am sure that is how we all feel at times.   On the last day of school in the Spring I was asked to move classrooms, which was not a big deal to me but MAN at the extra work I am putting in now.  I (along with my teammates) packed up my entire classroom and shoved everything into cabinets and on top of countertops.  We have a new janitorial staff this year and they are amazing and thorough, but that meant our floors weren't finished until this week.  

Since this is my second year I have MANY changes I want to make and unfortunately I am one of *those* people who feel like they have to do everything at once, which is making classroom set up drag on FOREVER.  I have a few classroom shots to share. Please excuse the clutter. I cannot organize until I can lay out everything in front of me. Seriously Monday-Thursday my classroom looks WORSE!

This was Monday Morning....A blank slate. All of my chairs and book shelves were being held hostage inside the desk fort.  I had to move ALL the desks to get to what I needed.  :) Twas Lovely.

All the rain had me a bit sleepy distracted

By the end of the day I had atleast gotten all my furniture cleaned and semi-arranged.

Tuesday I was not in the Creative Mode of Functioning....I played and crafted the day away and made quite a mess  :(

 (Bad Mrs. Brown)

 Twenty two sets of letter tiles for my cuties.... I have big plans for these little letters. 

 We had purchased these little chalkboards for our wedding, but we never used them.  SO I turned them into table points boards...

Our students have a Take Home Folder and a Planner for each day.  Last year I spent SO much time trying to keep these in order, stuffing materials in them, and distributing them at the end of the day. So this year each student has a hanging folder they will pick up in the morning and take to their seat along with their folder and planner.  I will check folders and planners during morning work, then as I call roll, students will return their hanging file to the basket.  I will also use these as student mailboxes, they will take the entire folder to their desk at dismissal and take the entire contents home each day.  Hopefully this will solve the problem of me having to open and stuff each folder twice a day.  More responsibility for students, less for me :) 

 New Fleece Feet.  I found this idea somewhere, but cannot remember if it was yours please take credit.  We all have the yucky tennis ball feet I despise, so I traded mine out for fleece squares.  I know these will pick up dust and hair, but I doubt they will magically fall off and bounce across the room, or pop off near as much as the tennis balls.  **Fleece was $3.47 a yard at Wal-Mart, and 1 yard was enough for every chair in my room** Simply cannot beat that!

Boy do I know how to leave a mess behind.

Today I did not take any pictures :( boo!

But the laminator was finally up and running. So that is where I spent my morning. The blisters on my fingers are a testimony to all the cutting I spent my afternoon doing.  I hope to wrap up a few projects and share tomorrow!

Hope everyone's Rooms are coming together in wonderfully, color coordinated,theme matching, uber- organized harmony. 

--Mrs. Brown

New {School} Year Resolutions

 

Teaching Maddennes is hosting a great Linky Party for New {School} Year Resolutions.

We all have them, why not share them?

**I completed this post and attempted to publish it 8 times, before Blogger decided to erase the post completely, so this is the shortened version**

1. Stay Ahead of the Game

As a frist year teacher who started a month into the school year, with only one weekend for set up, I always felt that I was just one page ahead of the students.  This year I will know much more about the curriculum, what to expect, what the students should know etc.... I hope to feel like I am swimming in the race not just treading water. 

2. Document, Document, Document

I previously worked as a concierge/secretary so I tend to transcribe practically every phone call and interaction I have.  This is true in my classroom as well, but my short coming is being consistent with my methods of documentation and not losing it! I am also constantly changing my systems so this school year I strive to find one system and stick to it for the ENTIRE year.

3. Snap Those Pictures

I try to take pictures of any *fun* activities and special days, but I fail to capture everyday life in the classroom.  This year I want to make sure that I get more of the everyday.  

4. Have A Voice

My school is very team-centric. I have gone with the flow thus far with little objection.  This year I want to be open to adding my input, even with opposition.  I want to take ownership in my school as an extension of myself not just the place I work. 

5. Immerse Myself in Professional Literature

I want to be able to validate the decisions I make in my classroom each day.  I work at a wonderful school with an amazing team, but often I bring new ideas that are not widely accepted because I am the new kid and some of the ideas I bring are more time consuming than the veteran teachers would like. I want to show the research and reviews that back up the choices I am making each day.  

Hope you will link up and share your New {school} Year Resolutions!

Tell Me More, Tell Me More

Leave to Amy to come up with such a cute Link Up

 

1. Teaching was not my first choice of professions. Honestly I cannot remember the moment that it just clicked that I wanted to be a teacher.  I originally majored in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.  I do not regret my decision one bit.  I joke that I changed my major so I could attend The University of Alabama and get $5 football tickets. :) 

 2. Speaking of The University of Alabama.... my husband and I (and our entire family) are die hard fans.  Most of my close coworkers are not SEC fans and that just cannot comprehend my obsession.  They hit the floor when they heard we fly to ballgames on the weekends and buying Dresses to wear to games...its part of the South :) 

Roll Tide Ya'll!

 

3. I am terrible, I repeat terrible at commenting on blogs, calling people back, returning emails etc.  I don't do it on purpose I just simply forget... ooooopps.

4. I am a shameless book worm.  I don't stick with a certain genre, nor do I dig into scholarly reading, or even the classics.  I pick up a book, if I like it I read it. End of story.  Right now I am stuck on Charles Martin.  If you want a few lengthy, but easy reads that will pull at your heart strings and renew your faith in humanity check his books out NOW!  In the grand scheme of things all the books have similarities and links, but in a comforting way. There are twists and turns you will never suspect up until the last pages.  Something about his writing just feels warm and like home... *steps down from my public relations job*

5. I am a planner, not an executor.  End of story. I can paint the prettiest picture in my mind, but rarely do I accomplish any of it.  Major personal flaw. 

6. I am one of those folks who in normal conversation seems like a complete moron, but get me talking about something I am passionate about, and pretend to listen for half a second and I will astound you.  I am completely not bragging, but its funny to see the looks on peoples faces when I finally do speak up.  Often I am overlooked, but more than likely its purposeful.

That's me in a neat little package. :)

Cannot wait to hear more from everyone else. 

--Mrs. Brown

Why Bonanza?

Hello All! 

Welcome to Mrs. Brown's Second Grade Bonanza!

Not *too* awfully much going on at this point. 

So WHY Bonanza?

Well of course, all of us teacher folk need alliteration in our lives, and I may not always be in 2nd grade.  

But more importantly the definitions of Bonanza just *fit* when I imagine my class and our daily adventures.

: something that produces very good results for someone or something
: a large amount of something valuable

 my personal favorite

: something that brings a rich return 

Stop by soon and hopefully see many glorious adventures in Second Grade.