Tales of a 1st grade teacher: Donors Choose Project

Tales of a 1st grade teacher: Donors Choose Project: I am in need of some help! I am desperately trying to promote my project at http://www.donorschoose.org/dphilliber Any help would be gre...

Donors Choose Project

I am in need of some help!  I am desperately trying to promote my project at http://www.donorschoose.org/dphilliber   Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I've gotten a project funded there before, so I know it is possible.  I am trying to get a Slate Board (similiar to an IPAD) for my classroom.  I teach 1st grade and know it would make learning so exciting for these students.  If you can help, please go to my site and donate.  Every dollar gets me one step closer!  No amount is too small:)

Really Good Stuff

I am so excited!  I won the facebook contest over at Really Good Stuff!  It is the "Show your Summer" picture contest!  What won it?  Well,  a picture of my feet in the sand!  Now, if I can figure out how to collect my $25.00 gift card.  Does anyone know?

This has been a very busy week.  I've gotten several more Dr. Seuss things created for my classroom.  I think I need to head on over to Really Good Stuff and read their blog about the classroom library.http://blog.reallygoodstuff.com/   This is a great blog, I would suggest you follow.  They have some really great tips and ideas I will use this coming year.  So..... a classroom library?  Well,  I've got several hundred or more picture, young reader books (David Shannon, Eric Carle, etc).  I've always just had them standing up, on my shelves in no particular order.  I think I need to re-do that idea.  I'm thinking by author, and on the random books, just have them lumped together.  Or..... should I go with genres?  Or..... seasonal or holidays?    HELP! 

Organization!

I am in the process of deciding how to organize my room this year.  I usually get so busy that organization takes a back seat!  I want to come up with some really cool ways to display books, have seating arrangements and make my just my room look pleasant.  I do not like clutter, and want my room to not be too busy with "things."  I made an effort to purge my classroom this past year of needless things that I knew I would not use.  I think that as soon as I can get in my room and begin figuring things out, I will feel better.

I would really like any suggestions you may have about organization.  I've been reading quite a bit of http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/  and really like alot of the great ideas.  If you have any great ideas, you would be willing to share, please do!  I look forward to hearing from you!!!

I made my own letters today!  They turned out really cute!  I took poster board (2 colors) and cut one of them into long strips.  I glued the strips on the other board and laminated them.  Then I cut them out using die cuts!  I'm excited!  They look really cute and were totally free!!

 These are the cute little work hangers I'm going to use in my hallway outside of my door.  I'm going to hot glue clothespins to the bag and stick them on the wall.  I think it goes along with my Dr. Seuss theme, "Oh the places you'll go....."    I got these little wooden cut outs at Hobby Lobby for .67 each!

Please follow me...

If you visit my site, and like it, please follow me by clicking on the button on the left side of my page~! Also, feel free to link your teacher site!

Donors Choose

Recently I was introduced to a fantastic website called http://www.donorschoose.org/.  I must admit I was quite skeptical at the idea of having a list of "needs" met by a complete stranger.  I went ahead and created a project, in hopes of catching someone's eye, and getting some much needed supplies.  My project can be viewed here http://www.donorschoose.org/dphilliber?historical=true .  Last month, after having my project up, I received an email saying it was fully funded!  I am still in shock!  I did quite a bit of research on the family that funded my project and found out it was in memory of their daughter, who had died last year in a tragic accident.  This was quite touching and amazing to me!  

I can't wait to receive my supplies when I return to school.  I wanted to tell you about this to encourage you to look at this site, and complete a project list.  It is really possible to get something funded for your students.  I am estatic!  I will keep you posted as I work on another project to get IPADs in my 1st grade classroom!

Linky Party!

In an effort to get my blog "out there", I'm doing alot of blog research.  I really want to connect with lots of teachers around the good ole' USA!  Check out this great blog I found http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/

Dr. Seuss, I need your advice.....

So……. it’s summer time and I am doing my best to come up with a great catchy theme for my class.  I will be teaching a 1st grade class of around 22 students.  I know that I want to use Dr.Seuss,  he is such a great writer and illustrator!  I just can’t seem to find the perfect fit.  I’ve tried to come up with a way to use “Oh the places you’ll go…”, but honestly, I don’t like the color scheme.  I guess I am just going to have to use the quotes from the book, but incorporate the Doc’s primary colors.  This may be one of those things, where in the end you say, “why did I spend so much time on that?”  I wonder why Dr.Seuss choose pastels for that book, when all the other books are primary colored?

My next dilemma!  I would like to know which set of sight words is used commonly?  Dolch?  This past year, I used mostly Literacy by Design words, but this year, I think it would make more sense to use the pre-primer and primer words from the Dolch sight word list.  I would really like some input on this.  Please let me know what you are doing. Also, I would like a really creative way to display the words on my word wall.  Any suggestions?

Now, my days consist of my master’s work (yes, I am getting a graduate degree), washing clothes (hahaha), cooking (sometimes), working at the resource center(a place for teachers to go and prepare~), and playing with my puppy.  However, before long I will once again be seeing little children run through my door, very early, smiling and giving me hugs!  I can’t wait to meet my new class!  I will spend countless hours with them encouraging, teaching, laughing, playing and making good memories.  I can’t wait.  I love teaching, it is my calling in life, what I was meant to do.  To my students from last year, I love you all dearly, and miss you.  Remember the door to my classroom is never locked, come see me!  To my new students, we haven’t met yet, but just know that I already love you bunches!  We are going to have a blast in 1st grade!  That is a promise!!!!

“No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, and generosity hidden in the soul of a child.  The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure” – Emma Golmam