OERI Awesomeness

The first full week of summer break is done...and what do I do on the 1st day of week 2?  OBVIOUSLY I go do some professional development (isn't that normal? Oh wait....teachers have the whole summer off and don't have to "work", haha!)

Ozark High School hosted the 2nd annual OERI Conference, basically 4 schools came together to do a technology based conference for the Ozarks.  There were schools representing the many different schools - I didn't get a complete count of how many though.   I ended up going to 5 different sessions and loved it! My brain is on overload.




Here are my top 3 "take-aways" from the conference.

1. Using Google Docs more in the classroom as a teacher. Not just writing a document but using the form maker, using spreadsheets to automatically sort and compile data from quizzes, and sharing info with others. 
2. Using Google's customizeable search tool.  AMAZING. No more worrying that students will accidentally pop onto a sketch-y site or use info from non-credible sites.  EASY, PEASY. 
3. Google Apps for Education. Still need to look into this but am soooo excited to get my Chromebooks in the classroom and start using them during math groups, literacy blocks, and other areas. so so so excited. 

And someone (ME!) is back on Twitter!  I'll share my twitter name when I'm ready (not now...you'll have to wait)

 

Giving to the Classroom

If you are interested in donating to the classroom, we have a funding page through DonorsChoose.org.   check us out to see what we're looking for in the classroom as well as ways to donate! Just click on the DonorsChoose icon below!

Hello Summer Break

Wow. 
This school year is officially over! That is soo hard to believe. I actually don't think its set in yet either. 

It will probably take me a week of being at home with the girls before I fully realize that
I'm on vacation! 

My class this year was simply amazing. I'll have to save that write-up for another post, there's no time to be teary eyed right now, haha.  Ill get to work on that post and once its fine tuned I'll post it. But it was definitely bittersweet as I hugged them all good bye.  I know one-fourth will not be returning to our school next year. Seems like a huge percentage but what can we do? 

I managed to take a few pics of our End of the Year activities before we took everything down.

First Grade Rocks!  Hall display of some of their guitars explaining why First Grade rocked this year. 

I promise I didn't pay her to say this....(but it's true!)  <3

Favorite things in First Grade -- can you say CUTE??!?!

This one makes my heart smile, melt, break....all of the above.   From an older kiddo  that I spend alllllll year building the relationship with him that he needed, the support system he was missing.  
I thought I wouldn't get to see the affects of it, but he proved me wrong.  

I have pics too of the now empty room, but it's too messy depressing to post.   I'm excited for the new challenges of next year, wondering what it'll bring. 

But I'm excited for this unknown and trying to hold off on doing any planning right now.   

Because right now I'm ready to enjoy the summer with my two sweet girls and keep 

making memories 

at home!

This may or may not have been me, officially leaving Fremont one last time this school year! 

Enjoy the summer!

The last full week.

So with the year closing, I am realizing even more how much I love the kiddos. We have 3.5 days left now and so the packing of the room begins. Ahhhh!!  It's a mess and this right-brained girl just can't hardly handle tossing randomness into boxes.  I feel the need for it all to make sense and make this fall's unpacking easier.  It's hard to pack with the kiddos in the room and I find myself just wishing they could watch movies all day or just go for outside recess for a loooooooong time so I can focus for more than 7minutes at a time to get it done but then I realize I only have them for FOUR MORE DAYS!!  Packing can wait....it's memory making time! 

So I decided to purge my classroom library which the kids benefited from immensely!  We called it a Book Swap.  Kiddos could bring books in from home that they were finished with and swap them out with other books that were up for grabs.  Some kiddos brought over 10 from home!  And then we divied up the rest of the books to the whole classrom --- they went home with over 12 books!  Hopefully this fuels their summer reading and if nothing else makes that memory of first grade. 

One SMALL selection of books available for the bookswap

And here's a shot of the cuties sharing their First Grade Memories poster! They loved using inside/outside circle to share...first time using it in 1st grade. I'd call it a success!

How do you keep your momentum going this time of the year? 

And the Journey Begins...

Here goes my journey into the educational blogging world!  And with just 4.5 days left of this school year, at that.

Hopefully those who find this little blog can get a glimpse into my classroom, keep up to date with what we are doing and the wonderful learning we are doing together.  I'm hoping to use this blog as a way to stay in touch with parents as well as document our classroom journey.  I have all good intentions of updating it frequently, but those that know me know that once a month will be a good beginning goal.

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