Blogger Mentor Needed: Part Duece

Okay, so this part 2 to my previous post in my quest to learning more about Blogger and the blogging community.  I'm looking for someone to answer these questions because the all knowing Google didn't help me enough.  :)

Here are some questions that have me stumped.

1. How do y'all get items for giveaways? Like Target giftcards, or the AMAZING pencil sharpener, or packs of Scentos markers?  Are ya buying the items and then raffling them off?  I'd love to have a giveaway (to celebrate newbie blogger moments) but not sure how to get that ball rolling. 
2. Fonts.  I want to use some different fonts on the blog. But all my posts are boring Times.  In the writing part, there are maybe 7 options, all of which are boring.  Suggestions? 
3. Lastly (for now at least), I know how to show a blog roll of favorite blogs. Do you know if there is anyway to connect my blog to BlogLovin to pull the blogs I actually follow over to my blog roll instead of me typing every single URL into the widget? 

Again -- thanks for the help. Feel free to leave comments (I love 'em!) or send me an email. Keep an eye open for Part Tres because I'm sure it's going. 

Where do YOU turn when you need blog help? Any favorite tutorials online I haven't found??

Posting from Missouri

What a neat idea?!   Over at Fifth in the Middle she's created a page where readers can find bloggers in their own neck of the woods and bloggers can post their sites.   So I'm proud to post that I'm a Missouri Blogger


Hop on over to her site and check out all the bloggers out there!

Taking Mentor Applications

Clearly I've figured out blogger.  I know how to write a post, add pics, link to other sites.  I have even made my own linky button (proud moment there). But here are some questions I have. Feel free to answer in the comments (have I mentioned I love comments?) or send me an email.  If you would love to actually be my go-to person for blogging help or even classroom connecting, send me an email. :) 

So, the more involved I get with the blogging community, the more I realize I need help.  And one of my BIGGEST pieces of advice I have for new teachers is to find a mentor.  The mentor can guide you as you need through your first year and help you find what works and what doesn't, teaching you the ins and outs of the building community you are now a part of.    Well...I'm taking my own advice in a sense and looking for a blogging buddy to help me figure out some of the "what seems like" blogging basics. 

Here we go...this what I know that I don't know, yet:

1. Post a link in someone else's comments.  If I'm responding on someone else's blog and want to link to one of my posts, how do I do that without putting the entire link? For instance, how do I link the whole url to a single word in a comment. *I know how to do that in my own posts, just not in comments*
2. This is similar I guess....but when I DO leave comments elsewhere, I want to leave my blog address but not have the whole stinking thing showing.  I'd like it to say Cantrell's Got Class and then it link back to here. And once I figure that out, is there a shortcut or do i have to type it every single time? 
3. How do I create my own blog button to have posted on my sidebar with the HTML so that it links back to my site? 
4. For those that have purchased a blogger design, how much input did you have? I have no idea what color scheme etc I would want yet would want it to reflect me.  Just curious.  
5. I have a few blogger specific questions (line justification issues, fonts, etc), example: when I added teh Newbie Blogger pic, the text all above it went smaller and indented...how do i fix THAT?!?

And I suppose that's it...for now.  Expect part 2,3,4....etc until I get it allll figured out :) 

Again, feel free to leave your answer in the comment or email me.  Thanks a bunch!

What do YOU do when you have blogger questions and Google isn't much help?? 

Advice for New Teachers

I just discovered LaToya Reed's linky: Let's Get Acquainted over at Flying into First Grade! I loved reading through everyone else's posts because this week it is on Advice for New Teachers.  This really sparked my attention because in our teeny-tiny school, we have 7 new-to-the-building teachers, two of which are first year teachers.  I'm also the building liason for new teachers, which means I'm their building and district mentor.  I am so excited to work closely with the new teachers and to help mold them into what our building aspires to become.   That sounds cheesy, doesn't it?  But alas, it's true...in some regard.

Either way, here are my 6 tips for new teachers!

1. Buy what makes sense.  Don't buy something because it is cute. Don't buy something because it is cheap (that's a wicked trap we ALL fall into).  When you DO buy something, make sure it has a purpose.

2. Always do what's best for the kids.  Things will come up and often interfere with what you know to be best for the kids.  Sometimes you have to set academics aside and focus on a child's social/emotional well-being.  You may have to sacrifice your planning time to rework an upcoming lesson because you realize when you first taught it, it failed miserably.  There might even be the possibility that curriculum and new ideas might be thrown at you that you know deep down isn't a good fit for your class or even appropriate and you'll have to use your best judgement as to how to make it fit (eeek, did I say to go against the given curriculum? maybe? not sure....that might be a HUGE no-no where you are so check with your mentor or good teaching buddy first....).  Either way, think about your kiddos. YOU are their advocate.  YOU are helping them find their way in this place.  YOU know your kids (or you will, soon enough) and you know what's best.

3. Never stay past your bedtime.  You laugh. But it might happen.  Yes there will be times when you stay for afterschool functions and find yourself leaving at 9pm.  Those times happen and you have to be there.  But don't stay working in your room from the time the bell rings until it's time for bed.  It's just not good for you.  I get it, I guess, if it happens maybe twice a year -- we've all done it.  But don't make it a habit. Get home. Get good food. Get some rest. Get a break from your daytime duties. It'll do you good.

4. Find a partner, buddy, mentor.  Somebody.  Okay, not just any body! Find someone that you trust. Someone that can relate, hopefully in your building as well.  Buddies are good for many reasons. You'll want someone to talk to; to ask questions about curriculum or the building etiquette.  You'll need someone to help you with classroom management at some point (even years after your first year) and you'll need someone that knows you to help keep your crazy self in check.  And it goes both ways - you'll be that support and comfort and sane brain for your buddy.  You'll share ideas, book reads, and sometimes even share the same grumbles.  Try to find a buddy.  It doesn't have to be someone that you force yourself upon but someone you can relate to and is available in times of need.

5. Make each day a learning moment. Maybe not every day but try to learn something from every day.  Does that even make sense...I think I contradicted myself.  Just be a reflective teacher. Look back at the day when you can and see where you made a difference, your successes, notice where you failed and what you might change.  During lessons, think about them and see what points worked and what needs tweaked.  Life-Long Learner.

6. Be good to yourself.  Take a break. Accept defeat and failure. Get out of the building.  Find friends outside of the building. Go get icecream.  Treat yourself and take care of yourself.  You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself.


Well, I hope that someone out there can use these suggestions.  They came from experience...personal and in helping other friends through their first years.

Be sure to click on the linky and see other Advice for New Teachers!

Weekly Planner

So I had a question about my weekly planner. I had posted here about my long range plans that I loooove!  So here's my post on the nitty gritty weekly planner.

Last spring I rediscovered Planbook.com and fell in love. I know I use that phrase a lot but I seriously became an advocate for it at my site.  I dabbled with it for a week or two then told another teacher.  A few weeks late I told another...which lead to a whole staff email discussing all the wonderful things about it and then I presented it to our faculty meeting at the end of the year. I even subscribed for TWO years. 

Let's talk about all the reasons why I love it. That's what you really want to know, right? The specifics?

Here we go!

1. It's so customizable (spell check says that's not a word, oops).  Just in setting up the weekly format you have the options to set up daily times for each subject, color code,  and set formats for the subject plans. This was exciting for me because I don't have a set time each day for my specials. Last year I had an hour break on Monday at 1:15, 30 min on Tues/Thurs at 10:45 and 12:15, then an hour on Fri at 12:45. So typical planners wouldn't allow for the crazy schedule I had. I LOVE that each day is customizable (see, there it is again!)

2. You can share events and plans.   I can input all the district days off and then share them with another teacher, or share a whole week's plans with another teacher..or even send them a subject unit!  YES!

3.  Bumping and extending lessons.  In the perfect world, we teach a lesson at the time it's scheduled and it's completed by the time we must move on to the next lesson. HA - I don't live in that world. There are circumstances where we have to  extend a lesson because we didnt' get it completed that day. Easy - hit the "extend" button and all lessons in that subject get bumped up one day and the current lesson is extended over the 2 days.  What about those days where something crazy happens and you didnt get to your lesson (please tell me I"m not alone on this one).  Then you hit "move" and all lessons in that subject get moved up one day, without changing pllans or other subjects. **do you hear the angels sing too??**

4. CHEAP.  Music to my ears.  It only costs $1/month for a year's subscription.  Yeah...cheap. Need I say more? Thought not.

5.  The customer support and tutorials are great!  Video tutorials for setting up your account and all the other customizable features (I'm gonna make that word a real word by the end of this post!).  Also, there is a place where you can post feedback and they actually listen. You can choose what projects you want them to work on and then they actually do it!  It is neat to see the continued improvements to the site. 

Are 5 posts enough to convince you how amazing PlanBook is? Here is one more -- with it being online, you can access it at home (think emergency sub lessons...you can save the day/week as a pdf file and email it to cooperating teacher for the substitute, not that I would ever have had a sick kid puke at 2am, nooo never :) ).

Here's a peek at my week last April.  Oh, and I didn't mention but you can link your lessons to the already provided checklist of Common Core Skills...amazing, right?!?!?  Click on the pic to take you to the google doc of the week :)

I don't have many drawbacks. I actually can't think of any right now!
There is a free month (or 2) trial you can do too if you want to check it out, which I highly suggest!!

Leader In Me..Here We Go!

Okay, so last year we started looking at the Leader in Me program.  Our principal had been reading about it and visited a Leadership Day and sparked an interest in some of the staff.  I was able to attend a Leadership Day at a school this past spring and I am hooked.  It was amazing. If you aren't familiar with Leader in Me, it's based off Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People only for schools.
 It empowers students with the life-long skills that will help them to be successful forever, not just in 1st grade or elementary or while the teacher is looking. I am super excited that this is something our building finds important to instill in the students we reach and will be committing to soon.  Hopefully the district will agree and we'll be going through training etc and be the best we can be for these kiddos.

In the meantime, I've been stalking Teaching With Madness and her Leader in Me posts.  She posted earlier in the week about a 7 Habits Song, sung to Adele that was simply amazing!   I instantly saw this being sung in my classroom, my kiddos belting it out in typical kid-Adele style and using it as a tool to remember the habits.  Check it out!


Again, I'm excited to begin LIM in my classroom and see what other resources I can find out there. To learn more, go straight to the site http://www.theleaderinme.org/ !!

Do you use Leader in Me? What successes have you seen in the classroom and at home?

Instagram Envy

So if you aren't following me on Instagram, or haven't found the huge PLN on there....you are missing out. Seriously.  Find me as @CantrellsGotClass and follow me thru pictures as I post pics there more frequently. If I knew how to insert a direct link to my account, I would...but I can't...so I wont.  Bummer for us both.
****edited because I now have the link to my IG account for you!!   So click here to follow me on IG! Woohoo - HUGE thanks to Jessica at Covered in Glitter and Glue***
  

With that being said...I follow tons of teachers & classrooms on IG and I'm pretty sure that everyone, seriously EVERY.ONE is doing classroom things these days.  I mean redoing classroom themes, shopping, creating projects, being all Martha Stewart meets Design Star.  Not joking. And I haven't even mentioned about people posting pics of their latest dollar finds at Michaels or Target or some crazy place.

It leaves me with Instagram Envy.

I keep waiting for the day when I can run into town (without toting 2 kiddos) and hit the dollar spots, buy cute colored bins/tubs, buy coordinating fabric, stock up on scrapbook fabrics, and restock on black/pink/blue spray paint.  But until I can, I'll just keep taking screenshots of the BRILLIANT projects that others are making so I can remember what I want to do in my classroom...when the time comes for me to get crafty.

So since I can't officially participate in Monday Made It, maybe I"ll start up my own linky soon called "Wishful Wednesday" where you can post pics of what you plan on making...when that time comes.  ***I don't even know HOW to create a button for a linky --- anyone help me out there?***

But for now, I'll post my screenshots of the projects I'm hoping to recreate "someday".  I'll post the link to the original poster's blog too so hopefully you can check out the rest of their amazingness and get even more inspired!

Tissue Paper PomPoms ... @4theloveofteaching

Flicker World Art -- @3rdgrthoughts

Not on Instagram but via Blogloving -- lookin at @What the Teacher Wants

Love the penant buntings -- saw on What the Teacher Wants blog

From MsClarksOwlstars (no weblink) -- covered her clipboards!



Hopefully next week I'll have a post for Monday Made It -- or have figure out how to create my own blog button and make a linky party all my own!

Until then...

On a Linky Roll!

Laura over at Corkboard Connections is doing an easy-peasy linky party! And since I'm getting the hang of linky parties (and am avoiding laundry at 10:30pm) I am hopping on board too!

This one is simple. She's Going on a Blog Hunt.

She's got a great list of blogs out there for you to connect with so check it out.  SURELY you can find some new blogs to find! My blog subscriptions are overflowing and I still managed to find some new ones!


And, are you sick of hearing about BlogLovin yet?  If you haven't followed me already, here's the link!

Jumping In ... and Panicking...

Ohhhh, sometimes I think I just jump on the bandwagon.  Without thinking of all the other life responsibilities that go with being a wife, a mom, a daughter/sister, a 30 something (and the list goes on).  I began this blog, looking for a way to document my growth and ideas during my journey of teaching and it's somewhat evolving.   I'm ready to link up with other bloggers and get some consistency here, grow professionally, and get more into the blogging world.  

Which brings me to my latest endeavor.  It's a mix of those next intentions: consistency, PD, and diving into the blog world.  I read over on Twitter where the wonderful Deb Frazer was embarking on a writing challenge, doing some type of personal writing for some group or challenge or, well, I had no idea. So I hopped onto her blog, Primary Perspective, and discovered that she's joining Kate Messner's "Teachers Write 2013".   And of course I thought this would be great.   Kate describes it as "online virtual summer writing camp for teachers and librarians who understand how important it is for people teaching writing to walk the walk",  It's all described here.   I thought it sounded great and somehow I thought I could fit it into my daily schedule (did I mention I'm figuring out how to fit in a daily workout as well as begin training for my first half marathon? AND have a 1 year old and 3 year old?...yeah....I love self-punishment, haha). 

So here's to day one --- because it started today! I already feel like I'm behind. 

Summer Reads

Summer for teachers means laying poolside and sleeping in for 3 months...right? Riiiiight.

Actually my summers typically do involve a lot of laid back time, not much sleeping in with two little ones though.  We have been playing outside, playing inside, playing princess and playing, playing, playing.   I love spending summers with my girls. Prior to having babies though, I spent my summers working on school stuff so its nice to have this professional break and let my mind relax a bit.

But that doesn't mean I'm on full hiatus.  I have my "next year to-do" list,  I constantly follow my favorite teacher blogs, scanning Pinterest and delving into professional books.  With the possibility of teaching a split next year, my mind wanders often to thinking about what that will look like in our classroom. 

So what exactly am I reading? A bunch.  I'm trying to find new chapter book read alouds for next year, which is proving to be fairly hard.  Looking at books to read aloud that can capture their attention yet be good literature (and not bore me too much).  I'm also in midst of a book study on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  We are hoping to eventually be a Leadership school, which means. I've gotta get myself in order first!  A small group of teachers at my school are working through the book this summer and so far its been a great read. Maybe I can reflect and review it on here when I'm done!

PD on the plane to Cozumel

And somehow I have a book laying around "just for fun" for when I get spare time, haha. Although I actually finished TWO whole books this past week.......okay, I was in Cozumel for a week and had some of that "spare" time.

Until next time...

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)