Book Nook

Time to organize my library! I purchased some super cute teacher labels from Vista Print.  Their shipping is ridiculous, but each package of 420 was around $5.00.  Don't you just love that adorable hedgehog?

I have almost a thousand books.  Yes, it's an addiction.  I want my students to be surrounded by books and WANT to read them.  Know a better way to help them become better readers?  :)  Here's sampling of what I have to organize:

I have more than that, but you get the idea....!  Next stop will be the Dollar store for some cute book bins.  I've been all over Teachers Pay Teachers for some book bin labels.  I don't want something fussy, too young, or boring.  When I find them, I'll print each tag twice so I can put one tag on my bin and one tag on the shelf it belongs.  That will help the kids (and me) know where each bin belongs!

I also made a sign.  I decided to call it my "book nook". 

Yikes.  So much to do, and so little time.....!!  If I were so fortunate as to live by the beach, I'd get even less done!

License and Graduation!!!

My diploma has arrived.  It looks wonderful!  Better yet, I received my Nebraska teaching certificate today.  Yippee!!!  I am now licensed to teach K-8th grade in Nebraska.  Now to find a job.  Sigh.  !

I've been teaching at the Phoenix Academy for the month of June.  Four weeks of summer school is a pretty good amount of time.  It's just enough to gain more experience and earn a little money, but I'll still have the month of July with my kids before school begins once again.  Wouldn't it be great fun to spend the month preparing for my new job?  :)

Summer school at the Phoenix Academy is an awesome learning experience.  Not only have I been trained in Spaulding Phonics, but I have also needed to create lessons for children who struggle mightly with reading and math.  It's a really neat school.  The faculty really care about the kids.  That's what it's all about, isn't it?  Some of my students will enroll in the fall and that makes my heart smile.  I know their needs will be met and they will be able to return to their "regular school" on top of their game.  The holes in their education will be filled. 



My Website

I created my own website as my "online portfolio".  It's so easy, anyone can do it!

Here's my link:  http://amygillespie.weebly.com/

My website contains my resume, letters of reference, student teaching bits, and favorite resources.  I pulled the best anchor charts and photos I could find to show my potential employers. 

Psst...it's also completely free!  Gotta love free!!!

Summer School

My first official job began:  summer school!  I was trained the end of May and began on June 4th.  I am teaching intensive phonics (the Spaulding method) and math for 4 weeks.  It may turn into a full time job this fall (fingers crossed).....the kids are sweet and we are filling their brains with awesome reading tools.  :)   

I still have not heard from any other schools(for the fall)  and I feel a little anxious...I'm the type of person who likes to have all of her ducks lined up nice and neat in a row...!!!  If I do not get a full time job, I'll reapply with the dozen or so districts as a substitute.  I've heard that's the way to go if you can't get on full time.....

Grateful for the part time job and afternoons off.....Hmmmm, this would be great year round!

Poetry

We've been digging into poetry and have had loads of fun reading them.  After writing our own rhyming poems, we decided to give 2 other poetry forms a try.  The first one is a limerick.  Here is our class limerick poem:

Candy Shop

There once was a girl named Mandy.

And sometimes she ate too much candy.

It was a real treat,

To have something so sweet.

The candy store sure was handy!

The rules are as follows:  5 lines; lines 1, 2, and 5 all rhyme; lines 3 and 4 also rhyme.  They loved this!

Here is our class alphabet poem:

Our Class

All

Busy

Classmates

Do

Everything

Forever

Notice the rule?  You begin with any letter of the alphabet and create one word per line with the next letter.  Oh, and it needs to "tell a story" or make sense.  Fun times!



The President's

We've been learning about the Presidents and writing about them.  The kids learned a song and like to sing it rather loudly!  :)  You'll find the song in the post below.  Anyhow, here's the anchor chart I made for them:

The end of the song goes like this:  "Thank you God for our 43 presidents; it's for them we pray".  I hope you practice it at home!  Yes, the song will stick in your head, but that's a GOOD thing! 

President's Song

Here is our class singing the President's Song. The recording is not great, but it's the best we could do at this point!
Voice Recorder >>