Class

I have learned a lot from this class.  I just wish I could remember exactly how to use everything.  I really wanted to create a pivot table with the purpose of forming my small groups, but I couldn't get it to work for me.  I will keep working with it, and maybe I will be successful.  Thank you Vickey for all you did for the clas.

Lunch date

Today I had a lunch date with one of my good friends who retired from teaching last year.  Not only did we get to catch up, but we still discussed things about teaching.  It is so awesome to have coworkers that become your life long friends!  I have learned so many things from her over the years.

Clickers

Last year I received student response systems to use in my class.  They were pretty cool, and the students loved using them.  They looked like BIG cell phones, and the students thought they were "big stuff" using them.  This year we got a new teaching unit, so clickers were ordered for her.  When hers came in, the other 5th grade teachers were jealous because she got the upgraded version, and they looked like little blackberries.  We talked with out administrator and told her we would be willing to give ours to 3rd grade teachers and train them how to use our clickers, if we could get the updated version.  It worked out in our favor because she was already planning on purchasing them for third grade.   I now have the upgraded version in my room, and the kids are even more excited.  We are now using them for all kinds of things.  For example, I now give my spelling tests using them...they text the words to me....no more paper/pencil tests!!!

Kindergarten teaches save me

I found this really cool writing activity on Pinterest that I wanted to do with my students.  It involved paint...which I never do with 5th graders.  I thought I had some paint in my closet, but was wrong.  So, I called a kindergarten coworker and asked to borrow some paint.  I got what I needed and the activity was a success!   A few days later at our class Christmas party, my students were busy making their gingerbread houses.  As we went to clean things up, a thought entered my head...."How are they going to carry these on the bus?"  I called another kindergarten teacher and asked her how her students carried theirs home.  She informed me I needed gallon size bags...which I did not have.  Luckily, she had enough for my class!  I learned that week that kindergarten teachers have EVERYTHING in their classrooms!