Skype with Shaq!!

Quarter One AR Goals

Check!  49 of my students made the AR goal for the first quarter.  I would like to see that number quite higher, but I will celebrate the success none-the-less!  On Wednesday, Oct. 24, those kiddos will celebrate with an ice cream party reward!  Any parent volunteers?  :)

Scholastic! Help us earn free books!

https://clubs2.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/LogonForm?classActivationCode=GQJZZ

Scholastic Book Club!  Our Class Code is GQJZZ

Help our class earn FREE books!

Sentence Clubhouse

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/clubhouse/index_pre.html

Sentence Clubhouse

Play this game to practice sentence types, capitalization and punctuation.

Living a Life of Integrity

Living a life of integrity
The above link is for a YouTube video that you MUST watch :)

Check it out!  We watched and discussed this in class this week.  AWESOME!  Can you relate it to your own life?

Quarterly Write in Class Today

Today is a big day for writing in my class!  In a recent blog, I mentioned how teachers are much like coaches.  Today, I explained to my students that they are very much like the athletes  . . . athletes that have practiced drills and skills since they were 4 or 5 years old.  Today, they are putting those skills to the test in a match of writing wits!  The topic for the 6th grade writing prompt is related to integrity.  We have talked about this for the last four days in class.  Hopefully the kids are well prepared and able to demonstrate their amazing writing skills in the form of a personal narrative . . . plus make a personal connection to how important it is to live a life of integrity.  Of course, they will have me in the role of coach and cheerleader on their side as they RISE to the Challenge of today's "game."

Marshall County Reading Council

Membership Drive Now through October 31, 2012

The council is inviting *YOU* to be a part of the organization!
- Parents
- Teachers
- Librarians
- Education Students
- Community Members

The Marshall County Reading Council (MCRC) was started in 1985 by a group of teachers of this county.  It is a part of the national and state organizations of IRA (International Reading Association) and ISRA (Indiana State Reading Association).

The council's purpose is to promote reading and writing in Marshall County.  It does this through different programs and projects that it sponsors and supports throughout the year.  Some of the programs are Celebrate Literacy, Books for Babies, Newspapers in Education, Classroom Grants, Scholarships, PGP (Professional Growth Points) Certificates, and the Young Author's Conference.

Contact myself if you are interested, or you can contact your local Marshall County library, or Mary Jackson of Argos Schools.

Play Like a Champion

So, what does it mean to "Play Like a Champion"?  I recently had the privilege of listening to a very wise man speak on this topic.  I started thinking about all the ways I do "play like a champion" and in all the ways I can step up my game and truly "Play Like a Champion."

A teacher takes on many roles.  We are educator, parent, care-giver, coach, leader, confidant, cheer squad . . . the list is truly long.  I started to think about all the ways that I am a coach to my students.  I give them the best equipment, show them effective plays, walk them through the steps of the play over and over again until it is perfected . . . but even bigger than that, is my role as motivator.  When a good coach motivates, he or she gets more effort from the team.  A good coach can build you up and instill a sense of conquering the world!  I take this role very seriously when working with the hearts and minds of these young adolescents.  Because at the end of the day, the words I use and the motivation I instill, it really matters!   In every role I play, it matters that I support, praise, build-up, cheer-on, and show approval.  When a student has confidence, he has already won a part of the battle.

So, I am working hard to motivate my students to give their best effort in every element of their education.  Give it all you've got . . . because the steps you take everyday, point you in one direction or another . . . and the direction you go really matters!  So, I am playing like a champion as a teacher, and leading my students in the direction to play like champions in life . . . starting in the classroom.

Be Yourself

Learning . . . everyday! Even me!

Today I attended a professional development training session.  My brain is little on information overload!  However, while these awesome ideas and fresh, new, cutting-edge technology programs are fresh in my mind, I thought it would be best to share with everyone!

I have been introduced to some awesome programs to help with visual learning and presentations!

Here are a few!  Prezi which will help your presentations ZOOM!

Popplet is a great place to visually plan and organize information!

Slide Rocket is a great way to present slideshow!  The best part about this program is that it is already a part of your Google apps!  Simply log-in to your PCSC Google account, and click the "more" tab to begin.

And here is one example from the ShowMe app that I hope to learn in order to provide awesome tutorials.

 

 

I am really looking forward bringing technology to you AND making your learning experience worthwhile and FUN!

 

Happy technology-ing!  

More Web Resources for Riverside

Blog - http://riversideintermediate.blogspot.com/

Website - http://www.plymouth.k12.in.us/riverside-intermediate.html

Twitter - Riverside School ‏@PCSCRiverside

Video Book Reviews

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/video.jsp?pID=1640183585&bcpid=1640183585

Click this link to watch book "trailers" . . . just like movie trailers . . . to help you find a good-fit book!

My Big Campus - Parents link!

Hello parents!  I have created a group in My Big Campus . . .  just for YOU!  This way, you can access information, assignments, calendars, etc.  Follow this link to join the group.  https://www.mybigcampus.com/groups/parents---279380

Riverside Announcements Via Podcast

To learn how to watch Riverside's daily announcements via podcast, watch this quick tutorial via YouTube.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWBTSNgbSo&feature=plcp

Give with Target!

Click this link to vote for Riverside to receive Target gift cards!  https://givewith.target.com/schools/20703

Help My Class Earn Free Books!

Click on the above link to order from my scholastic web-site!   Our class code is GQJZZ.

Gearing up for a new school year!

Tomorrow is day one out of 180 days of learning for the 2012-2013 school year. It is currently 10:42 p.m., and I have finally put the finishing touches on my plans for tomorrow. I have seating charts and schedules finalized, a classroom that looks amazing (pat on the back to myself), activities lined up to set the tone for the school year, and inspiration in my heart. Whew! And that is just the teacher side of me that is ready. From a parent perspective, back packs are ready, clothes are ironed and ready to wear, lunches are packed, and my kiddos have already been snoozing for at least 2 hours in anticipation of their big day tomorrow as well. Lucas will be a 3rd grader and Mads will be in 2nd. Being so busy with preparing my own classroom doesn't afford me the time to really reflect on the fact that they are getting so big, so fast. So, there you have the teacher perspective, the parent perspective . . . do you want the personal perspective? I have my outfits narrowed down to two, my morning (5:15 A.M.) running clothes are ready for my morning session of sweat, and I am nervous I won't sleep a wink. Even though I am tired, my brain is wired . . . it doesn't matter how many times I have prepared for a first day of school, I STILL get butterflies! Maybe that's my clue that I am in the right profession :) Here's to a good sleep, a good run with friends, and students that like their teacher tomorrow (and a teacher that likes her students!) Good night!

NBC Learn

http://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12

Web 2.0

http://eol.plymouth.k12.in.us/Resources/Web2-0/index.html 

EXCELLENT RESOURCES!  Jump on it!

Renaissance Place - AR

Renaissance Place!  This is Accelerated Reader's home, and there are many new guidelines for AR this school year.

Here are a few:

1.  Students must earn 25 AR points each quarter (nine weeks) from books within appropriate lexile ranges.
2.  Each student's account will be double-password protected.  Each student will login with his/her assigned AR password, plus a teacher password, called a "monitor password" must be entered by a classroom teacher or librarian.  All AR tests must be taken in the presence of an adult to ensure the integrity of the program.
3.  AR will be worth 100 points of the final quarter grade for quarters 1 and 2.  AR will be worth 150 points of the final quarter grade for quarters 3 and 4.
4.  A grading scale will be provided in a course syllabus.

Achieve3000

www.achieve3000.com This is the link to Achieve 3000.  This program is AMAZING!  Riverside's 2011-2012 6th graders ROCKED this program!  I am looking forward to another year of reading, writing, and critical thinking growth through this program.  More details to follow :)

Let the Reading Begin

So, this is the week that I do a revved up review of my favorite classroom management books/resources, plus add a new book or two.  Kind of like "cramming" before the big test.  This week I have devoured a new book to help my students to be even more engaged.  I am intrigued! 

Not everyone understands the complete gift of summer vacation.  Yes, I have fun.  Yes, I unwind.  Yes, I let my mind, body, and soul relax and recharge.  Trust me; you want your child's teacher to have this break!  I look at the summer months as a true, honest-to-goodness gift . . . a gift to me, my own children, but especially to my students.  The break gives me an opportunity to lick my wounds, clear my head, de-clutter, re-organize, and prepare for another amazing year of educating these astounding adolescents.  I like to live in a world of rainbows and butterflies!  Reality slaps me in the face quite a bit, but I still enjoy sharing a smile, a pat on the back, and a true-genuine compliment.  Summer vacation helps me to return to the teacher I really am at heart. 

Now, I could stay that teacher all year long if . . . if there weren't deadlines, grading, incomplete homework, sloppy penmanship, fragment sentences, poor attitudes, and apathy (just to name a few).  For the most part, my world of rainbows and butterflies will remain a figment of my imagination.  In the meantime, I will savor the gift of summer vacation, optimize its benefits to my mental sanity, and give my students my 100%!  Until then . . . I will be reading.

OK, students and parents . . . good advice for a great school year!

The Kids Seem Ready

There is a familiar buzz in my home . . . organization of school supplies, anticipation of new teachers, new classmates, old friends, and new friends.  PLUS, new clothes, shoes, pencils, erasers and dry-erase markers.  My bank account is recognizing that familiar "buzz" as well. Of course, there is the familiar fussing between my two kiddos.  "These are my pencils, not yours!"  They will be in 2nd and 3rd grade this year, and I am again reminded that they are growing up WAY TOO FAST!

There is a familiar buzz within me as well.  This is the time of year that I get butterflies in my stomach.  Nervousness and anticipation envelop me.   These are good feelings, though.  I consider myself very blessed.  I have the same excited anticipation for the start of the school year as I did when I was a child.  Everyday I get to go to "work" and it doesn't feel like "work."  School, to me, feels like . . . well, it feels like home!

This year, I am doing something new!  I am going to keep a Blog as a tool to communicate to students and parents.  I hope to share as much as possible to make this year the BEST year yet :)