Exit Slips

More creations have been in the making this weekend! With all this back to school buzz, my mind is packed full of ideas that I can't wait to explore with my class. I have been hard at work "pinning" my nights away on Pinterest. I recently came across the idea of an "Exit Slip Board". 

I have done many lessons before that have involved the use of some sort of exit ticket as a means of closure for the lesson. I think it really serves as an effective way to collect the students ideas and see what they have learned from the lesson. I know I have spent time after lessons sitting there thinking, "hmm... did that idea come across clearly?" This form of closure lets you read into the students thoughts and see exactly what they are thinking. This allows you to alter your instruction to your students needs

The great thing about this board is it allows a spot for each student to display his or her answer on a sticky note. It makes it so easy for the teacher to glance at the board and see how many are missing. You could even stick name labels or numbers on each of the squares to allow for easier identification.

Needless to say I am excited to try out my new creation! I can't wait for my students' to show what they know.

Teacher/ Student Tool Kit

I do indeed love a well-labeled, well-organized, and orderly classroom! I love leaving the room at the end of the day and knowing that everything has a place. Walking into a clean classroom in the morning allows you to begin your day with a clear slate; and that my friends I LOVE. 

Upon organizing the classroom this week, I decided that everything needed a place. Don't get me wrong, it does indeed have a place already. This year we decided we needed to start fresh! So I created the Pinterest famous TEACHER TOOL KIT!

For this project you will need:

A 22 or 39 drawer tool box

Scrapbook paper

Mod-podge

Foam paintbrush

Labels

We began this journey by trudging our way up to the nearest home depot. Now, on Pinterest it says you can get the 22 or 39 drawer cabinet at Home Depot. However, Pinterest does not account for the hundreds of teachers that are rushing out to buy these exact cabinets as advertised on Pinterest. The store employee seemed to know exactly what I was looking for and explained that (to my dismay) they were out of stock.

So, onwards we went to Lowes! Here we purchased the 22 drawer tool kit.

I decided to make two of these kits; one for the students, one for the teachers desk. The students are always running up and asking for supplies. What better way to make a the classroom accessible to them then to give them the same supplies!

I found the purchased scrapbook paper from JoAnn's and cut them to size. (The labels are available on TpT, but none matched the color scheme of the classroom I am in.) I will note that it is best to decide what you want to label the drawers when you have the supplies in front of you. We found ourselves digging in our purses and searching Google in Lowe's looking for the length of a pencil. *Sigh*,You learn by experience.

Next, I Mod-podged the paper into the front of the drawers. I recommend using a foam brush to paint the glue into the interior of the drawer. Some versions tell you to tape the labels inside, but Mod-podge increases its durability. 

After a little time and a lot of glue on my fingers... the finished product!

Note: These are two toolboxes stacked on top of each other.

Goals in Sight

Ahh what a day! I don't think there is any feeling comparable to walking into a classroom that is absolutely empty, and in a few magical weeks, transforming into a space to inspire young minds! It may be one of my favorite parts of the job.

Today, I created a goals bulletin board. I half got this idea off Pinterest/ half tweaked it to fit my class' needs. 

We have daily classroom meetings in room 10! I love this. It brings us together and lets the students know they are a part of a team! 

I created this board to remind my friends what goals we have set for the week, the day, and even the month! I love that this board isn't limited to just curriculum. I can already imagine using this board to set goals for teamwork, behavior, and even longer term goals. My brain is full of ideas! 

I plan on using it like the following example:

Today we will: complete our study guide for chapter 7 of math.

So we can: ace our math exam on Friday!

We will know we have it when: we can show off our smarts in the review game! 

* Note: I changed the last portion from the idea on Pinterest  from "I" to "we". This is a personal preference only because we will be using it as a classroom set of goals.

Although this board is simple, I love its functionality! I'm getting that back to school excitement! 

Continue to inspire <3

Thirty-one Utility Tote Organization

One thing about teaching is for certain, it requires organization. We all know that a few paper clips can work miracles people. However, when the stacks of paper get a wee-bit higher than what a clip can conquer, we might need to call in some reinforcements!

So, I was invited to a Thirty-one party at a fellow teachers house. Teachers, Thirty-one bags, organization, what more can a girl ask for?

At this party I purchased a large utility tote in a basic grey color.  I just love that this tote is filled with pockets to put everything from Post-it notes to pencils. 

The bag I purchased can be found here: 

http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/product/27/catid/6/swid/621a/

As many of us have seen, Pinterest offers many options as to how to add hanging file folders to this type of bag! I did just that with my own spin on things! 

I decided I wanted a way to file papers that needed to be copied , filed, graded, etc.. As well as a way to copy ALL off the worksheets and lesson materials I will need for the week. Oh the organization! Be still my heart ... 

You will need .....

- A hanging file basket from Office Max. I opted for a clear one because of my bag color.

- A box of hanging file folders from Office Max. For the larger "day of the week folders" I hit up the Target dollar section and snagged some file folders in some ADORABLE patterns. 

- Labels for hanging file folders from Office Max

- The large utility tote from Thirty-one.  The Collegiate collection tends to be most plain; I chose the grey.

- Patterned scrapbook paper to print the labels on. Note: this requires setting your printers paper settings to a different type of paper to avoid a paper jam.

I found this last step added a bit of dimension that made the bag unique . Since I opted for such a plain pattern, this really made the bag pop!  Using unique fonts can have a similar effect.

I have had this bag for less than a month now and it has already proven itself useful! I have already found myself creating letters home, name tags, and other printables and shoving them into the "to copy" folder. I absolutely adore that everything has a place. 

I plan to fill the bags pockets with all sorts of teaching supplies as the year begins. So many pockets, so little time! 

Create and stay organized friends!

Passionately Curious

I have created this blog as a way to share ideas, marvels, and other little lightbulbs on my journey as a teacher. After all, we do it all for the love of teaching!

I love this quote. I just love the idea that we are all inherently curious and full of wonder.

Stay curious my friends!