On My Nightstand

I have issues.  With reading, that is.  I love it.  So much that I'm always reading too many things at once.  ESPECIALLY during summer.  Also, I read magazines back to front.  It's an illness.

So here's what's currently on my nightstand (or on the floor next to my nightstand, to be more accurate; my nightstand is covered with various medications and dirty tissues):

The CAFE Book

by The Sisters

(bought for myself on Amazon)

We implemented the Daily 5 for the first time this past year, and I'm looking forward to incorporating it with CAFE.  I went to a workshop the week after school got out, and it seems just as great as D5.  Unfortunately, I've yet to crack this one open.  Mostly because I'm already reading another school book...

Work Hard.  Be Nice.  

by Jay Mathews

(borrowed from school)

Each team is required to read a set of 5 books this summer (as in, each person picks one, not we all read all 5, thank God).  I chose this one because I actually put it on our list of books I'd like to have available to us in our library.  It is very good so far; about 2 college graduates who signed on with Teach for America and how they fell in love with the kids in their inner city schools, and therefore, fell in love with teaching.  They are the guys who started KIPP Academy, if you've heard of it.  I'm about halfway, but it's a quick read, and I recommend it if you're looking for some inspiration.

Positive Discipline the First 3 Years 

by Jane Nelsen Ed.D., Cheryl Erwin, Roslyn Ann Duffy

(found at my brother's house and took it)

I have a 13 month old.  And this is my first time being a parent.  So I know nothing about it.  Need I say more?  I like this book so far.  I'm on like Chapter 9 or something.  It's hard to keep track when you're reading so many freakin' things simultaneously.  LOL.  

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler

by Elizabeth Ward

(someone who thinks I'm an idiot my mom bought for me)

Again.  I have a 13 month old.  And not only do I not know how to discipline him, but I don't know how to get him to eat big people food.  *sigh*  He will basically only eat pureed baby foods, yogurt, cheerios, mum mum crackers and puffs.  With a few exceptions, but it totally depends on the day.  This book isn't really helping me much with my son's picky-eating issues other than to tell me the fancy-pants name for it.  Something or other-phobia.  Thanks for that.  Now tell me how to fix it.  

White Girl Problems

by Babe Walker

Please don't read this book if you are easily offended.  Or if you don't like cursing.  Or the word vagina.  You've been forewarned!  That being said, this book is hilarious.  I'm reading this one on my Kindle.  I hard core love my Kindle, but one can only afford to buy so many books at one time, eh?   

I'm usually reading a fiction book, chick lit, etc., but after finishing The Beach House by Jane Green last week, I decided I'd better read my school books before starting a new "for fun" book.  :)

So what's on your nightstand, peeps?  Anything I should read?  

Currently...Catching Up!

Well, it's official.  I dropped off the face of the bloggy planet.  School is out, summer is about halfway over already (*sob*), and I have mostly recovered/moved on from the horrible end to the year I had.

You know how there are just people who only care about themselves and will do anything to help themselves, regardless of how it may hurt others?  Yeah.  Those people can suck it.  Also?  I THINK I FINALLY (MIGHT) know what grade I'll be teaching next year.  Oh yeah, it's one of THOSE situations.  Alas.  Don't get me started on that one.  But I digress.  I'm working on getting a happy attitude in my heart (and on my face) before we go back in August.

I will say that I have LOVED discovering Pinterest this past year, because it has revived my excitement for the classroom and ways to teach, organize, decorate, etc.  Such a great resource with amazing ideas, many of which I will be tackling before school starts.  Yay.

Well, here's my contribution to Farley's Currently Linky Party for July.  This blog doesn't have much to look at, so if you're interested in what went on in my classroom this past year, you can check out my classroom blog (link on the left sidebar).  :)  Holla.

My little guy turned one in May, and he is at SUCH a fun age!  He finally started walking, and he's talking more after having tubes put in his ears.  He is just learning and doing so much.  He is also much more attached to Mommy than he ever was before.  So August is going to be pretty hard for us both, I think!  Pobrecito.  

The hubcap and I are going to the Destin area here pretty soon, and there is so much crap to get done before then.  Cry me a river, for I'll be leaving the baby for the first time EVER, and for nearly a whole week!  :(  I'm nervous but excited to get away with the hubs.  

BOOKS!  I LOVE to read aloud the Wayside School books by Louis Sachar.  Fabulous writer, hilarious books.  My students never laugh as much as they do listening to these books.  So fun.  Although, for a short read, I also LOVE reading aloud ANY of the Skippyjonjones books.  I get to use my Texican accent, and the kids love it.  

I don't really have an ongoing "go to" professional book, because I pretty much stopped reading those when I graduated, HA!  But this summer, I'm reading the CAFE book so I can (hopefully) implement it correctly this year.  Good times.

OK peeps, if you've made it this far, you get a gold star, or a slap on the back, or something.  THANKS and peace out, happy summering to ya.

-Gayla

iPad Frenzy: Sock Puppets App

It's official.  My student teacher, Mrs. O'Bryan, and I are obsessed with the iPads.  We use them almost every day in Daily 5 (Listen to Reading, Word Work, Read to Self), and we are continually trying to find ways to integrate them into math, science, and social studies.

My new favorite App is Sock Puppets.

Make a 30 second sock puppet show about anything!  (My students would chime in: "as long as it's appropriate for school.")  Yes, I've taught them well.  :D

You can choose your own sock characters, choose your background and props, and you can even change the pitch of the characters' voices to higher or lower!  The students had a blast, and it's actually a great way to assess a recently taught skill or content.

We recently made sock puppet shows explaining the difference between needs and wants during our big economics unit.  Check out a student's example below:





Tips for using the Sock Puppets App:
-Watch the countdown timer at the top to see how much you have left to talk.
-Have students write their "script" first to save time and mistakes.
-Have them sit as far away from one another as possible (as you can hear in the video, it gets very loud if they are all recording at once!)  :)
-To make a new character talk, you have to click on it (an arrow will appear above its head).
-You totally do not have to upload them to YouTube!  I only did that for blog purposes and to share with parents, but it is by no means a must, of course!  (Side note: it was quite easy to upload them if you're into that sort of thing-haha.)

My First Lesson Freebie--Counting Coins Up to $1.00

Well, last week our school got two class sets of iPads!  It is AMAZING, and my class has already used them twice, plus I used them for my tutoring students.  (Yes. We are required to tutor 7 year olds.)  So ever since we used them the first time, my little brain has been working overtime to think of MORE ways we can use them besides just practicing our math facts, sight words, etc.  I came up with the idea that the students can "show what they know" using the CAMERA on the iPads (or the iPod Touches, for that matter)!

So I created a lesson in which the kids can use work mats to count coins equaling different amounts.  Then my plan is for them to snap a picture of their completed work mat.  Have you heard of the Bump App?  When the assignment is completed, each student will "bump" their iPad with my own device, and I'll have ALL of their work on my iPad.  From there, I can assess their work and hopefully upload it to our classroom blog.  WHOO HOO!  Can you tell I'm excited about using the iPads?!  :)  It's great to have something to get me excited, because I've been pretty burned out lately, to be honest.  And it's only January.  Sigh.  Long way to go till summer.  :)

If you like this activity and think you can use it, please let me know!  This is my first time really creating a lesson, so I would love to have some feedback.

You can download the lesson at Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking the link below:

Show Me the Money: Counting Coins up to $1.00

Thanks for stopping by!

3rd post's a charm.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're not supposed to post more than once a day, blah blah blah.  Look, I never post, and I've gotta do it when I get the time, which, as one can tell, is almost never!  LOL.

So anyway, one last printable poster freebie for those who may be interested.

This is the strategy we use at our school for math story problems.  It is used from 2nd-4th grades, so the students become very familiar with it, and I've actually had a middle school teacher email me to tell me that one of her students told her "Mrs. Cockrell taught me this way," so I was quite proud.  :)

It's called CUBES, and I hope it will be helpful for someone!  If so, please leave me a comment and share the love with your teamies.  :)

CUBES math strategy poster

Fun with Picnik--some freebies

I am sad to report that Picnik will be closing in April!  SO SO SAD!  It is the BEST. EVER.  Boo hiss.

Anyway, I was playing around on Picnik and created a couple of fun little posters.  Check them out if you'd like.

Call the Wambulance poster-light blue

Call the Wambulance poster-light pink

Boss of Applesauce poster

The wambulance poster came from all the whiny babies in my class that try to get out of the classroom constantly because they "hurt their finger/hand/arm/leg/foot/face/ear/fill in the blank."  OK, so I don't ACTUALLY tell them I'm going to "call the wambulance."  But I think it.  And I DO tell them, "If I have to SQUINT to see the cut on your finger, you don't need a band aid, and you certainly don't need to go to the nurse."  They are (slowly) starting to grasp the concept (some of them).  :)  Nonetheless, the wambulance could come visit my classroom about 40 bajillion times a day.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Class Dojo Parent Letter

If you would like to use/edit and use the letter I sent to my parents about the Class Dojo website, please feel free to snag it:

Class Dojo Parent Letter

Not sure why Google Docs won't properly upload the cuter version of this letter, but it won't.

I also have no idea how to embed the document so you can see a preview; sorry!  :)

Hope this will be helpful for someone.