Currently...November

I loves me some Farley, over at Oh Boy 4th Grade.  I must say.  And I also loves me some of her Currently bidness (business).

What I SHOULD be doing currently is going to BED!  Which is, incidentally, what I plan to do after hitting "Publish Post."  So there ya go.

Thanks, Farley, for the awesome linky party and the awesome background, as usual!

First of all, if you don't follow Kristin (with 2 i's) over at a Teeny Tiny Teacher, you need to.  Because I said so.  She is HIGH larious.

And Teacher of the Frickin' Year?  How could you NOT be intrigued by that title?  LOVE it.  

I love it when teachers write about some of the funnier, more irritating things about being a teacher and don't pretend that every minute of every day is sunshine and roses.  'Cuz in my class this year, there are no roses--only some really stinky toots.  (I mean, what is UP with all the stinky toots in my room this year?!)

So yeah. Check them out.

Favorite Read Aloud Linky Party and Too BUSY for Words

Oh man, do I love read alouds.  I just LOVE reading to my kiddos!  I love it more when they don't interrupt every page I read with their commentary, but that's a different topic...  :)

Anyway, Swimming into 2nd is having a great linky party for read alouds, so I'm linking up over there!  Please click HERE to check out some great ideas for read alouds to use in your classroom (if you don't already--I mean great minds DO think alike, after all).

Thanks, Swimming into 2nd for hosting!

My very favorite read aloud EVER is Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar.

When I taught 3rd grade, I used to read this book, and then the sequel, Wayside School is Falling Down if I got around to it.

The kids LOVED these books.  I mean LOVED.  The things that happen at Wayside School are SO bizarre and wacky, it's just fantabulous (and no, I don't tend to teach my students words that don't actually exist, but this is MY blog and I can use fake words if I WANT to).  If you haven't read these books, totally give 'em a looksie.

Now that I'm in 2nd grade, my fave books to read aloud are the Skippyjon Jones series by Judy Schachner.  Here is the Skippyjon Jones website for your perusing pleasure.

Seriously.  series.  Seriously.  Why are those words so similar?  Anywho...I'm sorry, where was I?  OK, yeah, Skippyjon Jones.  LOVE HIM.  Cutest idea for a character EVER, and I'm sorry, but I get SUCH a big kick out of reading these books because I get to use my best "Texican" accent, and frankly, I really crack myself up.  In case you were wondering.  I feel that I'm allowed to basically mock the accent since I'm half Mexican myself.  And the kids love it.  And they love learning the Spanish words thrown in here and there.

So there ya have it.  Read alouds that rock.

Moving on.   To the fact that number 1, I just started a sentence with a preposition, and number 2, that being a new mom who works is the hardest freaking thing I have EVER done.  Is it just me?  I do NOT have enough time in my DAY to get done the things I need to get done, much less the things I WANT to get done.  Not cool.  (It's possible I'm a little bitter about the whole thing.)

So anyway, there are so many things I have been wanting to post about on this blog, but my blog posting time (which ends up being late Saturday night, I'm sad to say) has been devoted to my classroom blog, because well, I like keeping the parents in the loop, and the parents like me keeping the parents in the loop.  So there's that.  I really want to TRY to post on here.  Like, ever.  So we'll see...

Thanks for stopping by!

I loves me some Pinterest!

Yes.  It's official: I'm a Pinterest Addict.  This is why I never tried smoking or hard drugs: I have such an addictive personality!  Lol.  Anyway, I have come across SO many amazing ideas for my classroom, and here's one:

The "You Rock" frame.

What a quick and easy way to give recognition to your sweet kiddos, huh?

My kids think this is the COOLEST THING EVER.  When they come back from Specials and see the frame on someone's desk, they love it.  I only do this once a week, for the student who is chosen as our class's "Longhorn of the Week--" (the longhorn is our mascot), so it's easy for me to remember.  I just have to keep remembering to take a picture each week!  I printed photos of each to send home with them--I'm sure the parents will love getting a pic, too!

A big "THANK YOU" to fellow blogger and creator of ALL things (freebies) AMAZING: Sweet Blessings

If you haven't checked out her blog, you MUST.  She creates amazing posters; I have printed SEVERAL for my classroom already.

Welcome to Teach On!

I recently discovered the wealth of amazing teaching blogs.  I couldn't resist it any longer.  I had to start my own!

I can't wait to share the things going on in my classroom and hope that I will inspire other teachers as I myself have been so inspired by so many out there in blog-land!

Thanks for checking me out!


--Mrs. Cockrell