Easter Sunday Social

 Happy Easter everyone!  I hope your having a nice relaxing weekend.  This is my parents last weekend in town before they head to our summer place, so I've been hanging out with them going to movies, lunch and church.  I'm also gearing up for a VERY busy couple of weeks.  I have loads of ieps and were gearing up for AIMS week.

So now I'm doing something fun and linking up with Neely and Ashley for their Sunday Social.


This Weeks Questions:
1. Favorite type of work out to do?  Right now it's yoga, but I also love hiking, walking and running

2. Favorite guilty pleasure candy or sweet?  jelly beans, or small candy bars

3. What is one thing you continuously forget to do? Hmm, I can't think of anything that I consistently forget, but I can be absent minded sometimes with daily things like remembering my lunch or something.

4. Posts its or phone reminders? Why? Post it's!  They're wonderful for everything.  I'm always writing reminders on post it notes.

 5. Favorite picture currently on your phone that always makes you smile  A picture of my nieces, or of our cottage in Minnesota.

Next Weeks Questions: All About Pinterest
1. What is your favorite outfit pin?
2. What is your favorite food pin?
3. What is your favorite wedding pin?
4. What is your favorite DIY/craft pin?
5. What is your favorite quote/verse/lyric pin?
6. Share one more random pin you love.

Weekly Highlights

This week it was back to school, after a wonderful week long vacation.  I went out to Ohio to visit my brother and his family for a week.  It was so nice being with them, and having a chance to relax and recharge away from home.

The highlight of my week was that my projector was installed in my room over spring break.  My room was one of the last to have a projector installed and to get a document camera.  I have been on a quest for incorporating more technology in my classroom this year, so I was really excited to have it installed.  I had some help getting it set up, and I'm really looking forward to start using it, with my Class Dojo and other videos I've found online.

So far it's been a really fun weekend.  I had a nice relaxing morning meeting friends for coffee this morning.   Then this evening I met some local Arizona bloggers.  It was so nice being a part of it and meeting some of the faces behind the blogs that I've been reading.  I'm looking forward to the next meet up.  Tomorrow I'm going to yoga outdoors, then meeting my Dad for coffee, and later on my Mom for the Scottish Gathering.  

I love this weekend, and especially this time of year in Arizona.  The weather is beautiful, the air smells great with the orange blossoms and there's so many fun things to do and all the tourists converge on Arizona.  I'm looking forward to a four day week ahead, my last day off until the end of the year.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

My Advice to You

 I'm really enjoying some much needed vacation, relaxing, recharging and revamping my lesson plans and organization of my classroom.  I have some behavior challenges this year and I thought it might be a good idea to change my schedule, as well as my classroom routine.  I'm excited about the changes and think it will be good for all of the students.  There is one group I'll be able to divide and conquer and split up some of my more challenging students.  I think it'll be make it easier for the rest of my year, as I start adding students to my roster.  When I return to school, I'll be off and running scheduling ieps, testing and getting kids ready for AIMS week.  The good news is that it'll go quickly and next thing I know it'll be time to wrap up the school year.     I'm linking up with Ms.Fultz's corner to share some advice.  It's a fun way to meet new teachers and get some new tips and tricks.   1) Focus on the positive-One thing I've noticed and used over the years is focus on the positive as much as possible.  Students respond well to it and it's the best way to get students motivated and doing their work.    2) Create routines- This is a tip I learned from Harry Wong's First Days of School.  He discusses the importance of creating routines and expectations and practicing them from the very first day of school with your students.   3) Limit setting- A tip I learned from Fred Jones Positive Discipline.  It's all about body language, remaining calm,cool and collected when dealing with behavior issues, move in closely and say as little as possible with the "teacher stare."   Come on over and join the fun!! 

What are you technology must haves?

Spring break has finally arrived here in Arizona!  I'm so looking forward to having some time to relax, recharge and spending time with family.  When we return I'll have to hit the ground running, with iep meetings and getting ready for our AIMS week.

I've been learning a lot more about technology this year and trying to incorporate it into my teaching.  I've started using Class Dojo for behavior management, started looking into some different websites for progress monitoring (Easy CBM and Read Theory), Brain Pop and Teacher Tube for videos and discovered XMath for practicing math facts.  I finally received a document camera

I'm wondering what kinds of technology do you use in your classroom and can't live without? (smart boards, document cameras, ipods etc.)

What websites do you love for teaching and recommend?  I'm thinking mostly ones that students can use to reinforce their learning.  What about great websites for progress monitoring?

Anyway, hope everyone has a good weekend!!

I'm an Arizona blogger!

Only two more days and I'm on vacation!!  I'm so looking forward to it.  We're just finishing up with parent teacher conferences, on a half day schedule and getting ready for break.  The last few months have been pretty stressful, so I'm looking forward to having some time to myself to regroup and recharge.

Anyway, I found this fun linky party that links up bloggers by state.  It's so fun to find out what states your favorite bloggers are from.  I'm looking forward to finding some other Arizona bloggers.

Come join in on the fun and link up with your blog at Fifth in the Middle.

It's almost Friday ; )

March Currently

So excited that spring break is right around the corner.  These last few months have been rough with different behaviors that I've been dealing with, and more recently with a LOT of ieps, and initial evaluations.  Fun times!  It will be a very busy spring.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to a much needed break, and opportunity to spend time with my brother and his family.

So I'm linking up this month for Farley's Currently

Listening- I love the Good Wife and so excited that there's a new show on tonight.  It's interesting, exciting with lots of twists and turns.

Loving-The weekends!  So nice to be able to relax, have fun and enjoy doing what I want to do, when I want to do it.  I had a great weekend!  I went to Nascar this weekend (in Phoenix), and a hike and today with a friend  It was a perfect day for a hike, and lunch was yummy!

Thinking-About spring break!  This coming week is parent conferences and then the week after that is spring break.  I'm going to spend some time with my brother and his family.  Really looking forward to it!!

Wanting-I finally went swing dancing last week, after awhile being out of the loop.  I really love swing dancing and always have so much fun when I go.  I've just been really busy this last month, but I really want to get back into the routine of going again.

Needing-I've been really feeling lazy lately with work being busy, and then having a cold, I haven't felt very motivated to work out.  I miss my running and my yoga.

Like-I love jelly beans!
Love-I love jazz, which is perfect that I also love swing dancing
Hate-Jerks 

Anyway, what are you doing currently.  Link up with Farley and find out what everyone else is doing!