Back to school cookout: a success! August 16, 2007

Tonight I held my 3rd annual homeroom cookout for my upcoming 6th graders and their families. It was held at a local park at 6:30. We had hot dogs and hamburgers along with all the fixings. (which was donated by a local grocery store & the kids brought drinks, chips, and deserts) YUM! All but 4 families attended. I was satisfied! The weather has been very hot and I was worried about the turnout. The cookout is a great way to meet parents in an informal way. I have found that my parents enjoy the cookout just as much as the kids do. They too get to see old friends and reconnect.

I am interested in what you may do to get ready for back to school. Leave a comment.

A Date With Elvis August 14, 2007

My date

This week marks the 30th year of Elvis’s death. Tony and I were invited to attend a dinner hosted by Budweiser. While there we got the appropriate attire for Elvis week (Elvis glasses and a cool ring). Elvis gear We ate at the Elvis Presley restaurant in Memphis, TN. The food was finger licking good! After a few Elvis impersonators jived their hips, we were off to Graceland. I felt like a movie star because we got to skip line and have an air conditioned tent. Well, I got security called on me because I crossed the blue line. All Tony and I wanted was a picture in front of the Graceland mansion, but the security guard said no! He must of had his panties in a wad or something. After all of that commotion, we finally entered the desired air conditioned tent. How cool-literally! A Budweiser man asked if we wanted to meet Dale Earnhardt, Jr and of course we said yes. I have never met anyone famous before – we got his signature. I am not a nascar fan, but it was fun just meeting him. Tony is even pictured in the Commercial Appeal standing by his race car. Being at Graceland for the first time was fun. I now have a wonderful story to tell all of my friends and family.

Elvis girls

Me trying to get away from security

Dale Earnhardt, Jr speaking infront of the mansion

Dale’s car

Dale’s signature

Last day of summer break August 12, 2007

Today is my last full day of summer break. I can’t believe how quickly it went by. By this time next week, I will be preparing what to wear for my first day of school with the kids. Tomorrow I have in-service and I am not looking forward to it, but I know I will be excited once I am there. This year we have 5 new teachers coming to my school. That’s exciting because I can hopefully open a window or even crack the window of letting teachers know about the West TN Writing Project. I would love for some other teachers to attend the project so that I will have something in common with someone. Not that I don’t already, but there is something about teachers who have attended a writing project before. There’s this awesome feeling that they too know what you’re talking about and you don’t have to explain yourself so much.

 I do have to say that this summer has been a great one!

Classroom Bulletin Boards August 9, 2007

I used to like to create bulletin boards, but as the years go by I don’t care for them. I want to do a writer’s bulletin board (maybe what good writer’s do or a community of writers and readers) and I think I might do the Celebrity Writer’s Profile or biographies with my students. I may even do a Crispin theme. (My students read Crispin over the summer) I don’t know. School starts August 20th.

Does anyone have any cool bulletin board ideas for 6/7 graders? I am all ears.

My Racing Mind August 8, 2007

These past two days I have been having random thoughts about my writing workshop. I have been on amazon to look at books and of course I have found some. I am really interested in Barry Lane’s books about revision. That is something I need my students to work on. Don’t we all? I have also read other people’s blogs to get ideas. My mind is just racing with all the things I want to do. I need to sit down and write out what I want to do with writing workshop. Last year went ok, but I need to do better. On the Two Writing Teacher’s blog there was a post about sharing. I need to let my students share more. We do share, but not enough.

Yesterday, I read Ralph Fletcher’s book A Writer’s Notebook. I didn’t even know I had the book until I searched through my library. I got it for my birthday and didn’t even remember. I guess because the cover is different. That book has a lot of insight on what to do with a writer’s notebook. My questions have been answered. It’s weird how your questions can be answered with a simple little book.

Today, I need to focus on one aspect of my writing workshop and see how I can make it better. I need to analyze what worked and what didn’t work.

What works in your writing workshops?

More Thoughts on Writer’s Notebook August 6, 2007

What’s the difference between a writer’s notebook and a journal? I wonder this because I have been looking at writing workshop books and some say writer’s notebook and some say journal. I want to use a writer’s notebook in my class. I thought of many ways to incorporate them. One way is to have thoughts of the day and have my students write about one of the topics posted when they enter the room. Of course that wouldn’t be the only thing in their writer’s notebook-brainstorms, thoughts, lists, responses, etc. I read that one teacher would collect the notebooks and read their students’ thoughts on a weekly basis. I already do this with response logs. I could do an every other week thing. One week response logs the next week writer’s notebooks. I don’t want to burn out and I don’t want my students to burn out. Do you actually grade them or do you give them credit for just doing them?

Check this out

hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Writer’s%20Notebook.htm

and

twowritingteachers.wordpress.com 

My Marriage Meme August 5, 2007

I have noticed on a few blogs that people have written memes, so I am going to try it out.

beach 2007

1. My husband and I knew each other in high school, but didn’t get together until many years later. We started talking at a wedding and I knew then that I would like to get to know him better. We did a year later.

2. We have a great connection. The moment we started dating I knew he was the one for me. He made me feel special all over.

3. We support each other in all of our endeavors. He loves real estate and I love teaching.

4. Each day we grow closer to one another. I don’t know what I would do without him.

5. We are opposites, but we balance each other out. I love to spend money and he’s the penny pincher.

6. Both of us are devoted to our pets, Mimi, Belle, and Miss Kitty.

7. We continue to try to grow closer in our relationship with God.

8. We pray together. On our first date, Tony asked if we could pray together. Since then we pray together and what a loving connection it is.

9. Our love is constanly growing. I love my best friend! We can tell each other anything–that’s what friends are for!

Writers’ Notebooks August 4, 2007

This school year I want to implement a writer’s notebook. I have read on the Two Writing Teachers blog that they do this too. When I was in Boston, I met two ladies that also use a writer’s notebook in their classrooms. Their writing project site spends two days decorating their notebooks. I plan to do this the first few days of school too. I think it will show the students a sense of ownership with their writing. I am interested in a book by Aimee Buckner. I think this book might be a good start for me to read, so I have some clue to what to do. I might even buy Ralph Fletcher’s book.

Does anyone else have ideas for writer’s notebook?

Uploading Pictures August 3, 2007

Angela is right. Taking time to play with blogging is beneficial. It has only taken me 2 days to figure out how to post a picture! Yahoo! Who knows where this will take me. Only the horizon will know!

Timestamp

Does the time being incorrect on your blog page bother anyone else? It’s irritating me because I have done everything I need to do to change it and it’s still WRONG! I have read the troubleshooting section of wordpress.com and still can’t figure out how to get military time off. The time on the options menu is correct, but when I type my post it is still in military time! I have figured out how to edit the time, but why should I have to do that when it’s suppose to do it automatically? This was posted at 1:— in the afternoon not am! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! How irritating! That’s my frustration/complaint for the day.