Focus on one thing at a time!

Today I am linking up with the Primary Powers to share my big goal for 2015!

In my 14 in 14, my word for 2015 was focus, and I'm still going to try to focus on one thought at a time.  I've been practicing this week so I'll be prepared to focus when I go back to school. (hopefully).


Thanks to the very generous Ashleigh of Ashleigh's Education Journey ,  I won  A Wintry Mix of Common Core Math !   Click here to check it out!

Now I have to focus so I can try to stay up until midnight - that would be a miracle!

Thanks for visiting today!

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Fourteen in 2014!

Hello and Happy New Year!  Today I'm linking up with Kristin, Traci and Hadar for:

This quote from John Gardner is one of my favorites.  You can read the whole speech here.

The things you learn in maturity aren't simple things such as acquiring information and skills. You learn not to engage in self-destructive behavior. You leant not to burn up energy in anxiety. You discover how to manage your tensions, if you have any, which you do. You learn that self-pity and resentment are among the most toxic of drugs. You find that the world loves talent, but pays off on character.

You come to understand that most people are neither for you nor against you, they are thinking about themselves. You learn that no matter how hard you try to please, some people in this world are not going to love you, a lesson that is at first troubling and then really quite relaxing. 

 I bought this skirt at Ann Taylor Loft, and I love it because it's plaid!We watched this in school at the end of last year, and it's an amazing story.  Plus, I already love dolphins so what's not to like?

I love this show!

 

Morena's Cucina Rustica
Trattoria Italiana		p. 781 246 2919 f. 781 246 9149 23 A Broadway Wakefield MA 01880

I love Morena's!  It's a small family-run restaurant with delicious food!

 

I'm combining 8 and 9 because I received an i-phone for my birthday in October:

I was happy with my flip phone, but everyone kept telling me how much I would LOVE the i-phone.  I like that it's big enough for me to read and use.  I still don't carry it around with me all day or sleep with it next to my bed.  The family is still complaining how they can't get in touch with me.  I'll have to try harder to have the phone on and nearby.

This question took me the longest because I had to review all my Pins several times - it's a BIG decision to pick a favorite.  

I chose this Reading bulletin board because it's such a great idea.  Click here to see the original Pin.

I'm picking a blog post from last January about our first week after vacation.  I enjoyed reading what we did after vacation - I should go back and read my blog more often!  Click here to see the original post.

I have had a Morning Meeting every day of school since the first day.  I love seeing how my message are evolving and improving.  At first, I just copied the message from my Morning Message book (click here to check out the book on Amazon.)

This picture was taken this past Thanksgiving.  From left to right:  me; my sister, Nancy; my father; and my brother, Brendan.

I really enjoyed going to Nantucket last summer.

This was a wonderful family vacation.  Plus, I finally went on a whale watch which was something I'd always wanted to do.

I want to continue to learn and implement more Responsive Classroom techniques.

This quote was shared in the Responsive Classroom course I took last summer.  I really believe that school should feel safe, welcoming and nurturing for all my students. 

My mind is constantly racing onto something else so I'd really like to learn to live in the moment.

Thanks for reading this lengthy blog post. 

Happy New Year!  Enjoy your vacation time!

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Happy Holidays & Anchors Away!

I'm just popping in to link up with Deb for:

We had school on Monday and Tuesday this week, and here are my Morning Messages for both days:

During Literacy Centers, several of the kids didn't know what a suffix was; that's why I incorporated this into the Morning Message.  Morning Messages can preview concepts; review learned material; and introduce new information.  Plus, they're interactive. 

Happy Holidays!!

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New Year = New Goals!

Happy Holidays!  I'm excited to link up with Mrs. D. for:

Professional:  I really loved taking the Responsive Classroom class, and I've definitely implemented Morning Meeting.  There is so MUCH MORE to Responsive Classroom than Morning Meeting so I want to try to expand this approach.

Planning:  I also love Literacy Centers, and the kids thoroughly love this time, too.  I want to find more entertaining books for the Listening Center.  In addition, I need to shorten each center to twenty minutes so I can fit in more rotations each day.

Organizing:  Now that I'm making progress with my Literacy Centers, I need to keep my materials organized so I'll be able to find and reuse them.  Right now I'm just piling everything in my classroom closet.

Students:  Last week we did a Follow the Directions "test."  I made a video of this activity, but I need to figure out how to email it first.  Then I'll post it on my blog.  (Now I've just invented another goal for myself.)


 Motto:  I really like to think that everyone is doing their best - I know I'm always trying to do a little better every day.  That's what I tell my students - just do a little better every day, and that little bit just keeps adding up.

Click below to check out more goals!

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Anchors Away! Positive Thinking!

It's happened again.  I'm linking up late with Deb for:

Here's another Morning Message:

Learning the difference between common and proper nouns has been a struggle for some of the kids.  Every day I try to add a new category for the common/proper noun examples - although I've had continents all week.  When I had countries, the kids focused on the USA, Canada and Mexico; some of them wrote state names.  The world is a HUGE place when you're in third grade - it's a challenge to keep track of all these places.

Now I'm linking up with Jennifer for:

I feel like I'm always running on a treadmill on the fastest speed, and yet I still have so much to do - there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day.  Then I found this quote:

I better get back to work - it was so much fun to catch up on some blogging.

Happy Weekend!

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