Owl Themed Math Posters

Hey ya'll! This morning I created some adorable owl themed math posters ifimaysaysomyself ! There are 4 posters included in the pack. Each poster includes commonly used words and phrases to help your kiddos solve word problems! You may check them out here at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Enjoy! :)

-Hannah

Moving in, Writing Posters, & a *FREEBIE*!

Is everyone having a great summer? I sure am! And now that I have my own classroom, the days until school starts seem to be ticking by at a rapid pace! For days I've been waiting to get into my classroom and begin the process of sorting through everything the previous teacher left me, and begin moving in my own belongings. My room was being worked on since last Friday, and I couldn't access it until today. When I arrived at school, geared up for a day full of sorting and organizing, I was informed I only had until 2 pm to get it all done, because they were going to wax the hallway! Don't get me wrong, I love a nice waxed hallway, but I sure have been anxious to start getting my classroom the way I want it. So nowI cannot get into my room again until Monday *sigh*, but this has given me the opportunity to shift my focus to my TpT store!

To go along with my Owl themed classroom {which I am loving more and more everyday, let me tell ya} I created some writing traits posters that will surely brighten up anyone's classroom. I sent these babies off to Staples this morning and couldn't believe how great they looked on the white card stock. It's almost a shame to have to laminate them...

If you would like to grab my Writing Traits posters, you can click {here}!

I am totally loving the bright colors! 

Now, to some of the awesome stuff I have found this week:

Since I have started my new job, a whirlwind of information has been coming my way, and as always, Cara Carroll came to the rescue. She has the best stuff, let me tell you! I am preparing documents for our Open House and wasn't sure where to start...so of course I went to Pinterest. Duh. There I found everything I needed, and they were from my favorite blogger. The fact she is a 1st grade teacher and I am a 3rd grade teacher didn't affect these documents in the slightest as they were mostly informational.

You can check them out on her blog, The First Grade Parade "Meet the Teacher Ideas and Downloads".

Now I know I love a good *freebie* so here is what I have cooked up for you. I created some simple yet cute Voice Level posters. I plan on cutting them out and gluing them to bright card stock that matches my writing posters {Staples loves me right now!} and then laminating them. They are only going to be free until the first week of school, they will then be listed for $1.00, so grab them while you can!

Click {here} for a copy of my voice level posters!

Check out my TpT for other freebies and products!

Miss Jackson's Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Miss Jackson...3rd Grade Teacher!

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I have posted... I know. This summer is already getting away from me and I have been busy with my summer job -waitressing!! BUT, I do have so exciting news!

I got a teaching job!!!!!!!

Yes, you read that right! I got a job. I am so beyond excited. This summer has been a long one...with all of the waiting and concern about what this fall would be like. Teaching is my calling and I have missed my student teaching kiddos so much.  I was going to be devastated if I didn't find a job. When I got called for the interview at my school, it all just felt right. It is a very tech savvy school, which fits perfectly with me as well. I am going to be a 3rd grade teacher, which also happens to be the grade I was in when I decided I wanted to be a teacher. Ahh, I love it when life comes full circle.

So, since I found out that I am going to be a teacher {which was last Wednesday} I have been working my booty off trying to figure out what I am going to do with my own classroom. There are just so many options, and the feeling of being overwhelmed soon kicked in. I have found several blogs that are life savers for me. 

Number 1: The Clutter Free Classroom

This lady is a genius. She has been the nerve pill to my panic. I love that she just makes everything seem so easy. Her ideas are always functional, useful, and cheap {another added bonus!} I see her ideas, and it just makes me wonder why I didnt think of that! She also gives you tips on how to make you classroom cute. It you haven't checked out the Clutter Free Classroom, you must do so. Now. Click {here}.

Number 2: 3rd Grade's a Hoot

Ms. Durbin is so great! When I found her blog, I was so excited. I am doing an owl theme in my classroom, so when I realized her classroom was owl themed as well I knew I had hit the jackpot. I can implement virtually everything she posts. If you want to check out another genius blog...click {here}.

Number 3: Schoolgirl Style

Melanie is so so so creative. When I came across her owl themed classroom on Pinterest, I knew it was love at first sight. I am so UNinspired by the boring teacher stores with the cookie cutter classroom theme kits. Buying something someone else made and calling it done has never been my thing. I love to put my own spin on things and I just wasn't "vibing"with anything else I had found. But Melanie saved the day. If you just need INSPIRATION, visit her site. It makes my creative juices flow just reading her blog! 

Here is the theme I bought from Schoolgirl Style: 

I will be posting some freebies that go along with my owl theme as soon as I create them!

-Hannah

SWEET Math Center Activities Unit!

Hey everyone!

What a crazy yet great past couple of weeks it has been! I graduated from college... *yay*... and finished student teaching. {My little brother also happens to be graduating from high school this month as well. Can you say graduation party preparation galore? It's been a madhouse around here lately!}

Here we are looking all kinds of grown up:

The Jackson Family 2012

I promise to post about the end of my student teaching soon, but until then, check out my new unit!

This is my FIRST unit posted to TpT and I'm so excited!

Click {here} to get a copy of my SWEET Math Center Activities!

If you haven't already noticed.. I updated/changed a few things about my blog. First of all, it's no longer called "The Life and Times of a Student Teacher". I am hoping to continue blogging into my teaching career, and a new name seemed appropriate. Second of all, are you digging the owls? Because I am! I am loving the new look of my blog. Big things are happening around here, people! :)

You'll be hearing from me very soon!

-Hannah

Wrapping Up Student Teaching

I hope everyone is having a happy hump day! Only two days left in the work week, but who's counting? :)

This week, the reality of student teaching coming to a close is really starting to hit me. I am filling out job applications like a mad woman {spent the evening at Pizza Hut last night with my mom trying to sort through the paper work... and to eat some yummy stuffed crust pizza! Of course!} I am also trying to become a sub at the school where I am currently student teaching, and this has proven to be quite a process. I am going to be fingerprinted at the local Sheriff's Office tomorrow... oh dear.

On top of getting applications sent out, ordering my official transcript {$8 a pop! I mean really? That's my blood, sweat, and tears on that piece of paper and you're still making me PAY for it? I really don't get it}, and trying to become an official substitute teacher, I am also planning my graduation party. And did I mention I have a significant other and friends that wonder what corner of the earth I dropped off of? Yeah, I don't really remember what they look like either...

My responsibilities as a student teacher are diminishing at a slow and steady pace. I have turned phonics back over to my classroom teacher {I really boo-hooed over that one. Are you sensing the sarcasm? If not, refer back to one of my earlier posts about phonics} So, I have turned phonics time into fill-out-as-many-applications-as-humanly-possible time. Which usually results in the completion of about 1 PAGE of a 5 page application. No, I don't work slow. Oh and did I mention I have to send an official transcript with each one, and they are $8 a piece? Oh I did? Well maybe that's because I found it intensely frustrating...

Anyway, I have yet to give up writing the newsletter because I am finding it very difficult to part ways with my little weekly pieces of Hannah creativity... and I have yet to part ways with creative writing {My favorite. Surprised? Didn't think so.}

Here's this week's newsletter for those people who can appreciate hard work and .... alright I do it for the fun:

Anyway, the whole reason I wanted to write a post today was because while searching for fun, adorable, and FREE activities for my center time, I found this:

I found this super adorable educational activity on Teacher's Pay Teachers for FREE and I am currently waiting for my laminator to heat up so I can laminate these little rolls...

If you want a free copy to download from TpT... click {here}

That's all I have for today!

Like always, thanks for reading!

-Hannah

Spring is in the air!

Hi everyone! With the weather getting warmer and the days getting a little longer, it’s hard to deny the fact that spring has arrived! Spring Break was a like a little gift from Heaven… I had no idea I needed a break so bad until a few days into it, and I felt my body relax for the first time in MONTHS. I felt like I could finally take some deep breaths, sleep, and catch up on other areas of my life that had been neglected since January!

After a few days of bliss, I decided to go back to my old workplace and make some money while I had the time. I am a poor student teacher, ya’ll! So, I tied on my old black apron and waited tables just like the good ol’ days. I have waited tables since high school and all through my five years of college. It was nice to see all of my old customers and meet some new hires. Here’s a pic of the pile of lemons I cut during open last weekend… over 42 lemons {I counted!} :)

     Our first week back, I couldn’t wait to do some fun Easter/ Spring activities with my kiddos! I came up with a writing activity that was so fun! The kids wrote using the writing prompt “I’m the HOPPIEST when…” Then, we made cute faces with bunny ears! I used white paper in the shape of a bunny tail and wrote their names on them. They are now on our new Spring bulletin board! The kids love it when their work goes in the hallway :)

  I drew this little guy to put next to my bulletin board!















We colored Easter eggs to hang on our clothespin line…


I also came up with this little writing activity for our creative writing block…

They had to pretend they were Easter eggs and decide what they would look like, where they would hide, and what would be inside! They were all giggling and smiling as they wrote these! It was hilarious!
             


This week in my class, we used a lot of great activities I found in Melissa Shaw’s unit “Let’s Celebrate Easter” on TpT. Download it {here}
“I’m like a peep because…”


This week is another short week for us {YAY!} I am sooooo looking forward to another long weekend, but this also means that I have to cram 5 days of work into 4 days. Yeah, I little bit of a challenge. This causes me to forget what day it is sometimes. For example, on Wednesday I thought it was Thursday, and when you think it’s Thursday when it’s really Wednesday, you forget to take your class to ART. Yes, this really happened. A lot of teachers saw this as a great opportunity to share their first year teaching stories, so they made me feel a lot better, but boy was I embarrassed!
Gotta just laugh it off!

I am happy to report that our Spring Easter Party was a success! I had the chance to meet a few more of our amazing parents, and the kiddos had fun making rattle snakes out of easter eggs and M&Ms!


This week was a crazy one, but as I was leaving school yesterday afternoon evening (I was at school until 7:00 last night) I started to realize how fast this whole experience has flown by. My last day is April 27th, and with that only being a few weeks away, I am beginning to realize how lucky I have been and how incredible this whole experience has truly been. I have formed friendships that I know will last past student teaching, and fell in love with the most amazing group of 7 year olds on earth.

{Feeling a little sentimental...} I snapped some pictures of the classroom as I left.

My desk:


Work table and hooks for the kids’ backpacks and coats.



The kiddos’ desks:


A great find from the Target dollar aisle... $1 for the folder/paper holder. I spent most of my afternoon/evening cleaning miscellaneous papers out of it and finally organizing them!



I decided to start posting our daily schedule in the hallway near the door:



Hope you enjoyed reading a little update about some of the recent activities that have been going on in our classroom! Thanks for reading!
Now off to watch The Adventures of Tintin … I hear it’s a great movie!

-Hannah

This Week's Classroom Newsletter

Hi everyone!

As I continue teaching and being a part of a classroom full time, I have realized how important parent-teacher communication is. In order to take steps to keep parents involved and informed, I will begin posting our weekly classroom newsletter on my blog for parents to view and print. All newsletters are sent home every week, of course, but I know how easily things can get lost and disappear! {Hello! It happens to me all of the time!} So, here is quick and easy access to what's going on with your kiddos!

Click {here} to download the newsletter!

I am so looking forward to our Spring Easter party this Thursday, April 5! Check back for some activities that we will be doing this week!

Also, I posted another FREEBIE to my Teachers Pay Teachers TpT account! Click this link {http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-Behavior-Form} to download the freebie!

Thanks for reading!

-Hannah :)