Monday Made It + Freebie!

Happy Monday Friends,

 

There's not too many Mondays left before I go back to that dreaded thing called WORK again! I have been slacking majorly on Monday Made It's this summer. Pregnancy has been taking it's toll on me, but then it hit me that I better get to work, because school is right around the corner! So today's Monday Made It with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics is a hodge podge of things that I needed to get done!

First, on a recent IKEA trip I found these awesome frames for 99 cents each! They are double sided and I knew instantly what I wanted to do with them...make table signs!! I created these table signs for my pirate themed classroom (which are a freebie at the bottom of this post if you'd like them!!) They are 4x6 in size and with some cute clipart and 99 cent ribbon from Michael's, here they are!

 

Next, I know many of you have been on a washi tape obsession! I've seen so many cute clothespins out there due to washi tape, so I wanted to try this with the clothespins for my transportation chart and my behavior chart. I found the perfect washi tape at Michael's to go with the theme of my classroom for $1.99 on clearance. Cha-ching! I plan on putting labels with student names on them once I get my roster!

 

 

Last, I have loved the following quote from Walt Disney for many years... "There's more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." I made this for my classroom from a wooden sign that I found at Michael's. First, I spray painted it with chalkboard paint. Then I wrote the words on with pencil and traced over that with paint markers. I hot glued some pirate pieces on and VOILA! :-)

 

 I did promise you a freebie!! Here are the pirate table signs that I made for my Monday Made It project. All graphics are credited to Ashley Hughes and My Cute Graphics. Click on the picture below to download it if you can use them! They will fit any 4 x 6 frame.

 

I have a lot more in store for you with Monday Made It next week so tune in!! :-) 



The 10 Things That I've Learned From Teaching, Christmas in July {LAST DAY}, & Freebie!

Happy Wednesday Friends!,

 

As I think back from the beginning of time when I started teaching many years ago, I realize I have learned so many valuable lessons about teaching and myself as a teacher. I love this linky party by Hadar from Miss Kindergarten so I'm linking up to tell you all about The 10 Things That I've Learned From Teaching:

1. Your name is no longer your name!

No matter how easy you think your name is to say, it will no longer be the name you are called. My name is Mrs. Richling, but to many I am known as Mrs. Rich-a-ling (rhymes with ding-a-ling). No matter how many times I correct my sweet littles, it still comes out the same. It's still Mrs. Rich-a-ling, so I just go with it!

 

Which brings me to my next lesson learned from teaching...flexibility

2. Be flexible

 

If ever there was a time to be flexible, it is while being a teacher. Nothing is predictable period. I have learned to go with the flow and enjoy those teachable moments even if you temporarily go off on a tangent. Those moments are the ones where your students learn the most.

 

3. Nobody ever prepares you for the true extent of teaching. From the outside, teaching looks like we spend 6 hours a day on the floor playing with our students. However, the amount of work it takes to be a teacher is tremendous. There are NEVER enough hours in the day!

 

4. No matter how many times you remind your students to wash their hands after using the bathroom, THEY ALWAYS FORGET!! It never fails... :-)

 

5. You don't realize that you have a "teacher voice" until you come home and your husband yells at you and says, "Don't talk to me like I'm one of your students!" LOL. This may have happened to me a few times! ;-)

6. Always come up with new and different ways to catch your students' attention! It keeps things interesting and really helps with classroom management!! Think about how bored we get doing the same thing over and over. They feel the same way!

 

7. Stay in a routine! We are creatures of routine. This is especially true when it comes to children. This will also make a huge impact on behavior management when it comes to your own classroom!

 

8. Make teaching educational, yet fun! If you aren't enjoying teaching it, then I can guarantee that your students aren't enjoying learning it! Integrate technology, use the many creative lessons that talented teachers make on Teachers Pay Teachers, or ideas you find on Pinterest. It will change the tide of your teaching. :-)

 

9. A Teacher's Job NEVER stops! We work after hours, nights, weekends, summers, etc... I can't tell you how many people say that we have it easy because we have the summers off. Most teachers that I know work on things for their classroom straight through the summer!

And most importantly #10...

Find a way to reignite your passion year after year for teaching! It is so easy to look that spark with all of the changes we endure, lack of pay/raises, and stress at school/home, but despite all of that, don't forget why you got into this profession. I received an email from a teacher who has just discovered blogs and said how much my blog, along with many others, has reignited that flame for teaching. I'm sure many of us feel that way from time to time. I know discovering the brilliant ideas of fellow teacher bloggers has reignited that passion for teaching within myself and I thank you for that! This describes my thoughts on teaching perfectly...

We are not in the easiest of professions, but remember how many lives you are changing day after day. Keep your heart full of love and understanding for these littles that we teach. :-)

 

Okay friends... It's the last day for Christmas in July: Day 6!!!

 

Today's DOTD is my handwriting packs: "Write Like a Rockstar" and my NEWEST "Write Like A Superhero" are 30% for today ONLY (7/24/13), which puts them on sale for $4.20!! Click on the picture to head on over and check them out!

 

 

And here is a freebie of certificates from my new "Write Like a Superhero" Unit!! I hope you can use them!! Click on the picture below to download!!

 

And if you head over to my FB page, there might be a giveaway for my new "Write Like a Superhero" handwriting program. *Wink, wink*

 

 

Have a Wacky Wednesday!,

 



Christmas in July: Day 5

Happy Tuesday Friends!,

 

Welcome to Christmas in July: Day 5!!! My apologies for getting this up late as I was enjoying an afternoon snooze! :-)

Today's DOTD is my classroom decor sets will be marked 40% off!! That's $3.60 for over a 100 pages of décor! This deal is for today ONLY (7/23/13)!!

 

 

Click on the picture above to head over to my store!

I'll be back tomorrow for Christmas in July: Day 6 (our last day-boo hoo!!)

 

Have a terrific Tuesday!,



Aarrgh! It's Christmas in July: Day 4 + Freebie

Happy Monday Friends!,

It's more like a tired Monday for me. I have a confession...I have been a Monday Made It slacker this summer. Week after week I have every intention on linking up and pregnancy fatigue keeps me down every time. I think next week I will have a Monday Made It Extravaganza, because I have a bunch of projects that I'm working on!
In other news...

Today is Day 4 of my Christmas in July Sale!!

Today's DOTD is 30% off all of my pirate themed products!! Products range from $1.75 to $3.50 for today ONLY (7/22/13)!! Click on the picture below to check it out!

 

I also have a pirate freebie for you in my TPT store if that's the theme that you are doing. These are pirate rules in "pirate speak". Click on the picture to go over to my store to download. :-)

 

See you tomorrow for Day 5 of Christmas in July!!

 



Day 3 Christmas in July Sale + Winners!!!

A Happy Sunday Friends!,

 

I'm just stopping by to let you know about Day 3 of my Christmas in July sale!!!

 

 

Today I'm putting my Be a Buddy, Not a Bully anti bullying curriculum on sale for 40% off today ONLY (7/21/13)! That's $3.00 for 51 pages!!

See the preview below & click on the pictures to see them in my TPT Store!... 

 

 

 

I'm also putting my Paragraphs With Pizzazz: September Edition on sale. This is great for teaching your students the step by step process for writing paragraphs! On sale for 40% off today ONLY (7/21/13). That's $3.00 for 63 pages!! Click on the pictures below to see this in my TPT Store!

 

 

 

 On another good note, here are the 2 winners of my Making Words Mega Pack giveaway!!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Ladies!! I will be emailing you the pack shortly!



Christmas In July: Day 2 + giveaway reminder

Happy Saturday Friends,

 

I am feeling very much in the Christmas Spirit today!! Welcome to Day 2 of the Christmas in July sale with some of my favorite bloggers!

If you are like me, you are planning ahead for the year! So today I am marking all of my Halloween goodies down 40% off. This is a 1 day deal (7/20/13). Click on the pictures below to go to each product in my TPT store! Take a look at some of my Halloween creations:

 

Only $3.60 today for 84 pages!!!

Only $3.60 today for 100 pages!!!

 

Only $1.80 today!! With 10 fun filled writing activities!

Don't miss out on these deals...remember this is for today only, but never fear! Tomorrow there will be NEW incredible deals!

Check out my other blogger friends who are having Christmas in July sales this week!

 

 

Also, don't forget that today is the last day to enter for your chance to win my new Making Words Mega Pack!

 

This is a $12.00 value! There are 115 short & long vowel patterns, digraphs, blends (beginning and end), and diphthongs for your students to practice with. Click HERE to go to my post to enter and read more about this!

 

 

 Have a Super Saturday!,



Favorite Pins Friday, Christmas in July Sale, + Giveaway!!

Happy Fabulous Friday!!!,

 

I'm back for a 2nd day in a row (WOW!!-lol) to share some of my favorite pins for this week. I'm linking up with the oh-so-cute Cara from The First Grade Parade for Favorite Pins Friday!

 

 

School Pins:

 

This is probably one of the neatest ideas that I have seen in a long time! I have been following Christina from Sugar and Spice for a long time. A couple of days ago she shared this awesome idea of an easy way to display anchor charts in the classroom...using a magnetic shower rod!!! Oh my word, I cannot wait to try this idea!!!!

How cute is this for a modern, back to school bulletin board display? You take a picture of each student reading in the classroom and make an iPod with the picture! I cannot even begin to tell how cute this is!!!

 

 

Okay, so I know that we haven't even started the beginning of the school year yet; however, you can never plan too early for any part of the school year. This is a cute idea of 100th Day t-shirt ideas from Kinder Craze that your students can make! I know my students would get a kick out of this!

 

 

Here are some of my favorite food pins of the week (because being 28 weeks pregnant, eating is my hobby!)

 



Coffee brownies?!! My 2 favorite things combined!! I have to try this (while I have an excuse to!)

 

A healthier pin for you from Maza Cooking Journals...grilled eggplant!! YUMMY!!!

 

 

I repined this one from my friend...Spinach Calzones!!! I love calzones and I like the idea of spinach in it. I can't wait to try it!

 

 

And a few random pins for this week...

 

 

How many of you are finding this true?!? If somebody asks me what day it is, I have to double check my phone lol. Can't complain about that though! :-)

 

I have something to admit...I am a stresser. Yes, I stress about everything. It is not a healthy way for me, so I liked this pin on how to deal with stress...

 

 

That concludes some of my weekly favs on Pinterest!!!

 

Okay, I hope you are still with me, because it gets really exciting from here on out!

I am participating in a Christmas in July sale with some of my favorite bloggers!

Now if you are like me, you are always scoping out the deals for Christmas. I have a confession...I am a hardcore Black Friday shopper. So each day, I am going to offer you a deal from my TPT Store...anywhere from 20-50% off! Check back here and on my FB page for the daily deal!

Okay today I am putting one of my best sellers on sale...My Kids Of Character pack. This is an awesome pack with character education posters and a journal so students can record their learning. I'm marking it 40% OFF!!!!! That's $2.40 for 84 pages!!  Don't miss out on this one time deal...good for today ONLY (7-19-13)

Click on the picture to head over and snatch it! 

 

 

Here are some other bloggers participating in the Christmas in July sale!

 

 

Also don't forget about my giveaway that I posted yesterday HERE! I'm giving away 2 copies of my Making Words Mega Pack for the Year!! Don't miss out!! Click on the picture to check it out in further detail in my TPT store!

 

 

Have a Fantastic Friday!!,