Looking Back to Germany & Math Labels

My husband is in the Air Force and we spent the first 4 years of our marriage overseas, 1 year in South Korea and 3 years in Germany.  I was fortunate enough during this time to be able to teach on the military bases for the Department of Defense.  Many memories were made at these two schools.  I taught amazing military children and taught with the best of the best.  College can never really prepare you for what teaching is really all about.  Teaching is an art and it takes experience to truly grow into an ultimate educator, even for those of us that are born with the natural gift to enrich children.

Purdue University ROCKS!!!  There is no denying that fact, but I owe a majority of my teaching knowledge and skills to those I have taught with and those who have ultimately shaped me into the educator that I am today.  In Germany I taught in a multi-age primary center with two of the most amazing and dedicated woman I have ever met.  Jo-Ann and Lydia are masters in the classroom.  I am blessed to have had them as mentors and they are my inspiration.  Thank you for making me into the teacher I am today!

One of the great practices we used in the Primary Center was Friday "Math Lab".  Every Friday we had parents and student helpers come into our classrooms to assist primary students in math center type activities that were hands on and standards based.  Each center covered a different area of math content.  It was a genius program and allowed children to be exposed to all areas of math throughout the year.  Many math programs only touch on standards here and there.  Math Lab allowed for full exposure year round.

I currently just made new math labels for "math lab" or math centers.  I also made a recording sheet to accompany the labels which can be used for teacher comments or for teachers to initial as students complete a center.  You can see them here and grab them up at my TPT store.

I am super excited to use these labels in my room!  I hope you like them.  Enjoy your evening friends!  

Family Communication

Do you have a weekly newsletter?  A monthly newsletter?  How do you communicate with your families?  I thought I would share how I keep in touch with my families and let them know what is going on in our classroom.  Every Monday I send home a weekly skills sheet that gives a brief explanation of all the skills or activities we will cover for the week.  This year I have a beach theme, so it is called, "Second Grade Seaside Skills."  Here is a peek of my skills sheet for this week.

Now here is a peek of some of my monthly newsletters, "Bryant's Beach Hut News."

I LOVE Scrappin Doodles.  If you like the newsletter headers just head on over to www.scrappindoodles.com and snatch them up!  Enjoy your week!  Can't even believe it is almost February!!!

Valentine Freebie and my Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and when my family had to purchase two packages of 24 candles for my cake, I realized I am getting up there.  I am not that old, it is just starting to register that I am not so young anymore!  On Friday one of my darling kiddos asked how old I was and when I told her I was 34 she gasped!  Yes, I got a gasp, but she made it all better when she said, "I thought for sure you were 25!"  Needless to say I immediately told her to grab her Credit/Debit clipboard and I gave that little sweetie 5 credits!!!!

I have a surprise for you all for my birthday!  I am giving you all a freebie from my Valentine Pack.  It is probably one of my favorite parts.  It is perfect for a writing center or work on writing activity the kiddos can do during Daily 5.  All you have to do is go to my TPT store by clicking on TPT to the right and grab it for free.  Please take a moment to follow my TPT store while you are there.

I hope you enjoy your little freebie!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

A New Adventure!!!

Welcome to my new blog!  I am so excited to start my adventures in the blogging world!  I have been following some great bloggers for about a year, admiring their work, and just dying to get started myself.  I hooked up with The Honey Bunch and they have designed me an absolutely adorable blog.  They were just amazing to work with and they work fast!  Thank you Honey Bunch!

My blog name certainly describes my life.  I am a traveled teacher without a doubt.  My husband is in the Air Force and we have been traveling the world for the past eight years.  I am thrilled to share my many experiences and great teaching ideas I have learned from expert teachers along the way.  Here is to a new adventure!  To kick off this adventure I am happy to share my Valentine Math & Literacy pack.  Here it is and it is free to the first 3 people who follow my blog and comment with their email address!!!!