$200 Amazon Giveaway! Just for Pinning! Say What?!

February 25, 2012
Yep, that's right you heard me, here's your chance to win a $200 Amazon gift certificate for PINNING. Aren't we all addicted to pinning??!!!


Charity from The Organized Classroom Blog & 10 others are teaming up for this huge giveaway. TWO lucky winners will receive a $200 Amazon gift certificate. Head on over to her blog for more information.

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Do you {HEART} Pinterest?  How about teaching blogs?  Maybe $200?


If so, you are going to be utterly smitten with a little collaboration I came up with that involves all three!  Announcing the "Pinteresting Teaching Blogs" Contest!


I have teamed up with 10 other bloggers, and Marygrove College to offer not one, but TWO $200 Amazon gift cards to two separate winners! (I WISH I could win!)

The best part?  It is sooooo easy to enter!  Just do the steps below:


1.  Head to the contest Pinterest board at my Pinterest page.

2.  Create a board on your own Pinterest page titled "Pinteresting Teacher Blogs."

3.  Repin ALL 13 pins from the contest board to your new board (including the one with the logo on it).


5.  Sit back and wait for me to contact you on Monday for delivery of your $200 Amazon gift card!  :)  Contest runs from Thurs, Feb 23rd until 10 pm ET Sun, Feb 26th.  The winners names will be added to the contest pin after being chosen.  Good luck to all who enter!


Good Luck!!

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New Blog on the Block

February 23, 2012
I'm so excited to share the new blogs I recently came across. If you have a minute please stop by these blogs and show these new bloggers some bloggy love :) 

Kaci Hoffer is a Kindergarten teacher who has some really awesome center ideas and lots more: 


Mrs. Hoffer's Spot 

Courtney from Once upon a substitute is a recent graduate with lots of FUN ideas & some cute pins from pinterest:


Once Upon a Substitute...  
 
Meagan at Oodles of Teaching Fun is a 5th & 6th grade Reading & Spelling teacher who shares some links to great teacher resources that I can't wait to check out. One link that caught my eye is a website called "giggle poetry" {sorry I had difficulty uploading her button- I think the image was too small}. 

Ms. D over at The Eagle's Nest has taught Kindergarten for 14 years. She has LOTS of awesome ideas on her blog. I love her most recent post about letting her little ones hold their own election.
 


I've always got my eye out for blogs that focus strictly on Reading, since I'm so passionate about it, and when I came across this blog I almost fell off my chair. I love everything about this site and I hope you will too. MJ's got lots of fun & exciting things going on you MUST hop on by: 


And finally, Sarah over at The Eager Teacher {love the blog title} has a fun Dr. Seuss packet, {am I allowed to say that after all the Suessy controversy clip art..lol} some great pins from pinterest, and lots more...won't you hop on over and say hello? 


Hope you enjoy these new blogs I came across....and btw, I'm almost at 200 followers...I can't wait for another excuse to have a giveaway ;0


Happy *almost* FRIDAY!!! 
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100 Facebook Fans!

February 18, 2012
Alicia from Dreamlike Magic has done it again! She re- designed my blog & I absolutely LOVE it. Her work is awesome! I've contemplated changing it for a while now but was a bit hesitant since I've read how changing designs "hurt your brand", but I went ahead and took the plunge anyway. While I loved my previous design, I really wanted something a little brighter & of course, colorful!! I hope you like it as much as I do :)  

I'm also celebrating "100 facebook fans", you guys ROCK!!! I know I've promised to share some 100th day fun, but truth be told, I've been too lazy busy to upload. Is it too late to post Valentine's pictures? LOL! 


Have a Fantastic Day!




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Teacher Talk: Self Reflection

February 14, 2012
recently came across some inspirational quotes that I wanted to share with you. Back when I was working towards my Master's degree, one of my professors talked highly about self- reflection and its importance. I remember having to keep a journal {which I'm scrambling to find 7 years later} and reflect on my day, but more importantly on myself. I reflected on my words, my actions, my behaviors and my strengths and weaknesses.   


I wish I had more time in the day to continue the journal, but the reality is, I just don't. So instead I try to take a moment or two, while sitting in traffic, laying in bed, taking a bath, etc. to reflect on my day. I often wonder after a rough day, "How could I have handled myself differently?", "What could I have done differently for that one kid who makes me want to pull my hair out one by one?" and more. It's also important to reflect on the positive things that occur and celebrate them {I'm guilty of not doing this often}. I need to learn to embrace the "positive" and not call an extreme amount of attention to the negative. For those who have a pinterest account, there are TONS of amazing/ inspirational quotes on there too. 

Tom Glover who wrote an article on Reflective Leadership said, "self reflection helps us to gain an understanding of who we are as individuals first, above and beyond who we are as leaders. Because, to be truly effective at leading others, we need to be effective at ‘leading’ ourselves". 

Here are some of the quotes I came across: 
"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from" - Elizabeth Ross 

"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn" - Albert Einstein

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever"- Mahatma Ghandi

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand" - Chinese Proverbs


What are your thoughts on self- reflection? I'd love to know. 

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New Blog on the Block & a Not So New One

February 13, 2012


Thank- you everyone for your sweet words & well wishes. The wedding was beautiful and I had a BLAST!

Before I mention this week's new blogs I wanted to let you know about an amazing blog I have been following for a while now. 

Shawna is the teacher behind this blog which reviews picture books with the busy teacher in mind. She also offers information on genre, theme, reading level, and reading strategies that work best for that book. There is also a link to Amazon included if your interested in purchasing the book. I wish I had a resource like this when was working towards my M.A. in Reading.


And now for this week's new blogs on the block...

Kristen at Glitter and Glue is a Kindergarten teacher from Florida. She has some really awesome 100th day activities she recently posted.

and 

Sophia at How Cute is this! is a Kindergarten teacher who shares all things "cute" on her blog. 

If you have a minute, stop by these awesome blogs and take a look around ~ enjoy!! 

{we did some valentine's day interactive writing today~ I hope to share some freebies with you tomorrow if its not too late}

Have a Great Day!

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Juicy Couture Giveaway @ a cupcake for the teacher!!!!!

February 11, 2012
Don't you hate it when you don't log on in a few days & when you finally do, you feel like you've missed soooo much??!! ACK! That's exactly how I feel!! My niece is getting married today so I've been busy with that...I'm soooo excited for her. She's marrying a sweet boy who just came home from boot camp in the US Army. They'll soon find out where they will be stationed so we are really going to miss her, though we are excited for them to start their life together. 

Anyhoo, back to that "missed so much while not logging on in a few days feeling", Abby over at the Inspired Apple has a fantastic "I Moustache You a Question" activity perfect for valentines and perfect for my class since we've been working on "asking & telling" sentences. I don't mind having to re-do my lesson plan for next week...wink! 

And one more thing I {almost} missed, is an awesome giveaway from Teri over at A Cupcake for the Teacher {LOOVEE HER STUFF!!}. She is celebrating 600 followers by giving away a Juicy Couture lunch tote to one lucky winner. I am crossing my fingers since I am a HUGE Juicy fan! Hurry on over to her blog & check it out...giveaway ends soon!! 

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Currently...February

February 7, 2012
Another linky party?! Why, yes ~ sign me up! 
Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade has done it again!! I love her "currently" linky parties, and could not pass up the chance to join in the fun. I love getting to know everyone a little more. It's great learning how much you have in common with your fellow bloggers. 

Stop by her blog and join the party!!


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What Do You Love? Linky Party

February 4, 2012
Kimberly over at Funky First Grade Fun is having a "What Do You Love?" Linky Party. Since Valentine's in coming up I thought it would be fun to join in on the fun! Stop by her blog to check it out!!  
Have a Great Day!

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Spreading Some LOVE!

February 2, 2012


"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love"
- Mother Teresa
Sending a "virtual smile" to these new blogs on the block! If you have a moment please stop by and show these new bloggers some bloggy LOVE :) 

Before I continue, in response to the email I received from "anonymous" ~ I AM IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM PROFITING OFF OF ANY OF THE BLOGS I FEATURE HERE ON MY BLOG, I am really saddened that you may think otherwise. If it bothers you that much simply close the window. Thank-you for your email & have a great day!

Here are the first featured blogs (in no particular order):

She's got some cute CAFE cards perfect for your pocket chart as well as some digraph activities & more!

Katie & Sarah from k- 1 Teaching Besties
The name says it all! Collaboration between teachers in both grades is so crucial to student achievement. They've got a cute valentine's love bug glyph activity as well as THE CUTEST groundhog freebie and LOTS more!

She has some amazing "How to" charts that I can't wait to try in my classroom. 

she is currently student teaching in Kindergarten. I really wish I discovered blogging 10 years ago when I started teaching! 


Thanks for stopping by friends, hope you have a fantastic day!!

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