5 {easy} ways to develop early reading skills

When I was asked to write a guest post at What to Expect I laughed out loud. Hello! This is my first pregnancy. I have NO idea what to expect and certainly don't have any pearls of wisdom to share with other pregnant ladies!  Luckily, they were looking for a post on academics. Whew!  THAT I can do!

{click for the article}

I wrote up my tips for developing early literacy skills at home with toddlers and pre-schoolers but think it is totally applicable for young readers, too. I'm going to send the list home with my families so they have an easy place to start the conversations of literacy at home.  Please pass along the link or print it out for your open house if you find it beneficial as well!

Carson Dellosa Winner & Classroom Pics

Yep, I moved again this year.  While I loved pretty much everything about my room last year, it was in the 5th grade hall and left me a little disconnected from my team.  So this year I'm down in the kindergarten hall & had the chance to start over with a new classroom set up!  {see the positive attitude I chose to use there instead of dwelling on the fact that I had to move everything...again...while pregnant??}  ;)

Today was my first day.  The room isn't perfect but it's ready to roll for whenever baby girl arrives and I have to peace out!  Here's a few snapshots...

{view from the back of the room}

{front door & behavior clip chart}

{writing center}

{listening center & computer station}

{guided reading table}

{SUPER organized guided reading cabinet...so pumped about this!!}

{ginormous library for lots of reading}

{calendar & math board...will be added to throughout the year}

{teacher area hiding behind magnet center & unfinished work pockets}

And the winner of the fabulous Carson Dellosa giveaway...

Congratulations Sara!  Check your email!!  :)

Carson-Dellosa Common Core {giveaway}

That's right!  3 amazing things in one post.  I know, I almost can't believe it myself.  But I do have a brand-new Carson Dellosa product to share with you, it is aligned to the Common Core and one of you will win it for your very own!  To shake things up a little bit, watch this for details:

Ha!  I hope you liked my video post.  I thought it was super fun and if you guys agree I'll have to do those more often!!  :)

Ok...here's the Giveaway Details:

{to enter}

*Follow this blog using either Google Friend Connect {over there on the left under "Fellow Fashionistas"} or on Blog Lovin' {the next little button down with the blue + sign}

*Like Carson-Dellosa's Facebook page

*Leave a comment below to let me know which prize you would choose!  {math or literacy & which grade level you need}

That's it!  I'll pick a winner on August 26th when I get home from my 1st day of school!!

All About the Teacher...meet me!

Blog Hoppin' is hosting a week of fun teacher Linky parties.  It would be great to say that I'll be linking up all week...but let's just start with Day 1, okay??  Know that if I miss a day, it's because we are officially back to work this week with the first all day meeting tomorrow...

This linky is my favorite type because it's really open ended...just sharing about ourselves!  Here are some things {that I haven't already told you} you may be surprised to know:

1. I can not stand the sound of metal touching.  I have the heebie jeebies just from posting this picture.

2. I am a {recovering} perfectionist and tend to shy away from even minor tasks if they seem overwhelming.  This is why my closet always has clothes on the floor, I go months between work-outs and I buy project supplies way before I actually get around to completing them.

3. I honestly, truly believe that if I ever had the chance to meet Kelly Ripa we would become instant BFFs.

4. I do not like being underwater.  I hold my breath in the shower & when washing off my makeup.  I am so excited that this picture looks cool because I was not breathing.

5. I think that I am hilarious.  :)  {and I laugh at my own jokes.}

6. I think my sister & I would be even more entertaining than the Kardashians.

7. I have a love-hate relationship with commercials.  I either find them extremely amusing {like the receent AT&T commercials} or I am super bummed that they're boring.  One or the other.

8. I can not watch the news because I cry at the horrible stories.  I would much rather hear about inspiring stories and can't figure out why TV stations don't focus more on those.

9. I will eat anything once.

10. I think if everyone set out every day to have a little more consideration of others the world would be a much better place to live.

That's it!  If you want to play along, as much as you are able to, click the button below to join in!  :)

P.S. Major giveaway announcement coming up.  $40 retail value.  See you tomorrow for details!!!  ;)

Currently.

Whew!  What a summer it has been.  Mostly good, entirely busy.  I decided to work part-time this summer even though we have so much baby stuff to get done.  {partly to help supplement the cost of all of said baby stuff!} Plus throwing in doctor appointments every 2 weeks, birthing classes, the hospital tour, showers, and my ever-growing radio career twice a week {ha!} and the weeks have flown by.  Not one thing on my school or blog to-do list has been crossed off.  Not ONE.  I'm gonna keep telling myself that it was a good thing for me to take a true break from school for a little while even though the realization of that fact actually makes the anxiety creep up my throat...

For today, it's Currently time with Farley!

Listening: Yep, the stress of school has set in.  Probably because I know I haven't worked on anything all summer.  And I had to move classrooms in June so I'm starting at square one again with set up & organization.  And I'm due after only 2 weeks of school.  Maybe I should stop thinking and just sit here for a minute & listen...  Moving on!!

Loving: There has been so much rain & so many cloudy days this summer that we've hardly been able to utilize my parents' pool.  I gotta get over there in a bit!

Thinking: Yep, I'm due September 9th.  While I am ecstatic and can not wait to meet her, it is also a little unnerving knowing that she will be here in a month-ish.  Saying that I'm 35 weeks along somehow doesn't seem as soon as saying that I'm due in 36 days...  Ahhh!!  So exciting.  But still so much to do.

Wanting: Who moves a pregnant lady?  Seriously!  But my new room is on the kindergarten hall, instead of in 5th grade where I was last year, so that's a definite bonus.  Pics are coming once I can get in & get going!!

Needing: A few more weeks of summer.  But who doesn't??  ;)

B2S Must-Haves: My school calendar/planner becomes my life.  Ev-ery-thing goes in there.  Everything.  So I need one with lots of good space.  I randomly picked up a Greenroom planner from Target last year & loved it.  So I got another one this year & can't wait to start filling it up!!!!  :)

A good attitude is a must.  I surprised myself with this one, actually, because there is almost nothing that I love more than the beginning of the year.  But being on a new team at a new school last year really threw me for a loop and I probably had one of my worst years {personally...not having anything to do with the kids} because it was so much harder to work with new people than I ever imagined.  {I partly blame the amazing teammates & coworkers I was surrounded with for the previous 8 years because they set the bar impossibly high for friendship, collaboration & sense of true teamwork.}  Looking ahead to this year, I'm hopeful for a better connection with my teammates but also know that it will take work on my part to not give up & keep thinking of new, creative ways to reach out and try to build bonds even if my efforts go unnoticed.  So my prayer for this year is a continued positive attitude and that even if I get discouraged, I will be able to find the strength to keep trying!!

Deanna Jump's Common Core posters saved my life last year.  Yes, they are a little pricier than what I typically spend on TpT items, but there is most likely a Back to School sale coming up so put them on your wishlist & let them hang out for a little bit.  ;)  Print, cut, laminate & hang.  These were so much easier than trying look up the standards to write on the board.  I put velcro on mine & it takes literally seconds to change them out.

Since I've been so MIA for the summer, here are 2 posts you can look forward to before the end of the month - a pregnancy/baby update with nursery & maternity photos and a post of my favorite lessons, activities, etc for starting the school year.  I am saying this with confidence because I've already started working on them both...you can trust me!!  ;)  Here's a sneak peek from our babymoon at the beach last week.

Enjoy the rest of your summer friends!  I'm praying you all find some divine relaxation, patience & strength in the coming weeks!!