Reindeer in July!

If your just tuning in, I currently live in Finland.
Today we went to a local reindeer ranch. They had 9 adults and 2 calves. 
FYI: Reindeer live in Lapland in Scandanavia and the native Sami people heard them.
Luckily we didn't have to travel all the way up north (which takes a day by train).
This woman grew up in Lapland and moved south, and brought with her the reindeer. Only two of her current reindeer had been born outside of Lapland.

OMG! If you can't tell by the pictures, they were SUPER cute! Did you know that when you feed them, they only use their lips to grab the food?? I had a hard time NOT feeding them the whole time (and pushing my own kids out of the way), because it was just too CUTE. I can hardly bare it now, thinking back.
Oh and the antlers were fuzzy and warm, because they are growing 2cm (0.78in) A DAY during the summer! WOW!!

I am so excited still about the reindeer that I am thinking about doing a reindeer theme in my classroom. Hmmmm, wonder if it's possible? Anyone seen reindeer clip art that isn't Christmas related? Keep an eye out for me!!

Reading Records

So I am reading Conferring with Readers, and I just finished up chapter 4.

(By the way, I am taking my sweet time reading this book. Anyone else having 

difficulties reading their books this summer? I will try to improve...)

In this chapter it discusses checking student reading levels. Most of the information in the chapter, I felt I already did in my own style. Running records are normal routines for most classrooms. We all have our own style of keeping them, I'm sure.

Something I did take note of in the book was that don't only check for accuracy during reading records.

1) the first 100-200 words you check for accuracy
2) the next 100 words, check for fluency: just listen and check for punctuation pauses and intonation

(Aren't I already doing this while doing the running record? I suppose stopping 
and just listening for fluency, and not marking accuracy couldn't hurt. I most 
definitely tell students if they don't pause between periods, but I can't 
say I have supported intonation differences between
 narration and dialog. Note to self!)

3) student must then recap what has been read to show reading comprehension

I only have 5 (45min) lessons a week with my kiddos for English. Talk about organizing and figuring out what is essential!! At times it can be daunting to meet with each student, but it really is essential.

Post It notes
Don't you just love them?
This book also has some really good ideas on how to keep students engaged in their independent reading time in class. One idea I really love is using Post It notes. Students use Post Its to write down any ideas that come to their mind as they are reading. They then stick them into the book and can share them at the appropriate time given. Great! What kid wouldn't love to use Post It notes???

Handing out Awards!

Okay, I have taken this role very seriously, and have been working hard to find some great blogs that deserve these awards.
Before I can hand them out, I have to give you the info about the rules and tell about myself. Yeah!

Thank you again for nominating me Linda and Lilian for the following awards:

Rules for "The Versatile Blogger" Award:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Include a link to their site.
3. Include the award image in your post.
4. Give 7 random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.
6. When nominating, include a link to their site.
7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated.

Rules for "The One Lovely Blog" Award:
1. Follow the person who gave you the award.
2. Link back to the person who gave you the award.
3. Share the love! Pass the award onto 15 new bloggers!

And now for the 7 random facts about me:

1. I love romance novels (swoon here).

2. I don't want to get a pet, even though the rest of my lovely family asks me weekly (including the hubby). 

3. I love to eat all sorts of food, but celery is down right the WORST vegetable ever. Blah!

4. I love book stores and libraries! I am saddened by the fact that this world is moving towards electronic reading devices and some libraries are closing. 

5. I have a very sensitive sniffer, and my hubby finds me sniffing all sorts of things and laughs at me. 

6. I love to play games with my family. Cards and board games are great! Currently we have been playing Skipbo, Rumikub and Canasta this summer.

7. I love to collect scarfs, and wear them too!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE......


1. Tales of a Teacherista 
2. Teacher Bits and Bobs
3. Enjoy Teaching English
4. A Series of First Grade Events
5. Dandelions and Dragonflies
6. Fun in K/1
7. Sarah's First Grade Snipits
8. Made for First Grade
9. Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade
10. Mrs. Minton's Kindergarten
11. A Year of Many "Firsts"
12. Rowdy in First Grade
13. First Grade with Miss Snowden
14. That's So Second Grade!
15. Mrs. Dwyer's A+ Firsties


Thanks for being such lovely blogs! 

Awards and 4 on 4th

HOLY MOLY.... I have been given another award! Oh, how sweet is this???? (VERY!)

This big puffy heart "Thank You" goes out to Linda at Kinder Doodles for the Versatile Blogger award and again the One Lovely Blog award . I have got some serious homework, looking for more lovely blogs! Someone out in blog land will be receiving awards in the near future.

Today I got together with some other American's to celebrate our 4th of July today. No fireworks here, but good food and conversation is always a win!

And speaking of the 4th, I stumbled onto 4 on the Fourth from Ms. M's Blog. The idea behind this linky it to share 4 things your going to try for the first time in your class this coming school year. This inspired me right away, and I quickly knew of 4 new things I am going to try. You still have 3 days to join in the fun!

1) Flexible start for first grade: We have an new city initiative called Flexible Start. The basic idea is that you and your coworker/s must teach ALL of the new first graders coming to school for the first 5 weeks together.
The idea is that we must cooperate together and we get to work in smaller groups getting to know all the first graders, before we split them into their own class groups after the 5 week period.
This will be my first year trying it out, and it really sounds neat! 

2) Jolly Phonics: I have ordered the Jolly Phonics materials to teach in first grade this year. I had a chance in the spring to visit another English school which was using these materials. I am excited to get started and teaching the alphabet!

3) Core Statements: Well I don't have to do this, but I want to touch on it this year for sure. I will post for the students the standards for some lessons this year. I think often we don't give the students enough information about what their role it at school. I hope this gives the first graders some concrete ideas about their daily learning.

4) Character development: I have ordered from Scholastic the Build a Caring Classroom kit. It comes with 6 books, poster and teacher book. I think those first graders need some guidance in the early years to help them grow and deal with life situations in a positive way.

I will surely blog about these in the autumn.

One last note for today:

I like Farley's rule of 3. I am going to apply this rule to other linky parties. I just think it is super nice to write comments to others!

Award and working with nails

Wow! I woke up this morning, and there was a message from Lilian at Me Teach Good. She has given me the One Lovely Blog Award. How awesome is that?? Thanks Lilian!

I now need to find 15 bloggers to give the award to as well. I'll be on the look out for some Lovely Blogs.

Today I picked up the book Life of Pi. I am half way through another novel, that just isn't keeping me interested. I might start Life of Pi tomorrow. Hmmm....


 I took some courses this June for technical work, art and PE for the lower grades. Remember? I have to teach PE as well.

This was one of the projects we made in the technical workshop:

 Here is another idea made by another teacher at the course:

Here are the details of this project:

Materials needed -
- 2x4 wood pieces
- finishing nails
- hammer
- color pencils
- tempura paint (watered down)
- string or wire
- glue
- saw (optional)

1) Using 2x4 pieces of wood (mine was about 8in. long), come up with a design that you can  draw right onto the wood piece. Here are two ideas shown. Another idea is a sail boat, and using the nails for either the base of the boat or the sail. In the course, we had to saw our own piece of wood. If you have a shop room, maybe you could do this.

2) Color with colored pencils and paint. When painting, we watered down the tempura paint. On my windmill, the blue background is watered down blue paint. The rest was colored with color pencils.

3) When the drawing part is complete, then decide how many nails you will need for the section of your project. Hammer away! Don't hammer all the way down, or you won't be able to wrap your string/wire properly around them.

4) Weave your string or wire around the nails. On the windmill, I first weaved the string only on the outline of the blades. Unfortunately, I felt that it didn't give the 3D effect I wanted. So then I undid it and weaved so that the string intersected through the blades. This made it pop out more. I changed the color from red to orange and then back to red. When adding more string just tie on a new piece of string, and then glue down the ends that might be flying away.

5) Done!

This is an excellent project to allow little one to try out working with wood, hammer and nails.  The animal cage idea would maybe be the easiest and fun for lower grade children.

A Day in my Shoes Linky Party

Today I am linking up with Ingles 360 to celebrate A Day in My Shoes. Click below to join in the fun! *Update* This is brought to you by TBA. Go check it out to find more ways to share your ideas!
Happy International Blog Hopping Day!







These summer days sure are lazy and finally starting to warm up. I don't need to wear wool socks every morning/evening (I'm always cold). Tomorrow I am suppose to pick up from the library 3 more novels to read. But I haven't found time to finish the one I am reading now (and the blogging doesn't help :P).

Here is a snip it of                         A Day in My Shoes

In the autumn, I am feeling fresh and get up at 6.00. By spring, I'm barely up before 7.00. Between getting myself ready, I have to get our children ready too.

7.30-8.00 - Walk to school, about 5 minutes walk. Drop off kids and go to class. Get a few things ready for the day. Or if hubby takes the kids, then I leave by 7.00 to get some things done at school.

8.30 - 13.30 or 14.30 - So basically the school system is different over here. There is no 8.00 to 15.00 schedule for the students. It is more like a high school schedule with different number of lessons each day.

Over here students are only allowed to attend school for 24 lessons a week in lower elementary (each lesson is 45 minutes), plus lunch and two recess breaks. Some days they start at 9.20, and some days end at 12.00 for them. They might only go to school for 3 lessons and lunch (8.30-12.00).

My days are then broken down depending on which lessons we have that day. And by the way, I am required to teach everything including PE and music. Luckily they hired another lower grade teacher that had music as a major and I have never had to teach music! Phew....that could have been a disaster!!

Craziest thing I can't get use to is that WE ONLY HAVE 3 LESSONS OF MATH A WEEK. That is 3 - 45minute lessons as week. Jeez...

Now since I don't only teach my own class, I have more lessons to fill up my week and I teach later into the day. I teach English to the other first grade class and usually still a few more hours of something else. Last year I had to teach 3rd grade science. Next year I am teaching 3rd grade handcraft.

After 14.30 - I am then organizing for the next day or meeting with other teachers, just like the rest of you.

16.00 - I used to leave at 17.00, but I try to leave by 16.00 so that I can spend time with my fab family. So then pick up the kids, walk home, and do dinner/homework/hobbies/chores/etc. This autumn I am going to sign up for Zumba!!! Mommy needs a hobby too, right? Or is cleaning the home a hobby????

Speaking of shoes....we wear inside shoes at school. Basically, take off your outside shoes and switch when inside. This isn't a must for teachers, but it is for kids. Anyways, I need to find myself a new pair of inside shoes this autumn. I will be shopping for a pair of plain, black, comfortable flats.

For the time being, these are my fav summer shoes!! Aren't they summery and cute??

eBooks

Happy 4th of July!! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe day with family and friends.
We won't be doing anything too special, just another regular day for us here. We will barbeque though!!

This summer my 11 year old niece is visiting us. I had been asked that I help her with her reading comprehension. No problem!

Then I started to think about how, and I started to panic. Could I barrow materials from the school? Where was I going to find grade level material for her? Then I started to search online for teacher materials and found a downloadable eBook that was just right. Yeah!

I tell you, I am thankful for eBooks!! Not all companies ship internationally, and even if they do, the shipping cost can be ridiculous. Here are my go to sites: Carson Dellosa, Creative Teaching Press, and Scholastic Teacher Express.

If you have any more that you could share with me, I would be GRATEFUL. Please leave a comment and tell what eBooks companies you have found :).

Again............HAPPY 4th of JULY!!