Favorite Letter Gifts

Confession - I've never given my kids birthday gifts.  I've always celebrated with them and have some sweet birthday traditions involving cubbies, capes, and love notes (see here) but I never thought to give gifts.  I don't have a good reason for being such a loser of a teacher. :)

All that is changing.  I tried to come up with a memorable gift that would be worthy of holding onto for a while.  I decided to make each one a framed first letter from their name, which for most of them happens to be their favorite letter.  Here are my first four.

The good news is that they're dirt cheap to make.  I already had everything I needed except the frames, which were under a dollar a piece from the thrift store.  The other good news is that they're easy to make.

I even snuck in a little message on each one.  Hopefully this will redeem my loser-of-a-teacher status!  

Thank you Tara for the linky.

Help!

I had the same classroom helper chart for years.  It was in such bad shape that I didn't use it last year or even replace it.  Now, all is well.

First I spray painted a cookie sheet.  FYI - cookie sheets don't like to be spray painted or maybe I just don't know how to do it right.  I added a clear coat finish, and the black paint still liked to scrape off way too easily.  After adding all my words and washi tape, I Mod Podged the whole thing.  I think that's fixed the problem.

I made the magnets with the beads from a bracelet.

The plan is to use the magnets to hold either names or pictures of the kids who will be in charge of helping me out.

Thanks again Tara for the linky opportunity!

Experts in Smartness

I found a little something at IKEA this last week that will come in so very handy in my classroom.  Check these out.

A few times last year I tried turning charts into small table versions that could sit at each group of desks.  It's a great strategy for getting essential ideas practically right into their hands.  It's kind of hard to ignore when it's sitting right in front of their noses.  (Interested in the idea and the book that gave it to me? Go here.)  Unfortunately, I struggled with execution.  My stands were a little too wobbly.  That's why IKEA's little frames are going to save the day.  

At the beginning of the year I won't have any charts to shrink, so I'm going to start the year off by making sure one of these is at each group.  As the year goes on, I'm looking forward to changing them out with those ideas from charts that really need to stick.    

Thanks to www.doodledotillustrations.blogspot.com for the dot paper.

Even though this might only be useful for someone who owns the IKEA frames and does blue in their classroom, click on the graphic for your own copy.  

By the way, you might want to know

• the words can be seen on both sides of the frame
• they're only 99 cents
• they come in a variety of colors
• if I'm not mistaken, they're soon to be discontinued
• better get yours now

Thanks Tara for letting me join you again for some Monday Made-It!

Details of Their Lives

The little details of their lives are so important.  Does anyone else struggle keeping track of them all or even struggle making time to hear about them?  Sometimes it seems like recess duty is my best chance to get filled in, and that's just not acceptable.  In an effort to improve upon this problem, I created a little something for my room.  I've no idea if it will work, but I'm ready to give it a shot.

First I found an inexpensive thrift store frame.  Then I taped free paint chips to a poster board.  

I used Mod Podge to add a title to the frame's glass.  I also wrote student names on the glass above each paint chip with a Vis a Vis, although a dry erase marker would have sufficed as well.

(I doubt Beverly has bugs in her house, but I do! Ugh.)

I'm going to invite my kids to use it as a tool to let me know what they want me to ask them about.  Their little post-it notes will be my clue that I've got some inquiring to do.  Once I've asked a student about their post-it and removed it from the frame, they can add a new one.  Of course, this doesn't mean that I'll only talk to kids about their lives if they've written something down.  That would be silly, but I do hope it makes me aware of more and more details of their lives.

Thanks Tara for another Monday Made-It!

Heartprints

On the last day of school I gave my kids a test.  Really, it's not as bad as it sounds.  In fact, my kids loved it!  It was called "How Well Do You Know Your Teacher?"  (I got the idea from Miss Trayers at Not Just Child's Play.  You should go take a look.)  One of the questions was, "My teacher always says..."  Many of them wrote down these words.

Listen to your heart.

I was secretly rooting for that response, because I consider it to be about the most important thing that I teach them.  I'd be a happy camper if in 40 years, that's the one and only thing they remember about their year in first grade.  Miss McMorrow taught us how to listen to our hearts.  Anyway, I have a few reminders on my walls about this topic.  (Here's one that I made.)  I also recently revamped another one.  Sorry to the person who created this saying.  I've had it for so long I can't remember where I found it.

Heartprints here

Heartprints there

We leave heartprints everywhere

Thanks again Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for another Monday Made-It!

Grateful for My Heart

First off, Happy Thanksgiving.  I pray that you're surrounded today with all the blessings you're most thankful for.  Today and every day I'm surrounded with my Savior's great, great love.  My thanks hardly seems sufficient, but how grateful I am.

While teaching last spring, one day I found myself saying, "Listen to your heart."  It quickly became the mantra of my classroom.  (If you'd like to know more, go here.)  Over the summer I made this sign, and now it's hanging on a wall in my classroom.

This fall I discovered that my favorite November read-aloud is the perfect complement to this mantra.  

At first glance, it looks to be yet another Cinderella story about the youngest of three sisters who ends up marrying the Invisible Being, the prince charming of the story, but really it's a powerful and engaging tale of the heart.  Peel back the layers, and the hearts of the characters are naked for all to see, even for six-year old eyes.  The most poignant moment in the book for me is when the sister of the Invisible Being is described as one who can look into a person's eyes and see all the way down to their heart and can tell if it's a cruel, hard one or a warm, kind heart.  My kids could tell that even though the sister who marries the Invisible Being is clearly not outwardly the most beautiful of the sisters, her real beauty lies within her heart.  

The conversations that are products of this story are priceless.  Here's evidence of one.  After reading this book, one of my little gals wrote this in her G Journal.  (Click here to find out what G Journals are.)

"I am grateful for my heart because it makes me beautiful."

Mission accomplished.

One and Only Rule

I've been fussing over this daunting list of things to do before the children show up on Wednesday, not to mention all the things that really must find themselves done around my house.  You know the feeling.  I did manage to accomplish quite a few projects, minus the grocery shopping and trimming the hedges of many small villages.  (Sorry, only "The Three Amigos" fans will appreciate that one.)  I might have gotten to those things if I hadn't spent my Sunday afternoon and evening drawing, cutting, glueing, and Mod Podging this.

(The colors look better in person.)

Even though I could have spent my time doing a truckload of other things, I couldn't put this project down.  It's so important to my classroom, since it's my one and only rule.  (Read here if you'd like to know more about my rule.)  I've been on a signage kick this summer (see here), and I just couldn't resist revamping one more thing before school starts.  

Thanks Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for a summer of creativity.

The Latest Crafty Creation

Here's my latest crafty creation.  It's inspired by the one I made for my own class (look here), but honestly I think this one's better.  Too bad, because it's not for me.  Someone will get to enjoy it though.  That's what's important I suppose.

Thanks again Tara for letting me join your summer of craftiness.

Nail on the Head

If you've been reading my blog the past few Mondays, you've seen some of the signs I've been making with my rudimentary tools (scissors, pencil, glue, Mod Podge).  If you're interested in taking a look, go here.  I made one for my best friend who will be my school's new secretary this year, and I agree with my cousin Laurie.  It wasn't my best work.  I'm happy to say that I made a new one, and I believe I hit the nail on the head with this one.  

Exhibit A: Not my best work

Exhibit B: Nail on the head

Now I'm curious if you agree.  Let me know which one you like the best.  I need to do something with Exhibit A, so if your name happens to be Mrs. Morrill, you've got yourself a sign. 

Thanks Tara for letting me link up once again.  It's been fun.

(I feel kind of weird promoting this, but I volunteered to make a sign for Mrs. I's Class' giveaway.  I'll be making a sign like this one except with the winner's choice of color.  If you're interested, I believe the giveaway ends tonight, Mon. the 23rd.)

Moments of Craftiness

I've had a few moments of craftiness this summer.  First I made a sign for my classroom.  I really like it.  Look here to see a picture.  It then inspired me to make a few more.  I made them the old fashioned way without any fancy tools.  We're talkin' ruler, pencil, scissors, glue, and Mod Podge.  

This first one was for my cousin Laurie who teaches senior AP Lit.   I love the message her kids take with them when they leave her room.

This next one was for my Aunt Susie.  It matches her office at the church.  I love her message too, especially since any woman can be the woman God is with.  

Lastly, I made this one for my best friend who will be the new secretary at my school this year.  This is for her office.  (Honestly, I might make her a different one.  Not sure I love it.)

Once school starts I'm doubtful that I'll be in the sign making business for a while.  It's been fun though.  Thanks Tara for letting me link up.

Things To Do:

This is an usual post for me, but this is what happens in the middle of the summer when my inspiring, useful posting options are dwindling.  Sorry I can't guarantee this will be inspiring or useful to any of you, but it sure was for me!

Look what I found on Pinterest.  Click on the picture to find its owner.  Somebody is for sure talented.

I really wanted one of my own, so after an evening spent with some scrapbook paper, Mod Podge, an old frame, and some paint, this is what I came up with.  (The color scheme matches my classroom.)

Not too shabby.  I'm pretty sure the walls of my classroom and the little lives within will benefit from this daily list of things to do.

Thanks Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for letting me link up with a little bit of craftiness of my own.