It's the Big Day!

It's BACK to SCHOOL which means TpT is throwing a MONSTEROUS SALE and ATUE is joining in!  

We are guessing that many of you have been adding items to your wishlist (or the wishlist in your mind!) and this is THE time to stock up on all the resources that will make your teaching better and your planning easier. Whether you need something "extra" to spice up a unit or are ready to try something brand new--this is your chance to get amazing resources at an even more amazing price.



Make sure to stop by all of our stores and stock up on the amazing savings!  UP TO 28% OFF in each of our stores!!

An InLinkz Link-up

A New Chapter

This past Monday, August 12, 2013, I began a new chapter in my life. Monday marked the first day of my doctoral studies for my Ed.D degree in Educational Leadership. My classes that I am taking this semester are online/hybrid courses. Today, we met for the first time for our RSCH 9800 course. 

As I drove the hour and thirty minutes from my house to Valdosta, it was flooding. Usually, I will catch up on phone calls anytime I drive, but this morning was different. Because of the heavy rain, I knew my focus needed to be on driving so I left the phone alone. This quiet time allowed me to reflect upon my previous graduate work, and it gave me an opportunity to think about how different my life is going to be for the next several years. 

1. A change in sleep patterns: I love my sleep. God blessed my husband and I with a precious daughter who slept through the night very early on. Yes, God understands how vital it is that I get enough sleep. I graduated with my Ed.S degree in 2007, and since that time, my sleeping has been wonderful. I am a little nervous as to how my body is going to respond to late night readings, writings, and research. I know eventually I will get it together.

2. Family time: I love spending time with my family. Our daughter is just getting the age where she is becoming involved in many activities, such as dance lessons, private tennis lessons, tennis matches, soccer, etc. I want to be there and be involved. This is another reason why my sleep is going to take a hit because I will do most of my work after we put her to bed at night. 

3. Time management: I can no longer wait until the last minute to complete something. I have to begin as soon as I can in order to allow myself adequate time for quality work. Period. 

Obtaining my doctorate degree is a personal goal that I have always had for myself. I was beyond excited to receive a personal phone call informing me of my acceptance and then to receive my acceptance letter in the mail. While I know it is going to be a lot of late nights and seemingly endless readings, I am elated to embark on this new journey. 

Here It Comes...BTS Sale!

It is that time of year again, when Teachers Pay Teachers holds their annual Back to School Sale. The sale will run from Sunday, August 18th through Monday, August 19th. If you use the Promo Code "BTS13" you can get any item from my TpT Store 28% off! That is the lowest they will be all year! I hope you will take a look and see what you need for your classroom this year. 

Here are a few of my best selling items that you might like to add to your list: 

ELA Task Card Bundle {Common Core Aligned}

This bundle is already discounted, but it will be an additional 28% off August 18-19. 

Incentives for Middle School and High School Students

This is a great classroom management system that rewards positive behavior. Your students will love it!

Write with Me Journal {Common Core Aligned}

If you are looking for a great way to get your students and parents interacting, this is it! There is a journal prompt for each week of school. The students and parents/guardians work together to complete it. It is a win-win situation, and many teachers are loving it!

Teaching the Reading Literacy Common Core Standards {7th Grade ELA}

This is the perfect teaching companion if you teach 7th grade language arts. There are activities for each standard in this pack, plus standards and vocabulary cards to post in your classroom. 

The Ultimate Back to School Survival Guide for Teachers

With 95 pages, you are sure to find everything you need to get your school year off on the right foot. 

I hope that you are able to stock up on some wonderful goodies at this Back to School Sale! Thank you to Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs for the awesome BTS graphics!

Back to School Blog Hop and Giveaway

For many, the first day of the new school year has already come. If you are one of the lucky ones who begins a little later, you may still be gathering back to school tips to help make the first couple of days easier. 

Here are some of my all-time best back to school tips:

1. Follow Pinterest. If you are not already hooked on this fabulous site, then you need to check it out. There are wonderful ideas to use for lessons, crafts, classroom decorations, etc. Be careful because it can become addicting. 
2. Before school begins, allow yourself several "me" days. You earned them! You deserve them! You need them! Take a couple of days and remove thoughts of school from your mind. If you need to, stay off of the computer and take time to decompress. I have learned from experience that I perform much better if I allow myself a few days to not do anything school related. 
3. Pick out a cute school bag. I know at the beginning of school, I always like to have a cute bag to carry my items to and from school. 
4. Get in your classroom early. I know I said in #2 to allow yourself several "me" days. I always liked to get into my classroom early and get everything arranged and organized. After that, I would take my several "me" days and not think about it until I went back for pre-planning. I always felt so much better knowing that the moving and organizing was complete before all of the back to school meetings started. 
5. Be prepared for the first day. It will be a hectic day, but be prepared with fun, engaging lessons that will really hook your students at the beginning. If they are having fun while learning, they will be more apt to stay engaged. I know I would always have a fun game to play for the students to get to know one another. The students would create a personalized pennant with their goals and ways to reach these goals. They always love doing things like that. 

No matter where you are in your school year, I wish everyone a successful year! To help you with some activities and products you can use with your students, Laura J has put together this wonderful blog hop. I hope you will join in on the fun! 

My product that will be included in the prize pack, is my Write with Me Journal. This journal provides a great avenue to get your students and their parents actively interacting through the writing process. 

We'll have one grand prize winner who will win: A pencil sharpener in their choice of color from Classroom Friendly Supplies, their choice of a blog design OR $25 worth from products from Tools for Teachers by Laurah J, and one copy of each donated unit. We will have one second prize winner who will get one copy of each donated unit and their choice of $25 worth of items from my store. Once the winners are chosen, I will send out an e-mail with the winner's e-mail addresses and you will be responsible for sending out your units to the winners. The Grand Prize Package has a retail value of $122, and the 2nd Prize Package has a retail value of $88! Here are the units you've donated:

• Elements of Fiction Posters
• First Week Back to School Classroom Essentials Bundle
• Write with Me Journal (Common Core Aligned)
• Latin Greek Vocabulary Through the Year, Set 1
• Getting to Know You- A Back to School Math Game for your Class
• Place Value Safari
• Back to School Icebreaker Pack
• Ten Real Life Applicable Area and Perimeter Cards 
• Back to school and end of year foldables
• Common Core Writing and Editing Checklists

Now, on to the blog hop! Don't forget to visit each blog to see what two lucky winners will receive!

August Currently

August? Huh? It can't be! Well, Farley's Currently Post today made me realize just how much of a reality it is. One question...where in the world did summertime go so quickly? 

Listening: I officially started work last Monday. I changed positions this year, and I will be the Instructional Coordinator at the school. This week has been fun, because although the teachers do not begin until Monday, many have been in and out all week working hard to get their classrooms in order. I have enjoyed listening to the laughter fill the hall as they greet each other and talk about their vacations. 

Loving: I am loving my new CHI flatiron. Mine that I have had for six years finally quit working, so what did I do? Of course, I ordered a new one! And love it!

Thinking: Oh, that! I am thinking about my to-do list for my house that is not complete. Oops! I do still have the weekends, right!

Wanting: I want a new car. I don't need one, but I have my eye on one. 

Needing: Oh, yes! I need one more trip to put my toes in the sand. I hope to go over Labor Day weekend. 

B2s Must Haves: (1) New iPad case, (2) Sharpies, I love them!, and (3) Write with Me Journal 

The Write with Me Journal is my favorite! It provides a journal per week for students to take  home and write with their parents/guardians. I love using it, and the feedback has been awesome! 

Click Here to See "Write with Me"

I hope you have a great beginning!