Friday is coming!

Yeah! Tomorrow is Friday! It means the weekend and then next week I just have to work for 2 days. We will be off 5 days for the Thanksgiving Break. It is a long awaited break; a time to rejuvenate myself and bring some energy back into me.

TEKS Checklist

Earlier this week I was in a staff development session and another teacher shared this excellent resource that can be used by teachers in Texas.  The web site lists all the TEKS for grades K-5 along with activities for each TEK.  These activities can be used as an enrichment for the TEK that is being taught.

I did mention that it can be used for teachers in Texas, but I think it is a great resource for any teacher to use in any state if you want to find activities for division, multiplication, addition, problem solving, etc. 

The web site is called Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Activities.  The link is posted below.

 http://jabba.edb.utexas.edu/depts/edp/projects/teks/index.asp

Field Trip Today

Today we had a field trip. Many of my students commented that it was the coolest field trip they had been on. Of course it was educational. There was Native American and African dances. The children were intrigued by the costumes. There was also animals that the children got to pet.  The one that the students were amazed at was the American Bison. They were in awe of the size and the texture of their fur. The field trip was a success! A bit tiring, but I am glad that my class had a great time.

Friday Good News!

This week ended well at school after a slow and tiring start. On Fridays we have assessments. My students' test scores went up from previous weeks'.  That was an awesome feeling.  They are remembering their reading, writing, and math strategies! Yippee!! I elimnated the multiple choice on math and reading.  They were actually "forced" to show all their work on the assessments.  I have found that students tend to quickly chose an answer on a multiple choice test instead of thinking it out and showing their strategies. I am so elated for them.

School Year So Far

Wow I completely forgot about this blog. I have been so busy with teaching. It seems like the demands of the job have increased this year. It has been a draining year so far. However, I can say that teaching is still my passion.

I took 2 days off; not including the weekend. Today is my last day off and back to work tomorrow. Hopefully I can make it until the Thanksgiving break.

Promise to post more on this blog.

How to Stay Safe on a School Bus --- School Bus Safety Tips

School bus safety is extremely important as children return to school. School bus rules and school bus safety should be stressed with children before the first day of school. A bus driver needs to be able to hear emergency vehicles, trains at railroad crossings, and other emergencies that might arise during the bus route. Children need to understand the importance of obeying the school bus rules and the consequences that could result. Below are a few tips and suggestions to help your child stay safe while riding the school bus.

Private Educational Social Platform with Edmodo

Edmodo the Private Educational Social Platform
I recently went to a technology training and found a site like Facebook or Twitter, but it is safe and is actually used for educational purposes. Edmodo, is a private educational social platform that allows teachers, parents, and students to interact with one another. An excellent use for this would be to post homework assignments and projects. This is a great way for parents to see what is going on in the classroom.

Stock.xchng by Vicky S.

Classroom Set Up

Today is Friday and my classroom is now set and ready to go for the first day of school on Monday. I do feel tired but I intend to relax this last weekend of freedom!

Meet the Teacher Is Tomorrow

Tomorrow is "Meet the Teacher" at my school. I am getting back some of my students when I taught them in 1st grade. I am now teaching 4th grade.

Health Tips for Teachers

Now that school is fixing to start here are some tips we should follow to keep us healthy.

• Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Keep the same sleep schedule even on the weekends.
• Eat healthy foods. Take healthy snacks to school to snack on.
• Relax. Don't stay after school until 5 or 6 p.m. This will burn you out fast. Learn to let go of some things.
• Take multivitamins.
• Drink plenty of water.

1st posting

Hey there! This is my first blog posting on Teachers' Lounge Talk. As mentioned in my profile I am entering my 5th year teaching elementary school. Part of me is not ready to go back to the classroom after resting all summer long. I don't want to give up the freedom of waking up late or having to worry about deadlines.

Today I went to my classroom to set it up. My nephew was there to help me. He was great. I am not going back until Monday; that is when we are suppose to report back to work.

Am going to savor these last few days of freedom!