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Great Read!

I am really enjoying a new teaching book I picked up from the library called, "Teaching Outside the Box:  How to Grab Your Students By Their Brains".  The title alone made me want to pick it up and read it!  I am just beginning the book but let me know if you have read it or if you're interested in reading it with me! :0)

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No first day of school- WHAT?!?

So, Hurricane Irene has decided she doesn't want to go back to school!  The first day of school in my county in Maryland will be cancelled due to the storm damage.  I have never in my life heard of the first day of school being cancelled!  I am so disappointed that I won't see the students tomorrow but I am glad to be able to finish some tasks before the first day. 

I will, however, use Hurricane Irene as a teaching opportunity.  Perhaps we will read about hurricanes this week and map each state that was affected by it.  We can create an analogy about how the conditions need to be just right for a hurricane to occur and compare it to how success in the classroom depends on that same type of scenario.  I hope this is all that Mother Nature has in store for this school year as I am sure she has a few snowstorms up her sleeve as well!  Is anyone else off of school tomorrow due to Irene?  Tell us about it by commenting below!

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New Favorite Site!

Okay, so I began decorating my new first grade classroom today and realized how much I still enjoy doing it year after year!  I absolutely LOVE being a classroom teacher!  As I was hanging fabric on my bulletin boards, I was thinking of ways I could be more creative.  To help myself along, I did what every other teacher would do...take a walk down the hallway and check out what others were doing.  I went into my second grade friend's classroom when she showed me some of the projects she had been working on.  She was using her Cricut machine which she got at JoAnn Fabrics for $50!  It was a smaller machine but with the sale and teacher discount, she got it at a great price!  She had made so many cute things with her Cricut and when she told me she had gotten the ideas from blogs, a lightbulb went off!  "Ooooooooh," I thought, "a blog with Cricut ideas for the classroom?!?"  I know, I was getting excited, too!  So, I haven't had much time to peruse but this site happened to be the first I visited and I liked it.  Check it out if you have time!  Also, if you have used the Cricut for classroom materials, let us know! 

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Back from Vacation!

Whew!  I am finally back from a fun-filled vacation to Hilton Head, SC!  It was fabulous and as always, I learned so much to share with my class!  I am eagerly awaiting the beginning of the school year (1 week and counting) and tomorrow, I will enter my new classroom for the first time.  First grade, here I come!  I must say, at this point I am going through my mental checklist of routines to be sure the year starts off well!  I would love it if you could share your favorite routines such as pencil sharpening, bathroom breaks, classroom jobs, etc.  How do you help your classroom run efficiently for the school year?  What techniques do you use that are a faithful "go-to" each year? 

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Exciting News to Share!

Greetings everyone!
I have exciting news to share!  I am officially an author over at Me and My Gang (see button on the sidebar) and I will be blogging on the FIRST GRADE PAGE!  Yes, they have pages for EVERY GRADE LEVEL to come, join, and share about teaching!  If you haven't checked out Me and My Gang, you are MISSING OUT!  We would love for you to be a part of the excitement!  All you have to do is click the button, find your grade-level, and join!  I'll be waiting to see who can grab the first spots! 

Warm Hugs and Loving Smiles,

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And the Winners are... (I LOVE GIVEAWAYS!)

Okay, so I am a little late on the GIVEAWAY (teacher friends stopping by) but the winners have been chosen on http://www.random.org/ and a BIG CONGRATULATIONS goes out to:

First Place (Gift Card and Two Teaching Products):  Rachel Keller

Second Place (Two Teaching Products):  Christy Alzati and Donna Harris

Third Place (One Teaching Product):  Mary Wortman, Alexia Algius, and Jennifer Kadar

Winners email me at mrsbteaches2@gmail.com to claim your prizes! 

Thanks to all who participated!  More to come as we head back to school!!! :0)

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FREE WEBSITE

I have been wanting to set up my own teaching website for some time now.  After having years of paid sites, I got tired of shelling out $60 to have a website that was limited in what I could do.  My best friend, Sharon Winter of Pre-K Paradise, told  me about Weebly so I decided to check it out for myself.  I have to say, I LOVE IT!  Check it out here:  http://www.weebly.com/   They have a choice to set up a FREE WEBSITE or a FREE EDUCATIONAL WEBSITE which allows parents and students to interact with you online!  Either way, I am in the process of creating a website I love while not paying a dime!  Check it out for yourself if you have time!

P.S. ONE DAY LEFT FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!! GET YOUR ENTRIES IN NOW!  A WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN THURSDAY, AUGUST 11TH AT 10 AM EST.  BEST OF LUCK!

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FREEBIE! Book Conferencing Schedule!

Book Conference Schedule 1

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Three Days Left...Don't Be Left Out!

Hello everyone!

I am so glad to see us all connecting and sharing our love of teaching!  Please be sure if you have taken steps to be entered in the giveaway that you leave a comment.  If not, I won't be able to accurately count your entries so a quick, "I joined your blog" would work!  I am so excited to be giving away a Scrappin' Doodles gift card along with the Back-to-School resources!  Best of luck!  Three days left!

Lots of Love,

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New Blog Design

I am just loving my new blog design thanks to Ladybug Teaching Resources on Blogger!  Check them out- their designs are awesome and they are so helpful!  In one day, I had a complete blog makeover for less than $50.  That is a FABULOUS deal!  If you've been thinking about changing the look of your blog, head over to Ladybug Teaching Resources- you will be so happy you did!
Check them out here:

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Counting Fishies

Is everyone getting ready for Back to School?  I am!  Check out a new product I just added to my TpT and TeachersNotebook stores:

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!  I must say this is definitely one that will be used a great deal in my classroom this year!  Let me know what you think!

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$10 Scrappin' Doodles Giveaway!!!

Okay teaching friends... I say we need to have a "Motivation Contest". For all of us who are sellers on TpT and TeachersNotebook, let's see how many quality products we can make and post by Monday! Be sure to share your products and how many you've made here- this way we can all compete! Just post with your name/blog/website and product below! All who participate are eligible to win a first prize $10.00 gift certificate to Scrappin' Doodles!  You will also receive my "Essential Back-to-School Resource" as well as "Monthly Newsletter Templates" from Pre-K Paradise!  Two second place winners will receive both the EBTS Resource and MNT.  Three third place winners will receive the EBTSR.  I know this will help you get ready for the new school year! The contest will run from Friday, August 5th until Thursday, August 11th!  Good luck and get moving! :0) 

Warm Hugs and Loving Smiles,
Leanne



 
 

 
 

Here is how to enter:
1.  You will get 1 entry for every time you comment on this contest.
2.  You will get 5 entries for joining my blog and leaving a comment letting me know.
3.  You will get 5 entries for following Teaching Tales on Facebook and leaving a comment letting me know.
4.  You will get 5 entries for following me on Teachers Pay Teachers and leaving a comment letting me know.
5.  You will get 5 entries for following Teaching Tales on Teachers Notebook and leaving a comment letting me know.
6.  You will get 10 entries for creating a post with a link to this contest and leaving a comment letting me know!
 
Best of luck!

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New Back to School Resource Just Posted!

Check out the new resource I just posted on TpT and TeachersNotebook! Both stores have AMAZING sales running right now so I would get it before the sales expire!

There are two ways to pick up "The Essential Back to School Resource":

Follow this link to TpT: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Essential-Back-to-School-Resource

Follow this link to TeachersNotebook: http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/TeachingTales

I hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed creating it! I am very excited to use this resource with my new first graders!!!

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