Winners and other cool things

Happy Sunday! I wanted to quickly tell you a little bit about my new favorite store, Brookstone.  Have you ever been there?  I hadn't until recently, and I have to say, it was so cool!  I went to buy a fitbit, which all my friends bought this summer... so of course I had to be cool like them and get a fitbit too!

my fitbit one!

I had a few people ask about the fitbit after I posted a screenshot from my phone on facebook this week, so I wanted to share the scoop with you!  Fitbit is like an advanced pedometer that tracks steps taken, total miles walked, floors climbed, and it can even track your sleep if you want it to!  I also love competing against my friends each week to see who can take the most steps.  This has been the best purchase I have made in a while.  It has helped me become more aware of my daily activity, as well as my really bad sleep habits (I am really trying to go to bed before midnight on school nights!!) Here's a few screenshots to show you what it tracks:

first day of school - proof that teachers don't just sit around all day!

full day of school plus an evening Zumba class... I was EXHAUSTED!

this is what a GOOD night's sleep looks like

hmm... looks like I had a rough night...

you know it's going to be a bad day when your sleep looks like this!

I have insomnia, so these charts will be great to have next time I meet with my doctor to discuss sleeping pills, and see what the best options are to help me sleep better at night.

Right now, living social has a deal for Brookstone, where you can buy a $50 gift certificate for $25... that takes the total cost of the fitbit flex or fitbit one down to only $75, and believe me, it is worth it! BUT, since I already have a fitbit, I think this time around, I am going to purchase the super cool sand that they have at Brookstone.  I saw people playing with it at the mall last week, and was so curious!  Just look at this.... how fun would it be for a science activity table??  AND, I *love* that it doesn't make a mess!  Here's a little bit of info from the brookstone website:

SAND is kinetic—that means it's designed to stick to itself but not to you. It flows through your fingers just like wet sand, but leaves them completely dry and mess-free. And no matter how you pull, stretch and separate SAND (even if some gets on the floor), it always recombines easily. No vacuum cleaners or mops needed. But here’s the best part: when you’re ready to break out the SAND again, it’s just the same as it was when it came out of the jar. It never dries out and needs no liquid additives. If it does get wet, just let it dry out before playing with it again. It’s that easy.  

 

I'll be honest, I had a little too much fun playing with it at the store!  I don't have any pics from that day, because I was playing with it while my iphone was being repaired at the Apple Store... but trust me, it is SUPER FUN... I think my students will love it!

 

 And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for... I'm sorry to be so slow about posting the winners for last week's awesome giveaway... here's the lucky winners for the homework pack from Second Story Window! Be sure to check your email for your prize!

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The Quietest Pencil Sharpener

 Hi everyone, today I am talking about Classroom Friendly Supplies! Have you heard of them?? “Classroom friendly supplies” was created by a teacher, because who knows better than a teacher what a teacher needs, right?? I have seen countless posts about the "quietest classroom pencil sharpener" floating around the teacher / blogger world, but I was still a skeptic. I couldn't imagine that a small, hand-cranked pencil sharpener could possibly work better than my big bad beast of an electric pencil sharpener, so I contacted the creator, Troy, and told him of my disbelief. He immediately sent me one of his amazing pencil sharpeners to try in my classroom (and I must take a moment to apologize to Troy - the pencil sharpener arrived the day I was going out of town, and the day I returned, we ended up taking my dad to the ER, and the whole rest of the month is a blur between hospital visits and setting up my classroom!) Now that I have finally settled into something of a routine in my classroom, I was ready to break out the pencil sharpener and give it a shot. 

So here's what comes in the box.... I was surprised at how little is actually is. I put it side by side with my "beast" pencil sharpener, and it just looked so cute and tiny... 

 



 

I decided to try a few different pencils and do some side by side comparing, and I really think the photos speak for themselves.... I started with just a normal pencil and put one in each sharpener. Any guesses as to which pencil was sharpened by the quietest pencil sharpener?

 

Well if you guessed orange, you'd be right! I can't tell you how happy I was after just 1 pencil. But then came the real test. The pencils I have for my students are a little bit bigger / thicker than standard pencils, and I was worried that they wouldn’t fit…. Luckily they did, so I began sharpening… (I don’t think you could fit anything too much bigger in this sharpener though, so if you love the chubby kindergarten pencils, it might not work.)

 

Here's a side-by-side picture of my students' pencils prior to sharpening them.... Wowzers!! Just LOOK at those tips!! I was seriously in SHOCK! My "beast" pencil sharpener could never deliver a point like that. Not gonna lie, I was impressed.... I sharpened pencil after pencil...

I wasn't sure what to think when I came across this broken pencil.... As much as I love my indestructible pencils, there's always one child who will find a way to break these.... Once they are broken like this, I usually have to throw them away.... I decided to put the pencil sharpener to the ultimate test, and as you can see, it passed with flying colors!

 

All it took was one afternoon of sharpening and I was in love. But wait, it gets better... The quietest pencil sharpener is now available in PINK!!! Woah!!! Hold the phone.... I am definitely going to be ordering a PINK pencil sharpener to match all of the pink in my classroom (annnnd.... I know...I still need to post my classroom makeover pics... I will get to it soon, I promise!) Want to know the best part about the pink pencil sharpeners?  $1 from the sale of every Precious Pink Pencil Sharpener is donated to cancer research and awareness! Breast cancer is something near and dear to my heart, and has affected many of my family members...so anything that supports cancer research is a win in my book.  And seriously?! How adorable is this?!?!

 

Oh, and did I mention that all of their orders include FREE SHIPPING?!  That's right. The price you see is the price you pay. No extra charges for shipping. And since most of us pay for many school supplies out of our own pocket, every little bit counts!

 Okay I have rambled on long enough.... One last thing to tell you about these pencil sharpeners.... The down side.... The morning after I sharpened all the pencils, my students definitely noticed a difference in the sharpness of the lead. My boys were running from table to table showing off their SHARP pencils.... And arguing over whose pencil was sharper. HA! It was so funny. You'd think they had never seen a sharp pencil in their entire lives. Three days later, the pencils were still going strong and I hadn't had to sharpen a single one. I think I am in pencil sharpener heaven! Thank you, classroom friendly supplies, for the awesome pencil sharpener!

PS, if you're still reading this, remember to enter for your chance to win the 1st grade homework pack from Second Story Window.  Click HERE  to enter.

 

 

Second Story Window - Review & Giveaway

Have you heard of "Second Story Window"? Well if not, you are in for a treat. Second Story Window is the brain child of 2 wonderful sisters from right here in Utah, and they have some ahhh-mazing products in their TPT store. Today I am reviewing the brand-spankin-new 1st grade homework pack from them. (I teach 2nd grade, and they have TONS of 2nd grade resources too... Because they were 2nd grade teachers...But so many 1st and 3rd grade teachers loved their 2nd grade products that after many requests, they began making products for all of those teachers too!)

 

I don't know about you, but homework is something I struggle with... It's hard to have a consistent homework routine when things don't always go as planned from day to day. The math program I use does provide homework pages, but we can't always complete a lesson every single day, and sometimes the homework is confusing, so homework becomes frustrating and ineffective. That's what is so great about the homework packs from second story window. Take a look at some of these pages:

The packet is designed to be copied front to back then cut in half.... So it's just a simple half-sheet of homework every day. You can read more about their homework routine here. The packet comes with 100 days’ worth of homework.... If you want even more homework, there's an add-on pack that you can buy here.

I love this homework because all I have to do is copy, cut, and I'm ready to go. It doesn't matter if we get through the math lesson or not... It's a simple, consistent, half-sheet of paper that goes home every day. I photocopied it on colored paper so it's easily identifiable in students' backpacks each day. Parents know to look for either a gray "go math" page or a green "half-sheet" homework as I call it. The next morning as students are turning in their homework, I have a check off sheet that they mark so I can quickly see who has turned in their homework and who hasn't.... And for those who haven't turned in their homework, I have a few extra copies of the half-sheet ready for them to complete during 1st recess.

2 lucky winners are going to receive second story Window's 1st grade homework packet. Use the rafflecopter below to enter. Giveaway ends Wednesday night. Good luck!
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Preventing Teacher Burnout #BurnoutCure Blog Tour

I am so excited to be participating in the #BurnoutCure Blog Tour today! I have known Julie de Azevedo-Hanks for many years now, and I'm pretty sure it's because of her inspirational music that I was able to endure the ups and downs of junior high and high school. Julie is something of a local "celebrity" here in Utah and I'm honored to call her a friend. In addition to being a talented singer and songwriter, Julie works as an LCSW and is the owner of Wasatch Family Therapy.... And in all her "spare" time, she's recently written a book entitled "The Burnout Cure: An Emotional Survival Guide For Overwhelmed Women". I don't know about the rest of you, but after surviving the first 8 days of school, I am definitely feeling overwhelmed! I had the great fortune of hearing Julie speak on this exact topic a few years ago, when I first began teaching, and was thrilled when I heard she was going to put the presentation into a book.  The theme of her presentation resonated with me, and is what ultimately inspired my blog title of "Good Enough Teacher"... Because I will NEVER be the Pinterest-perfect teacher, which is really okay with me.  If anyone is feeling burnout these days, it's definitely teachers.

I've talked before about why I'm okay with just being "good enough", and this book confirmed to me that I'm making the right choice for ME and my emotional needs.

Last year, I was definitely burned out. In addition to teaching 2nd grade, I was teaching an evening professional development class for 60 teachers, mentoring 4 level-one teachers in my building, supervising a student-teacher, I was the gifted facilitator for my  school, the grade level chair, and, JUST FOR FUN, I decided to start my math endorsement (and for the record, I'm NOT working on it this semester).... and I'm sure the list goes on. Most nights I was at school until 8 or 9 pm. (Not even kidding, folks!!) In the midst of all this, my parents moved rather suddenly (which also meant packing up our family home of more than 30 years!!), my mom was unexpectedly hospitalized, and I was EXHAUSTED every minute of every day. It was all I could do to roll out of bed and throw my hair in a ponytail, and try to put on a happy face and face the kiddos with a smile every day. I thought back to the tips Julie shared when I heard her speak, and tip #2 stood out to me.  (Here are all 6 tips that are included in the book:)
 

1. Feel and express a full range of emotions.
2. Give yourself permission to say an inspired “no.”
3. Do your emotional family history.
4. Take responsibility for your own happiness.
5. Practice being kind to yourself.
6. Learn to ask for and accept help.

Now, these are all great tips, but I'm going to focus on #2 - saying an inspired no.  In the book, Julie shares an experience where she was on a flight with her young son, and she hears the directions from the flight attendant regarding what to do with the oxygen mask in case of an emergency:

"The flight attendant started talking about what to do if there were a change in cabin pressure. She said, “The oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling and oxygen will begin to flow. Place your mask on first and then assist others, such as small children or the elderly.”

"Did she really just say that—put your own mask on first? Was this new information I had somehow missed dozens of times before? As I sat in the plane holding my precious little baby, I realized that my instinct as a woman, as a parent, would be to make sure that my little son and everyone else in my row got an oxygen mask first. But this time I clearly heard the flight attendant’s message: Put on your own mask first and then assist others! I realized what she was really saying: If I don’t put my oxygen mask on first, I’ll pass out—and what good am I going to be to my six-month-old if I’m passed out on the floor?"

This was a profound moment for me.  We, as teachers, MUST take care of ourselves if we want to be able to take care of our students. As much as I *want* to help every teacher at school or please every supervisor/principal/and department, I need to compete MY to-do list first. Once that's complete, then I can choose to help others when and if I have the time. I must put my classroom and my lessons first, and not worry about preparing materials for other teachers.

After 3 years of teaching professional development, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I said an "inspired no" to the job offer earlier this year. Nobody at my school thought I could say no, but I did it, and it felt SO good! Does it mean that I might miss out on other opportunities in the future? Possibly.... But I've decided that my job is not my entire life. I want to have a life outside of my classroom (although I've had so much fun redecorating lately, that I'm really enjoying it! Lol!) Now that I've mastered tip #2, I'm hoping to look forward to a great future with the help of tip #4 -- take responsibility for your own happiness. After the first 3 days of school (we started on a Wednesday this year), my to-do list was probably 3 pages long. I was not about to spend my Friday night at school stressing over everything. I made sure everything was ready for Monday, called a friend, and ordered a pizza! My friend and I have a great system -- I order the pizza online, and she picks it up on the way to my house. I stopped and grabbed some yummy shakes (which I'm sure I earned after surviving the first 3 days of school, right??) and we hung out eating pizza and ice cream while watching "Gilmore Girls" on DVD. Exciting Friday night? You be the judge ;) for me, it was just what I needed! I've learned to plan ahead and make time to do things with my friends. I set limits and try to leave school at a reasonable hour each day. I'm looking forward to working through all 6 tips this year.... A new school year is a great time to set new goals! I don't do well with new year's resolutions, and instead do "school-year resolutions". And my resolution this year is to take care of myself and prevent myself from getting burned out.

Well, if you are feeling burned out like I was, I would highly recommend checking out Julie's book, which is available now. And if you're still reading this, I've placed my TPT store on sale for Labor Day weekend. Happy shopping, teachers :) 

Winner! Sale! Freebie! Oh my!

first thing's first... here's the winners for the calendar sets... I'll be contacting you to choose your favorite set from my store :) thanks everyone who entered!
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Now, if you didn't win, I have TWO exciting things to share with you... first off, my entire store is 20% off for the HUGE back-to-school sale at TPT all day today and tomorrow!! So you can head over and pick up your favorite calendar set (or anything else in my store)!  Use the code BTS13 to save an extra 10% off the discounted price for a total of 28% off!

ANNND... as a little thank you, I put together a freebie for you with black and white apples and stars... feel free to copy these on colored cardstock and come up with your own patterns!  This freebie is only available on my blog and you can snag it here! Click on the picture to download :)

ONE MORE THING... holy smokes... I've been working on my latest project off and on since MARCH (it sorta got put on the back burner so I could finish the vocabulary cards).... but I'm so excited to finally have volume 1 of my bar model problem solving detectives pack finished!!  When I first learned about the bar model, I was confused... once I understood it, I was blown away with how EASY math was for me!  It was like a light bulb went off and suddenly upper-grade math wasn't scary anymore!! (Math is not my favorite subject... which is why I think I'm so passionate about making great math resources). Anyway, I am so excited to finally have volume 1 ready to go!  It has 10 weeks of problem solving pages, and volumes 2 and 3 will each have an additional 10 weeks, for a total of 30 weeks of problem solving when it's all done.  Click on the picture to check it out on TPT... 

And since giveaways are so much fun.... why not give two lucky winners this pack?! Hurry, the rafflecopter closes at midnight. You know the drill... enter below :) Happy Sunday... have fun shopping!!

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