Linky and New Clip Art

I am finally joining the party over at Adventures of a 6th Grade Teacher! 

And look!! It's my swirly frame! =) 

I am jumping on the bandwagon and letting you in on a day in my shoes!

It varies what time I wake up, but usually it's around 6:30. I don't spend much time getting ready in the morning. In fact, I'm usually done in 20-30 minutes, depending on whether or not I shower the night before. I like to get in as much beauty rest as possible. =)

By 7:00 or 7:15, I am usually en route to school. I arrive about 10 minutes later. I love living close to school! I know so many people who drive 30 minutes to an hour! I can't even imagine...

Between 7:15 and 7:45, I am usually preparing for the school day. Printing, gathering materials for Science, cutting things out, laminating, checking e-mail, sometimes Pinning (I know...it's terrible), getting my morning flipchart ready with the homework and morning work on it, writing my essential questions and updating the lunch choices. I think that about covers it. How do I fit all of that in 30 minutes? I have no idea. I am like a machine. LOL

At 7:45, the first bell rings, and my little pumpkins come waltzing in. They get unpacked while I check more e-mail and that they turned in their homework. 

At 8:00, the late bell rings and most of my friends are in the classroom unpacking and doing their morning work. I am still checking homework. =) The news show also starts at this time giving us an update on the weather, information on what the class of the week is up to, and any other important news!

By 8:15, I am telling the kids "Adios," as I drop them off at Related Arts! In the morning, I feel like I am literally like "Hi, friends. Bye, friends!" 

From 8:15 to 9:05, I am doing any number of the things that I do from 7:15 to 7:45 if I am not in a Coaches meeting (which unfortunately happens often...) I sort of like having Related Arts first thing. It makes me feel like I can be more prepared for the day. (When our plannings aren't being used up that is.) Then I feel TOTALLY unprepared. I might also be found chatting it up with my teammies. I need to be more focused during this time! My life would be so much easier if I was!

I pick up the friends at 9:05 and then by 9:10, I am teaching either Science or Social Studies. We alternate through the week. One week I may teach 2 days of Science and 3 days of Social Studies and then vice versa the next week. It varies on short weeks, obviously. These are my favorite subjects to teach. I don't know why, I just love them! Especially Social Studies! In 3rd grade in South Carolina, the kids learn about South Carolina history which I just find fascinating. We played such a significant role in the forming of our country and I just love all the history!

From 9:45-10:45 I teach Math. I love Math because you can play so many games and so many kids can get into it! 

At 10:45, we do start our Reading Workshop mini lesson which lasts between 10-15 minutes. Next week, we are learning all about fables and personification! I am so excited! Fables are so much fun. I plan on creating a Folktale Unit very soon to post in my TN Shop. After we do our mini lesson, the kids go to their seats or different parts of the room to the read on their own and work on the mini lesson skill with their books. I will be working at the back table with a reading group. I also have a ESOL teacher who pushes into my room everyday for reading. She alternates working with my two low groups each day. I feel pretty darn fortunate to have her in my room each day. I would feel very overwhelmed if she were not there! The last 5 minutes of reading are left for coming together and sharing about the mini lesson skill they focused on during their independent reading. 

Then, my favorite time of day begins at 11:50, LUNCH!!! I love food. Period. We only get 25 minutes and I have to eat with the little gems. =) By the time I get them through the lunch line, I usually only have about 15 minutes to eat. I always feel like I'm rushing. I'm sure the kids feel the same way. Poor things. 

We go back to class to do our Read Aloud from 12:20 to 12:40. I usually pick books that focus on the mini lesson skills. I get my read alouds from this website by Linda Hoyt. If you click on your grade level, it gives you mentor texts for each skill! It's awesome!

From 12:40-1:00, I do Word Work. Each week I focus on a sound or a skill (compound words, synonyms, prefixes, etc..)

At 1:00 we do Writing. Sometimes writing consists of just grammar lessons and most of the time we focus on a genre of writing and I will begin with a Read Aloud or the grading of a writing sample on our rubric as a whole class. Then the students write while I conference. I don't really like writing all that much. I don't feel like I'm very good at it. I get a lot of my writing ideas now from you lovely bloggers! 

Around 1:35, we pack up and I pass out homework. They usually put their book bags on their chairs and then we head to recess about 1:40ish. Sometimes later...

At 2:00ish, we come back in and go straight to our Everyday Calendar Math, which takes about 5 minutes. After that, we do Spiral Math Review for the last 10-15 minutes of the day. At 2:22, I send the little friends on their way and I make my to whatever duty I am assigned that week. =) 

I am usually at school until about 5:00 each day. Mondays and Tuesdays I tutor from 2:45 to 4:40, Wednesdays we have staff meetings (which usually last until between 4 and 5), Thursdays for the next couple of months, I am teaching Promethean flipchart trainings in my classroom for schools in our area. So basically, that only leaves Friday that I have to myself in my classroom to get things done. This is probably why I take so much work home! I need to stop taking on so much!! 

And that's my school day! I'm tired after just typing that!! I can't wait to go and read about a day all of your shoes! I love linkies! 

And I finally finished the measurement clip art I have been promising! You can buy them as digital images or stamps!

Head on over to my Etsy Shop to get yourself a set!

You can click on either image above to head over there!

I will have some Geometry Clip Art coming in the near future also...So you can look forward to that. =)