Managing Grading #RealTalk

Hello Blog World!

Another sporadic blog post coming at you today! I saw in my Timehop this morning that student teacher me a year ago was complaining about grading papers. Which I'm pretty sure was maybe one assignment. For maybe 45 kids total. If Natasha then knew that she would be teaching a total of 54 kids split between three classes covering three different subjects, she would not be complaining about grading two assignments during student teaching. I don't know how most teachers manage the mountain of grading you have to deal with! I got so far behind before winter break because I kept putting it off until it was the DAY BEFORE report card grades were due. I have vowed to never allow myself to do that again.

Now, I have tried a few different methods to try to take control of managing grading my kids' assignments. I started out with a binder gradebook, complete with printed rosters from my district's grade website. These were GREAT until the classes began to change like crazy with kids coming and leaving. There are no extra lines on these, so I would have to draw in more or reprint completely. It was also way too easy for me to put a grade next to the wrong kid. I HATED it.

Next, I tried those little assignment cover slips some of you may have seen floating around on Pinterest. These were GREAT, and I even have a little basket at school labeled just for those, until I began to lose some of them before I got the grades entered. Yikes! I spoke with my partner Math teacher (my partner Reading teacher uses the roster style), and she uses a regular old gradebook. It took a week to find the time to go, but I finally made it to Mardel to peruse their selection.

So far, so good I am keeping up with this one! I will update later on to tell if it's still working, or to share what I've had to change to next!

Have a great weekend!

Miss Boggan

{#RealTalk} Things I Wish I Knew Back in August...

Hello everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! I am so enjoying this week off. I really needed the rest and relaxation after battling being off and on sick - the joys of being a first year teacher! I thought for one of my first posts back in the blogging groove, I would go through some thing I wish I had known and done back in August, before the school year started.

• Labels, Labels, Labels - I did not label my supplies at the beginning of the year. I figured I wouldn't fight the pencil battle, and the students would magically return whatever pencils they borrowed. SO. WRONG. I spent an afternoon after school recently putting stickers covered with packing tape on my highlighters, pens, and pencils, because OMG my stuff is walking off as fast as I put it out! It is way more likely to come back with the sticker on it. My scissors have been labeled since Day One, and I have managed to surprise a few children by pointing out my name on the red pairs in red Sharpie when they show back up from a desk or pencil box. Label your stuff!

• Paper Organization! - I did not hammer out a firm system for organizing papers before school started. This was a HUGE mistake, and I am struggling now to keep it all organized and not let it take over my teacher table. Yikes!!!

• Anchor Charts - If I had thought ahead with planning, I would have prepped a lot of my anchor charts beforehand. I didn't know what I was doing, how to plan, any of that, so I went with it. I should have spent less time creating flipcharts and more time creating paper anchor charts. I present better lessons when I just buy a premade PowerPoint from TeachersPayTeachers! Which brings me to my last point...

• Resources! - I LOVE Teachers Pay Teachers! Set a limit for yourself, and you will be good to go. Ask other teachers what they have used to teach certain topics. I always check around at least a week or so in advance to give them time to respond, and (hopefully) send me something helpful they have used.

Thank you for reading! I hope this list helps someone to not make these same mistakes. I know I had a couple of friends just get teaching jobs, so good luck to you and have a great year!

Hello Again!

Long time, no see, dear blog! I meant to do so many things with this blog in an attempt to document my first few days, weeks, months, and ultimately, year as a teacher. However, time got FAR away from me, and that didn't happen. My first year is going pretty well, and I love the kids I work with. There are new challenges each day, but I am adjusting to the best of my abilities. Hopefully, I will post another update sooner rather than later. I really want to start doing a "Plan With Me" Blog Series (like the vlogs on YouTube), but I wonder if that will be beneficial to anyone. Who knows!


Miss Boggan

School Supply Haul

Hello again!

I went to Staples and Joann Fabrics today and got some really good deals! I made a vlog that I totally intended to be short and sweet, but it's about 11 minutes long! Hope you watch it below and enjoy! Also, I will give details on what I purchased below for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!!

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First up is my Staples haul. I got 10 wide rule spirals at seventeen cents each, 10 folders (with pockets and brads) at seventeen cents each, 2 boxes of 12 ct. mechanical pencils at seventy five cents each, a pack of Astrobrights wide rules notebook paper for $4.00, 5 packs of 3 ct. pink erasers for twenty five cents each, and a 28 pack of Zebra Cadoozles mechanical pencils for just $1.00! Those were my favorite deal because the clearance tag on the shelf said $4, and regular price they were $10.79! What a savings!

Now, for Joann, I only picked up a few things. I got 4 sheets of scrapbook paper to make student name cards for the first few days or so (or whenever they decide to pick them off, am I right?). The paper was on sale for 10 sheets for $2, and of course, you don't *have to* buy ten. I got some cardstock (used the 40% off coupon) and paid $2.99 after the coupon. Lastly, I got some green posterboard for something that I can't remember but hopefully it comes back to mind.

Thank you for reading!

Natasha

Things I Am Learning As I Prepare...

I decided to post about some things I am learning as I prepare to enter my classroom this fall. I have been trying to take in so much information, and I am glad I made up my own weird shorthand for notes, because I need to be able to remember the really juicy bits!

With the upcoming and ongoing school supply sales, Tina Bietler on Youtube clued me in on one very important tip in her video on how to shop like a teacher. Staples and Office Depot/Max post their ads EARLY. Staples on Thursday, Office Depot on Friday. I get to plan what I want to get before Sunday rolls around! This way, I can go the first day and get things before they sell out. That's usually the issue with Office Depot, but the two Staples locations I typically go to are always well stocked when I go.

I got those Sharpie flip chart markers that I LOVE when Staples put them on sale for $5, and I got mechanical pencils in boxes of 12 for just $0.75 each! I love these deals each week!

Also, while yard sales are wonderful sources for supplies and decorations, don't forget about local thrift stores!! I got so many books over the summer for super cheap because I went to a few different thrift stores in the area. Also, check Facebook for teacher selling groups!! Retired teachers and teachers switching grade levels sell stuff on there at some AMAZING prices!! Check out the clipboards I just got for $4:

Most of them had the teacher's name on the back, so I used contact paper to cover it and I wrote up some simple labels with a Sharpie. Looks more me, for sure. :) 

That's all, folks!

Natasha

The Countdown Is Starting!!

Good afternoon (It's about 1:30 here in Texas)!

I haven't posted in a month, so I wanted to give a quick update on things. I went back to my classroom again, this time with a bag of contact paper to cover the shelves in one of my big cabinets. I actually discovered that whoever cleaned the room had scraped the trashcan across one of my smaller cabinets and RUINED my pretty new paint color. Thank God for contact paper!! I had to cover both of them so it wouldn't look weird, but it looks like it was meant to be there! Here's a photo of the finished product:

Also, here's a photo of the finished shelves! They look amazing!!

I don't go back until next month, so I've been busying myself with different little projects at home. I'm going to try to remember to post some pictures of the different things, but a lot of it will be seen when I do my classroom reveal!

Thanks so much for reading!

Natasha

First Steps!!

I have seen my wonderful classroom and I am in love! Well...after a little paint job. I went last week and did a little painting in the room and I love how it turned out! I can't wait to set up my room in August and meet my third graders!! :)

First, here are the before photos. I was not feeling those cabinets, man. I loved the green bookcase, but I didn't love the chipped paint. Easy fix!!

Anna the after photos:

*drools* 

More to come soon as I've been a busy bee!