GENIUS MOMENTS

Fact. …when people open their mouths to speak, they send more oxygen to the brain AND oxygen is essential to healthy brain development.  Our students NEED to brainstorm and discuss ideas! Talking in the classroom is a good thing!!

To be more specific, teachers should be intentionally challenging students by asking a variety of questions that enable students to use their reasoning, critical-thinking, and creative-thinking skills.  An EXCELLENT way to do this is by using Bloom’s Taxonomy of multi-level questioning. If you are a teacher, you probably know all about Bloom’s taxonomy.  …or at least you remember hearing those words once or twice when you were in college.

I spend a lot of my day asking a variety of questions to further understanding, but do I truly ask questions that require a higher level of thinking?  …not always.  I mean, if I am in the middle of giving instruction, I can’t necessarily know if I am actually hitting ALL SIX types of questioning!!

…so what are GENIUS MOMENTS?

In my classroom, I refer to the unexpected “extra moments” that I find within my schedule as GENIUS MOMENTS! You know what I mean, the three extra minutes you have before the bell rings, or the four extra minutes you have because your students finished their center rotations early. If you are like me, you don’t want to waste one, single minute of classroom instructional time! I turn those extra, unplanned moments into GENIUS MOMENTS!

[Mrs. Ehle’s Kindergarten Connections] and I are working together to bring you a variety of tools, all based on best practices, that can help you make the most of those GENIUS MOMENTS!  The Genius Moments: Brain Building Question Cards are one of those super-simple, yet very impactful tools!  Check out the Middle School Edition [here] and find Mrs. Ehle’s Primary Edition [here]. 

…and be sure to check back for more tools that you can use to turn your unexpected extra moments into GENIUS MOMENTS!

THE VALENTINE’S SURPRISE

“Create moments that will have a lasting impact on children's lives." -Ron Clark

It may not be the most educational moment that takes place in my classroom, but it is definitely one of my favorites moments!

…while student teaching, I had the best cooperating teacher ever.  She went above and beyond to share her passion for teaching.  She was an expert at creating moments in and out of the classroom.  ...and if I am being honest, I totally stole this moment from her.

[The Valentine's Day Surprise]

I love using Valentine’s Day as a unique opportunity for parents to remind their children how much they love them.  I provide the construction paper, the streamers, and the opportunity for parents to sneak into their child’s classroom the evening before Valentine’s Day. Parents provide the sweet treats, the love notes, and the creativity.

  

…because I teach at a small, Lutheran school, most of my students know it is coming; that only seems to increase their excitement!  I love the looks on their faces when they see the Valentine's explosion that seems to take place in our classroom overnight.  They smile from the moment they walk into the classroom, until I send them home on a sugar high that afternoon.

 

…and these beautiful flowers from one of my students made me feel loved as well. 

IT’S ALREADY CURRENTLY FEBRUARY

…well, it is that time. 

LISTENING:  I enjoy sports way too much.  IU is playing Wisconsin, and I am hoping for a small miracle.  Go Hoosiers!!

LOVING:  guys.  You need a heated mattress pad.  It is my current favorite material possession and it makes winter slightly more bearable. 

THINKING:  Both my fifth and sixth graders took math tests at the end of last week.  Despite the extra day that was added to my weekend when we got twelve inches of snow on Sunday, they still have not been graded.  …so little motivation…

WANTING:  I rode on a four wheeler for the first time this weekend.  It was exciting and now I want one. 

NEEDING: …I want nothing more than to visit Ron Clark Academy.  I have basically wanted to visit for ever, and then Kim Bearden had to go and write the most inspiring book ever, Crash Course, and then my best teacher friend went to RCA, and now I am just so jealous.  It will happen.  I will make it happen.  …it will.  #slidecertifiedplease

okay.  I am the most indecisive person ever.  I just overanalyze everything and make myself miserable whenever I have a decision to make.  It is ridiculous, but I can’t help it.   

I always love linking up with Farley.  …but hopefully I will manage another blog post between now and March…

IT’S CURRENTLY JANUARY!

I think one of my resolutions should be getting back into the habit of blogging.  …so what better way to start than linking up with Farley for a little New Year fun.

LISTENING:  I tend to be way more productive when there is background noise.  Since Spotify starts when my computer does, we are kind of like a little team.

LOVING:  I’m not necessarily spontaneous, but I couldn’t resist spending New Year’s with a great friend.  …and considering I still haven’t finished scrapbooking pictures from college, a New Year’s Day Scrapbooking Marathon will be the perfect way to spend today.

THINKING:  I am bad at spontaneity because I overthink everything.  …although there is a strong possibility I would have done absolutely nothing on my to do list today if I was home, I can’t help but think about the long list of things I should be doing to be ready to head back to school on Monday.  blah.

WANTING & NEEDING:   …I really haven’t done anything that I promised myself I would do, so an extra week of vacation would be excellent.  (Last winter that actually happened.  Thanks to that not so wonderful Polar Vortex, we had five snow days in a row that resulted in an extra week of break.  I didn’t really appreciate the additional hour that got added to our school day for three weeks to make up all the missed school, but I never grumble about a good snow day.)

YES, I really do need to make more time for ME; a happier, healthier me this year.

MAYBE, I will be able to resist that quick stop at Starbucks on my way to school. …but it is just so tempting.  I WISH, I did more traveling.  …there are just so many places to go and things to do.

Well, Happy New Year!

SPRING TEACHER BLOGGER MEET-UP

March cannot get here soon enough. I am beyond excited for the 2nd Annual Spring Teacher Blogger Meet-Up in French Lick, Indiana!!  You don't want to miss it. 



Thanks to a gentle shove from the wonderful Holly Ehle, I had just started blogging when I attended last year's event. ...and by just started, I mean I had a really cute blog design and one post. This meet-up was exactly the inspiration that I needed. ...not just to take blogging to the next level, but to take teaching to the next level. I was rejuvenated and reinspired to attack each day with enthusiasm.

Don't feel like you have to be a blog expert to attend. OR that you even have to be much of a blog stalker. If you are a teacher and you need something to get you excited about teaching, this is it.  …so, visit [Mrs’s Ehle’s Kindergarten Connections] to learn more and sign-up now. 

MY INSTA YEAR

I may have a slight addiction to Instagram.  It is just way to enjoyable to browse the many pictures of the lives of others.  …so I am linking up with [Teaching Tidbits] to bring you the top ten pictures of my year on Instagram. 

(oh, and if you don’t already follow me, click [here] to start.)

the family @ Sacket’s Harbor

This past summer we made our way to upper state New York for a vacation that there is a good chance only we could enjoy.  We spent the weekend along the St. Lawrence Seaway enjoying the Antique Boat Museum, Antique Boat America, Boldt Castle, The Boldt Yacht House, Alexandria Bay, Sacket's Harbor. ...basically, heaven.

life is better at the lake.  #lakehairdontcare.

There is nothing better than a day at the lake, on the boat, with my book in the sunshine.

Here is another one from our trip to New York.  We took a slight detour on our way to Clayton to stop at Niagara Falls.  I love that you can hear them before you see them.

yep.

Reading is my favorite.  I don’t always make time for reading during the school year, but I typically make up for that lost time on breaks and over the summer.  Hello, Harry Potter. 

 

rake and run with la familia.

In addition to teaching, I am also the Youth Director at my church.  #lovemyhighschoolyouthgroup.  This fall we wandered the neighborhood near our church raking leaves as a way of sharing God’s LOVE through our actions.  …don’t worry, we raked after we threw them in the air.

My first group of LOVELY 6th graders are all grown up and off to high school. oh, so proud of this incredible group.  I love you guys!

…the caption is fairly self-explanatory… 

nerd day.  I’m a natural.

I am so blessed to teach at a Lutheran school where I am able to live God’s LOVE and share it with my students.  My favorite week of the school year is National Lutheran Schools Week.  It is full of spirit days and fun ways of celebrating the blessings of His LOVE and Lutheran schools.

I am so proud of my la familia.  #nogreaterlove.  #costaricamission.  #forcedit.

…if I start talking about this trip, I won’t be able to stop.  Read all about it [here]. 

aunt Heather and Henry bonding time. …those lips…

My best friend had this cute thang in October.  It was probably one of the most traumatizing days of my life.  Both momma and baby are now fine and healthy, but complications during a c-section put my best friend in the ICU on a ventilator.  I feel extremely blessed to have both of them in my life.  …and clearly he loves me.

...and…

I just couldn’t stay away…

I guess when you hold a small child people are more likely to like your photo.

There they are.  The top ten pictures of my year according to Instagram. Looking back on this past year has reminded me how truly blessed I am.  I have a loving family that supports me in all that I do, fantastic friends, my dream job, AND I can’t wait to see what this next year will bring.

TIME FLIES…

How? How is it almost December?!? We are already passing out midterm reports for the second quarter of the school year and my last blog post was my classroom reveal.  This is not okay.

I kind of don't even know where to begin...  

While I feel like I am in constant need of a nap, my year is off to a fantastic start. Here are just a few things that have brought a smile to my face recently.

First, I love my students.  Each year, as June approaches, I can't help but start to pay more attention to the fifth graders down the hall.  ...and if I am being honest, last year there was a whole lot of anxiety as I thought about what the future school year would bring.  Although I call them my little hurricanes, and while they are the noisiest silent class I have ever met, they always manage to brighten my day.

oh, Origami.  On Wednesdays and Fridays, the middle school students at my school participate in an elective program.  This semester I decided to teach origami, and I was shocked to learn how many students had no idea how to make a paper airplane.  We promptly resolved that small crisis and recently had the First (Possibly) Annual Paper Airplane Launch where prizes were awarded for the Farthest Flight and the Most Unique Design.

I have decided to experiment with Interactive Math Notebooks this year.  I am still sticking with the [Fantastic Math Cheat Sheet Organizer] for my 7th grade students, but I decided to attempt notebooks with my 5th and 6th graders.  It is definitely an experiment, and I already have a growing list of things I want to do differently next year, but, live and learn.  If you have suggestions or resources, I will take 'em.

I have prep time!!  Yep, for the first time in my teaching career, I have more than forty-five minutes a week to plan at school.  Thanks to our fantastic, new gym teacher, I have THREE forty-five minute plan periods a week.  ...it may not seem like much to some of you, but, oh my goodness, it is wonderful.

…and as of 3:35 p.m. today, I have a four-day weekend to enjoy.  Hello, naps!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."