Birthday SALE!!

 Hope you're having a great day!!! A sale in honor of my birthday!! Click here for the sale!

Remember, you're only as old as you feel! Be silly and have some fun today!

Kelli xx

Kdg Counting and Cardinality: Part 2!!

I am relaxed already on day 2 of summer break!! Hope you're enjoying your summer!

I have finished Part 2 of my K.CC for math journals pack (K.CC.4/5/6/7)...take a look if you enjoy using journals in your class!

School year of firsts!

I made it!!! Last day of school! 

In some ways it was super easy (the kids), and in other ways it was a lot of work (new curriculum). There were a lot of FIRSTS!

  
What will I do first tomorrow??? I'm thinking London Science Museum or book in the park! So excited for the summer!

K xx

Been awhile....school almost finished!!!!

Wow!!!!!!! I've totally neglected my blog in the last couple months. It's good to be back. How have you been? What have I missed? What's bloglovin? I've seen this mentioned but not sure what it is.

Anyway, I have 2 and a half days left of school!!! British school year: Sept-July...can't wait to start living again. I have barely been existing since I returned from my trip 3 weeks ago. I feel like the worst wife, daughter, sister and friend ever. Lucky students seem to get everything I've got and then I go home and collapse. Big play production? Check. Parent conferences? Check. School carnival? Check. Prize giving ceremony tomorrow night and Year Six Leaver's BBQ Tuesday night then finished Wednesday!! I can almost touch it!!

Just finishing a gift for the class:

Anyway here's some photos from trip to see family in Illinois and relaxing time in Florida. There's also a sneak peek at a K.CC journal printables pack I'm working on (can't wait to get back into creating!)

Can't wait to catch up with everyone's blogs this week!! 

K xx

 

 

The latest journal pack (picture the pages on the left and middle to be a foldable type):

Have a good one!!

Spelling Ideas Part 1

Most of you are probably days/weeks away from the school year finishing-SO EXCITED for you! Not because teaching isn't great, but come on-the renewal from the summer is so necessary. 

Schools over here go into July, but lucky for me I had a pre-arranged vacation to the States (Illinois to see family and Florida to a beach condo!) from late May to mid June before the school asked me to finish out the school year. Fortunately one of the weeks falls over a half term holiday here (1 week)...but still it's strange to get my cover plans together. CAN'T WAIT! 

So, in the thick of the BIG Year 6 play production rehearsals, honing in on my Year 5's English levels before they take their secondary exams in the fall, and trying to get back to the gym-it's a BUSY time once again!

I'm really excited to get through it all and enjoy next year a lot more (due to the organization and work I've put in this year). New jobs are exhausting, but rewarding right?

Among other things, currently I'm trying to make some gains in spelling for my struggling spellers. I've been reading this book,

and picked up a few valuable tips.

*Ask children why spelling is important. Many will say 'to pass a spelling test' or 'get a good grade' (yikes! Discussion quick!).

*When children have an audience for their writing, they have a reason for learning about spelling and for doing the best they can.

*It's helpful to look for patterns that emerge in the type of errors students make so you know what to focus your teaching on for individual needs.

*Spelling tests: competent spellers use many strategies to try unfamiliar words and to learn words. The emphasis needs to be on children's learning these strategies rather than getting a list of words to be learned by rote. 

Anyway, these are just a few wonderful reminders from the first 2 chapters. I'm excited about the possible changes I can propose to the staff next year as English Coordinator. 

Although spelling is a small component of English/Literacy, when there are big gaps or poor instruction...it can become a BIG component that affects other areas-don't you think?

Can't wait to tell you about a resource I hope to use with second grade and up next year to support spelling and improve vocabulary!!  (Hint: Personal Dictionaries with a twist!)

I will leave you will this because I just LOVED it!!! Click on the picture!

Have a good one!
  

Parts of Speech Posters {FREE}

Hello!! 


I have a freebie for you: Parts of Speech posters (click on the images to download)

I needed to make this for my classroom this week because I've noticed many of my students are missing these concepts.


Have a great weekend!!
Kxx  

Cape Town and a question about blogging backgrounds

Well it's been awhile, and if I'm honest, I'm having a hard getting back into the productive part of 'life'. I just got back from South Africa, visiting my husband's family (beautiful scenery, a bit a turmoil with in-laws that I could do without, but that's life)...anyway there wasn't really any internet connection there and so it was a well-needed break from blogging, reading blogs, pinterest, facebook, working etc.

But now I'm back, getting ready for work on Monday and I feel...empty. I'm looking at everyone's blogs, not really feeling like I have much to say. I haven't been able to make any of my journal resources that I love to share because my current job takes up every second I've got. I would so love to teach part time!

Anyway, I've got to finish my spring cleaning and snap out this lazy mood! Here are some pictures from Cape Town and Pretoria-I hope you enjoy it!

Also, I would like to change the background of my blog-any suggestions to where you got yours?

Kelli xx