Another day late and dollar short...but worth the read, nonetheless!

So Fridays are always crazy for me! Not sure why,really but they are busy, busy!!!!

So here is my Five for Friday...and Free Font Friday posts all packed together into a late Saturday evening post!

I am happy to get back to blogging, with no courses to take this summer. There are so many great educators out there, with fantastic resources to share.  The Teaching Tribune's current linky parties are no exception.  Yesterday was Free Font Friday...

Although I do not create my own fonts...yet (but would love to learn), I am going to share one of my favourite resources...

Last summer, I found Deniece's website and she has some great fonts to use FREE (commercial use as well).  If you read her page of FREE FONTS, she shares her favourite fonts.  Please head on over to This Little Piggy Reads and check it out...don't forget to leave her some love!

This is my first week of summer holidays, and I actually went to work on Monday to clean up my room. I am so happy to not have to move rooms this year (or grades) and to be able to file reports and finish off my room in one day's work.  Of course, I still have some work to do to finish the cleaning at home...

The best part of summer is spending it with my favourite person...my 5 1/2 year old son! He is such a loveable, funny, kind little man, who makes me proud every day...and tests me sometimes too!  This is the first year he has been allowed to explore the neighbourhood a little. I am often torn between building his independence and being protective of him. So far he has been so good...following our rules and always checking in if his play takes him to new location.  He is having so much fun!

Summer days!

There is another thing I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE doing in the summer...READING!  The Saturday that marked the start of holidays, I text my past teaching partner to see how she was enjoying her first day at the cottage and told her, "I was thrilled to be reading a book without pictures!" 

What are you reading this summer?

I am also excited to be creating products to share with all of you. I have made things for my class this year, but nothing is ready to share yet. My TPT store only has a few things for sale and I have offered freebies on this blog (check out the most recent freebies here). Hopefully I will have more to share with you next week, but in the meantime, you can find the following by reading through this post AND checking out my TPT store - everything is still ON SALE!

Products ON SALE now...and freebies too!

Well, that is it for my week! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!  I will be working away on my A-Z Write the Room pack this week, to practice our weekly letters and sounds (something I began with my class this year).  Is there anything you would like to see for Back to School? I would love to hear from you!  Head on over to Doodle Bugs {first grade rocks} to check out everyone else's five!

Throwback Thursday

I am linking up with The Teaching Tribune and The Teacher's Desk 6 for Throwback Thursday.

I know, I know...when you disappear as long as I have, it may be difficult to find a post from the past, but since we all begin our summer holidays at different times and some of you may be gearing up to begin, I thought I would head on back to a post from last summer, where I was preparing to head back...even though I really have just begun my holidays.  Let's get real though, as educators, you are always thinking about what's next, even before you finish "what's goin' on now!"

In this post from Aug 22, 2013, I share some of my great purchases (that you may also want to check out) and share a freebie I created to welcome my new junior kindergartens and new-to-our-school senior kindergartens to my class (In Ontario, students can start kindergarten as young as 3 years old, if they have a fall birthday...let me tell you how little they are when they come that first day!!!!).

Enjoy...and grab the freebie if you didn't get it before!

Aug 22, 2013

This week, I have been did a lot of shopping. Thank you TPT for your B2S Sale! Below are pictures of my purchases. Not only did I purchase these, but I also bought multiple licenses of many of these, to share with my teaching partners. Hold on tight, here we go!

Shout Outs AND Reminders
from Katie at Teacher to the Core

More awards! Couldn't help myself: Thanks Mel
of Frog Spot!

A- Z Poetry! Thank You Karen, at Mrs. Jones's Kindergarten

Patterns Galore! Thank you Hope
of Second Grade Shenanigans!

Sight Word lists for Teachers from Mel at FrogSpot again! :)

Ontario Curriculum "I Can" Standards
by Brittany at Lovely Literacy and More

Organization Binders from Bridget at Little Lovely Learners

As you can see, I love myself some Differentiated Kindergarten and think Marsha is going to be a life-saver for this first year Kindie Teacher Newbie.
I got these to start me off. First a little Back to School Fun

and this...

and this...

Thank you Marsha! Check her out

(like you haven't already) at 

Differentiated Kindergarten 

And of course, don't forget the great Prezi Bundles (and freebie) from Carolyn at Holding Hands and Sticking Together, that I wrote about yesterday (you can find it here.) 

So, thanks for hanging in there with me! Here is a B2S Freebie for you! I hope you enjoy! You can print the pages you want as a .pdf, or you can download as a .ppxt to edit. Just click on the picture below to get started!

As you can see, I love Melonheadz as much as
I love a little DifferKinder!

I will come back in the next couple of days to demonstrate how I edit this file and print to mail as a postcard! Please, if you do take a copy and like it, leave me a comment and if you find other creative ways to use this, please share! 

Happy "postcarding,"

Finally Back...please forgive me, I have a freebie!

What a better way to rejoin the world of blogging, than to join up with other great Canadian bloggers for a CANADA BLOG HOP full of freebies!

It actually started yesterday,so make sure you head to Reading with Mrs. D and check it out. Lots of great stuff for free and additional items at great discounted prices. Even, if you are NOT Canadian, you may find some great products that you can use to teach about your friendly neighbours to the NORTH? Not to mention, if you keep reading, you will find a freebie below that is suitable for many.

Let me digress for a moment.  First of all, I would like to explain my absence.  I am going to explain in one short, sweet sentence, and I have a feeling that many of you will nod your head, and say something along the lines of, "Well, that explains it!"  Here it goes:  

I just completed my first year as a kindergarten teacher!

There you have it! Explanation enough? I thought so! That being said, through the ups and downs, illnesses and tears (yes from me) I actually loved it.  The progress that you see after 10 months with 4 and 5 year olds (some still 3 years old when they started), it is astounding! Oh, and the unconditional love is overwhelming! I am eager to see how my little JKs (Junior Kindergartens) have grown come September.  But not so eager that I won't enjoy the next 8 weeks...once I finish cleaning up my room for our hard-working custodial staff tomorrow...THEN let the holidays begin!!!!

Anyway, back to the BLOG HOP.  I was delighted to be invited to join this blog hop, as a proud Canadian girl...(cue Dean Brody).

I have lived in Ontario my entire life, still living in the same small town that I was born in, close to my parents, and my grandmother, and still in touch with many elementary school friends.  In fact, my son has been attending the same elementary school that I attended, and just graduated from kindergarten...he is a "grade 1er" now! 

I just began blogging last year, got sidetracked by kindergarten, and only have a couple of items in my teeny-tiny TPT store (but so many that are close to being ready), that I decided to set the goal to create something truly Canadian.  I decided on a Write the Room file, as it is always a favourite in my class.  The file is done and ready for use.  However, in reading the fine print of Scrappin' Doodles, I need a license to offer it free and upon purchasing that license, I need to wait 24-48 hours to receive my license number!

Don't get me wrong, I am not an impatient girl, but I am already late to this party, so I didn't want to wait.  Here is my solution, I am offering another product for free today...a BEACH THEME Write the Room (click on the image below to get your copy).

While you are there, please check out the rest of my store (literally 3 items to sell) and a couple of freebies.  It may be small, but everything is ON SALE for 50% OFF or MORE...including my brand-new, OH SO CANADIAN Write the Room for only $1.  

If you see anything you like, please leave me some love and let me know what else you would like too see...I have many other things in the works that just need finishing touches!

Thanks for catching up with me, now check out of the rest of these wonderful Canadian bloggers and Happy Canada Day!

Be Back Soon!

A Place For Canadian Educators to Share Products and ideas geared to us!

1.	readingwithmissd.blogspot.ca/2014/06/...	Reading With Mrs. D
2.	proudtobeprimary.blogspot.com/2014/06...	Proud to be Primary
3.	diamondmomstreasury.weebly.com/blog/c...	Diamond Mom's Treasury
4.	mrsebeattie.blogspot.com/2014/06/cele...	Mrs. Beattie's Classroom
5.	gradefourbuzz.blogspot.com/2014/06/ca...	Grade 4 Buzz
6.	emmymacsclass.blogspot.com/2014/06/ca...	Emmy Mac's Class
7.	thepurpleteacher.blogspot.com/2014/06...	The Purple Teacher
8.	theprimarypatch.blogspot.ca/2014/06/c...	The Primary Patch
9.	thewritestuffteaching.blogspot.com/20...	The Write Stuff Teaching
10.	thethirdgradezoo.blogspot.ca/2014/06/...	The Third Grade Zoo
11.	hoorayforbrowniepoints.blogspot.ca/20...	BrowniePoints
12.	www.rubyslippersblogdesigns.com/2014/...	Ruby Slippers Blog Designs
13.	teachingfsl.blogspot.com/2014/06/cana...	Teaching FSL
14.	teachingisagift.blogspot.ca/2014/06/i...	Teachingisagift
15.	thegroovyteacher.blogspot.ca/2014/06/...	The Groovy Teacher
16.	lovelyliteracyandmore.blogspot.ca/201...	Lovely Literacy and More
17.	aspecialkindofclass.blogspot.ca/2014/...	A Special Kind of Class
18.	msmaughansclass.blogspot.ca/2014/06/f...	Growing Kidlets

Long Time No See...and a little Currently (with a FREEBIE)!

It's been a long time since I have posted.  Beginning kindergarten has been a little exhausting...to say the least! By Friday, I find it hard to do anything, let alone get on the computer.  Not to mention my cold, sinus infection, migraine (probably from lack of discipline taking my sinus meds.) fiasco I have been in lately.  

But, my excuses are done and I am back! I hope someone was missing me! ;) 
I have joined up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade for October's Currently!

Listening - to the hum of the computer! I can't tell you how much I enjoy silence! Seriously! I have been a teacher for 11 years now and every grade I taught, whether it be primary, juniors, or seniors can get very loud at times! Yet, at the end of the day, the silence bothered me. I thought I was just used to noise and so I would put on music while I planned and prepped at school. Oh how things have changed since I entered the world of three- (yes some are still 3-years-old) to five-year-olds. It is not that they are naughty, or crazy, or louder than the other kids, it is just different. Now, when the bell goes and all the kiddies are gone, I look around the room, take a deep breath and enjoy the subtle sounds of the computer humming and the clock ticking! No more after-school music for me! 

Loving - my sweet new kitty Bentley! Introducing the newest member of our little family - 4 month old kitten that we lovingly named Bentley (our other cat's name is Porsche). It all started when we were puppy sitting for my friend.  She had two female Shorkies that Hayden quickly fell in love with. Well, my poor boy went through some withdrawl when his puppy-friends had to go home. So much that I was almost convinced to take my friend's "family discount" and get the puppy. However, my rational husband convinced me that we were away from home too much and it wouldn't be fair.  Alas, we are "cat people" merely because you can leave a cat alone for longer than a dog. So, when I saw that a family friend was giving away a kitten, I jumped at the chance.  

Thinking - I need to get going with assessments... My school started right after the Labour Day weekend. I managed to assess 2 children. Actually, I did one and my teaching partner did the other...guess what I will be focusing on this week?

Wanting - My Own Personal Secretary... I am sure many of you can relate. My list is a mile long, and I figure if I just had a personal secretary to type out my newsletters, respond to e-mails, fight with the photocopier, etc. I would have hours more time in my day to accomplish the things that continually get pushed down to the bottom of my "To Do" list.  Then if I had a cook, and a maid, I would be all set! :) 

Needing - more hours in the day! This is explained above, but let me add that since I have started kindergarten I have been going to bed with my son at 8:30ish each night, making it even more difficult to tackle the "To Do" list!

Trick-or-Treat? Treat!!!! I prepared a poster for my classroom, to help teach my students the difference between "Tattling" and "Reporting."  I know what you are thinking, the kids are tattling, but it is quite the opposite.  We have had situations between kindergartens where there was physical fighting and the "victims" were running away but running right by teachers, not wanting to tell on the other boys. I have been trying to reinforce the importance of every child feeling safe at school. I know my students can't read the poster, but I can continue to refer to it! Hope this poster will be useful to you as well. 

Click on picture to get your own copy FREE! ;) 

I was shocked that this was occurring at this young age.  Some children kicking and punching kids with no sign of remorse, even after being caught!   Any thoughts on this? How would you deal with it?

It is raining and cold here, a perfect day to catch-up on house cleaning!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Five for Friday...late into Saturday!

It is Saturday (in fact it will officially be Sunday before I complete this post) but nonetheless, I have decided to join the Five for Friday.  I have a good great excuse for being late. I am recovering from my first week in kindergarten.  Keep in mind, this is not just my first week of the school year, it is my FIRST back to school week in kindergarten EVER!!!  

It has been an adjustment, but I am here to say, I think I am loving it! It is reassuring that the chaos will subside (maybe later than sooner) and eventually I will not be so exhausted by dinner time, and maybe I will not feel so anxious during dismissal time! But, other than that, I have really enjoyed them. I am excited for a great year!

That being said, I have given myself this weekend to rest and allow my body time to rejuvinete in preparation for the second week (and first 5 day week) of the school year!

Now, on to my Five for Friday...

1) First Day of Kindergarten...X2

Tuesday was the first day of Senior Kindergarten for myself and for my son. Needless to say, we both had the 1st day jitters, but we both survived and had a good day. In fact, as I pulled the car in my driveway, he was yelling and waving, "My 1st day as a senior was awesome!" Bless his heart, I love that little guy of mine! 

2) No child lost!

My biggest fear, coming into kindergarten was losing a child. I mean, we all know, not every child is going to come to the door first day wanting to be there. My little guy loves school, yet "grandma" says that he still put the brakes on as the approached his entry door, reluctant to go in!  With nearly 100 kindergarten kidlets registered at our school, we came up with a plan to help us ensure that they all ended up where they belong. This was especially important on Thursday, when our brand-new JKs began. We colour-coded our rooms, linked each room with a symbol and created kindergarten star tags. 

These "Kindergarten Tags" were put on at recess
and one of the little guys in the blue room wears his
so proudly; coming back in to get it, even after the routine was established

3) Hi, my name is Jackie and I am a Melonheadz Hoarder!

I am proud to say that I love, love, love Melonheadz Illustrating and am thrilled to become friends with Nikki. She says she laughed aloud when I told her she was like a celebrity, but how many of you would agree?

What do you think? Is it true? Take a look through my blog posts for confirmation! :)

4) Appreciation and Special Relationships

I am very happy that my little man has such a special bond with his teacher (and also that he was able to be in her class for a second year). She is so kind, so dedicated, so knowledgeable and an all-around-amazing-woman!

This week, I received this note from her!

 5) Moving Date...postponed!
I have been wanted to go see The Butler! I think Forest Whitaker is a phenomenal actor and think it will be a powerful movie! So, the plan, to celebrate "Surviving Week 1 of Kindergarten" was to go see the movie with my good friend, and teaching partner. I was worried I would be too tired by Friday, but we made it out, after all! Unfortunately, after chatting over dinner I looked at my phone and realized, there was no way we would make it to the theater on the other side of town to see the final showing of "The Butler" in time. And so we wait...the good news is, I already have plans to celebrate "Surviving Week 2 of Kindergarten!" ;)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...what is left of it! Don't forget to check out others week at Doodle Bugs Five for Friday!

One Day for Me!

Well, my post heading isn't entirely true! I am still working away on my never-ending to-do list, but I am doing it from home, and I am making sure that some of the list includes time with my family! 

I have got in cuddles with my little man, and we have made plans to head out to Walmart (yes we are crazy) for some last minute essentials for school! We always get his teacher a "gift" (of sorts) for September Start-Up. Hayden brings along a bag of paper towel, soap, baby wipes...the essentials! ;) 

Today, as part of my "me time" I am blogging (because it makes me happy)! I am joining up with Farley for Currently and I am also adding a sneak peek of my classroom...so keep reading till the end!!!

A little explanation...I have been at school for 7 days straight, many nights until 10 p.m. With the classroom still a construction zone, there was only so much we could do at a time, and some of the regular things took longer than anticipated! The hardest parts were the uncertainty of where you would be at the end of each day and what you would be able to do the next day, and also I felt all over the place (I still do). 

Good news though! I have a great team to work with and many, many supportive friends and colleagues! I can't thank you all enough! Seriously!!!!! Without you, I would not have been ready and feeling so, SO, SO much better today!!! 

Thanks to all my fantastic helpers, my room went from this:

To this:

A huge weight off my shoulders! It isn't perfect but it is kid-friendly and welcoming! Now, I can focus on getting to know my little kidlets, and not worry about them being safe!

I will continue to plug away, and maybe I will have a classroom reveal by...Christmas? Until then, I will be back soon with details of my first week. My first day is tomorrow!