Teacher Appreciation Week..freebies and goodies for you!

It's like where's Waldo...where have I been???  I could rely on my favorite excuse that "school's been crazy lately," but I know you've heard or used that one already.  Well, I'm going to make a solid effort to be more on top of my blogging game...

So, apparently it's Teacher Appreciation Week next week.  Normally I don't really pay attention to that stuff because...well I usually forget about it.  However, since I received an email about a freebie, I will definitely remember that it's Teacher Appreciation Week.  I love me some free stuff and contests, and I feel the need to share the wealth with all of you:

**UPDATES ON GOODIES AND FREEBIES**

How much do teachers make around the world?

So my friend sent me a link (http://soshable.com/a-teachers-worth-around-the-world-infographic)  describing some statistics about teachers around the world.  It's definitely an interesting read, and can get you pretty riled up; however, we need to consider many other factors that are not mentioned in this article, especially cultural factors, outside tutoring, family life, standardized tests, number of days in the school year, percent poverty, etc.  Just something that makes you go "hmm..."

Via:Master-Degree-Online.com

Button!

I know, I know, I haven't posted in FOREVER!!  But you know how insane this teaching thing is!  I have a lot of catching up to do, but I'm very excited that I've finally created and adjusted my button!  Please let me know what you think!  I know it's a little wider than most buttons, but it makes me happy!

Cool website

I had to write a quick post to share this website:  Via Second Grade is Splendid, I discovered the website Differentiation Daily.  Seems very cool to explore!

Differentiation Daily via kwout

Learning about characters

This will be one of many posts dedicated to my FAVORITE children's author, Mo Willems.  I think he's a literary genius.  It's the best feeling in the world when you watch children silently read, and they can't help themselves, they need to act out the Pigeon's antics in their seat or whisper, "Aggle, plaggle!" like Trixie.   I have witnessed boys transform from disinterested to avid readers because of Mo Willems' books.  While I read a plethora of books to my students and expose them to as many wonderful authors as possible, I know that I can depend on his literature to hold a captive audience for my mini lesson.

Courtesy of http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/

Did somebody say contest?

Yeah...I really shouldn't even be on the computer right now, but the idea of possibly winning a gift card is just making it too difficult to resist!  So there are a couple of contests going on right now.  Second Grade is Splendid is giving away an Amazon gift card (translation:  more books).

What The Teacher Wants is giving away a $100 gift card to the Container Store (translation:  prettier classroom).

Um, anybody else excited??????

Blogorrific!

Or blogtastic?  Blogolicious?  Yes, the beauty of being an elementary teacher is the poetic license to be corny.  Here is the first of many posts that will be dedicated to the amazing blogs with interesting articles and incredible resources!  I spend oodles and oodles of time reading them and appreciating their creativity.  I hope you enjoy perusing them as much as I do!!

First there's What The Teacher Wants.  I think their followers multiply daily because they're just so darn creative.  And the bloggers span two grade levels, doubling my interest:  I can reminisce about my first grade teaching (sigh) and take mental notes for the future while gleaning ideas for my current angels.  And all their activities are FREE!

I have to give a shout out to Erica Bohrer's First Grade.  She's an accomplished author, she has great contests, and creates amazing resources on TpT.  And she's actually put me on her blog list, which I find a huge honor.  Thank you for sending readers to my humble blog!

I need to explore the Ladybug's Teacher Files more so I can use her awesome blogging tips, like posting resources using Google Docs.  She's just amazing because she actually has two blogs:  one with FREE teacher resources and one designing blog templates.  I am just so impressed!

So onto a teacher and parent resource:  a father writes about how he honors children's authors and their books on their birthday in the blog, Happy Birthday Author.  He does various activities with his own children that are specific to that author's characters or illustrations, including performing a skit on Mo Willems' birthday!!!  How cool is that!  As a teacher, I would totally show this off to my students, or possibly tie in an author's study with his/her birthday.

Happy Birthday Author via kwout

I know I've talked about in the past the challenge of finding quality math resources.  However this all changed after my principal highly recommended Dr. Nicki's Guided Math blog.  Math workshop, small group instruction, and differentiation are definitely hot topics in my district, and this blogger is a font of math pedagogy!

Dr. Nicki's Guided Math Blog via kwout

I also have to send some quick love to the blogs that have joined mine...I almost want to say that these resources found me!!  I am in awe that I even have an audience that wants to read me ramble on and on and on...

• 1st grade with Miss Snowden
• Little Miss Glamour Goes to Kindergarten
• Miss Radka's Rhapsody
• Learning Ideas - Grades K-8

As I discover more resources or more resources come to me, I promise to post them...

PS...I was reading up on What The Teacher Wants latest post about creating a mega page of web resources, and Second Grade is Splendid! posted this little gem of a resource:  http://guest.portaportal.com/reiss.  It's the mother of all resources!!!!