I Survived!!!! - Monday Made It 2013

Well, what can I say?  It has been a long crazy year.  75+ sixth graders, 177 teaching days, 2 STAAR tests, too many Curriculum Assessments to count, 3 Field Trips, packing up a classroom, and I can say I survived the 2012-2013 school year.  Some days I wondered if I would, let me tell you , this crew kept me on my toes, and wore me out on a daily basis.  

I have to say the ending to this year was bitter sweet.  I really enjoy the school I am at, but evidently God has other plans for me right now.  Due to a new school being built in the area, I have lost my current position at my campus and have been added to the "surplus" list.  Meaning, I have a job next year with my district, but where, what grade, what subject(s), only the lord knows his plan for that right now.  I also have applied to other districts here in the DFW metroplex, actually been applying since January, and still haven't heard anything.  This is a tough situation for me, but I know come the end of the summer I will be where God wants me and needs me.

Now on to some fun things:  MONDAY MADE ITS - Well okay, things I made/used through out the year, that I will be recreating for my next class, no matter what age/grade/subject.  Kinda hard to make new things when you don't know where you will be.  Would love ideas on something that can be versatile in any classroom.

MADE IT #1

You may remember me blogging about making these bookbags last year.  2 Gallon Ziplock bags with Duck Tape on all edges.  Well let me tell you, they stood up GREAT! No torn sides, no broken bags, no "my bag ripped", or "I can't find mine."  They were wonderful.  I had 3 big bins that these were stored in based on class.  It was wonderful to be able to have the kids move their bins with them to homeroom during district or state testing and know they all had books.  Why didn't I just save them for next year you ask?  Well, they were in such good shape at the end of the year, I decided it would be a great collection method for all their journals.  So, I stacked them all up, gave them to the first block teacher for each class, and journal adding we did.  What did we fit in them, Here is the list:

Science Journal,  Science Workbook
Social Studies Journal
Math Journal
Grammar Workbook,
Writing Journal and Folder
Reading Journal and Workbook

Yep it all fit.  Here is a picture of the stack, you can see they are still in tack.

      
Made It #2 - Emergency Binder/Phone Numbers 

We all have to have our Crisis Plan out and available for subs or another teacher who might be in our classroom. Plus, we are required to be able to access all student numbers in case we need them during that "crisis."  Well here is a binder I have used for Two Years and LOVE IT!!!!

First of all, I found this binder on clearance last summer at wal-mart.  Haven't seen them again, but this happens to work perfect.

In the front I have the crisis plan details and a map of the school with my room marked along with the locations for severe weather and fire drills marked.

What is cool about this binder is it has an additional flap, and on the inside of that I have the Green/Red cards our campus uses to let administrators know for afar if we are okay or need help.

 So behind the Crisis Plan, I put each students information (I use a copy of the enrollment card) in a plastic sleeve.  Here is what I have found so beneficial.  Every time I send something home that requires a phone number (Field Trip form, etc) I put in behind the enrollment form upside down so I can see it if I flip the plastic sleeve to the left side of the binder.  I always have a most up to date phone number.  

This binder comes in handy for many things - 
              1.  Fire Alarm Rings/ Crisis Situation - One student grabs the hot pink binder and off we 
                   go.   It is definitely hard to miss on my shelf.
              2.  Great to leave out with a sub, she can have a student call a parent if needed or look up a   
                   number for the nurse as well.
              3.  Field Trips - YES!!! I take the whole binder on a field trip.  It allows me to have all my 
                    forms and numbers and it isn't just a stack of papers that get bent up and messed up.

As for cute covers, well, that is a work in progress.  Maybe someone who links up with Monday Made it can create one for me.  Who knows.










Made It #3 - Data Binder

Let me tell you, keeping up with data on 75+ students can be a hard thing to do.  I started this system last year and really like it.  

  I use a 3" ring binder (big, I know).  You will notice the red, blue, and green tabs on the right.  These designated which class each kid was in.  (They are the post it tabs and I wrote their names on them.)  My binder itself is in alphabetical order, but the tabs help me know which class each student is in.  The top page for each student has up to date data from years past, as well as spots to add data from the current year.  Behind each tab, I might add reflection pages my student write after tests, monitoring notes on each child, or writing samples that I feel need to be kept.  This binder allows me to have all my data in one spot, and all things for one student to share with them or their parents in one spot.  Here are some close ups with more details.

I am going to try to put a link here to access the actual form, but I am not sure it will work.  If not maybe someone in Blog World can help me later with it.  Okay, can't figure it out. I have it as a word document, so anyone who knows how, I would love the help.

Well, that is all for this Monday.  Tell next week, have fun.  Don't forget to link up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics to see more Monday Made Its.

Nicole