Welcome Again? (:

Well, this will be my third attempt of becoming a blogger.  I started 5 years ago in a class I took and failed to keep up with it... Then I learned about pintrest 2 summers ago and started once again.  Then sadly life became too busy once again.  So this summer I am stuck at home with my 2 boys Gracin and Preston, so I why not try this one more time!  Third times the charm right?!?  Plus my goal this year was to learn something new and become pinned on pintrest.  So lets make those to checked off my list.

Two summers ago I learned about smart beads.  I didn't want to use them to call out my kids for answering the questions right, so I used them for AR points.  My students were making me go premature gray due to all the failing tests.  I would go a little mad when I was deleting tests, so I decided to use smart bead, and if they got 100% they would wear it all day.  Boy, did that work!  My kids were no longer failing tests, my color started to come back, and the kids with beads on were being asked by other teachers about their 100% tests.  Then it became a competition of which student had the most... Then it got into arguing over colors, and my grays were coming back.  Knowing that I was moving up with these fabulous kiddos I had to create something new!  So last summer I created my "Our AR Points" sign.  They had to get so many points to earn a prize, which worked out awesome!  We kept the trophy almost all year, except when I went out on maternity leave.  Here is a picture of the cute and successful idea below.

 Here is a close up view.  I have their names on clothes pins.  The students are also in charge of moving their clips and telling me their rewards.  One more thing of my list of things to keep up with!

 The next project was for rocket math.  I have been doing this for 5 years and never found a great way to keep up until I created another clothes pin idea.  I do move these for the students after I grade their papers, but this fabulous idea is now used throughout my school.  It is a great visual for my students, others, and me!

I decided to create some more rewards for my AR points.  So I created to "helpful readers" this summer.  My girls and boys love reading with the glasses I got at the $1 store.  So I decided to make some more fun things.  So below are my mustaches, "reading lips. and magical reading wands.

That's it for now!  Mr. Preston woke up and is craving my attention!  Take care everyone!