Guest Blog: Tales of Teaching Heels

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to be a guest blogger here today! Thank you Emily so much for asking me to write. My name is Stephanie and I blog over at Tales of Teaching in Heels. I am a high school English teacher, though have taught 7-12, and just completed my 5^th year of teaching. I teach in a public charter school in North San Diego County and LOVE it.  If you like this post, head on over to my site and check out all the other cool ideas I have…all my products are FREE!

You’re on a Roll: Keep up the Good Work

I’ve got a great little goodie for you guys today. I have found that a little encouragement, even in a high school classroom, can go a long way. I used to write little notes to students and pass them out when they were doing a great job, or overcame an obstacle. But then it got to be so time consuming that I stopped doing it all together. But I now have the perfect solution: pre-made acknowledgements. 

I saw an idea similar to this on Pinterest, I mean we all get our teaching ideas from there don’t we?? I knew I could make my own version, so I did!  I’ll show the product and then give you the steps. I also have a FREE printable of this sheet, with a blank space to handwrite your name to personalize it :)

Steps for making this great treat!

1. Down load this FREE printable of the tags and write your name in the blank space. Then make copies [Do the name first so you don’t have to write your name 50 times]

2. Take a 2” circular hole punch, I got mine at JoAnn’s Fabric, or use a 40% off coupon at Michaels, and your teacher discount of 15% , and cut out the tags.

3. Take a hole punch and punch a little hole in the corner, careful not to get too close or the ribbon will rip through the hole.

4. Use 3 Tootsie Rolls, I opted for the colored ones because Dollar Tree had the packets, but the red tag will go nicely with the regular Tootsie Rolls too.

5. Tie a ribbon around the Tootsie Rolls [works well if you make a pyramid of two on the bottom and one on top], then tie on the tag. 

6. Viola! You’re done 

I hope you enjoy this little FREEBIE and find it helpful in your classroom…or maybe as a parent to sneak into their lunch one day as a little encouragement.  Thanks again Emily for asking me to write today, and we can’t wait until you’re back and bloggin!!!

Stephanie

Insta-Friday -- Brittany W. Guest Blogs

Hey y'all! It's Brittany here from Lovely Literacy and More. 

I hope all of you are having a fabulous summer, especially for those who are heading back to school too soon very soon. As you might already know Emily is away (lucky girl!) and she asked me to guest blog for her Insta-Friday. Isn't that sweet? This is my first guest blog. Can you believe it?! I was pretty pumped about it and Insta-Friday is perfect for me because I take pics on a daily basis. Okay... maybe a little too much sometimes.

My Friday started out at the grocery store picking up food & these pretty flowers for our family BBQ we are having at our house Sunday.

If you follow my blog then you may have read that getting a fence up was on my summer to-do list. The fence got put up a few days ago and it is Emma's new favorite place to play. Friday she was putting her ball on the stairs and knocking it down so she could chase after it. It was a funny sight.

 Speaking of a funny sight... While Emma loves playing outside Boozer apparently does not so much. He prefers to lay in bed. And no I did not buy our big dog that small bed. Notice the big bed in the back there... That's his bed. For some reason he likes Emma's little bed.

 Being productive on a Friday... Why yes I was!

All you need is a pencil holder, glue gun & a feather boa & waalaah--- you have yourself a fancy pencil holder for our "fancy journal" pencils. I tell my kinders that these "fancy" pencils can only be used during journal writing because they must use their best handwriting and these fancy pencils help their handwriting. :) They love em'!

 Journals & handwriting are a big deal in my class so I found these "writing wands" at the Dollar Tree. Three for only $1.25. I plan to add glitter on the border of the star. You may be thinking- how will I use this? After they write in their journal & illustrate their writing I will tap their journal with the Writing Wand which will signal that they did a great job & can put it away.

 While I was at it with the fancy pencil holder & writing wand, I also made a sight word game that the kids can play. I found the popcorn bucket & the sponges at the Dollar Tree for $1.25 each. When the students read the sight word on each sponge (we'll pretend its popcorn) they get to put it in their popcorn bucket. If two are playing than who ever fills their bucket first wins.

Happy Friday peeps!!!

You can stop by my blog to pick up some freebies & enter giveaways as I'll be giving away more of my units & products for back to school.