Future Me

With a new year comes resolutions. One of my resolutions this year is to blog at least once a week...and let's just say that new year's resolutions usually start of strong in the beginning (this is my second post of the new year). With that being said, I want to share a website that I like to use in my classroom with students when we set goals. It just might help with my new year's resolutions. 

The website is called futureme.org (there is also an app). The way it works is you write a letter to your future self, set a date (at least 30 days out) in which you want to receive the letter. It's as simple as that. Today, I received the letters my students wrote at the beginning of the second quarter! 

A few tips: 

1. Always have students use your email address. You have to verify the email address, and I found that students don't always do this when it is sent to them. It's not much work just click on the link they send you. Once I receive the letter I will print them or forward them to the students. 

2. Have students include their name in the subject line. That way as you verify the email address you can check off students that have sent their letter to the future. It took me a couple of times of having students not receive a letter to learn this little trick. Such a simple thing. 

3. MOST IMPORTANT make sure they change the year to 2015! It automatically defaults a year out. I can't wait to see what letters I receive in August of 2015:) 

4. Last, we always use private. 

It's always exciting seeing all of the emails show up in my inbox! Reflecting on one quarter and setting new goals, a great way to begin each quarter.  

I'm glad I received these today, because I was looking for a way to keep track of my 2015 resolutions, and tada it hit me Futureme.org!  I'm going to write my goals and have them sent to me every 3 months to see how I'm doing. What's your plan for sticking to those new year's resolutions you created? 

January Currently

Happy New Year! I'm starting the year off by linking up with Farley for her January Currently.

Listening: I'm currently listening to the local news. It's part of my evening routine (even on winter break). If I miss the news I just feel like something is missing. Weird, I know, but I like to stay caught up with what's going on in the city (good and bad). 

Loving: I'm LOVING every minute of winter break! We haven't gotten out much, trying to avoid catching the flu, but we've had a BLAST hanging out in the house; camped out in the living room.  

Thinking: I'm thinking about going back to work on Monday. BOO!!! I love my job, but this break has been so peaceful and relaxing! I hadn't realized until this year how relaxing winter break could be.  Mainly because I didn't let the stress of the holidays get to me. Yea me!!! 

Wanting: I'm wanting some really good chocolate right about now! I have some M & Ms and Kit-Kats, but I'm wanting a nice gourmet cupcake, or a slice of chocolate cheese cake from the Cheesecake Factory. I might just have to treat myself tomorrow. 

Needing: I'm needing to get the majority of my grades complete before going back to work. I would like to spend my work day organizing and planning. You know getting ahead, wouldn't that be nice?! 

Yes, I will run/walk six 5k races this year! The first one will be the Diva Dash in March, I have to wait for the weather to warm up a bit. 

Maybe, I'll start taking master's classes this year. I've started and stopped, maybe this will be the year I  get it done! 

I wish I could end the year debt free! That is truly wishful thinking, I still have some years on my student loans. 

There you have it my currently January 2015! What are you currently up to this New Year? You can link up here. Enjoy the first weekend of 2015! 

Random Messages!

Hello blog world! It's been a little over 3 months since my last blog post, so I'm not even sure there's anyone still visiting my little blog; I hope so! I'm planning to blog daily over winter break. I find it hard to blog during the school year. How do you all do it? I usually start a post, but never get around to finishing it. Does anyone have any advice on how to get into a quick and easy routine?

Even though I haven't blogged in a few months doesn't mean I haven't kept up with the blogging world. A couple of ways I stay in touch is Instagram and Twitter. I've gotten so many ideas just by following fellow teachers and bloggers. 

One of my favorites on Twitter is Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent). You may have heard of his app Stick Around! I've just recently downloaded it, but have yet to figure it all out...something I have on my winter break to-do list. I first came across Tony on Pinterest. I saw his "Roll and Reflect" QR codes, and fell in LOVE with them. Each time you scan the code a different question comes up (I believe there are 20 different questions.) I'd never seen a qr code that had a different message each time you scanned it, so I was intrigued, and started following Tony on Twitter, hoping I could figure out how he did it. Well this past November my hoping paid off, Tony posted the directions on how to create your own HTML's to create a random message here. I was so excited! Following the directions in his post I was able to make my first random msg. HTML. It was so awesome! I created questions for the book Island of the Blue Dolphins. I then had my small group of students scan the code, hold up the question on their iPad, and we went around the circle and answered each one. It worked out GREAT! Here is the qr code I created:

If you're not following @tonyvincent on Twitter you should. Also check out his roll and reflect qr codes; along with his blog post on how to create your own random messages. 

Sunday Scoop (9-14)

I'm back with another Sunday Scoop! I'm linking up with the ladies over at Teaching Trio for this fun linky. 

I've put off my lesson planning since we have PD tomorrow. I'll have to get them done tonight. 

Students have finished their first book project and I'm hoping to get them all graded and returned to students this week. My goal is to grade 5 from each class everyday this week. I also need to make a Walmart run soon and pick up some necessities we are running low on a lot of items. 

Last week, I was hoping to get out and run/walk 4 times and only made it out twice. This week I'm hoping to get out 3 times. Girls on the Run begins this week, so that will help motivate me a bit more. We are two weeks away from my son's 3rd birthday, and I'm hoping to get all the shopping done this week for party supplies, and order the cake, and balloons.

As soon as I post this we are going to head out to the circus. I'm so excited! The ringmaster is a guy I went to school with, and I'm looking forward to seeing him do his thang!!!  It is my son's first circus! Did you know your child can get a free ticket to their first circus if you sign up before their first birthday? We're using his free ticket voucher today.

Have a great week, and I'm of to the Greatest Show on Earth! 

September Currently

I'm finally getting around to completing my currently for the month, and linking up with Farley. 

Listening- Everyone is asleep, and I should be too, so it is silent. With the exception of the hum of the refrigerator, but I can tune that out. 

Loving- What a great group of students I have this year (knocks on wood)! They have been AMAZING! They follow directions, and they want to learn. It's going to be a great year! 

Thinking- Yes, it is 3am on a school night, and I cannot sleep...I hate when this happens! It's going to be a long day, and at some point during the week I'm going to have to catch up on sleep. When will that happen? It probably won't! 

Wanting- You all know the feeling of back to school (new reading series) stress, right? I'm wanting a massage to help alleviate the aches and pains that come with it. 

Needing- I know I need sleep, but for some reason my body doesn't think so. 

3 Trips- I've been wanting to visit Africa for ever! It's on my bucket list, but I don't  have any plans to visit before I retire, which is at least 15 years away:) My dream wedding will take place in Kauai, Hawaii sometime in the future...I hope. My number 3 travel destination was a toss up between France & Italy. If I have to choose I would pick Italy. There is so much history there that I would like to see. 

 Enjoy the rest of September! 

The Sunday Scoop

The ladies over at Teaching Trio have a new weekly linky called, "The Sunday Scoop." It's quick, easy, and fun! It may just be my new favorite linky. Take a look at my Sunday Scoop: 

It's that simple. Click here to link up your Sunday Scoop! Have a great week.

Five For Friday

I'm finally linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five For Friday! It's been awhile...I always have good intentions of linking up, but finding the time is always a struggle! Here I am with a quick Five for Friday to start my day:

Don't you just love short weeks? Mine was even shorter considering I had a sub on Wednesday! It's so hard to have a sub when you're still trying to establish routines, but we made it through.   

All students now have iPads, YAY! It's been a slow start, but finally all students have been issued an iPad. This year each student has their own Apple ID, and it has taken some time to get some of them set up. From what I can tell, so far, I like the idea of students having their own Apple ID. The initial setup was long, but I think in the long run it will be with it. We'll just have to wait and see. 

We finally began unit one of our new reading series, Reading Wonders. It's taken awhile to figure it all out, especially the technology piece, but we are slowly getting into a routine. WOO HOO!!!

We "flipped" our back to school night! I know you've heard all about the flipped classroom? Well we've been moving towards flipping lessons for sometime now. It began last year with flipped faculty meetings, the convocation speaker this year spoke about one take videos in our classroom; which was awesome! So, we decide as a staff to give parents a taste of what their students will experience, and flipped our back to school night. Each team created two posters to hang in the hallway. Each poster contained: QR codes for parents to scan, and view videos that introduced the team teachers, an ELA, social studies, math, and science video that went over course expectations.  All of our specials teachers created videos and had posters hanging in the hallway as well. Each club sponsor created a video and that was available to parents also. Having the videos allowed more time for us (teachers) to visit with parents and answer specific questions, and if a parent couldn't make it to back to school night all of the videos are accessible on YouTube. Here is what our team's poster looked like. Overall, I think the night went well. Many parents had even watched the videos prior to attending back to school night. 

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!? I am! Today is RED Friday in Kansas City. The town will be painted with KC Chiefs RED as we prepare for the home opener this weekend! We're having a RED Friday celebration at work as well, tailgate in the lounge! Football and lesson plan Sundays here we come! 

  

Even the statues are ready for football season! Have an awesome RED Friday!