Thankful Thursday

I thought for the month of November, I'd take Thursdays to reflect on the things I'm thankful for.  It's all to often, I take for granted so many things.

{via}

This first Thankful Thursday post is brought to you by my boss!  HA...not really but he got me thinking about this one!

It was a typical morning for me.  I was tired, cranky...it's a joke that I am not my happy self until 10 a.m.  We were talking about something and I said I would pretty much be ok with not having to get up everyday.  And he asked me if I've ever not had a place to get up and go to everyday.  He said it gets old quick!  I never had actually.  I've been lucky enough to be working since I was right out of college.  I was once excessed from a school, but was lucky enough to get picked up at another school for the next September!

So today, I'm thankful I have a job to go to everyday!  I might complain about it sometimes, it might not pay well but it provides me everything I need.  I want for nothing.  I've made great friends there and I get to spend my days doing what I love.  I never wanted to be anything but a teacher, and although the teaching profession has changed dramatically in the 14 years, I've been teaching, I'm grateful to be able to do it.  So many people these days are struggling to make ends meet and taking jobs to just get by.  And one day, I might be in their shoes.  So tomorrow, when I think about complaining or grumbling about something ridiculous, I'm going to think twice, and thank God for the opportunity to work!

But I'll still be smiling big, when the bell rings Friday and the weekend begins! :)

Hope you're doing what you love these days!

Have a great weekend,
Katie

We survived the first week back!!

YAY!!  Friday is finally here!!  I love summer vacation but now that we are back in school, I enjoy the euphoria that Friday brings!  Ha!  And it's the last installment of Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week!  I've had a lot of fun linking up this week and sharing the teaching side of ME!!

Today's topic is: 

This is my fourth year teaching Library and Technology at my school.  And to tell you the truth when this position was first brought to me, I thought I'd like teaching the technology classes better! But technology is ever-changing and sometimes it's almost as if I can't keep up!!  

I have just fallen IN LOVE with library! When I was a classroom teacher ELA was my favorite subject to teach, and library is an extension of that.  I love reading the kids' stories.  Seeing the excitement on their faces and asking for books to be read aloud!  I like guiding them to the right books and seeing what they bring me each week.  I love how engaging our book talks can become and the fun craftivities and activities we do to accompany the books we read.  I also enjoy when students tell me they "couldn't put this book down" over the weekend or "I can't wait to read another book by this author."  It just makes my heart happy when children get excited about reading.  I love when the older students ask me for book recommendations and share their favorites with me.  It helps to strengthen our bond.  If I can help even one student develop that lifelong love of reading then my job is done! And I just really love my cozy little library too!! :)

Find some of my favorite books to use in the Library {here}.

I loved linking up this week!!  I didn't get a chance to post each day, but hope to come back to share a tour of my library and technology lab with you soon!!

Happy Friday! Happy Holiday Weekend and Happy First Week(s) of School!!

Katie

Teacher Week: Sanity Savers

It's been a super busy and hectic first two days of the school but I'm hoppin' on board once again to link up for Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week!

Today's topic:

Hmmmm...tips and tricks to make work life easier! 

This...before work!                                                                                     and this...after work!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Now on to the topic at hand....

For me and I think lots of teachers first and foremost, STAY ORGANIZED!  Aside from a lesson planner I keep a regular planner.  Last year my planner was actually a student planner (this year, too come to think of it!).  HA!  (One of these days I'll bite the bullet and get one of those really awesome ones!)  Even though I'm the tech teacher, I don't keep things on the calendar on my phone.  I like to write things down and check things off!  I even highlight school events, home events and even blog posts, in different colors.  It helps me stay on top of things!! I also have lots of post-its in my planner for things that I want to remember of things that come up on the fly.

Another thing that has helped me tremendously is using Dropbox.  Many of you might already use this!  But I just love it.  Teaching both Library and Technology I am often in two different rooms throughout the day! Dropbox allows you to save documents to a central location.  But you can connect your account to different computers.  I use three different computers at work, as well as my home computer and can save all the docs from any of those to use at anytime.  I feel like I am not explaining it well!  HA!!  Find out more here.  It's quicker than putting your USB drive in and pulling up documents, especially with kids waiting!  And I sometimes lose USB drives, so for me, this is more convenient!

Dropbox

Lots of times there are days when the kids are driving me absolutely crazy, or a class just didn't go well, and I'm feeling at my wits end!  But other times, it really is the kids who help me stay sane!  I guess this is a plus to teaching library and tech and getting the chance to see so many different students during the school day.  There's always more students who will just turn my day right around.  They tell me about a book they picked up in library and read in a day (and loved!) or I'll hear them say, "This is the best website ever!" These little interactions make me smile!!  Which brings me to my last sanity saver....

Laugh...Just laugh!!  I mentioned on Monday that I laugh everyday.  It really does help!!  I don't let to much get to me!  And I feel like teaching these days is so stressful...with the common core, teacher evaluations, and the like, you have to have a sense of humor!

Can't wait to read about what keeps you sane during the work week!

Have a great day,

Katie

Back to School Week!

It's back to School Week for Me!  Part of me is thinking UGH....but another part of me is thinking YAY!, too!

I thought I'd hop on board with Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week this week.  I know this blog is not very "teachery" per say, but teaching consumes more than half my life and I enjoy sharing bits of my life inside and out of the classroom, so this will be fun!  With school starting I may not do a blog post everyday but I'll for sure post to instagram each day!  So follow me.... @missmitch2

Today's topic is:

{ONE}

I teach Library and Technology to all the students in my Pre-K through 8 grade Catholic School.  I am going into my 14th year of teaching!  Wow...it doesn't seem that long nor does it seem like I am old enough to be teaching that long.  (I will forever be 25 in my head!)  Over the years I have taught fourth grade, third grade, second grade, and now library-tech for the past 3 years...going on year four!

Library-Tech is great but I sometimes miss my own class and the sense of family!  I do enjoy being able to teach and get to know every single student though!

{TWO}

I live in the same town in which I work.  As a matter of fact, I can walk to work...in about five minutes!  I love this! Sometimes I see the kids around town.  It's so funny to see kids outside of the school setting and see their mouths drop open when they see you actually out in the real world!  It is not without it's challenges sometimes though either!!

{THREE}

Online shopping is my downfall!  I shop way too much!  This year I had a clothes shopping ban going....and I made it about three months!  Then I fell of that "ban" wagon hard!!  LOL  But I am always very smart about it.  I look for the great sales, buy on the cheap and always use ebates...the best thing EVER!!!

{FOUR}

Country music is my absolute favorite.  I like the stories in the songs and love that I can sing along to every word. I have been to so many country concerts.  Going to concerts is one of my top five things to do ever! I know today's country music is not like that of the past, but I enjoy it all.  Kenny Chesney is my favorite.  His was the concert of the summer!

{FIVE}

I laugh every single day!!  About everything and nothing at all!  Even if it's the worst day ever I try to find the joy and funny it it!!  I think you just have to...because what's the alternative??

Hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about me and consider taking a peek over here to my little space in the blogosphere from time to time!!

Have a great day,

Katie