Currently: February!

So January came ... and went.  While we didn't have as many snow days during January like we did last year, I still felt like I spent the same amount of time not being in the classroom after having to attend so many various workshops.  We did have one snow day though .. last week.  The only problem? Meteorologists were predicting a BLIZZARD and we just had a few inches of snow! LOL! We all went into school on Monday with: a) a 1:00 dismissal, b) pretty confident in no school on Tuesday, but also c) thinking we weren't going to be at school on Wednesday either.

We were though.

So now that brings us to February! And I am linking up with Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade for February Currently!

Enjoy!

It's all pretty explanatory ...  except -

thinking

I went to a PARCC workshop on Saturday ... my head is still spinning from being there. Wow.  One month until PARCC.  It was a fantastic workshop that was very profitable in preparing our kids 3rd graders for what they are about to face.  So now I'm starting to think of some things to still teach the curriculum with [basically] the "PARCC writing formula".  #sosad

wanting

I love the book of James.  It is absolutely my favorite book in the Bible.  I want to memorize it.  I was inspired by Beth Moore during her study James: Mercy Triumphs.  I have always loved the book of James, but now I want to challenge my Bible memorization and memorize the whole book of James! :)

needing

At this point, I'm procrastinating ... hoping my one hour lesson will just fall out of the air and into my lap.  I am now 12 credits into my Masters for Reading Specialization.  This semester starts Clinical 2 where we will be with a student for approximately 9 weeks doing interventions that we saw as necessary at the end of Clinical 1 (when we did a whole series of diagnostic tests on our given student .. the IRI, DTRA, SIT, etc...)

pageant title

My sister Sarah (whose name means "princess") calls me "Queen Jenny" .. I guess 'cause I'm the oldest sister. :)  I like when she calls me that .. not in a cocky way, but because it's her nickname for me.  So I deem it worth of my pageant title.  

Okay, I should really get working on my lesson for tomorrow.  Go link up with Farley NOW! ;)

Currently: 2015!

Wow! I can't believe it's 2015! I feel like time (and a little bit of life) is flying by.  Ringing in the New Year means that this *school year* is almost half way through; it's like overcoming the school-year-hill once going back to school following winter break (even though the Spring is a longer school time period).  Still!  It's a great time to reflect on what is working in the classroom and what isn't.  It's given me the opportunity to look back at how much I feel has been accomplished in this school year.  I'm not stressing and panicking like last year. -_-

So that leaves time to link up with Farley over at Oh Boy Fourth Grade and  fill you in on my Currently January!

Listening

Well, that's pretty self-explanatory.  Outside of the washer and dryer, I *love, love, love* the Golden Girls!  I started watching them when I was in like elementary school! Almost 15 years ago!  I remember when they were played on Lifetime.  ha ha!  So I asked for the Golden Girls complete set on DVD for my birthday this past summer I play it 24/7! 

Loving

Winter break was much needed and soooo relaxing.  I took a few days to lifeguard and make some extra money.  That's always a good thing because it keeps me busy during the break, not lounging around on the couch all day.  It's better that I actually can get some work done during my work breaks.  

But I'm also loving how many ideas are starting to come to me about resources to use with my students and upload to TpT to *hopefully* help other teachers and the students in their classrooms.  It's just frightening actually opening up a store!  Following all the rules and policies and not wanting to accidentally copyright or plagiarize.  AHHHHH! But I'm seeing quite a few posts on Instagram, #becauseoftpt, and I would love to have that same blessing!  I realize I have a few big life expenses coming in the very near future (a wedding, house, honeymoon, etc..) and it would be helpful to have that "extra" income. 

Thinking

I've been working on putting some things together for my students to use, but it's a little overwhelming how to put the whole thing together knowing I can upload it to TpT!

Wanting

If I can be honest, I am not looking forward to the how I have to teach the what I have to teach.  My district has purchased a particular unit that we are required us to teach for Nonfiction.  (Sidenote: we are teaching Nonfiction but our students are taking their Unit Assessment on Fables.)  Back to my thoughts, I have had such a great routine going with Reader's Workshop that the required unit is quite different from the Lucy Calkins' way of how I run Reader's Workshop! :(  

Needless to say, I have procrastinated preparing for January/Februrary. #notlookingforwardtoit

Needing

Ahh, yes - the infamous "workout" aka "exercise" aka "fitness"...

During the winter break, I started to get back to the gym!  I wanted to give back to my body and feel the way that I used to feel when I was a fitness instructor at my gym.  Outside of how physically uncomfortable it is to be at the gym (you know - endurance, stamina, that stuff), the biggest workout that you get is to your mental thoughts/the little voices that go back in forth in your head of "No, I can't!" to "Yes, I can!" I was doing pretty well for the first week being out of school, now I just need to keep with it.  Every day is a new day to eat better and make time to give back to my body, just staying fit and preventing health issues in the future.

Yes, Maybe a Wish

I started to apply for this prestigious award/reflective classroom practice summer program last year, but I did not feel it was the right time as I was unsure how to answer some of the questions.  They asked about data and how do I improve data from year to year.  Well, I hadn't taught for a full year so I had no "baseline" to use.  Realizing I am a legitimate year into my teaching career, I figured "Why not this year?"  There doesn't seem to be an overwhelming amount of elementary teachers that go for this award, so maybe that will go in my favor.  But it would just be an amazing accomplishment and a humbling experience to even be considered as a finalist for this award.

All prayer are appreciated. ;)

p.s.. Also *Wanting* my classroom Donors Choose project to be fully funded!

Go link up with Farley and all other teacher bloggers at Oh Boy Fourth Grade!

Currently: July [Birthday Month!]

Well, where did we leave off?

What does it matter ?!  The school year has ended, I'm completed two more graduate courses, I JUST (literally) uploaded my first TpT product, and it's now JULY !!!  My birthday is Sunday !! :)  And ultimately, I'm blogging again. :)

To start off the month, I linked up with Farley over at Oh Boy Fourth Grade ! My, how I have missed these.. It's good to be back. :)

Basically, all you really need to know is that my boyfriend comes home tomorrow !!! :D :D :D 

He left June 21 for Haiti, so for those of us who are not math teachers .. that's 11 DAYS THAT HE'S BEEN GONE ! Well, tomorrow will make day 11.  But I digress ...

I've missed him, but fortunately he left when it was my last week of school, so I had packing up my classroom, finishing my last week and few assignments with my graduate summer class, reading The Fault in Our Stars and lifeguarding to keep me somewhat occupied and not *so* focused on missing him.   In some way, it was a blessing in disguise that he was away - I focused on packing up my classroom and moving 100 feet down the hallway.  That was .... hmm ... that was just A LOT of work.  I had moved classrooms in September and then moved AGAIN last week.  Crazy! I just got out of school LAST WEEK !!! June 27th to be exact.

While the boy (that's what I call him, or "skittles", "homeboy", or "handsome") was away, I wrote out a card for him to open each day.  Each card had a few Bible verses and a either a little prayer or a note for him. :)  I have had the honor to fervently pray for him while he's been away.  God has certainly brought us closer together in homeboy's absence.  I certainly pray that through this opportunity he was afforded, he has grown closer and deeply in love with the One Who Gave It All. 

Now I'm just nervous about picking him up at the airport tomorrow! -_- Traffic, NYC, parking, being alone !! AHH !!! Pray for me, please.

I also uploaded my *first* TpT item - a classroom library sign out sheet or cards .. you're pick.  I'm looking at my list of ideas I made this year while I taught to figure out what to create next. :)  I think we're gonna go with some things for IFL, our last ELA unit in our school year.

And finally, I'm really looking forward to the 4th.  Supposedly, here in NJ we're looking at some bad weather because of a hurricane a'comin ???? I'll believe it when I see it.  Other than that, I need to get some books together to read while at the beach!

Currently .. April !!

I knew it was coming.  I just can't believe how soon it came!  A P R I L  ! ! ! woo hoo!  13 school days until Spring Break.  Unit 4 Benchmark assessments are next Mondays.  And Unit 5 - IFL begins at the end of the month.  And the infamous NJ ASK is approaching.  boo!

As usual, it's that time of the month to link up with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.  Be sure to read mine first, *wink wink*, then go link up yourself!

Here goes ...

Listening: So I'm at Panera.  It's Tuesday and I don't have personal training tonight, so as much as I should be running or working out on my own, I came to Panera to get my work done.  I have too much work to do - grading papers, e-mails, paper work to be filled out, questions to type up, and oh yea, an outline to write for a literature review for my graduate class.  #indenial

Loving: How many days until spring break ?????

Thinking: I looked up at the calendar today and I can't believe how quickly the year went!  It's already April.  There isn't too much extra research I need to do in prepping my lessons because we are about to move into an IFL unit.  You can check out IFL here - Institute for Learning.  To be honest, I have never done an IFL unit.  But all of the other grades in our building have.  Third grade doesn't do an IFL unit until Unit 5, so from what I've heard .. IFL is very scripted.  The only thing I'll need to do is supplement materials.  I'm looking forward to it - our unit is on ocean life! :)

Wanting:  Well, I did get up to use the restroom.  However, the paperwork is all still there.  I was in the middle of typing my book long e-mail response to my VP when I was timed out of the server.  Guess I was taking too long.

Needing:  #selfexplanatory #indenial

Hours and Last Day:  So, I typically get to school around 7:30 am.  On Mondays, I leave around 3:30pm to get to my graduate class for 4:30 pm.  On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I do an after-school program at another school, so I leave my classroom around 2:50 while my co-teacher dismisses my students.  On Fridays, that's usually my day to stay late in my room and clean up from the week, make copies, charts, search for materials, yah know..

As for our students, they're in school from 8:20-3:00.

Currently ... March ???

Andddd we have arrived in March!

How ??? !!

All of these snow days. Ugh! I'm  o v e r  it!

But I digress ....

It's March which means it's another "Currently" thanks to Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.  Make sure you head over and link up too!  I love reading what other teachers are up to. Here's mine -

listening: well, that's pretty self-explanatory. haha! I even played it for my kids this past week while they were cutting things out.  It worked great!  Kept them quiet and they worked quickly.  It's a catchy tune, so make sure you check it out if you haven't heard it already!  I'm going to see the movie tomorrow.

loving: I just got back from getting my nails filled.  I find March to be an awkward month of what design to do on my nails.  I always do pink, but I figured I needed to switch up my game.  I'm in denial about the cold weather that's still here in Jersey, so I decided to do baby blue and orange with a white chevron.  It's a change of pace for me.  Maybe a little obnoxious, but I can handle it for about 4 weeks.  Yes, it'll probably clash with just about everything I wear.

thinking: I'm going out tonight with Mr. Handsome. After 5 days of not getting enough sleep, I woke up Friday with a sore throat.  And even though I only went to get my nails done today, I'm just exhausted! I came home and now I just wanna stay home! wah! I don't wanna go out, but I owe it to Mr. Handsome to go out since I cancelled on him on Thursday. :(  I know once I get out, I'll be okay.  We're going to Olive Garden.  yum!

wanting:  I brought my Intervention binders home this weekend to straighten them out and get them ready for the end of the year my third observation.  The teacher evaluation system we use has a standard for how we use the data to guide our instruction.  Hence, as much as I have data of all of my conferencing/meeting/anecdotal notes/observations/behaviors, I need to tidy it all up!  This standard in our evaluation is weighed 3x more than the other standards.  Oh! And our state team is coming on Tuesday and word on the street is that they will be checking the binders as well.  Oyy ve!  Is it summer yet?

needing: So we have another snow storm headed this way on Sunday night - Monday.  -_______-  I'M OVER THE SNOW ALREADY! With our state team coming on Tuesday, I still have things I need to do before they come!!!! Writing wall, anchor chart arrangement, classroom library, outside display case. boo!  Basically, I'm not ready for Tuesday if Monday doesn't happen.  hahaha!  In all seriousness though, we've had wayyyy tooo many snow days this year, and our school district doesn't build snow days into our calendar.  I need to be in school! My kids need to be in school!

????????: The mystery, million-dollar-question's answer is 6 weeks. ;)  Good luck!

Currently - It's 2014 ... bringing a lot of memorable things!

New year = A LOT of great things coming up ... I must have something for every month until June! And then July is my birthday, so my calendar is basically filled up until August! woo hoo!

New month = new currently.  Be sure to link up with Farley and let the blogging community know what YOU'RE Currently doing. :) Mine is super quick and not very school related, even though we go back to school tomorrow.  Last day of break = enjoying break.

Today is the last day of our winter break.  It's been a great break to catch up on things and get my feet back underneath me.  2014 brings soo many exciting events and trips!

Right now, I'm listening to my friend yell at the top of her lungs! at the LSU game.  She was hosting a "viewing party" since she goes to LSU.  Currently, it's 7-14, LSU.  LSU should win, but they're all droppin' like flies right now. -_-

I'm loving that I was able to get some reading done over this break - Notice and Note by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst as well as A Guide to the Common Core Writing Workshop that came in my Units of Study Grade 3 - Writing. (Lucy Calkins)  I *finally* understand close reading and how to help my third graders fall a little more in love with reading. :)  Through that, hopefully it will life their level of writing.  2014 - BIG THINGS for my 3rd graders. :)

I've already put it in my agenda for this weekend that I will be devoting my weekend to grading the 55 mini assessments that the students had over break .. that's IF I get all 55 of them back by 3:00 pm on Friday.

I'm waiting for my second mom to break out her chicken noodle soup that she bribed me with .. that's the other reason why I'm at her house. :) ...and the sangria.
I'm also waiting to see if this schedule I have planned out for Janurary -- works.  I guess we'll find out next month after the third benchmark. *fingers crossed* I help my students fall in love with reading and independently do their own close reading of the texts they read.

I definitely need a pedicure, but that can wait like 2 more weeks. Thank goodness it's not flip flop season yet!  While getting my pedicure .. you know I'll be reading. :)

Favorite memory - it was this time last year that I was getting ready to sub in a low-income district that I was dying to land a job in just a few months prior.  I focused on urban education in my undergrad years, student taught in an urban district, and had interviewed in the district I was getting ready to sub in  (it's where I would primarily sub for the next 2 months before beginning my official career).  Come to find out, it would only be 3 weeks later - while subbing in this low-income district I wanted to be in - that I would get a phone call from ANOTHER low-income district to ask "Are you still interested in a position with us??"  :)  2013 had a lot of great moments for me to learn from, grow from, reflect on, leave in the past, and look forward to the awesome things that come with being a big girl with your own teacher paycheck in 2014. ;)

Currently - November!

I am super excited for two reasons:
1 - my blog design is up all thanks to the amazing Kassie - I couldn't recommend her more. She has such a great selection of things to pick from that are perfect to suit your blog AND she's patient and creative!

&

2 - I finally get to link up with Farley's Currently!

So here goes ...

Listening: I'm catching up on the episodes of the best.  I'm very slightly behind now that I'm finally up to the "Knockouts" (since doing my 'Currently').  I can't keep up with "The Voice" too much during the week because Monday nights are grad school .. 

Loving:  Oh my gosh! You have no idea - well, you probably do since we are all there as teachers ;) -  how grateful I am to have off today, tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday, AND Monday. 

Thinking:  ....and since I have off all this time, I just threw a lot of things onto my weekend to-do. So let's see how well I time manage rather than sleep and catch-up on my shows. :)

Wanting:  Oh, the last time I had a pork roll/egg/cheese sandwich with apple juice was Saturday ... right after I had completed a 5 mile race. :)  And being that I'm off .. I want to eat something that I don't get to eat every day because who has time or money to constantly eat/purchase a breakfast sandwich, and, of course, it's not the healthiest. -_-

Needing:  More sleep because I'm on a mini-vacation! Who gets up at 8 am when they can still sleep ?!  Or I may need a massage because my right hip is bothering me.  A spa day would be nice.

A Yummy Pin:  Who can't find something delicious on Pinterest ?!  Here's mine - enjoy! 

Canoli dip! from Cooking Classy  

It looks sooo deliciously appetizing, and I think it would go in a  h e a r t b e a t  at Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

Now it's your turn!  Don't forget to go link up!