Newbie Blog

A Blog Hop for newbie teachers....just in time for me!!! 

This excellent idea has come from  

Janis @ Grade Three is the Place for Me 

who is hosting the hop.

All you have to do is share a little information about yourself so that the rest of the teacher blog world can get to know you better!

1. What state country you are in ...

Well, I live in the sunny state of Queensland, Australia.

2. Your current teaching position ...

This year I am teaching a Year 1 class, which are 6 to 7 year old children. Last year I had a Year 3 class. 

3. Your teaching experience ...

My teaching career has all been in what we call 'lower primary', that is, Year 3 and under. Though I did do a few years in Special Education.

4. When you started blogging ...

I started this teaching blog only a few months back. After seeing such wonderful, creative blogs and ideas out there I just HAD to join in - you all know how it is!!! Once the blogging bug bites there is no return...

5. Share a blogging tip/ blogging resource ...

So hard to share a tip with being so new to this obsession. But the blogs I admire are the ones that reflect the owners passion to teaching, their enthusiasm  shines through the words, and is contagious. Then on some level they encourage me to follow the evolution of their classroom, or resources throughout the year. The best blogs are written by teachers who work hard and obsess about teaching. And this list of brilliant bloggers in the teaching world is endless ...

So time for me to check out the other newbies around the globe, and hopefully you will 'Hop-across-the-pond' and visit my little new blog.

Looking forward to meeting everyone ... J

'New' Filing Cabinet...

After inheriting the old pink filing cabinet, I went to work on spray painting and adding my own touch to it....

And with my new decoration sitting on top...

Don't you just love decorating your room???

Boggle Wall Chart...

Have just whipped up my own Boggle Wall Chart for use in class this coming term...

Not the clearest of pictures, but you can get the idea. The backboard has been laminated, as have each individual circular letter. They have been attached with Velcro to the backboard for easy changing. All the vowels are in blue to help the kids, and a vowel has been placed on each line. 

Ohhh, and I have a follower...thanks Tania! Tania is from Mrs. Poultney's Ponderings . Pop on over to this site and see what she is up to in her room.

Next task for me is to try to take a clearer shot of the above, and add in the sheet that goes with it...nothing like a newbie in the blogging world - so much to learn...

Coffee, Kids, and Compulsive Lists....Giveaway...

I simply must promote this super giveaway - from a fellow Queenslander!!!

Shanyn, from the blog Coffee, Kids, and Compulsive Lists is giving 9 lucky teachers the chance to win brilliant products, all generously donated by the likes of -

* Tori at Tori's Teacher Tips is donating her Seasonal Word Lists for K-3

*Aimee at Pencils, books & Dirty Looks is donating her Number Jars Maths Workstation

*Tanja at Journey of a Substitute Teacher is donating her Scoopin' Up Beginning Fractions, Decimals and Percents

*Brooke at Teachable Moments is donating her Skip Counting Extravaganza

*April at The Idea Backpack is donating her Writing Graphic Organizers for grades 3-5 AND her Wayside School Writing activity

*Dana at Fun in 1st Grade is donating her Place Value Puzzles

*Katie at Dirty Hands and Lesson Plans is donating her best seller I have...Who has Math and English Language Arts pack

*Michaela is donating her Polka Dot Fry High Frequency Word Wall Words and Practice 

*AND last, but certainly not least, Shanya will be giving away ALL of her priced items in her store to one lucky follower!

So, I suggest you all head over quickly and register your interest....

Quick Re-think....

I am not one who likes unplanned changes in my classroom!!! So on the last day of term, when a telephone technician turned up and installed my new classroom phone I was a little on edge. Very glad that I now had contact with the outside world from the boundaries of my classroom, but distraught that the 'only' place in the room to install this new piece of technology was right in the middle of the class manipulative/computer area. Really???? Computer dislodged, shelving moved, wall hangings loosened, but at least he 'attempted' to make it look half decent... see, new phone on top shelf...

So this has boosted me along rather quickly to re-think the configuration of my classroom (yes, mid year!!!) And no, the phone can't be moved or wall mounted at all (asbestos in the building, so no drilling, nailing etc to be had).

And, at the same time I inherited this 'lovely' filing cabinet - is it just me or is this colour strange???

So, as a teacher, we always have a Plan B tucked up our sleeve...

The end result is using my holidays to first of all come up with Plan B, and to repaint the cabinet. It is in really good condition, and a quick coat of spray enamel should liven it up for a deserved spot in the room - extra free storage, who will turn that down based on colour????

The 'new' section of class will be set up later this week, after the filing cabinet has dried off and been transported back to school. Looking forward to sharing it with you all......

Hi!!!

Hi All!!!

Well, this is my first post in relation to teaching. After many months of 'watching from the sidelines' at all the other fantastic teaching blogs around the globe, I am now going to have a go.

I will probably just watch for a little while longer, but will definitely be up and running for next year. Now don't laugh! We all know just how quickly it will come around.

So from 'The-Other-Side-Of-The-Pond' I look forward to becoming a regular teaching blogger and sharing ideas with you.....

Oh, a quick little about me....I teach Year 1 in Brisbane, Australia and love it!!!