Wednesday's Featured Teacher and Freebie.....Meet Richi Reynolds

Meet Richi Reynolds over at

Ribbons, Recipes and Rhymes

Check out her blog: http://richireynolds.blogspot.com/

Check out her TpT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Richi-Reynolds

What do you teach? And where? 

Retired, but I have taught prek-3 with the majority of my time spent in k.

Alabama

What is one of your favorite memories in the classroom?

Little kids just love their teachers. I always loved all the sweet things the little ones would tell me on a daily basis. The "I love you, Mrs. Reynolds", totally kept me going! And we did plays every year...big productions. They were always so amazing. I get former students, all grown up, coming back to tell me that their play is still their favorite kindergarten memory.

What was your hardest experience while teaching? How did you overcome it.

I was a team teacher. I did my student teaching in a team teaching situation and it was always my goal to be able to team teach with someone. When I finally found someone whose philosophy and style of teaching was similar enough to mine, that is exactly what I did and we did it well for 12 years. It was the most amazing experience. We could do so much more together. But we got a new principal who did not allow team teaching. It was so hard, because it was the year my youngest came to kindergarten. So all those wonderful things we had been doing went out the window just when it was extra important to me. I struggled for a long time, but finally I just had to let it go. He finally retired and the principal who replaced him was wonderful and supportive and we teamed up again, but my baby still missed out.

What advice would you give a new teacher or someone switching grade levels?

Go to the best teacher you can find in the grade you are switching to and get his/her advice.

Richi would like to offer all followers a 

Freebie!! 

Chicka the Clown: A Drawing Book for Little Artists

Wednesday's Featured Teacher and Freebie....Meet Lynn Aydlett

Meet Lynn Aydlett over at

Camping Teacher

Check out her blog: http://iamcampingteacher.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html

Check out her TpT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Campingteacher

What do you teach? And where? 

I am a teacher in North Carolina. Last year I taught kindergarten. This coming school year I am hoping to be in 2nd grade

What is one of your favorite memories in the classroom?

I love it when my little ones say funny things! I love it when lessons go well! I love it when a child starts to read! I love it when children tell tall tales to me and their peers and they seem to really believe it! One student told the story of how his sister fell off a 1000 foot waterfall and survived! He even drew a picture! I also love it when parents and students came back to tell me that I was their favorite teacher!

What was your hardest experience while teaching? How did you overcome it.

One year I had a student who was obviously mentally ill. Her illness was undiagnosed and her mother was a wreck trying to figure out what to do. She had older and younger sisters who were mimicking her behavior. Her behavior in the classroom was intolerable. She was destructive and disruptive. I could not get through a lesson without a meltdown. She was affecting the other students behavior and learning. It was the most difficult year I ever had and I pulled through it thanks to very supportive administrators. They never blamed me. They would take her out of the room regularly to give me and my students a break. They would help with ideas on controlling her and would help mom with resources. Turned out this little girl had been molested at a day care center. We believe that was the cause of her mental instabilities.

What advice would you give a new teacher or someone switching grade levels?

Utilize those teachers who are retiring or who are cleaning out their stuff. You can get books, posters, and other items for your classroom from these teachers. Also, save things! I use butter and cool whip containers for everything!

Lynn would like to offer all followers a 

Freebie!! 

Cheese-Its Match and Write

Winner of Giveaway

Congratulations 

to

Debbie McKinley 

for winning the pencil sharpener giveaway!

You are going to LOVE this sharpener. 

Please check your email with details.

Wednesday's Featured Teacher and Freebie.....Meet Crystal

Meet Crystal over at

Check out her blog: http://mykinder-garden.blogspot.com/

Check out her TpT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Kinder-garden-6794

What do you teach? And where? 

I teach Kindergarten in a small town in North Carolina.

What is one of your favorite memories in the classroom?

Wow! So many to choose from... One of my favorite memories is from a tea party I held 2 years ago while we were studying England. Everyone had their tea, scones and cucumber sandwiches and we were getting ready to start. One of my parent volunteers said something about holding up your pinky finger while you drink your tea so you can be fancy. As she said it, she raised one of her hands (empty) with just her pinky extended. The whole class looked at her, with a somewhat confused expression on their faces. Dutifully, they all raised one hand in the air with their pinky extended... and then drank their tea with their other hand... We laughed for days when we thought of that story.

What was your hardest experience while teaching? How did you overcome it.

 teach at a school that has a high ELL population. About 99% of the ELL population is hispanic. It's not unusual to get a student who does not understand English at all but I've always had at least one child in my room who was fluent in English and Spanish. However, in the middle of the year one year, I got a student from Pakistan who had only been in the states for about a week. It was really difficult because I did not have anyone who could translate for me. I eventually found a third grader who spoke his language that we could use in emergencies, but he wasn't available all day every day. 

I overcame the stress of that situation by letting go and watching his joy at new discoveries. For example, he LOVED to flush the toilet. He would go in the bathroom, flush the toilet and just giggle as he watched the water swirl around. It also helped that he really bonded with a student of mine who was really patient and a really good reader. They spent a lot of time reading and talking, which helped immerse him in the English language.

What advice would you give a new teacher or someone switching grade levels?

Find an experienced buddy. Choose carefully though, you want to align yourself with someone who will build you up and help you grow, not someone who will bring you down.

Crystal would like to offer all followers a 

Freebie!! 

Counting and Cardinality Common Core Pre-Assessment for Beg. of the Year

Pencil Sharpener Giveaway!

A couple weeks ago, I did a review on one of Classroom Friendly Supplies pencil sharpeners. You can check out the review here. I fell in love with this sharpener after I used it for the first time. I am now having a giveaway so that one lucky winner can have one. 

Classroom Friendly Supplies contacted me and shared with me their new PINK sharpener! 

I am so in LOVE with this precious pink sharpener. 

Isn't it soooo Cute!

Every time someone purchases a Precious Pink pencil Sharpener, $1 from the sale will be donated to Cancer charities. The proceeds will be going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Caleb's Crusade.

Now,  it's your turn to try and win a beautiful, quiet, and amazing pencil sharpener.

 The winner will have the option of the new precious pink, red, black, green or blue. 

Good Luck!

The Giveaway will run from Sept. 8 - Sept. 16

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Table Caddies This Year.... Made Them All Cute!

This year I wanted to "Pretty up" my caddy bins on my tables. I decided to add some animal print ribbon that went along with each tables seat covers. 

I call their tables by tigers, zebras, leopards, and giraffes. 

Here is how I have my caddies organized.

Jungle Kindergarten Classroom (Pictures)

Here are some pictures of my classroom :)

Welcome to the Jungle!

 Word Wall and Computers

 Computers, Word Wall, Cubbies

 Kitchen Center to the left

 Writing Wall and Alphabet Line

 Writing Center

 Writing Wall

 Smartboard/Group Time

 Front of the room

 Reading Center

The view from the door

 Open House Night

Put Balloons with Treat bags on their desk. 

Don't you love the animal print balloons?

Wednesday's Featured Teacher and Freebie... Meet Carol Martinez

Meet Carol Martinez

Check out her TpT Store:http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Carol-Martinez

What do you teach? And where? 

I teach 3rd grade in Southern California.

What is one of your favorite memories in the classroom?

Undoubtedly, I always seem to get a random fly buzzing though my classroom on any given year.  It lingers for days and weeks!!  We always give him (her?) a name, which becomes great fun! Silly, I know, but sometimes you've gotta have fun, right?

What was your hardest experience while teaching? How did you overcome it.

My hardest experience to date has been having an RSP student who desperately needed differentiation in every lesson, in every subject in order to access the content.  Unfortunately, her parents did not want me to simply the curriculum for her.  This went against everything I've been trained to do.  It was a long year.

What advice would you give a new teacher or someone switching grade levels?

Although it can be stressful to switch grade levels, greet the opportunity with open arms.  It can be very invigorating to switch grade levels.  Surprisingly, if you go up or down just one grade level, many of your materials can be geared up or down with minimal tweaking.

Carol would like to offer all followers a 

Freebie!! 

Fourth of July Treat Box