Great Reading Resource!

This year I have been introduced to a great reading resource. A lot of you may already use it, but for those of you who are new to teaching, you will love this!

The Florida Center for Reading Research is a great tool to use. You can find individualized lesson plans for specific reading lessons.

Here are the steps to find the specific lessons:
1. go to http://fcrr.org/

2. on the right hand side click "Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading" (FAIR)

3. scroll to the bottom and click the last choice "FAIR student activities search tool"

4. click on what category you want
5. select your grade level
6. click show results

Hope you enjoyed my little piece of information!
Mrs. Crouse :)

Whew!

What a week it has been!
I have experienced my first "AIMSWeb" testing week. I am testing all the kids in our school {K-8} and I am tired! I still have 2 more days worth of testing. It has been a great learning experience though. I have been learning the names of all the kids (not that I can still remember them!).

Tonight was open house and I got to meet a lot a parents. It was so nice to really feel a part of the school. I really love my school. I am very hopeful that I will get a teaching job there sooner than later. As a reminder, I am a title 1 aide. Although I get my own classroom with this, it is still not the same as being a classroom teacher. I am excited to get my own classroom and my own group of kids! :) I just can't wait. But for now I will just be patient and wait for the Lord's time to place me in the perfect grade/class/school.

Thanks for listening!
{Mrs. Crouse}

I added a little more to my classroom. The months of the year and touch math numbers

Here is the rest of my room (which I obviously don't use or have a need for)
Any suggestions of how to cover all this stuff?

Kids Say The Darnedest Things!

Hey All!

How is everybody? Hopefully you are all enjoying your first weeks back at school. I know I am. I love my new school that I am working at. The kids are great, teachers are great, and the staff is great! Couldn't have picked (well I guess they picked me) a better school to be at!

So some funny stories: kids say the darnedest things! In the kindergarten class last week the teacher was explaining that they would be going to the computer lab later that week and that the computer teachers name is Mrs. Phillips. So later that week when they went down to computers this little boy came up to Mrs. Phillips and said "Hello Mrs. Screwdriver". How clever is he?! He works with his grandpa a lot with tools and handiwork that he put two and two together and remember a "Phillips screwdriver" and associated her last name to the screwdriver! How cute is that!

Another cute story came from a girl in first grade. She told her teacher that one of the boys in class was bugging her. She said "This boy is bugging me, he is just all up in my grill!" Isn't that funny! Kids remember the craziest phrases don't they? She also told us later that day that the boy was like a shrimp because she just really doesn't like shrimp. Because when she was 4 years old she tried a shrimp and hated it. So she wants to cook this boy like a shrimp because she just doesn't care for him that much! Ha!

Oh my! I can't wait to share more stories with you! Please share with me some of your funny stories!

Have a great week,
Mrs. Crouse

Where It All Goes Down Wednesday!

Well, it's a work in progress! haha I just got in this room yesterday! This is about all I have done. I work with kids one on one in this room. It is a HUMONGOUS room but I only use about 1/3 of it...maybe!

Today was my first day to actually use this space. I don't have any bulletin boards. But I have two white boards and a smart board. I am still waiting on a computer to hook up to the smart board though! Oh well, I'm just excited that I even have a space to call my own! :)

Teacher Talk Tuesday!

Well, I know I'm not "technically" a teacher yet. BUT I am an aide who is waiting for God to place me in the teaching job that is right for me. So I can not give you all advice as a teacher. But I can give you advice that others have passed on to me.

1. My mom always told me to stay on good terms with the secretary. She is the eyes and ears of the school. She knows everything that is going on! :)

2. Always be a role model to your students...no matter where you are! Just like our Superintendent said, we are always role models so we need to act, dress, and be the part of a role model.

3. I was told by a fellow teacher that it is okay to not know all the answers to the questions our students asks. What she does is say "Well I'm not sure but let's find out and google it!". I think that is a great way of learning together as a class and showing the kids that you are human and you don't have to know everything!

4. Through student teaching and being an aide, I have learned that it is always better to OVERPLAN! You never want to give your kids too much free time! Always have a plan and backup plan.

5. From working in a school for two years and doing my field experiences and student teaching, I have learned that teachers need to be flexible! You never know what surprise guest, assembly, fire drill, etc. you are going to have that day! So don't stress or worry (too much!)

6. My last and final advice for today is to not get caught up in the gossip! Remain friends with everyone and remember you are there to teach and inspire children! :)

Meet The Teacher Monday!

Tell us a little something about yourself:
My name is Mrs. Crouse and I am actually don't have my "own" classroom  yet. But I am working as a Title 1 aide at a great school, that I will eventually have my own classroom in. I actually do have a classroom as an aide where I will be working with kids individually and in small groups in reading and math. I will be working with grades K-4. I actually turned down a teaching position for the current aide position that I am in. (Crazy right?) Well the reason I did so was to get my foot in the door at a school that I have always wanted to work at. The other school was very tiny, low pay, I would have been teaching two grades, and had no benefits (not cool!)
I was just married a year and two months ago to my amazing husband! God couldn't have found a more perfect match for me! :) I enjoy working out, swimming, and taking walks. I love LOVE working with kids, especially the younger ones (they are just so darn cute!).

How long have you been teaching?:
Obviously no years :(. This will be my second year as an aide. BUT, I am gaining some great knowledge for when I get my own classroom.

You might not know:
Probably most everything! haha I absolutely LOVE twizzlers and diet cherry Dr. Pepper. :) Can't live without those two things in my life :). Also you might not know that I live in a very small town in southern Illinois (an no, it is no where near Chicago!).

What are you looking forward to most this school year?:
I am looking forward to meeting all the staff and kids at my new school. I have been in school for 3 days now and I already love it there! Also, I am looking forward to having my own classroom (well, not all mine but for the majority of the day it will be!

How do you need to improve?:
I think that I need to improve my creativity! haha I have ideas in my head, but it is so hard for me to express them!

What teaching supplies can you NOT live without?:
POST-ITS! and paper-mate flair pens!
AND I can't live without my Diet Dr. Pepper! YUM :)

Teacher Week 2011!

This next week is teacher week!! Each day of the week is dedicated to a post related to all things educational. To find out more information go to
Blog Hoppin' (<--- just click that link)

Enjoy your week teachers!
Mrs. Crouse