Hello Mrs Sykes

Hello!  I was chatting with my grade level today, and we had a question for y'all.  First, let me give you a bit of background - here is a picture of my amazing teammates: My lovely teammates (except for Sondra!) That's me in the middle of the back row.  Not too shabby for a day with no shower...  :)  (Long story!!)  Don't we look like a group who collaborates, works hard, and helps each other?  That's because we do!!! Anywhoo... we wanted to know what y'all recommend for 2nd grade reading intervention programs.  Currently, we have Great Leaps , but we have had mixed results.  Some of our struggling kiddos have used GL since Kindergarten, and we're looking for another option that can be easily implemented.  As a Literacy Specialist, I love, love, loved both Soar to Success and the Benchmark Education materials, but they really don't lend themselves to having a para-professional or volunteer for implementation.  Side note: we won't have access

I have been such a slack blogger lately.  MIA.  I know.  It's weighed heavily on me this weekend, but I've been uber busy.  I've been back in school since July 9, (I'm in year-round school!) and there are a couple of green beans in my bunch that are a bit challenging.  In addition to the regular beginning-of-school-so-all-of-your-paperwork-is-due-at-some-arbitrary-yet-unachievable-deadline chaos, I'm pulling all of my positive behavior strategies out already!! I'm working on a couple of projects, but I'm very excited about the progress I'm making with the next 2 sets of the Mystery Word of the Week .  After I have these sets complete, there will be 40 weeks for teachers to use throughout the year.  Eventually, I'll go back and package the sets together, but my family, friends, and students will come first.  And my laundry will need folding... again.  Some days I'm feeling this scattered: { pin } As you lounge by the pool, at the beach, or

Here are a few more Amazing Resources !!  If you know of others, please share with the rest of us...  :) Your Next Read   - Super cool way to find new books.  Type in a title or type of book (or click on the images on the front page) and get a web of suggested titles.  They provide the book blurb from Amazon, too, so you can learn more about it.  I have a few students who I'll be using this with to help them "widen" their book interests!  Here is a web it created for my fav Elephant and Piggie book.  :)   http://www.wrsd.net/literacy/launch.cfm   Lessons, sample pacing guides, and resources to launch Reader's Workshop and Writer's Workshop.  Aligns nicely with Daily 5 and CCSS. Here's a little giggle for y'all... Have a wonderful week!!

My Music Wand arrived in the mail yesterday!!!  I am in love.  It is such a pleasing soft sound, and it gets the attention of my  rambunctious  spirited group this year.  I'm adding it to my arsenal of attention getters.  Here's a quick run-down of my favorites: Class?  Yes!  - This is my favorite!!  I've been with my new class for 4 days, and they were experts in this by the end of the first day...   Here's a link to a post with my favorite Whole Brain Teaching video - it will change the way you teach.  :)  Yes, for the better!! Music Wand - it's awesome!  Here's the one I got...   <3 it!!  (No, they didn't pay me for this!  I just like it!) If You Can Hear My Voice... - Love it!  Here are a few of the ones I use... If you can hear my voice, clap once.  If you can hear my voice, clap twice. (repeat until everyone is "with the program." If you can hear my voice, hands on hips.  If you can hear my voice, hands on head.  (etc.) You

My hubby says I am obsessed.  My teaching buddy, Casey , calls me an addict.  Me?  I accept myself for who I am... and I love, love, love me some Vistaprint .  Maybe it's because classroom supplies are a fun perk of the job.  Maybe it's because I'm so broke cheap  frugal.  Possibly, it's just that I like things that are personalized.  And cheap.  And make my classroom look nice.  Let's face it - I spend a lot more than 40 hours a week in that room, and it helps if I have pretty things to use while I'm working.  Here are some items I bought to use in my classroom: I created the blank business cards to use for flash cards, labels for our classroom library, name tags, you name it.  Best of all - 250 in the box.  To make blank business cards, select the design you like, and simply remove the sample text.  You know, name/address/phone number/etc.  Too cute!! Blank Business Cards - Owls Set of 10 note cards for parent communication.   Subway art source . T

Tomorrow, July 4th is my one year bloggiversary, one year since my first post.  ( printables from Fountas and Pinnell - still an incredibly popular post!)  A year, already?!?  O-mi-gosh!   I started this blog hoping that it would help me have an online place to organize resources.  Over the past year, this little blog has benefited me tremendously, in ways I did not anticipate: My hubby loves that I have a place to rant pleasantly discuss the ins and outs of classroom teaching; I've made so many new bloggy buddies {I'm hoping to meet more of you in person at meet-ups!}; I've become more technologically savvy  capable of following the directions I continually Google about how to disable/enable different blog features; I took the plunge and opened my online stores, helping bring a bit of needed income into our home; I feel like I'm contributing to the self-paced professional development of others, by sharing some of my Literacy resources.  {This is what I miss mos