Hello Mrs Sykes

Me: "Say it with me, class.   Sabbatical .  It means I'm not going to be a teacher for a while, but I'll come back the next year." Precious #1: "Are you having a baby?" Me: "No." Precious #2: "Are you sure you're not pregnant?" Me: "I'm positive." Precious Group: "But Mrs. Sykes, what will you do?" {source} Rest, Refresh, Regroup, Relax, Recharge, Rewind, Refocus...  All of these are on my itinerary for the coming year.  This is a decision I did not make lightly, but did with much contemplation.  I love teaching.  I am really good at working with students.  I big, pink, puffy heart love my teammates! I just need a break.  For me.  I've shared my past struggles with depression , and I know that this is something triggered by living in a state of stress.  I'm hoping that a few months to a year of recharging time will help me better deal with stress in the future.  Luckily, my hubby has conv

Omigoodness, y'all!!  I am uber excited about this... RL Standards 1-10 for grades 3-5 For years, I worked with students and teachers in grades 3-5 in ways to cut through the "clutter" and simplify the structure we give students, so students can show what they know instead of how well they follow the directions of random, complicated tasks.  This packet follows the same philosophy - clear, straightforward, while having high expectations of referring to text and justifying their reasoning.   Perfect for the Upper-Elementary classroom.  They are Common Core aligned on each page, and all handouts are in black/white for crisp copies.  It doesn't hurt that they are "ninja-cute" (is that a word?) while definitely not  cutesy. Take a peek inside: What teachers are saying: For y'all, this packet is on sale all week for 20% off at my TpT store and my TN store !  Enjoy!!

Many times I hear how nice it must be to be a teacher, by people who have no idea why it's fantastic to be a teacher. It usually goes something like this...   We know this isn't the case, but it is a bit discouraging to hear this from others.  That is one of the few things no one tells you about teaching in an elementary school.  Here are a few more: You will need to use the bathroom, and it will be inconvenient.  Yes, I know teachers are supposed to have a planning time and lunch, but occasionally ( weekly ) you will not have a break.  It might be because of a meeting, a specialist being out, standardized testing taking place, etc.  Do not leave your students alone to use the restroom.  Even if they are the most well-behaved little group of angels, when you leave is when little Jimmy decides to stab himself with a paperclip.  You need to have a plan in place - call a really nice office staff member, teacher assistant from Kindergarten, or sympathetic teacher next doo

Happy Saturday!!!  Feel free to skip ahead to the giveaway for the day... you won't hurt my feelings.  ;)  I thought I'd share my latest project: End of the Year Yearbooks! In the last 14 years of teaching, I always make sure to have an End of the Year Yearbook for all of my students.  This way, all students get a memory book, even if they can't afford an official school yearbook.  It helps maintain the sense of community that I've worked so hard to foster all year. Since schools always are going paperless at the end of the year to save $$, I had to make sure they could be copied back /back.  These memory books are super easy - print, copy, fold, staple... done!!  Click the pics to learn a bit more...  By the way, I'll automatically upload updated versions each Spring, so you'll be able to get "current" Memory Books with the purchase of just one memory book in the future. A ton of amazingly talented teacher-bloggers are assisting m

Welcome!!!  A ton of amazingly talented teacher-bloggers are assisting me in a week of celebrations this week...  (Click on the button to visit past posts - be sure to enter the giveaways!!) Day 3: Upper Elementary Grab Bag #5 Click on each button to follow their blog/store, then enter using the Rafflecopter below.  Show the love - tell them I sent you!! Winner's Choice from Fun in Room 4B : Winner's Choice from Mandy's Tips For Teachers : Synonyms and Antonyms: A Differentiated Resource Pack from Third Grade Bookworm : Mean, Median, Mode, Range Pack from Classroom Compulsion : Winner's Choice from Third grade Tidbits : Possessive Noun Task Cards from Yearn to Learn : Winner's Choice from Primary Teacherhood : Winner's Choice from Beach, Sand, and Lesson Plans : Winner's Choice from Mrs. Russell's Room : Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  I appreciate all that you do daily.  

Welcome!!!  A ton of amazingly talented teacher-bloggers are assisting me in a week of celebrations this week...  (Click on the button to visit past posts - be sure to enter the giveaways!!) Day 3: Upper Elementary Grab Bag #4 Click on each button to follow their blog/store, then enter using the Rafflecopter below.  Show the love - tell them I sent you!! Winner's Choice from The Resource(ful) Room : Winner's Choice from HoJo's Teaching Adventures : End-of-the-Year 3-D Yearbook Dodecahedron Project Kit from Created by Mr. Hughes : Growing Up With A Bucket Full of Happiness book book from The Corner on Character : Classroom or Hallway Hunt from Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge : Fraction Frenzy {adding & subtracting fractions and mixed numbers} from Maneuvering the Middle : Mother's Day and Father's Day Coupon Books {Bundle} from Right Down the Middle : Winner's Choice from My Journey to 5th grade : Winner's

Welcome!!!  I hope you're having a terrific Teacher Appreciation Week.  Feel free to skip on ahead to the Giveaway - I won't judge.  ;)  First, I just have to share this super cute (and easy-peasy) craftivity I made this week for Mother's Day. The Award Winning Mom (or Dad!) Craftivity You probably already know this, but I am not a crafty gal.  I leave that to my teammates Cassina and Casey !!  When we do get our craft on in our classroom, it must be easy and tied to the curriculum ('cause I need more hours in my day, you know?!?)  Click on the picture for a closer look... On to the Giveaway!!!  A ton of amazingly talented teacher-bloggers are assisting me in a week of celebrations this week...  (Click on the button to visit past posts - be sure to enter all of the giveaways!!) Day 3: K-2 Grab Bag #3 Click on each button to follow their blog/store, then enter using the Rafflecopter below.  Show the love - tell them I sent you!! Making Ten - Common Core A