Blank Test- FSA (originally Blank Space by Taylor Swift)

Here is a great video for all my Florida educators and students!

Happy 2015!

So, it's been a hot minute since I stopped by here.  Lots of movement this school year has me blogging more in my head (and Instagram) and less in the actual blogosphere.  Is there an actual blogosphere?  Hmmm...

Regardless, August had me beginning another adventure in first grade.  Our school received a new principal, two new assistant principals, a new literacy coach, a new math coach, a new school guidance counselor and a new grade level teammate (as two of our cohorts moved up to 2nd grade).  All of the changes have been fabulous!  Our school is heading in a great, fresh direction!

One unassuming day in early October, I was called to the principal's office.  It still makes my heart pound when someone calls  me to the principal.  Of course, it was a happy invitation.  Our school was lucky enough to add a second reading interventionist and my principal asked me.

I was stunned.  This came straight out of left field.  What an honor and nerve racking decision to be made...in 24 hours and I wasn't allowed to talk it out with my teammates!  These are my girls, ya'll!  After as much deliberation as I could engage in, I accepted the position of first and second grade reading interventionist.  I fell in love with the push to teach students to read in the early elementary grades.  That's what I have been doing for the past 10 years, right?

Students were moved to new classes, and my interventionist partner and I transformed my little portable into a great reading space.

My new focus is to guide and push my 80 students to read at (and hopefully above) grade level.  I love, LOVE, LOVE this position.  As with so much in our district, and public education as a whole, I don't know if this position will be available next school year or not, but I am going to wring out all I can from this challenge and get those kids reading like champs!

Now you're caught up. Ha!  On to 2015.

I'm linking up with Erica of Erica's Ed-Ventures for a New Year Resolution linky shindig.

I'm saving money this year.  Plain and simple.  I work too hard to continue to fret and worry about the unexpected.  I'm tired of wanting to travel to exotic locales and not taking the steps to get my butt there.  After contemplating and really evaluating my likelihood of sticking to a saving plan, I decided to take a page from Molly of Lucky to Be in First who shared a saving plan on Instagram.  I love the start-with-the-most plan.  For me, actually taking the money from the bank and placing cold, hard cash in a jar is the best option.  It's too easy to transfer money between accounts and end up with squat.  I am so less likely to spend saved cash.  Actually seeing it disappear hurts my heart.

Along with the plan, I want to start cleaning out my purse of change and small bills each Sunday and add that to the savings jar.  Exciting!

First, I must continue my New-School-Year-Resolution of planning ahead.  Now with 80 students tied to my name and end-of-the-year evaluation (thanks Gov. Scott) I have to stay ahead with planning.  This means not waiting to plan Sunday night, not waiting to plan the day before, but planning with intention--using that data--about a week ahead of time.  I see 13 small groups a day for 30 minutes at a time.  This time HAS to be focused, engaging and meaningful every time the students are gathered around my table.  No exceptions, no excuses.

Another professional goal for 2015 is to start the work to add a reading endorsement to my certificate.  With a reading interventionist position it really makes sense, but if I want to be the best primary grade teacher I can be, literacy has to be the driving force behind any lesson no matter the subject or skill.  Currently, I've enrolled in my first class through our district's professional development system.  It's an online course and I am on a wait list.  Signing up for these courses is like Black Friday shopping.  They put out the advertising early, then if aren't busting down the doors, you're out of luck.  But, I'm number 2 and have never been excluded from a course due to being wait listed.  Cross your fingers this holds true!

Now, those of you who know me in real life may get a little giggle out of reading this heading, but I am health conscience, even if it only means I know I shouldn't eat two $2 Big Macs and a large fry for dinner even if I don't say no.

I get called lots of names in jest--Skinny B*thc (love you Sue), Skinny Minnie, etc.  I don't think  I am that skinny, but whatever.  I eat like a 300 pound linebacker (Go Steelers!) and am lucky enough to have good genes...at least for now.  My birthday is approaching fast and I know these genes aren't going to hold out much longer.

My health goals for 2015 is to stay active and DO.  I'm not a runner.  Too much running as a punishment during my basketball years.  But I love when I practiced yoga, I love being outdoors and I love new adventures.

I rejuvenated my much too neglected yoga practice with #30Daysof Yoga as Yoga with Adriene as my awesome guide.  Today was day 2 and I am loving every second, deep exhale and drop of sweat.  Even my man said he was glad I started up again.  He said it "gets my mind right". Ha!

This spring and summer we have some mountain hikes planned and I always look forward to the summer kayaking escapades.

Notice, no eating/diet goals.  I want to continue to eat like a linebacker.  I love food!

Being mindful is my personal goal of 2015.  Mindful of those I love.  Mindful of me.  Mindful of my students.  I take too much for granted and need to practice staying in the moment so that it is no longer a practice and becomes a habit and unconsciousness/conscious act.

Taking that mindfulness a step farther, my other word for 2015 is do.  I get caught up in saying I want to, or I will, or I wish I could ____.  Why not just do!  I am my biggest brick wall and stumbling block.  This year I will get out of my own way and DO.

There is power in saying and writing goals.  Embrace the power!  What are your goals for 2015?

Giveaway from K Teacher Tiff

KTeacherTiff: A 30th Birthday Giveaway!

Head on over to wish KTeacherTiff a happy 30th birthday!  You can also enter to win some great prizes from talented teacher entrepreneurs on Etsy.  One of the prizes includes a set of 4 canvas chair pockets made by yours truly. 

Glimmer and Shine Classroom Decor Set

{"You're beautiful.  You pop, sparkle and buzz electric."}

I love Leonard's super confident pick up line (from The Big Bang Theory).  It sat in the back of my mind while I was creating this new classroom decor set.  Glimmer and Shine is just pretty, isn't it?

         

{Alphabet Pennant}

For my classroom this year, I wanted to use a color palate as my driving force behind the decor.  I just get tired of specific themes before the end of the year and never carry them over to the next year.  Glimmer and Shine is just the look I want.  Calm and relaxed, but eye-catching and pretty.

Click on the image or here to check out the preview on TpT.

Only 2 weeks left before pre-planning.  I wonder how many more items will get checked off my back-to-school to do list.

Florida Blog Hop ~ Bundles of Sunshine Giveaway

Welcome to the Sunshine State! Enjoy yourself as you take a tour around our wonderful {and large!} state! Grab some freebies along the way, and be sure to enter to win our Bundles of Sunshine!

My family moved to the Jacksonville area 3 days before I started ninth grade. Ah! We moved from Michigan, where I always said I would return.  *Sigh*  However, I got hooked on Florida.  And how could I not? Beach, warm weather, beach, fun things to do all the time...beach!  While in college, my friend and I lived one block off the beach.  I went everyday.  Even in the winter.  I loved it.  I've lived in Florida for about 20 years now.  Wow.  I am old.

{Two of my favorite bridges}

The First Coast has pretty nice beaches.  I'm not saying gorgeous because we are only gorgeous for about a month when the currents come up from the south and bring the pretty, clear blue water.  The rest of the time we take what we can get.  

 {One of my favorite beaches.  In college I volunteered to walk up and down the beach at sunrise to look for sea turtle nests.  Tough, I know.}

 We enjoy surf fishing, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling.   Pretty much everything to do with the water.  Except sting rays.  Those jokers are scary.  (PS, don't throw your fishing pole at them to scare them away from you when a whole herd is flying at you.  They don't care and your reel will fill up with salt water and get hard to use.  And people will laugh at you...for a long time...like years.  That is my FLA PSA to you.  You're welcome.)

This weekend, we (FL blog hoppers) have freebies for you to enjoy! Stop by each of our blogs for an activity or idea to use in your classroom. To grab my freebie just click an image below!

    

These personal dictionaries have kept me from pulling my hair out (which is not a good look for the beach).  Choose from either the Dolch list or the Fry list.  

It drives me crazy when students stop writing because they can't spell something.  Instead of students asking me 837,592,749,592 how to spell "was" or "because" or "friend" I just point to their writing folder.  Each student has a copy of the dictionary pages in a sheet protector in their folders.  So handy!  The students even tell each other to look up words after they give up on asking me.  Ha!

    

  

 This weekend my whole TpT store is 20% off!  Pick up some (or all) of these products.  Just click on the image to go the TpT product page.  Call it spreading the sunshiney goodness.

I also have an Etsy shop: hermionejschwartz.etsy.com.  Now through July 31, I am offering a 10% off coupon.  Use coupon code FLbloghop during check out!

The Florida teachers below have two fantastic giveaways for you! You can enter once from each one of our pages. All you have to do is follow my blog! Hop around to all the blogs listed below, and be sure to follow them to get more entries. The more entries you have, the more likely you are to win! Each pack also includes a Starbucks gift card (because, well, a teacher's gotta have a coffee!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come find out more about the beautiful state of Florida by reading about these other sweet teachers!

An InLinkz Link-up

Bubbles, Updates, Decor and a Secret...shh

Finally!  My best selling unit on TpT has received a beautiful makeover! Bubbles! sports an updated cover, fonts and graphics.  It can be redownloaded if you already have it.  If you don't, it is on sale today and Saturday.  Blow on over and grab it now!

Pumpkin Project is also showing off a new cover. The remainder of this product is the same, but seriously, look at that new cover!  Love, love, love.  And it's free.

Driftwood Beach is my first decor set.  It's laid back, beachy style will look great in classrooms with a beach, camping, forest or other relaxed theme.

{Alphabet Pennant}

 {Number Pennant 0-9}

 {Schedule cards, number 1-132, Job Chart}

Driftwood Beach also includes Days of the Week signs, Months of the Year signs, behavior charts, table/group/team number signs and several blank signs.

Making decor takes a lot of time, sheesh!  I also have two more themes in the works. They should be available soon.

Want to know a secret?  Next weekend I'll be in my first blog hop!  I'm very excited.  I don't want to give away the juicy details yet, so check back here Friday, July 25 for all the sweet Florida goodness!

Chair pocket discount code

Interested in ordering handmade chair pockets? Check out my Etsy shop: hermionejschwartz.etsy.com for more details.

Enter coupon code SUMMERTIME at checkout for a 10% discount!