CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Monday, August 22, 2011

Meet the Teacher Monday

Me, Jonathan, Jacie, TJ


Tell us a little something about you...

I am a wife to my wonderful husband, TJ.  We'll be married for 10 years in October!  We have two great kids, Jonathan and Jacie.  Jonathan just started second grade and Jacie, kindergarten.  I've only been blogging since this past summer, although I've had a class website since 2003.  I love technology and enjoy every opportunity I get to search for ideas for my classroom.  I also love sharing, thus the reason I started this blog.


 
How long have you been teaching?

This is my eighth year teaching, and it's my eighth year teaching second grade.  Actually, it should've been my ninth, but I took a year off to stay home with my kids.  I taught in Oswego, IL for 4 years, but then took a job in Ottawa, IL to be closer to home with the fam and all.  I seriously just love teaching second grade.  I could probably teach first or third, but my heart lies with second graders.  It's like a transition year, and I love helping the kids make that transition.



You might not know...

I love snowmobiling!!  It's one of my absolute favorite things to do.  We usually make the trek up to the UP Michigan 3 or 4 times a year.  I love racing through the trails and trying to keep up with my husband and and my dad! I'm actually pretty good at it! ;)



What are you looking most forward to this school year?

I always love meeting my new class each year.  Every summer I get this giant burst of energy to try and find new ideas and activities to try in my classroom.  With Pinterest and all these awesome teacher blogs I've been following, I have found so many new things that I can't wait to try! 



What do you need to improve?

I wish that I could implement the Daily 5 and CAFE.  But, in my district, we use Harcourt Storytown.  The past couple of years, however, I have incorporated it somewhat, because I do a lot of the read-to-self strategies.  I honestly wish that I could implement the entire program, but at this point, it's out of my hands.



What teaching supplies can you not live without?

My literature organizer.  I swear, I could NOT live without this.  It keeps me SO organized.  I can copy things way in advance, and I can always find what I'm looking for.  It's the best system I ever started using in my classroom!  I actually have two of them!


I used to always use masking tape to attach posters and stuff to my classroom walls.  That is, until I found Stikki Clips!  I love them!  They are so easy to use and reuse.  They literally last forever.  And my posters NEVER fall off the walls anymore. 


I know this seems a little old school, but I still love me some Print Shop.  I'm a pro and have been since high school, lol.  I use it to make my weekly newsletter as well as signs and posters for my classroom.  Love it!


And last, but not least, I couldn't live without my Mr. Sketch markers.  The fat ones are nice and bold for my anchor charts.  But, I love the skinny ones too.  I use them when grading daily work and tests.  I also like going around and putting smelly stars and smileys on my kids' papers.  And they love getting smelly stars drawn on their hands once in a while too.  It's a great incentive and doesn't cost a thing!


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Mrs. Clapp,

I love your blog and your classroom pictures everything is colorful, it's just beautiful. I'm new to the blogging world and I wanted to ask if you would follow my blog, so possibly some of your followers might visit my blog one day. I appreciate your consideration.

Anonymous said...

تعتبر ماسترتك هي من اكثر الشركات الرائجة في صناعة ماكينات التعبئة والتغليف مع افضل اسعار ماكينة تعبئة وتغليف حيث انها تقدم مكن عالي الجودة مصنع تحت اشراف نخبة من مختصين صناعة مكن التعبئة والتغليف مع ضمان صيانة دورية علي الماكينة لنضمن احسن جودة واداء للماكينة وافضل انتاجية.