TPT Numeracy Finger Pattern Freebie!!!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Regular-Finger-Patterns-Flash-Cards-884022

Goes along with what we are taught in Advantage Math :)

Educator Portfolio

This was a lot of fun to make & really helps during interviews! :) Plus it helps evaluate things going on in the classroom and helps you to self check to make sure you are doing everything you intend to! :)

Cover page--- I simply slid this into the front sleeve of a binder. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine! I love zebra print, no REALLY! :) This is one more way to let your personality & passion shine in an interview!!! Make it fun!!! Simple captions help you remember things you want to share with potential employers plus help you keep on track, let's face it, interviews are INTENSE! Plus, you always leave wishing you had remembered to talk about something else!




Use the next few pages to highlight things you are most proud of or things your students really love about your classroom.

If you have something original in your room that you want to share, don't be afraid to brag! This is your time to do that! If you don't, once you walk out that door, your opportunity is long gone!



My portfolio highlights each subject & various parts of the school day. Be sure if you do centers to show how they are done & multiple examples!


Show the unique multiple representations of standards & hands-on opportunities your classroom!

Make sure you have examples of how your centers address each type of learner! (audio, visual, kinesthetic, etc...)


Employers want organized teachers! Don't be afraid to show how you organize your centers!

Include pictures of you with the kids!

Make sure you show how technology is used in the classroom!

Don't forget to show group work & collaboration!

Show opportunities for choice, self-check, and varied grouping!

How do you reach lower level learners? RTI strategies???

How do you check for comprehension?

Don't leave out Guided Reading!!! What do you do if students know it, or if they don't???? How do you make sure???

Don't forget to include how you share objectives with you students, classroom management tools you use, how expectations are communicated, discipline, recognition, and reinforcement.

Always address parent involvement!


Good luck on your job hunt! Also, as I said, a portfolio is an excellent tool for assessing yourself! If you find yourself looking at pictures of blah, unexciting things, you need to make some changes! Make sure the kids have smiles on their faces & are engaged!!!!

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Kindergarten Graduation and Saying Goodbye

Well our little sweeties moved on to first grade yesterday. It was a fun and emotional day. So very proud of them & they did a wonderful job during graduation! :)

Here are the two kindergarten classes together. On the far right is the other kindergarten teacher, who I am proud to call my friend. It has been a wonderful two years working with you!

Yummy cake! 

Our wonderful parents went above and beyond like always. Our kids are so fortunate to have them! (and so are we!)

Just me & my little sweeties. Going to miss them so much!

Some of them being silly.

For those who may not know yet, I am leaving Hart ISD. I will be teaching 2nd grade in Amarillo. It will just be better for my family. I have enjoyed my 2 years in Hart & have made a few lifetime friendships & learned a lot. Thank you to all of those who helped me. Special thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Salazar, LaDawn Schulte, Mrs. Neudorf, Heather Leverett, and Mrs. Sharon Davis! Take care friends! See ya down the road! :) 

Leaving the Shadows of Kindergarten Behind

Mrs. Leverett found this fabulous idea online. She used her projector to trace the kids' silhouette onto black butcher paper using a white crayon. I absolutely love it!!!!  Sorry for the funny pictures, I used panorama to get it all in & it distorted some of it. But you get the idea. :) Going to miss these little ones next year!

Kindergarten Math Contest

Friday we separated the two kindergarten classes into two groups and they faced off against each other one on one to determine who is the best & the fastest in math skills! We had six categories: shapes, calendar, addition, subtraction, counting, and number recognition. It was INTENSE!!! Several students won more than one category. They got these adorable little trophies. It was so much fun. ABSOLUTELY amazing to see how strong they are in math skills!

This little girl absolutely blew my mind with the way she was able to count on. This is a hard skill to get kindergarteners to fully understand but she has mastered it!! She dominated addition and subtraction. Way to go!!!

Counting champ!

She won shapes and numbers!

Calendar Champ- he has beautiful handwriting & used his tools to spell Saturday correctly. Way to go!!!!

So proud of our kindergarteners!

Ipad Addition & Space Men

He is a whiz at this! Didn't even ask directions!

Here he is teaching another student.

I use a VGA cable to attach the Ipad to the projector. So unfortunately the smartboard is not functional with this but at least the partner who is waiting their turn can watch. Plus the other groups watch and learn and I only have to give directions once. :)

Here are our space men! We use these during writing to make us more conscious of good spacing in writiing.

I just used old clothespins (thank you again Carolyn Bloodworth!!!) and taped a space man found online to them. The gap at the bottom and the space man serve as a visual reminder to put good spaces. After a few minutes they realize they don't actually have to lay their space man on their paper to make spaces but develop the habit throughout the assignment. These are available to them at all times & they LOVE them! :) 

 Here is one of my little guys using his space man to make wonderful spaces when writing a list from Lori Rosenberg's writing menu. We read the book Cowboys and he is writing a list of things cowboys wear to protect them such as a hat to keep out rain & sun, a scarf to keep out dust, chaps to protect their legs, boots to protect their feet, and things they use such as a lasso for roping cows & a canteen for water. He did a great job!