I finally made a decision

This is my first summer blog post. Seriously?! That is crazy! It's almost July and I am just starting my summer blogging. 

It has been a tough summer, career wise. 

Long story short (hopefully), I was scheduled to move to 7th grade advanced math, but my heart wasn't in it.  I love love love my students and want to move with them, but not teach the content. 

I applied for some other positions and was the first loser for both. That's what my husband calls coming in 2nd place. I was bummed, but whatever, it is what it is. 

Finally, after a good talk with my current principal, I am going to stay where I have been, 

6th grade Advanced math. 

Finally, I feel like I can "get excited" about the upcoming school year. 

Finally, I can start "planning and preparing" for what is ahead. 

And finally, I can get motivated to blog about school again!!! 

What's coming up: 

I reached 400 followers and my blogiversary is coming up which of course means, 

A GIVEAWAY!!!

I have some exciting news coming up soon about that. STAY TUNED!!! 

I also want to share how my interactive notebooks turned out this year. 

Our school is becoming a 1:1 ipad school. I have been to training and there are going to be some big changes with that as well. I am so excited about the possibilities and what we are going to be able to do with our students this next year. 

Plus in July I get to attend CAMT. It's a HUGE Math conference and I am thrilled to be attending. 

Looking forward to a great month, hope you will stick around to read all about it! 

Tried it Tuesday- Reflections on Math Notebooks

Linking up with Holly over at Fourth Grade Flipper to reflect on using 3 ring binders for my math notebooks this year instead of composition notebooks. 

I liked the composition books, but my main reason for changing was I wanted larger paper. 

Composition Size: 

Binder Size: 

Pros of Binders: 

1. More paper space. 

2. Pages can be removed (this could be a con too though!)

3. When students were absent it was easy to get pages into their notebooks

4. We could add notes to foldable pages 

5. We could include worksheets, homework, assessments, data, etc... 

Cons of Binders: 

1. Binders are open so often, they lose their alignment 

2. Pages fall out (see number 1) 

3. Binders take up more room. I had plenty of space for my six classes though. Students struggled to keep them neat, but space was available. 

4. Binders were too small to hold all the work I had anticipated. I had asked fro 2 inch, but many students brought 1 or 1/2 inch. This really made a difference. 

End of the year teacher binder: 

End of the year student binders: 

This is page 7, not page 1. 

This could have a lot to do with the condition of their notebooks. 

Seriously, this is embarrassing! 

I ask daily for them to put them on the shelf neatly. Of course, that didn't always happen. 

Sometimes it never happened. 

So, I guess the question is what will I use next year? 

Actually, I don't know. It all depends on what supplies we asked our students to bring next year. We are having some changes for next year, so it's a waiting game right now. 

I think the inside is the most important part of the binder anyway. I am really proud of our notebooks this year. I think they were full of useful information and presented in a fun way. 

My students always told me how they liked taking notes because I let them use markers and/or pen. 

I love the simplicity of making them happy. 

Currently-June

I have missed the past few months of Currently's, but wanted to get back on track this month. 

I finally get to join Farley's monthly linky for June. June? WOW! This calendar year is flying by.  

Listening: We are in exam schedules and because most of my students are exempt because they passed their state test, we are just hanging out. I have iPads and such for them, but honestly, it's mostly just chatting. 

Loving: We have 3 more days, I can't say I'll sleep in all summer, but I won't be waking up to an alarm clock until August!!!! 

Thinking: I will probably move up to 7th grade with my students next year. I never imagined this, but I am okay with it. I like these kids, they are good students. There's a hand full of them who I want to strangle, but I think knowing what makes them tick from the beginning of school will actually be helpful. Plus, I already have relationships built with their parents, which is very helpful. 

Wanting: 2 hours and 20 minutes is TOO long to be with my students who do not have to test. To be honest, I am bored. 

Needing: I am ticked off about something and it is affecting me at work. I need to get over it and move on, but I am struggling with it. It is making these last few weeks miserable. Have you ever known what you need to do, but just can't do it? I guess its my own pity party. Seriously? Will I ever grow up? 

Bucket List: I can't jump on the weight loss band wagon again. But, I have to do something. My goal is to walk this summer, I have NO EXCUSES!!!!!  I am starting small, but doable. 

I absolutely must clean out my boys' closets and room. It is ridiculous in there and I am about to throw everything away. We just have too much stuff. No one should have that much stuff. We must down size!!!

Moving to 7th grade means I have to take TWO certification tests. I am NOT happy about this at all. I have spend 20 years in "elementary" and now moving one grade level changes everything. It's expensive and annoying, but if I want to move up, I have to do it. I was expecting just one, when the second one came about, I started rethinking my move. I guess time will tell.