Win Mission Possible: How the Secrets of the Success Academies Can Work in Any School

I recently read Mission Possible - How the secrets of the success academies can work in any school - and I could not put it down. If you watched Waiting for Superman, you would have seen the lottery that was held for kids to gain entry into one of the Success Academies in Harlem.

The book gives the details about how a a charter school in the middle of Harlem, emerged as one of the top schools in New York City and State within three years with enrollment of neighborhood children selected at random.  The results of this school were on par with public schools for gifted students and elite private schools.

The book gives strategies that can be put into place at any school. There is also a DVD with examples of the strategies at work.

A few takeaways I got were:

* Making School Magical - Would the students go to school if they didn't have to?  Teachers at Success Academies WANT to go to school .  The curriculum is rigorous so students are never bored, but they also add joy to school with magicians and jugglers performing in classes, field trips, and more. A quote from the book I particularly liked was, "Don't doubt that kids will get it if you consistently make the instruction both challenging AND interesting."

*Reading is the starting point for all else - The school uses the THINK Literacy program which uses a balanced literacy program that includes reading and writing workshops, guided reading, read alouds, shared text, book discussions and more.

*It's all about the adults -  This was very interesting for me, as I had never heard this to be the focus in education.  Usually we say, "It is all about the students".  And while I think that focusing on the student is important in education, I agree that we must also focus on the adults who provide the education.

I also have a homeschool blog from back when I used to homeschool my older children.  Although I no longer homeschool, I have maintained the blog and was given the opportunity to review and giveaway a copy of the book for that blog.  You might want to head over to enter to win the book for yourself!

Enter here.  


Fancy Free in Fourth is also having a great giveaway celebrating 300 followers! Prizes include a variety of items from TPT stores and a Starbucks gift card.

Please stop by and check out www.fancyfreein4th.blogspot.com for her awesome giveaway promotion! 

Teach on a Limb is hosting her 100 follower giveaway with a bunch of items from various TPT stores including the product of your choice from my store!

 

A Few Classrooms in Progress Pics - Messy Beware!

Here are a few pictures of my classroom in progress.  Be warned - it is fairly messy, but coming along... I have 4 more days before I officially have to be back.  Friday is my first official day back, but will luckily be a work in my room day.  The following week is mostly professional development and then school starts for us August 20th.  Fingers crossed that I can get this all pulled together!

Bunches of books waiting to go on the shelves that hubby was lugging in while I took the pic.  We definitely need to appreciate the men who are so supportive in our lives!

A table full of "projects" and my Really Good Stuff boxes in the back.  I couldn't decide what to do about student book boxes, but the school made it easy for me with this set already in the class.  I only had 12 in there so they ordered another set so each student will have one!  YEAH!

My Daily 5 wall and CRAFT (instead of CAFE) wall.  I liked this version better for older students.Ladybug's Teacher Files has them as a free download if you would like!

My teacher's "desk" well table.  Instead of a desk, I am just going to work from my kidney table.  Again, another messy table to clean up.  In the back is my FACE of a mathematician wall. I will link up to it when I figure out where I found it.

And... not exactly my classroom, but a shot of my three little hooligans who came to help - but instead found the sprinklers on.  They were DRENCHED in this picture and are peeking in on my husband and I.

I decided to share my unfinished pics because I know it makes me feel a little tiny bit better when I peek in classrooms down the hall that are just as unfinished as mine.  So... if your classroom is in the disarray that mine is in right now, take solace, you are not alone!

Run!  Miss Nelson's Got the Camera is hosting a linky  for before and after classroom pictures.  She is also having a fun giveaway!  Although my "after" part isn't completely done, I linked up and you should too!  I love looking into other classrooms!

On another note, there are some great giveaways going on in the bloggy world:

Primary Pizzazz is having a 100 follower giveaway!

1 winner will receive a $25 TPT gift certificate & Amazon gift card!!   Fourth Grade Flipper is giving away a $25 gift card to Amazon!  

  Literacy and Laughter is giving away a $30 Gift Card to

every teacher's favorite store:

 

100 Follower Giveaway!

I can truly not believe how welcoming the teaching blogger community is!  I started this blog about a month or so ago and have hit the 100 follower mark!  (OK - I'm late it is 105, but who's counting?).

Anyway, so that means it is time for a giveaway!  I was hoping to give away the most incredible pencil sharpener - but they have sold out and asked us to hold back our reviews, so I thought what would be the next best thing?  How about a gift card to Target???? And the product of your choice from my TPT store.

I have a bit of help with the giveaway (told you the teacher blogging world is incredible!)

Lindsey from Lovin' Kindergarten with Ms. Lindsey  has donated a winner's choice item from her TPT store.

and Mrs. G from Teach on a Limb has donated a really cute set of reciprocal teaching buddies!

And... as an extra bonus - the first three people who comment on this post will receive the product of their choice from my TPT Store! Simply let me know what you would like and leave your email address so I can get it to you.

Thank you again for following!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Digital Pensieve

I love, love, love the idea of Daily 5 and CAFE, but I do not love the idea of carrying around an awkward binder full of reading records and conference notes. So... this is where my ipad comes in as a digital pensieve!

I got these two apps (one was a paid app - Confer at $9.99 but totally worth it in my humble opinion - I would have spent at least that putting a binder together). The other app - Running Records was FREE!!!!

I tested them out with my own kiddos today to see how they worked and they are amazing!  Here is a screen shot of Luke's running record (ignore the sloppy handwriting, I'll get better with practice).  Not only could I save it in a file, I could email it to myself to print out for a file or to give to parents or my principal.

You can then put the results into Confer which will automatically group students based on strategy,  reading level, teaching point, weakness, or strengths.  Love that!

Monday Made It - Multiplication Jenga and Freebies!

 

I am linking up with Monday Made It With 4th Grade Frolics.  And I know it isn't Monday anymore - but I have been extremely busy setting up my classroom, completing new hire paperwork with my new district, and shuttling boys to football practice.  Hopefully you forgive me!

Before all the craziness, I was able to complete this Multiplication Jenga project that was on my to-do list.  I was really happy that I knocked this project out because when I looked through the district's pacing guide, I found out that this year they are starting with multiplication instead of place value which they traditionally had.   I like this idea better because then the students have the whole year to master their facts instead of a few months.

You can click the links above to get the template.  I just used these blocks that I bought at Wal-Mart for about $5. 

Here are a few other multiplication freebies for you!

Multiplication Mistakes

Understanding Multiplication Using Arrays

I have over 100 followers!  That means a giveaway starting Friday!  If you would like to donate an item for the giveaway please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net.  Thank you!

Tell me more, tell me more!!! {A Linky Party}

OK - even though I constantly tell my teenage boys that they shouldn't do something just because "everyone" is doing it (sounding more and more like my own mom everyday), I am joining in on the tell me more, tell me more bandwagon because- well, everyone else is doing it!    :)

1. I have six boys - which leaves to inevitable questions which I will answer below:
                Yes boys, yes 6, and yes we know what causes that and we had fun doing it ;)

2.  I am on the city council where I live. I was the youngest person ever elected and the first woman ever elected.  Another woman was just elected and I am excited to not be alone anymore.

3. I am a sports mom - I get dragged to tons of baseball and football games.  Saturdays = game days or skiing .

4. Hubs and I got married when we were children (not quite, but it has been a long time).  Look at the proof:

We got married in Lake Tahoe which is where I was lucky enough to have grown up.



5.I direct children's theater.   So far we have done: Annie, Aladdin Jr., High School Musical, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Beauty and the Beast, and Lion King.  Here are a few pics from the shows.

Hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me  - I know I have been enjoying reading everyone's entries in this linky!

My New Classroom - The Before Shot

I got to go into my new classroom on Friday.  This is what it looked like when I came in.  If I had been smart, (and didn't have three of my boys in tow) I might have taken pictures of all angles, but I didn't.  It is much bigger than my old classroom, and I actually have 4 walls instead of a slider thing. 

When I first arrived all of the tables (all tables, no desks in this room) were up against the wall.  I managed to move the tables out and got the computers hooked up before my boys decided that they had enough fun in the classroom.

I love the idea of the tables (no missing work shoved in desks), but I'm not 100% sure how to set them up.  Right now I have three groups of two rectangle tables put together.  I'm not sure if I will keep it that way or not.... Decisions, decisions.

I would love any input or suggestions on the table situation (storage ideas for supplies as well - :) please and thank you!).

Also, since this is the first time that I will have my boys in my classroom before and after school, I would also love any suggestions for keeping them busy while I work.