Four Critical Questions for PLCs

Professional Learning Communities have been sweeping our educational system. We've really narrowed the focus of how to best use our teams to look at data and increase student achievement. There are four critical questions that PLCs use to help drive discussion and action. I like to have these questions posted so that I can keep my focus on them. Also, it's nice to have a recording form that matches the questions.

This product is available on Teachers Pay Teachers for only $1 (CLICK HERE) and includes: 

• A poster of the Four Critical Questions for PLCs
• A 2nd poster with an alternate heading
• A pdf recording sheet to record answers to the four questions and to categorize students
• A word document recording sheet that is the same as the pdf recording sheet but you can edit and/or type on it

P.O.W.E.R. Writing Process Posters

Writing well is a PROCESS! It is so important that students understand that great writing doesn’t happen in one step. In my class, to help students remember the steps of the writing process, I use the acronym POWER . Each letter stands for one of the steps of the writing process: Pre-Write, Organize, Write, Edit, and Revise. I really stress to my students that writing well gives people POWER, and their writing will be stronger if they take it through the whole writing process.

This product is available on Teachers Pay Teachers for only $3 (CLICK HERE) and includes: 

• Two basic POWER posters that outline the steps of the writing process. One of the posters includes a basic version of how the Six Traits of Good Writing apply to the writing process and the other does not.
• One POWER poster that details the parts of each of the steps in the writing process.
• Two options of 5-Poster sets that have one poster for each of the steps in the writing process.
• Two options of a parent newsletter that explains the POWER writing process to parents. One of the newsletters includes details about the Six Traits of Good Writing and the other does not.

Before and After Photo Contest Pictures are IN!!!!

Check out these pictures and then vote for your favorite on our Facebook Poll! 

https://www.facebook.com/vavoomclassroom1/app_20678178440

Tuesday Tech Tip - Jing!

I am on online teacher. This means that I am at my computer ALL day! I am constantly trying to find short-cuts that make my life and job easier. The tool that I use the most often is a screenshot tool called Jing. It's crazy easy to use, sits on the corner of my desktop silently until I want to grab it quick, and keeps a library of every image or video I've ever taken with it so I never lose anything!

With Jing, it so easy to grab a quick screenshot and then highlight, put an arrow, or type on the screenshot and then paste my new creation wherever I want it. I can even save it as an image file. I use this all the time to make reference guides for my students.

But that isn't all! Jing can also make videos of what I'm doing on my screen. I can choose to have it pick up audio or not. I use this feature to help teach parents, student, and colleagues how to use a program or to give an overview of a course, or whatever I want! It is just so easy. I don't even have to set anything up or edit. And then it gives me the choice to save the video as a file or as a link that will let people open and view my video without any specific software. Click here for a very short, no audio video I recorded of a Jing overview.

I use Jing so often that the word has become a verb in my common vocabulary. I often say things like, "I'll Jing it and send it to you." This tool has simplified my life. I love it and hope you can find good use out of it too!

Liebster Nomination!

Thank you to Sandy at Elementary Expedition for nominating us for a Liebster Award!

The Liebster Award is basically an award for new blogs,
and nominations are passed around as a way to connect with others and share the love. :)
To be nominated for a Liebseter Award, a blog must have less than 200 followers. 

To accept the award, nominees must do the following:

1. Link to the person who nominated you.

2. Answer questions from your nominator.

3. Share 11 facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 5 to 11 other blogs (that have less than 200 followers).

5. Pose questions to your nominees.

So here we go!

1. Who nominated us? 

Sandy from Elementary Expedition!

Questions from Sandy:

Because this blog is created by both Becky and Echo, you'll get to find out a little about each of us.

Which subject is your favorite to teach?
Echo: I love to teach writing. Students do not own their language until they can write it, and being able to write well is powerful. I like to empower students to be able to write well.

What gets you through the day?
Becky: CrossFit workouts, Diet Pepsi, tight squeezes from my kids, music, prayer, creating things on photoshop, instagram, flavored almonds, quest protein bars, and hanging out on the grass with my dogs, hubby, and kids.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?
Becky: THESE QUOTES!

What kind of music do you listen to? 
Becky: Pandora Stations: Cold Play, Pitch Perfect, Kids Bop, LDS music, and Workout Radio

What do you do to relieve stress?
Becky: Laugh, Workout, Run, Talk on the phone to my friends, mom, fellow teachers, EAT, watch TV, hike, drive somewhere new, go shopping!!!

What is the distance from your home to school?
Becky: I get to teach FROM home for an ONLINE school. So....here I am!

What other jobs have you had besides teaching? 
Echo: I had a lot of different jobs through high school and college. I worked at McDonald's, a bowling alley, a car wash, a sign company, a book store (my favorite), and a telemarketing company (my least favorite).

What are your favorite things to do in your spare time (not teacher-related)? 
Echo: I really like to read. I also like to play tennis.

Why did you start blogging?
Becky: I wanted to document all the fun things Echo and I love to make for classrooms and teachers. I have been doing this for 9 years, and Echo for more and finally decided to put it in a place for others to use with me! TeachersShare!

How long does it take you to get ready on school mornings?
Echo: I currently work at a virtual school. That means I wake up and don't have to do much before I start working. But to get ready to teach on my webcam, it takes me about 45 minutes.

Where did you attend college?
Becky: Dixie State University In St. George Utah, and Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah
  

3. 11 Facts About Echo:

1. When I started college I was majoring in Communications with a minor in English. My plan was to get my secondary teaching license. But then I changed my plan and ended up majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Interpersonal Communications.
2. I love to play games. Any games. I love board games, card games, and video games. I love to play the wii with my kids, especially any of the Mario games.
3. I am currently two years behind in my family scrapbook! Yikes!
4. My husband asked me to marry him before we had even been on one date.
5. My family visits our local shaved ice shack quite often. I always get pina colada flavored shaved ice because it tastes the best and it never dyes my mouth funny colors.
6. When I got my first teaching job, I was hired as a 5th grade teacher. It wasn't until 30 minutes before school started on my very first day of teaching that my principal decided to change my position to teaching a 4th/5th split! I had never even looked at the 4th grade curriculum.
7. I have a black lab/chow mix named Harley. I tease that he's part horse because he is SO big!
8. I am frequently guilty of forgetting to switch the laundry into the dryer for so long that I have to re-wash the clothes.
9. I enjoy making dough for bread and pizza, but I don't really like cooking much of anything else.
10. My first car was a Chevy Celebrity. Oh yah, look that up! It's a beauty. :)
11. I have the best kids! They are perfect for our family.

4. Blogs I Nominated:
http://tailormadeteaching.blogspot.com/

http://luckylittlelearners.blogspot.com/

http://gradefourbuzz.blogspot.com/

http://projectsandpolkadots.blogspot.com/

http://loven3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

5.  Questions for my Nominees:

1. What is your favorite restaurant?
2. What TV show are you most likely to avoid?
3.  What is the funniest thing a student has ever said to you or in class?
4. How long have you been blogging?
5. Besides your ID and money, what types of things do you carry around in your purse or wallet?
6. What is the last movie you saw at the theater?
7. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
8. Where have you traveled?
9. What is your favorite season and why?
10. If you hadn't become a teacher, what would you have been?
11. What is your favorite dessert or treat?
    

Thanks again for the nomination, Sandy. This has been really fun!

Freebie Friday!! Teacher's Monogram Bag Tag!

This is a way cute monogram template to use!!

We used them to write teacher's initials on and 

laminate for their laptop bags.

 It would be cute on any teacher bag, on any MOM bag, 

or even as a little wall decor on a bulletin board!

Click HERE for the FREE word doc printable on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Proud to be an American Individual Sets!

Click title above image to go to Teachers Pay Teachers product listing.

Calendar Kit (Proud to Be An American Kit) 

$2.00

Alphabet Chart (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Behavior Charts (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Birthday Certificates and Chart (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

 Certificates and Awards (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Famous American Quotes (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Small Classroom Labels (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

"United We Stand" Bulletin Board Bunting (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Team or Group Labels (Proud to Be An American Kit)

$1.50

Proud To Be An American Mega Classroom Kit

We are excited to share this new classroom kit called 

Proud To Be An American! 

Your students will love this 

Red, White, and Blue themed package.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PURCHASE ON TpT

Includes:

-32 Cubby Labels and 8 blank Cubby Labels

-Calendar Kit (Months, Days of the week, dates)

-33 classroom job (class helpers) labels and 6 blank job labels

-Behavior Management System

-Birthday Certificates

-Birthday Classroom Organizational Poster

-United We Stand Bulletin Board Bunting

-Famous 18 American History Quotes 

(in 3 sizes, 4x6, 8x10, and 3x2.5)

-Student Numbers and Name Plates (square 5x5)

-Teacher Organizational Labels for Classroom or files/desk (40 labels and 8 blank)

-ABC Cards (2 sizes included. 8 by 10 set. 4 by 5 set)

-Certificates and Motivational Reward Handouts

Set is combiled in Abobe PDF format!

Thank you for your support & stopping by our blog and TpT store!! We appreciate your feedback and hope you keep 

coming back for more!!

Sincerely, Vavoom Classroom (Becky and Echo)

Blog: http://vavoomclassroom.blogspot.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/vavoomclassroom1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/VavoomClassroom/ 

Instagram: @vavoomclassroom

 Terms (copyright)

All of our graphics and fonts were used with commercial license or with permission from designers. 

Credits page and links throughout the kit as well as the last page of the kit.

Redistributing or selling this product is strictly prohibited without first gaining permission or purchasing multiple license fees from vavoomclassroom.  Violations are subject to the penalties of the Digital millennium Copyright Act.  

Please contact us at vavoomclassroom@gmail.com if you have questions or classroom needs. 

We will also reply promptly to comments via our TpT store.

#YOURCLASSROOMWILLLOVEYOU

Fantastic Freebie Friday!

WOO HOOOOOO FRIDAY!!!!

 Here is a fantastic freebie for you to celebrate!!

Rules to Acting like a Lady Printable. 8 by 10

Rules to Acting like a Gentleman Printable. 8 by 10

Click image below to open the jpeg. Then right click and chose save as. Have a super weekend!

 Click HERE to download the 8 by 10 PDF version for quick and easy printing!

Perfect for the classroom or home!

I am first going to use them with a mini lesson about being a lady and gentleman, then post them in my room to refer to daily!

Common Core Standards & "I Can" Statements 7th Grade L.A.

Here is an awesome resource for posting your standards and objectives quickly and easily! This Power Point contains alternating slides for each standard. One slide states the Common Core standard and a following slide has a student-friendly "I Can" statement to help students take more ownership of their learning.This 153 slide Power Point covers all 7th Grade Language Arts Standards in the Common Core. To help the fonts and formatting show correctly, please download the following fonts from http://www.dafont.com/: Jenna Sue, HoneyScript, CartonSix, BoyzRGross, and SkinnyChick.

Click HERE to Preview and Grab it Quick! 

 Click HERE for a tutorial for dafont.com

Sports Kit Individual Sets BARGAIN!!!

Click title above image to land in teacher pay teacher product listing.  

Sports Theme Jersey Student Numbers

$1.00

Sports Theme Behavior Chart $1.50

Sports Theme Motivation and Rewards Certificates

$1.50

Our Goals For The Year: School Bulletin Board Set

$1.00

Sports Theme Birthday Certificates

$1.50

Sports Theme Classroom Labels

$1.00

Sports Theme 2 for 1 Team labels and Name Plates

$1.00

Sports Theme Class Daily Schedule Labels

Sports Theme ABC Letter Cards $1.50

I teach, What is your SUPER POWER?

Teaching is SERIOUSLY a super power! It is hard work. It takes skill. It takes determination. It takes patience. It takes continual learning. It takes tremendous strength.

TEACHERS are Super Heroes! 

I have seen this on Pinterest and had to make one for my awesome team of teachers UTVA. Other teachers around started wanting one, so I threw it on FB and Instagram and am LOVING making these for all teachers. It is so fun connecting with so many teachers giving them SERIOUS props for their efforts in teaching. I will do the same for any teacher who comments on this blog with their email and

 school name as well! **This offer will only be active through August 2013.**

Fantastic Freebie Friday!

We have 2 FANTASTIC FRIDAY FREEBIE's 

for you today!

'In our Classroom'

8 by 10 Printable

'In our Home'

8 by 10 Printable

I love these awesome rules to live by in any

 classroom and home! ENJOY!!

 In Our Home Free Printable Download here 

(then right click save as jpg)

              

 

In our Classroom Free Printable Download Here

 

Classroom Set Up BEFORE AND AFTER Contest! CALLING ALL TEACHERS!

Now is the time when teachers are finding deals at Target, laminating job charts, and making checklists of Wong's classroom management 'first days of school' techniques. Planning books are getting put together, cubbies are getting re-labeled, and supplies are getting sorted through. 

It's CLASSROOM SET UP TIME!! 

It is so fun to see before and after pictures of classroom set up, so we wanted to motivate you to send us your before and after pictures. Basic rules below! Voting will take place on FB and winners will receive the teacher's dream TARGET GIFT CARDS.  Take pictures today of your before pics. #yourclassroomwillloveyou

 Feel free to email us anytime with questions! Get a few teachers on your team to join in the fun! 

So easy and SOOO worth it! Happy Classroom Set Up!!

vavoomclassroom@gmail.com

Printable Quote Together we can do GREAT THINGS!

At school, there are many times we have to work as teams! 

We are a team with our students. We are a team with our fellow team of teachers. We are a team with parents. We each have individual strengths, and none of us know everything there is to know about everything. We need each other! 

In my K5 team of teachers, and with my students and parents, I realize that we are STRONGER and more successful when we  use each others strengths and continually work together.

I wanted something to print off and hang by my desk to remind me of this, so I made this printable!

 It can also be fun to put this in the font office of a school, so parents and students realize immediately the culture of teamwork present in your school! #yourclassroomwillloveyou

Click here to open clean image file.

Sports Theme Mega Classroom Kit is HERE!

YOUR CLASSROOM JUST SCORED!

{ace! touchdown! grand slam!}

Your little sluggers will knock this school year out of the ballpark with our:

Sports Theme Mega Classroom Kit! 

On sale for July 15th-16th for half price. 

{That is only $5.00 at our TpT Store} 

Click Here to Preview and Grab it Quick!

Thanks for stopping by vavoomclassroom! #yourclassroomwillloveyou

Once you get it all set up, email us pictures!

 It will be fun to have your classroom featured on our site!

EMAIL: vavoomclassroom@gmail.com