So it's been discovered...my love for making charts with fun colors, fonts, and symmetry!  This is my fifth year teaching and my third year at this school.  And now they know!  So what does that mean?  I get to help collaborate and make curriculum/standards-based and CUTE anchor charts for our new writing initiative! The nerd in me is kind of excited about this because then I get to have a say of how something looks that has to hang on my classroom walls.  PLUS, it is a way to get my creative-juices flowing!
    Our new writing initiative requires many specific posters and charts to be used daily within our lessons.  I have many I'd like to eventually share with you!  The one I produced last night is for the upper-grades.  I'm sure you've seen the RACE strategy floating around Pinterest and TPT for writing.  Our teachers, however, wanted RACES and the extra S stands for Spelling.  I thought you all might be interested too!  Click HERE to download your own FREE copies of these to put in writing notebooks, enlarge to poster-size, etc! There is the RACES or RACE in color or b/w printer friendly version.  Happy Wednesday!

 CLICK HERE for your FREE copy

 CLICK HERE for your FREE copy

Need some input...

Hello and HAPPY TUESDAY!  I did a Periscope today (find me at "Sweet Tea Teach") and was hoping to get some input on some things I've been brainstorming about lately.  If you have some ideas...let me know!

1.  I have the help of many adults this year...YAY!!! I'm not USED to this...so I need HELP trying to figure out how to best use these resources! I have a college-student who is planning to be a teacher.  She is spending a full day with me each week and a couple other hours throughout the week.  I also have a shadow for one of my students, but has to really allow him to try to be independent.  Therefor, I am able to use her during the day, especially because she does not have to sit with the student at lunch, specials, or recess.  I know she can be used effectively!  ALSO, I have some AWESOME parents who want to help in the classroom AND outside the classroom.

So, what I DO know is I can have them help struggling students...clerical stuff....cut lamination... but I want to do more!  If you have any ideas of what/how you exactly use people in your room to help you, let me know!  I am open to new creative ideas!   Thanks in advance....I know this will help my kiddos and my day go smoother.  I can't wait to hear some input! :) 

2.  I also want to know...what do you do for "phonics" or spelling grades BESIDES a rote memorization spelling list and test.  We are revamping our spelling and how we assess it.  Students need to be measured by another way rather than memorizing the words for the week.  Please leave a comment explaining what works for you!

Thanks everyone!  Isn't the internet amazing?? I can ask teachers across the world to help me brainstorm for my specific classroom needs...talk about amazing!  We have a endless amount of teacher friends with teaching knowledge out there...so thanks in advance for your help!