Long Term Sub Binder for Maternity Leave

Ok, so it has been awhile since my last post...6 or more months to be exact. Life has certainly changed since then. First and foremost is that in 5 weeks I will be a momma!! This weather has not been the greatest for this pregnant lady, but it has allowed me to get a lot of "nesting" done ahead of time, as well organize life and teaching before I take my maternity leave.

What I found as I was putting things together for my long term sub, was there was not a lot of anything out there to help give a basic idea what one could leave for a long period of time...especially if you are going to miss the first two months of school! My type A personality is cringing that I have to miss teaching all those important routines, so I really wanted to give as much as I possibly could to make sure those routines are taught and implemented.

So here is my binder I put together:

Inside the first thing I included is the building calendar that our principal gives us. This gives the sub important events happening that she will need to be aware of.

Next, I separated each section with a binder tab:

1. Classroom and Routines - this includes everything she needs to know about my classroom and the routines that she needs to know

- As I was planning this, I remembered the pictures I took in the fall of my classroom (which is what it will look like when she arrives). So I used those to create a written tour of my room. I labeled each part of the room and a possible routine that goes with that part of the room, or bulletin boards that she can add to:

This took the most time...but was totally worth it! (this is page one of 6 since the pictures take up room)

- Daily Routines - I thought of all the possible routines throughout the day she would need to know and typed out the steps. Routines included: Morning, End of Day, Intervention Time, Recess (indoor/outdoor), When a Student is Absent, Birthdays, Friday Fun, Friday Folders, Newsletter, Grading

- Behavior Plan - includes how to handle behaviors and what I do to give rewards

2. Standards and Plans - I included a copy of the L.A. and Social Studies common core standards, and left a plans template for her to follow. I also instructed her to put copies of her plans in this section.

3. Reading

- for each subject I included my Goal for the subject area, what the time looks like, supplies and teacher resources to use, how to assess, units covered while I'm gone, and possible lessons.

- The "cover sheet" included these things before a possible outline of lessons she could use, with the possible time frame it would take to cover the unit

4. Writing

- included the cover sheet

- For this subject, I am especially picky so I included more specific lesson plans for the unit. I already had much of this typed out due to my student teacher this year :)

5. Word Study and Grammar - This was the most vague section I left because I teach this differently every year depending on the group of students I have...and I told her this. I gave her some resources she could use, possible units she could cover, but told her to pre-assess and change depending on the group of kids we get

6. Social Studies

- cover sheet as mentioned

- I have a possible outline of lessons to cover the unit (left some open due to new standards)

7. Other

- I included how to access certain technology on the teacher computer and in the room. 

** I put all of this in a thick binder with a lot of room with the instruction that she is to put copies of the resources she uses, and other things she hands out or receives that I need to know about when I return.

** In each subject area, I included copies of some of the handouts I have given out, but mostly have given her the instructions of how to find them on my computer and the folders of the subject areas I have collected ideas and materials in, that she can use and pull from.

So there you have it. I hope this helps those who may be in this same position now or someday. I wish something like this was out there for me when I started...but glad I have a starting point, since it may change, come kid number 2 :)

ReadLearnTeachLife: Tis' the Season to Cook!

ReadLearnTeachLife: Tis' the Season to Cook!: I love to cook! So, it doesn't take the holidays for me to break out the cookie sheets and skillet. It really is the time in the day I don't...

Tis' the Season to Cook!

I love to cook! So, it doesn't take the holidays for me to break out the cookie sheets and skillet. It really is the time in the day I don't think about teaching, etc. I call it therapy. The best part of cooking is sharing it with others and seeing what they think of it. My biggest critic...my family, especially my husband. He is such a trooper trying all of my experiments and attempts at recipes.

Here are a few recipes that I am excited to share.

I am always afraid trying slow cooker meals, so I tried this on a Sunday when I was home. It's a Kraft recipe, you can leave it in for 8-9 hours on low, but it was great after only 5 hours on high.
Easy Slow Cooker Stew

It was very yummy, very easy and great as left overs.

Something sweet, Surprise Cookies from Martha Stewart. Thanks to Pinterest I found these fabulous cookies that may become a yearly cookie. Lots of fun to make, and easy ingredients to have on hand. It may just look like a chocolate cookie with chocolate icing, but there is a marshmellow underneath it all. I decided to add some M&M's on top to give some holiday color. Once again, a husband favorite.

before frosting

half and half

All done!

Tired today...first day back as a full time teacher with out a student teacher teaching. Got to say though, I love teaching :) I missed it. More teaching posts to come!

Questioning - Westlandia

This is the last week of teaching for my student teacher, and she is ending strong. We started our next month's strategy last week: Questioning. This was her next lesson to introduce that we ask questions throughout reading, as well as reviewing that there can be thick and thin questions.

I have briefly read this book...but it is fabulous for many strategies:

To start off the lesson she used their knowledge on the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to ask thick and thin questions to help students see the difference:
1. Who are the characters? (thin)
2. Do you think Goldilocks will break into another house again? (thick)
3. Where did the story take place? (thin)
4. What will happen when Goldilocks gets home? (thick)
etc....

She then had them ask some questions after looking at the cover and reading the plot description, and wrote some of them on a T-chart she had labeled Thin Questions/ Thick Questions.
Students wrote this chart in their reader's notebook.
As they read Westlandia, they wrote down questions and put it under thick or thin question. The teacher also thought aloud some questions she may have and what kind of question it could be. Students shared their questions periodically.

At the end, each student was given a post it note and wrote their favorite question  they made while reading on it, and then came up to the t chart and put it on the large chart. This was a great quick way to see if they understood the lesson. It was great! Students were very into the story as well, so it made questioning very easy.

Fun discovery! My student teacher said that she was exploring on the ALL section on Pinterest and one of my pictures from my blog on Idioms was on there!!! WOW!!! thanks to all who follow and share these ideas with others!

Winter Reader-Land!

 Quick post today..wanted to show you my newest door for the season. I love being able to decorate a door now! I wanted to do a gingerbread house front, but couldn't find brown chart paper until after the fact. Yet, I do love how this turned out.

Right now I am trying out my first slow cooker meal. I decided to try it out on a day when I would be home all day. I will post soon how it comes out.