Last Sunday of the School-Year!

Guys... Tuesday is our last day of school! Woooooop Wooop... party time!

I'm hitting up a couple linkies tonight... because let's be honest--- linkies are how I roll on this here blog.

First up, Tricks of the Trade Linky from Jess at Joy in the Journey!

Topic: End of Year Gifts

Anyone else out there on a serious budget?! This kid is! I'm moving in a month (WOO A MONTH!) and we all know how ridiculously expensive it is to move (especially halfway across the country). SO I've been kind of frustrated lately about what to do for end of year gifts, because I refuse to spend more than $15-20. And honestly all of the gifts I've seen are PRETTY expensive looking or would be cheap if I had thought of it before the last week of school. So I was bound and determined to find cute, exciting gifts on the CHEAP! 

I hit up the dollar store a few days ago and didn't love anything. So today I went to the Target Dollar Spot, but it was a FAIL because the one in my Target is a MESS and never has the cute stuff I see on y'all's blogs and Instagram's. 

I was in Target for about an hour trying to figure something out and not buying a new dress or workout clothes, I swear (you see where my priorities are don't you!) After an hour I was feeling like a failure and I hate buying candy because I just don't understand why it's so expensive. Er go my one woman boycott of the candy companies (that's a lie, I'm eating Hershey Kisses right now, but I do have strong feelings about this!) 

So what was this little teacher to do?! But then... I remembered one more gem in Target... the party favor section! I LOVE this section it always has packs and fun things with multiple items per package. I walked away with these babies...

8 Pack of what I'd call Kid's Meal Crayons... $2.00 per pack

24 Pack of BUBBLES!... $3.94

Here's what I made from these sweet buys...

Yes, that ruler is fake, my rulers for this gift are in my classroom.

SO in total I spent $10 on this whole gift!!!!!

3 of the 8-pack of Kid's Meal Crayons

1 pack of 24-pack Bubbles 

I had the gifts bags but I know they cost $2 at Walmart and the rulers were a free addition from our field trip to Ag Magic (yes, I'm using it as my own gift-- I don't care!!)

Gift tags- FREE (I made them! Pick them up for any grade {here})

So If you don't have these things already the gift would probably cost more like $15 (if you ordered the cheapy rulers from Oriental Trading)... BUT STILL! I'm highly impressed with myself.

I'm not what you'd call a savvy shopper or a clearance rack shopper. I know, I know, shame on me. Blame my mother she's not either, so the skills weren't learned early and now, to be honest I can't be bothered--- I do love a good sale though. I will not usually buy anything from Loft or Banana at full price since they have sales so frequently! Why am I talk about this... moving on!

Thanks to Jess for that fun linky! Also be sure to stop by her blog and enter her 200 follower giveaway! I'm super excited to apart of it alongside some other AWESOME bloggers!

Next linky... one of my faves! 

This week's theme... Science!

For the last two weeks my kiddos and I have been enjoying the fun activities from Deanna Jump's Dinosaur Math and Literacy Fun! Unit. It's totally precious... duh! Would you expect anything less from the wonderful Mrs. Jump?! 

Well I didn't have half of the books she recommends and our school library is closed for check-outs (that's not annoying or anything) so I was thinking on my feet... which resulted in me BEGGING my librarian to give me any book that teaches about Dinosaurs and not fossils!!! I have about 203948 books of my own on fossils, annoying. Well, she finally got so annoyed by me that she gave in agreed. And what did she give me you ask?!

Dinosaur Time!!!!

I normally don't use the I Can Read books as read alouds, so naturally I turned my nose up to it... I mean I GRACIOUSLY accepted it! But I'm glad I got over myself really quickly because it ended up being a GEM!

We had just talked about herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. And this book provided for the BEST guided practice in identifying each category. It went through all of the major dinosaurs and explained a little bit about it's appearance and said what it ate. I spent the majority of the book saying, "This dinosaur eats meat he must be... ((snap))" Kiddos reply to my snap: "CARNIVORE!" And then the last few dinos I had them hold their answers in their lips and whisper to a partner. Good thing they don't know how to whisper that way I can tell who gets it or not. 

I'd totally recommend this book for introducing all of the well-known dinosaurs! 

Thanks to Amanda and Stacia for another WONDERFUL linky!

I feel like I had something else to talk about tonight... I can't remember because I have the memory of Dory. You think I'm joking.

OOH! I do want to state that Justin Bieber is a tool. Did anyone just watch him on the Billboard Music Awards?! He had a LEATHER baseball shirt on. I'll repeat... LEATHER BASEBALL SHIRT. I'm sorry. I can't. Selena's too pretty for all that.

Okay I'm off to watch some Married to Medicine with Quad, honey! I can't wait for this 2-Hour Finale realness.

xoxo,

Busted Can of Biscuits...

This unorthodox title describes how I'm feeling today.

Maybe you need a little clarification...

This is my favorite e-card of the moment {Jivey can tell you this is an ever-changing thing}

And the worst part of this feeling...

#icantstopeating     (Why NOT hashtag that?)

Bowl of cereal for dinner. Sure, why not. 

But, why stop there... when you can have the big pretzels that freak everyone out and thennnnnnn eat all of the candy my kiddos brought me for TA week (All said in my best game show announcer voice).

Let me stop. I should stop. I'm going to stop. 

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Now! Onto something that will distract from eating for a good 30 minutes. Latoya's Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party!

Topic this week: Teacher Questions!

1. What made you decide to become a teacher?

This story is kind of boring and anti-climatic. All throughout high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Everyone saw it in me. So I accepted it. Then I got to college. I took a few Education classes and decided I wanted to do something totally out of the box so I went into... Communication Studies! This is not something I would trade for the world. I absolutely LOVED my major, the classes, the professors and my experience. I had big dreams during school. I even thought about going to law school at one point. Then, the recession happened and then it got worse. And so I kind of decided to play it safe by circling back to teaching. I feel bad even saying it like that now, but God was working-- oh was he working. This was about the same time I decided, "Why not Louisiana?!"--- ohhh silly Brittany! I think the more exciting question would be what made me decide to STAY in teaching? Especially when so many others in my program bailed. And what I can say for that questions is... the little moments. The moments that catch you by surprise. The moments that can outshine and even erase the 9048830 other bad times throughout the day. 

2. What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher?

This may sound silly, but I am still amazed when I look at my student's data and growth. My brain is not fully trained to the idea that I can really affect this change in my student's academic life. I know I'm giving it my all and these are the results I want, but when I actually SEE the tangible growth either in data or a student doing something they weren't able to do before... I still have this internal dialogue, "I taught them that? I taught them that. I taught them that!"

3. If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

This is a two part answer for me...

My dream job outside of education is either a Fashion Stylist or Fashion Buyer. I would LOVE to be the person who picks out all of the new pieces from the latests lines for different stores. OR to put outfits together for anyone who needs! I LOVE putting outfits together. 

The other part to this question is this... I always say that I must have been a florist in a past life or will be in a future one. I love making floral arrangements and wreaths.

Okay, party's over. Time to go eat. No, Brittany, noooooo. Time to go grade! Check out this whopping pile, errr piles of grading to do! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! Choo, Choo!

That's what I'd call ahead of the game! HA.

Happppppy end of Monday people!

OH WAIT. Did anyone just watch How I Met Your Mother? Who WAS that girl?! Color me disappointed!

Six for Saturday...

Yeah. I said it. I'm changing up the game. Since I'm a day late I'm going to give y'all a little something extra! Once again, I'm dancing to the beat of my own drum with my made-up Six for Saturday. Don't worry I'm not straying too far off course-- I'm still linking up with my girl Kacey from Doodle Bugs Teaching!

I'm a day late because I was too busy drooling over Leo in The Great Gatsby. The movie wasn't amazing, but it was extremely well-done. The cinematography was so visually appealing and the music.... ooooooh the music. Jay-Z was an executive producer and also wrote a few songs for the movie-- it.was.outstanding. I'm even more in love with the Knowles-Carter Family. Didn't think it was possible.

Soooo now onto what's been going in my room for the last week-ish.

Freckle Juice! 

(from last week)

It's the end of year and I'm spending a lot time reading aloud some of my favorite chapter books to my kiddos. They are loving it and surprising me every day with their questions and thinking as I read! Last week, we read Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. Towards the end of the book, I made 'Freckle Juice' aka lemonade with food coloring. They were all kinds of dramatic after consuming said 'Freckle Juice.' Claiming they were soooooo sick like Andrew got after drinking the Freckle Juice and they also claimed that any spot, blemish, and/or mole was a freckle and that it was working! It was super silly and fun. 

Share Whatcha Wear!

(from this week and last!!)

Finally got those new wedges I've been pining for in the last two Currently's!!! 

Link up with Khrys {Keepin' it Kool in Kinderland} and I to share what you've been wearing this week (and last week, in my case :)) 

You can link up at the bottom of this post!!!

ALSO, if you have an Instagram and want to share your outfit on there.... come on!! Just snap a picture of your outfit and hashtag it #sharewhatchawear 

 

Justin Timberlake!!!!

So y'all know Jivey right?!?! We'll if you don't.. shame on you! She's what I consider my BBF (bloggy best friend). We were totally meant to be friends y'all. It's annoying that we don't live that close to each other.. but I'm moving closer! Which is why I'm SO excited to travel that short distance to see her and our LOVE Justin Timberlake. AND we have ballin' seats because Jess had the hook-up! WOOP WOOP!

Mother's Day Tea!

Yesterday, we had our Mother's Day Tea. It was a smashing success! We have 72 kids in the first grade so it was big event, but we were happy to have such a huge turnout (not that normal around these here parts!) My kiddos sang our Good Morning Song and the best part of the entire event was our gracious hosts! I taught the entire first grade how to be a gracious host including, serving, ushering, greeting, and starting and maintaining a conversation. We had about 10 boy ushers who ushered the mothers to their tables. Four table greeters per class who asked if they could help the guest to find their seat and three door greeters who greeted every guest at the door. The rest of the students were 'conversation starters'-- they talked to anyone who sat down at their table, even if it wasn't their mom. The mothers thought it was just darlin'! And it was!!!

How I Appreciated Myself this Teacher's Appreciation Week!!

Since I'm not 100% sure what grade I'll be teaching next year so I didn't buy too many packs or 1st grade only things. The first grade things I grabbed were things I just HAD to have before the year was up!

Dinosaur Unit from Deanna Jump {Mrs. Jump's Class}

Precious Parents from Cara Carroll {The First Grade Parade}

A Year of Many First- End of Year Celebration Book! from Lyndsey Kuster {A Year of Many Firsts}

 Songs in the Classroom from Hadar {Miss Kindergarden}

A TON of Clipart from Melonheadz

Also, not pictured but I did snag the Basic Brights Ultimate Bundle from Megan {I Teach. What's Your Superpower?}

Linking up with Blog Hoppin'!

Lastly, of course it was Teacher's Appreciation week--- a week ALL teachers loveeeee! At first, we thought we were forgotten because our school did not remind our students and/or parents until Tuesday. So Monday and Tuesday, it was that awkward moment when you don't want to be rude but you're like----you didn't get me ANYTHING?! {to the school not the kiddos} But by Wednesday everyone had their act together. We had a nice 1:00 pm treat-- I told my AP, "Just bring me a coke at 1:00 pm and I'll love you forever." This treat included a cold drink, chip and watermelon!!! YUM! We also got a FREE box combo card from Raising Canes! Then on Thursday our Principal provided lunch for us from the Jambalaya Shoppe! So.darn.good.people.

This is all my loot from my kiddos--- in that pile is an awesome nail kit, some VS Body Spray, Subway gift card, Candles, about 4 cans of Coke (I'm such a healthy role model) AND chocolate covered oreos and pretzels.

Welllll that didn't take all day to write or anything. Seriously I've been fidgeting with this post for the past 29394 hours... My ADD is out of control today. Hope y'all have a Happy Mother's Day! 

xoxo, 

Just in Case... {Sale and Call for Reviewers!}

You missed the first 129,384 posts about the sale... read mine!

I am SO behind. Gah. Does the end of year make anyone else feel even crazier than the rest of the year? The paperwork, crappy behavior, paperwork, schedules are out of whack, packing, clearing, testing and so much dang paperwork!

So I've just been fakin' it until I'm makin' it. That's how I roll peeps.

ANYWHO, I finally finished that new product I was talking about! It doesn't have anything to do with the beginning or end of year, BUT it's a very fun game and center that reinforce telling time in 1st (could be used for higher Kinders or lower 2nd graders).

It's cheap and there are some great extras in the pack!

Check out my new product {HERE}

SO! If you're kiddos are needing some helping or reinforcement with time--- this is the pack for you! 

I'd like to do something a little different from the norm with this new product. I'd like to give it away to a few friends and/or faithful readers in exchange for your own rating/review--- either something I can post on my blog or your own blog post about it. 

I'm newer to creating products so I'd love to hear what you have to say about my design and delivery so I can only improve! If you'd like to be apart of this shoot me an email {brhutchinson16@gmail.com}

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Switching gears only slightly!

As you know, unless you've been under a rock for the last 3ish days... the big TPT sale is going on now! 

I've teamed up with some other ROCKSTAR teacher/author/bloggers to promote the sale. I'm demanding.... errr... HIGHLY suggesting that you check out these super awesome chick's stores. They have some wonderful products... and they're on SALE!

Molly

Blog –Lucky to Be in First 

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Molly-Lynch

Erin 

Blog - Little Miss Primary

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Little-Miss-Primary

Rachel

Blog - The Tattooed Teacher

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rachel-Lamb

Chynell

Blog-  The Pinspired Teacher

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pinspired-Teacher

Kayla

Blog - Primary Junction

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Primary-Junction

Amanda and Stacia

Blog - Collaboration Cuties

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cutesy-Clickables

Jivey

Blog - Ideas By Jivey

TPT - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jivey

So. Now. Go forth...

and SHOP!

Happppppppy Teacher Appreciation! I hope you've been showered with gifts, love, hugs and wonder. 

xoxo,

A Wonderful Book for Guided Reading and May Currently!

Hola amigas! It's almost Cinco de Mayo and the Derby... last year we combined the two holidays and called it Derby de Mayo. We dressed up in Derby-esqe dresses with Cinco de Mayo accessories. I don't know why I'm telling y'all this. Of course it has nothing to do with teaching, because that's just how I roll. Here's an awesome picture of my friend Jess and me in our Derby de Mayo best!!

If you're looking for a way to celebrate both holidays I suggest Derby de Mayo :-) 

Soooo now onto relevant things. Like the Workshop Wednesday with mah girl Jivey. I wish I had a cool name last name that started with a vowel so that I could blend it into a suh-weeeeeet nickname. Some people called me BHutch, but if you say that too fast or if you drop the H it becomes Butch. And then I just don't answer.  

Again. Off topic. Are you surprised?

This week's Workshop Wednesday is Reading Group Books! I could easily write 20 posts about this topic alone, but I'll chill out and write this one. I'm going to put on my 3rd Grade hat for now and talk about one of my favorite books from a reading group last year....

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

This book works me right to the core. The message is beautiful. The character development is outstanding and the watercolor... OH the watercolor. 

Here's the synopsis from Amazon

At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t and bullies her mercilessly. The class feels terrible when Wanda is pulled out of the school, but by that time it’s too late for apologies. Maddie, one of Wanda’s classmates, ultimately decides that she is “never going to stand by and say nothing again.” 

When I read this with my kiddos, my biggest focus was character development and traits. We delved deep into the characters of Maddie and Wanda and tried to outline their actions and reasoning behind them.

Because this book has SUCH an amazing message, I found that teaching skill of empathy/sympathy was natural and very easy to incorporate as well.

I highly recommend this great read. And if you won't have time for this in a reading group before the end of the year, try to fit it in as a read aloud!!

Okay...
Switch gears!
Currently TIME!

I'll explain a bit...

Listening-- have y'all heard this song?? I have NO idea if it's new or not. Prolly not, that's how I live my life, I rock out to a song, thinking it's new, asking everyone around me if they're heard it and they're like, "YEAH in 2009"-- Whatever people. It's good and makes me think of summer. So I'm going to be like Pete the Cat and keep on singing my song. Yeah.

Loving- I'm love, love, loving teacher Instagram. I have a normal people Instagram that I hardly check now because it's not a cool as my teacher one. :)

Thinking- I need to get my ish together. I need to pack for NC on Friday. I'm leaving at the buttcrack of dawn. I have to pack interview outfits which I feel is a HUGE conundrum for teachers. You don't wear a suit, but what's TOO casual? Don't worry I only have 212 dresses to choose from. I wish I was kidding. 

Wanting- New wedges. Yes I said that last month and yes I'm a slacker.

Needing- To get my ish together and do all of this paperwork for the end of the year and figure out how I want to party hardy with my kiddos! I'm thinking a luau since the dollar tree is decked out in luau stuff!!

Summer Bucket List: I really, really, REALLY just want a few good days of reading in the sun.-- doesn't have to be all at once And a killer 4th of July :) :) :) 

AND DONE!

Off to bed. I'm totally getting heavy lid syndrome over here.

xoxo,

Embedding Kindness and Peace through Problem Solving

Some of my favorite bloggers are hosting an on-going linky about Peace, Hope, Love, and Kindness. I think we all need a little kindness pick-me-up every now and then.

Thanks to Amanda and Stacia, Joanne and Jivey!

I'm a little late to the party because when Jess first told me about this linky, I couldn't think of a great story to share or really anything beyond just day to day 'little happies.' So I took a few days to think and I want to share how I've concretely created a culture of kindness and peace in my classroom.

So how did I create this culture?!
Problem Solving!
I tell my kids... it's not just for math but for life!

First grade is tattle central and I honestly believe things like the tattle box and a tattle poster aren't really teaching our children to deal with the issue. So I'm very much into teaching students to problem solve even as early as grade 1.

I introduce problem solving with the book A Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue --- SUCH a wonderful book about tattling. It gives rules for tattling like Be a Danger Ranger (if you see something say something) and of course, problem solving.

I have and we use, what I call a Problem Solving Framework.

When my students have a problem with each other they are supposed to use this framework to solve it. I say supposed because it doesn't always happen like this... I say, "Should you be talking to ME about this." or "Am I the one who did that?" at least 20 times a day to remind them to problem solve directly with the person. 

So lets say Meagan is humming during independent practice and is bothering Ashton... here is what is supposed to happen.

Ashton raises his hand: Can I problem solve with Meagan?

Ashton uses an 'I feel' statement to tell Meagan what's bothering him: Meagan, I feel annoyed and distracted when you hum when we're doing our work. Could you please stop?

Meagan (and her cute, happy self): Okay!

The key is the 'I Feel' statement! 

I feel ________________, when you ________________. Could you please ________________?

I picked this up from coaching Girls on the Run. It's polite and powerful. When you teach the kiddos how to use the 'I feel' statement make sure you teach them to use it in a million different ways--- happy, sad, mean, joyful---use a million different scenarios so they know that this is just HOW people should interact with each other in a direct, polite way. 

If you want a poster to help you and your kiddos get used to the Problem Solving Framework, I've created a poster just for you! Grab it by clicking {HERE}

Wellllllllll, that's how I keep this PEACE in my room. I think if we ingrain this into our students in these early years then we will combat a myriad of the issues we face in our society. Let's keep doing our part, y'all!!!

xoxo,

Share Whatcha Wear!! (and a little Instagram too!)

Hello hello!

It's kind of a rainy Sunday...but fashionable nonetheless! I am EXCITED today because it marks the first day of Share Whatcha Wear! A totally laid back, fun and of course fashionable linky with  Khrys {Keeping it Kool in Kinderland} and myself.

We want to see YOUR signature teacher style and if that's khakis and T or a prom dress... ROCK IT SISTA... we just want to see what everyone is wearing these days. I know picking out my outfit is like a game to me. I have to be strategic (since I don't repeat outfits, yes I'm nuts) and I just love it. So it's really fun to share with y'all what I come up! Which is why we decided to create a whole linky about it!

Here are the guidelines:

Now all you have to do this week is snap a picture or two of your hottness :) You are allowed to link up as many times as you want during the month! I like to share my outfits weekly, you may not.... but you may find that it's really fun to have a picture catalog of your outfits and want to keep going!

Here's what I rocked these past two weeks...

Link up with us here :)

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Now before I go I wanted to link up with What the Teacher Wants and Apples and ABCs for their Instagram linky! 

I created an Instagram account from Closing the Gap...in a Cute Outfit! today. I already had my own personal Instagram set up and didn't even THINK about making one for my little blog here! I'm pumped! I can't wait to share pictures of my cuties, what we're up to and just my life as a teacher in pictures. I love it because, as the name suggests, it's instant! It'll just be quick snippets that don't need a whole blog post to explain.

ALSO, the lovely bloggers from What the Teacher Wants and Apples and ABCs came up with this awesome idea! Teacher Talk Tuesday's... which is essentially an Instagram linky party! Every Tuesday you can share your classroom happenings with the special hashtag #teachertalktuesday and be able to check out what everyone is up to! I LOVE IT and can't wait to participate!

SO now you should go create an Instagram for your blog/classroom and join in the fun!

Come follow Closing the Gap...in a Cute Outfit! I can't wait to see what you're up to!

Just click my nifty badge here to check out my Instagram or find me in the search... @closingthegapinacuteoutfit

Happy Sunday people :)

xoxo