Monday Made It

Super excited about finishing these two projects since I started them in the summer.  Spring Break was good to me.  I got to spend time with my guys and complete these. I also won a couple pin to win games on Facebook.  I can't wait to use the units/activities with my students.  

Project #1

I was inspired by all the cute owl clip art I saw.  This little gem is easy to make.  I just used: embroidery needle 

                thread

                embroidery hoop

                felt squares

                fabric 

                buttons

                fabric glue

I'm just not sure what to do with it since it doesn't match any of my decor.  Possibly a giveaway item.  (shrug)

Owl Art

Project #2

I finally got around to finishing up a unit for the Mathematical Practices.  You can find it in my store.  Here is a list of what is in it.

Each practice has an activity to do to clarify the mathematical practice to the students. 

The activities are not just math related but go across the curriculum.

There are:

*writing activities to respond to literature

*a graphing activity

*a fraction book

*a fraction page

*race to a dollar game boards

*a scavenger hunt for math tools

*word problems page

*parts of a flower activity

*domino addition page

*mathematical practices rubric

*anecdotal record sheet

If you teach or have a preschooler/kindergartner  I posted a few freebies in my store as well. Can't wait to see what everyone made.

Autism Part 2 - Freebie

I got this wonderful graphic from Kinder Alphabet.

Other items that have helped in our journey have been:

A Picture Exchange Communication System-  We use pictures for his routine and he knows what comes next or requests things that way sometimes. We took pictures of him doing various activities or things he likes and laminated them. We put up some Velcro and attached Velcro to the pictures right outside his room. I keep saying we but really my husband made these.

Sensory Diet:  My little guy loves to spin.  So we have tried to use other methods to have him get the same comfort he gets from that movement.  He has a mini trampoline and a huge bean bag to jump and lay on.  He loves to have many blankets on him.  Even if he has a weighted blanket.  He goes to gym once a week to move, dance and play.

Sounds and food textures are the toughest right now.  Things are too loud a lot of the time.  He doesn't like to experiment with food to much. (If you have any suggestions I am all ears.)

Water Play: He loves to play in water!  We are trying to get him to learn how to swim this year since water is a huge love for him. Bath time is play time and now with the weather getting warmer he wants to water his flowers as a ploy to get him to run free with the hose.

Waiting List: Not so fun is being on a waiting list.  To get more services we are on a waiting list.  Our insurance isn't the greatest so we are hoping when we get off this list we can get more services.  Until then we do the best we can.

I'm blessed!

This is my little guy going blue this month.  

Every small success is truly a big thing in our life.

Freebie
This is an activity I have done with my son to practice the color words and vocabulary words.  I would print it and laminate.  You can always tape the pictures to the crayons or write and erase on them. I hope you can use it.

Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party

To take part in the Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party just click on the image above. Join the fun!
Favorite Place to Shop

I love to shop there in the dollar section and at the clearance end caps.  

Favorite  Show

I found this show late but have had a lot of fun catching up on the past episodes. It cracks me up.

Favorite Sweet Treat

I have loved these for so long.  It is a great treat to have with milk.

Favorite Food

This is a wonderful Banh Mi Sandwich. AKA Vietnamese Sandwich.  I miss getting these on  a regular basis since they don't make them anywhere close to where I live.  

Favorite Restaurant 

If you ever come to visit Nevada's state capital  try stop by Red's for some pulled pork.  

If you have a big appetite and you love family style you can get one of these.  I haven't tried these but I've seen others attack it.

Thanks for visiting!

Don't forget to visit the 2 people that linked up before you and leave them a comment/follow/or just read their post.  

Autism Part 1- Plus a Freebie

With the high numbers of kids being diagnosed with Autism as a teacher I think we need to get more training and education on the subject. More than likely a student on the Autism spectrum will be in your class.

My Own Personal Journey

My child is a brilliant kid. He is three years old and kicking butt in preschool. Academics are wonderful but socially, sensory and speech related he is making steady progress.

Here are a few things that have helped along our adventure. 

Early Intervention:  Our pediatrician pointed us in the right direction when we had concerns.  Early intervention was able to look at the needs we had and help.  We had a wonderful developmental specialist that came to our home and work with my son.  She found Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist to work with him. A local play group was a big help. Sadly at three he no longer could be provided services.  It was valuable intervention for him.

Group:  There is a support group that meets once a month.  It is a wonderful outlet just to get resources and support.  My husband attends these more than I since he is the primary care giver. This week I hope to attend but we will have to bring our son and we will see how focused he can be on games while the adults talk and drink coffee. 

Family acceptance and support:  We live far away from family so we don't have daily support but even the fact that our families accept and provide us support through phone calls and social media is wonderful.  Since they are aware when we visit they are understanding and ask questions.  We have friends that still aren't so accepting.  By that I mean they don't truly believe the diagnosis.  I find it easier to understand that they are't in a place to accept it and go on.

Respite:  We have been fortunate to find respite opportunities for my husband.  As the primary caregiver he needs time to just be.  

Items that have helped along the way.

This helped with a few signs to understand what my little guy wanted.

He loves the iPad so this has helped for when there is  an occasional accident. Wonderful apps have helped him pick up letters, numbers and words.

This has helped my little man when he is anxious. Instead of biting his shirt collar or his hand he uses this chewy tube. We haven't had to use it too much anymore.

My little man isn't so little anymore so we moved on to this high chair and it is highly recommended since it provides a solid place for his feet to rest on. He won't be out growing this anytime soon. FYI- we got a "vintage" one on Etsy.

This book has helped with our interactions with our smarty pants. We have increased his speech. It is a wonderful program if you can be trained by a Speech Pathologist to implement the program the way it was meant to be.

This car seat is for special needs kids.  It has helped because  other chairs  for older/bigger kids don't have a four- point harness. It isn't cheap but you can see if you have a local organization that can "loan" you one.    

This post has grown rather long so I have decided to add a few more things an another post.  

Here is a freebie on something I've done with my little boy.  We try and notice things around us in new situations and during our walks.  I hope you could use it. Just click on the image.  There are three scavenger hunts to try out. Also, check out the linky party by clicking on the picture above.

Currently April

Wow! My last Currently was in November. 

As always I only get a chance to post when my son is quietly in his room.  He is either asleep, watching some Blues Clues or playing.  So today he is playing with his Cars toy who talks.  We haven't seen the sequel so I'm not sure who this character is.

I love my little family unit.  My husband is our glue who keeps us going and my son amazes me daily.  

Still trying to decide if I should let my boss know that I am interested in going into Kinder.  Looking at the pros and cons now.

I really want a spa day or a day to craft without interruption.  It would just be nice to have that time to pamper myself or create something fun.      

I need to workout and pick up the phone to make an appointment for a check up.  I've put it off for a few months. Not a good thing to put off.

My household may be a bit nutty at times but that is when  I do find the time to just be with my guys.  It is a time that usually revitalizes me.  I still would like a spa day too.

I've missed being on my blog.  It's good to be back.

Breath, Exhale, and Repeat

It has been a long time since I have posted. Is anyone out there?  Hello?  Hello? I've missed blog stalking and putting my two cents in too.  School and life have gotten a bit hectic but I told myself I would post during the break.  So here I am.

First off, my school hasn't fallen to pieces since we have taken on the "new" reading program.  New to us since the rest of the district was using it long before we had to.  I can't say we have wonderful morale either. I'm so not a fan of it but I try my best to adjust and not gripe too much.

I call the program "Success for Some"  so it might give you a hint of what program I'm talking about.  When I started teaching in 2000 I taught it and knew that it didn't allow for differentiation.

Reading hasn't been too exciting for the students and I think we won't be having a Reading Week this year.   I'm going to try and do some fun reading things with my homeroom class.

In hopes of trying to implement some of the programs management parts I went ahead and made an apron.  I'm not use to using tokens and sticks throughout my lesson.  I'll have a pocket for the tokens aka team points and  another pocket for group sticks and numbered sticks.  That way I can easily call a "random reporter" to share out.

I followed a tutorial that I found on how to recycle an old pair of jeans to make it.

I would have loved to buy one on Etsy but we are strapped for cash in my household. Here is how mine turned out.  I'll see if it lasts since I trimmed it with cheap dollar store ribbon.

I'm pondering if I should make a change from second grade to kindergarten.  When I taught it I loved it but I don't know if it would be either all day or a more traditional A.M./P.M. since it hasn't been decided yet.  I would either have 25 students in the all day kinder or 50 total in the AM/PM classes. I only had 20 at a time when I did it.  Also kinder basically teaches the above mentioned reading program all day unlike the 90 minutes that I teach it at my current grade level.

As for my little home, we have been doing great and loving how my son has come along way from being diagnosed with Autism.  We have our ups and downs but life is good.  We went to an Easter event yesterday and he did great.

Our super dog continues to try and keep up with him.

I have been so happy to have made some money from Teachers Pay Teachers for the few things I made last summer.  We have been able to put that to good use with paying for some respite care.

Sorry if I have rambled on and on.

I will be back with how I'll be using Picturing Writing: Fostering Literacy Through Art.   I received a grant from Donors Choose.org  and I'll be using the those materials to get my students to use writing and art together. Also, I'll be giving a bit of information on Autism and my experience since awareness month starts tomorrow.

November Currently

Long time no see.....

I have been knee deep in the trenches of adjusting to changes at school, this post is somewhat of a whining session.  We were able to get a morning recess. So my sanity was saved with that.   It looks as though our wonderful staff is dealing with all the changes that our new reading program has brought.  Many of us are thinking that a lot of things weren't broken so why do we need to get rid or change what has worked.

Morale isn't high at all.  I'm trying to keep my little learners from feeling any of this but it is tough.

I'm dealing with a new battle.  I am advocating for my students with IEPs who are being placed in a reading group that is at their frustration level and not their instructional level. Why? The para can't be cut in half. Why must they struggle and feel unsuccessful because the admin doesn't want to do what is right.  It rocked me to the core since I truly know that this is how my son will be treated when I want to bring him to my school.  Of course I know my rights and see what is going on so I would fight.  I shake my head thinking that what happened to these ladies who are suppose to be educators first.

I have always thought "DO NO HARM" to my students.  They are already facing many things and I believed all educators had the best interest in the students first.  Being in education has been a major roller coaster ride.  

This week is conference week and I'm going to try and stay positive and hope that I can rock some sense into the admin when it comes to my students. If not then I will have exposed a bulls-eye on my back as being difficult and not going with the status quo.  I don't seem to mind it though.  

As always I hope to post some free items soon, I have some adorable clip art that I have yet to use.   I won some of the brag tags and I'll have to post soon how the kids are loving them and I'l be participating in a postcard exchange that my students will love.  More about that when I can breath.  

Thanks for hearing my rant.  

Thanks to Farley for hosting.