Long Time I know…Needed To Get My Head Together!!!

I have tried to sit down and write this post eleven thousand times really…I just couldn’t get out what I wanted to say.  As you can see from the change in my blog, there have been some really big changes going on around here.  I was reassigned schools and grade levels after 14 years.  I am no longer a 4th Grade Shearer Shark.  I am now proudly a 2nd Grade Conkwright Colt!  Now you can see why I had to change my blog name, my store name, my facebook page etc…
I don’t do well with change AT ALL!  When I got my letter, I didn’t even look at it at first.  Then I read it and saw that I would be leaving my school for another school.  After being in a place for 14 years, building the relationships there and finally feeling like I was being accepted for the person I am, the powers that be decided I needed a change.  God knew I needed a change.  I had been wanting out of fourth grade for a couple years.  I am being placed in second grade and I couldn’t be more happy.  I have been stalking all sorts of second grade and primary blogs.  My old principal texted me the other day and said she knew I was busy trying to become the best second grade teacher in this county, but reminded me to slow down and enjoy my family.  God must’ve thought I needed a really big change because he brought me out of my little hole in wall at the end of an isolated hall and placed me in one gigantic classroom!!!!!  

I mean that is one really big place.  When we got to enter the building back on June 10, you could hear my big ol’ mouth ring out into the whole downstairs of my new building “OMG!!!  THIS ROOM IS HUGE!!!”  Sometimes I have trouble containing my feelings :)  Every person who will be working in my new school will have a new experience.  This is a newly remodeled building and we aren’t even allowed into our classrooms to work/setup/decorate/cute-i-fy until July 14 (first day of school for students is August 12, so not even a month for all the moving in and the planning)  This is all helping me accept the change I have been given. I don’t know if any of you have seen Evan Almighty.  It was a religious/political comedy with Steve Carrell playing Noah.  In the movie, Morgan Freeman mentions to the Lauren Graham, who plays Carrell’s wife, that God isn’t going to just give people what they pray for.  He will give them opportunities to embrace what they need or just the opportunity to grasp what He knows you need.  God is giving me an opportunity to start over and recreate so many areas of my life.  I can be a better mommy, wife, teacher, learner, friend and daughter.
I know it may seem a little far fetched that a change in my job placement/grade level could have this many life altering implications, but I tend to live in every aspect/moment of my life.  I put all of myself into things and my job is an easy one, because I truly in my heart love what I do.  I love being Mommy and Honey first and foremost.  That is the most rewarding part of my life.  Having someone learn from me and make something of themselves and I get to be a part of that, have an influence on that…that is the fluffy frosting on the top of my life cupcake! 
So, there you have it.  My reasons for being MIA from the blogosphere.  But I am back in the game.  I have so many post ideas to share with you in the coming weeks and I create my hiney off getting things ready for my second grade sweeties! 
I’m off to start on a little first day of school assessment fun pack to get us started off!  Until Thursday my friends!!!

Great Book List from Burkins and Yaris...

I subscribe to the Burkins and Yaris blog and today they had a great post on their top ten children literature books and how they can be used to teach different things.   I wanted to share the Burkins and Yaris blog post today and will share their post on Thursday over nonfiction mentor texts!  

 Top Ten Fiction Books for Teaching….EVERYTHING!

This is exciting for me...Real reading begets real writing and vise versa!  I am always looking for ways to teach using real children's literature.  My wish is that instead of investing big bucks in a basal, schools would go to putting real books into the hands of children.  Text book companies could still make their teachers guides and supplemental materials but the book experience would be so much more meaningful to have a real book in hand...as you can tell, I'm not a basal gal...Nothing against them, but the real deal is the real deal...plain and simple.  

Please go to that list and check it out...New titles and old titles...there is something there for everyone!!

Check back Thursday for the second post on nonfiction texts or simply subscribe to their blog!  A big thank you to Jen Jones (Hello Literacy) for turning me onto Burkins and Yaris!!!

CH CH CH CH CH CH Changes!!!

 I posted about all the crazy things my school district is up to about 6 weeks ago.  Today the bottom fell out of things completely!  All of elementary and middle school principals were demoted to classroom teachers a few weeks ago and had to re-interview for their jobs.  My principal had a group interview this past Friday and had to find out for herself that she would not be called back for a second interview.  Needless to say, this has crushed me.  She has been the absolute hands down bar none the best principal I have ever ever worked for!  I know she will be fine and land on her feet.  My concern is now for my staff and me....Who will lead us?  Will they let us stretch our professional legs and teach from the standards or will they try to put us back in and make us teach a big box program for reading and math.  I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK INTO THE BOX!!!!!  My kids have actually learned something this school year and retained that knowledge.  I don't even know if I will be in present position or not...I have many prayers that God is answering...I believe that God will have me where I am supposed to be and have me working where I am supposed to be working.  I know that God has a plan for who will be my little girl's teacher next year for Kindergarten...I just have to trust in Him that he will do what is best for me.  He knows what is good for me...I just have to let go and let Him lead me.  

Thanks for listening and I will keep you posted!!!

An Ocean of Water….

One good decision and stick to it all week…that is how I am going to go about this weight removal process.  Dr. Pam Peeke from Body for Life for Women calls it weight removal.  Weight loss would imply that I have lost something and we generally want to find things we have lost like our keys or our tablets etc.  I most certainly don’t want to find this weight once its gone.  So…my one good decision this week was WATER…and a whole lot of it. 

I need to drink 89 oz of water daily. I figured this by taking my weight and dividing that by 2.  Don’t judge :)  I have a long road to travel here :)  I have been drinking right at 5 bottles of water daily.  I am recycling each and everyone, because that quite the carbon footprint…I have been to the restroom like 1834 times today.  I am about as far from the staff restroom as a person can get at my school, so getting to go is a challenge. BUT, I can already tell my body is kicking out some impurities.  The only movement I have done this week is picking up after my kids and playing outside with them.  No formal exercise. 

I had a free health screening last week provided by my insurance company.  It indicated that I was technically obese as determined by the BMI, I am pre-diabetic and I have high cholesterol.  All of this can be remedied by exercise, but not by exercise alone.  I have to get control of what I drink and eat first and then the exercise will come shortly there after. 

That is fine, when I am ready for that, I will do it…This journey is a process and I believe that slow and steady wins the race.  The more gradually I remove this weight, the more likely I am to stick to the good habits I will develop.  My students noticed that I was not drinking my usual soda drink and one even asked what was up with the water…literally…”Hey, Mrs. Sadler…What’s going on with the water bottle.  Aren’t you an ale-8 gal?”  (Ale-8 is our regional softdrink around here and since its bottled in our town, most of us are weaned from the baby bottle to the Ale-8 bottle…I promptly and replied “well, its time to get healthy kids and I am starting with ale-8…They just laughed and said sure!  They know how I am about my Ale-8 so they have no faith in me. 

Well, I’m checking out for tonight.  Thanks for stopping by…Have a great day and a wonderful tomorrow!!!

In a giveaway, winning is everything!!!

Congratulations to the following winners of my Spring Fever, Just because I wanna Giveaway!!!

Emily L, Darlene V. and Jarlene B.  Check your email to see what you won!!! 

Congratulations my friends and thanks to everyone who entered and followed me.  A big thanks to those of you who are already followers!  I love connecting with you and sharing what we do! 

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Summer Online Book Study…

I am sponsoring an online book study for the summer…I have a few reasons for doing this…

• As an educational specialist candidate, leadership opportunities don’t always need to present themselves,  they should be created and declared :)
  
• 21st Century learning encourages us to connect to others and engage in global professional learning communities
  
• As a National Board Certified Teacher of literacy (who is now in the 5 years before re-certification) that makes me a teacher leader.

I have purchased three titles from Amazon Notice and Note (recommedation from the inspirational Jen Jones from HelloLiteracy); The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller and Daily 5 2nd Edition from the 2 Sisters. 



Daily 5, The (Second Edition): Fostering Literacy in the Elementary Grades [Paperback]
By: Boushey, Gail
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC



The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child [Paperback]
By: Miller, Donalyn
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC



 Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading [Paperback]
By: Beers, Kylene
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

I don’t plan to start until after my school lets out.  I do plan to do all three books this summer and upcoming school year, but will do them in the order of request.  Basically, the one that is requested the most will be first and so on and so forth.  If you are interested, I would like to have at least 5-10 participants.  I will create a schedule for the summer and incorporate different technology platforms for us to converse about the book.  Please check with your principals because you may be able to count this toward Professional Development credit. 



If you would like to participate, fill out this google form.






This will submit your information to me privately.  I look forward to making this happen and meeting some new teacher bloggers!!!

100 TPT Followers Baby!!!!!

 I just hit it...I just got my 100th Teachers Pay Teachers Follower!!!!!!!  Get ready to a nice little giveaway to hit the gate next week sometime!  Thanks to everyone who follows me and to those of you who just got on board!!!!!  I am excited to be hosting another giveaway sometime in the next week or so!  This little because I feel like it giveaway ends Friday!  Sign up for one of two $10 TPT gift certificates or a 5 item shopping spree from me at my store, Shearerly Sadler 4th Grade where I just got my 100 followers baby!!!

 

I am so pumped!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much you all!!!