Symbaloo – Bookingmarking Tool and Resource

So, I am in love with a bookmarking site called Symbaloo.com.  So far, I’ve mainly used it to bookmark videos for movement in the classroom but it has so many possibilites.

I have started boards for composers and listening videos as well as some games for when we do centers.  As you can see it is visual so the kids can see exactly what they are choosing.  Anyway, fellow teachers, check it out!  I see endless possibilities.

 

Thanks for reading!

Not Quite Anchor Charts

So, I absolutely LOVE the anchor charts I’ve been seeing on blogs and on Pinterest.  Apparently, anchor charts are supposed to be minimalistic so as not to confuse the children with extra information and art.  Oops!  I guess I can’t call these anchor charts but I’m pretty proud of my work.

They are small because it only costs $1 each to print them at Office Max.  Plus, I wouldn’t have room for 11 enormous posters.

Enjoy!

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Hey Guys!

Thank you everyone for your kind comments.  I am not quite ready to sell these for several reasons but you’re more than welcome to download them for free HERE.  (NOTE: I’ve never linked files for download via dropbox before so let me know if you have any troubles.)

First Flea Market Booth/Modern Lux Photography

A few weeks ago, I decided (rather spur of the moment) to have a booth at the monthly flea market on base.  It was an experiment…..one I won’t repeat.  It was more garage sale that craft vendors so I wasn’t too successful.  I mean, I made enough to cover my expenses but I actually did better with my work colleagues than at the flea market.  Anyway, here is my meager first time booth.

I had hairbows and headbands made so that’s what I took to sell.  You can see there are also a lot of random clocks.  Those are from a craft project that didn’t pan out so I decided to sell those as well.  They were actually more popular than the bows.  Sheesh….

If you see my iPad at the end of the table.  I made a slideshow of my other crafts to play with the some music.  The music was quickly drowned out by someone with bigger speakers.  The sun made my slideshow almost impossible to see.  I did have several offers to purchase it but that wasn’t going to happen.

The one successful part of the flea market was meeting Sharon from Modern Lux Photography.  She had a booth across from mine and saw my headbands.  She purchased a couple for a shoot she had and sent me the pics.  Yay!

photos courtesy of Modern Lux Photography

So, there was success.  I just think I may do better on Etsy or at a craft mall.  Hmmmmm…..we’ll see.

Thanks for reading!

Rambling Thoughts of a Music Teacher (and other stories)

Being a music teacher is a very public job…….public as in your colleagues get frequent opportunities to see the fruits of your effort.

General education teachers have test scores that represent their and students’ success in the classroom. Note: I am not trying to get into a debate on the standardized testing but assessment of students’ skills is a requirement in any subject area.

Although I do assess student achievement in my classroom, I am the only one who sees that data.  Performances and special events are completely public.  The fruits of my labor are up there for all to see.

This has it’s positive and negative aspects.  I can not say that I go without recognition at my job.  ”This show was great!” “Another success!” “Wow! They sang great.” “Best show ever!”  I’m not trying to brag but I’m good at my job.

Other times, it is exhausting!  For example, I have to look the part.  This morning was the Cowboy Breakfast at school (long story!) and I MC-ed the line dancing.  I didn’t have to but I bough cowboy boots and a hat.  I straightened my hair for under the hait.  I washed clothes specifically for today and this isn’t an isolated event either.  Every performance I dress in concert black.

Of course, I don’t HAVE to do any or all of that but, again, my job is public.  My appearance influences the quality of the event and people’s opinion of my job performance.  It’s especially difficult when you’re overweight and extremely self-conscious.

Back to the Cowboy Breakfast:

I am not western……at all.  I don’t listen to country music.  I don’t wear boots (today was a first.)  I’ve never owned Wranglers even though I live in Texas.

In spite of that, a year ago, I was thrown into my first Cowboy Breakfast.  Because it was a tradition to have line dancing, I had to learn line dances from youtube so I could teach the children.

Apparently, I did TOO good of a job because I was asked to head up the activities for the entire event AND teach/plan line dancing for the kids.  Being the work-aholic perfectionist that I am, everything got done well and was a success.

My personal line dancing has been a topic of conversation though.  It’s not that I mind so much as……it’s a part of my job…..line-dancing with kids for fun at the buttcrack of dawn.  Ha!  It would be strange if commented to a classroom teacher “Wow! You read that story with great inflection” or “You made a great flipchart for last week’s science vocabulary” or “You put your grades in so efficiently.” However, it seems perfectly natural for teachers to comment on my moves, my dancing skills (it’s not common knowledge that I have a dance background), or the fact that I tower over my children especially when I’m the only adult in a mass of children ages 3-12.

It is just strange to me how different my job is from other people’s…..even other teachers.  I love it but it bogles my mind sometimes.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the Cowboy Breakfast since I’m not going to do a separate post…..I think my ramblings covered it.

 

Here is some of my kids dancing.  Notice the different sizes: I had 6th graders help the younger students and had as young as my Pre-K 3 babies out there.  I love how children will just run out and try things without worrying about how they long.  I wish I was like that.

 

Other activities included:
Lassos
Stick-Horse Racing
Animals (one of the high school teachers brought a cow and a donkey)
Photo Booth
Interviews with the School News Crew
Musical Book-Walk (cake walk with books instead of cake)
Jellybean Guessing (to support Paws 4 the Cause)
Bean Bag Toss

Thanks for reading!

2nd Grade Performance: This Old Gingerbread House

 

I chose Teresa Jenning’s “This Old Gingerbread House” for 2nd grade’s performance this year.  It was actually a last minute (by last minute, I mean I chose it in the fall rather than last year) decision because I hadn’t chosen a kinder musical yet.  I pushed the 1st and 2nd grade ones I had previous chosen a grade level down so, this year, 1st grade will be doing “Too Much Noise” which ironically fits them as a grade level.  Ha!  Kinder will be doing a “Barnyard Moosical.”  I haven’t started it yet but we shall see how it goes.

“This Old Gingerbread House” tells the story of Hansel and Gretel AFTER their experience with the witch in the gingerbread house.  They have taken over the mortgage on the gingerbread house but it is falling apart due to their neighbors eating the house.  Their neighbors fell terrible about what they’ve done so they apologize and help in fixing the home.  At the end, they present the rebuilt house to Hansel and Gretel.  It really is quite previous.

 

I had 72 children perform (89% of the grade level) so the stage was pretty full.  Going from five risers to four to accommodate the gingerbread house in the middle of stage increased the “fullness” of the stage.  Luckily, 2nd graders aren’t very big.  Kudos to our fantastic art teacher for creating the gingerbread house!

 

I know…..the faces look weird being blocked out.  But, isn’t Hansel adorable?!?!  He is such a precious little boy and he can SING!

 

Yuck!  I look awful in this picture but this is the only one I could find that had some of the other decorations in the picture to show.  The pieces that are hanging are balls wrapped in tissue paper and cellophane to represent candy.  The bottom of the stage is covered in green paper (I’ve become accustomed to covering the bottom of the stage because it’s unattractive) and I covered frisbees in tissue paper and cellophane with white paper strips as suckers.  The boxes in front are used by the “builders” and are marked as flour, sugar, cinnamon, etc.

Anyway, it was a success to say the least.  We had a packed house of parents.  I can’t wait until we have our new auditorium to better fit the crowd.

Thanks for reading!

Excel Award

So, I won an award.  Each year, one teacher in each San Antonio district is chosen and awarded.  I was chosen by my colleagues which is an honor just in itself.  It was quite an interesting experience being interviewed by a news crew and to have them in my classroom.  I don’t LOVE how I come off but what’s done is done.  Here is the link: Cara Coffey Excel Award

Here is a picture of my trophy.  Do you just love my reflection?

 

Anyway, just wanted to share.

Welcome to My Classroom Sign

Being on a military base, we have students coming and going all the time.  I don’t know about you, fellow teachers, but I don’t like being called “miss,” “teacher,” or any other variation of that.  I try very hard (TRY is the key word) to learn all 800+ names of my students.  I’m pretty successful though I do occasionally mix up siblings…….which is funny since that totally happening to my siblings and I.

ANYWAY, to help my kids out, I post my name in conspicuous places (like the piano and the entrance).  It also helps that my name is a particularly well-known beverage.

Whatevs…..the point is I put together this little piece of decor for my classroom.