I LOVE my class this year. Diverse. Capable. Sweet. Unique. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Hard-working. Funny. Lovable. These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my first graders. But one more word that also comes to mind is...chatty. Very chatty. We are a 'work in progress' with this. And thank goodness, we are continuing to improve each week. :-) Now, don't get me wrong, I believe a classroom should be FULL of rich, collaborative dialogue. Student discussion is vital, and our little guys need frequent opportunities to engage with peers and share their thoughts. I pride myself on having a dynamic, student-centered classroom that encourages this. To foster this kind of a climate, however, students also need to learn how to be effective listeners and independent workers. There are appropriate and inappropriate times for talking, and to get students to adhere to these boundaries, clear expectations must be set. Here are 12 ideas/strategies to try when working with a chatty class.

I love the look of Flying Geese Quilts and here are 15 inspiration projects to get you making a flying geese quilt of your own!

how to caulk baseboards and windows trimlike a pro. Quick and easy steps so your project will look professional (and be less of a mess)! Plus a video tutorial of this DIY

Sitting here at the dentist a office waiting on on the kids to get their six month checkup, I thought I would try to use the iPad to get some work finished. I just want to say…I love this thi…

Four tips for how to motivate unmotivated learners: The school year is almost over and I marvel that the hurricane of energy in my Spanish One class has funneled itself into an orderly group of students who speak Spanish and seem to love learning. Here are some of the strategies that have kept my students engaged.

This summer I've been teaching summer school so I've been staying after school a little each day to get my new room ready for the upcoming s...

My Homecoming quilt pattern has been out in the world for a little over two months now! We are actually a few weeks into the Homecoming Quilt Along, which has been really fun. I had planned on blogging about these quilts sooner, but time got away from me and I never got around to it. But alas, I've finally taken the time to sit down and write out everything, so here it is! If you missed my original Homecoming Blog post, be sure to check that out. You can also see all of the lovely tester quilts from my pattern testers in this blog post. . . First up, lets talk about my two-color Homecoming quilt. This was actually my very first version of this design. One of the reasons why I love two color quilts is that the eye tends to focus more on the shapes and design of the quilt....which was my goal. Initially, I designed this quilt simply as a housewarming/

I'm back with my third post in the "How to Draw" series. (You can view the first two here and here.) I love drawing wreaths but I find myself feeling really overwhelmed when I sit down to draw one. Where do I start? What do I draw? Too sparse? Too full? Ok, well I'm breaking it down step by step today so if you're

I love how she has a free pdf pattern to make this teepee. I also love how this tepee DIY is for a large size tee pee. Looks so fun _ I want one to read books in! Definitely going to try this idea.

Hello, you lovely lot! As you know, things have been a bit busy here, but I thought it was about time for a free pattern.So here's Moggy.She's my new doorstop. And why would I want to make a new doo

I love this craft! It's very cheap to make (a stalk of celery is usually around $1 at the grocery store) and FUN for the kids! You will need a celery stalk, paper, knife, and

Explore Mountain Colors' 85 photos on Flickr!

I'm back with my third post in the "How to Draw" series. (You can view the first two here and here.) I love drawing wreaths but I find myself feeling really overwhelmed when I sit down to draw one. Where do I start? What do I draw? Too sparse? Too full? Ok, well I'm breaking it down step by step today so if you're

What is self-love, really? And how can we practice more of it in our daily lives? Here are 7 self-love practices for more compassion & joy.

Quiet Critters: Quiet Critters live in a soundproof jar and only come out when it’s quiet! Loud noises hurt their ears, but whispering is ok. They love to sit on students’ desks to watch and learn from the students. They don’t mind being patted but they get scared if anyone picks them up or tries to play with them. If they get scared they go back to their jar to hide. How I use Quiet Critters: When I take them out of the jar I place them on the top left hand side of the desk. If the student is too loud or starts to play with them, the Quiet Critter gets moved to the other side of their desk as a reminder that they don’t like loud noises or to be played with. If they continue to be loud they go back into their jar. At the end of the quiet lesson whoever still has a Quiet Critter on their desk can have points, a sticker, be first to go out to lunch, or whatever incentives you have in the room. Sometimes just having the Quiet Critter on their desk for that lesson is reward enough! ✰ I only use the Quiet Critters sparingly, and only during those times when students need to be concentrating and working quietly by themselves. This download is for the LABEL that goes on the jar that the Quiet Critters live in as well as instructions on how you can create your own Quiet Critters! I have included labels with different sizes, shapes and borders. I have also included labels that can be edited with your own words and labels that can be resized to fit your container if needed. If you have a request for different text, border, size or style please message me and I will see what I can do! If you like this resource, check out my Number of the Day Display and my Drawing Prompt Cards too! Happy teaching everyone! Denise ************************************************************************************** For more teaching ideas, freebies and resources click on the ★ Follow Me ★ on my store's homepage. You can also connect with me here: Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest [email protected]

Show off your family pride with these DIY family tree ideas.

I just finished up a new pack and I’m super excited about it. Because it’s for me. And my team. But I thought hey, if I need it, maybe someone else needs it, too, so I decided to put it in my store.

I love the first week of library lessons!! While it’s often a blur of activity, it’s always fun to see the kids walking into the library, some for the first time, some for the 100th time, but all of them having that look of excitement. I know just how they feel! ... Read more

Even in the dead of winter, I am buying plants. My husband thinks I'm crazy, (Yeah, crazy plant lady!) but he supports my love for greenery any way he can. Mo…

Nestled in a woodland setting, Thorncrown Chapel rises forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. It sits atop over 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone, making it blend perfectly with its setting. The chapel's simple design and majestic beauty combine to make it what critics have called "one of the finest religious spaces of modern times." Thorncrown was the dream of Jim Reed, a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1971 Jim purchased the land which is now the site of the chapel to build his retirement home. However, other people admired his location and would often stop at his property to gain a better view of the beautiful Ozark hills. Instead of fencing them out, Jim decided to invite them in. One day while walking up the hill to his house, the idea came to him that he and his wife should build a glass chapel in the woods to give wayfarers a place to relax in an inspiring way. Shortly thereafter Jim met E. Fay Jones, a professor at the university of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Much to Jim's surprise, Jones was quick to accept the proposal to design the chapel. On March 23, 1979 the construction crew broke ground on the mountain side. Jim's dream looked like it would soon be a reality. However, half way through the project, funds began to run out. Soon the building process ground to a halt. In his own words, it looked like Jim had made "...the biggest mistake of my life." He desperately tried to raise the necessary funds to complete his dream, but all of his efforts failed. Finally, one evening Jim took what he thought would be one last walk down to his half-finished chapel. He would take one last look and never return. Then the unexpected happened He said, "I am not proud of the fact, but the first time I ever got down on my knees was on the chapel floor. I prayed more seriously than ever before. All the trials and tribulations gave me the humility to get on my knees." This was a turning point in Jim's life and in the construction of the chapel. In a few short days all the money Jim needed was made available. On July 10, 1980 Thorncrown Chapel opened. Since then over six million people have visited this little chapel on the hillside. Thorncrown has won numerous architectural awards. It has been featured on television programs such as NBC Nightly News and the 700 Club. Almost every major magazine in the country has carried a story about the chapel including Time, Newsweek, and Parade. Thorncrown Chapel is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is located on Highway 62 West three miles outside of Eureka Springs. There is no admission fee, but donations are accepted. Every tour group will receive a presentation telling the story of the chapel followed by an inspirational song by one of the Thorncrown musicians. There is ample parking for buses and RVs. So, while in the Ozarks, stop by what many have called one of the most beautiful and inspiring chapels in the world. It will be a visit you will not soon forget.

Whew. It's been a while. Just when I think I am ready to sit down and blog, BAM, life happens. SO, here I am! Fiiiiinally blogging! The past 2 weeks have been all about plants! I absolutely LOVE all