TOP 10 THINGS TEACHERS DO OVER WINTER BREAK!

1. Turn off the alarm and sleep in!
2. Have a pajama day!  Those aren’t just for students you know.  You can even spend the day in pajamas without watching the Polar Express!
3. Remove the glitter still lingering from all the classroom Christmas crafts.  It’s kind of like Christmas tree needles.  Long after the projects are gone, you’re still finding glitter.
4. Find a place to store this year’s “Best Teacher” ornaments and coffee mugs!  You can never have too many, or can you?  Hmm…
5. Sit down and eat your lunch.  You can take as long as you’d like!
6. Read a book without thinking about what standards you can teach with it.
7. Shop the after Christmas sales and end up buying things for your classroom instead of a new outfit.
8. Spend some special time with your own children.  It’s easier to appreciate the time with them when there aren’t 20 other kiddos to think about!
9. Smile!  You know parents are now appreciating you more than ever!  After a few days of being home with their children, they are realizing you were right all along.
10. Try to convince yourself that you don’t enjoy sleeping in and having lazy days!

Then, realize that there is a part of you that misses your students’ warm hugs and smiling faces.  After all, who else could possibly work as hard as you and love them as much as you do?  With that realization, you are ready to get back to your classroom, but before you go to bed on that last day of Winter Break, you’ll note how many days of school there are until Spring Break.  Not because you’re counting down or anything!

                                                            Loving Our Learning

Sock Snowman: The Perfect Parent Gift Idea

If you are in search of the perfect Christmas or wintertime craft to do with your class...then look no further.  Sock snowmen are super easy to make and have proven to be a big hit with students and parents alike, year after year.  Seriously, whoever came up with this idea is a genius!

Step one:

Step two:

Step three:

Step four:

Step five:

This is where the fun begins! I like to glue a pompom to the top of the hat to create a tassel.   An idea to create the carrot nose, is to color a toothpick orange then stick it right through the sock.  Then we used a black sharpie to draw on pieces of coal for the mouth. Don't forget fabric scraps or strips of felt for the scarf.  

The best part for me, is to watch my students use their imaginations to bring their sock snowmen to life.  As a result, each snowman becomes just as unique as the child who created it.  

An added bonus to this project, is that you can easily tie in content area standards such as measurement.  Your students could also write an informational piece explaining "How To" build a sock snowman, or create a narrative piece describing an adventure their sock snowman went on.  

Each year, I look forward to this craft.  It's a great opportunity to include parent volunteers (highly recommended), and to take a break from the rigor and assessment that has become our norm.  

This is such a quick and easy activity that your students and parents will rave about for years to come!  

Snips, Snails, & Teacher Tales

A Cut Above The Rest!

Christmas is in the air. I love this time of year. Christmas carols, Christmas lights, Christmas bargains, and Christmas Spirit all over.  I love to spoil my kiddo's teachers with cute little partially home made gifts. (Let’s face it, I said partially because I am not the DIY Queen that I think I am!). I love most of these because they are SUPER easy but still SUPER cute! Any who, if you are looking for a cute little gift for your child’s teacher(s) than this post is just what you need.  Here are a few gifts that I have done over the years:

1.) A Cut Above The Rest - Purchase some cookie dough and wrap it. Attach a cookie cutter and a sweet little note about how much you love and appreciate them. (I copied mine onto cute Christmasy stationary.)

2.) Thanks for all you “Dew” - Purchase a 6 pack of Mountain Dew and a Tervis Tumbler. Wrap it and attach the tag with ribbon.

3.) You Make Me “Sparkle” - Probably best suited for women (but you never know......) Purchase some sparkly nail polish. Put them inside a cute little bag. Attach the tag with ribbon.

4.) Seeds of Knowledge - Purchase a small plant or some seeds. Wrap it and attach the tag with ribbon. 
If you would like to use some of these tags, you can download them here:
Teacher Gift Ideas and Tags

Here are some other great ideas that I found on Pinterest! (If you are one of my children's teachers close your eyes for the next line!) I plan on using the wrapping paper idea along with the Starbucks gift card this year!

Merry Christmas!