The RCA Experience!!

Where do I even begin? I think Friday was the best experience I have ever had. The Ron Clark Academy is nothing short of amazing! This past week was our school's Fall Break. Let me rewind back to March, that is when my co-worker/friend Ashley and I decided to take the plunge and get tickets to RCA. It was something I have been looking forward to since we received the conformation email! Ashley and I went to Atlanta on Wednesday and went shopping, explored ATL, and ate delicious food. Thursday night, I was so excited, I couldn't really sleep. The anticipation allowed me to get about 4 total hours of sleep, but come Friday morning that didn't matter!

We arrived at 8 sharp and began gathering around the gate. Promptly at 8:15, the gates opened and we were escorted into the library where the music was blaring and everyone was dancing. I was immediately greeted by an adorable 5th grader, and we had a short conversation before she asked me if I wanted to go jump on the trampoline. Of course I didn't bat an eye, and before I knew it, I was meeting Kim Bearden and getting strapped into the trampoline. A trampoline in the middle of their library? That is my childhood dream come true! I couldn't imagine what else was to come!

We then went into the main building and began our day. I don't want to spoil the greatness that happens there, so I'll give you a quick snapshot. As soon as we were inside we were welcomed by more music and dancing. Ron welcomed everyone, and we were off to our first part of the day. The morning was a whirlwind of classroom observations and workshops. 

One of my favorite quotes from Ron was "Allow yourself to forgive yourself." This hit home with me because I am my own worst critic! 

One of the most inspirational part of the day was listening to Kim Bearden. She is such a genuine person, and a phenomenal educator. She told us her story and she touched everyone in that room. One of my favorite quotes of the day was something Kim said that really stuck with me, "I believe what I can do, not what I can't do." This is a quote I am going to keep close. 

The middle of the day was lunch in their Harry Potter inspired dinning hall. During lunch we had a wonderful conversation with a 7th grader and she told us everything we were curious about, and so much more. She even noticed that I wear the same perfume as Hope King, one of their teachers. The ability the kids have to carry a conversation with an adult is amazing!

After lunch there were more classroom observations and workshops. Rigor was in everyone of those classrooms, but along with the rigor was student engagement and fun. I enjoyed watching the different teachers teach because they all had their own unique way of running their class that were all very similar, if that makes sense. 

At the end of the day is was time to be SLIDE CERTIFIED! I was standing at the top of the slide and there were two students on either side of the slide and the boy looks at me and says "Superman, you're definitely going to superman." Without even thinking twice, I was sliding head first down the slide! The end of the day was just as amazing as the rest of it. I won't ruin the end, you'll have to go and experience it for yourself. 

My time at RCA has forever changed my teaching life. This experience is one of the hardest things to put into words, and I have pondered over it for a while and haven't found a good way to say it other than incredible in every way. I have a list of goals that I hope to accomplish by the end of the year because I was so inspired and saw the amazing things happening in that school. I also got to meet some of my teaching and blogging role models. Hope King made my day! I was so glad I got to meet her, she is as sweet as I had imagined. I aspire to be like her everyday!  

I hope you have an opportunity to visit this one of kind school because it is guaranteed to change your world and I know this because it changed mine.

Find more info about RCA here

NEW BLOG DESIGN!

I am so excited to bring you my new blog design. Alexis from Laugh, Eat, Learn made my vision come to life, and I count imagine it any other way! This new design makes me so much more excited to get my blog out there, when its ugly and purple I wanted to hide it! Thanks to Alexis, I am proud to show off my blog and share it! So everybody get ready!

Miss Schaar's Diner

Happy Fall! I have been super busy, and waiting so patiently for my new blog design that should be up hopefully very soon! I cannot believe that it is already October, where has the year gone? In math we just wrapped up our unit on adding and subtracting decimals. With our scope and sequence we had entire week of problem solving. I was racking my brain for ideas on how to make this engaging for my kids. Enter my idea for Miss Schaar's Diner. 

Our math block is right after specials. So lucky me, I had plenty of time to turn my room into a diner. I started off very simple this year. I bought the red and white table cloths from Party City and the red diner baskets at SAMs Club. Simple as that. When my kids came in the oohs and ahhs began. Just a simple table cloth thrown over their desks got them that much more excited about what we were going to do! 

As they entered the room I handed out menus to my diner. The students got a chance to look over it and talk about what they would order with their partners. We started with our "appetizer" which was doing 2 practice problems on the board and the kids did on white boards. Once we had completed our appetizer round, it was on to the main course. 

For the main course, they were invited back to their tables with their math groups. The main course was the task cards at their desk in the red baskets. I made these task cards with my students' names on them and differentiated for each group. They worked together to complete the task cards.

At the end, they had to pay for their meal, AKA the receipt which was their exit ticket. This was a quick and easy way to see how the kids were doing with adding and subtracting decimals.

The students had a great time feeling like they were taken to a diner away from school. I have ideas for next year when I do this activity to add more to it, but this year was a success! 

If this is something that will work for your class, I have posted it to TPT as an editable product so you can personalize it for your class!

Find it here.

What I've been working on lately...

I hope your school year is off to a great start! My life has been consumed with my sister's wedding stuff, so I've had to prioritize and my blog was sadly pushed to the back. I have a ton of ideas I am ready to share with you, so my hope is that I'll get on that soon! 

I have recently completed two new products for my TPT store. 

Decimal War! I've noticed that the group of kids I have this year LOVE to play games, and I even have a few boys that are super competitive and love it! What's better than kids practicing a skill and having fun? NOTHING! I've been keeping this game in my math stations recently because we are currently working with decimals. They love this game. It is a great practice to review comparing decimal. Its great because its not just a one and done game, but kids can replay over and over while seeing different numbers. Find it here!

This is an Adding and Subtracting Scoot. I made this while I was planning for the up coming week. I am going to be out for a PD this week so I am going to have my kids do a scoot to practice adding and subtracting decimals. Scoots are my favorite activity to do with my kids when practicing a math skill. Find it here.

I hope you will stop by my store, and if these products could be used in your room go check them out!

Until next time,

Meredith

#2getherwearebetter LINKY! My Classroom Reveal!

I am so excited to share my classroom with you! It is a place that I love, and it is definitely a place my students love! This is the view walking into my classroom. I feel like a have a decent sized classroom with PLENTY  of storage. I have finally tackled a few closets this summer, and more organizing this next summer. 

This is my teacher area. Disclaimer, I was going to organize and make it look al perfect with no piles, but #reallife this is what it looks like 93% of the time. I removed my teacher desk at the beginning of last year because I learned it was just an excuse for my to not put things away. I had been teaching for 3 months, and it looked like I had been in that classroom for 10 years! It's so nice having my teacher desk right by my small group table, everything I need it right there.

Here is how I organize the materials for the week. Its pretty simple, there is one container for each day, and in each are folders with the subject. Everything I need for the week is right there ready to go!

These are my math stations. My organization for these are pretty simple. Each group has a bin, and each day the work they need for that day are in the bin! It's that easy. My bins are from the Container Store, and the colors are paint chips I got for free from Lowes! My roommate was thinking when she recommended that!

This is my favorite place in the entire room! My classroom library! I have quotes and genre posters all over the wall to excite my students. My library is organized by genres mostly, but another section is more book store style. I have pillows and seats for them to get comfy while they read. Another thing I started this year, because of one of my genius students, is the Wish List. We use this binder to write down books people are waiting on from another students. GENIUS! 

Here is our computer station. I am lucky to have 5 computers in my classroom. Word on the street is that we will be getting rid of these and will go to 5 laptops per classroom, and oh the possibilities with this area! I'll keep you posted on that!

Butler, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, and Ball State

When I was a student teacher in this exact room, my cooperating teacher did this and I took her idea! My table groups are not numbers, yet colleges in Indiana. I know they are only in 5th grade, but I like to but the bug in their ear about college! It's never too early to start talking and thinking about it!

When I tell my students to "come to the carpet", this is where we meet. I love this space, there is lots of learning happening here! My rocking chair was actually my grandma's, and after she passed away my dad made sure I got it for my classroom because she was a teacher too. Definitely a special part of my classroom. We are also lucky enough to have Promethean Boards. I have a love/hate relationship with it because it never works, but don't get me wrong I am not complaining.

Last year, I didn't have a writing center, so it was a priority for me this year! Its a place for my students to get the materials they need for writing. (Notice the coffee in the corner, very important!) I also am the only room in my school that doesn't have a sink right here, so I am taking advantage of the space I am given!

I am so glad you stopped by to check out room F1! I tell my kids we are in room F1 because we have the most fun! (it rhymes when you say it out loud). If you have any questions about anything in my room, feel free to email me at crazinessinfifth@gmail.com.

-Meredith