Writing in the New Year

Can you believe it's almost 2012?  These years seem to go by faster and faster and all I would like for it to do is slow down. With the new year come new resolutions (to break) and I found this great  writing project via pinterest that I will definitely having my kids do when we get back:

Source: lessonplansos.blogspot.com via Kristina on Pinterest

It's a great way to use up some of those leftover wrapping paper and to take advantage of the 70% off deals around town.

As far as writing goes, we start off the year using this "Spice Up Your Writing" booklet I have made.  It is simple and eases them into writing.  I also start them on paragraph writing, it's hard because I am teaching both 4th and 5th graders writing at the same time so all of my 5th graders know the process, but the 4th graders are still learning.  Our next unit will be all about editing, proofreading, and working on grammar.  It's not the most interesting but they all need a heavy dose in it.

Speaking of writing, our school formed a writing committee this year and I am one of the representatives.  I am someone who likes to write and really enjoys reading my student's writings and seeing them grow.   Our committee proposed that our whole school submits a writing sample, using one of the three prompts given to us, and we will sit together as a staff to go over the samples.  This way teachers from cross grades will get a chance to see what writing "looks like" at other grade levels and we will get a writing sample graded before our first report cards go out.

I really like the idea of teachers seeing what writing looks like across the grade levels.  I think it will be eye opening for a lot of teachers and I am hoping it will make some of our teachers think twice before they cancel their writing lessons.  Or it might give other s a push to step up their writing requirements even more.

Overall, I think my students did a decent job.  My fourth graders struggled but the fifth graders seemed to be old pros at it.  That's the nice part of moving up with my class.  You are able to see their growth in a very tangible way.

Hello... Blogging World!!!

Why blog?  I am glad you asked.  With my recent obsession with pinterest, I have noticed an overwhelming theme with cute teacher blogs.  Most of them are geared for Kindergarten- Third grade teachers.  Being a 4/5 grade teacher I can still respect and appreciate all the cool things they are doing within their classrooms, but phonic sound cards don't really jive with my kiddos.

I am creating this blog to "respresent" for all the upper elementary teachers out there.  To show that we can still be cutesy and creative with the older students.  Now, I don't know how well I will be at this considering it has taken me 3 hours just to get the template right (mind you I still haven't worked out the heading- I have to wait until my tech-y husband gets home for that), but I am going to try because we do some pretty cool things, besides testing, with these kids.


A little about me (as a teacher)...

• I am a real teacher.  Another annoying thing about a lot of these "teacher blogs" is that they have a classroom of 12 kids.  Come on, that's babysitting, not teaching.  I have a classroom of 28 kiddos.
• I work at a low SES school and we are Title funded.  This may be an Oregon thing so I apologize if you don't know what I am talking about. 
• This year our school cut their music and PE teacher.  I am now a teacher, counselor (no money for that), nurse (everyday except Tuesdays when we have an actual nurse), musician, physical education expert, scientist, artist, art team representative, part time webmaster for our school, technology aide and representative, writing committee member,  mother (to some), and a friend (to all).  That's a lot of hats and that's just at school. 
• I have been teaching at the same school for 8 years.  My first year I was just a 5th grade teacher, then I worked as a 3rd grade teacher for 5 years (some of my best years), this is my second year working in a blended 4/5 grade combination.  
• I work in a triangle shaped classroom which is my nemesis.  I am not joking.  When I post my first set of photos you will know my struggle and wonder "who is the stupid architect who came up with this?".  It's a California (yes, we are in Oregon) pod style school.  At one point I guess the rooms were bigger and were two of these triangle pieces put together, which is more of a rectangular shape.  As the enrollment started increasing they partitioned the classrooms and divided it with a wall.  Hence, our triangle shaped dilemma we get to teach in every single day.  
• I have a small group of 5th graders (I think there are 6 of them), who have had me for 3 years, which is half of their time at our school.  I am going to miss them so much when they go. 

A little about me (as a person) 

• Last year I married my best friend and became "Mrs. Hulse" to my students.  They still will call me by my maiden name from time to time.
• We don't have any kids yet but we have 2 cats we adore.  Borderline "crazy cat" people. 
• My hobbies range but they all stay within the "creative" department.  Scrapbooking, paper crafts, photography, watercolor, etc.  The only thing I don't do is quilt.  I love quilts but I am horrible at exact measurements.
• I was born in San Francisco, California and then I moved to Anchorage, Alaska when I was in the first grade.  Spent my elementary school years in Anchorage, then I moved back to California for middle school and then back up to Anchorage for high school.  If you ask me where I grew up I would say "Alaska".  That makes it easier.  
• Came to Oregon for college and never left. I honestly don't like moving around a lot.  If you read the above bullet you can probably guess why.
• Became a "Mac" person with the title of "semi tech-y" when I started dating my husband 7 years ago.
• Yes, I use quotation marks way to much.  I also overuse "..." ellipses as well. 
• I tend to blog without editing.  Not a very teacher-ly thing to do, but I'm human.

Like the title says (once I get it up there), I hope you get some tips, tricks, and hope for your classroom.  Whether it's just to read to enjoy or if you're actually trying out some of these projects I wish you the best.  I'll be there for you because as teachers we need all the support we can get.

Best wishes!