Miss Thrifty

As an English teacher, I am an advocate for independent reading for students and adults alike. With the assistance of a reading program, ACCELERATED READER, it makes it easier for me to promote the long, lost concept.

AR is a program that schools can elect to use. AR will do an initial diagnostic test on each student. It is a computer adaptive test, meaning the test starts out difficult and adapts based on students' answers. At the end of the test, AR will give results based on grade equivalency and will also give a reading range. Students will then pick out a book within the reading range, that has an AR quiz, to read independently.

The beauty of this program is that classics and modern day teen novels are all on the list. For example, my students are reading books such as The Giver, Frankenstein, and The Child Called It. The Twilight series books are available and so are Harry Potter books too! Look up any book to see if it has a quiz at www.arbookfind.com. With any reading initiative, of course there is resistance from those who don't like to read, but I have never before seen students reading sooooo much and enjoying it. I love this program! (I can do another detailed post on AR if you'd like.)

Anyway, onto the thrifty part! I want to continue building my classroom library, but it's difficult to buy for the class on a teacher's budget. I have found a way to shop and stay within a strict budget!

There was a festival on my local town green and inside the church they were holding a book fair. I went in with $10 hoping to find a bunch of good picks, but expected to leave with nothing... Well with a little digging (and ducking from church basement pipes) I found about 8 great finds! They include:

-Gawain and the Green Knight
-Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
-Bridge to Terabithia
-Hot Mess:Summer in the City
-Last of the Mohicans
-The Horse and his Boy by CS Lewis
-Radiance by Alyson Noel
-And a Stephen King Novel!!

I got all this for (drum roll please) .... $3.50!!!
Hardcover Children Books were .50
Paperback Children were .25
Hardcover Adult Books were $1.00
Paperback Adult Books were .50
Old Hardcovers (for decorating obviously lol) were $2.00

If you're in the market for books, I highly recommend scoping out a book fair near you! Check your local paper for upcoming listings!! I know what I'll be doing November 3rd and at least I can say I went to church that weekend; I do strive to be the best role model I can be for my students ;) lol

How to Dress for an Interview

Ever wonder how some people dress for an interview? I'm confident that presentation adds to the overall impression or impact one leaves on an interviewing panel.
*Don't be risky. (Don't wear anything you're not comfortable with).
*Don't worry about looking "sexy."
*Add a small interest piece.
*Keep hair away from face.
*Don't neglect small items such as nails.
*Closed toe shoes only!
*Confidence is key! Remember every one once had to interview in their life before! Good luck!!

How to Choose Shoes for Teaching

It's been a while, but welcome to the 2012-2013 school year! I hope you were like me and enjoyed every second of pure, absolute, nothingness this summer. In all honesty, it got a bit boring, but hopefully next summer will be more adventurous.

Anyway, watch my video to get some tips on how to choose shoes for teaching, working, or working it at night girl lol. These shoes may not be the sexiest for going out in, but nothing's more attractive than a girl who walks in heels, rather than a pair of heels that walk the girl.

My Goodies

It's nice to offer some goodies once in a while... "Chrass, what are you talking about?" you may ask.

On the first day of teacher appreciation week, my brother told me to stay put because he had a gift for me. Last time he told me to "stay put" I was immediately surronded by chunks of shiny quartz that replicated the crystals used on Charmed to do some voo-doo in a circle. I tried to escape, but he warned me I wouldn't want to do that. I, being superstitious and unsure of that kind of thing, just stayed put and begged for him to collect the crystals and put them back in their magic box. Let's just say I was a little weary of what I was getting myself into this time.  What could he be bringing in from his car for me?  Would he have time to trap a fart in a jar?  Would it be a burned piece of incense he used the night before in a spooky house? Would it be one of his ougie (is this how you spell it) boards?

Low and behold, it was actually something delightful!  He piled me up with free Friendly's 3 scoop ice-cream certificates for teacher appreciation week.  In addition, he gave me buy one, get one coupons too.  I figured these buy one, get ones would be a good reward for my students.  I am often frustrated by negative behavior, but need to acknowledge the good behavior as well. 

In addition to the buy one, get one coupons, I am a subscriber to LUCKY magazine.  They always provide sticker tabs to label what you like in their magazine.  I never do anything with these stickers, but just recently had the idea to give them to students.  They like the quirkiness of receiving the "maybe" sticker.  On assignments I'll put the "yes" or "love" sticker.  High school students never get too old for stickers.

Obviously, the best kind of recognition for positive behavior is verbal recognition, but receiving little things here and there can be fun too.  What kind of tangible rewards do you give to your students? Would you like another post on other items I give out?

OHH and for those of you who were on the edge of your seat in regards to my job interview... I GOT THE JOB! Today is the first day of my life that I am on a salary!!

Interview Time!!

Long time, no blog. I know...

I had an opportunity to go to Florida with my boyfriend's family and took them up on the offer. I was off of work for a total of about 13 days!! Good Friday, spring break, Weekends, and my vacation all helped me relax.

With summer approaching I have been a hot mess wondering what I am going to do when summer comes around. I have told you I'm a teacher, why would I need an interview for a job so badly, right? Well... I've been paid as a sub for the past year and a half and have finally been offered an interview... (for the job I'm already doing) if it sounds weird and confusing, then yes, you're following along.

Anyway, Friday is the big day! I am nervous considering this will be my first serious interview. Plus, this could be the difference between me working a cash register all summer or working on my tan instead. I'm opting for the latter. In order to ensure I will be the number one candidate I have obviously been preparing since the phone call came in on Monday. These have been my main focuses:
1. Have Up to date resumes to distribute to each individual on the interviewing panel. I also made copies at Staples on thicker, ivory paper to stand out and look professional.
2. Think of my outfit! I want no controversy when I walk in the room. I am going to interview in basic black pants from Express and a grey with black lapel blazer by Rampage. I'll probably wear a black ruffle blouse underneath (because my white button down has a sauce stain on the collar) . For shoes I will wear black alligator esque pumps that I can easily walk and teach a mini lesson in. I'll wear a watch and maybe pearls and my hair will be away from my face, but still down. (I look like a toddler when my hair is up and I'm trying to be a big girl.)
3. Extreme attention to detail on my mini lesson plan! I have plenty of copies of my lesson plan so they can see my objectives. I am also engaging them in the lesson by reading them a two line imagist poem and asking them to draw what they envisioned in their head when I read to them. I will then break them into groups and have each group do a different task based on their accelerated reading scores. Each group will focus on the same intervention skill though: understanding author's craft.
4. Organizing my teaching portfolio. I want to be prepared to show data driven decision making, differentiated instruction, out of the box assessment methods, etc.
5. Reviewing possible interview questions. Even though I work in the school in the very position I'm interviewing for, I'm still nervous that they may bring up educational jargon that I am not familiar with.
6. Preparing questions for them.
7. Reviewing data/demographics/CAPT scores of school.
8. Of course there's a million other little things I'm doing because when it comes to having a salary or not I absolutely need to be a perfectionist and be over prepared. I want to come across as confident, capable, and worthy.

Any tips for miss?

Night to Day

As young professionals, we tend to have more "night" wear and fewer "day" pieces. On a beginners budget, it only makes sense to re-use what you have and pray it works (or pray for a promotion)!

I have a gorge underwire corset top strapless dress with a bubbly-esque bottom. I usually wear it with fierce black platform open toe pumps... But black can be a bit much during the day.

Here's a solution to transform it from night to day:
1. Layer a simple black tank with thicker straps underneath
2. Choose flats or wedges to tone down the va va voom
3. Accessorize black with teal, coral, and gold. The black makes these bright colors pop. In my opinion, try to stay away from hot pink and black because if done incorrectly it looks cheap.

What do you do to transform night wear to day wear?

Recycle your wraps/sandwiches

Quick Lunch Hint: (You may already do this, but just in case you don't...)

Scenario: You're out for lunch or dinner and order a wrap. You eat half because you're watching your girlish figure. But funds are tight and you'd hate to see half your wrap go to waste. You're apprehensive to bring the wrap home because you know you won't eat a soggy wrap.

Solution: Bring the wrap home and empty the contents for a salad.

Example: Chicken Caesar Wrap into a Chicken Caesar Salad. Voila! (I added croutons.)

What are your favorite left overs from restaurants? Do you change them up like I did?

Spring is black!

For those of us on a budget, we don't always have the ability to buy the newest seasonal trends. We have to re-use our clothes and rock them to the best of our ability. Black is a color that everyone has plenty of... With that being said, it doesn't really liven up a room the way bright colors would for spring. Since black goes with practically everything, I say you enhance the black that you have with two colors: teal and coral. What's brighter than those two colors? And what color makes them pop more than white? BLACK

I'm on a gold kick lately, but silver has always been a fav of mine too... I think the gold just makes it all look cultured and chic. Take a look below at some of my favorite coral and teal/turquoise pieces.

I made the gold chain necklace; the coral, wood, and gold chain necklace; and the silver and teal disc necklace. The gold bangle was my grandmothers. Some of the other pieces I bought from Charlotte russe and American Eagle.

Look how I stack my brackets:

Notice how in this picture I'm wearing a khaki colored jacket. This has been my go-to spring piece so far! It even goes well with a black shirt underneath. I wear it out and to school and sometimes don't even bother to take it off.

What's your favorite color with black? Or what's your favorite color combo for spring?

School your dresses!

Let your dresses make an appearance in class too! Dresses are great for school because they keep you cooler and you know cool is always appreciated if you've ever taught on a second floor of a school, with broken windows, and a blacktop roof level with your room in 90* weather. Heck... Even 70s and 80s is enough to get these students cranky. (Maybe even some teachers too!)

I am uncomfortable wearing a lot of my dresses to school without tweaking them first. However, that's for another post... these two dresses in particular I actually would wear alone later on in the day when it gets hot. Some people frown upon wearing sleeveless items to school, but I'd prefer my arms to be showing rather than sporting two sweat pools beneath my arms. Here's an easy solution: cover up the arms with a denim/jean looking button down. Button downs are lightweight for spring/summer mornings, but can be removed on hotter afternoons when you just can't breathe another second in the heat.

Here are two of my favorite stand alone dresses for school. The length and necklines are perfect and they're not clingy. They can also be used in a million ways. Here is just one of the ways to change it up with a jean/denim button down.

Alone:

Tweaked:

Alone:

Tweaked:

Notice how I re-used the same wedge! Stay tuned for postings on how I select shoes for school, how to make night dresses into day dresses, and how to accesorize black for spring/summer.

What's your favorite thing to wear to school in the summer when it gets hot?

What a suck up.

Sometimes students slack in some areas and try to make up for it in others. One of my students specifically asked me in the beginning of this week what my favorite kind of flowers are. Today their first 3 page MLA style paper was due (gasp they're seniors) and in lieu of a paper, I received tulips. Of course that illicited a chuckle out of me... Perhaps it was because he was also dressed as Darth Vader for decades week (70s day.) Mask, breathing ventilator and all. Yup.

You may be wondering what happened to getting your teacher a good ol' fashioned apple? Good question. The answer is because he already gave me an apple a few weeks ago.

Yes, this kid is all about theatrics. He once performed a one man show with no talking, only dancing, to pre-selected symbolic songs pertaining to Hamlet instead of taking his test. It was my challenge to him. I anticipated a 3 minute show. I received a 10 min drama. And although the flowers look fab in their new home, he still has to do this essay. Maybe I just won't take off the -10 point per day late penalty for him. C'mon... It's not every day a lady receives flowers.

Come to think of it, my favorite flowers aren't tulips. I'm more a lily kind of girl. That just goes to show how often I receive flowers;I actually forgot my favorite kind. "Smh"

What's the funniest suck up gift you've ever received from a student?

Manage Time Wisely

I am currently in a teaching position which is considered a 32 hour job. However, I don't see how my workload is different than the full time positions, but maybe it is. Either way... I try to complete everything I can during school hours. When I was student teaching, I remember spending an uncountable amount of hours on grading papers, projects, and developing lesson plans. As time goes on, it became easier. However, the best piece of advice I have ever received for teaching is: "Never do anything that a student can do for you."

Often enough there are students who are looking to raise their grade or just want to be back on your good side. Or, you have students who stay for detention. Don't have them sit there while you slave away. Make them not want to come back for a detention; give them work.

Some examples of student labor:

Delivering a note, book, etc. to another teacher in the building.

GOOD (As long as the other teacher is expecting the interuption and as long as the item being delievered isn't confidential. Choose the student wisely based on how long will he/she take in the hallway and can the student afford the miss class time.)

Manually stapling the packets for tomorrow's class because the copier once again is out of staples GOOD (As long as the packets aren't a test or quiz)

Organizing messy areas of the room/Labeling Folders/Hanging up projects

GOOD (This is usually good on half days or days with a messy schedule when few students are in the building. This helps students have more pride in the class because they were involved in making it look nice.)

Entering student grades into software program

BAD (No matter how trustworthy a student is, you never want to compromise another student's education. You want each student to know you take their work seriously and this is communicated by handling gradebooks on your own.)

REWARDS:

I try to reward based on the deed. In the past I gave students a "Good Job Ticket" (yes, even in high school). Once they collected two, they were able to select a prize out of a "prize box." The prize box contained dollar store items and perfume samples, makeup samples, key chain holders, fake tatoo sleeves, etc. Students laughed at the prize box, but they actually did hold on to their tickets in their back packs, wallets, purses, etc. and reminded me when they obatined two tickets.

I also gave extra credit to some students for putting in extra effort in English class.

Currently, if I like what a student does for me, I will enter their name in a raffle for the end of the year. The raffle will be for a movie ticket or two... depending on how funds are and depending on how long the list is.

Just recently, we re-organized a whole shelving unit! It's more practical now, I was able to raise a student's grade, and it just over all isn't an eye sore anymore!

What was the best thing you've ever had a student assist you with?

Kids say the darnest things.

Kids say the darnest things. We've all heard the phrase before. Unfortunately, when you're less than 10 years apart in age from your students, you sometimes are faced with laughing along with them, because you get the joke too, or forcing your stern face to make an appearance.

I just recently assigned a project in correlation with Arthur Miller's, The Crucible. The assignment was to write a one page MLA format paper which addressed the question: what did John Proctor die for? How did he want his name to be remembered? Which events led him to his ultimate decision not to "confess" to being a "witch"? Along with this paper I asked students to write half a page about themselves. How are they perceived by others? Do they portray an accurate depiction of themselves? In addition to the writing portion, I asked students to bring in a jar filled with items that represent themselves. There was a rubric and everything...

One of the best students was in front of the class presenting his project. He went all out and bought a large mason jar and crammed it with self artifacts. The first item he wanted to share with the class was "his woody". As you can imagine, there was no preventing the laughter that now filled the room. He continued to tug his woody out of the jar. (And for all you dirty minds that haven't realized yet, he was getting out his toy story woody doll!) Once woody was finally released from the jar, he said "I've had my woody for a long time." Of course that didn't help the laughter that never completely stopped.

What was my reaction? My first reaction was to look down and snicker. Not going to lie. But only for a second. I looked back up with a smile and assessed the situation. The student presenter was smiling in acknowledgement of his accidental word play, but was ready to continue with the rest of his project. I asked him to stop presenting for a moment, then asked the class if they were ready to continue and that reminded them that laugh time expired.

Why this worked...
The student presenter was comfortable to continue presenting in front of a calm class.
What the kid said WAS funny... No one deserved a punishment unless it was taken too far.
I hope that all students know that it's ok to slip up when you're talking in front of a group. I'll be there to make sure the class climate is orderly and is always conducive to a comfortable learning environment.

Should I mention the story of the kid with the peanut?.....

What is something one your students said and you couldn't help but chuckle too?

Why this pic?

"Why is there a pic of a sour cream container filled with rice?" For simple and great reasons I'd like to share with you. Teachers and subs don't make nearly as much as they should and are often left working with small budgets. I'm amazed at watching Extreme Couponers and rejoice with the people when they score their whole order for negative 30 cents. Although, I have not been successful in my coupon attempts, I am pretty savy with other techniques.

#1 The first cool hint that I'd like to share is that whatever is left from your dinner the night before, just pack it up and bring it for lunch. It could be noodles. Add some olive oil and seasonings and heat in the microwave on your lunch. Leftover grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms? Put it in a container (microwave it ot not) and eat with some crackers. Rice? Add some pre-cooked Perdue's chicken or other ingredients or do what I did and add some seasonings and butter in a container and microwave it at work.

Now, I'm not a fan of a microwave. I don't even own one in my own apartment, but I can't deny a warm lunch at work. Even, yes, if it's soggy re-heated pizza. Gasp.

Idea #2 We haven't addressed the sour cream container. I recycle all plastic or glass containers with lids and re-use them to store leftovers. I have recycled sour cream containers, butter containers, cool whip containers, salsa jars, snapple bottles, etc. Caution: If you plan on using these containers for lunch and are going to re-heat directly using the container, some of these containers may not be microwave-able safe. However, I have found that almost all of the plastic containers listed above hold up well for at least a minute in the microwave.

Idea #3 SHOP AT ALDIS... but that's for another post.

Morning Routine

Waking up in the early morning can be tortue for me! I think it's cruel and unusual punishment to have to wake up at 5:45 am. Oh the joys of teaching. Ever wonder how much time another teacher spends getting ready in the morning? Here's my routine:

5:45 first alarm

5:55 second alarm

6:00 third alarm

6:05 fourth alarm

6:10 fifth alarm

6:13 finally wake up. (yes, exactly 6:13)

6:20 Hop in the shower

6:30 Done with shower... lotion, deoderant, etc. Get dressed.

6:40 Make-up time

6:50 Hair time/scramble around like a crazy woman turning off the heat and making sure my lunch is packed. (I pack lunch the night before)

7:00 Leave for school

And yes, in case you're wondering, in the winter I am constantly looking for closings or delays before I drag myself into the bathroom.

What time do you wake up in the morning? And how much time do you give yourself to get ready?

Scarves

School temperatures can be unpredictable. They can be freezing in the early winter mornings or they can be 90* by the end of the day with the hot afternoon sun gleaming in your second floor classroom through the blinds that are crooked and don't work. I have found scarves to be my fbf (fashion best friend.) They are so cheap to buy. I bought most of mine in china town for 3 for $10. That was for the basic colors such as black, purple, and royal blue. I might have shelled out a bit more at the time for a checkered ivory and brown one. (I bought these a couple years ago!) During my most recent trip to NYC, I spotted a cheetah print scarf that my boyfriend was gracious enough to buy for me. Hey... $7 was hard to come by for me around Christmas time! My rule of thumb has been: If I'm cold, I'll wear a scarf and it will match whatever outfit I wear. So far it has worked. Or at least I think so.

Below I am wearing a cheetah print dress purchased from Francescas for $50 in the summer of 2011. A puff 3/4 sleeve gray/purple scoop neck shirt purchased from Charlotte Russe for about $10 a couple years ago. I layered the dress over the shirt and paired it with black stockings and ballet flats. (More on my special ballet flats in a different post.) The scarf works so well today because I am displaced in another classroom, due to CAPT (standardize testing,) which is probably about 45*. The joys of teaching.