Back to school basics

Dress: Target, Cardigan: Gap, Belt: gifted, Utility Tote Bag: Fossil (similar one found here)

School started on Monday and I have to say this year is off to a wonderful start. I knew this year was going to be a special year because I am teaching a class of students that I have taught before. When I first start teaching at my school I taught these kids in Kindergarten and then last year got moved up to second grade so now I have my precious kiddos back again. These kids already had a special place in my heart and it is so fun to see them "all grown up." God knew I needed this year to be amazing after last year's challenges and He is already showing up big time! I've been MIA from the blog for a few days because my mind is just jello. There are so many things you have to think about when you teach the first few weeks of school to an elementary student.
My first day went something like this...
-Teach kids how to sit in a circle on the rug
-Teach kids how to line up
-Teach kids how to walk in the halls
-Play get to know you games to build classroom community
-Teach kids appropriate behavior on the playground, in the bathroom and in the lunchroom
-Teach kids how to sharpen a pencil
-Teach kids how to listen for your quiet signal
-Read books about being a good friend
-Teach kids how to organize their desk
-Teach kids how to put their back packs/lunch boxes away
-Oh and stop to take a breath

And that's just day 1. As an elementary teacher you can assume NOTHING. These kids are blank canvases and you are the artist there to mold them into shape. Let's just say I did not stop talking all day long, but after day 3 your talking and modeling starts to pay off and it feels so good.

(Shirt: Gap, Skirt: Target, Necklace: Shabby Apple found here, but won by me in a giveaway!)

For those of you that are teachers I'm going to tell you about a few of my favorite teacher items.
1.) My teaching bag from Fossil. (see picture up top) This bag is amazing and so durable. I can carry several "teacher books" in it as well as my laptop, planner and papers to grade. It has a million pockets for my grading pens, post-it's and paperclips and also has two side pockets for my water bottle and umbrella. (Lesson 1: A teacher must always be prepared)
2.) My Franklin planner (pictured above). I could not live with out it. It is visually appealing and I can buy new re-fill pages every summer to go inside.
3.) My crate seats! I made them last summer and people are still asking about them. My kids love them and they are great for storage! Find my tutorial here.

4.) The Daily 5 book...I use this book to help me teach Reading Workshop and it has so many amazing ideas.
4.) The Cafe book...another book by the "sisters" who wrote the Daily 5. I use this book often for Reading Workshop as well as guided reading groups.

And there you have it...the first day in nutshell and some of my teacher favorites. Now back to lesson planning...