Blogiversary Celebration!

Happy Tuesday!

Papers & Elements from I Teach, What's Your Super Power?

I cannot tell you how unbelievably excited I am for this blog post! A year ago today, I was a slightly completely nervous, and excited all ready to start my first year of teaching. I decided to start a blog to share about my teaching successes and woes with family and friends (without filling up everyone's Facebook newsfeeds.)

My first few months of blogging were mostly survival posts. The stressed, just keep swimming, what am I doing, themed posts, because that's where I was at in my teaching career. There was a steep learning curve that student teaching just cannot prepare a person for. Then, around Christmas break, I decided to step out of my blogging shell and participate more. Although I've been a blogstalker for awhile, and now had my own blog, I was still a bystander. I decided to change that. Boy, I'm sure glad I did.

In the past few months I've gained some truly great friends. I've learned more. I've become a better teacher. All from the wealth of knowledge that is shared by teachers through blogs, the emails back and forth, commenting, discussing; I just cannot say enough. On more than one occasion, I have told people that the single best thing I've done in my short teaching career has been to blog, and that is the absolute truth.

I am so blessed to be a part of this network, to interact with so many, to learn from so many of you. Thank you all so incredibly much!!

To celebrate this blogging anniversary and 500+ followers {again, truly blessed and humbled!} I've got a few things up my sleeve!

Click to see my TPT store
Grand Prize
1 person will win every item from my TPT store! Entries are closed 8/11 at 12 am.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daily Prizes
Everyday on my Facebook Page I will be holding a Pin-to-Win! {Thank you Joanne for the idea}. Each day starting today and ending on Sunday night, you can pin to win your favorite items from my TPT store. Each new comment (url of single item pinned), enters you for a chance. The more you pin, the greater your chances of winning!

Everyone Wins
Inspired by the artwork of Amanda's niece, I've created a small group of chevron owls. These will be free throughout the weekend. To celebrate! Please be kind and leave feedback. :)

Click to download

Speaking of winners, the winner's of my newest paper packs are:

















Need another way to win? One of my blogging buddies, Jivey, is having a massive daily giveaway. You might just see this little blog featured soon. Be sure to "like" Ideas by Jivey and Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road, so you don't miss out!

Papers & Elements from I Teach, What's Your Superpower?


32 comments

  1. Since I teach first grade I like to take a break with singing and movement

    Jennifer
    Jennlz53@aol.com

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  2. This is my first year in my own classroom, so I have not tried Brain Breaks yet. any suggestions?
    jkmatuch@aol.com

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  3. My favorite brain break is movement games for K/1 kiddos.

    Roxanne
    foxysexyroxy10@gmail.com

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  4. I love the movement dances on You Tube. Many of them are from DDR. I found a lot through Pinterest. They are fun.

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  5. We like to do the Twelve Days of Fitness on the SMART board for our brain break. :)

    Jennifer
    Mrs. Laffin's Laughings

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  6. Congratulations on 500 followers! Wow! I like to do Just Dance on the SMART Board. I had such a nice group last year, every single student participated to his/her best!
    -Lisa
    Grade 4 Buzz

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  7. I tried switching my No-Reply status back over, but got tangled up in that Google+ mess. I think I figured it out.
    I just wanted to check!

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  8. Believe it or not my third graders loved to play Simon Says. They would beg me anytime we had an extra minute. It was really helpful for following directions too.
    mjc6255@lausd.net

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  9. Congratulations and Happy Blogiversary! I don't do actual brain breaks as I teach in a departmentalized situation so we change classes approx. every 40 minutes. However, I am into building classroom community! I have the honor and privilege of teaching in a Catholic school, so for us the best way to build community is by praying and worshipping together on a regular basis.You learn some amazing things about students and their families via daily prayer special intentions. What a blessing!

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  10. Congrats!! Look at all those followers. People enjoy reading! Good thing you started your blog :)

    Em
    Curious Firsties

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  11. One brain break that I like to do involves one student folding his hands and the other student points to a finger for that person to move.

    Congrats again!

    Diane
    Fifth in the Middle

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  12. When it isn't to cold, wet or snowy, I love having kids run to the. Fence and back.

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  13. Congrats! We use Bucket Fillers all over our school and they are recognized once a week on our school morning news show. We also have Office Rewards that are recognized at afternoon announcements (at dismissal)-students are always pointing out situations that would warrant another student getting an Office Reward/Bucket Filler. I love that they are finding others instead of themselves! Love your blog!

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  14. Happy Blogiversary, my friend! :)
    When my kids need a break (i.e. when their eyes are glazed over!) I will stop what I'm doing and say, "Stand up if you are born in January. Sit down. Stand up if your favorite season is winter. Sit down." and I repeat with different criteria until almost every student has stood up. It helps them get the blood flowing and learn a little bit about their classmates at the same time. Plus they need to listen carefully to my directions. The kids love it.

    ~Jessica
    Joy in the Journey

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  15. When the kids need to get up and moving, we might sing some of Dr. Jeans songs, do some kid aerobics, or I might play a brain break dance song on YouTube and play it for the kids.

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  16. A great brain break for first graders is to get up and move! I love to dance and sing!

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  17. I play the chicken dance...some kids refuse but I tell them I am going to play it over and over until everyone is doing it! They end up having a great time!

    Rosie
    Rosie's Rambles

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  18. Congratulations! Bucket filling has been a wonderful community builder in my classroom. dbednarsk@yahoo.com

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  19. My First Graders last year loved anything with music and movement!

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  20. I like to do Brain Gym with my class as a brain break! I'm not even sure I can explain it but they love it!

    I loooooove those owls! I am snatching them up! Thank you again for making my day with them!
    Amanda

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  21. I'm a big fan of movement breaks. Songs and gross motor movement often helps the kids have a bit of fun and get refocused!

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  22. I loved the Sid Shuffle or Just Dance.

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  23. I love Simon Says, Baby Shark, and Popcorn's in the Popper :)

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  24. We listen to music and MOVE!!!

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  25. Congratulations! My favorite brain break is anything the kiddos can dance to on You Tube.

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  26. We play a spirited game of Hangman. The word or phrase leads us to our next lesson.

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  27. I like playing music in the classroom :)

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  28. Congratulations on your blogaversary! Thank you so much for your tips and bloggyland friendship (real conversation with my sister: "My friend Christy in Kansas pinned the ..." "You have a friend from Kansas?" "Yes, she teaches in Kansas along the yellow brick road." Deep sigh from my sister). Love you! One of these days I am going to drive through Kansas and knock on your door!

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  29. My kids love to do dance breaks. The wii just dance disney videos are always a hit.

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  30. Congrats on your Blogaversity! Is that a word?
    I like using power pts with...A minute to win it
    And Brain Breaks - where I just give them 5 of down time or we sneak (or so that's what I tell them we're doing)outside

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