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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Ramblings of Me and Keeping it Real

****WARNING**** This post is keeping it real (in my world).  I apologize now if I offend anyone.  (wow, not a great start for a post is it? LOL)

Thank you all for the sweet comments from last week.....ya know, glum me....the one who debated continuing taking this journey. Well, I'm here-and I want to thank my Facebook fans for that. I had a giveaway on my Facebook page over the weekend, and I think that helped pull me back out of my slump a bit.  So thank you for helping me enjoy what I do, just a little bit more! :)

There are many new bloggers coming into the blogging world.  I offered Tutorials on how to use powerpoint, and Google Docs with images, but now I want to discuss the numbers...maybe perhaps this will help those of you just starting out in the blogging world. 

You will hear about people having Giveaways for reaching a given number, or maybe you hear about the number of followers that people have....DON'T stress about numbers. The blogging world isn't and shouldn't be a popularity contest.  Yes, people get very excited about seeing their numbers go up, and they should, but don't go and compare yourself.  Enjoy what you do, and share.  In the end, you will be that much happier. 

The same goes for me. My mom had this motto in life...I'm sure you've heard it.  Cheap, Fast and Easy... HAHA!  She was generally referring to suppers (we grilled a lot at home because it was cheap, fast and easy clean up).  The same is said for my classroom--to heck with those fancy dancy classrooms LOL.  Yes, they are SOO cute.  I am SOO envious of those who can maintain it.  Here's the thing:

**This teacher----she isn't rich.  I know right?  We all know how overpaid we are!!  :)
 I spend a lot in my classroom buying school supplies, as many of the families don't provide for their children.  I also like to buy books.  I like having a variety of resources for my students to read.

But, it hit me a couple years ago.  Every $1 I spend, takes away from my OWN kids.  So what do you do?  I feel so torn.  

Also, I have decorated my room...only to have it torn up....more than one time.  I'm a theme girl.....love themes.....my room looks awesome for the first day, but by the end of that first week....EGADS!!  So there goes a lot of my invested time...time taken away from my family (Actually not completely because I DRAG them with me--they love that)

So there you have it peeps....me, keeping it real.  So when I offer up the suggestion of Ziplock baggies and plastic sleeve protectors for storage ideas....it's because it's cheap, fast, and easy.  It's not just a suggestion....it's what I REALLY do. 


  You can click the image above to see my blog post  that mentions how I use baggies, and sheet protectors, and store.

 I'm not a fancy gal, rather plain actually, but I do love my job, my kiddos, and blogging/sharing/creating.  Speaking of which---I can NOT WAIT to use the things I've made this summer with my kiddos.

This one is the most recent created.  

 I LOVE using picture books for the first week or two of school.  They are so great with establishing rules, procedures, and just having fun.  This pack also has a few templates for your students to make story souvenirs (or hall displays).  

Do you remember these that I posted the other day?
 
I've included the template for Lilly in this packet. I also took a stab at making Miss Swamp
 ( Miss Nelson is Missing),  Rabbit (You're Finally Here) and Scaredy Squirrel (Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend). LOL---let's just say they are "an added bonus" but my class will enjoy making them!





There ya go peeps!!  Thanks for listening to me ramble, and putting up with me all these months.  On a positive note, I made a new cupcake last night!!  It was HEAVENLY!!!

Lemon Cream, with a Lemon Glaze Topped with a Cream Cheese Buttercream YUMMY!

49 comments:

  1. Cheap, fast, and easy is a great plan. Work smarter, not harder. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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    1. I think I am taking on my Mom's motto!! You're so right--work smarter, not harder! :)

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  2. LOve it!

    I feel the same way

    I always wonder how other people's classroom always looks so neat and pretty while mine look like a hurricane blew through it!

    I love your ramblings because I am a rambler too

    Pocket Full of Kinders

    Shuna P

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    Replies
    1. I know all about those hurricanes! Happens A Lot in my room....but they are learning and have fun! ;)

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  4. Love this post! You are so right about everything you have said in this post! :)
    And I LOVE LEMON!!! I so want your cupcake! :)
    Happy Wednesday!! :)
    Cheryl
    Crayons and Curls

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  5. Sorry for the deleted post...what I wanted to say was thank you for keeping it real and that I love to use Ziploc baggies, too. Keep up the good work!
    Jennifer
    kindertrips

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    1. :) Aww thanks Jennifer!! As for the baggies, it just makes things EASIER! ;)

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  6. I don't care for the classrooms that looks so perfect. Kids are not perfect! My room looks lived in. The kids enjoy being there and so do I. Thanks for sharing. My fav. motto is "If it's free,it's me!" :)

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  7. Thanks for that reminder. I just got married and I'm use to being able to spend money on whatever I wanted to. Well, today I went to Big Lots and spent way more than I should have. My new husband wasn't happy. I think I have to focus on what will enable my kids to learn more rather than what is going to be cute. I am a huge fan of ziplock bags and sheet protectors myself.
    Ms. Kerri and her Krazy Kindergarten

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    1. It's hard because we want our students to be happy, and we want to provide them with everything possible. Sometimes though, you have to think about your own families....I used to spend oodles of $$, I have since scaled back.

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  8. Thanks for your honesty! As a new blogger it does feel good to see those numbers go up but it is important to remember that it doesn't matter if I have 1 follower or 1,000 followers as long as I can share what I know and learn something from them, that is what is important :) I am all about saving money and it is hard to see all the wonderful things people do with their classrooms!! It just gives some of us a chance to be a little more creative witht the resources we have!! You are fabulous :)
    Michelle
    Kindergarten Stars

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    1. How sweet you are....and so true....we have to be more creative with what we have. At the end of the day, as long as my kiddos learned, had fun, and felt loved---I feel I've done my job! :)

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  9. I could not agree with you more!!!! My classroom ends up looking awful by the end of that first week and it takes me until Christmas break to clean it up...then I have to do it all over again:( Where's the time right?? great post!!!

    Tammy
    1...2...3...Teach With Me

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  10. Your numbers are looking pretty good to me (as a non-blogger) so don't worry about anything!

    I would love that recipe...have you thought about making a baking page on your blog? (The last lemon cake I made had lemon curd filling and lemon frosting...it was ok but not great IMHO.)

    tokyoshoes (at) hotmail (dot) com

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    1. :) Thanks.....yummy lemon cake sounds great!! IF you use pinterest, you can follow my sweet treats board. I find several recipes there and just tweak them to my own liking. I post a few recipes once in a while on FB fan page too.

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  11. Thanks for the post! When I start seeing some of the room designs, I feel like I need to do the same, but like you, I simply don't have the money for it. My colors my not all match, but I do try to keep things organized and I do love ziplocks!

    I know what you mean about watching your number of followers and wanting them to rise. I have to remind myself that one of the reasons I started this blog was to be sort of "note taking" I wanted to write down things that worked and things that didn't so I could learn from getting it right and from mistakes. I find that some of the ones that have the most followers spend most of their blogging on advertising and really aren't my favorite blogs to read.

    BTW: I know how much you love baking, especially cupcakes. I know you dream of opening a bakery. i have a friend who used to teach and about 2 years ago she quit to open a cupcake shop in Joplin, MO. They(she and her husband) were asked to send in an audition tape for Cupcake Wars. I don't think they have heard anything yet. So who knows, maybe your dream isn't so far fetched. :)

    Thanks again for the reality check!

    Kelly @ I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher

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    1. Reading that gave me tinglies!! ;) How AWESOME to possibly be on Cupcake Wars. Never give up your dreams that's for sure!!

      You are doing great on your blog, my dear!! Keep up the good work!

      As for numbers, they're not as important as sharing and collaborating with each other! ;)

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  12. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. Although I'm not so new to blogging, I sometimes let things get to me, but I'm with you about enjoying what you do and sharing, so like Dory, I just keep swimming, just keep bloggin'. So don't be glum, like so many others, I really enjoy your blog :)
    ☼Libby
    First Grade Dual

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  13. That cupcake looks delicious! When are you coming to NJ?? :)
    ❤Teri
    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  14. I'm glad you're feeling a little better! (That cupcake alone could turn my stinkiest day into a great day...YUM!) I'm really excited about your Back to School with Picture Books activities!

    A Pirates Life for Us

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    1. Thanks so much---you are always so sweet! :)

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  15. I couldn't agree more with you. I used to spend quite a bit of money in my classroom. What finally opened my eyes was the lack of gratitude from most (not all) of the students. When you have FIRST graders say, "Yeah, I don't really want...." it kinda makes you not want to spend another penny.

    Your cupcake looks delish!!
    -Megan

    First Grade Magic

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    1. Sad isn't it? You always want for them to have, but some just expect....and then I feel really torn.

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  16. Frankly, I love it when people "keep it real!" I too would love to have a cutesy classroom, but I can't do what I need to do for the students and keep up the cutesy. I'm all for real, reality!

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  17. You totally hit the nail on the head...actually the nails on the heads. I'm a new blogger and was getting discouraged when I'd see those giveaways for getting so many followers. I'm realizing that it's not a big deal as long as I'm enjoying blogging.

    Also..my classroom does not have a theme. I absolutely positively love looking at the pictures and seeing the cohesion...I just can't do it. I have a lot of bright colors and fun things but no central theme. It's costly and I think I'd get tired of the same look every year...oh and I teach 6-7 year olds and try as they might they aren't the most gentle folk, haha.

    Your post made me feel better. Thanks!

    Brenda
    You Might Be a First Grader...

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    1. It's too hard to maintain it, and my time is focused on activities or centers. If my room was not put back in place all cutesied up, it would drive me CRAZY. LOL ;)

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  18. Thanks for keeping it real! Being a teacher is not all glam and glitter, we work hard at what we do everyday! I think it just boils down to our students, where we teach, and what we have access to. I'm a new blogger, just posted my first post last week. I have been apprehensive about the "popularity" status that goes along with teacher blogs. If I reach just a few teachers and make a difference for them, then I have done what I set out to do. Giveaways are exciting, but when you make a difference for somebody when they need it, that's even more exciting!

    Karen
    anappleadayinfirstgrade.blogspot.com

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  19. Thanks for 'Keepin' it Real' :) I am just starting out in the blog-world and have already been caught in the numbers trap. It is difficult when you want something to be a success and you hear all about success but you are not experiencing success. I know things take time, but I should stop reading people's posts about how high their numbers are! Ahhh, it will make a girl go insane!
    Thank you for the words of encouragement. I needed them!

    I don't know what you are talking about, you have ADORABLE stuff. As a mommy of a one-year-old, I know what you mean about every $ spent on class vs kid. I struggle with this as well. Before kids I would SPEND SPEND CRAFT CRAFT! It really makes you think.

    I look forward to more posts!

    Kristen

    I do, We Do, You Do!

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    1. You are so welcome Kristen. Sometimes those numbers can be disappointing, so just ignore them!! :) Enjoy what you do, and try not to get caught up in the numbers trap. If you are able to share with other classrooms....isn't that the fun in it? ;)

      Not to mention the whole money issues with kids of your own....I want my own kids to have whatever their hearts desire. Yes, I believe in spoiling them (or what I can on a teacher's salary) and that is important to me!

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  20. Great post! I've been wanting to redo my room for awhile, especially after seeing all the great ones online, but decided not to until next summer. Since I'm closing on my house the day school starts, my money needs to be spent on classroom essentials right now, and I know my room will look just fine without a brand new look. ;) The numbers game can be so hard! I read on a blog once to celebrate your followers but not to blog about how many you have. That is the reason I've never had a ____ follower giveaway. That's not to say when I reach a major milestone I won't do something for my followers, but I'm really turned off when bloggers have giveaways within days of each other for reaching a new number!
    Great thoughts! :)
    Lisa
    Fourth and Ten
    Like Fourth and Ten on Facebook!
    Formerly Stories From Second

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    1. Glad to know I'm not alone in my thinking. Sometimes I wonder if I should really post what I'm thinking....I wonder how it comes off. I think that I try to share freebies with my followers a lot. I hope they know how much I appreciate them! :)

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  21. I must say this is the first time I left a comment on a blog post, but I've followed many blogs for a while. I love your blog and I love your ramblings. Your blog, an others, have inspired me to begin my own this summer. I think we all need to keep it real. Like others, I don't do themes, I find myself getting bored with them. I like to stay organized and love the idea of cheap, fast, and easy. Hang in there and keep it real!

    www.teachingwithtennessen.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm so glad you commented!! I think my mom's motto really is the way for me go go!! As someone else said--Work Smarter, not Harder. ;)

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  22. First of all I am one of the Facebook people who won your new packet and it is wonderful. Secondly. I agree that keeping things as cheap as possible is important so thanks for all your tips.

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  23. As a mom, I can definitley say that I appreciate the less is more philosophy. I'd much rather see a tiddy classroom where my child's work is the center of the decor. I guess I'm old school because when I was an elementary student, there weren't elaborate bulletin boards in each classroom. In fact, we had good old fashioned chalk boards and all the desks were lined up in neat rows! The school atmosphere has changed so much that I thought there should be a parents guide to kindergarten last year when my daughter started school. I sometimes think I'm the only mom following teaching blogs! But, because I'm not a teacher, I really appreciate the wonderful things teacher bloggers share with the world. I wish I'd started a list of things I've learned from teaching blogs. I really appreciate and enjoy the content of your blog. I look forward to your upcoming posts!

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    1. oh, almost forgot! I chose not to have a "followers" gadget on my blog because I didn't want to stress about the number of followers I had. my blog is like free therapy and I just don't worry if anyone is reading it! would I love to have more comments, absolutely, but then I'd probably have to blog more regularly. think it's been a month since my last blog post and I just don't worry about it. I love to say "don't sweat the small stuff"!

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    2. I love the fact that you keep up with the blogs, as a mom!! That is AWESOME!! When I was in school, it was the same way as you...actually when I started teaching, my classrooms were very similar to what I had as a kid. I don't even remember a lot of posters in my elementary rooms, but I do remember seeing our work hanging up. I think that not having a followers gadget would be a good thing to recommend to new bloggers...it's hard not to get caught up in it. I think that for me personally, I lost sight of the whole reason I started. I wanted to share what I was doing, and share some freebies along the way that could hopefully help out another classroom.

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  24. I completely agree with you as well about the numbers game. I'm reading replies from new bloggers-- I've actually been blogging several years and don't have the number of followers some have after a few months. But it honestly doesn't bother me-I think I appreciate getting one new follower more than some people appreciate the 100's of new ones they get from a giveaway.

    NotJustChild'sPlay

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    1. You are so right. I'm still giddy over every new follower I get!! :)

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  25. Thanks for sharing. I am new to the blog world so numbers don't mean a lot to me. As a starter I certainly don't mine I only have a few followers. I am just excited to learn and explore my way through the blog world.

    Mrs.G's Kindergarten in Heels

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