In-Person Unknowns...and a FREEBIE!

I am just crossing my fingers (and toes..) that we're not starting Fall in person.  There are so many unknowns....

*How many students can we safely fit into one classroom?

*When will we have time to sanitize?

*What if students show up with the bare minimum of supplies?

*How will I walk my students in a line and make sure they are 6 feet apart?

*How am I going to reach all the different levels of learners if we can't do small groups?

*How am I going to manage and sanitize all my math manipulatives?

....I could just keep listing unknowns.

When I taught 1st grade we always used cubes.  When I taught Kindergarten we always used cubes.  When I was the K-4 title teacher WE USED CUBES. 

If we are going back in-person, I'll be a small group Title teacher again.  I usually see an average of 20-30 students per day- hopefully that number will be a lot smaller because of the risks.  I DO NOT have enough cubes for 20-30 kids to each have their own set.  I don't have enough of anything to make sure each student has their own set.  

I figured out a solution to one problem.  Now I WILL have enough cubes for every single student to have their own set.  Well....kinda. 

They aren't real cubes.  But, they are a safer option - especially when you need LOTS.  There are 21 different colors - so everyone should be able to have their own color.  There are also white cubes so you can save your colored ink - and students will get to color their own.   If you laminate them, you could easily spray them down with Lysol every now and then.  If students lose them, you can print off more.  

Are they as good as real cubes? No way.  But, they might be the only option for some teachers who are struggling to make individual sets of materials for their students.  I hope they can help you out.  If you're interested, click the picture to download them.  :)

That's it for now.  School talk stresses me out.  LOL.

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Anxiously Awaiting Back to School... with a Freebie!

I am STRESSED and ANXIOUS over the plans for Fall.   I go back on August 3rd.  Our student start date was pushed back to September 2nd, so I'll have almost a month of professional developments and preparations for the new school year.

I still don't know what it'll look like.  We had three choices: in-person, blended and virtual.  I requested virtual because it's scary being immunocompromised and having to go back to a classroom of germs. I work with K-4 students (if I get to keep my same position) and, so far, K-2 students are not required to wear masks.  But, things are changing constantly and I really don't know anything - how I'll be teaching, where I'll be teaching, what grade level I'll be teaching.

So, how am I preparing? I'M NOT!  Usually my classroom is set-up, my first week plans are copied and I'm feeling ready to go.  Not this year.  

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I have been updating products in my store though.  :) 

This opinion writing freebie is perfect for your students who are at the point of transitioning from just supplying an opinion to being able to support their opinion with a reason. Click the picture if you'd like to see more about it!

Do you know what school will look like for you in the Fall?  Are you teaching virtually?  Are students required to wear masks?

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Trying to Tackle Digital & Distance Learning

I don't know about you, but I am struggling with figuring out the best way to reach my students.  I could sit here and list the struggles I'm facing, but we all have struggles.  All we can do is the best we know how to do.  

Whatever you're doing is enough. 💓

I thought I'd share some of the resources I've created.  Hopefully you find something you'll be able to use with your students while you're trying to figure out what works best.  Or maybe you're one of the lucky ones and you've already established a routine.  That's awesome!  Maybe these resources will fit in with your distance learning plan. 🙂

Click any of the images to get a closer look at the resource. 

     

      

    

   

       

     

   

   

                                                

Thanks for reading!  Come back for more digital & distance learning ideas.  Remember - you're doing enough! 💗

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Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday!

I just wanted to let you know about a product that I've spent LOTS and LOTS of time on.  Although I'm not in the classroom right now (thank goodness for short term disability...!), I'm looking forward to using this product with my small groups when I get back.  I've found that SO many of the students in my groups (K-2) need so much help with CVC words.

I feel like short vowel sounds and CVC words are the first necessary stepping stone to harder phonics skills. CVC words follow phonics rules - exactly how they were first learned in preschool or Kindergarten.  The letter a says /a/ like apple.  Cut and dry.  Piece of cake. Easy to understand. Right?

Once they really grasp that, then we get to trick them and say, "HA!  The letter a doesn't only make a short sound...guess what!  It says it's name, that's called a long vowel.  Oh, and the long sound can be spelled in so many different ways!"  It just gets so confusing. 

Some of the students in my groups didn't even know their letter sounds.  So...how on Earth are we going to be successful in sounding out CVC words....let alone the long vowels that they're learning in class.  To be honest, it's scary that a student has made it to 2nd grade without knowing their letter sounds and being able to sound out CVC words.  We have LOTS of transient students, so that's not my business.  My business is catching them up...showing they CAN and WILL crush their goals in Tier 2, so they aren't pushed to Tier 3.

That's why I'm loving my new position (RtI small group teacher).  I get to work with the kids that really need me.  I get to figure out exactly what they need and start at that point.  Then, I get to watch as they meet goal after goal.  Although each and every student in my group has my heart, my favorite is when I get to push them back down to Tier I and keep them in the classroom.

How are they meeting their goals?  That's a whole different blog post (that I'll get to eventually).  For now, I just want you to check out my newest product.... something I'm excited to use in my groups.  A FUN way to help my students master CVC words and meet their goals....

 We LOVE I Have, Who Has games in group.  YES.  I play them in small groups!  Although there are 24 cards in the complete game (and I only have about 6 students), I just give each person more cards!
(Click the picture to take you to my store)

If you only need a specific vowel sound.. I also listed them as individual products.  Click on the pictures to see the product on TpT! 

       

      

       

       

        

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Crazy About Clip Art

Is anyone else obsessed with clip art?  When I purchase a new set, I immediately have so many great ideas for products running through my mind.

My only problem is - I WANT ALL OF THE CLIP ART. All.Of.It.

I love, love, love Whimsy Clips.  Big heart eyes love.  Everything is so cute!

While I was in the hunt for some shape clip art, I stumbled on a brand new (to me) artist -  Creating4 the Classroom

I think I've purchased 5 different sets from her this week.  The clip art is so clear, clean, and cute.  You HAVE to check it out!  I'm sad that I didn't find this shop years ago!

Go check those two shops out if you haven't seen their clip art sets yet!
(click the pictures to go to their TpT stores)

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New Position, New Product!

I wanted to tell you a little story...

...a sad story that has a super happy ending!

THE SAD PART:
I left the classroom this year... kinda.  I still have a classroom, but not my own group of students.  You see - I knew in my heart that I'd be getting a kidney transplant (even though, at the time, I didn't have a donor).  With kidney transplant surgery and the crazy immune suppressant meds you need to be on after, I knew I'd be out for 3 months. So, instead of having my own classroom, having to create sub plans for the 3 months that I'd be out, hoping they found a sub, hoping my students grew/learned as much as they needed to - I took the opportunity to take a small group intervention/Title I position. 

...AND GOOD THING I DID. 

Turns out I ran out of FMLA time in January...but, I'm out until March.  I'm not guaranteed my exact position when I return.  Which is scary and sad.    Luckily, they did not fill my position with a sub while I was gone.  So, it makes my chances of getting my exact job back that much more secure.  Hopefully!

Bottom line... it was a huge life change after 13 years with my own family of students.

Ready for the HAPPY PART??

I DID get a kidney transplant!

I was able to have my own classroom space to teach my small groups.

I work with amazing students in grades K-4.

I was still able to create strong relationships with the students I work with.

I greet every single student from K-8 when they walk in to school because my morning post is right at the front door.

Everything is hands-on in my small groups.  I love having the students being the ones doing.  There are incredible results when you meet them at their level.

I collect SO much data....data is my favorite! Ignore how sloppy it is.  It's just my way of tracking our daily activities, jotting notes about how they performed, and tracking weekly data. 

Oh, and with these 3 months off... I've done a lot of updating and creating.  Here's one of my newest little creations.. on sale for $1 (only for a couple days).  Click the picture if you want to go take a look!

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You CAN and you WILL

Hey, everyone!  If you read my last post, you heard just a little bit of what the last year or so has been like for me.  If you didn't read my last post, I'll give you the more detailed version.  ;)

I originally went to my gynecologist in August and she had labs drawn.  One of the tests showed my prolactin was high.  So, she referred me to an endocrinologist.  The earliest I could get in was December.  So from August to December, I was getting more and more tired.  I honestly thought it was depression or something with my hormones.  I was dragggggging.  My endocrinologist had labs drawn and just happened to order a renal function panel. This was on December 3, 2018. The test showed my potassium being high - and my creatinine and BUN were extremely high  (kidney warriors - you know what those are).  She said I can have it re-drawn (mistakes happen) or go to the ER.  I chose to have it re-drawn the next morning.  Then, I got a phone call on the 4th telling me that I should go to the ER immediately.

Immediately?!  I had to go to work!  I didn't have sub plans!? Was she crazy?  And, since my dog has separation anxiety, I have to medicate him while I'm at work. So, of course, I can't leave him AGAIN in the evening.  (At this point, I thought there was some mistake or the bad labs would just 'work themselves out'). I was a little naive, so I waited until the next morning to go to the ER... I honestly didn't realize that anything was wrong with me.  My mentality at that point was that my health is last.  Everything and everyone is more important.  I'll be fine.  (That has COMPLETELY changed since then).

December 5, 2018 I went to the ER in the morning. I was shocked when I was admitted to the hospital for what they suspected to be kidney failure.  I was so naive that by the time they got me to my hospital room, I still had my pants and shoes on (hospital gown on top).  When they gave me the hospital menu for lunch, I didn't order anything because I really thought I would be going home.

Turns out my kidneys were functioning at 6%.  You might ask - how did you not know you were only at 6%?  I have no idea.  My doctors think that it was a slow loss of kidney failure, so I was able to adjust.  I didn't feel great.  I felt depressed and worn down, but I was still working and trying to keep up with my "normal" life.  I wasn't able to run with my dog in the morning because I was just too out of breath and I would spend the evenings and weekends resting on my couch... but honestly, I thought I was just getting lazy. I'd beat myself up about it, too.

I spent 13 days at the first hospital.  I started off with a roommate (she was the worst).  I had countless labs drawn, a kidney biopsy and a bone marrow biospy in that hospital.  I was eventually moved to a private room (thanks to my sister...and also my extremely low white blood cells).  At one point, I had to wear a mask and all of my nurses/visitors had to when they came in my room.  Mentally, that was the worst.  I needed to see people smile and the masks just hid them.

Although I felt okay, I spent most of my time worrying and crying.  My life was changing in an instant.  I thought of myself as fairly healthy.  I actually bragged about not going to the doctor.  I thought my immune system was solid from years of germy kids.  I was so wrong.   I spent a lot of time passing the time by coloring and watching TV.  Impractical Jokers got me through those 13 days.

I was able to go home but at my follow-up later that week, I was sent back to the hospital for a 3 day stay with a steroid IV.  This hospital was amazing.  I still felt okay - not like someone with 6% kidney function should feel.   All of the rooms in the hospital are private....and huge.

After those 3 days, I was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Main Campus by ambulance (horrible experience).  My doctors wanted a 2nd opinion from the best of the best.  They decided I had 2 choices - do a 10 day in hospital plasma exchange (with a small chance of it reversing kidney damage) OR go on dialysis. I chose not to put myself through 10 more days in the hospital for a plasma exchange that probably wouldn't work.

I was over the hundreds of blood draws and being in the hospital.  If they said I needed dialysis and a transplant, that's what I would do.  No sense in dragging out the inevitable.  So, I left the hospital a couple days before Christmas with a peritoneal dialysis catheter placed.   I didn't actually start dialysis until January 17, 2019.  Peritoneal dialysis is done at home, through your peritoneum, every night.  So, I needed 10 days of training before I could start.

Let me tell you, I don't miss the monthly deliveries of dialysis solution.  I don't miss hooking up to my machine or unhooking from the machine.  I don't miss the drain pain twice a night.  I don't miss the sanitizing, bleaching, and fearing germs.  I don't miss having to remember to take pills before I eat.  I don't miss being hooked up to a machine for 9 hours every night.  But, I love my machine and dialysis because it kept me alive while I waited.

I was evaluated for a kidney transplant with Cleveland Clinic on April 25, 2019 and found out I was approved for a transplant on June 10, 2019.  That's when people could start being evaluated to see if they were a match.  My brother in law never hesitated.  He finished up LOTS of testing around the first week of September.

On September 27th, my sister and brother-in-law called with the amazing news that he was approved and can be my donor!  He was allowed to choose when to have the surgery and he picked the first week of December.   So I spent October and November avoiding germs and trying my best to stay healthy.

This was my last night hooking up to my dialysis machine.  That mask is hiding my excitement and happiness. :)

On December 3, 2019, I received my 2nd chance at life!  I was so calm before surgery.  I thought I would feel anxious and nervous.  ....I expected to feel ELATED after surgery....

But, honestly, the next few days were the worst days of my life.  With the amount of medicine I had in me (steroids are no joke), not the best nurses to care for me (other than Vince..he was amazing), and discomfort/pain, it was hard to focus on the gratefulness and happiness.  I had surgery on Tuesday and was sent home on Thursday.

I had so much guilt for even expressing my discomfort.  I thought I'd be seen as ungrateful, which was not the case at all.  I had always seen kidney transplant recipients after surgery smiling, walking down the hallway with their nurse, hugging their donor.  That wasn't my experience.  I was an emotional mess.  My nurse got me up in the chair on the second day (away from my call button) and didn't check on me for 2 hours.  My donor was (rightfully so) enjoying the fancy, high end, special person wing of the hospital (he had filet mignon on his hospital menu?!) so I never got to see him.  I guess it's just a reminder to not set your expectations based on what you see on social media.  Everyone's experience is different.

After about 4 or 5 weeks I was feeling great. I'm feeling even better now.  My brain can keep up.  My body wants to move.  I don't have to spend hours and hours on the couch to get my energy back.   I have this urge to do everything life has to offer - to show my gratitude for this 2nd chance at life.   But, for now, since I'm still healing (and very immune suppressed), my gratitude is shown by just living a healthier, happier life every day.

What caused the kidney failure?  WHO THE HECK KNOWS.  My doctors still aren't positive.  After a million labs, they found out that I have lupus (no symptoms ever) - and it is only showing in my blood, not on my kidney biopsy.  They also say I have vasculitis.  Both are autoimmune disorders and I'm asymptomatic for both.  The great thing is that my anti-rejection meds not only keep my new kidney healthy, they also suppress lupus and vasculitis.

You're probably wondering why on Earth I'm writing about all of this on my teaching blog.  Two reasons.

#1 - I want my story heard.  I hope that it either encourages someone to go get labs drawn or to go to their yearly physical.  If I had done that, I probably would've caught my kidney failure way before I was unknowingly on my death bed.

The other reason, I'm writing this post on my teaching blog is because someone, somewhere might stumble across it when they're having a hard time or going through something that they don't think they can get through.  I'm proof - YOU CAN and YOU WILL.  It gets easier.  It gets better.  My life was instantly changed for the worse on December 3, 2018.  Then, by God's grace, it was changed for the better on December 3, 2019.  One year exactly.

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