Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener

Pencil sharpening...one of the biggest dilemmas of a classroom teacher.  Do you let your students sharpen their own pencils?  I always have, but I've gone through at least 7 electric pencil sharpeners in the past 5 years.  Every year, I have a new wall sharpener installed.  It seems like they just don't last. 

I've been hearing about this classroom friendly sharpener for quite some time, and I think I might just bite the bullet and buy one.

One of the things that I really like about this sharpener is that you can buy replacement blades for it.  The sharpener itself is $24.95 with FREE SHIPPING!  However, one sharpener is given away each month.  Check out the website for more details.

If you have experience with this sharpener, please let me know what you think about it!

Any Treasures Teachers Out There???

 If you are a Treasures Teacher, you might enjoy this little tool I made.  There are so many elements in the Treasures series that you have to take into account when you are planning.  There's the story, the theme, the genre, the comprehension strategies and skills, the phonics skill, vocabulary strategies, and the grammar skill.  When planning, this can be a bit overwhelming especially when you are trying to locate them all in the TE.  Why they didn't include a guide somewhere is beyond me, so I did it myself.   The outline is made made to go along with the 3rd grade series.  If you like it,  but teach another grade, I can make it for other grades too!  It's for sale in my TPT store for only $3!

If you like it, you might also like the Treasures Weekly Skills Bundle I have for sale.  These sheets include all of the things listed above, but also have the spelling words and vocabulary words and definitions listed. They are listed in a "parent friendly" format.  The sheets are not fancy because they are used to update my website each week...just copy and paste!  If you do a newsletter, it would work for that too.  My parents love having access to the weekly skills.

Waiting on my front porch!

Yes! I love getting packages, but I love it even more when I get a package from Vista Print!

 I took advantage of their free shipping a few weeks ago and got almost $200 worth of stuff for just $25!  I do a sports theme in my classroom, so I got a ton of stuff that is related to my theme: TEAM ARENDT!  I got a study hall bag, a t-shirt, and a large poster all with my theme on it.  The  
poster says: TEAM ARENDT has had 100% of homework for ___ days.  I'm going to hang that out in the hallway.

One of my favorite items is my a signature stamp.  I don't really like my handwriting, and as you know, teachers are always signing their name.  Now, thanks to Vista Print all I have to do is stamp my name!

My other favorite item...a stack of post-it notes for sending copies to my TA! If  I like how this works, I'm going to have a stamp made.  That way I'll never have to worry about running out.

I also brought to life some ideas I found on Pinterest.

I saw these magnets on Pinerest, and had to have them. They were pinned from "Always First Grade" I think it's a great idea to give out on parent night or to send home with an assignment on which a student does really well.  The only problem is that the magnet is kind of flimsy.  I'm not sure how well it will hold a paper on the fridge.

I thought this stamp would be a neat tool to have in my classroom.  You know the days when you're crazy busy and just don't have a second to respond to a parent's note as thoroughly as you would wish?  Well, I think this will do the trick.  I don't want parents to think that I didn't get their note, or that I'm ignoring it.  I found it too on Pinterest, originally posted on "Mrs. Miners Kindergarten Monkey Business."

I also got some things for myself of course!  Address labels, stickers for Christmas gifts, a personalized pen, thank you notes, and personalized paper.  I can't wait for the 4th of July sale!

My First Post!

You read it...the title I mean.  Yes, I am truly addicted.  What can I say?  I love what I do.  It is my destiny.  I spend countless hours stealing... I mean borrowing ideas from talented teachers.  This is my next venture.  I want to share what I do, because so many others have shared with me.  So here it goes.  My first post.

To tell you a little about me, I've been a teacher for 5 years now. I can't believe I'll start my 6th year in the fall!  I'm finally to the point where I feel as if I know what I'm doing...most of the time.  I teach 3rd grade, and have all my years of teaching except for one year in 5th.  At first, I thought 3rd would be too young for my taste, but I have grown to LOVE it! 

Leave me a comment to say hi, I can't wait to meet you all!