Pin-spired

I couldn't be more excited for my first Linky Party!  Today I am linking up with some of my favorite blogs: Pinterest Told Me To, Mix & Match Mama (Sister of the Bachelor!), and The Larson Lingo for their monthly Pin-spired linky party.  Each blogger takes an image from Pinterest and makes it their own using already existing pieces from their closet.  Since I already love to pin amazing outfits on Pinterest for inspiration, I just had to join in the fun this month!

I am in love with the Atlantic-Pacific blog.  So many of my pins can be linked back to here!   Here is the original pin I was inspired by.  Amazing, right?!

I just love the black and white stripes, statement necklace, and pop of color in this look.  I knew I could create the perfect teacher outfit using this pin as inspiration! 

 

I felt pretty ridiculous putting sunglasses on today in the gloomy rain, but I think black aviators always add a touch of glam, despite the weather! :)  

I can't wait until next month's Pin-spired party!  It was so much fun to create a "new" outfit from clothes I already had!  Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more style inspiration.  I even have a board dedication to Style Pin-spiration! :)

May Day

I always loved May Day as a kid.  I don't know how it worked in any other neighborhood, but in mine, May Day was a BIG DEAL!  I would make May Day baskets for all of my neighborhood friends (with the help of my super crafty mother) and rush to deliver them before my dance practice in the evening.  I would come home from practice and find May Day baskets galore on the front porch.  Every kid's dream, right?!  

Of course there were the May Day fails, like the time I ate the salty treats inside one interesting basket, only to find out it was actually full of dog treats for my schnauzer.  (The mystery dog treat deliverer is actually one of my new blog followers! I wonder if she's reading this :))

A little May Day throwback for your viewing pleasure!  Don't I look awesome in my sweet perm and giant bow?  Maybe I should re-create this look again sometime??? Or not??? :)

Okay, time to get serious.  Let me show you how to make this May Day a success, even if you didn't even realize May Day is tomorrow. (Like me!)

Wouldn't this cute basket from Better Homes and Gardens brighten anyone's day?  I'm sure your students would be thrilled to find one on their desks in the morning!  Find the directions to make your own here.

How fun would this geranium May Day basket be for your teacher friends?   Find the directions to create one here.

Happy May Day to all of my fabulous fans!  Three lessons to remember from today's post:

1. Remember that not all of the baskets on your front porch are necessarily for you, especially those "salty" looking treats! :) 

2.  No perms for me.  Ever.  Again.  Sorry, Mom.

3.  Thank goodness for contacts.

 If you missed Sunday's post about my new favorite skirt and the giveaway winner, check it out here!

One Skirt, Two Ways + Giveaway Winner is Announced!

I started working part-time at LOFT a few weeks ago and I am having so much fun!  It is definitely difficult not to purchase the entire store, since everything is so fun and fashion-forward.  I have to choose only my most favorite pieces in order to keep my accountant husband from having a heart attack!  As soon as I saw this tiered lace skirt, I knew it had to go at the top of my wishlist, and it is quickly proving itself as a closet staple.  I can wear it to work (both jobs!), church, showers, graduations, you name it!  Let me show you two ways to wear it:

I wore my new skirt to school last week with a chambray top.  Lucy begged me to be in the photo since she matches my skirt. 

 Skirt: LOFT (available here)

Chambray Shirt: Gap (no longer available, similar here)

Bracelet: old

Cute Puppy: You can't have her! :)  

I also loved pairing the lace skirt with a navy tee for work today.  I think the tee gives the look a more casual, effortless feel.  For a dressier look, I think a nude heel would be very classy!

Skirt: LOFT (available here)

V-Neck Tee: JCrew (available here)

Belt: LOFT (available here)

Shoes: Old

Deal Alert: LOFT is 40% off for a limited time; JCrew is 25% off for a limited time 

(I have the feeling both probably end today, though!).

The winner of the Scooter's gift card from My Favorite Things giveaway is... Beth M.! 

Thanks to all 43 entries for participating!

Classroom Shopping List

I wouldn't be a Fashionista Teacher if I didn't love to shop, and this week I got to shop at school!  Can you believe it?!?!  Well, maybe the "shopping" was just ordering for next year, but I still loved it! :)  I may be stalking the office every day this summer until my prized packages arrive...

I LOVE my neon colored book baskets from Really Good Stuff, so of course I had to order matching paper baskets for next year!  They come in a variety of colors and are great quality!

 I have a confession to make.  I have a secret love affair with Creative Teaching Press.  Sorry, Logan!  You should have seen my teaching partner and I "Ooooh" and "Ahhhh" over every single item in the catalog at lunch.  Not only does CTP have the most adorable products, they give GREAT ideas for how to creatively use them in your classroom!  Check out their "Inspired in Style" blog, where Melanie from Schoolgirl Style, uses CTP products to stage classrooms.

How fun are these Dots on Chocolate cut-outs?  I can think of endless uses, but am really hoping to use them as picture frames to display my new fourth graders' cute faces!  I think CTP's Dots on Chocolate products will match my owl themed classroom perfectly!

 I love to recognize my students for hard work, displaying character traits, and accomplishments.  Plus, fourth graders love seeing their name on an award!  I can't wait to give these cute "You're Tops" certificates out to my new students!

I had to order ANOTHER pack of my Sprinkles Letters from CTP.  I think using the same letters or coordinating letters on all bulletin boards gives the room a more cohesive look than mis-matching letters, no matter how tempting all of the fun designs are!

I had a Trend for Kids "Welcome" owl certificate and fun pencil on each student's desk last year at Open House.  Since I've decided to use my owl theme for at least one more year, I'm excited to hand them out again this year!

 

I also saw this Owl Study Habits poster set in the Trend for Kids catalog, and couldn't resist!  Fourth graders definitely need these reminders from time to time!

 What are YOUR favorite products for next school year?  Do you have a favorite company to order from?  I always love to hear your ideas!

You have a little bit of time left to enter My Favorite Things Giveaway!  The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!

Moon Writing

Personal narratives are such a big focus in fourth grade as we gear up for the state writing test.  After it is over, we love to have a little fun!  (Not that personal narratives aren't, of course!:))  To go along with our Reading Street story, Moonwalk, and our rocks and minerals unit in science, I gave the students the creative writing prompt, "My Trip to the Moon."  Boy, are nine and ten year olds creative!  We had so much fun!  

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To illustrate their writing, the students used Elmer's glue to draw craters on the moon, let it dry overnight, and then used watercolors to finish off their designs.  Super easy, right?  Next, we added a cute robot with the student's picture to personalize the illustration.  (I wish you could see their cute faces!)  We finished off our designs by drawing stars with white crayons.

Find the moon stationary on Teachers Pay Teachers for FREE!

There is a TON of cute robot clip art on Google Images.

Don't forget to become a fan of the Fashionista Teacher for your chance to win my favorite thing, a gift card to Scooter's!  There are three ways to enter: 

1.  "Like" The Fashionista Teacher Facebook page

2. Join my site with Google Friend Connect (see home page sidebar)

3.  Subscribe to The Fashionista Teacher through e-mail (see home page sidebar)

*I cannot see who has subscribed, so please e-mail me or leave a comment once you have done so!

Favorite Things Party and My First Giveaway

I don't know about you, but I LOVE the people I work with!  My school secretary hosted a "Favorite Things" party on Friday night, and it was a great opportunity to hang out with the girls I work with outside of the typical school day.  It also was the most fun theme for a party, ever!  

Here's how it works:  Everyone brings 5 of their favorite thing, under $5.  Each guest also writes their name on five slips of paper, to be drawn during the favorite things exchange.  Everybody takes a turn explaining what they brought and why it is their favorite, and then draws five names from the bowl.  You would have thought we were winning the lottery, or a new car, or at least a jeans day, every time our names were drawn.  We were all so excited to win!  What a fun idea for a get-together and a great excuse to hang out with your favorite co-workers or girlfriends!  Here are a few ideas for your next "Favorite Things" party:

Our favorite things included fun flip flops, flowers, milk duds, colorful pens and paper clips tied with cute ribbon.  The creative hostess made bags for everyone to take their favorite things home in.  What is MY favorite thing, you ask?  I brought $5 gift cards to Scooter's with my favorite drink (a blended white mocha with whipped cream and caramel) listed on the tag.  It just makes my day happier when I am able to pick up my favorite coffee drink in the morning!  

How adorable is this "Favorite Things" party invite? Find it on Etsy.  

In honor of MY favorite thing,  I am having my first giveaway!  One lucky fashionista will win a $10 Scooter's gift card just for being a fan of "The Fashionista Teacher."  Your name can be entered up to 3 times.  Here's how to enter:

1.  "Like" The Fashionista Teacher Facebook page

2. Join my site with Google Friend Connect (see home page sidebar)

3.  Subscribe to The Fashionista Teacher through e-mail (see home page sidebar)

*I cannot see who has subscribed, so please e-mail me or leave a comment once you have done so!

Ready, set, go!  The contest ends Friday!

Lucky Charms and Neon Pink

As you know, we have been testing, testing, testing this month!  To make this week a little more fun and to show my students that I believe in them, I left this cute treat on their desks yesterday morning.  They were so excited to find their "lucky charms" once they found their seats in the morning!  Find this free testing printable, along with others, here.  Check out my "Rock the Test" post for more testing ideas!

 Yesterday also happened to be neon day at school!  It was a great excuse to put on my brightest pink top and candy colored necklace.  In high school, my friends and I would wear pink every Wednesday, even before Mean Girls (my favorite movie of all time) came out.   I still love it when I realize I'm wearing pink on a Wednesday! :) 

The top and necklace came from JCrew Factory awhile back, so they no longer have either piece available on their site.  Here are some of my favorite neon pink finds from their website for you to wear next Wednesday! 

 

 Neon stone stud earrings

  

 Chino shorts

 This one is going at the top of my wishlist! Ruffle-collar cami

  Skinny Jeans

Follow me on Pinterest for more classroom and style inspiration! 

Flower Power

Go bold or go home, right? :)  Bright colors and bold patterns for pants are definitely a trend for spring/summer.  You'll be sure to get noticed in these springy Ann Taylor pants, perfect for a day in the classroom or backyard BBQ.  Doesn't the bright floral design just put in a good mood?  Imagine what they'll do for everyone around you!

Floral pants: Ann Taylor (available here)

Blue top: LOFT (similar here)

Bracelet: JCrew Factory (available here)

Shoes: New York & Company (similar here)

 

Rock the Test!

I don't know about you, but April seems to be testing month at my school!  We just finished our SAT 10s and will test NeSA-Reading and Math during the next two weeks.  To get the kids pumped up, my super, amazing teaching partner planned a "Rock the Test" pep rally, and found an adorable craft for the kids to decorate the hallway with.  

How cute are these little rock stars?  Find the template on Teachers Pay Teachers.  

Even the signs on the classroom doors fit in with the theme perfectly!

Our pep rally consisted of cheers from the teachers, a visit from the anchors and mascot of a local news station, and an adorable video created by my teaching partner to the tune of the song, "Dynamite." (Have I mentioned how awesomely creative she is?).  The lyrics were changed to fit with the testing theme, and the choir even sang the song we used in our video.   Here is the original video it was modeled after: 

After the pep rally, students walked through an archway of streamers and balloons to the school hallway, which was lined with K-2 students (who don't participate in the testing yet).  Everyone was holding "Good Luck" posters and cheering for the students as they walked through the hallways back to their classrooms.  Some of the posters are hanging in our hallways now to encourage the students throughout testing.

Wouldn't these testing treats from Dots n' Spots be fun to give out to the students after testing is completed?  Find the template for the cute tag on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 

What do you do to get your students motivated for testing?  I would love to hear your ideas!  Share your comments below.  

It's all in the details...

 I love, love, LOVE to accessorize!  In order to make a look truly stand-out, I always love to add some eye-catching details that polish the entire look.  Right now, I'm really digging statement necklaces and blingy bangles with pops of gold. 

One of my favorite sites for jewelry is JewelIQ.  Not only is every piece on trend, every item is under $25 and shipping is always free.  Perfect for a teacher budget, right? :)   Allow me to share a few of the pieces I'm currently craving... 

 

Fuchia necklace: available here

Coral collar: similar here

Turquoise Contesa necklace: similar here

Pink bracelet: similar here

Tell me, fashionistas, do you have a favorite site for accessories?  Which items are currently on your wish list?

Follow me on Pinterest for more accessory inspiration! 

Be sure to "Like" my Facebook page for notifications about future blog posts.

What does fashion have to do with teaching?

What does fashion have to do with teaching?  Actually, not much.  But, let me share a few of my thoughts about style in the teaching world, and maybe encourage you not to reach for the first clean outfit you see in your closet in the morning.  Hey, we're all guilty of it! :)

1.  Dressing professionally helps others to view you as a professional.  I always try to dress up a little more on the first day of school or for meetings with parents.  Why?  First impressions are very important! 

2.  A killer outfit gives you confidence!  It does for me anyway! :) And a confident teacher is a happy teacher.  Being in a good mood contributes to a cheery classroom environment for your students.

3.  Kids love a teacher who has fun with fashion!  They love color, sparkle, pattern, new shoes, new hairstyles, you name it!  You can definitely take more risks in the teaching world than say, an office job, so take advantage of it!

Let me show you a few examples of what students think of fashionista teachers!

My mom, who is a first grade teacher, shared this paper with me.  I still crack up every time I read it.  I know it is hard to see, so allow me to share what the student wrote for the prompt, "The Worst Day I ever had."  "The worst day I ever had was when there was a sub for Mrs. Davies.  It was bad.  I did not like it at all.  She was wearing a plain white shirt and plain blue jeans and plain brown shoes!  It was very bad!  Mrs. Davies wears earrings, bracelets, and everything!  She wears fancy and colorful shirts and leggings and she looks beautiful."  Are you laughing out loud yet? :) 

     

 About a month ago, I gave my students a creative writing assignment in which they had to write about their teacher's secret life.  One student started off by saying, "I thought my teacher was professional.  She has cute clothes and whenever she curls her hair it is fabulous!  Like today she was wearing this cute dress from Target, and I'm like, how do you find this cute stuff girl!"  I started curling my hair a lot more after I read her paper since it looks so "fabulous!"  Here is a glimpse at the cute dress she was referring to!

Since today was one of the last chilly days of spring, I decided to get one last go in my Banana Republic boots that I found on sale in late February.  The bad news is, most stores have cleared out their winter apparel, so I don't have many links to the pieces I am wearing.  Use today's outfit as inspiration, rather than a detailed shopping guide! :) 

Dress: Target (similar here or here)
Cardigan: JCrew Factory (similar here)
Belt: Forever 21 (similar here)
Boots: Banana Republic (similar here)
Bracelet: VeryJane (found here)
Earrings: Forever 21 (similar here)
Cute puppy: You can't have her! :) 

So, fashionistas, what you wear to school really DOES make a difference to kids!  I would love to hear your stories!  What do you wear that your kids love? 

Classroom Tour (Part 2)

Yesterday, I shared some pictures from my classroom with you.  (Find Part 1 of the tour here.)  There ended up being so many pictures I wanted to show you, so I divided my "classroom tour" into two posts.  Twice the fun, right? :) 

These cute frames sit on top of our mailboxes and greets visitors as they walk into the room.  Remember how I said students should see their name in the classroom as much as possible? :)  The first idea came from Susan, a fabulous computer teacher at my last school.  Check out her blog, The Digital Scoop, for directions to make your own! 

 

This frame is changed every couple of days to celebrate a student in our class!

Find a free printable on my TPT store here!

 

My desk area...probably the most cluttered part of the room, but it works! :)

The front of my classroom...

 

I typically use this board for general class reminders and anchor charts.

 

I usually teach guided reading twice a week, and I have a Special Education teacher who co-teaches reading with me.  I love being able to meet with every group each day, but wish it worked to do guided every day!  I use one of the white boards to post the groups and stations. 

Part of the other white board is used for our class schedule and other miscellanious information.  Students sign up for Library and Accelerated Reader if needed in the morning and I call them to use the library or take A.R. tests during morning bellwork or independent reading time in the afternoon.  I think posting a daily schedule is SO important.  Kids crave routine, and knowing about any changes in the schedule before the day starts helps everything run more smoothly.  Notice I don't post times next to the schedule because kids also love to correct me any time I'm a little off schedule! :) 

The tally T-chart was an idea from my mom (a first grade teacher).  The class earns points for things like receiving a compliment from another teacher, getting all of our homework in, working extra quietly, etc.  The teacher gets points if the class is too talkative, poor report from a sub, etc.  The first to ten gets to roll the dice for a special prize.  Each number on the dice means something different, like movie, popsicles, extra recess, pajamas, etc.  My kids are so good this year that I haven't won yet, but my mom makes a big deal about getting to take her shoes off in the classroom if she wins, or something small like that.

 

Students earn their owl on the door when the complete the Genre Challenge.  Read more about the Genre Challenge in yesterday's post. 

 

Our "Morning Meeting" board is located in the reading area.  We meet around this board every morning for our meeting, and any other time I want the students to gather on the rug.  Yes, even fourth graders can still sit on the floor for stories and lessons! :)  I post the monthly calendar (can be purchased at Schoolgirl Style), weekly objectives or "targets," and the strategy we use for selecting independent reading books.  I would highly recommend posting objectives in your classroom.  The kids learn so much in a week, that it is sometimes hard for them to determine what it is that is most important.  If I forget to share the objectives one week, I always have someone who reminds me, so I really do think it is helpful to them!  The objectives posters can be found here.

 

These two boards are along the same wall.  Does the "Owl-Stars" board look familiar?  I posted my V.I.P. board on yesterday's tour, but once we have made it through every student, the board becomes a display for students who have mastered the district "priority words" (spelling words).  The stars are made from cute scrapbook paper and laminated.  

Since writing is SO important in 4th, I wanted to dedicate a board to writing!  I have the six traits and figurative language vocabulary posted.  I also keep rings of leads and endings for students to use during Writer's Workshop under the board.  The posters on the "Wise Writers" board were found on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 

  

  

I love my reading table!  I really enjoy working with small groups, so I think that might be why! :) 

 

How cute are my folder covers?  Find them on Schoolgirl Style.

I keep a lot of miscellanious items on my back counter: turn in baskets, pencil sharpener, paper tray, science materials...boring right?  But these cute little guys jazz it up a little!  After finding this idea on Pinterest, I headed to Target for cute lanterns and Archivers for the scrapbook paper.  I got out my hot glue gun, and Voila, adorable mascots for my owl themed classroom!

The Word Wall is currently displaying the 4th grade priority words.  It also usually includes vocabulary for each reading story.

My favorite board...I just LOVE birthdays!  Notice Lucy is also part of our birthday display...she even wore her party hat and brought treats for the kiddos on March 6th!  We ALL love Lucy!  

 
Hope you enjoyed the tour!  I'd love for you to leave me your comments and ideas as I begin to think about next year's classroom!  Thanks so much for stopping by! :) 

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