This is my it’s okay, Nita face. 😜 I had some unrealistic goals set for myself yesterday. I wanted to finish 20 feedback forms for teachers in 4 hours. 🙂🙃

Backstory:
If you haven’t been watching my stories here’s the deal. I’ve been training part of last year and all this year on the F&P Benchmark Assessment System (BAS) which is a running record, along with assessment of fluency, reading rate, comprehension , etc. We have practiced with kiddos and I’ve gone in some classrooms with teachers & students and coached alongside them as well.

Now I’m giving some feedback on the forms completed at first glance as if I’m next years teacher opening up the folder and getting them. I had a lofty goal. BUT It wasn’t very S. M. A. R. T. 😜😂

S-Specific ✔️ I was very specific in my goal setting.

M-Measurable ✔️ Yup. I had my feedback forms and the number of teachers I completed and didn’t. 🤷🏽‍♀️

A-Attainable ❓Now here come the question mark. There are times when I’m juggling a few balls in the air. I had to prioritize and I had to push the pause button on the forms to juggle something else that took precedence. Not that one was more important than the other, but I had to prioritize. That happens. 👍🏽

R-Relevant ✔️ Most definitely relevant. However, if I want the feedback to be meaningful and helpful to teachers, I have to slow down a bit and take my time to provide meaningful feedback for them to take away with. Not just a rush job. Feel me?

T-Time-Based 🧐 I definitely had a deadline, however, it had to be altered because it wasn’t realistic. It was a lofty goal, but not realistic with everything else I had going on.

Lesson here is this:
Make your goals. Set them. But many, many times we have to readjust, replan, think through it again, & alter them—and that is OKAY. Give yourself GRACE, adjust your goals—then CRUSH them—CRUSH them MEANINGFULLY! 🙌🏽

You got this!

-LTB 💕

Earth Day is coming up this week on April 22nd. 🌍

One thing I made sure of when I was teaching in the classroom when Earth Day rolled around was to get outside. (If Mother Earth 🌍 would allow it!) Being outside allowed to truly honor and celebrate the Earth (although we did go outside often 🤪)

We planted seeds, read books about taking care of the Earth, we wrote about plants and the Earth, we even buddy read outside too!

Oh and I can’t forget our yummy snack to celebrate the Earth 🌍! We made dirt!

What you need to make Dirt:

⭐️ Oreos
⭐️ Chocolate Pudding
⭐️ Vanilla pudding
⭐️ Gummy Worms
⭐️ Ziploc bags (to crush the Oreos. Let the kids do it with 3-4 Oreos per bag! Make sure the bag is zipped tight. Let them bang away!)
⭐️Clear plastic cups
⭐️Spoons
⭐️Wipes
⭐️ Layer with Oreos, chocolate pudding, Oreos, vanilla, repeat. Top with gummy worms 🐛

*If you’re digital, email the list home OR make kits for your kiddos to pick up to do it with you online. Read your read alouds outside. Teach outside if Mother Earth cooperates! 🌍

Have fun teaching and watching kids learn!

Happy Numbers is a mathematical is a supplemental curriculum that helps to build and teach mathematical skills to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. You can use it in small groups, during math lessons, at home learning or also in a virtual setting. Due to the fact that I am an Instructional Coach and not “officially” in the classroom, I love Happy Numbers for my 7-year-old daughter! I have also shared this math supplement to teachers. Some of the teachers at my school have tried it with their classes and the students love it. The teachers love it because the kids are having fun. Teachers can walk around and hold math conferences with the students as needed.

The Set Up

The set up for Happy Numbers was simple, easy and manageable. I went to Happy Numbers and created a class. I added students to my class, and I could even add parent emails. The set up was easy to follow and quick. That is what teachers need right now. Teachers need quick, easy, fun, and effective. Happy Numbers is all of those things. It takes about approximately 15-20 minutes to set up the students in your classroom.

Engagement

Happy Numbers has given my first grader a tool to engage in for math, it is rigorous and individualized. It has various math manipulatives embedded within the program. Happy Numbers also has amazing and fun math word problems that promote math thinking. You can see in the video below where my 7-year-old engages in math thinking. It is important to provide a variety of problems that vary from on the student’s level to a level that pushes them to engage in productive struggle. To increase engagement in the program there is also a gaming aspect embedded that students love! My 7-year-old is excited to practice math using Happy Numbers. She asks to get on it and she wants to play the math games. She does not even look at it as school work to do.

The Dashboard & Reports

The dashboard and downloadable reports are an important piece to Happy Numbers. I receive progress reports as her “teacher” and I have the option for parent reports as well! This would be a great tool to use to discuss progression and growth with students as well as with their families. It can also be used to create goals with students so they can also monitor their own learning as well! Happy Numbers is free for your class until the June 30, 2021! Try it out! Just sign up at my link and start using! It’s just that simple!

Check out the excitement below!