PLAN FOR SUCCESS

While in college, one of my Professors shared a quote that really stuck with me. "Failing to plan is planning to fail" (originally said by Alan Lakein). Partly out of fear, I was forced to take a hard look at my organization style and the way I planned. I've always been a planner by nature, but I realized that when it comes to my success as an educator, and my students success, planning is vital. Because I like to look through things with a more positive lens, I've coined a term of my own. We must "plan for success." It is very rare that success falls into our laps, especially when it comes to lesson planning and scheduling things school-wise. Therefore, we must plan for it!

Planning can be a very personal experience. We all have our own styles and preferences -- which is something to celebrate!! If you're anything like me though, it helps to get some ideas from other people that I can draw from, tweak, and make my own. Today, I am sharing some of my planning "procedures" and techniques. I'll also be sharing how I utilize my teacher planner. Find what works best for YOU! Maybe that's planning electronically, maybe you already have a planner that you love. I'll show you how I use my favorite planner, the Erin Condren Teacher Planner, and share some other tips I use to plan for success. 

Tip #1: Find a planner you LOVE

For me, it's my Erin Condren Teacher Planner. But you might have another planner tool that you love. Figure out what your favorite planner is. This might take a few years of trial and error. But find a planner that brings you joy and makes your planning life easier to manage. Whichever planner you choose think of it as an investment. I'm okay with spending more for my planner because it is the one school supply that I truly can't go without! It has everything in it and I get a lot of use out of it so I can totally justify the cost. I'm going to show you some pictures of my planner for this year. I am in the process of setting it up still and will update this post throughout the school year with pictures of my planner as it gets more filled in. 

I love my EC Teacher Planner, but I do want to mention that if you go to buy one today, this is not the one you will find online. I bought this planner in the spring right before her newest designs were released because this one was on sale (part of how I justify the cost of a pretty planner). The newest design for the EC Teacher Planner is absolutely gorgeous!! Thicker paper, fresh designs, new stickers, and so much more. I already can't wait until next spring when I can order it.

Tip #2: Open up your planner and get acquainted with it

This step is hard for me, because I usually want to open it up and start writing in it and using the pretty stickers right away! Patience, young padawan. Take time to open it up, look through all of the pages, get acquainted with it. In the back of your mind start assembling a game plan of how you want to fill it out and start using it. 

Something really handy about my planner is that this inside front cover is a great place to jot down to-do's, doodle, or write a quote from a training or meeting that really impacted you. I write in Fine-Tip Sharpie so that it doesn't rub off on the other side. It wipes off easily with whiteboard cleaner or water. 

Tip #3: Make the planner work for YOU!

It might take some time to figure out your planning style. You might find a planner that works well for you, but realize that you don't use some of the sections as much as the others. That's what happened to me. I realized that I didn't really use the "Happy Birthday" section in my planner beyond writing everyone's name and birthday the first week of school. My school uses an electronic grade book that sends us notifications of when our students birthdays are, so although this page was super adorable, I never really used it. This year, I am repurposing these pages to be a place where I can jot down Blog Post inspirations, plans, and ideas. I was also thinking I could use it to track which apps (or learning platforms) I am teaching to my students during which months and how we are using them. It's all about figuring out what works best for you and your teacher style.

Tip #4: Get your hands on your District's calendar

The very first things I block out in my calendar are days off, PD Days, half days, conferences, and any other important district events. I block out those days using the stickers provided by Erin Condren, fun washi tape, and other stickers. This is a HUGE tip for planning for success. You want to make sure that you know all of those important dates at the beginning of the year so that you can be mindful of how you need to schedule and plan your lessons, events, and time to make the most of it and avoid double-booking or forgetting something. 

As you can see below, on my monthly calendar pages, I've already blocked out the days and times where I have conferences, days off, end of term, day grades are due, etc. based on my school district's calendar. I'll fill in more specifics when I have them, but for now I know which days need to be blocked out so I don't double book myself or forget what's coming up. Any time I get an email from my Principal or a meeting invite, I pencil it in to my monthly view and then I go back and make a pretty sticker for it. 

(P.S. One of my biggest, recurring nightmares is that I forget it's the first day of school or an important meeting or something and I show up late or forget to show up at all. These stickers keep that terrifying dream from becoming a reality!)

Tip #5: Loosely plan out a scope & sequence for the school year

Now that you know when each term ends and you have all of your breaks blocked out, fill in your weeks with a basic scope and sequence. I do this on loose leaf paper that I stick in the pouch at the back of my planner. I look at my days and weeks and decide which standards I should be teaching by the end of each quarter, jot down lesson ideas, and which types of lessons I'll do each week. You can get as specific with this as you want. I do this to plan for success -- but I also know that sometimes as a teacher I have to be flexible. Sometimes my students need to review a concept in more depth than I had anticipated, or they're ready to move at a faster pace. Planning this out loosely gives me the freedom to know where I'm going, but not have to be nailed down to going at a specific rate. Having a scope and sequence in my planner helps me to make sure I'm getting through the content I need to before testing and helps me to be successful. 

Tip #6: Add a little flair

This is where you can really flaunt your teacher style. I love to add little stickers, inspirational (or thematic) quotes, and color to the pages of my planner. It makes my planner more aesthetically pleasing, but it also boosts my mood to have the flair I added greet me when I open up my monthly spread.

Tip #7: Write stuff down!

I know that you are doing awesome things in your class!! You have great ideas and sometimes you even whip up something on the spot -- a true "teachable moment" -- without even having to plan for it! Go back and write it down. I know this seems annoying. I know you feel like you'll remember it. Trust me, I've felt those things. But then I got busy and forgot all about my brilliant idea. Plan things ahead of time. Write bullet points (or more detailed notes, it's all about YOUR planning style) for your lessons ahead of time as your planning, but go back and jot something down to yourself. Write down that amazing thing you did spontaneously. Have a lesson plan backfire, that's okay. Write it down. This will do two things:

1. It will make you reflect. What went well, what didn't? How could you change it to make it even better? This doesn't have to be long to be effective. Just take a few moments to cognizantly reflect and jot it down. 

2. You will see it when you plan next year. This is another one of the reasons I view my planner as such a good investment. I save them every year, and look back as I'm loosely doing my scope and sequence (usually during summer) the next year. If you write a little note to yourself about a lesson it will spark your memory so that you can rock that lesson the next year. 

Tip #8: Keep a hard copy of your grades

I use this Student checklist every day. I use it to track who has/hasn't turned in permission slips, who I've chosen for student of the week, and much more! Just turn the page, and you'll find that I keep a hard copy of all of my grades for each term. Even though my school uses an online grade book, I'm old school and love to log scores here before inputting them online. 

Bonus Tip: I write down my scores and assignments in Flair pens. (They don't bleed through. Bless!) I correspond the color I use to the type of assignment. All Reading assessments are logged in red, Math assessments in magenta, Reading projects in teal, Math homework in orange... you get the idea. Is my nerd showing?

Tip #9: Use you planner for more than just a calendar and lesson plans

So I mentioned at the beginning of this post that my planner is MY LIFE. I not only use it as my calendar, lesson plan holder, and grade book... I use it for many other things:

- I store my school supplies receipts, example report card, and handouts from meetings/trainings in this two-sided pouch. That way, when I need to go back to reference something I have it right there! Whether I'm in my classroom, at home, or off campus in a meeting I have everything I need. 

- I keep a copy of all of my ELA and Math standards in one of the plastic sleeves in my planner. It's so easy to find any standard I need.

- I keep a copy of my District Calendar and my Daily Schedule in another one of the plastic sleeves in my planner. 

Planning things out takes time, but trust me friends it is SO worth it. I have saved my planners every year since student teaching so that I can look back on my lessons, ideas, and reflections. This process has not only made me more efficient at planning over the years, but it has also truly made me a better teacher. 

If you are interested in getting a pretty Erin Condren Teacher Planner of your own, please click on this link to get some money off of your first purchase: https://erincondren.com/referral/invite/jessicawhittaker0114

Have fun planning for success,

TRACK MISSING WORK IN STYLE

Do you ever have students who forget to turn in work on time? Who am I kidding -- of course you do! Or maybe they turn it in, but there's no name on it? It happens from time to time, no matter how great of a teacher you are. What matters is how you manage late/missing assignments. Today, I'm sharing with you my fun DIY to help you (and your students) keep up with what has or hasn't been turned in. It is SO important for students of any age to work on responsibility and my newest DIY project will allow my students to practice responsibility as well as self-advocacy. Keep reading if you want to see this cute, easy, and CHEAP project that will help you cut down on missing assignment nightmares.

What I've created is a "Missing Work" board that will allow me to post assignments and the names of students who I haven't received it from. This project cost about $12 and took me less than 15 minutes to make. I think that's a win-win. Not to mention the fact that this will save me the headache of dealing with holes in the grade book.

How I made it:

Supplies you will need- frame, scrapbook paper, alphabet stickers (optional), sticky notes
1. Take matte out of frame. 
2. Trace matte on scrapbook paper.
3. Cut scrapbook paper along traced lines.
4. (optional) Stick alphabet stickers on paper.
5. Place paper inside of the frame and secure.
6. (optional) If you chose not to purchase alphabet stickers, you could write "Missing Work" on the glass part of your frame using a dry erase marker.
7. Write missing assignments and student names on sticky notes and post as needed. 

How it works:

- After I have finished logging assignment scores into my grade book I will pull out sticky notes.
- Each individual sticky notes will represent one assignment. 
- On said sticky note I will write the assignment title on top, then list out the names of all students who do not have a score logged for that assignment. 
- Students will be responsible for checking the "Missing Work" board and turning in assignments so that their name gets checked off the sticky.
- If a student knows that they turned their assignment in, yet they see their name on the board, this should prompt them to look through the "No Name File" I have in my class to find the assignment and then they can resubmit.

To celebrate students who have had every homework assignment turned in during the month, as a 5th grade team we do a "Homework Club" lunch. This incentive of having lunch with the teacher and friends is a great motivator for students to be on top of checking the "Missing Work" board and turn in assignments on time. 

Did you give this DIY a try? Will you tweak it for your class? Please share in the comments below or post on social media using #myteacherstyle to show off your finished product. 

TOP 10 MUST HAVES FOR YOUR TEACHER DESK

I love my teacher desk! I don't spend much time sitting at it during the day, but it's nice to know I have my own space, stocked with everything I need. Today I'm sharing with you 10 items that you NEED to have in your teacher desk. If you're expecting to find flair pens and thumb tacks, you won't find that in this post. Today I'm showing you 10 non-school supply related items that I keep in my desk. Maybe you're setting up your teacher desk for the first time, or maybe you're looking for some reorganization ideas. Let's open up some drawers and take a peek at my top 10 must haves! 

 #1 Fun Post-It Notes

Okay, so I know that I said you wouldn't find school supplies in this post... but I don't really consider fun post-it notes to be a school supply item. Find fun, pretty, unique sticky notes that are only for your stash! Don't let you students use them. These are just something for you! I often find cute sticky note packs in the Target Dollar Spot. Having your own fun personal supply of sticky notes keeps things cute and professional for you. Whether you're jotting down to-do's, writing a quick lesson plan, or sending a short note to a student or staff member -- having fun sticky notes readily available at your teacher desk is a MUST!

#2 Lint Roller

Sometimes you come to work and realize you have dog hair or fuzzy stuff on your pants (or maybe that's just me?). I can't even begin to tell you how many times having a lint roller on hand has been a life saver -- not only for me, but for some of my teacher friends as well! 

#3 Bleach Pen

I have used my Tide-To-Go bleach pen MANY times (both inside & outside the classroom). I've used it when I've had coffee splash on my blouse, when expo marker finds it's way onto my pants, or even when there was a mystery stain on one of the cloth-covered bulletin boards in my classroom. It works fast and is pretty darn magical. 

#4 Lotion / Body Spray

Sometimes you just need to freshen up -- midday, on your way to a staff meeting after school, before a parent teacher conference... Having lotion or body spray on hand rocks! I can spritz a little and feel refreshed and ready to go. I have really dry skin (especially in the winter months) and sometimes I'll just open my desk drawer and squeeze a little lotion on my hands and rub it in as I walk around the room checking in with students. I always try to have a few different scents on hand depending on my mood, the season, etc. When I put on lotion there are always a few little heads that pop up and start sniffing around trying to determine which scent I used. Kids are funny. Having "smelly goods" in my desk is awesome. 

#5 Toiletries

This must-have actually consists of a few items. It all goes back to feeling fresh and clean no matter what the school day throws at you. The toiletries I have in my desk include:

- toothbrush / tooth paste

- dental floss

- deodorant

- lady products (some for me & some emergency ones for students)

- mini hairspray

Some school days are like a marathon with back to back meetings, conferences, school events, and some teaching thrown in too. Having these supplies in my desk has been amazing. On those busy days I don't have to pack a little bag with these items in the morning when I'm already feeling rushed. I just have them readily available. 

#6 Bobby Pins & Hair Ties

Sometimes I throw-down a little basketball with my students at recess, or I have hairs that get in my way, or I'm just having a bad hair day... bobby pins and hair ties have really become an essential in my teacher desk! This item (along with many of the other items in my desk) is one that I have had many staff friends ask me if they can borrow. I love that my friends know that I have "everything they could ever need" in my desk! It gives me the chance to build community as I share items from my desk with others. I love it when I'm getting things set up for the day and someone strolls into my room asking, "Hey Jess do you have ______?" and I usually do! 

#7 Snacks

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get a little hangry. I need snacks in my room. I always like to have a tin of almonds, protein bars, and a few M&Ms on hand. I also keep snacks in my desk for students who can't bring snacks from home. I know that if I'm having a hard time staying focused and energized because I'm hungry, my students are definitely feeling that too. Having a good snack stash is very important!!

#8 Some sort of Caffeine 

I'm a coffee girl so I always have K-Cups and mugs in my desk. Maybe you need tea packets, or quarters for Diet Coke from the vending machine. Whatever your caffeination preference may be, find a spot at your desk where you can store it. It's a great way to start the day, or perfect for a little afternoon pick me up. Plus, I've found that having a coffee station in my room helps me to save on my spending. Instead of being tempted to drive-thru a coffee shop on my way to work, I know I can make a cup of coffee when I get to school. Much more budget friendly! It's also another great way to build community with staff members as they pop into my room with an empty cup sometimes. 

#9 Notecards for any occasion

This is my favorite item that I have in my Teacher Desk! I have blank notecards, Birthday cards, Thank You notes, and friendly greeting cards all just a drawer-pull away. My mama raised me right -- when I receive a gift from a student I write them a thank you note and slip it into their mailbox right away. I also look for times I can write different staff members a notecard to encourage them. I love words of affirmation and I'm sure most people do. Looking for ways I can appreciate and recognize other people is a fun way to give back. Target Dollar Spot always has cute, colorful, and (most importantly) cheap note cards for any and every occasion. I try to stock up every few weeks so that I have lots to choose from. Having these note cards in my desk is a reminder to write that thank you note right away or send a little message while I'm thinking about it. 

#10 Encouraging Notes from Students

Our profession can be the most exhausting, but also the most rewarding. There are days where I'm tired or lacking focus. Pulling out encouraging notes from different students over the years always centers me. It reminds me why I do what I do. When I read over notes and remember the lives I've touched, the impact I've had, the jokes I had with specific students... it just brings me JOY and gives me that added boost I need!

So whether you're new to teaching or looking for some new ideas, I hope that this list has gotten you started on what you need to add to your teacher desk! Are there any must-have items I left off the list? Questions you have? Comment below!

CRAZY FOR ERIN CONDREN!

Four little words changed my life recently, and I'm thinking they could change yours too, so I'll share them with you: Erin. Condren's. Teacher. Planner.

Boom.

If you're not convinced about the life altering power of those four words, or if you've maybe heard those words before but have no idea what I'm referring to - read on. A lot of the teachers that I follow on Pinterest & Instagram have been posting all about their Erin Condren planners and how much they love them. I was intrigued and perused the website and read a few reviews online. I'm a pretty cautious shopper and really want to make sure that I know what I'm buying and that I'll like it, so I searched the internet far and wide to find out how people felt about their experience and to see if this planner was truly worth the "investment." I finally decided to get one and let me tell you, it was the BEST decision!! The school year hasn't even started yet & I can already feel what a lifesaver this planner will be for me this year. I know that you can put your schedule on your iPhone and do lesson plans online... but I'm pretty old school so I love the fact that I can take notes, lesson plan, look at my calendar, track parent contacts, data, and so much more all in one convenient & cute place. Without any further ado, here is my review of the 2016 Erin Condren Teacher Planner!

Here is a quick breakdown of what the planner includes:

- Personalized covers (I chose to go with the standard cover)
-Tabbed months
-Graph paper (for tracking data, seating arrangements, etc)
- Absent Log (which I turned into Parent Contact Log... more on that in a bit)
- Year at a glance section 
- Monthly spread calendar
- Weekly spread calendar/lesson plan section
- Notes Section
- 4 sheets of stickers (some blank & some with specific labels pertaining to school events)
- Double sided  folder
- Sheet protector (I put my Daily Schedule & District Calendar in here)
- Zipper pouch
- Snap-in bookmark

Now let's hop into the planner!

As soon as I opened the beautifully packaged box, I was greeted with some exciting freebies (pictured above, along with more!) and this beautiful cover. I chose to go with the standard cover instead of personalizing it for a few reasons. One, because it was a bit cheaper. Two, I knew it would get to me faster. And three, because the planner covers can be interchangeable, I knew I could order a personalized one later if I changed my mind. 

As soon as I opened up the planner itself I knew that the two of us (my planner & I) were going to get along well this year. I love how the front inside cover is  lined dry erase. I can foresee myself using this in meetings, or to quickly jot something down. Also, all the tabs that you can see on the right side just make me so happy. The first few pages after the cover page include spots for me to put in personal information including an "All About Me" section and web resources.

After that, we come across the Birthday section. Looking at how blank this page is right now makes me sad, but in just three weeks from today I will get my class list and I will be able to fill this puppy in. Yay!

The next section is for the Absent Log. I don't know about you but my District takes care of absences online, so this section was pretty useless for me. I decided to personalize it by covering up the Absent Log title and turning these two pages into a Parent Contact section instead. I'm looking forward to testing this out. Last year, I had a more in depth PC log that I plan on still using this year for situations that require me to document more detail... but I think I will use this for most quick contacts. 

After this is a few pages of graph paper that I plan on using for seating charts and/or tracking data. Next is a section for long-rage block plans, just a quick snapshot to plan out the whole year at a glance. I'm very visual, so I appreciate this section where I can look at my whole year spread out  on two pages.

Next, we come to the monthly planning section! Between each month you can find three pages for notes and an inspirational quote. Above is the quote for August. Feeling pumped for this first month!

Here's August!! As you can see things are starting to fill in quickly! I LOVE the pages of colored stickers in the back of the book. As you can see, some of them I wrote on, and the "First Day" sticker is one of the school event stickers provided. I want my planner to look really clean & cute, so at this point I'm lightly penciling in some of the things I know that I have coming up, but I don't have all of the solid details yet. I plan on going in as soon as I do have those details solidified & making a sticker for those things. I've been writing on the stickers with my black Flair pen or my Sharpie pen. Both work great!

After the monthly spreads, comes the lesson planning section! You can also see my ruler that snaps in and out of the planner. I'm using it as a book mark right now. I love the planning section. It is the perfect size for what I need and is very clean cut, which I appreciate. 

Ta-daa! The Student Checklist pages. Right now, they're looking a little naked but I have big plans for them when I get my class roster! I'm going to be using this section to keep track of things such as permission slips, turned in assignments, etc. I am not planning on using this for grades, but more for checking in and some quick formative assessments. 

I LOVE this two-sided pocket folder towards the back of my planner. As you can see, I am using this side to place in my to-do list, the other side I will use to place any handouts from meetings. After this is a sheet protector that I have put my Daily Schedule in and my District Calendar.

All in all, I just adore my Erin Condren Teacher Planner. I am so excited to use it. I hope that you're geeking out over this planner as much as I have been. If you already have one of your own, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the planner, how you've tweaked it to make it your own, etc.

If you don't have one and are interested in getting one, I have a code that can get you $10 off your first Erincondren.com purchase. Click on the link below:

https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/jessicawhittaker0114

If you have any questions about the planner, or want to see more pictures of it (including the pages I didn't show) comment below! Happy planning!