I don't know why I'm not used to how quickly August rolls around...you would think after a decade of summers doing this I'd be used to it by now!

I don't know about you but I know it's time to get back to work when I start stalking Target and waiting for the sterilite pencil boxes to go on sale for $0.50.  I'm getting a little nervous and have told myself I'll give it one more week and then I'm gonna bite the bullet and just pay for them full price.  Eeeek!!!

And now that I've been slowly restocking on pencil boxes, writing folders, fadeless butcher paper, etc. I am also starting to redo a lot of the activities I've done for years in my classroom.  I've already done two so far and wanted to share them with you.  I promise I will have better posts that talk in detail about how I do these activities once I am back in the classroom with the kiddos.  For now, I just have these resources on TpT for you to get for free if you like!  I'm all about sharing and collaborating so as I redo/make/create...I'll be sure to share them with you all!

The first project I redid was my Gingerbread Man scavenger Hunt.  I LOOOOVE THE GINGERBREAD MAN STORIES and got hooked by my mentor teacher years ago.  When I took over her classroom she had this as her theme and I couldn't resist using the same gingerbread theme in my room.  Now granted, I'm not talented in classroom decor like many teachers out there but I do like to incorporate the gingerbread theme as best as I can in my room.  I start, of course, by introducing this character on the first day of school.  In September, I'll post in more detail about my gingerbread theme and the activities I do but for now....here is the link to my scavenger hunt clues!

Next, I started to redo my calendar worksheets.  I know many of you do something similar but I thought I'd post it as a freebie on TpT for anyone who hasn't had the time to make these or wanted a different version than the one they are currently using.  I looove to use these calendars as a quick assessment on how my students are doing in terms of writing their numbers, recognizing them, putting them in correct order, etc.  It's also a great activity to have a substitute do!  I like to make copies of the calendars before I send them home to keep for conferences to show the progress students are making in writing their numbers.  Sometimes I feel like we get so busy doing all of the other rigor that we forget to focus on things as simple as writing numbers correctly so this is a quick and easy activity to incorporate into your busy day that is also a great assessment for numeral writing!  Anyway, I'll be working on the other months and posting them soon.  I plan on doing an art activity with each this year and will add that as soon as I can :)  Hope you enjoy this freebie too!  I can't believe school is just around the corner!  eeeeek!!!!

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Cherry

When I started teaching over 10 years ago...there wasn't much selection as far as clipart goes.  The one very popular source for fonts and clipart was djinkers.com.  I remember being introduced to her adorable graphics and fonts from my master teacher.

Once I saw what you could create with her clipart I was hooked!  Those first few years of teaching I bought MANY of her CD's and started creating away.  I probably have over $500 worth of clipart from djinkers alone.  I know...I've got serious problems!

Fast forward 12 years later and not only do new teachers have djinkers...but they also have adorable clipart available from amazing artists like Whimsy Clips, Melonheadz, Creative Clips, Graphics from the Pond...the list goes on and on and on.

Now more than ever...it is easy to buy new clipart and make adorable resources for the classroom BUT....WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE OLD CLIPART WE'VE COLLECTED???

Like I said before...I have purchased a ton of djinkers clipart and several of my cd's are outdated.  I wanted to cry when I realized a few years ago that the newer computers wouldn't let me "view" my different graphics.

Here was my problem: My clipart was old.  They were created before jpeg and png.  As a result, new computers would not let me see the actual images of my clipart.  They would only let me see the name of the file.  You can imagine the pain of trying to choose the right graphic for my lessons if I had three different images all named apple and I didn't know which was green, yellow, or red???  I know it may sound silly but I really wanted those thumbnail images!!!

All I have to say is thank goodness for google!  I knew there had to be a way for me to salvage my clipart.  I couldn't let hundreds of dollars go to waste!  I didn't have the money to purchase the upgraded versions so I discovered a way for me to convert my clipart images into jpegs or pngs!!!

I learned I could use free software like XnView to convert all my images and still keep my original images.

If you are like me and have older clipart that you still want to use...I highly recommend using something like XnView (free program you download to your computer) or cloudconvert (free online app through google chrome).

In fact...I'm converting images as we speak!!!!

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Cherry

Eeek!  I'm super excited to join this linky party to get to know other Kinder Teachers out there!  I'm completely new to the blogging world, instagram, and TpT...so please forgive my bare bones blog...and possibly my lack of techy skills when it comes to "linking up" and all that!!  I'm going to use the excuse of "mommy brain" and say that having an almost 3 year old has made me a little less tech savy then I used to be :)  Anyway...please click the button below to check out kindertribe and join the linky party!!! If I can figure out how to do this...you definitely can! I'm so excited to get to know you all!

I was fortunate enough to start my teaching career in Kindergarten.  I took over a kinder classroom for a FABULOUS teacher named Jan'nette Torrance during my first year teaching.  SHE IS AMAZING and is now teaching in Arkansas.  I owe so much to her and that is why I'm so excited to be connecting with all of you!!  I believe there isn't ever a time when a teacher "knows it all" and doesn't have room to grow!!  Two years ago, I took time off to stay at home with my baby girl and this past school year was my first year back teaching full time.  Right before I had my daughter, I had been teaching first grade for 3 years and even though I loved that grade ... there is just something so special about kinder!  I'm glad to be back in kinderland :)

Ever since starting my family...my priorities have definitely changed.  I still love teaching but I couldn't imagine going a day without seeing my husband or daughter.  AND...I GOTTA HAVE MY TRADER JOE'S FIX EVERY WEEK!  I LOOOOVE THAT PLACE!!!  And I may be guilty of buying treats for my students there every week too!  

As for school supplies...I honestly love them all!  It might sound lame but there's nothing I love more than going down the school supplies aisle :)  BUT the magic eraser is amazing and will seriously erase just about any mark that our darling kinders leave behind on the desks...chairs...floors...even on the promethean/smart boards!!!   

I think I love books just about as much as I love bags and shoes...which explains why it took me much longer to buy a house than it did to build a massive classroom library.  I always say I spent what should have been my down payment on a house on my library!  But it is so worth it when I see my kids immersed in books!  And seriously...if you need a good read aloud...just email me and ask me...I'll probably know a good title!  It's a little sad but true...just look at my answer above...I obviously couldn't name just one book. 

As for the blogs...I really can't name just one.  I love reading everyone's blogs and learning from you all.  Everyone has such amazing ideas, tips, tricks, advice, etc.  I hope that even with my bare bones blog I'll be able to contribute as well.  I'm still debating on spending the money to get a blog design but honestly...that will have to wait...my daughter's bday is coming up and if I have to choose between a cute blog design or my kid...well...you already know what the choice will be! :)  

And as for kindergarten....I think I fell in love with this grade when I was student teaching and a little boy came up to me with a gift in his hand and said, "Miss Bondoc...this is for you...It's a diarrhea (diary)!!!"  Classic!!!  Each day in Kinder is always fun...whether its an adventure or misadventure...there is never a dull moment and I love it!  Thank goodness for our kinders!  AND THANK GOODNESS FOR OUR KINDER TEACHERS!  Thanks for taking the time to get to know me!

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Cherry

Three years ago, I had just begun looking into blogging and teachers pay teachers when BAM! I found out I was pregnant and my whole world changed.  Aside from the terrible morning sickness that lasted almost 5 months, I was completely and utterly burnt out as a teacher.  I had given myself wholeheartedly to my students for almost 10 years and I was exhausted.  So, when my beautiful baby arrived I was in much need of a break from the teaching world.  My priorities shifted and I decided to stay home for 2 years with my baby.  Granted, the 2nd year I job shared and taught in a kindergarten class 1 day a week but my mind and heart still wasn't fully committed to being back in the classroom.

This past school year was definitely a big wake up call for me.  3 years ago...I felt like I was on top of my game and up to date with technology.  I "thought" I was pretty good at creating resources on my computer and for years, my colleagues would tell me I should sell my lesson plans, bulletin board ideas, and worksheets but at that time...there was no teachers pay teachers and barely anyone was blogging.  3 years later...and boy what a different story!  TpT has become a household name (at least in the teaching world) and social media has enabled all of us teachers to really collaborate, share, create, and inspire in ways that weren't even possible 3 years ago.  

Which brings me back to my title for my post.  After months of checking out blogs, getting new and fresh ideas, scoping out TpT...I am ready to start collaborating with all the awesome teachers out there!!  BUT IT HAS BEEN A HUGE LEARNING CURVE AND MY BRAIN FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE!! LOL! 

After almost a week of tinkering, experimenting, and trying to figure out how to secure a PDF!!!!   I finally have my first product on teachers pay teachers.  I wasn't even planning to have a teachers pay teachers account but as I started to think of what I'll be teaching in September ... I thought why not??? What better way to repay all of the wonderful teachers out there that I have gotten ideas from then to put some of my own out there as well.  

I'm sure I'll never be as awesome as the amazing Mrs. Jump or as funny and creative as Greg Smedley (gotta love those glue sponges!)....but who knows?  Maybe one of my ideas will help out a teacher out there in need of some new ideas.

So here's to me...and this crazy journey I'm about to take!  Let's hope this learning curve narrows a bit because man...my head hurts :) 

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Cherry

Ever since I started teaching (11 years ago), I’ve always LOVED sharing ideas with other teachers.  Now, I’m excited that I’ll finally be able to do it at a global level!  I love that social media, the internet, technology, etc have created opportunities for all of us to learn and grow from one another.  More importantly, it’s given us an outlet to express all the joys and heartaches that teaching brings us each and every day we are in the classroom.

I hope that by blogging about my many adventures and misadventures in teaching that I will be able to grow and learn as an educator as well as inspire, comfort, and connect with all of you awesome teachers out there!

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Cherry