December 30, 2013

Winter Conference: The Art of Education


This past summer, I had the privileged to be one of the speakers at The Art of Education's first online conference!  IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!  We got to be online in real time talking with those attending the conference.  Great questions were asked...and great conversations were taking place during & after the conference.  If you would like to go to a conference with great content...this is your conference!!!!!!  And you can do it from the privacy of your own home in your PJ's!!! HOW FUN IS THAT?!?!

PLUS..I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING AGAIN!!!! 
 (my session is on bulletin boards)

Sign up today!!!!  The conference is January 25th!!!!






December 29, 2013

More Faculty Snowmen!


This Sheldon snowman was made my principal.  She LOVES The Big Bang Theory!!  She doesn't feel she's an artist, but she always does great work!!!!  BAZINGA!!!!!!



This snowman has a lot of heart!!  This teacher overcame breast cancer last year, and has a fun short cropped hair now.  She stayed positive, kept working out, and kept working throughout her treatment.  She is a true fighter and inspiration to all!!!!!!!  



The faceless snowman is awesome...but I have no idea who made it?!?!?!?! ha ha  
The V snowman is Vandy for you non-TN people.  


The Alabama snowman is my assistant principal...who totally did NOT make his own snowman.  He had one of our secretaries do it.  She did a great job, but I totally called him on it! ha ha  The snowman in the black dress is a Teach For America teacher that is new to our school. She's AWESOME!  She has very long hair...and always wears it in a messy bun...kind of a fun hipster person.



This was created by a teacher that is a MAJOR germaphobe!!!!!!!  I laughed so hard when she gave this to me....cause I've actually seen her with rubber gloves and Lysol before cleaning her classroom!!!  


December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas & Many Happy Snowmen!!



Well..maybe not all happy snowmen?!?! :)  ha ha  I hope you all are enjoying your Christmas break, and that it is a special time for ya'll!!!!!!  The E family is having a great time so far, with a week & a half still to go!  Many blessings to you all!! 
I have some more posts over break...so don't forget to stop by & visit me!









December 21, 2013

Chair Footies...5 Months In

This summer my chair footies were featured on BUZZ FEED.  

They were not received well.  Most said that it was a stupid idea, it wouldn't work, and tennis balls were so much better.  
Check out my post to see what I'm talking about.

I DECIDED TO DO A FOLLOW UP SO YOU CAN SEE THAT
I'M NOT JUST MAKING THIS UP!


They aren't looking real "pretty", but they are still on & still doing their job.  You have to remember, well over  a hundred students come in & out of my classroom on a daily bases.  So they are holding strong even with 550 students using & abusing them on a weekly bases.  


My floors still look amazing!!!  

December 19, 2013

A Cup of Coco: 3rd Grade


                                   

The last class of the day before Christmas Parties start....WHAT DO YOU DO???
Well, I decided I'd do a full lesson with them & pray they'd stay focused enough to complete it!! 
!!!!!!!!AND THEY DID!!!!!!!!!!
I talked to the students about form, and how to create the illusion that something was 3-D when it was actually just flat.  We looked at the shape, how we colored, and shading.  I was excited to see them really get into it!   These are the ones that actually finished.  A few others were really good starts...but not far enough along to see if they were getting the shading or not.  



December 18, 2013

Tacky Sweater Day 2013


Does your school have Tacky Christmas Sweater Day?  We started about 3 yrs ago...and it keeps getting bigger & better!  The kids LOVE IT!  The teachers LOVE IT!  It is totally a win/win activity!! 
If you aren't doing it yet...step up & take the lead.  I, being a super sized individual, made my own "Tacky Christmas Sweater".  I started it last year, and have decided I'll add something each year to tack on some tacky!!!  Today I has several teacher approach me about having an after school MAKE-A-TACKY-SWEATER session next year.  I LOVE THE IDEA!  How much fun!!  Everyone will bring their "base"...be it a sweater, vest, tie...whatever.  They will also bring some items to share (felt, fabric, buttons, do-dads).  Glue guns will fly...sparkles will shine...fun will be had!




More Clay Masks: 4th Grade


Lots of cats & dogs...but there are a few other interesting...ummm...creatures?  
Once again..these are painted with acrylic & the students were limited to 4 colors.





There is something about this one I love!  A bit messy in how it was painted..you can even tell from the paper I had them work on top of compared to the other students.  However, there is something very lively about this guy!!!  

The stripe one looks amazing in person..did not photograph as well.  The green one makes me laugh!! Reminds me of The Mask movie...but kind of Veggie Tales!  LOVE IT!
This dude looks like a Furby & Gizmo had a baby!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

December 17, 2013

"UN" Snowman Behavior Paintings: 4th Grade


This 9 weeks we have Narrative Painting in our curriculum.  With all the snowman fun being had by the teachers, I thought I'd allow my 4th Graders to use a snowman as their main character.  The assignment was to place a snowman in an "un"snowman setting doing an "un"snowman thing!  Though some are not finished, I had a lot of fun & twisted ideas!!!!

The picture above has a dog munching on the snowman because he's hot!!! ha ha  



Artist in Residence painting at the museum.


Plein Air Painting on the beach.


Grey's Anatomy snowman style!


TN snowpeople on vacation at the beach!!


I LOVE THE WATER AND SKY!!!!  Surfin' family style.


Snowmen have to go to school too!!!


Mad scientist snowman (Dr. Frankinsnowman?).


I'm not sure if this is Walking Dead snowman...or Rambo Snowman?!?!?