OUR BLOG HAS MOVED!

Hi followers and fans! 

We have now moved our blog to Wordpress.  

We are currently hosting a giveaway for a scarf from the Etsy shop, Anderson's Designs.  

Please visit our new blog and enter to win this incredible product HERE! 

Thanks to all! 

Love, 

Alesha

Wordless Wednesday

Okay, this post isn't completely wordless!  I wanted to share that I am slowly learning more and more about my Photoshop Elements 12!  I just taught myself how to add washi tape as a layer WITH text! 

I'm extremely proud! :)

Love, 

Teaching Portfolio

After graduating from college in December, the number one priority was finding a job. Since it would be in the middle of the school year, I was scared that there wouldn't be any jobs available.

The first thing I started researching was what all I needed to have to apply for a job and what I needed in case of an interview opportunity. The first thing I found was to have a PORTFOLIO for the Principal to look at. I started asking myself, "What is a portfolio?" "What goes in the portfolio?" After all, nowhere in my college education did they teach us about having a portfolio for job interviews.

Well.... lucky for you, I am going to give you a list of items that are NECESSARY for you to have!

Teaching Job Portfolio: 

1. Table of Contents:

This is where you have a list and page number for your potential boss to find a certain document. Having a table of contents keeps your binder ORGANIZED and you can flip within a second to whatever you are looking for. 

2.  Resume:

Having your resume accessible to the principal is important. Most of the time they will already have your resume from your application but you need to have extra copies in your portfolio in case there are other people who sit in on your interview. You also need to make sure your resume is UP TO DATE! Principals love to see your past experiences and what your degree is in and if you have additional endorsements attached to your degree. 

3. Teacher Certificate:

Your teaching certificate is the MOST IMPORTANT document in your portfolio. Your teaching certificate shows proof that you are certified to teach in Georgia (or the state you are living in). If you have passed your GACE certifications but have not received your Certificate from the GAPSC then you can print off your GACE results and that shows them you are certified but waiting on "that piece of paper!"

4. References/Letter of Recommendation

A lot of people attach their references to their resume.... However, I have found out that your resume NEEDS TO BE NO MORE THAN 1 PAGE in length. I have heard some Principals or higher up personnel will automatically throw out your application if your resume is more than 1 page. So I decided to make my own section for references and letter of recommendations. This is important for any job you are applying for. Principals want to read those recommendation letters and also contact those references that you have worked with or that know your professional skills. If you are in education... I would suggest having all your mentor teachers and supervisors writing you a letter of recommendation if they will. 

5. Sample Lesson Plans

When you are in education you write TONS OF LESSON PLANS throughout your college career.  would suggest to have 3-4 lesson plans in your portfolio that are in different grades. This shows Principals you are aware of the standards that your students have to meet, how to write a lesson plan, and what kind of lessons you are teaching in your classroom. Each school requires there teachers to produce lesson plans in different ways. I would suggest to have your EQ, Standard, Anticipatory Set, Instruction, Assessment, and Differentiation in your lesson plans.

6. Observations/Evaluations

The last thing that is necessary to have in your portfolio is observations and/or evaluations. Principals love to see how others rate you or score you on your teaching. You will have many observations throughout your field experience. Make copies of the reports and include them in your portfolio. Also, during your student teaching you will have a midterm evaluation and a final observation. Include this!! This is your most recent evaluation from your supervisor and can be a great reference for you landing a job!

This is NOT everything I have included in my portfolio. I feel though after going to different interviews, these are the most important documents for a Principal to look at. I have landed my first job opportunity and I am so excited to start!! I hope this will help in anyway! If you have any further questions about portfolios or interviews please don't hesitate to e-mail us! 

Good luck on your future endeavors!!!

Thank you, 

Kacey Cavanaugh

To Gild The Lily- Personalized Iphone Case {review & giveaway}

In a world that is becoming more technological advanced, it is becoming harder and harder to find a high quality product at a great price. Finding the right case for me can be extremely difficult. I have become OBSESSED with personalized items and this is why I am SO IN LOVE with this new product.

Back in August, my sweet husband bought me the Iphone 5 for my birthday. Obviously I had to find the perfect case for my new phone! My first instinct was to contact this amazing shop on ETSY that I love... To Gild The Lily. They offer incredible products at amazing prices.

To Gild the Lily is an Etsy shop that offers a wide variety of iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Samsung cases. I have picked a couple of their products to show as an example!

I LOVE the idea of having a picture on your case. Whether you are newly married, just had a baby, or want to show off your grandkids, you cannot go wrong with a photo case! This phone case is $22.99 + tax.

This pink monogrammed damask case is only... $13.99!!! You cannot beat this price!

Who doesn't like chevron prints??? You can't beat the price of $13.99 for a monogrammed, personalized, and high quality case!!

I tried to get a good photo, but this does not do the case justice. I LOVE the vibrant colors that To Gild the Lily used on my new cute case! I especially love my new initials!!! 

 My iPhone case is complete with my new  initials! One very lucky reader will have the opportunity to win phone case of your choice from To Gild The Lily! 

The winner will have the choice of: 

1. Design
2. Case Type (iPhone or Samsung Galaxy i9100)
3. Color

THANK YOU TO GILD THE LILY!!! Please fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win!!

Student Teaching Update and Write the Room Freebie

It seems like it has been forever since my last blog post.

I've been EXTREMELY busy with student teaching, but I am LOVING every minute of it.

For those of you that do not know, I am completing my student teaching in KINDERGARTEN!
The faculty and staff I work with are amazing!  My mentor teacher is super helpful, and I am so blessed to be in her class.

I'm having so much fun teaching my precious students, and learning from them.
One of the biggest challenges kindergarten teachers face is the lack of resources, such as textbooks.
Since kindergarten does not have textbooks, you must supplement in different ways.  Most of the time that means creating your own activities, mini booklets, games, etc.

My mentor teacher allowed me to bring in my own ideas and activities into our classroom to help.

One of my favorite activities I created was a Write-the-Room activity.  
I've searched and searched on the Internet for these types of activities, but I never found one that appealed to me.  However, I did find a seller on Teachers Pay Teachers that I liked, but the words were not typed with the handwriting paper lines.  

{One of the things my kindergarten students need extra help with is handwriting.} 
Since this was a handwriting activity, I thought it would be important to have the words typed on the handwriting lined paper.  Yet, I was not able to find this anywhere!

Therefore, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create one myself.  

I found the perfect font from a free font downloader, HERE.

Here is a preview of my Write-the-Room activity.

I created ten of these mini signs.  Each sign includes one of the Dolch Sight Words and an ice cream image.  I selected ten sight words, five sight words were review words from the previous week, and the other five were the new ones.

I printed out the signs, and backed them on black cardstock.  Next, I laminated them for durability and future use.  Then, I posted them within our classroom.

I also created a matching handout.  The handout is two pages, but I printed it double-sided to save paper! 

Here is a preview of what it looks like:

Each student was given a handout, and had to look for the matching pictures and write the word.

MY STUDENTS LOVED THIS!  It was entertaining, because they had to look carefully around the room to find each ice cream.

You may get your free copy of the mini signs HERE!

You may get your free copy of the handout HERE!

Do you have any cute activities that you have made or found that students loved??

If so, I would love to hear about them!  Comment below! :)

Thank you,

Mommy's Special Necklace {Review & Giveaway}

Five years ago, I gained my first nephew. Although at the time I did not know him, he is my little man who I love very deeply. My sister-in-law gave birth to Caden on January 9th, 2008. I had the privilege of meeting Caden when he was 9 months old. I have adored him ever since. He is so unique and so smart. Four years later, I gained a niece. Callie Cavanaugh was welcomed into this world on October 29th, 2012. Although these two sweet babies are not my own, I love them with all my heart and they are my world. 

One of my favorite shops, Designing Tomorrow, gave me the opportunity to review a necklace that can be for an aunt, grandmother, sister, mom, or whoever you may choose. This particular necklace has my niece and nephews birthday's on it with their birthstone color. I ABSOLUTELY love it! This necklace is about 18 inches long and she makes every necklace different and unique which is more personable.

 I listed below some other amazing necklaces by Designing Tomorrow. She does amazing work and can customize to just about anything. She lets you pick what you want and the color pendant of your choice. She has many different pendants for your personalized necklace. Here are some choices: flower, heart, baby feet, cross, football, paw print, baby carriage, tennis ball, bird and much much more! 

 I LOVE the products Designing Tomorrow produces. All her necklaces are made of stainless steel. Stainless Steel is a much better quality than a silver nickel pendant. This necklace is hypo-allergenic, rust free, and tarnish free!

Any lucky person will LOVE this necklace!!!
Enter for your chance to win!

Binder Cover! {Freebie}

For student teaching, we have to keep up with a binder full of lesson plans, classroom information, resume, etc. So I needed to find something to make my binder organized and cute!

With student teaching beginning in THREE days, I needed something to make that would be quick and easy!

I knew that I wanted something cute and unique to use! So... after looking all over on different social media websites, I decided to make my own! 

I googled some different styles of digital papers and went from there! 

Here is what I came up with! :)

 
Here is a preview of the Freebie. :)

{FREEBIE}

Hope you enjoy these CUTE covers! You can edit them to make ORGANIZATION super easy and fun! :) 


Thanks,

~Kacey~