meet the teacher monday: Sense and Sensibility

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

The winter holiday season is by far my favorite time of year. My senses come alive as the smells, sights, and sounds unique to the holidays make their long awaited debut.

My ears are filled sounds of the musical styling of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and silky smooth crooners like Nat King Cole and the Rat Pack. 

My eyes feast on twinkling lights sparkling along city streets. Dazzling displays of bright red, sliver and gold litter the landscape as far as the eye can see.

And the smells...THE SMELLS. The aroma of fresh baked cookies and gingerbread lattes penetrate the air. I said this before and I will say it again, by the end of the holiday season I will have either a fat (fatter) ass or (*in my Wilfred Brimley voice*)diabeetus. 

The sounds, sights, and smells are what make the holiday merry and bright!

Here are a few of my holiday faves that stimulate my senses...

What are your favorite holiday sounds? Sights? Smells?

For those new to Meet The Teacher Monday, here's the scoop:


MEET THE TEACHER MONDAY is a weekly linky celebration, dedicated to making and culminating friendships among our tribe of fellow teachers. Just follow these simple guidelines:-)

• Snag the MTTM graphic. On your blog, please respond to this week's questions or prompt provided.
• Return to my blog and link your post.
• Visit one or two bloggers ahead of you in the linky, and leave a comment in response to their Meet the Teacher Monday post.
• Visit one or two bloggers after you in the linky line-up and leave a comment as well.
• And because it's so hard to find time to blog, feel free to post any day of the week, not just Monday.

meet the teacher monday: Teachers to be Thankful For

It's Sunday, but this girl is NOT suffering from the usual case of the Smondays. Smonday is that moment when Sunday stop feeling like Sunday, and the anxiety of Monday kicks in. And the reason why the Smondays escaped me THIS Sunday...Yours truly is OFFICIALLY on Thanksgiving Break.

I am in much need of some down time. As break approached I participated in 4 ARD's. Special Education teachers feel my pain right about now. For non-SPED teachers, preparing for an ARD consist of conferencing with the parents ahead of time, assessing the student to obtain their present levels of performance, desegregating data, creating new goal and objectives (if applicable). Working on paperwork for each ARD can vary from a few hours to a week or two...or maybe more. Many factors determine the amount of time invested in each ARD.

The last week before break also brought with it, students bursting with holiday excitement in anticipation of a week with NO school. If only they knew, I was probably more excited than they were. And how could I forget to mention  the walk-through that happened whilst these students burst and inappropriately vied for attention. Let's just say many conversation happened with parents last week. 

So, this week's prompt: 3 Teachers to be THANKFUL For!

If this is your first time participating, just follow these simple guidelines.

MEET THE TEACHER MONDAY is a weekly linky celebration, dedicated to making and culminating friendships among our tribe of fellow teachers. Here's the skinny:

• Snag the MTTM graphic. On your blog, please respond to this week's questions or prompt provided.
• Return to my blog and link your post.
• Visit one or two bloggers ahead of you in the linky, and leave a comment in response to their Meet the Teacher Monday post.
• Visit one or two bloggers after you in the linky line-up and leave a comment as well.
• And because it's so hard to find time to blog, feel free to post any day of the week, not just Monday.

Well, let's get to it!

I am thankful for these three(in no particular order).

Kelli Alaina Wise

I discovered Kelli on the Facebook group, Teacherpreneur Tribe. Kelli recently hosted the Instagram Insiders challenge on Facebook. Thanks to Kelli, my IG account received a face-lift, I changed the way I connect with my audience, and in the process, I made some new connections. For me it's not about the number of followers, it's about growing an "authentic following."

Kristin Kalani
In my opinion, Kristin Kalani from @easyteachingtools (...you can also find her on Facebook under the same name) represents what I call the "big dawgs." Although Kristin is a big dawg or educelebrity, she remains humble and willing to lend her expertise when needed. Believe it or not, NOT everyone is willing to "mentor" a budding teacherpreneur. (Read about those type of people here. #shamelessblogpostplug) I digressed. Thanks to Kristin I am more  knowledgeable about creating products for my TPT store, and through her I connected (in real life) with two fantabulous (fantastic+fabulous = fantabulous), down-to-earth, real souls from Cali, Cheryl from @auntiessweetlife and Janice from @islandloverteacher. It's all about the connections...

Samantha Zuniga
Samantha and I work in the same school district, but unfortunately not on the same campus:-( If we worked together we would be dream team of creativity and innovation...a force to be reckoned with. Samantha keeps it real and never comes across as a self-important diva (Can't say the same about myself...I have my moments). Samantha worked as a paraprofessional for many years and recently became a Special Education teacher. If no one has told her, she needs to know she is rocking her new position and I am learning a thing or two from her.

If the mood strikes you, feel free to add more than three. Rounding out my list of "Teachers I am Thankful For," Cheryl, who I mentioned earlier. I love that Cheryl keeps it gangsta sometimes. Hahaha:-D MY favorite quote from her and my new life mantra, "Hugs to the hustlas who get sh*t done!" 

And my friend Janice (also mentioned earlier), this lady keeps me in stitches with her quick wit. Janice recently wrote a post on the Global Glitter Tribe's blog, and the following resonated with me: 

"However, I never suspected that I would meet people from online, all over the world, and pray each night that God keeps them forever safe and healthy, for fear that my heart couldn't endure such heartbreak."

Knowing that she prays for her teacher friends makes me all the more thankful for Janice...

Did you think I would leave out Shelia Jane?!  Thanks to Shelia, I changed my perception in regards to teaching and entrepreneurship. I am taking ownership of my future! 

So, who are you thankful for?

Don't forget to return to my blog and link up.

Meet the Teacher Monday: Tis The Season

It's a good thing I don't treat my own children like I treat my blogs. I abandon my blogs (Yes, I write  other blogs, besides this one.) when the thrill of blogging fades away into the blog abandonment abyss. Many reasons exist for my disappearance(s):

• Life 
• Work
• Et cetera 
• Et cetera 
• Et cetera 

Like every other blogger I began with lofty blogging aspirations...to build a tribe of teacher followers and to dazzle them with my charm and quick wit. So far, I managed to dazzle 20 individuals. Ha! Truth be told, I blog for myself in order to maintain my sanity. Blogging serves as my therapy. 

Enough venting, on to 

Meet the Teacher Monday...Tis The Season!

MTTM Instructions:

1. Respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
2. Return to my blog and link up below. 
3. Peruse the blogs of at least 2 other MTTM participants (if there are any participants...LOL!!)
4. And most important...HAVE FUN!!

1. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
With so many to choose from, I struggled with this question. Push come to shove, Miracle on 34th Street remains my all-time favorite, with Home Alone and Home Alone: Lost in New York coming in a close second...and third. 

2. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Ugh! Again...I struggled. I decided to break the rules and pick an entire album (Do people still say "album?"). My favorite holiday album/CD, hands down...A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. I listen to that CD from start to finish...year round. 

3. Real Tree or Fake Tree?
FAKE

4. White Lights or Colored Lights?
WHITE

5. What did you ask Santa for this Christmas?
A husband and winning lottery tickets. Which reminds me, I need to scratch off the tickets in my purse. Be right back...

I won nothing! So much for winning the lottery and not returning back to work after winter break. Better luck next time!

6. Favorite Holiday Drink & Food
Hot Scotch! Hot Cocoa and Butterscotch Schnapps. And my HOLIDAY favorite food...EVERYTHING! More specifically, my mother's homemade pecan pralines and lemon squares...made with fresh lemons from her lemon tree.

Cookie Assortment baked by my Mom

7. Favorite Holiday Tradition
Starbucks & Lights! Every year my boys and I start our tradition by visiting the local Starbucks for our favorite sugary holiday concoctions. After the first pit stop, we return to our favorite neighborhood to gawk at Christmas lights. This year, I plan to visit a new neighborhood, Prestonwood Forest.

8. How will you celebrate the holidays this year?
We usually keep the holidays low key. More than likely my boys and I will chillax in our pajamas ALL DAY, play board games and watch movies. Or, we may take a road trip to Louisiana to spend the holidays with my grandmother and other family members.

YOUR TURN! Remember to return to link up. Thanks for participating.

Meet the Teacher Monday: PUMP UP THE JAM!

 At the beginning of the summer I made big plans in regards to creating products for my TPT store and redesigning my classroom. Just call me a slacker. So far this summer, the only plans completed involved coordinating my binge TV watching schedule with my personal and professional obligations outside the comfy confines of my bedroom (...where the binge TV watching occurs.).

Despite being a lazy, slacker, I managed to focus on one goal in particular...BRINGING SEXY BACK! A few weeks ago I started buying healthy meals from a friend. Thanks to her healthy meals, my 5'2 (vertically challenged) frame is 12 lbs lighter! 

With the return of my healthy eating habits, next goal....INCORPORATING MORE ACTIVITY! I loath all physical activity. So, this goal proved to be an obstacle. To get back in the game, so to speak, I decided to try the Ease into 5K app along with various home workouts.  

So what does this have to do with Meet the Teacher Monday? I need new jams for my workout play list! So, for this weeks MTTM share some of your favorite work out jams with me! 

Meet the Teacher Monday: 
PUMP UP THE JAM!

MTTM instructions:

• Take the time to respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
• Return to my blog and link up below.
• Check out the blogs of at least two other MTTM participants (...that's if anyone participates. Haha.)
• Last but not least, HAVE FUN!

Please list your favorite "MOTIVATING" workout tunes! 

• Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn, and John
• Bad Girl by Danity Kane
• The America's Next Top Model Finale Song
• Control by Vitamin String Quartet
• Mr. Brightside by The Killers
• Let's Go  by Calvin Harris
• The Girls by Calvin Harris
• Thinking About You Calvin Harris
• Feels So Close Calvin Harris
• Banquet by Bloc Party
• Bulls On Parade by Rage Against the Machine
• BOB by Outcast
• Hey Ya by Outcast
• Bailia Esta Cumbia Selena
• PDA by Interpol
• Boy's Don't Cry by The Cure
• Breathe by the Prodigy
• Homecoming by The Teenagers
• 24 Hours by Terry Poison
• Single Ladies by Beyonce
• Panic Switch by Silversun Pickups
• Womanizer by Britney Spears
• Just A Girl by No Doubt
• I Got Nerve by Hannah Montana (Don't Judge)
• Junior KIckstart by The Go! Team (hilarious music video)

As you can see, my musical taste varies! YOUR TURN! My play list needs some updating. 

As always, make the ordinary...extraordinary! And a HUGE THANKS to last week's MTTM participants! I am currently experiencing some technical difficulties and I was not able to comment on some of your blogs. 

I'M BACK! Meet the Teacher Monday: Summer Edition

I needed to take a brief hiatus due to life getting in the way. Hey, it happens to the best of us. Let's get started, shall we? 

First off, is it Monday? I know I am not the only teacher who loses track of time over the summer break. I vowed to myself that I would maintain some semblance of a "normal" (what's normal, right?) schedule so my nights and days would not get mixed up. Last year, my summer "schedule" resembled that of a newborn baby. I typically went to bed around 3 AM or 4 AM, and usually faced the new day around 12 noon. Not this summer! I am making every effort to be productive. If you call productive, slacking and watching Netflix or Amazon Prime all day. Ha ha...

Without further adieu, lets get this party started! Since its been a minute, let me remind everyone of the MTTM instructions:

• Take the time to respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
• Return to my blog and link up below.
• Check out the blogs of at least two other MTTM participants (...that's if anyone participates. Haha.)
• O, last but not least, HAVE FUN!

Meet the Teacher Monday: Summer Edition

1. What's your summer teacher persona? 

• Slacker Teacher:catching up on every episode of everything you wanted to watch during the school year 
• Mommy-On-The-Go: consumed with your children's extracurricular activities
• Summer Fun Teacher:hanging with friends and traveling the world
• Overachiever Teacher:Making TPT products, proparing your classroom, you never really took a break

My summer persona is, you guessed it...Teacher Slacker. This summer I decided to work the first session of ESYS (Special Education Summer School). Let's just say I earned my money. And for the first time in my teaching career, a student bit me. After those challenging three weeks,  I deserve some much needed Netflix vegging sessions. 

2. It's a sunny day in July. Your schedule is wide open, so you decide to?

Since I am not that keen on being outdoors, I like to spend my time reading. #teachernerd Tomorrow, or one day this week, I plan to make a solo trip to the museum district. I have a hankering to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, or the Holocaust Museum. 

3.What is your favorite summer thirst quencher?

At the beginning of the summer I developed an addiction to Sonic's Slushes. At least 3 days a week between the hours of 2 PM-4 PM, my car could be found parked at a local Sonic for happy hour. And with it being happy hour, of course I ordered a Route 44! I recognized my addiction, and stopped frequenting Sonic. I realized at that rate of consumption, by the end of the summer I would have developed diabeetus and tripled in size.

4. Where will you be soaking up the summer sun? Have you planned any vacations? 

Between my boy's busy dance schedule and recently moving, planning a vacation this summer proved challenging. However, I plan to take a couple of trips this fall. Perhaps Colorado, Seattle, and/or Connecticut. All dance related trips...of course.

5. Any summer reads, professional and personal?

I recently started reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (a gift from my Mother). After reading The Four Agreements, I plan to read the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu and then (maybe) Conversations With God by Neale Walsch.

6. What does your summer TV habits consist of?

I usually spend the summer catching up on EVERYTHING thing I missed during the school year.

Currently, I am catching up on Pretty Little Liars. My interest is starting to wan with show. Other shows I am getting brought up to speed on: The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey, and Teen Wolf (Garbage. I know, but the cast is nice to look at). And of course you cannot forget Netflix's summer treats, Orange Is the New Black and Hemlock Grove. 

7. Favorite Summer song of 2014?

Summer by Calvin Harris!!!!

That concludes another thrilling installment of MTTM! Your turn!!

Valentine FREEBIE!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph...creating my Sweet Treats TPT math station proved to be a daunting task. As a newbie TPT product creator, I sit for hours struggling with the simplest tasks. I spend a majority of my time sitting in front of the computer screen with my head in my hand thinking, "There has got to be an easier way." And there usually is. You just have to know the right person to ask for help. There are so many ins and outs to creating TPT merchandise. There is a bright side to my recent harrowing TPT experience, I learned two new techniques...which I plan to share on Techie Tuesday. 

Enough "talking." It's been a rough week. Grab this FREEBIE for a limited time only. This sweet treat contains the following

• 1 I CAN card
• 10 cupcake tops and bottoms
• 1 printable practice sheet

I plan to add 2 more stations to this product. Please leave feedback on TPT.  THANKS! Here's a preview:

Click HERE for FREEBIE!

As always, make the ordinary EXTRAordinary!

Meet the Teacher Monday

Hey ya'll! Welcome to my first installment of MEET THE TEACHER MONDAY, a weekly linky celebration dedicated to making and culminating friendships among our tribe of fellow teachers. Here are the rules:

• On your blog, please respond to this week's questions or prompt that I have provided.
• Link up your post.
• Visit two or three bloggers ahead of you in the linky, and leave a comment in response to their Meet the Teacher Monday post.
• Visit one or two bloggers after you in the linky line-up and leave a comment as well.
• And because it's so hard to find time to blog, feel free to post any day of the week, not just Monday.

Well, let's get to it!

 Vision Boards 2014

Very rarely do I allow my personal life to interfere with my professional world, but...as of late, I find the two colliding like a tidal wave crashing to shore. 

When I step foot on campus, I prefer to leave my issues outside the door. But, on occasion...those concerns creep into my thought distracting me from performing at my personal best.

So, after deep contemplation and two watermelon margaritas, I came to the following conclusion. In order for me to be successful at work and stay focused (focus<---my one little word), I need to get certain aspects of my life in some semblance of order; so, I decided to create a vision board. 

My vision board depicts the goals I will FOCUS(<---There's my word again.)on this year. 

Before I created my vision board I asked myself the following questions posed by author and radio host, Ken Coleman:

1. Where did I win in 2013?

I consider myself a realist. Translation, I tend to process life with a glass half empty mentality. So as a result of my negative realist mentality, I struggled with the first question. Right I away, I knew my first goal needed to focus on keeping and maintaining a positive attitude. For me, the best way to improve my attitude...seek spiritual guidance. I have found some solace from Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church. Through his sermons I realized, a better attitude will help me deal effectively with my problems. (Note: I tend to stay away from certain taboo topics, like religion.)

2. Where did I lose in 2013?

Definitely, finances. My first order of business, submitting my forgiveness loan documentation. Since I work at a Title I school in a critical shortage area (Special Education), I am hoping for the maximum forgiveness amount. College is supposed to be part of the American Dream. The American dream ain't all it's cracked up to be. Another area I failed in...healthy living. Of the 57 lbs. I lost over the last few years, 19 of those lbs. found their way back. You can read about my weight loss trials and tribulations HERE. 

3. What did I learn?

I do not play well with others. I learned this lesson while on a group vacation with my son's dance team in San Diego. The book Traveling to Tondo pretty much sums up my attitude on group anything: group vacations, group projects, group planning, etc. 

The moral of the story is...when dealing with groups, if there is too much consenting, you waste a lot of time waiting on people. I wish I would have read that book before I went to San Diego. Things got a little ugly.

4. Where do I want to be this time next year? 

By this time next year I expect that I will have made a "divine connection" with someone special. I expect that I will have overcome my financial difficulties, (specifically my student loans), and I expect those 19 lbs. I gained, will be lost once again.

Of course I know I will not get around to every goal this year, but I must start somewhere. Since my vision board serves as a visual reminder of my goals, I set my vision board as my iPhone wallpaper. 

Now its your turn.

• First answer questions 1-4.
• Create your own vision board.
• Link up your post. 
• See rules previously stated.
• Post your vision board on Instagram with the hashtag #IGteachersvisionboard2014

Thanks for participating. I can't wait to see what you create!

Currently NEWBIE!!

Well this must be the most unsuccessful blog start in the history of blog beginnings. After launching my blog a few weeks ago, I gained a total of 1 follower...ME!! Haa Haa! As a blog veteran, I understand it takes time to build and maintain a following. 

So, let's try this again:
Welcome to the Ordinary to Extraordinary Classroom. Sit back, strap on your seat belt and join me on my roller coaster ride of ups and downs as a Special Education Teacher. Although I teach special education, my ideas and activities accommodate grades Pre-K through 1st/2nd. As we adventure together, I plan to share printables, stimulating activities, and hopefully fresh ideas with you. 

The other day while perusing Instagram, I ran across @farleyfarleyfarley 's (from Oh' Boy Fourth Grade) CURRENTLY photo. Well, now that yours truly finally started a blog, I am eligible to participate. 

Thinking: Rather than create New Year's Resolutions only to abandon them a week later, I jumped on the ONE LITTLE WORD bandwagon and chose a word to guide me through 2014. And the ONE LITTLE WORD I chose: FOCUS!

Rather than watch another one of my projects, brainchild creations, brainstorms, ideas, etc, fall by the wayside, I WILL stop focusing on my fear off failure and work to ensure SUCCESS. 

Loving: While on break I started reading Veronica Roth's Divergent series. For a page turning, intriguing read I recommend this thrilling trilogy. I wanted to read the series before the movie release. Nothing thrills me more than watching the pages of a book come alive on the big screen.  Hope you enjoyed my CURRENTLY.

Until next time...make the ordinary extraordinary!


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