Monday (almost!) Made It and Let's Get Acquainted!

Hi! Today I'm doing a double linky...phew! I'm tired just thinking about it!

First off, I am joining the Monday Made It linky party, hosted by Tara at Fourth Grade Frolics.

Okay, I have to admit...my Monday Made It project isn't quite done. But, here it is so far, and maybe you can help me figure out the rest of it!

I found this display thingy at another teacher's garage sale this summer (got a BUNCH of other great goodies, too). It was okay, metal, and therefore, of course, magnetic, but a bit scratched up. I knew right away I wanted to fancy it up some how...and then it sat on my kitchen counter for over a month...sigh.
You can even see in the top right corner, how the previous owner had put something sticky there... Yeah, not so attractive. 

Well, here it is all painted, and coordinating with my classroom...YAY!

The question now is...what exactly do I do with it? Some ideas I have had include using it as my star student board, and displaying their info on it, or using it to post some inspirational quotes for myself...or as a place to use name magnets to document who is out of the room....other ideas??? I'd love to hear them!

In other Monday Made It, not school related, items, my mom and I made two of the lasagnas we are prepping for my sister's wedding ceremony dinner. Today was Giada DiLaurentiis' lasagna roll-ups...YUM! Tomorrow, we are tackling Pioneer Woman's delicious lasagna (yummmmmmm).

Okay, so that is one linky down, and one more to go! The second is the Getting Acquainted/Goal Sharing linky, hosted by Latoya at Flying Into First Grade.

So, in yesterday's Sunday Smorgasboard post, I gave you some information about me, personally. Today, Latoya wants us to share some of our goals for our new school year. Wow! What a big question, and so important to discuss, and plan for...after all, doesn't the saying go, "A goal without a plan is only a dream"? So, these are my dreams, which I am working to make into plans...and then into reality!

Goal #1: Be more organized. This is my goal every year, and every year, I'd like to think, I fail a little less miserably than the last (in other words, I am closer and closer, but it's a really slow process!). Taking some time to put things where they belong at the end of each day is going to be a huge deal for me. I have been trying to come up with more ways to be organized (binders, bins, etc), but it's still going to be one of my biggest challenges for the year!

Goal #2: Successfully make it through my masters practicum. Yeah. Successfully equals with a grade of B or better (preferably an A), and without completely losing my mind. Thank goodness one of my favorite people in my district has agreed to be my mentor...Reading Curriculum and Instruction degree, here I come!

Goal #3: Be a better, stronger, less nervous leader on my team and in my building. I mentioned in a previous post that I have always felt a little LESS like an expert than others on my team. In the last couple years, though, I have come to realize more and more that I am selling myself, and my experience and knowledge, short in many ways. I have a TON to offer to my team, and I just need to be braver about putting it out there.

Goal #4: Put together a great idea for a presentation at our state's technology conference, and get approved to present. This goes along with goal #3, as in, this terrifies me in many ways...but I really think I can do it! I am thinking about proposing a presentation along the lines of walking beginning tech teachers through what they can do with sites/apps like Pinterest/Twitter/blogs, and more...any thoughts and ideas? I know that those teachers who are attending the conference for the first time, or those who are overwhelmed by tech might really love a session like this...Do you think this would be a good topic? Or maybe you are totally techie, and you can't believe anyone would propose such a ridiculous session at a tech conference...I appreciate all points of view on this one! I want to propose an awesome session!

Goal #5: Successfully implement math journals AND My Math (our new Singapore Math based program) into my classroom. eeek.

Goal #6: Improve my Writer's Workshop teaching and conferencing skills. Period. I need to be a better writing teacher.

Goal #7: Use anchor charts a LOT in my classroom to improve student learning and encourage student independence. If you have never visited the Chartchums blog (on Wordpress), you are totally missing out. And if you are an early el person and you haven't at least looked at Smarter Charts K-2 by the blog authors, Marjorie Martinelli and Kristine Mraz, you totally should. Wow.

Think I have enough goals for this year? I guess maybe it's a case of go big or go home. I am hoping I can really go big and rock it out with my kinders this year!

Thanks for reading, and go check out both of these awesome link-ups! Go add yours...and if you already did, I'll be around to read it soon!

--Becca