Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Budget Cuts in Education

Hi everyone! Today I received a very interesting e-mail from Carly Shields. She is with BreakThru Radio in NYC and today they are featuring an interesting, original video on the budget cuts in NYC. They recently visited a teachers rally and asked real New York City teachers how they felt about all these budget cuts.



I know that in my district there is a hiring freeze...noone has lost their job yet, but we have been told that our budget will be affected severely. Other districts near us have already laid off many teachers. It is so sad.

How do you feel about the budget cuts affecting our teachers and students across the nation? Please leave a comment letting me know your thoughts on this issue.

Friday, May 20, 2011

New Blog (and a Giveaway!)

Hi friends...just dropping by to let you all know about this great new blog out there Kreative in Kinder. The author of this blog...is oh so very sweet...her name is Crystal Radke and she is a Kindergarten teacher who is just starting on her blogging journey. She is super creative and has made some fabulous units that will eventually be sold on TpT...but for now she is happy giving them away! Isn't that super sweet?! Thank you, Mrs. Radke!
The first unit she is giving away is her Ocean/Summer Unit...it's absolutely perfect for this time of year...and oh. so. adorable! Click here to see a preview of the unit...you are going to LOVE it!

Ok...so to qualify for Mrs. Radke's first giveaway here is what you have to do:

1. Become a follower of her blog Kreative in Kinder.
2. Leave her a comment on one of her posts.
3. Let Mrs. Radke know of anything she could create or display on her blog for you.

Mrs. Radke will draw from the names on Monday, May 23rd. Please feel free to visit her blog and follow.  (And share her site with everyone you know!) 

I can't wait to see more of this super cute blog...
 Thank you, Crystal for letting me know of your fabulous blog!
Have a happy Friday everyone!
Toodles! ♥

Monday, May 16, 2011

Hand Washing Rocks!

Today I received an email from Alexandra, she represents Big Fuel a social media agency in NYC which in turn represents Softsoap...you know Softsoap, right? I know that I usually have a bottle of Softsoap by my kitchen sink and in the kids bathroom. Well according to Alexandra, Softsoap just released a fun educational video with a fresh perspective encouraging kids to implement healthy hand-washing habits.  The video was such a huge hit that they've been getting e-mails from top mommy-bloggers saying that their children are loving the video and asking to watch it again. I do have to say that I showed the video to my own (personal) kiddos...and they were totally into it! Even my 11 year old thought it was cool! So here it is for all of you to enjoy! I think this will be a nice video to show my students when we learn about healthy habits. Thanks Alexandra for passing along this educational video to me!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Six Winners!

Drum roll please...
the six winners are...(in the order they appeared on the Random Generator).

#27 Amanda
#76 Tanya
#12 Jennifer Murphine
#186 Jenny
#233 Elizabeth
#160 Christine

Ladies...please email me so that I can send you the 6 amazing activities you just won!

Thank you everyone for participating in this giveaway!

And a great big thanks goes to my bloggie friend Deedee Wills...for providing the six fabulous activities for this giveaway!
She is sooo sweet and kind...and talented to boot!
Love her!
If you didn't win (or even if you did!) please make sure to check out her blog and her TpT store. She has awesome ideas and activities...and great freebies like this subtraction game too!
Thanks again, Deedee!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Blog Makeover!

Hi everyone! Yes...you have come to the right place.
This is still the Once Upon a Time in First Grade blog! I just had a much deserved blog makeover. I am thrilled with my new blog design by Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files. She is an extraordinary person and was ever so patient with me as we worked on redesigning my blog! I think she did a FAN.TAS.TIC job!
Thanks Kristen...I absolutely adore my new blog design!

Ok..so Once Upon a Time in First Grade has a few changes coming up and I am so excited to share them you!

Teaching in High Heels- I have recently changed the title of my blog to just Teaching in High Heels...due to the fact that the 2011-2012 school year may be my last year in 1st grade for a while. Our principal believes in moving teachers to other grade levels to better understand the concept of vertical alignment...as if we could forget, right?! LOL!

Free Printables- This tab was made to help all of you access the free printables I post on my blog. I hope it is useful to all of you...and that it will help you access what you are looking for quickly.

Advertise- I will be featuring some advertising on my blog soon. This is something I have been working on..and it will probably be taking place some time in the early part of the summer...hopefully.

Please be patient as I continue to work diligently on my blog. I hope to get all the links up and running soon...my fingers are crossed!

Many, many thanks to all of you who follow my 'lil ole blog faithfully...I hope you will stick around for a long time and will continue to join me on my journey.
You truly are an inspiration!

P.S. Oh...and if all of you could do me the biggest favor and change the title of my blog on your blogroll to Teaching In High Heels and pick up my new button...woohoo! Don't you love it?!? Thank you sooo very much!


Friday, May 6, 2011

Winner, winner!

Thank you, Mrs. Lofgren!
You are the winner of the Creative Teaching Press Giveaway! Woohoo! Congratulations!
You have 48 hours to contact me via e-mail...so that I can give you the information you need to get your FABULOUS prize!

Thank you everyone...for entering this great giveaway...remember you are ALL winners in my book!

A very special thanks goes to Creative Teaching Press they are an AWESOME company...and I can't wait to purchase some

for my classroom next year...turquoise is definitely a beautiful color to work with...so I'm sure it'll be fantabulous!
 ♥♥♥

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Hip, Hip Hooray for Giveaways!

Hey y'all!
I hope everyone is having a FABULOUS hump day!
And an incredible Teacher Appreciation Week...I know that all of you teachers in blogland are superb...and y'all deserve to be appreciated!
Thank you for everything you do...and share!

So now for the giveaway...I know that most of you know my sweet bloggie friend Deedee Wills...and if you all don't know her yet...y'all need to get on to her blog because she has some awesome ideas for both Kinder kiddos...and Firsties!
Well as it turns out...Deedee was very generous in offering to have a giveaway...here on my 'lil ole blog...and you know me...I'm always up for some fun giveaways!
Of course I said yes!
So here it is...
oh. my. word!
Aren't these center packets A.MA.ZING?!?
She is one talented lady!
Thank you, Deedee!

Ok...so here is what you have to do:
1. Follow Deedee's Kinder blog .
2. Follow Deedee's TpT store.
3. Follow my blog.
4. Follow my TpT store. (Yes, I have one now...but my two items are free!)
5. Blog about this giveaway.
Oh...and don't forget to post a comment for each thing you completed.

The best part of this giveaway is that sweet Deedee is letting me giveaway 6 products for 6 winners in honor of my now 600+ followers!! Can you believe it?!?
Six of you will win 6 FANTABULOUS products!
I told you she was super sweet!

So...there you have it...5 chances to enter...woohoo!
Good luck!

This giveaway will end Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 11:00 p.m. CST.
I will announce the winner on Sunday, May 8.

P.S. If you can't wait for the giveaway...just as an FYI...Deedee is having a FANTASTIC sale, click here to go to her store and fill up your shopping cart!

Toodles!
♥♥♥