Groovy Educator

Last night there were some adorable frogs on our porch.  I filmed one and had fun editing the 30 second movie in iMovie.   Little Frog YouTube Video   It made me think about teaching first grade writing and science.  Children could watch this short clip and discuss/describe the frog's movement.  Also, the children can compare and contrast this frog's movement with that of another animal.  In science one of the topics we study is how animals move.  We read is titled  Move! written by: Robin Page and illustrated by: Steve Jenkins .  The short little clip is a great introduction to the concept of movement before reading the story. Here are a few more resources that may be useful if you are  teaching this topic.  Even though some are geared more towards Kindergarten and Preschool, they're helpful differentiated lessons for struggling students.   Utah Education Network - Animal Mo...

                       Click here to see Pickles on YouTube! Pickles is one of my rescue animals.  I absolutely love my pets.  They are a perfect topic during modeled writing lessons, especially narratives.  I use them to demonstrate how to think about writing.  The kids are engaged when I write about Pickles, Sparky, Cali, Alice, Sadie, Rosie, or Zeus.  They ask a lot of questions and that lead to more detailed writing infused with adjectives and descriptive language. The writing is much more rich in vocabulary and not just "safe writing."     I made a little thirty second video featuring Pickles the cat.  He was a stray that we saved from under a friend's car while visiting an out of town relative.  My husband didn't want to keep him at first because we had too many animals already (3 cats and 2 dogs).  Somehow Pickles found a way into his heart and now they are bo...

Please click the link below and check out my first YouTube video.  It’s less than two minutes long.  It features Groovy Educator and Groovy Learner with a surprise appearance by Pickles the cat. 😁   If you like the video, please subscribe, like or comment.  We sure had fun making this video! YouTube link:   Groovy Educator Intro

I almost didn't write this post because I don't know what is going to happen yet... That's probably why I am up at 3:28 in the morning.  My mind won't shut off. Last summer, I finally sat down and wrote a children's book.  (Right now I am keeping it secret because I am hoping it will be published.)   Publishing a children's book has been a dream since fifth grade after my teacher had us write a book in class.  Why did it take so long to actually write the story?  I think it really comes down to it just wasn't my time. Right now I have a darling daughter who is so dear to me in so many ways.  The idea of being able to pass on a little piece of me after I am gone is so important to me. Last March I was in the hospital for a week and it just made me realize how fragile life truly is... I'm fine now.  Thank God! Also, five years ago, my dearest dad passed away unexpectedly.  Losing him was devastating.  Recently my dad's aunt and...

It has been an eternity since I've blogged or made a product for Teachers Pay Teachers.  This morning I got up extremely early and just could not rest.  My mind was racing about school in the middle of summer vacation.  I am a first grade teacher and I starting thinking about teaching writing.  The spelling dictionary I've been using needed to be updated and I decided to make my own using the Dolch High Frequency Words.  I did add it one word "question" so there would be a word for the letter "q" and because it is an important word.  Every year I use a spelling dictionary to reinforce alphabetical order.  I also teach the children to use it while editing.  I don't like for them to have it out during drafting as I have found some become too reliant on it and use safe writing.  Every week we add our new sight words to the spelling dictionary.  If they are already in the dictionary, I teach the children to highlight them.  If not, t...

This is what I plan to do in my First Grade classroom on the 100th day of school. Read a book about the 100th day then have the children go on a hunt for 100 words around the room.  I asked the children to bring in 100 objects that can be glued down (e.g. Cheerios, goldfish, paper scraps...)  We will make an addition problem with these objects.  60+40=100.  The students will glue them down in groups of ten on a paper to make a model of the problem.   I hope to do the fruit loop necklaces where we put 100 on the necklace (in groups of 10 of course).   Draw and write about when the children are 100 years old. Make 100th day hats to wear. When they are at special area, I will hide 100 Hershey Kisses in the classroom for a Hershey Kiss hunt.  It is kind of like an Easter Egg hunt except each kiss is numbered and when they find one they have to put it on the 100 chart. We might do 100 stamps books. We will write our numbers 1-100.   I am co...

This year I will be teaching First Grade after two years out of the classroom.  I feel like a new teacher full of enthusiasm and giddy excitement.  I am on to a new adventure at a new school.  With a new school, there is a new classroom which is my empty palette.   Here is my new room! In the past I've done a lot with trees, animals, cows, owls, stars, dots on turquoise, etc.  (I have been teaching about 13 years.)  For some reason though, I am beyond excited about this theme.  I LOVE the ocean / nautical theme.  It is so versatile and has so many cute sayings!  Once I have my room decorated I will add more pictures.   In the meantime here is a link to my pinterest board where I am collecting fantastic ideas.   https://www.pinterest.com/lowerysloft/ocean-nautical-classroom-decor/ What is your theme this year and why did you choose it?

Can you believe it is that time of year again?  Even though I am not in the classroom right now, I feel the energy from this time of year. This post is dedicated to the End of the Year Class Parties.  I am going to share a few ideas and then I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for you to share more ideas in the comments section. My favorite party was an indoor picnic.  We moved all the desks out of the way and brought in blankets to sit on.  Parents brought in sliced watermelon and other fruits.  We ordered pizzas and set up an assembly line on the counter.  It was a parent picnic so the kids sat with their families. Afterwards we went outside and did relay races and free time.  The reason we sat inside to eat is because it was extremely humid so we wanted to limit our outside time.  We came back inside to cool down and shared about how our classmates are wonderful.  It was so much fun. Usually I brainstorm a list of ideas with the kiddos and then...

SALE 20% off!  Check out my best sellers the Mad Minute and Class Yearbook.

Since I've been working on growing Lowery's Loft LLC, I changed my TpT store name to match my business name.  So even though this Groovy Educator is still groovy, you will seem more Lowery's Loft LLC as I transition somewhat.  I will still keep the Groovy Educator Blog and the Groovy Educator Facebook Page but more and more will be Lowery's Loft LLC. On a side note, I marked down some awesome items in my TpT store AND made some FREE!  Feel free to check it out.   Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Often I think critically (without even realizing it); I'm known for "over analyzing" just about everything.  I feel it is necessary to visualize different scenarios and the possible outcomes.  This skill helps in many situations from planning a wedding/event to deciding which route to take home. Recently in the evening, I was driving (by myself) over to my mom's house to dog sit while she went on a short trip.   As I was nearing her house there was a group of men walking down the middle of the road.  I quickly started weighing my options (thinking critically).  I could drive up to them and wait for them to let me pass and then they would see a single lady pull up to a dark house alone, I could go home, or I could turn onto the block before I reached them and circle back giving them more time to get further up the road without seeing me get out of my car.  Of the three scenarios, the last one is what I chose and it worked out well.  The first opti...

Why is it that inspiration strikes when I should be drifting off to sleep?  Tonight I have finally updated my websites:   www.GroovyEducator.com and www.LowerysLoft.com .  You can see my post about these sites on my Lowery's Loft Blog if you are interested. As I have already mentioned on Facebook , I am backed up in my blogging.  Life happens sometimes and apparently, I lost my "groove" for a bit... For the past few months I've had the joy of working part time as a Reading Interventionist.  This has been a joy because I get to do what I love, help children read, yet at the same time I still have ample time with my own little one. My commute is about thirty minutes and during the ride to and from work, I daydream about blogging.  Once I get home however and I become "mom."  By the time I get a chance to sit down at the computer I'm exhausted.  Tonight I am making time for this... Please note that I have not researched any of these ideas yet...

As you may know already, I have a small business called Lowery's Loft LLC while I am taking a break from teaching. There is a wonderful sale going on right now! Check it out here!

It feels strange not being in the classroom around the holidays.  Last year I went on leave of absence around this time due to many reasons.  It was the hardest decision I ever made.  I had such a sweet class. Having this time off should have been heavenly but it has been draining.  I miss losing myself in the classroom.  When you walk in the door as a teacher, everything else fades away and those children are your priority for the next several hours. My time off has been emotionally challenging.  I lost my favorite uncle three days before Christmas last year and my Dearest Dad just three months later to the day.  While still grieving for my Dad, my short term disability insurance decided to stop paying and that has led to a whole new array of stressors. I've been blessed to have extra time with my darling daughter and to be off when I lost my Dad.  All these dramatic changes has prompted me to chase my dream of my own small business.  ...

Hello All! It's been a while since I've posted a blog.  Since my Dad passed away in March, I've been in a "funk" for lack of a better word. I am very excited that I start a new job in the next week or so.  It is part time so it will still allow me to pursue growing my jewelry business www.LowerysLoft.com. Teaching has always been close to my heart.  I will be working with the Florida Center of Reading Research as an assessor and possibly an interventionist later.  This is only a temporary position that is funded by a grant but it is heaven sent for me. How often do you get the best of both worlds?  This is the type of position I wanted when I sought my Master's Degree in Reading.

Super Savings going on right now in my eBay store.  Teachers this is a great opportunity to find thank you gifts, holiday gifts, and accessories for your teaching wardrobe. $5 off every $25 you spend now through September 15th.  I have tons of auctions running too so there is an opportunity for extreme savings. Please check this out and share with the teachers at your school. Lowery's Loft LLC on eBay  Ebay Seller:  groovyeducator

I've been GroovyEducator on eBay before but earlier this summer I changed my user name to lowerysloftllc.  I started my own business Lowery's Loft LLC and switched everything that was Groovy Educator to Lowery's Loft in my excitement. I know it sounds silly but I've been blogging as Groovy Educator for so long and just love the handle so I switched my user name back to that on eBay.  I hope it's not too confusing. Anyhow, I'm back to late night ramblings... Tomorrow my friends are starting their second week of teaching (for this school year) and I am still missing the classroom. It's hard to believe I'm trying to work from home rather than being an educator.  Please share if you have had or know anyone who has had success working from home. It is much lonelier than the classroom.  I miss the camaraderie an collaborations with the other teachers.  I still enjoy pursuing my dream... That's it for tonight's late night ramblings...

Yesterday was the first time I have not had a "first day of school" in fourteen years.  I started teaching in 2000 and last year had to go on a leave of absence after the first nine weeks. It was very emotional but at the same time I was very excited that my family member's son had his first day of school.  This little guy was amped up.  He attended VPK (voluntary pre-k) and has been super excited about kindergarten. He came home on red his first day of Kindergarten.  That makes me so angry as a former Kindergarten teacher. Every year I made sure that the first day of school was positive for my students.  Yes even when I had to redirect them.  The first day of school sets the tone for the school year and Kindergarten sets the tone for their school career... At least that's my philosophy. Now when I had a child in my class that acted up... The first thing I always did was kneel down to eye level and ask in a quiet voice "Is everything alright?" ...

My daughter is napping and my fingers are clicking away at the keys on my laptop.   I just opened a new forum for educators .   New topics will be gradually added. Right now there are topics on: Back to School Best Reading Tips/Tools Great Books for Educators What Do you Like to Collect? (Just for Fun) Please stop by my new forum and share, share, share with friends.  Thank you so much for visiting!

VoWac is an incredible program for direct phonics instruction. When I began teaching in Arizona (back in 2000), my school purchased the VoWac program and it was used across all the grade levels.  As a Reading Specialist, I feel strongly about the power of this program.  I used it for two years in Kindergarten and then for two years in Second Grade.  I was amazed at the growth in reading skills back then and I still reflect on it today. When I moved to Florida, VoWac was not one of the programs that my school used.  I taught with fidelity the program that was adopted by my district but felt that there was still a need in strong phonics instruction.  I added little snippets to my lessons, the powerful snippets and my children responded. Even though I was not at a VoWac school, I was able to use the blending shelf, phonics cards, and CLOVER method.  You have to check out the CLOVER method for syllabication rules.  It is AMAZING!!! I strongly reco...