The Teacher's Top 10 for Back to School

Don't you just get a little giddy when they start putting out  all the new school supplies? They deck the isles with bright yellow and reds and stickers that say ninety- eight cents for glue. Maybe that's just the teacher in me that loves the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and there is no better desk decor than a recycled soup can with a ribbon tied round it and a bushel of new yellow number two pencils within.

Starting the school year is exciting because it always means a new start, a fresh look, a new chance. Both my husband and I are educators and I chuckled the other day when I purchased a calendar notebook and moved the inserts so that the year began with August- as all years do if you're a teacher. August is spelled- organization. It smells of pencil shavings and folders, blank calendars and new lesson plan books.  The local school supply store is budding with excited teachers and shiny new supplies. Teachers and homeschool moms alike are getting organized for the new school year. So let's get out our freshly sharpened brand new no.2 and take inventory to see if you have everything you need this year. Here we go!

1. Get a Positive Outlook.- If we don't have this, we need to stand in the school supply aisle a little longer. No, really, this is essential for a successful school year. Take your calendar or lesson plan book and write in or paste typed phrases throughout the weeks so that you have a little ray of sunshine and motivation when things get gloomy. It will also help you remember that you determined to be positive back in sunny August. 

2. Get Real Expectations. -As teachers we tend to be over the top sometimes with a hat for every possible job. Let's make a decision to focus on one goal this year. It may be- be more organized, have more fun, know your students better, be more helpful to colleagues,  or plan ahead.  Focusing on one thing will allow you to achieve that goal and end your year on a positive note as well.

3. Get Prioritization- Stephen Covey provides a useful organization tool in his book, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People".  I've recreated it here for you to help you organize and prioritize before you get too far into your school year. If you have a clear focus of what you will allow yourself to be focused on and when, you will minimize your chance of becoming stressed and increase your chance of becoming productively peaceful! Hey, that sounds great! This is something I'm learning to do and it DOES make a difference!

4. Get your Goody Bag Stocked- No joke, as a teacher, sometimes you need a "pick me up". So make sure you use some of your back to school bucks to buy your favorite healthy snacks, candies, water bottles and tea bags, sodas (we call it Coke here in the South) and more to help you get through those days that aren't so peachy.  No matter what comes unglued, I can always have my Dum-Dum sucker which are happily placed in a mason jar on my window sill. ;) 

5. Get Encouragement- Ask your friends and family to write you little notes of encouragement for you to stash when you need a word of cheer to keep you going. (Hey, and you write one for a teacher friend as well. You might start something.) Put up pictures of your family and friends around your classroom. Your students like to know you're human and not some strange back breaking space alien who lives at school all year round. (Yes, that is what they think.)

6. Get a good Planner. - It never ceases to amaze me how hard it is to find the perfect planner. It's like buying the right purse! In case you do not have a planner, I have a couple of styles that might appeal to you via Tools for School Teacher Resources. They are downloadable and you can print them on your own paper. This one is free!

7. Get your first day in order. - The first day is by far the most important day of the year. It's the first impression and will set the stage for a great year or shake you up for a while if it goes array.  So while you're sifting through new faces, papers and other first day stuff, make sure your students are loving what they're doing. Provide plenty of fun time for them and expect very little the first day. Make it easy for them to obey and to love what they are doing! Here are two FREEBIES for you!

8. Get your YEAR in gear. - The more pre-work you have done in getting things ready for the year, the more smoothly your year will go. Having things in place like file folders with seasonal activities and newsletter templates can really help.  Planning your field trips ahead of time and even having a folder for each month will help you feel in control and calm. Here are some newsletter templates to help you out.

9. Get your Escape Days.- No, I do not mean to skip school! I mean days you put on the calendar during breaks or weekends where you plan a date with your hubby or a day out with your friend, a family picnic or a vacation. These are important and seeing them already tentatively planned on your choice planner will give you a little something outside of school to look forward to.

10. Get Some Love. - The most important thing is to care about your students and when you do, they know it! Send them a card and tell them you're glad they're in your class. They are much more likely to be motivated or at least compliant if they respect you and they respect you more often when they know you respect them and value them. Find the good in each one and see what you can inspire. Isn't that why you're teaching after all? :)

Hopefully, you'll have a checklist full of checks the beginning of this school year that you can feel good about! There are a lot of things to do to get your year in gear, so get going! Oh...and here's your first "thank you": Thank you for being an educator; whether or not you see it, you are making a difference! Here's to a wonderful year!

The Most Important Supply List for the Homeschool Mom

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's a clean slate, figuratively and literally. It's a brand new school year, a time for new resolutions and new beginnings. Around our house, we have fully enjoyed these long summer days. We have been free of any formal routine or schedule. In fact, we have been so free of it that we are actually longing for our days to

become structured once again.  The kids haven't verbally told me they are ready for a scheduled day, but their behavior lets me know loud and clear that IT IS TIME.  

I've been working on scheduling our school days in 30 minute blocks. My little guy, Jake, may or may not be going to a morning preschool. So I've made a schedule that includes him in our school day at home.This schedule allows me one-on-one time with each child. I took advice from another homeschool mom who follows the titus2.com home management plan. She advised that I take individual time with each child by allowing the other child(ren) to play with the younger one during that time. For instance, I'll be helping Mae (age 7) with math while Nate (age 5) is in another room entertaining Jake (age 2). Then, they will swap and Mae will be playing with Jake while Nate sits with me for his lesson. My older two will have some seatwork that will allow them to work independently, so that means I can have some special time with Jake as well. 
 I've tried a few different methods for scheduling our day, but my kids and I work best off a checklist.  We like charts, schedules and to-do lists.  My amazing friend Shelley, who owns this blog and TPT store, made some blank schedule cards.  My kids were excited about the graphics on these cute little cards, and I can use any help I can get to get them excited about starting school.  Here's the plan:  Print and laminate the cards.  Use a dry erase marker to write a task on each card. (You can actually purchase these for $3.50 at Tools for Schools Teacher Resources; just click on them.)

 Attach Velcro dots to the back of each card and also attach an envelope to the schedule board.  Each day I will put the cards on the schedule board for the kids and they will take down each card as the task is completed.  They will put the card in the envelope labeled "Done!".  I think they will enjoy watching their progress as they make all their tasks "disappear" throughout the day.  Like I said, my kids thrive on checklists.  I thought of some other uses for these cards as well.  Since they're blank I can use them for a lot of other purposes like name plates/cards, labels for classroom organization or even note cards.  If your child goes to school away from home you can use them for lunch box notes or even print them off for your kids to send notes to friends.  They would also work well as a gift tag for a birthday gift.  There are lots of good uses for the adorable little cards!
 

Here is what I ended up with for Nate's schedule cards.  I introduced these cards to you in this earlier post. Nowadays, I become very resourceful when I want to complete a project without taking three kids to Hobby Lobby for supplies.  So, in my attempts to avoid that dreadful scenario I found some long lost borders hiding behind a bookshelf.  I decided they would make a nice tree trunk if they were painted brown.  Then I decided to use some

notebook paper for the "palm leaves".  Jake and I enjoyed scribbling on the notebook paper with green crayons.  I think I was inspired by peg + cat illustrations.  I love how the background is always graphing paper in that show.  So cute.  Anyway, I "borrowed" some green yarn from my daughter's yarn collection and weaved it through the holes in the notebook paper.  It's supposed to look like vines.  I have an abundance of clothes pins so I decided to use those to hold up the schedule cards.  This can also help with Nate's fine motor skills as he take down the cards and clips the pin back on the "tree".  Below a picture of the end result.  Nothing too glamorous here, but I think Nate will like it.  Happy Homeschooling!

I've also put together a supply list for moms as we get ready for another year of home educating.  I hope you find it helpful and encouraging. 

Supply List for Homeschool Moms:

1. Patience                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The first day, week, month or possibly year(s) of homeschooling will not go well. I'm not usually a pessimist, but I am realistic. Homeschooling (and parenting in general) is going to be a long, hard road. We may have to change things along the way on our homeschooling journeys. If something's not working, take a break, try something different, be patient.  Remember patience is not something we can create in ourselves, it's a fruit of the spirit.  When I hear people comment, "I just don't have the patience for homeschooling!", I often reply with, "Me neither!".  I don't have it within my own self to create a patient attitude.  Apart from the strength and grace of God, I can't do anything. This includes homeschooling.  If you are a Believer, you have patience.  You just have to "put it on."  Colossians 3:12 tells us to, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.                         
   Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." -Ephesians 3:20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
2. Unity
                                                                                                                                                      Talk to you kids about some of your struggles and concerns. Let them know you are in this together and you are on their side, not against them. Your husband is your partner in all things, even in homeschooling. He must be on board with the homeschooling decision. If your decision to homeschool goes against your husbands wishes, you need to reconsider. If your children don't see a united front in Mom and Dad, homeschooling is useless. You will not be teaching them one of the fundamentals about a healthy relationship and a Biblical marriage. One of the common goals Christian homeschoolers share is that we are teaching our kids how to live a Godly life based on Biblical values. It will be difficult to achieve this goal if we are not following biblical guidelines ourselves.  Refer to Ephesians 5 for review on these guidelines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
3. Determination and resolve
                                                                                                                                                   There will be many, many, many days you want to give up. You will find yourself at one point or another considering the pros and cons of enrolling your kids in a public or private school. If God has called you to homeschool, resolve to be determined. You will not succeed at homeschooling if you take the approach that says, “We will just see how it goes, if we don't like it or it doesn't work we will put the kids in school. We are just taking it a year at a time.” There are days the kids are not going to like it, it's not going to work. You have to be determined that this is the calling God has placed on your family. Resolve that it's going to be difficult and unpleasant at times, but you are going to push through with God's strength on your side. Write out a family mission statement, a resolution to homeschool. List the reasons you decided to take this path and refer back to that list as needed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. -2 Thessalonians 3:13                                                                                                                                  
4. Encouraging friends                                                                                                      You may find friends through a homeschool group or you may find it in your non-homeschooling friends. Your family may be the greatest source of encouragement or they may be just the opposite (If the latter is the case, you will need to refer to your mission statement before and after family gatherings) Mostly when I tell people we homeschool they are highly encouraging. I can only remember one negative reaction from someone when I've told them we homeschool. A homeschool group, especially a like-minded group, is a valuable resource. I cannot tell you how many times I've been brought out of a pit of despair through emails, conversations and observations from my local homeschool group. Find a support group NOW!  A simple Google search may turn up a few groups in your area.                               

5. Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Yes, I know, the Sunday School answer. But surely I'm not the only one who tries to survive without His help and think I'm the one accomplishing this homeschooling thing. He is the teacher, the principal, the superintendent. Let us not forget that.                                                                                                    
6. Sticks and Sand                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Curriculum is SO much fun. There are so many choices!  It's so exciting to get new books at the beginning of the year (or throughout the year as the case may be). But don't forget those teachable moments that come that don't follow a lesson plan. Honestly, those are the lessons our kids will learn from and remember the most. 

Speaking of teachable moments, I leave you with this one brought to you by my seven and a half year old daughter. A few days ago, I was busy about my housework and Mae comes down the stairs and says, “Mom, I have a bible lesson about this rock!”. I said, “Oh, really?”, as I headed towards the laundry room. Thankfully, the Lord stopped me in my tracks. I turned around and sat down on the stairs with the laundry basket on my lap. It was there that she explained that the rock was really ugly on the outside, but when you broke it open it was filled with a beautiful shade of quartz. My girl is an aspiring geologist, by the way. She went on to explain that it reminded her of how God looks on the inside, at our hearts. I agreed with her and we read 1 Peter 3:3-4 together which states:

3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

You know what that moment taught me??? Parenting and homeschooling can be ugly, it's tough and we hardly see the fruit of our labor when our kids are so young. But we are doing our part to help create a beautiful heart in our children and in our family. Hopefully, we will see the precious gem of a life for the Lord shine forth when our children are grown. Occasionally, like this time on the stairs with Mae, we get a glimpse of the heart and life God is forming in our children. What a blessing. I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit reminded me to take this time with my child and hear what she had to say. I pray for many, many more of these moments.  

My friend, Shelley, has also included a homemade designer set of homeschool labels for FREE! Just click on the picture!

 

Third Grade Welcome Packet

This new Teacher Resource, Third Grade Welcome Packet,  is for the first day or week of school. It has things for you to go over with your students as well as things for students to keep at home and take home then bring back. This packet helps answer those questions students and parents may have about the school year and gives them something to hold on to at the house for reference.
Contents:
Note from the teacher
Teacher Contact Information
Field Trips
When I’m Sick Procedures
Our Classroom Rules Contract
Parents’ Copy of Classroom Rules
Potty Times & Procedures
Dolch Lists 1-3 for Third Grade in flash card format
Multiplication Chart
Quick Look Sheet to the Four Genres of Writing
Parent Volunteer Form
Our Team Child Information Sheet

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

What you should know about your H2O...

Our goal here through Healthy Families, Healthy You is to inform you about the realities of healthy living in today's society and then provide you with doable solutions for you and your family. 

Everything you read here has been well researched from an unbiased point of view in order to discover truth and the most healthy options; these are truths we also want to know in order to help our families live healthy lives. As always, it is up to you what you decide for your family and making changes can be overwhelming. Small steps make great progress! So without further adieu, this month's topic is "water". 
 
Nothing tastes better on a hot, summer day than a tall glass of cold water. In fact, because our body tends to lose more fluids during the summer due to higher amounts of perspiration, we also tend to drink a whole lot more water this time of year. Hey, that's a good thing right?

What if I told you that your water is more than just water? What if I told you that a toxic waste by-product is being added to over 70% of our country's municipal water supplies and often without the public's consent - would you still drink it? What if I told you that most filters don't remove this toxic waste from the water? The toxic waste by-product that I am talking about is fluoride. Now hold on a second, yes I know fluoride is in most toothpastes and that many consider it "good for our teeth," but does that mean we should drink it? And why am I calling fluoride a toxic waste by-product when it is even present naturally in some water sources? Let's examine the facts before we jump to conclusions.


In 1945 a social and medical experiment was begun on the population of Grand Rapids, Michigan when the city began adding fluoride to it's community water supplies at 1.0 ppm (parts per million). The theory was that if fluoride is good for your teeth topically, then wouldn't it make sense that if you consumed it there would be a systemic benefit to the teeth from within the body as well? With very little solid, independent research and science to back up the practice, Grand Rapids' population became the guinea pig. In the initial years following, the data collected began to show that indeed, there was a decline in tooth decay in Grand Rapids. What the proponents of water fluoridation failed to disclose was that there was the same decrease in tooth decay in the cities surrounding Grand Rapids which were not fluoridated. Armed only with the data showing the "success" of water fluoridation in Grand Rapids, there was a big push to bring water fluoridation to the country as a whole. However, to be able to afford to mass-fluoridate the public water supply, cities needed a cheap source of fluoride. At the same time fertilizer and aluminum factories were overloaded with a hazardous waste form of fluoride that was costing them big bucks to dispose of properly. The leading business men saw an opportunity to sell the fluoride to cities to use in their fluoridation campaigns, and the cities were happy to save taxpayer funds on this low grade, toxic waste fluoride additive. Yummy!


There are several forms of this toxic waste fluoride that are added to our water. The three most common are Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6), and Fluorosilicic Acid (H2SiF6). Notice the skull and crossbones on all the packages of the different

fluoride additives. On the Sodium Fluoride bag label (the top image) it says it "DANGER! POISON - TOXIC BY INGESTION." at the top and "Drinking water treatment additive." at the bottom. Don't we have a little contradiction here?


Fluoride is added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. It is the only substance that is added to water to treat the person drinking it instead of the water itself (for example: chlorine is added to water to kill the bacteria in the water). Therefore, by definition, fluoride is a medication since it is being added for the purpose of treating the consumer. However, the problem with adding fluoride to water for mass-consumption is that no one is keeping track of how much each individual is receiving. One person may drink 3 glasses of fluoridated water a day, another person 6, and yet another person 10 - the more water you drink, the more fluoride you consume. No other form of medication is given in such mass dosing with no controls in place to protect the individuals from over-exposure.


Lets look at it from another angle. Get out your tube of fluoride toothpaste (I use non-fluoride toothpaste) and flip it over. On the back you will see under the directions that you are to use a "pea size" amount of toothpaste. Under the warnings section, it will say something about keeping out of reach of children and if more than is used for brushing (a pea size amount) is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact Poison Control immediately. According to dentists groups and calculations made using official data, the amount of fluoride (1/4 mg) contained in the average 12oz glass of fluoridated public water is exactly the same as the amount of fluoride found in that "pea size" amount of toothpaste (1/4 mg) that you are supposed to get help for immediately if you swallow. So, you are not supposed to swallow the pea size amount of toothpaste, but it is okay to drink the same amount of fluoride in each glass of water you consume throughout the day? We have another contradiction.


It is a known fact that over-exposure to fluoride causes a condition known as Dental Fluorosis - which is a discoloring of the teeth with white spots/streaks (in mild cases) to dark spots/streaks in severe cases. Excessive exposure to fluoride can even damage the bones in a condition known as Skeletal Fluorosis. According to the CDC it is only children under 8 who are at risk of developing Dental Fluorosis since their permanent teeth are still developing below the gum surface. Then you have the Mayo Clinic advocating the use of fluoridated water to prepare infant and toddler formula and even fluoride supplements to a portion of the very group (under 8 years of age) that are at risk for developing Dental Fluorosis. Then the EPA says, "Exposure to excessive consumption of fluoride over a lifetime may lead to increased likelihood of bone fractures in adults, and may result in effects on bone leading to pain and tenderness. Children aged 8 years and younger exposed to excessive amounts of fluoride have an increased chance of developing pits in the tooth enamel, along with a range of cosmetic effects to teeth." And on yet another CDC page you again receive conflicting information. In one place they are telling you fluoride in your infant's water is a good thing, then a few sentences later they switch and give you the impression that you should not give it to infants. They go back and forth the whole way down the page. So, which is it: is fluoride good for teeth or isn't it? And what effects is it having on other parts of the body which aren't even being discussed here?


Let's dig a little deeper. Summer 2012 a study was released by Harvard that concluded "The results (of the study) support the possibility of an adverse effect of high fluoride exposure on children’s neurodevelopment. Future research should include detailed individual-level information on prenatal exposure, neurobehavioral performance, and covariates for adjustment." And also, "Fluoride readily crosses the placenta. Fluoride exposure to the developing brain, which is much more susceptible to injury caused by toxicants than is the mature brain, may possibly lead to damage of a permanent nature." And just this year, the Lancet, a prominent medical journal, released an article called "Neurobehavioural effects of developmental toxicity" in which they have officially labeled fluoride as a neurotoxicant. And this is just the beginning. Many other studies and more studies show multiple negative effects on the body from fluoride exposure, including, but not limited to:

• Fluoride leads to the breakdown of collagen in bone, tendon, muscle, skin, cartilage, lungs, kidney, and the trachea.
• Fluoride depletes energy reserves and ability of white blood cells to properly destroy foreign agents.
• Fluoride confuses the immune system and causes it to attack the body's own tissue and increases the tumor growth rate in cancer prone individuals.
• Fluoride inhibits antibody formation in the blood.
• Fluoride depresses thyroid activity.
• Fluoride promotes development of bone cancer.
• Fluoride causes premature aging of the body.
• Fluoride accumulates in the brain over time.

So, is the one possible benefit of stronger teeth (which is also debatable, but that's another topic for another day) worth all the risk to the body as a whole for us to consume and give to our children water that has been purposefully fluoridated? And why, with all this available research and information from main-stream sources, is our government still adding fluoride to our water even though the vast majority of the developed world is opposed to this practice? I can help you with the first question, but I can't answer the second.


If this information is alarming to you, what you need to do first is to find out if your municipal water supply is fluoridated (as I said in the second paragraph most household filters do not remove fluoride). You can find this information out by contacting your water company and requesting a Water Quality Report. My water company, Catoosa Utility District, has the report available on their website. If you scroll down the current report to the fifth page you will see a description to the side of the Fluoride listing that says, "Water additive that promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories." They tell you right there where the fluoride is coming from. Not all reports are this honest about it. If you have a favorite bottled water, I would recommend asking for their Water Quality Report as well since fluoride is also added in some bottled waters.


Personally, our family is still reviewing options to remove the fluoride from our water at our home (so we are also not bathing in it and absorbing fluoride through our skin) which include at-site water filters specifically designed to remove fluoride plus all the other regular additives and full home water filtration systems so that no mater what water source (sink, tub, garden hose) in the home you are using, the fluoride is completely or mostly removed. In the meantime, until we make the filtration decision, we are having bottled water delivered for our drinking and cooking needs (after first checking the Water Quality Report, of course).


However, you need to be aware that even if you take the steps necessary to ensure that your family is not drinking fluoridated water in your home, you have not totally solved the problem. Every time you eat out and order a glass of water, you are probably consuming fluoridated water (if you live in an area that is fluoridated). Also, fluoridated water is used in most products that list water as an ingredient such as juices made from concentrate, sodas, sports drinks, canned soups, canned veggies, sauces, salad dressings, popsicles, apple sauce, pickles and the list goes on and on. By now you have probably connected the dots to realize just how much fluoride you are probably consuming in an average day, even if you think you and your family eat healthy.  

Your health is important. Once you lose it, it's hard to get it back.  Please review the linked data and make an informed decision as to whether you want your family to consume fluoride in your water. 


Healthy Families, Healthy You is excited to announce that in addition to the main consumer awareness article we produce every 3rd week of the month on Freshly Chewed Crayons, we will be adding a small nutritional article in this column the first week of each month as well. Stay tuned for our first nutritional article coming up the first week of August on fruit juice. And as always, if our column has helped you, please share it with others. Enjoy the rest of your summer and stay hydrated!

Under the Sea Multiplication Worksheets

 Tools for School is proud to let you know about a cool new product, just posted to the storefront!  

Under the Sea Multiplication Worksheets can be viewed via the Tools for School storefront along with a downloadable preview of the product, number of pages, contents in detail and thumbnail images! This packet can be used with 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders, homeschool or classroom, or would be great end of summer practice for students who are rusty on their math facts before diving into school!

FROZEN Homeade

We don't have a lot of income in our family as we are living off of a teacher's salary! However, my little three-year-old loves the movie FROZEN just as much as any and so she of course wanted the dolls to play with. Currently, they are out of stock in most stores and even if they were in stock, that's pricy for us. So, we made them! 

FROZEN DOLLS

I found these Peel and Stick decals on Zulily for $9.00. (This link is for Amazon since the Zulily deal has now expired.)  Once they arrived, I simply stuck them to file folders and cut out around them. Voila! Paper dolls. I also backed them with a popsicle stick to help them stay straight. These are great for my little one and she takes very good care of them because they are a treasured toy! We used the extra decals to decorate her foot board.



FROZEN Homemade Elsa Train

To make my little girl's train, I used a shower curtain liner free of chemicals which I bought at Home Goods for $6.99.  This was unique for the train because it has a snowflake pattern!  I bought the roll of blue yarn at Michael's for $4.99.  
1. Cut the shower curtain in half vertically.
2. Cut horizontally to make it short enough to fit your little one. 
3. Cut rounded ends and two slits to make three end sections. 
4. Simply thread the yarn through the ring holes at the top, creating holding knots.
5. Make one more loop on each end to slip over arms.

Enjoy making homemade FROZEN fun with your little ones too. I hope you can find these tips useful!