Teacher Feature, Sunday Stations...AND A GIVEAWAY!!!!.....yeah I am a bit late so shoot me!!!

Well the title says it all so lets get to it!

Gina Szczodrowski

1.      1.  How long have you been teaching and what grades (background).

This is my 6^th year teaching. My first year I taught grades 6-8 Science, 8^th grade math, and 7^th grade religion. It was a LOT to take on. I have been in 3^rd grade since (minus a 20 day stint in 2^nd grade)

2.       2.  Name of Blog and address.

Third Grade Tidbits  www.thirdgradetidbits.blogspot.com

3.  Favorite thing to create and share with fellow teachers!

I don’t have one specific favorite thing to create. I create what I think my class will like and what will work for them and just hope that in the process it is helping someone else along the way.

3.       4.  Biggest inspiration?

Hmm well my biggest teacher inspirations are my 1^st grade teacher and my 5^th grade teacher. They were some of the most amazing women I have ever had in my life and my 5^th grade teacher even tracked ME down when I went back to work in my elementary school for a college class I was taking. She was retired and volunteering and saw my name on a sign in sheet and came to find me. At that time I was struggling with whether I was making the right choice teaching and talking to her for just a few minutes helped me see that I was. I love that woman. I have to give Nicole Shelby a HUGE shoutout because she helped me a TON when I wanted to start creating and blogging. So she is one of MANY fabulous teachers from the blogging world that I look up to. (I am sure they all know who they are too.)

4.       Featured Product:  Free or Paid

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/February-Valentines-themed-reward-cards-FREEBIE

Here are some cute little Valentine’s reward cards, treasure box cards, behavior incentive cards…whatever you want to use them for. To see how I am using them, you can click on this blog post… http://thirdgradetidbits.blogspot.com/2013/02/mystery-present-freebie-included.html

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Comparing-and-Contrasting-6-Nonfiction-Passages

This one is my newest creation and I am pretty proud of it. There isn’t much out there for my kids to use for comparing and contrasting, so I wrote 6 different passages and put them together into a text set. There are also 4 questions for each passage. 

6.  Link to TpT Store or TN Store

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Gina-S

7.  Tell us about your OUT OF THE CLASSROOM life!

Outside of the classroom is spent with my 19 month old daughter, my husband, and my 3 year old shih-tzu. I love when we can spend time together and just relax. Some of my favorite things to do are going to football games, reading, shopping, traveling (nothing exotic), and really just anything that we can do together. It seems like time together is so limited, so I am just glad for us to all be together. Oh and if you haven’t seen my blog, you may not know, I am Disney OBSESSED!

8.  Most embarrassing teaching moment!!! Come on girls we all have one!

Honestly- I can’t think of one. I am sure there have been some embarrassing things but nothing that was horrible because I can’t remember it. Or maybe it was just so horrible that I put it out of my mind…now that I said this I will probably face plant this week at school. 

Sally DeCoste

1.  How long have you been teaching and what grades (background).
 I’ve been teaching now for 36 years.  (Don’t faint!)  I have taught at every level from preschool through 8^th grade, except fourth grade.  I didn’t purposely leave out 4^th, it just never happened.  I finally settled into second grade about 15 years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.  I’d have to say my very favorite age was Kindergarten, but I’ve loved the kids at every level.  They all have their challenges and their charm!

2.  Name of Blog and address.

Elementary Matters www.elementarymatters.com

3.  Favorite thing to create and share with fellow teachers!

I have a passion for the brain, and how it relates to learning.  I love to explore activities that make learning fun and get the kids moving, because those are two key components to brain based learning.  Plus, that’s the stuff that makes teaching more fun!

4.  Biggest inspiration?

My Dad was my biggest inspiration.  It seems a little strange that a second grade teacher might be inspired by a high school football coach, but our jobs really aren’t all that different!  We both want to build the skills in our kids and help them be successful.  My dad was truly a great man, as described in THIS BLOG POST. (http://www.elementarymatters.com/2011/09/speaking-of-heroes.html) He taught me about passion and desire, and working hard to get what I want.  And when I first started teaching he gave me some excellent advice:  be sure to make friends with the custodians and the secretary!

5.  Featured Product:  Free or Paid
 Bandaids or Lassos -  Contractions, Plurals, and Possessive Nouns  (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bandaids-or-Lassos-Contractions-Plurals-and-Possessive-Nouns )This activity was designed to help those kids who use an apostrophe on every word that ends in s.  The bandaid is about contractions… some letters were surgically removed and the bandaid (apostrophe) replaced the letters.  The lasso goes with possessives… the cowboy lassos the word that he possesses.  I’ve always found that silly stories help the children remember! 

6.  Link to TpT Store or TN Store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Elementary-Matters

7.  Tell us about your OUT OF THE CLASSROOM life!

I’m a single mom who’s dealing with an empty nest! Sounds so lonely, but actually, I’m loving it.  I was single for most of my daughter’s life, but luckily we shared a hobby: musical theatre!   Through most of her childhood I drove her (and myself) to dance lessons and play rehearsals.  It was a special time where we both made some great friendships and wonderful memories.  Unfortunately, 2 ½ years ago I had a stroke that ended all that.  It wasn’t a horrible stroke, but it slowed me down a lot.  I had to give up those extras in order to have the energy to teach.  Luckily, that’s when I discovered blogging, so it all worked out!

I’ve been dating a wonderful man for 3 years whom I actually know from my childhood.  He even played football for my dad!  We “remet” a few years ago and have been happy ever since.  He is also a single parent, who just recently became an empty nester himself! 

For more personal stuff about me (including pictures) see these posts:

http://www.elementarymatters.com/p/about-me.html

http://www.elementarymatters.com/2012/07/tell-me-more-tell-me-more.html

http://www.elementarymatters.com/2012/05/when-bad-things-happen-make-lemonade.html

8.  Most embarrassing teaching moment!!! Come on girls we all have one!

My mind jumps to a time when my daughter was a baby and I had picked her up from day care, and brought her back to school for her father to take her so I could continue with parent conferences.  Her father was due to pick her up, but I needed to take care of a “full diaper” at that point, which I did right on the floor of my classroom.

My next parent came in early for the conference, and caught me mid –diaper.  Luckily, she was also a mom, and totally understood the situation!  So much for giving that “professional look” when meeting the parents!

My daughter’s father finally came and got her so I could go back to adult conversation!

  What Awesome Ladies!!!

Ok...now on to my Sunday Stations! 
Here are my visual Lesson Plans....Sorry they are late! Click to download and find links to all the products we are using this week!

  Well that's about it from me tonight!  I am one tired PUPPY!!!  This past weekend and the past few days have been full of stress!!  Teacher-----Stress?  I know an oxymoron right!!!! NOT EVEN!!!  I hope you all are having a blessed week so far!!!

NOW ONTO THE FUN STUFF!!!! A GIVE AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gina (featured up there) and I have banded together to do a giveaway!  What are we giving away you ask?  Well....

Here is the list:  Gina is giving away a WINNER's CHOICE from her store and I am giving away a FARRAH'S FIGURES with two outfits and my BRAND SPANKING NEW ST. PATRICK'S DAY MATH AND LITERACY STATIONS!!! 

Wanna enter...you know you do!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings,