3 Back To School Tips For Getting Your Room Ready

Hey everyone!

With some of you back to school and me going back very shortly, I thought I'd share few tips for back to school that I use to get my room ready.

In case you don't know this tip, these facial scrubbers from the Dollar Tree work great as dry erasers! They come in a few other colors too, but I always go for the blue and green.

I don't sew, so instead I hot glue things together. Easy and takes the stress away from me!

I love laminating things so that when I write on them with sharpie, I can reuse them by writing over them with dry erase markers. I'm using these cut outs as labels for my supply bins. 

So these may be some tricks you already know, but I still wanted to share! Do you have any tips? Leave a comment down below!

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First Week Positives

I've been doing a little bit of reading this week on my vacation. It's called Kids Deserve It! by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. They have talked a lot in the book about making that connection to students and building a positive relationship with students and parents. This is not anything new to me as an educator, but sometimes we all need a little reminding of how important the little things are in building successful relationships with students and parents.

Those tough students can be the hardest ones to reach and sometimes all it takes is someone to believe in them and find the positive in them.

My first year teaching someone shared with me the importance of reaching out to parents during the first week to share how their week has gone. So I made myself a little first week notes checklist so that as the week went on, I could jot down the positive things I saw in each child so that I wouldn't forget. Then, at the end of the week, I could sit down and call every parent to share those positive things.

It was so powerful for starting our year off on a positive note, especially for those challenging kids. It was hard to find something positive for some of those little gems, but you have to get creative and find something that every students shines at.

I have to be honest and say that I have been sort of awful these last few years at my first week positive phone calls, but reading this book has inspired me to create a little checklist to help motivate me this year to make this happen and start my year on the right note!

Just click on the image below to download your free copy of the checklist! I hope this helps you start your year off on a positive note as well and see the good in each and every one of your sweet kids!

And I would recommend reading the book Kids Deserve It! It is very inspiring!

You can head over to my blog and check out more of my ideas for back to school as well! Click my blog button below!

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Self-Adhesive Labels: Stick to Making Life Easier

Hey everyone!


I'm sure most of you have seen the Target self-adhesive labels. I couldn't get any (boo!), but I found some on Amazon that fit business card size labels or cards. I know it's not the same as Target, not the same price etc, but I am really excited to use them.

This is what the pack looks like. 

Here are some of my labels. These will be labels on the students' book boxes. I'm making a second set to go on their mailboxes. This is the first year I'm using numbers instead of names and I think it'll save me lots of time and frustration on things. 

I wasn't sure of the size and I'm happy to see I can make them even larger if I want. 

I think any that I have left I'll put on my book tubs. 

I love the ease of these pockets!

Do you use adhesive pockets? How do you use yours? Share below!

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Back-To-School Teammate Gifts

Hi friends!  It's Amanda here from Teaching Maddeness.  I wanted to share a couple of quick and easy back-to-school teammate gift ideas with you.

Everyone needs a little pick me up at back-to-school time, but especially TEACHERS, right?  Go ahead and prep now to be able to give your colleagues a little love on those first few exhausting days.  Who doesn't love a little nail polish?!   Tie the bottle together with a nail file and you have a perfect little treat.  You can grab this freebie gift tag HERE.

Perhaps you have male co-workers who actually may not appreciate the nail polish ;)  or are looking for something extremely cheap because, let's face it, you're already in debt thanks to your school supply shopping addiction.  If that's the case, how cute are these?


A set of sticky notes (these are from the Target Dollar Spot) and a flair pen.  You can grab this freebie tag HERE.  Super easy.  Super cheap.  Super useful.

I hope these are ideas you can use!  Be sure to find Owlways Be Inspired on Instagram for more back to school pics!

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Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas FREE Printable Lunch Box Love Notes!

FREE Lunch Box Love Notes!

While you're planning and getting ready for back to school, here's one of my favorite freebies for you. Lunch Box Love Notes. For Teacher-Moms, as tired as we are once August and September hits, we don't want to short change our own children. I remember I really wanted my children to have a good day at school, listen to the teacher. learn a lot and make new friends. But mornings for Teacher-Moms are not like something out of the Full House TV show....many a morning at my house SOMEONE crying over SOMETHING because they weren't the center of attention at that given moment. SOMETIMES it was even me! {Just kidding, OK, no, maybe not....}

These love notes are a quick and easy way for you to show them some love when they are away from you in that big, ole' school cafetorium, as they call it in my district.  BUT no lie, a very easy prep, I would write five on Saturday afternoon or Sunday night and hide them in my bedroom. That way I was ready to slip one in their lunch box each morning and if they wanted to buy their lunch that day, I had it ready to slip into their backpack. My FREEBIE has enough for 24 notes, that way you can use a different one each school day for a month! 

These Love Notes are also perfect for teachers to use as an End Of The Day student note! ♥

My favorite author, Erma Bombeck once said something about school notes....If they are typed on nice paper and signed in pen, they have been forged by the child, a real Mom has to grab a red crayon and writes on a kitchen napkin. :)

Some mornings, showing your love with a red crayon on a napkin is just terrific too! Enjoy!

Click here to download it!

Please follow me for more tips, tricks, resources and freebies!

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FREE Printable Lunch Box Love Notes

FREE Lunch Box Love Notes!

I know that this is the craziest time of year, but for Teacher-Moms, as tired as we are, we don't want to short change our own kids. I remember I really wanted my children to have a good day at school, listen to the teacher. learn a lot and make new friends. But mornings for Teacher-Moms are not like something out of the Leave it to Beaver TV show....many a morning at my house was SOMEONE crying over SOMETHING because they weren't the center of attention at that given moment. SOMETIMES it was even me!

These love notes are a quick and easy way for you to show them some love when they are away from you in that big, ole' cafetorium, as they call it in my district.  BUT no lie, I would write five on Saturday afternoon or Sunday night and hide them in my bedroom. That way I was ready to each morning and if they wanted to buy their lunch that day, I had it ready to slip into their backpack instead. My FREEBIE has enough for 24 notes, that way you can use a different one each school day for a month! Perfect also for teachers to use as an End Of The Day student note!

My favorite author, Erma Bombeck once said something about school notes....If they are typed on nice paper and signed in pen, they have been forged by the child, a real Mom has to grab a red crayon and writes on a kitchen napkin. :)

Some mornings, showing your love with a red crayon on a napkin is just terrific too! Enjoy!

Click here to download it!

I would just ♥love it if 
you would follow me!

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We HEART Parent Helpers - Freebie

Good day to you faithful "Owl" followers.  My name is Kelley Dolling and I blog over at Teacher Idea Factory.  I am honored to say that I am the newest member of the "Owl-Ways" crew.  I can't wait to start sharing with y'all on a regular basis . . . I will be coming your way on the 11th of every month!

Today, I wanted to quickly chat about parent helpers. We all know that these extra hands are clutch in the elementary grades. So many of us have to go it alone without teaching assistants these days. Parents help fill this void . . . especially when you land one of those "extra special" helpers that really know how to handle a group :) 

Over the years, I have noticed a pattern emerge in my classroom when it comes to these brave volunteers.  I typically give my parent helpers the "fun" task. They get the reading game or the fun activity in the rotation line up.  If there isn't a game, I tend to have them man the writing station.  What can I say? I just love the extra help in the quality and punctuation department.

I always love having the parents work on retell activities.
This awesome helper read a fun Charlie Brown football story.
The kids then wrote a basic summary of the tale. 

Our Back to School Night is coming up.  You know. That evening when you meet all of the parents and chat about what to expect for the year. I think many of you refer to it as Open House. Well, I am attempting to get my ducks in a row by getting all of my forms together for parent helpers. I figured maybe I could help you out too. Below you will find my parent volunteer sign up sheet. It's editable . . . how ya like them pencils? Yep, the paragraph at the top might not fit your style or overall needs. Just click in and change it. You will need the font -- KG PART OF ME -- before you get going. So, be sure to download and install it before you open the file. 

I also am tossing in a job rundown sheet. In an effort to get myself more organized and not have to handwrite something out in the AM or quickly verbal vomit the directions on my helper, I made a little sheet that explains the task for the day. I surely am not saying that I will always complete one of these as I know how I tend to roll. However, I vow that I will attempt to have one of these with the station each day. #promisespromises

Click either image below to snag these two freebies.  They are in power point form, and again, they are editable.  Just make sure you have the font installed before you mess with the text.  

 

If you are looking to get a few more things organized this year, I have an editable back to school form/letter/checklist packet.  It offers everything from Transportation and Contact Info forms to birthday and field trip checklists.  It even has an editable classroom handbook option.  I am all printed and ready to go a little ahead of the game this year . . . 8 days and counting :) CLICK HERE to check it out.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us today.  Until next month . . . this is Kelley Dolling from Teacher Idea Factory signing out :)

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The BIG ONE!

That's the BIG SALE of course! It's quite possibly my favorite time of year (right behind Christmas!) I love back to school! I love the shopping and decorating mostly, but don't we have the only job where we get a do over every single year! (and sometimes every single day!)

So it's stock up time for BTS!

Thank you Courtney from Swimming into Second for the adorable signage!

And don't forget to use the CODE! BTS15 for an extra 10% off! 

here's quick links to all our shops!

Happy Saturday!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Back to School Writing Freebie

Hi everyone! I don't know about you guys, but I have found some great Target dollar spots this year. Here's just one picture of all the goodies I've managed to snag at Target.

My favorite find was the sets of blank books. I bought enough of the 8x8 books that each student will be able to do 2 books each. I also bought 2 packs of the larger books that I will use to make class books for our classroom library.

We'll take the 8x8 books and make a keepsake book with a whole year's worth of writing. I know my parents will appreciate seeing their child's writing growth at the end of the year in the form of a book.

I've made a quick freebie with a cover page and 1st day of school writing sample page. You can click on the picture below to get yours.

Do you have any other ideas how you will use the blank books?

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Back to School Freebie!

Just in time for back to school, my Football Fun! Color for Fun! has four printable coloring pages. 

Perfect for indoor recess, literacy centers, fine motor skills, a reward sheet, homework packets, the possibilities are endless! These sheets are part of my larger bundle, Fall Fun! Color for Fun!

{Click Here to See It}

I'm Fern from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas, stop by my blog anytime for tips, tricks, resources and freebies for your classroom!

The OWLS invite you back on Sunday for our BIG, BIG, BIG Giveaway! Trust me, you will want to see all the great things we are giving away! :)

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