Mel's Box of Chocolates

Last weekend, I wrote my post about making learning count during the last few weeks of school. I was determined to not countdown the year, but instead focus on making the last three weeks of school something my 3rd graders would remember. Then came Monday. I had some chest pains on Sunday that were quite intense through Sunday night. I decided that on Monday morning I would run into a walk-in clinic before heading into school. I thought I had pulled a muscle and figured some type of medication would clear it up. When I got to the clinic, I was first diagnosed with some type of inflammation and was going to be prescribed a steroid and higher dosage of ibuprofen. For some reason the diagnosis just wasn't sitting well with me, which I stated in a text to my husband. Then the doctor came back into my room, asking me about our plane trip to Spain and some other questions. I shared with her some strange bruising I had on my leg and asked her if she thought they could be related. Her ...

Mom's have a tough job. They take on so many roles to meet their family's needs and keep their households running smoothly. Teacher's have a tough job, too. They take on so many roles to meet their student's needs and keep their classrooms running smoothly. TeacherMom's??!! Well they deserves capes all of their own. I've been a TeacherMom for 14 years now. While each job has it's own challenges and rewards, I believe each helps me be better at the other.  I often find myself asking myself in the classroom, how would I want my own child's teacher to react in a situation. What would I want them to say to my child? How would I want them to make my own child feel? Being a teacher also allows me to be a working mom and have a career where I'm not known as mom, but just Melissa...an educator. I've always known I would be a working mom and being a teacher has allowed me the career I desired while allowing me (most...

The days leading up to summer vacation can be some of the most challenging in classrooms. It is critical that teachers have a survival plan in place. Oh and there is not any place in that survival plan to share a countdown with students. Well maybe in the last 5 days, but not before then. Instead of focusing on the countdown, focus on making the learning count! One thing I do to end the year with a bang is to use one of my favorite books for reading. We do a unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that includes painting with chocolate pudding, creating character puppets, using recycled materials to create a new candy making invention, taking a virtual field trip to Hershey's chocolate factory and so much more. We end the unit by inviting parents to the classroom to see Mrs. Tuttle's Chocolate Factory where kids show their parents all the activities they have completed over the past two weeks. When I see my previous students, this the first thing they will talk about, ou...

Next year, I will be taking on a new role within my classroom as the teacher for an accelerated program. In order to be qualified, I am currently working on earning my certificate as a Gifted and Talented Teacher. If you don't know, I absolutely LOVE learning new things and just completing two classes this semester have learned so much about highly able learners and how I must alter my instruction to meet their needs. I created this video as part of a project in which I was to present my understanding of the professional learning and ethical practice as a gifted and talented educator. After much research and reflection this is what I created...

This spring break we went big. European vacation BIG! My brother and his family have been stationed in Rota, Spain for the past three years. We've always planned on visiting and since they are preparing to return stateside this summer it was now or never. So off to Spain we went! We started on a plane... Then switched to a train... We had 10 days of action packed adventures and the best part we got to share it all with my brother, sis-in-law, nieces, nephews!! The day after we arrived in Spain, we jumped on a ferry and actually headed to Africa. My sister-in-law had booked us a trip to visit Tangier, Morocco. We had an amazing time with Jamal our tour guide showing us around. We got to take a camel ride along the beach which was incredible. We got to enjoy mint tea and a delicious cake with argon oil as well as a lamb tangine. The rug shops and markets were interesting as we bartered our way through purchases. I don't know what I expected Morocco to be like, b...

This year is my 10th year of teaching. Where did the time go? I've taught both 3rd and 5th grade throughout the years and enjoyed both. Next year though I'm trying something new! I've been hired as the teacher for a brand new accelerated program within my school. I will be teaching an ELA and math class of mixed 4th and 5th grade students. Since the program is new there is much to be done, which is both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. As the teacher of this program, I have to go back to school to earn my certificate as a gifted and talented teacher. Being a lifelong learner, I could not wait to start my graduate classes and I'm happy to say that I'm halfway through the first two of five classes I must complete. I have already learned so much!! I won't lie though. It's been quite challenging balancing being a graduate students, college teacher, and 3rd grade teacher along with wearing the mom and wife hat. But, I know it will be worth it....

As a teacher, I like the idea of projects for families to do with their children. Projects provide connections between home and school and are a time for the kids to share what they're learning and for parents to spend quality time with them. Switching hats, as a mom, I confess that projects can be annoying. Finding the materials, finding the time, pestering the kid, and being tempted to just do it yourself can ruin the fun of any project. That quality time with your kid becomes a nightmare. Currently, Zoe has a book report project due for her ELA class and a project display board for her academic challenge class. Yes, we have known about both projects for about a month. One project was due this week and the other deadline right around the corner. No, we had not started putting anything together before this week. We had talked about what she was going to do, but the actually doing part was lacking. This week though with some unexpected snow days, I have had a blast working ...