Update on the Name Change....

Core Academy was organized and run by Utah State University. Utah Standards Academy is organized and funded by the state of Utah.

P.D. Week!

Welcome to Utah Standards Academy........wait wasn't it called "Core Academy?" So today while I was freezing to death (in JUNE) because the hosting school turned their air conditioning up way to high I thought of reason as to why they would change the name. I heard someone say that it was because the word "Core" in the title comes with a bad stigma because of the local attitudes towards the Big Bad Common CORE. I have strong feelings about the ridiculous posts going around about Common Core. While it is not perfect (but really what set of Core Standards is?) I see the potential to expand upon understanding of concepts rather than memorization. If you ever see a crazy Math problem or writing prompt that is linked to Common Core, please do me a favor: Go read the actual standards and find if it actually says to specifically ask those questions. There is a GREAT misunderstanding between the difference of standards and curriculum (which is a local issue.)
..............back to my train of thought...........They changed the name because they didn't want us to expect the bin/tub of awesome manipulatives and resources that they used to give to the grade specific courses! :) This could be very likely. While I miss the fan fare and most of all the single grade courses (3rd and 4th are grouped together) this year I am just grateful for the opportunity to dive deeper into the Core of my new grade! I left today excited to be a 3rd grade teacher! I thought about all of the cool notebooking lessons I could do with fractions and how I was going to help each of my students be successful! Today I feel inspired. A shot in the arm of excitement for my new teaching assignment!
Today I learned a new term that connect to one that I used in my last post! "Functional Knowledge." Knowledge that you understand and can apply to different situations (Last post I talked about "Functional Organization.) I left with the desire to make everyday filled with "functional knowledge" for my students so that they can all feel successful!
I'm hoping that I am as positive at the end of the week of 7 hour classes as I am today! I'm off to pull out my Winter clothes to wear tomorrow so that I don't freeze!

Wild Week, Target Finds, and Summer Goals!

This is how I ended my week last Saturday! The Dirty Dash! It has become a tradition for my friends and I to run it in the Spring. We are planning a couples (should be interesting:) for the fall Dirty Dash! 10k of mud and obstacles. If I didn't have such awesome friends...I probably wouldn't do it. I am not high maintenance at all, but I really don't like to get dirty!:) If you haven't tried a mud run before I would encourage you to get together a fun group of friends and go for it! You see people of all skill levels, so not being in ideal running shape is NOT an excuse!

So three of my bins that I posted about a couple of weeks ago went to organizing school supplies (yes I have them at home too,) art supplies, and flash cards! I reorganized my entry way closet (which has been a goal of mine for 6 months) the other day and it took me over an hour! To those with OCD: I understand that this is not perfect....I call it functional organization!:)

................The best part about using these bins for personal use was that I had to go back Target to replace them! I have a serious problem with their $1/$3 section! My new find.....

These mini-lights are beyond cute and I love the colors! I can't wait to hang them in my classroom!

I purchased this garland to decorate for Father's Day (with matching balloons and straws....I have a problem!:), but plan to hang it in my classroom as well. I have to admit that my classroom is not the most over-the-top perfectly decorated classroom, but I do think that creating an aesthetically pleasing room does help with classroom management. If you create a place where the students want to be they spend less time thinking about places they would rather be and more about what they could be learning!:) 

One of my Summer goals is to workout 5 times a week. So far, so good! I'm actually loving having the gym built into my morning schedule! My hard work has to happen now so that I can maintain during the school year! While I'd like to workout that much in during the rest of the year.....It just isn't possible. Working full time, having a family with two active boys, and the fact that the gym is 25 minutes away makes it harder to put it high on my priority list!:) Next week is going to be tough! 4 days of Professional Development from 8:30-3:30 is going to make things interesting!