Thanksgiving. I'm Thankful For...

  Wow!  It's already time for Thanksgiving?!  Where has the time gone this school year??  Time flies when you're having fun! :)  I thought it would only be the MOST appropriate to list what I'm thankful for within my 3rd grade class.  I could talk for days on this subject, so I'll keep it short!

What I'm Thankful for...

1) I'm thankful that I have students who legitimately care about their work.  Their work ethic is out of the roof.  It's the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

2) I'm thankful that I have a group of 18 students who make me laugh every single day.  Having students that can make others laugh is a very special treat.  I count my blessings daily.

3) I'm thankful that my class and I can appreciate each other's weirdness.  We are so strange together, but it works, and we learn  A LOT more than if we were normal and boring. :)

4) I'm thankful for third graders who care about each other.  These students care more about giving than receiving.  I'm not teaching students.  I'm teaching human beings who are going to be WORLD CHANGERS.  I'm 100% convinced.

5) I'm thankful for third graders who care about themselves.  From 7:35-2:30 (the first bell to the last) my students do WHATEVER it takes to be the best they can be.  There isn't anything I could ask more for.  

6) I'm thankful for 8 and 9 year olds.  Period.  :)

7) I'm thankful for students who want to teach each other and for students who encourage each other.  There aren't many adults who even do this in life.

8) I'm thankful for students who ask questions.  Not just about what they are learning in class, but about real life issues.  Ways to make themselves better citizens.

9) I'm thankful for students who challenge me to be the best I can be.  My heart bursts with joy every day in Room 521.  

10) I'm thankful that the 9 previous statements are 100% genuine.  I don't have to make things "seem okay" for my students and I.  I am so blessed to teach this group of students.  It's November, and they have changed my LIFE!  

I love you, Room 521!!!! <3

Writing Buddies

For any teacher who has not ever used Writing Buddies in their classroom, I HIGHLY recommend it!  My students absolutely LOVE having someone to talk to about their writing other than the teacher!  We are currently working on an Imaginative Narrative, and we are taking it very slow paying close attention to details and strong adjectives.  The students’ writing has just taken off and hit new levels.  This week, I had my students take their writing a little deeper, and after they did, they met with their Writing Buddy to switch notebooks and chat about what they wrote.  There are so many reasons I love this!  #1-I love to hear the students talk about what they are writing and asking questions to get advice from their buddy.  #2-They really take this as an opportunity to teach each other!  What’s better than teaching 18 students??  Having 18 teachers teach each other!!!

It's the Little Things...

Sometimes, the best part of being a teacher is being involved in the little things.  One of my sweet girls lost a tooth last week, and here is the proof to show it!  I love seeing the excitement take over their emotions when things like this happen!  Being a teacher is so much more than…being a teacher.  Being a teacher is a career that involves many hats.  As teachers, we wear the teacher hat (of course), the biggest fan hat, the mediator hat, the listening ear hat, the encourager hat, the character builder hat… I could go on and on, but you get the point.  It is a dream job that I wouldn’t trade for the world.  Moments like THIS make my “job” a little more sweeter!

3rd Grade Math Night

Last Friday, we had the awesome opportunity to have parents come out and be a part of Common Core Math!  We played different games (focusing around multiplication) where the students were able to teach their parents!  We had an AMAZING turn out with about half of the third grade in attendance!  Below are some pictures from Friday night! 

I’d like to give a personal “thank you” to every parent that came out on Friday night.  Teaching wouldn’t be possible without the support of incredible parents.  My classroom thrives due to the parents that are involved and in communication with me on a daily basis!  Parents, I couldn’t do it without you!  You guys mean more to me than you will ever know!  Nothing is better than forming friendships with your students’ parents.  To all other teachers, I encourage you to KNOW your parents just like you know your students!  In order to teach the whole child, we must know about the whole child!  Thank you parents for being the rock of Miss Fincher’s classroom!

5's, 10's, and 9's Multiplication Raps

Rappin Our 5’s

Ah, ah, ah, ah, sayin’ our 5’s, sayin’ our 5’s

Ah, ah, ah, ah, sayin’ our 5’s sayin’ our 5’s

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60

Ah, ah, ah, ah, sayin’ our Fiiiiiives!

Rappin our 10’s

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh—Can’t stop us

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh—Can’t stop us

10, 20, 30, 40

Oh, oh, oh—Can’t stop us

50, 60, 70, 80

Oh, oh, oh—Can’t stop us

90, 100, 110, 120

Let’s stop this!

Rappin’ Our 9’s

We know our 9’s, that’s mighty fine!

We know our 9’s, that’s mighty fine!

9, 18, 27

36, 45, 54

63, 72, 81, 90, 99, 108

And you know we’re great!