Balancing Teaching and Being a Mom

The end of October marks two full months that I have been back to work full time since having my second child one year ago. My baby girl will be one year old in a few weeks and it's hard to remember life without her.

There have been a lot of challenges in going back to work with two kids and I can honestly say it's been stressful at times.

My house is always a mess.

I don't always cook the way I want to.

My pile of marking grows daily…and I rarely make it a priority.

There are days when I am planning my lessons period to period.

Workouts have dropped from 7 days a week to maybe 4 days a week…if I am lucky.

I can't remember the last time I got my hair cut.

Thank god for coffee. 

But…

I wouldn't change a thing. I know I am a better mom when I am back to work. I love teaching. I love my class. I love constantly learning about teaching.

I am also a better teacher because I am a mom. I have more patience. I think more about how I would want my child to be treated. I am more fun and less focused on just the curriculum

It'll get easier. 

This I know. 

But right now?

Wow, finding balance is tricky. 

Skip Counting Task Cards- A New Product!

This year I have Guided Math fully up and running in my class and I must say that I am loving it. In the past I tried to jump in too fast and then it all fell apart but not this year, we have been going slow. Mixing in whole class lessons, math journal work, and the three-part lesson.

Right now we are working on skip counting and data management...I like to do two strands of math at the same time. It helps the students connect patterns between the types of math.

But anyway...I offered a skip counting freebie last week as part of the Halloween Blog Hop I participated in and now I have the full product for you.

Skip Counting Task Cards- By 2's, 3's, 5's, 10's, 25's, 100's

I think if you liked the freebie than you are going to LOVE these skip counting task cards.

This pack contains 65 task cards that can be used in a variety of ways in your math class.

I plan to use them as Must Do's during my Guided Math rotations and for assessment during Math Conferences.

I have included a recording sheet so your students can track the numbers they are counting with and begin to see patterns in their skip counting.

Communication in math is one of my favourite things to teach so I have also created 2 different reflection sheets that students can use to help explain their understanding and thinking about skip counting. 

I hope you find these useful in your class.

If there is a number that your curriculum dictates that you teach for skip counting and it's not included in the package, please email me and we can see if we can work something out!

Bog Hop Winner Announced!!

Happy Halloween - Blog Hop!!

I love fall!

The leaves change colour. The air gets crisp.

It's Thanksgiving (for us Canadians) and Halloween all in the same month.

I've gotten together with some Canadian blogging friends to celebrate Halloween by having a blog hop and giveaway. Each blog is posting about their favourite way to celebrate Halloween in their class, sharing some freebies and we've gotten together to offer you the chance to win a TPT gift card.

How happy of a Halloween is that?

Pretty awesome.

To be honest, I can't say that I have a favourite way to celebrate Halloween but in the past I have done haunted house glyphs, watch a spooky movie, and done other art activities.

This year my class is reading Bunnicula leading up to Halloween and I am hoping to get some small pumpkins we can paint closer to the holiday. 
Fingers crossed.

As for my freebie, I'd love for you to head over to my TPT store to check out my Skip Counting by 5's Task Card FREEBIE.

I'm planning on extending this freebie into a full product with a variety of skip counting task cards....so look for that soon in my TPT store. 

Happy Halloween!!

P.S. The blog hop doesn't officially start until Oct 17th...I just wanted to share with you all a little early. So come back on the 17th to check out the other blogs and grab some great freebies. 

An InLinkz Link-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's a SALE! It's a SALE!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Yes, that's right here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving in October.

Crazy Canadians.

LOL

Since we wanted to invite all our American and world-wide teacher friends to celebrate with us I have joined up with OVER 30 Canadian blogger/TPT sellers to throw a Thanksgiving sale.

That's right. 

A sale.

Who doesn't love a sale?

If you head on over to my store you will find everything listed for 20% off, including my newest product- Guided Math Group Labels and Famous Mathematician Class Book, on Sunday, October 12th and Monday, October 13th.

Click on the buttons below to check out all the other Canadian sellers that will be hosting a sale as well. 

Runde's Room	The Primary Patch	Hanging Around in Primary	Dennis the Menace Teaching
That Fun Reading Teacher	Tina's Teaching Treasures	Emmy Mac Shop	Mrs. Brousseau's Binder
2 Peas & a Dog	The Purple Teacher	Diamond Mom	Lifelong Learning
Teaching Math by Hart	I Heart Grade 3	The Classroom Sparrow	Mrs. Beattie's Classroom
Fun in Fourth	Madly Learning	Anita Bremer	Thinking of Teaching
Teaching FSL	BrowniePoints	Mrs. Mathis' Homeroom	Mrs. Albanese's Class
A Special Kind of Class	Elementary AMC	Journeys in Learning	Teaching is a Gift
The Raudy Teacher	Leslie Hope	Coach's Corner	Cinnamon's Synonyms

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