I promised a lot of things this week. Like awesome posts everyday (fail).
I did promise a pretty cute giveaway and I am here to actually deliver on that. I’ve wanted to do a giveaway for quite sometime now and obviously never got around to it. I recently made my 100th post which is a pretty big deal for me. I’ve tried to have a blog a few times in the past and I inevitably got board like 3 weeks into it and abandoned it.
It’s also FINALLY summer vacation 🙂
Oh yeah…remember how busy I’ve been for the past month +?! That’s because I was going through the process of interviewing, demo lessoning, being board approved for an awesome, amazing, PUBLIC SCHOOL job!! Yes, you read that right. I don’t want to give out too many details on the old blog, but I officially accepted a middle school math (6th grade) position in a great school district on Long Island. I am beyond excited for this amazing opportunity. I have never worked in a public school before. I have never worked at a school where there was even ONE teacher who taught the same thing as I did. This is going to be a super amazing experience. I don’t want to wish away the summer, but I am SO excited to start.
Anyway, that being said, GIVEAWAY TIME!
Included in the {super random} giveaway is:
* EOS lip sphere
*3 mini BBW hand sanitizers.
*Scratch and Sniff fruity stickers
*Pink “Ring Pop” bottle opener
*R.S.V.P. Multicolor Pens
*Cupcake shaped paperclips
*Pink Patterned BINDER CLIPS (my absolute favorite school supply.ever)
*Mini Note To Self
*Vera Bradley Cube note pad
*Strawberry shaped post-its
*2 packs of super cute fruity notecards
*1 pack of handmade notecards made by my amazing Mama
* The Sourcebook for Teaching Science
*Teach Like a Champion Field Guide
*$5 Starbucks Gift Card
Like I said, super random, but filled with my FAVORITE things, including 2 amazing books that I own and love myself. Now, since I’ve never done a giveaway before, I decided to do whatever I want 🙂 There are a bunch of options to enter:
* Leave me a comment and just say HI 🙂
* Leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite thing from the giveaway is an why!
*Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave me a comment with the link
*Subscribe to my blog in your reader. Leave me a comment and let me know.
*Leave me a comment with a piece of advice for working at a public school/my new job. Comment as many times as you like– each will count as an entry!
*Leave me a comment letting me know what your summer plans!
*Leave me a comment with advice for opening a TPT store. I swear that’s something I am going to do this summer!
*Leave me a comment answering my question from this post about MacBook Air v. Pro!
I am going to keep this giveaway open until Monday night! Make sure your e-mail is in each entry so I can contact you if you win 🙂 Oh yeah, I may choose an extra winner or two for some extra special prizes just because I can do whatever I want 😉
tothesquareinch 
Congrats on the public school job and the large salary increase that comes with it! I am so glad you are still teaching math. YAY! Just wish it was 7th grade. Very thrilled for you Kate. 🙂
Hi! Congratulations on the new job! Love your blog!
I already subscribe to your blog in Google Reader.
The best piece of advice when starting teaching I ever received…make friends with the custodial staff and secretary…they are the ones that take care of you and get things done. 🙂
Hi Kate! Congrats on the new job! I teach 8th grade special ed, and find all your ideas so helpful and engaging for my students. Keep up the good work.
~Kristina
Congrats on the new job! As a public school teacher in Chicago for 16 years I can tell you that it will be incredibly rewarding!
I came across your site while looking for CCideas for our first unit on transformations. I loved your foldable and it will be our introductory activity for the unit. Even eighth graders aren’t too cool for colored paper and scissors.
As a transplant from NY to GA, I get a little homesick when I hear words like “Regents exams”. I am glad you got a job in sixth grade. I taught it (and every subject in it!) for 8 years. Now, as I start year two in eighth grade, I miss my little guys a little bit…sniff! Sixth graders thrive on fun and energy!
I hope you have a relaxing summer, and a great start to the new year at your new school! Keep posting good math stuff! An oldie like me needs to keep seeing fresh, new ways to present material.
Thanks!
V
congrats on your new job!! the best advice I can give is to take advantage of the fact that someone else will be teaching the same thing as you. it’s always great when me and my
coworkers are on the same page and can share strengths and weaknesses in lessons with each other.
MacBook pro if you use your computer alot And won’t travel with it alot. also if you use your USB drives Lot. MacBook air if your computer is just used for the Internet and little things. If you don’t need to link any USB drives up to it then the air is great.
and I love RSVP pens!!!!
Congratulations. I think you will find discipline in a public school is very different than at a Catholic school.
Hi Kate. I would love the books and pens. I’d give the girly stuff to my wife, an English teacher.
Public schools have different pressures that private schools due to state assessments, but the goal of teaching our students is the same. We still want them to think critically, enjoy and recognize the value of math, and become prepared to be successful in the next grades. My advice: Do your best not to succumb to the pressures from outside your classroom; do what you know is best for your students.
Also, I’m not sure if your new school is set up with 6th grade being the first year in middle school (or if your former school was set up that way), but after teaching 6th grade (just for one year), I didn’t realize how huge of a transition it was for my students from elementary school to middle school. I wish I had supported them more (mostly with organization and class routines). If you haven’t had the experience helping them with the transition to middle school, think about it specifically before the you start in the fall.
Good luck!
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Congratulations on your new job!
I came to your blog via Pinterest (your coordinate plane foldable sucked me in) and have decided to subscribe!
I follow your blog.
Misty
Think, Wonder, & Teach
my favorite item is the cupcake paperclips. So cute and totally random. LOVE IT!
Misty
Think, Wonder, & Teach
Advice for a TpT store – mine would be to set your own style and create a cover for all of your products that is easily recognizable. Also make sure you create a footer for each page to copyright it to you.
Misty
Think, Wonder, & Teach
Hi! Your blog was the first blog that I stumbled upon that hooked me into blogging. My kids LOVED your Fruit Loops Ratios lessons and I loved that it was relatively cheap for 90+ students!
My favorite thing from the giveaway would be the Teach Like Champion Field Guide. I actually just pulled my overly highlighted copy of the original Teach like a Champion to reread. I can’t imagine the insight a field guide would have!
Congrats on the new job! How exciting:). I’ve been following for a while, and I just love your ideas/printables!
Stephanieelainecrisp@hotmail.com
Math Teacher Timeout
Congratulationson the new job!! As an AIS math 5-8 teacher in upstate NY, I welcome you to our fold 🙂 It’s going to be an exciting start for you as we all learn to embrace the implementation of the Common Core standards in September. One piece of advice I have for you is to get in touch with your BOCES Teacher Center and find out if they have set up a network of teachers in your region to support this adventure… Good luck!!
Hi! Your blog is so awesome! Congrats on your job! I have my eye on those books! They seem like a worthwhile read. Good luck with opening your TpT store. I’d love to do that in the future. I’m working on a blog now.
Did I mention your blog is awesome? 🙂
Hi Kate! I am super excited for your new opportunity! I’ve been meaning to reply to your posts for basically forever… I love all of the Science ideas – and I’ll miss them sooooo much! My favorites were the earthquake related lesson(s)! I teach in Virginia, my school district is actually 2 miles from the epicenter of the “east coast quake” you mentioned in your post! Anyhow, good luck and and I’d love to win your contest.
Yay! Now I can borrow even more awesome 6th grade math ideas! This makes me quite happy!
Laura
Will Grade For Coffee
Kate, I really love your blog :o)
I am obsessed with pens and I’m always searching for new ones to try! So I’d love to win the pens!
I subscribe to your blog 🙂
I’ve been teaching in an NYC public school for 10 years and I’ve learned that many things don’t make sense, like ending school on June 27th and not getting our unused snow days. But it’s best to go with the flow and smile. I’ve also learned that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by administration. They may not tell you when you have the best bulletin board on the whole floor, but they’ll bring other teachers to look at it. I always try to make my work speak for itself.
Good luck on your new position 🙂
Congratulations on the new job! I too wish it were 7th grade math. I love all of your stuff.
Congrats on the new job! I am the only 6th and 7th math teacher where I teach as well (which is why my life depends on blog reading and Twitter). Are you on Twitter? I’m @jreulbach.
Yeah for your new job!! Public school definitely will have some monetary advantages! I have absolutely loved teaching 6th graders (even though I’m moving up next year.) So far they are my fave! And what a great opportunity to make an impact and build foundation for their future math endeavors. Best wishes…but don’t wish your summer away. Mine is already 3 weeks away from being over. 😦
Congrats on the new job! They are going to be so excited to have YOU on their team! Happy summer to you!
congrats on the new job!
My favorite item from the giveaway is the Cupcake shaped paperclips! I love cupcakes & fun shaped paperclips! 🙂
I blogged about your giveaway!
http://boutiqueofluck.blogspot.com/2012/06/lucky-round-up-for-623.html
Hi Kate!! Congrats on your job although I’m sad you are leaving me alone in the Catholic school teaching world… 🙂
It’s hard to pick a favorite thing… I love Vera Bradley… I love stickers… I love Starbucks… I love note cards!!!
I subscribe to you in my Google Reader. 🙂 You’re like in your own area because you aren’t a Blogger blog!
I just finished sailing class so I hope my summer plans include more sailing!! And my summer class starts next week – Reading in a New Language. It sounds awesome so I hope it lives up to my expectations!!!
Congratulations on the new job! I’ve been teaching at a public middle school for seventeen years now, and I love it. As far as advice goes….I agree with Christy’s comment about befriending the custodial staff and the secretarial staff. Having a good relationship with these groups makes things so much smoother. My custodial team even brings my classroom bunny extra produce from their gardens.
I also agree with Nick’s comments about helping your sixth graders with the transition into middle school. It can be very overwhelming going from a relatively small elementary setting into a much larger middle school setting where they are expected to be so much more independent. Even seemingly simple things like using a locker can be a bit much for some students.
Another thing….remember to speak to your students whenever you see them; in the hallway, the cafeteria, at busses, wherever. It’s easy for middle school students to feel somewhat lost in the bigger world of middle school. It’s good for them to know that someone notices them and is making an effort to make a connection with them.
Exciting times for you! I love the ideas I have gotten from you for math. I have been following you on Pinterest. Favorite thing in the giveaway? Lip sphere for sure! Enjoy your summer…don’t work too much!
Congrats on the new job! This is my first year teaching (at all!) and I’m in a public school. Thanks for all of the great tips that you put up on the site, and I can’t wait to see all the creative ideas you have in this next year!
Congratulations on your new Job Kate! I appreciate you sharing all of your wonderful ideas! 🙂
Hi! I’d love to win!!
family74014 at gmail dot com
I love the scratch and sniff stickers because I love stickers!
My summer plans are to go to Phoenix! 🙂
family74014 at gmail dot com
I personally would go with the Macbook pro. That is what I have & I love it!
family74014 at gmail dot com
Yay! Love this giveaway!
Mindy
mwells@ourwayschool.com
Kate – I’m just laughing about the I can do whatever I want! You rock!
I’m most excited about the Teach like Champion Field Guide! I have the Teach like a Champion book (and Kindle version… Yes… dorky book love) and would LOVE to get that field guide!! 🙂
I’ll be back with more entries. I’m going to try a strategy of spreading them out. Will it work?!
Lauren
Life in Middle School
HI!!!! 🙂
*Hi Kate-
My favorite item in your give a way is – The Sourcebook for Teaching Science. I LOVE books, i love teaching science and any thing that helps me be more interesting to my students is appreciated!!
mrspaulson@gmail.com
I subscribe to your blog through google reader…..
mrspaulson@gmail.com
Hi Kate-
I teach at a private school, only have experience with my student teaching in public school. I keep sending my resume to public jobs, but no luck. Good luck to you and enjoy! My advice is to always make sure your students are number one!! They appreciate it and your administration will notice!
mrspaulson@gmail.com
I have already started my summer by visiting my parents in South Dakota! They live in Rapid City so I went to see Mt. Rushmore in the day and the evening ceremony. In a few weeks I am going to UConn for the best teacher development conference, Confratute, http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/confratute/ . This will be my third year attending. Then I will be working on my classroom, organizing books and getting my lessons ready!
mrspaulson@gmail.com
Kate-
You’re ideas are great. As long as you use your quality ideas, your tpt store should do well, I follow the tpt stores of the people I like from blogs and pinterest, I get hook with an offer of some cool free item, then browse the stores and spend some money! Good Luck!
mrspaulson@gmail.com
Hi!
Congrats on the new job! I’m a new reader to your blog…found a link to your page through pinterest about a month ago. I teach middle school math and science, so the nerd in me was excited to see a blog as informative and fun as this one. Thanks so much for everything that you post! 🙂
Umm… I am obsessed with the pink ring bottle opener… I have to know where you got that!!
I agree with the advice about the secretary and the custodians!! They can be super helpful and I always save treats for them when I bring stuff in!
My summer plans are to make tons of stuff that I pinned on to my Pinterest boards!
I subscribe in Google Reader. 🙂
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
I love the cupcake paperclips!
Hey Kate! Congrats on your 100th post. I too have dabbled in blogging, but have always given up. After seeing you pinned on someones board on Pinterest, I decide to try again. Thanks for your fantastic foldables! I am using them in math journals that I have borrowd from Mrs. Runde’s Room Blog. You have to follow her if you aren’t already. Thanks for sharing all of your ideas and congrats on the job!
– Stacie
Oh, and I have been following your blog for a bit.
Hi! I love your blog and am totally pumped you are teaching 6th grade math next year because I am too! Keep up the good work because I think you are dabomb dot com.
From one Catholic school 6-8 math teacher to another – CONGRATULATIONS! Please share how the transition goes! I’m sure you will be fabulous in your new school.
Advice to a public school teacher on Long Island
Buddy up to the clerical and custodial staff.
Look to the veteran teachers for advice on the community.
Communicate with parents.
Try to attend a few PTA Meetings
Buy a school shirt as soon as you can so you have it for homecoming!
Whatever you do…do not read Newsday! (it is so hard to get beat-up every morning in the paper.)
HI! 🙂
MacBook Pro, says T! I have no idea. Where are the files?!
Ummm my favorite thing about this giveaway is the ring pop bottle opener, of course! (Why did it take me 3 tries to spell opener?!)
Hi! Love your giveaway! 🙂
juiceboxesandcrayolas@gmail.com
For my favorite item, it’s a tie between the colored pens and the binder clips. LOVE SCHOOL SUPPLIES!!
juiceboxesandcrayolas@gmail.com
I already subscribe to your blog!
juiceboxesandcrayolas@gmail.com
My advice: Ask for help when you need it!!
juiceboxesandcrayolas@gmail.com
My summer plans? Pretty much laying on the couch/by the pool/in my bed and reading one fluffy YA book after another…bliss. Oh and I’m going to Florida for two weeks next month!
juiceboxesandcrayolas@gmail.com
This is NOT an entry in your awesome give away…I am soooo happy that your amazing new job is still MATH!!! I love your ideas, activities, etc, AND I love that you share everything. Congrats on the new job, tell your mother you love her, and go enjoy your summer! (of course if the weather’s bad, you can always dig into your files and share more of your great ideas)
Thanks!
Hey Kate! I’m so excited that you extended the giveaway for one more day. I had marked this as unread in my google reader so I wouldn’t forget to enter, but life got crazy. I love your blog and your enthusiasm about teaching. Congrats on the new job!
I’m most excited about the Teach Like a Champion Field Guide. I just read Teach Like a Champion last week, and I love it!
I subscribed to your blog after finding you via Pinterest.
I’m spending this summer preparing for my first year of teaching as a high school math teacher!
OK- an extra day to enter more!! YAY- you do what ever YOU want!!
mrspaulson@gmail.com
🙂
Congratulations! I know how excited you must feel. I have bid out of my current position as middle school special ed hoping to get a general ed position in 3rd or 4th grade.
Hi, I hope to win some goodies today!
Love following your blog. i have used many things from it.
Congratulations girl!!!
adventuresinthird@gmail.com
Congratulations on your new job! I taught 6th grade at my {public} school for the last 6 years. This year I’m moving to 7th. Your blog is awesome, by the way! 🙂
Julie
Yay a giveaway! 🙂 and Congrats on the job!
Hi! Absolutely love your blog! Autocorrect tried to type blob. 🙂
Hi Kate. I love all your foldables! I plan on making more foldables with my 7 th graders and I want to use your idea for step by step solving of equations. Please keep up your blog. It is so interesting and fun. Yours is the first ever blog to which I have subscribed.
I wanted to chime in in favor of the MacBook Pro. I loved the idea of the super light Air, but I didn’t want to give up ANY features. I chose the Pro, and I have not regretted it. I would not suggest getting the largest screensize though. I did, and it’s really just too big.
I am most excited about the Starbucks giftcard and the Teach Like a Champion Field Guide, which I would definitely use simultaneously if I won!
great post
Congrats on your new job, it is very hard to get a job on Long Island and that is a great accomplishment. I student taught and worked on Long Island for 6 months…you will love it! I am now teaching 6th grade math in the city so I am excited for you to share ideas! 🙂