Back to School Book Favorites



If you're like me, I'm always looking for great books for myself and for the classroom. Our Reading Crew Blogger group has joined together to share some of our favorite books to begin the year.

Have you had new students in your class from another country? What do you do to help these children adjust to a new school and new country? Living in Austin, we have so many students who have immigrated from Mexico and Asian countries. And, we have students who have been adopted from another country. It's our job to help these children adjust to their new environment and to help other students learn how to accept them.

I've come across a beautiful book that is perfect for the beginning of the year. There are so many life lessons that come from The Name Jar by Yanksook Choi. This book opens wonderful discussions on how it feels to be different and what we can respond to others' differences. The book is recommended for grades k-2, but I would read it to any elementary level.


After reading The Name Jar, you can also teach origin of names so your students can learn about their heritage and how they got their names. 

I highly recommend The Name Jar so your students can begin the year learning about friendship and acceptance. Here's a sample just for you.





1

Viva Las Vegas Linky



Welcome to Sweet Integrations! Thank you to Jessica Lemons and the the Elementary Entourage blogger group for hosting this linky.

When I was leaving Austin to attend the Teachers Pay Teachers Conference, my husband dropped me off at the airport and gave me these words of wisdom, "Remember, the Hangover was a movie." In fact, I was having second thoughts. This was my first time to go to Las Vegas and my roommate had to back out because a sudden death in her family.

Remembering Jen Bengal's experience at the airport, I looked around for other people with teacher-like descriptions. Little did I know, I would be sitting on the plane next to four other Austin area TPT sellers. Then, I knew I would have no problem in making connections and establishing friendships at the conference.


Meeting My Blogger Friends
I'm a member of Upper Grade Memoirs blogging group. I had only met one member of our group before the conference. (Jennifer Smith Sloane) I have to say, these ladies are amazing. We visited like we had known each other for years. I also met up with My Reading Crew friends. I can't wait until our next link-up. It's going be fantastic.

Upper Grade Memoirs; TPTVegas15


Reading Crew Blogger Friends

I hope to write a personal message to  each person on these business cards. 


Prize Winner
Can't believe I won in two separate raffles. Thank you to Ashlyn from the Creative Classroom for a $25 gift certificate to spend in your store and thank you to TPT for the Skinit for my computer. And, I won $98 at the slot machines. My friend Jennifer Reynolds won over $400.


My Take-Aways From the Conference
- Improve content on my blog
- Work on my brand
- Stay connected with sellers I met
- And, I had lunch with Rachel Lynette, listened to her wonderful keynote and attended her very informative session! I love her!


Now, I've got to get to work!


Make your way back to connect with other bloggers in the Linky.


7
Powered by Blogger.