Thank you, TpT!

     I love being a part of TpT  (www.teacherspayteachers.com).  It is truly a community of teachers routing for and supporting other teachers.  This week, one of my free products, was posted in the newsletter.  As a result, the PowerPoint was downloaded over 3,000 times.  It is a tool that really helped my students; I hope that it will help other students across the country (and perhaps in other parts of the world).  Click on the link if you would like to view the free PowerPoint.  I'd Like Some FRIES with That!  I'd love to hear from you if you use the tool in your classroom!

I'm so happy for one of my former students!!!

     Today, I got one of those sweet compliments that makes all the hard work we put in as teachers worth it.  A former student of mine just got hired as ESPN-U.   The girls' mother put this post on Facebook:  "Well I just got the news- my girl is officially a reporter for ESPN- U ! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU !! You can do ANYTHING you put your mind to !"
     I then responded by writing:  "Yay!!! Okay, as her 6th grade language arts teacher, I have 2 things to say: 1) I'm not surprised 2) I bet she never thought writing all of those papers could turn into something so lucrative!"  Then, my former student responded by saying, "Writing has always been my strong point, and it started with YOU!"  What a nice compliment.  I am smiling from ear to ear and I am so so happy for my former student.  Hooray!

A Comment from "The Voice"

     As a teacher, I always have tried to praise my students and let them know if they can dream, then anything is possible.  Tonight, I was appalled when I saw previews for the next show of "The Voice".  One male contestant said, "I am doing this for my 8th grade teacher."  (I thought, "Oh, how sweet!")  Then, he said, "...because she said I wasn't ever going to amount to anything, and here I am!"  I sat there in disbelief.  I just cannot imagine anyone ever crushing someone like that--especially a teacher.
I am glad that this young man believed in himself and is making his dreams come true.

Living in Town vs. Living on Base

      I found out this week that about 1/2 of the families who will be transferring out of the country with us will be living on base while the other 1/2 will live out in town.  There are pros and cons to both.  We don't know whether we will be one of the families on base or in town.  If we live on base, we will have the convenience of being so close to the Navy Exchange, Commissary, gym, movie theater, and other military families.  If we live out in town, we will have more of a cultural experience by having the opportunity to interact more regularly with the locals.

Proud of the "Popcorn, Anyone? 5 Ways to Respond to a Movie" activity I created today...

   
      I love creating things that others can use.  One thing I've noticed over the years is that it seems like the moment a teacher shows a video or movie, the administrators pick that day to visit classrooms.  That may be the only day of the year that you show a movie, but the odds seem to always be against you.  I have never shown a movie in my class that was not tied to content.  Still, I didn't want to have to explain why my students were watching a video rather than engaging in a more acceptable learning activity.  That is why I always wrote on the board the following:  Title of the film, Purpose for Viewing, and the Learning Standard(s) Addressed.  In addition, I gave each student a handout to complete while they were viewing the film.  This helped keep the students on task.
      "Popcorn, Anyone?..." consists of five different handouts.  Teachers simply have to pick one of the handouts and make copies prior to showing the film.  The handouts are suited for language arts, social studies, and even science.  Some of the handouts are strictly for fiction, others are more suited for nonfiction.  A couple of the handouts will work for fiction or nonfiction.

      I had so much fun creating this product.  I especially love the adorable graphics I purchased from www.scrappindoodles.com.  Popcorn, anyone?  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Popcorn-Anyone-5-Ways-to-Respond-to-a-Movie

Beyond Excited!!!

      I woke up this morning to my first sale on a teacher product I created.  I couldn't wait to tell my husband because he has witnessed the time I have put into creating products, blogs, Pinterest boards, and so on over the last 2 weeks.  He was very happy for me.  This evening, I noticed that I had a second sale and just a few minutes ago, I noticed a third sale.  I certainly hope that the teachers who downloaded the products enjoy them and are satisfied.  Even more importantly, I pray that the students love the activities.  Hopefully, they will return to my store and leave feedback.  I am beyond thrilled about this whole experience--yes, it was exciting making a sale, but I am in awe of how there is a whole community of teachers on TpT supporting each other.  Students across the country will reap the benefit.

Decisions...Decisions...about Japan

     Last night, my husband told me that there will be a Town Hall meeting for families to ask questions about our upcoming move to Japan.  I already attended 10-hours of meetings that covered such topics as driving in Japan, how to purchase vehicles, average price of a vehicle, local customs, sites to visit, the subway system, learning to speak the language, and how their restroom facilities are different than ours.  My biggest question right now is what will I teach--language arts at a DOD school or English to local Japanese students?  I have applied to teach at a DOD school.  I have heard that it is a great work environment.  I have also heard that Japanese students want to practice their English with Americans.  Students want to make sure that they are pronouncing words correctly and they want to learn the meaning of the figurative language we use in the states.  Tutoring Japanese students can be very rewarding--on a personal level and financially.  I had always planned on teaching at a DOD school in Japan.  However, since my husband will be deployed quite a bit during our stay in Japan, it may be best for me to tutor local students so that I can set my own schedule.  That way when he is home, I can spend time with him and we can travel.  Decisions. Decisions.
     If any of you have ever been in a similar situation, I would love to hear from you.  I really could use some advice.

15 Differentiated Book Responses...Because Kids Need Choices

     I am excited about a new product that I uploaded to my www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/tonya-davis site.  It consists of 15 differentiated book responses, rubrics, and cover sheets.  Having taught mostly advanced and gifted students in middle school, my students were always looking for ways to let their creativity shine.  That is one reason I created the differentiated book responses.  Students simply select a book response that interests them.  It is so much fun seeing the things that they create and having a mini-museum right in the classroom.

Yay! The Reviews Are Coming In...

     On Saturday, I received the first review for one of my free products--a "FRIES" Powerpoint.  It teaches students an acronym to help them add support to their writing.  "FRIES" stands for Facts, Reasons, Incidents, Examples, and Statistics/Supporting Details.  The first person rated the product a 3.5/4 stars overall and commented that it was very creative.  However, the final score from the evaluator was a 2.8.  I was devastated.  I thought I was giving teachers a valuable tool to use in their classrooms, but I knew no one would even look at it with a score of 2.8.  For a split second, I wanted to give up, but I have never been a quitter and was not ready to start.  This morning, I found that a few other teachers evaluated the product.  Each of them gave the product 4/4 stars, so I have a store average of 3.8/4.0.  I am feeling so much better.  I'm glad other teachers found the product useful.  That is what I wanted.
     I currently have 7 products on the www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/tonya-davis website.  This week I plan on creating a few more quality products.  I am amazed at the products I have found on the website.  Teachers across the country are raising the bar and this can only benefit students.

How this blog came to be...

    I am an enthusiastic teacher who absolutely loves kids.  I have taught for 19 years--mostly in middle school.  I began my teaching career as an elementary teacher, but found that I was especially drawn to language arts.  I made the switch to middle school because I wanted to specialize in teaching literature and writing.  In 2000, I began my career as a middle school language arts teacher.  When I tell people I teach middle school, I get responses such as:  "Oh, I'm so sorry!"  or "You must be a saint!"  I absolutely love the 11-14 age group.
      My family and I have lived in Jacksonville, Florida since 1996 and I had my "dream job" at a local middle school. Just this summer, though, I had to unexpectedly leave the classroom.  You see, my husband is in the U.S. Navy and will soon be transferring to Japan.  Because an entire squadron from Coronado is being relocated, my family and I will be in San Diego for a few months to prepare for the overseas transfer.  We will be in Japan for approximately 2 1/2 years and then plan on returning home to Jacksonville.
     Leaving my school and my students (because I teach 6-8 grade and have the same students throughout their middle school years) was heartbreaking to me.  Because the news of our move came over summer break, I was upset that I wouldn't get to give my students a proper goodbye.  Luckily, with the help of some wonderful parents, news spread and we had a social event at a local yogurt shop. I was overwhelmed with how many parents and students came to say goodbye.
     One of my parents suggested that I start a blog about my experiences in Japan.  I thought that was a great idea.  In the meantime, I am temporarily in a beautiful new city, Coronado, and have started a new adventure of my own--designing lessons and projects for other teachers to use via www.teacherspayteachers.com.  When I arrive in Japan, I plan on teaching English to Japanese students and possibly working in a Department of Defense School.  One thing is for sure, with these new experiences, I am sure to further enhance my teaching skills.