Five for Friday

I'm linking up with Doodlebugs Teaching for another Five for Friday. This five for Friday post is really more of a recap of October… and then some of November, too!

Parent teacher conferences came and went. This was probably my easiest round of conferences ever. Yay, me!

If you haven't had conferences yet,of if you're already thinking ahead to round 2 - check out my Student Led Conferences pack! I do student led conferences in the spring, and it is a great experience for the students and parents. I've always got a lot of positive feedback from it. Check back in the spring to see how I do student led conferences!

Ok, I have a confession to make. I'm REALLY interested to hear your thoughts on this. We had a “mockdown” drill.. and no, I don't mean a lockdown drill.

Apparently, every once in awhile we will have an “intruder” come on to campus to see how the teachers will react. Sometimes they'll hop the fence and run in, run straight past the office, do some elaborate scheme to rappel down from the ceiling, etc. The last one was a joke, but basically someone from the district will act as an intruder on campus and go into teachers rooms to test our security procedures.

P.S. It was on our late day of Parent Teacher Conferences. Pretty much first thing in the morning. Great way to start the day.

Oh, and they came into my classroom. I had to report the intruder, and hope to god that I don't have any crying littles in my room when they call the lockdown a second after I tell him to leave and call the office.

Apparently I got a glowing report. But I was thrown off my game the rest of the day, AND that was the day we had to stay at school until 8 pm for conferences. It made a crazy day even crazier!

So let me know - “Mockdown” Drills: Good Thing or Bad Thing?

I've written before about how I read Explore Like a Pirate this summer. This is such a great book, you guys need to check it out when you have time.

Hahaha, teachers never have time. But seriously, check it out when you can. Go as far as you'd like, or just take one baby step to add these fun elements to your classroom. I wrote about the baby steps I took to gamify my room during the First Quarter, so check out the little baby steps you could try tomorrow!

We carved pumpkins on Sunday to get ready for Halloween. This is seriously my best work, ever. My Jack-o-lantern masterpiece!

I have decided to take the plunge.. National Board Certification here I come! I am now officially a National Board Candidate and I am equally excited and nervous to go through the process. Calling all NBCTs - give me any and all advice you have!

Click the image to go back to the linky!