Glam Bag

So I've always been intrigued by the monthly subscription packages. I finally bit the bullet and signed up for Glam Bag by Ipsy. I was really excited to get my first package. Ipsy has you take a survey to see what kind of beauty products you prefer and questions you on your hair, eye and skin color to make sure the products are the correct shades. I just got my "Beach Beauty" bag and look at all the great stuff that came.

I'll be completing a review as soon as I get a chance to use all the products. It's only $10 per month. If anyone is thinking about joining use my referral link: 

Mkdubs Ipsy Referral

Summer Reading

I looooove to read!  However, like most teachers the only real time I have for pleasure reading is during the summer. There are so many books that I see or hear off and I instantly want to search for them on Amazon.  I keep a list going in the notes section of my iPhone. Having finished my masters last December, I have a bit more time to read but the time that I usually get to catch up with a good book is during the summer.
Given that I am a science teacher I have a few science focused books that I'm super excited to read. Here's the three that I have committed to getting read before the end of August.

1.) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Being a biology teacher I've heard the term HeLa cells before, but it wasn't until I watched a documentary in graduate school that I really was intrigued by this women's story. Ms. Lacks was a poor Southern farmer suffering from cancer and during her visits to to the colored ward of John Hopkins Hospital her cells were taken for cultures and later used for research. Still growing in labs today, her cells have been used to help find the polio vaccines, research with cancer and viruses. 

2.) Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book was given to me through a workshop that was associated with Yale University and teaching students in grades 7-12 about vector borne illnesses. It's a quick read (I'm almost done!) and would be a great interdisciplinary book for middle schoolers. Written by the award-winning author, Laurie Halse Anderson, the book is centered around one family's struggle with the Yellow Fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793. I know that seventh graders would definitely enjoy this one. 

3.) Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

I loved The Bean Trees in high school this book was recommended to me recently. It apparently focuses on the Monarch butterfly and global warming, don't know much beyond that but I'm intrigued. 

A hiatus

Have you ever been overwhelmed by good things?
And then you felt weird because instead of being overwhelmed you should be excited because all these fun things are happening.
Me too.
Kind of what has occurred here, I got really into having this blog and thinking about topics and ideas for it and then life kind of happened.
First, I got engaged, so exciting, wedding fashion can now be part of the blog.
Then, I realized I had to move 45 minutes away in order to start my life with my fiancé. Far, yes but doable. (House hunting will be yet another challenge.)
Slowly during this time I started to lose weight. I started Weight Watchers in the fall, and since then I've lost about 35 pounds. While it feels great to be healthier and to now have much better eating habits, it's overwhelming. Why you ask? Because I feel like I literally have 5 outfits. For someone who is so concerned with fashion, I've now found myself lacking in the clothes department. Knowing that I've wanted to lose a total of 45 pounds I haven't really expanded my wardrobe much (insanely good for the wallet btw).
Because of all of these things I felt like I couldn't write a blog, I felt like who am I to suggest what to wear when I pretty much wear the same black pants 4 days a week. And then I realized, it comes with the territory, I'm sure there are other women who have lost weight and felt the same way I have. So, I think I will just try to breathe and get back to my hobby.

Classroom Management

This school year I have the honor of being a leader for co-hort group of new science teachers. We have had a few meeting this year and yesterday's topic was classroom management. Your first year of teaching everything rides on how well you manage; one simply cannot teach if you cannot manage your classroom. It can be terrifyingly stressful for a newbie if it doesn't come naturally, and it doesn't for most. I have heard statistics such as 1/3 of new teachers will leave the profession within 5 years and often the reason cited is they couldn't pick up on the management aspect. Unfortunately it's not something that is taught in most education programs at the college level, often you learn from experience.
I had a really tough first year, I started in the January after a few teachers had already ditched my position, was on a team with all brand new teachers and I had zero experience with middle school. I worked my butt off but most of the time the kids would not listen to me.  It was devastating to me. I started the next year strong and really have just gotten more comfortable and as a result better with management year by year.
Here was my words of wisdom to the co-hort.

1. Focus on the positive. In the school I work in we follow PBIS, it stands for positive behavior intervention supports. That means focus on the good kids and try (as long as they are not doing anything really bad) to ignore the bad kids. Example- This morning I asked three times for my students to take their notebooks out, looking around I saw only one kid followed my instructions. Instead of getting upset, I said "I like the way Mary followed instructions". Everyone stops, looks at Mary, takes out their notebooks. Mary is rewarded with praise for doing the right thing. Everyone else is ready to start class. Win-win!

2. Sweat the small stuff-or don't, but pick a side. I'm on the don't side, probably because I teach seventh grade. Let me explain- either you can be really strict (sweating) or learn to ignore behaviors as long as they don't break any major rules. Pick a side and stick to it, or else you will confuse your students.

3. Get the parents on your side. Good tip- during the first week of school try to call home (if you teach upper grades try to enlist your team and each take a class) and just welcome them and ask if they had any questions or concerns. That way when you have to call for a disciplinary issue or because Johnny is failing the parent doesn't always associate you with negativity and in general they are more apt to work with you.

High Five for Friday

1. We looked at our first wedding venue this weekend. We loved it but everything must be brought in so we figured it would be a lot of additional work too. We even thought about booking but decided to look at a few other places before just to compare.

 2. Love getting home everyday to a new engagement card! Apparently Hallmark is lacking in their choices.

 3. Ahhh! All my magazines arrived at once, lots of reading to do this weekend :)

 4. Apparently my students really like my mother. I even had a mini lesson on Ms. Miss and Mrs. because a.) they were confused that my name was going to change and b.) alot of adults still don't know the difference. Guess I needed to explain it better!

5. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Link up with Lauren at From my Grey Desk!

Spring Must-Haves

Spring Must-Haves by pearlspencilskirts featuring printed scarves

Print top, $21 / J.Crew pleated mini skirt / ELSE mint green jeans / Madden Girl patent leather flat, $36 / Forever New printed scarve, $21

Chocolate companies listen up!

The other night as I was biting the ears off my chocolate bunny, I came up with an idea.
 Not so much an idea as a question- Why don't candy companies market teachers?
I mean honestly, they are serious customers.
Think about it: We buy candy constantly in an effort to reward (bribe) our students, we also have ridiculously stressful days where we search through classrooms asking fellow teachers for chocolate (believe me I don't search that hard). So Hershey's I hope you're reading, and that you give me a piece of the cut ;)

This message brought to you by my absolute favorite only in stores for a few more days:

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