Inspiration to Get Back in My Classroom!

Just turned on my TV to see Lean on Me on. It's a GREAT movie, if you haven't seen it. Morgan Freeman plays the role of Joe Clark in this true story. He is very inspirational and even though the kids and staff want to run him out in the beginning, they love him and support him in the end.

Some of my other favorite "teacher" movies??? There are so many, but here are a few:

• School of Rock
• For obvious reasons, but mostly because Jack Black is so lovable! "I've got a hangover, does anyone know what that means?" "Does it mean you're drunk?" "No, it means I was drunk yesterday!" He's the bee's knees!
  
• Spellbound
• If you haven't seen this documentary, run out to get it! I love the kids in this film and have had some like each one of them every year!
  
• I don't know how to upload a video yet, but please go watch the trailer for this documentary. I love Harry!
• Freedom Writers
• I've seen it only once, but it's a good one. I bought it on sale a while ago and this reminds me that I need to watch it again!
  
• Finding Forrester
• Who wouldn't love a movie that has both Sean Connery AND Busta Rhymes in the cast?!?
  
• Dangerous Minds
• This movie is now the running joke at my school since my friend, Michelle Phifer, came to teach at our school. We keep talking about how she did her student teaching in a inner city school and the kids tried to run her out! I still love the Coolio song from this movie. In fact, it was one of the trivia questions at Xtreme Team Trivia last week!
• Summer School
• The best part of this movie is the chainsaw massacre that the kids put on at the end. It's classic!
  
• Pay It Forward
• I know, I know ... it's cheesy, but I still like it! Just the idea that I might be giving one of my students an idea to change the world is uplifting! :)
  
• Mona Lisa Smile
• Not only is this movie centered around art history, which I love, but it has some great actresses in it. I love when Julia was asked how she felt about trying to compete with all these younger actresses, she simply said, "You can't out-kitten kittens!" Love it!
  
• Akeelah and the Bee
• Another great spelling bee movie. It is interesting to compare this movie to the documentary of Spellbound. Both movies are a great reminder that someday I'm going to have one of these kids in my room and I will need to learn how to appropriately challenge them when it comes to their spelling!
  

Okay ... I think that's it for now. Off to throw the Spellbound DVD in! What are YOUR favorite teacher movies?!?!?

Etsy Deals of the Week!

I thought I'd start posting some of my Etsy items each week to spread the word about them. I started making just jewelry this summer (earrings and rings) and now it's expanded into pet toys, key chains, magnet gift sets and I've got more up my sleeve for the future!
Here's my website if you would like to see more from my store! www.betsyonetsy.etsy.com

This is where it started with earrings. These are some of my very favorite. My friend, Kristin got a pair of these as a thank you gift for letting me come stay with them in Chicago this summer for a week!

These are the "Apple of my Eye" earrings and are for sale on my website for $7.00!

Then I moved on to dog toys that are now named, Minnie's Fleecy Dog Toys! Minnie and Peanut have already gone through several fleecy toys ... they loved them so much! They make great pull toys for new puppies.

These toys range in size and color on my website and this one is priced at $2.99.

In the past I made these decoupaged magnets for myself, family and friends ... then I thought that I should start putting them together for gift sets! All of my magnets come in fun tin boxes.

These black & white patterned magnets come in a fun, green tin. I have some sets that have larger magnets and different shapes, as well. This magnet set is priced at $3.50.

Lastly (for now), are the key chains. They are formed with soldering wire and have glass beads for decoration. This is one of my favorites. I think they are great for a new driver, new home-owner, a mailbox key, a dorm key, etc, etc, etc.

This flower key chain is for sale on my Etsy page for $4.00! UPDATE: This item sold today! Go look for others that are similar on www.betsyonetsy.etsy.com!

Go check them out! If you see something you like, but want different colors or styles ... let me know!

Apparently her alarm goes off at 8:05am

It's my winter break, right? Time to turn off the alarms and sleep in ... right? Well ... the fact that my body is used to my 6:45 school wake-up time is bad enough ... but now I've got Minnie waking up to her own alarm! She's been getting up at 8:05 every morning and she stands next to me in my bed and barks at me until I get up!

Today she wanted to go out and play in the snow. She thinks it's fun until she realizes how cold it is and starts shivering to go in.



















She insists on sticking her little nose inside EACH footprint to see who has been there and then gets grumpy when she has snow up her nose!


Aunt Jenny gave Minnie her very own paw print for the front door for Christmas. She's been admiring Peanut's since we moved in last March. Check it out!

This is the other reason she was begging to get up: FOOD! My little chunker would like to have a meal 6 or 7 times a day. She scarfs down her food in about 20 seconds. She's just like her Momma! :)

My Resolution Happened Early!

It was my goal to have my blog set up and started before I returned to school on the 7th, but lookie, lookie! I got it done before the year even ended! I think I should deserve some type of award!