Liebster again

I'm so so grateful to be nominated for my second Liebster Award by Ashley from Teacher Will Run For Books. Firstly I want to offer my thanks! And I owe her a massive apology since this nomination was given to me in November... and its taken me 5 months to get around to accepting it. Frankly I wouldn't blame her if she took the nomination back!!

For those that don't know, the Liebster Award is an online recognition for 'new' blogs by their peers. It is only awarded to blogs with less than 200 followers in an attempt to send more readers their way. The rules differ according to who has nominated you, but I will use the ones given by Ashley. 

1. In your post, be sure to link back to your nominator as a shout out and a thank you!

2. Answer the 11 questions given to you.

3. Nominate 11 blogs of your choice who have less than 200 followers. Provide them with 11 questions or ask them to answer the questions above.

4. Let your nominees know they've been nominated and provide them with a link you your post so that they can accept.

5. Send your nominator the link to your post, so they can learn more about you... leave it in the comments! 

I was first nominated in February 2014 and to receive another nomination is so flattering. I am struggling with keeping my blog updated this year, so it is greatly appreciated to find others reading and enjoying my blog enough to want to nominate me again.

Right here goes...

1. Why and how long ago did you start blogging?

I started blogging in November 2013 after reading blogs such as Clever Classroom and Oh' Boy 4th Grade to get inspired. 

2. What 1 word sums up the heart of your blog?

Random

3. Is there something you learned late in your blog journey you wished you knew before?

Don't be scared to put your ideas out there. I've read posts by other bloggers giving tips that I already knew, but didn't think were innovative enough to share, but I should have just written them! 

4. What is your favourite past time other than blogging?

5. How many hours a week do you dedicate to your blog?

An embarrassingly small number. When I'm into it, several in a go, but then nothing for weeks...

6. What category of blog post do you enjoy the most?

Those that have both teaching tips with personal anecdotes. A Teeny Tiny Teacher is the perfect example of this. 

7. Where does your blog inspiration come from?
My favourite link ups! Random things from my classroom.

8. Which post have you written that you are most proud of?
My post debut-ing my blog design which I posted a freebie on. This freebie was then selected to be the featured freebie by Teaching Blog Addicts. I was so proud!

9. Is there any post that you have been planning on doing but have been postponing for a while?
This one!!

10. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
Getting new ideas to use in my practice.

11. What recipe, project or idea on my blog would you most likely try yourself? 
The Super Improvers Wall is something I'm definitely going to be considering for my classroom next year.

My nominees (not 11, sorry!):
A fun themed blog who is only just starting her blogging journey! Love love love her classroom!

A UK-based blog full of innovative ideas for Early Years (Kindergarten). 

Mrs Krevat has already received the Liebster Award before, but I can't help nominating her again as I love her blog!

Only just less than 200 followers so I'm glad I'm managing to squeeze in my nomination for her great blog in time!

Questions for my nominees:

1. How long have you been blogging for?
2. What is your most popular post so far?
3. What are you top 3 blogs to read?
4. What is your teaching style?
5. Favourite linky party to join in with?
6. What educational website couldn't you live without?
7. What is your best subject to teach?
8. How many years have you been teaching?
9. What tip can you offer other 'new' bloggers?
10. If you could change anything about teaching what would it be?
11. What idea from my blog would you most likely try yourself?

Thanks again Ashley for the nomination and I encourage everyone to head over to her and my nominees' blogs to check out some fabulous blogs eager for more followers!

Currently not on time lol

So I was so pleased with myself in March with my posting of Currently on time, well that obviously didn't last (sigh), but I am only 2 weeks into the month, I'm sure I have been worse! So here goes... April's link up with Farley from Oh' Boy the 4th Grade!

Listening - I bought the Meghan Trainor album the other day and am loving it. My favourite song at the moment is 'Dear Future Husband'. 

Loving - That there is still a week to go of my Easter break. I was away last week gorging on lush food and beautiful cherry blossoms in Japan (photos to come in a future post!) but this week I have strictly vegetative week planned. Well a bit of work should probably happen as well! 

Thinking - Antibiotics suck! I have had my wisdom tooth out and I'm having to take antibiotics...sigh

Wanting - To get my blog back on track. February went well. March not so much. April must go better! 

Needing - To do some online shopping. Several birthdays back home coming up and I need to get organising and ordering! 

EGGS-plain your name - I love love love butterflies. And I also love what they represent. I thought that they are a fitting metaphor for how both my teaching and my students are changing. I used to start my posts with a 'butterfly' quote, so here is one for old times sake.

Currently on time!

Look at this, only the second day of the month and I'm posting my Currently. I'm so impressed with myself :) I'm also in the top 150 posters of the linky party, a record for the last few months for me!!

Listening - and watching! Call the Midwife. Love me a good historical tv show!

Loving - Just got home from a spur of the moment (well 2 days in advance planning) weekend away. Drove to a tourist town a couple of hours away and spent the weekend shopping and sightseeing in the sun. Was really fun and like a mini-holiday!

Thinking - That my new system of noting down my most essential to-do items on my planning book rather than a separate notepad it working quite well, its early days yet though so there is still time for me to make a mess of it! Lol

Wanting - To not have to tidy my flat... it is a complete state!

Needing - To lose some weight unfortunately as everything is getting a little too tight... and I'd rather not have to buy a new wardrobe just because I've gorged on too much cake.

Spring Break Plans - no Spring Break as such, but in a month there is Easter holidays and I'm off to Japan for a week with my parents which will be so much fun as I've not been there since I was a child. 

Now if you have read this far, you should head over to Farley's link up and check out some more. 

Teachers are Heroes!

If you follow any other blogs at all, I'm sure you are aware of the Teachers Pay Teachers sitewide sale tomorrow (US time). But just in case you have somehow missed the adverts, I'm adding mine! Visit the TpT site tomorrow and find many stores (including mine) at 20% off, then enter the promo code 'HEROES' to get a further discount!

Also a reminder to leave feedback if you download any products, both free and paid. I know that as a seller, I appreciate all feedback I get left and it makes making and sharing my products worthwhile (especially as my sales really do not make much of a financial impact lol!) Also as a buyer, any feedback you leave on paid products will result in you gaining TpT credits which you can use to get money off on future purchases. Everybody wins!!I certainly will be grabbing some items off my wishlist, why don't you?

CNY Freebie

Now that is a much more exciting blog post title than my previous one!!

With Chinese New Year coming up (February 19th 2015) I thought I would gather together a few more ideas to help celebrate and teach this fabulous festival in your classroom.

Last Friday, my class made the some goldfish suncatchers as decorations for our classroom as goldfish (and pineapples!) are commonly found in decorations due to their colour being cl'ose to gold. If you are interested in making them, check out my How to... tutorial.

A favourite (and fairly easy chorus at least) song to sing at this time of year is 'Gong xi gong xi'. Why not try and learn it with your class? As an aside, the youtube channel the below video is from has several videos that might be useful.

For even more ideas read my post from last year Gong Xi Fa Chai (early).

Click on the images below or visit my TpT store here to grab a copy of this simple roll and read game. It is currently in my Challenge Area as a themed bit of reading practice!

Gong Xi Fa Chai!

 p.s. Thank you to my lovely commenters on my previous post, you really cheered me up!