TX Teacher Mama

So a horrible thing happened to my wallet this month. I was already hurting because I live just 2 minutes from my town's Target so obviously I was there a few times a week. Someone thought it would be cute to open up a 5 Below, Michael's and Tuesday Morning in that same shopping center. This means an extra money saving challenge for me but also some teacher finds at 5 Below for you! The thing I love the most about 5 Below is of course  the price. Yes it can be really easy to get carried away because it's all so cheap, but that can add up quickly. I like the price because then if something I have bought for my classroom breaks or isn't as successful or popular as I had hoped, I'm not out a huge amount of money! So here are your Fun 5 Below Finds for June 2017 : 1. Cute Pinatas- $5 These caught my eye because they are so bright and colorful and go with a lot of trendy teacher classroom themes I've been seeing around Instagram. They would make an ador

How many of us teachers or mamas (or teacher mamas) are guilty of walking aimlessly around Target, once, twice, three times a week (um you mean a day right?). Last summer I found myself in a precarious situation. It was my first summer in 9 years without a job. I was also 8 months pregnant (can anyone say nesting) and of course looking forward to the upcoming school year. Needless to say, Target was definitely my second home. As a teacher it's difficult for me to shop without my classroom in mind. Especially since I love alternative seating, I am always on the lookout for new ways to spruce up my room. So here you have it: Target Teacher Treasures June 2017 Edition (because let's be honest, I will be back to look at the fresh finds in July, and  August, and September, etc). 1. FLASH CARDS & RESEARCH CARDS These are some of my favorite every year. Let's be honest, kids can tear up  some flashcards if they use them enough so I always refresh my stash at

So you're interested in alternative seating?! If you're anything like me when I began I had a million ideas swirling around in my head (I'm a teacher so that pretty much comes with the territory) and I wanted to just jump in full force.  Sometimes it's really hard for me to not just have an idea and implement it immediately. In some cases this has worked to my advantage, but other times it's crashed and burned. When I decided to do flexible seating in my classroom I realized I needed some help from my principal to get some tables in my room instead of individual student desks. This turned out to be a blessing because 1. she LOVED the idea and 2. it forced me to really sit down and iron out some details. I made ended up making two lists of guiding questions. The first list is more philosophical, it's the why even do this. The second list is far more practical, it's the how and the details. Both were extremely helpful in the planning proce