Ho - Ho - Ho - Hallelujah!!

Ho! Ho! Ho! HALLELUJAH - We survived Classroom Holiday Mayhem 2011!!! :) :)

Can I get an AMEN??!?

St. Nick Delivery, Polar Express day (favoriiiiiiite) and the 2nd annual Deaf Education Cookie Decorating Party just made the holiday season the best!

We focus a lot of attention on Thanksgiving (when I first got to my school, my students thought that GRAPES and POPCORN were what you had for Thanksgiving dinner!?!?!??!?!?!?  -  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!??!.... that has been re-taught and corrected).

Here are some snapshots of our Holiday Happenings!   -   With a short video of our SNOW-BALL FIGHT!!!! :) :) :)  <----------NEW tradition!!!!!!!!!!

4th Graders performing at Supper with Santa

4th Graders that performed at Supper with Santa - Lovin' on Mrs. Evon!!!
We miss her dearly!  Baytown is super blessed to have this woman.

My inexpensive gift for my students this year.
I did not neglect my 3 year old... he was already gone for the day...
Snowman in hand!

"May your holiday be filled with sweetness!"

2nd Annual Cookie Decorating Party :)

A new pair of BFFs - I don't know what little guy will do
when his 4th grade friend leaves in June!!!

I just love these kids.

Mmmmmmm.

All smiles.

Oh yeah - I went there.  Justin Bieber Christmas album for the
ENTIRE party!!!!

Yes, she is in LOVEEEEEE.

Beiber Fever Friends.

How match-y match-y and PRECIOUS are we??!?!

You would have thought we were torturing them.

"THIS IS THE LAST DECEMBER PARTY PICTURE I WILL HAVE WITH YOU.
YOU ARE GOING TO MISS ME NEXT YEAR AND BE GLAD YOU HAVE THIS
PICTURE!!!!!"  -- I might or might not have yelled this each time asked our 4th
graders to pose this month.  **tear**

SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!

Wait until we count to THREE!

You are about to witness the best idea EVERRRRRRR.

Ms. Cothran.  Is.  A.  GENIUSSSSSSS.

Get it Mrs. Farrell!!

So, maybe this table dumped over and we had to sit a teacher there
for the duration of the fights.

POLAR EXPRESS DAY!!!!!!!
**I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW I WAS STUCK
IN A PLANNING MEETING ALL DAY FOR THE NEXT NINE-WEEKS.
I'D LIKE TO {{SMACK}} THE PERSON THAT PICKED OUR DAY!!!**

A Deaf Ed teacher out means a silly schedule for everyone!
Breakfast altogether was a big hit!

Don't they just melt your heart??  My boys.

Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by SHE!!!

He is signing "Santa Claus!"

4th Grade program.... going to miss this group! :)

I love helpers.

Sweet perfection.

Love 'em.

My boys.

2/3 of my girls.

School-wide caroling.  An incredibly unique tradition at our school.

Entertaining ourselves waiting on the carolers.

SANTA CAME!!!

Have you ever heard of "Be An Angel"?
Check them out!!! ---> {Be An Angel.org}

Santa visited during the caroling!

Many, many blessings!!!  I cannot find where my St. Nick pictures went.  I love this time of year.... and I am so glad we survived.  Until next year, December in the classroom!  --It's time to wrap up these homemade Christmas gifts and hit the hay.

Adios, bloggers!!

OHHHH!!!  Snowball Fight # 1 video::::

<>< Laura {ilovesignlanguage}

Bieber CHRISTMAS Fever in 315!

Hola, BLOGGERS!


Well, I finally got it!!  Justin Bieber's Mistletoe CD!!!  My girls (all hard-of-hearing or with a CI...cochlear implant) have been buggin' the fire out of me to get JB's CD and play it during workstations.  When they are working independently and at the appropriate noise level, I make sure to get everyone's attention and brag, brag, brag!!!  I always insist on playing music so that I can stay awake since they are being so GOOD!!!!  It absolutely amazes me how music playing in the background can really help some kiddos attain to their work.  It shouldn't surprise me too much since I was one of those kids growing up... and have Law & Order: SVU playing softly in the background.  There's something about auditory stimulation that can help our brains slow down and focus.  Simple things like this remind me to be grateful for each part of my hearing organ and that they are healthy (for the most part).


I've been working on my Secret Santa gift for my Deaf Ed team member!  I reallllllly hope she likes it.  It's a gift I can honestly say I have never given before!  


Friday was a rough, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad... -- no, special day and I was very anxious walking into my room this morning.  Luckily, the amazing God above heard my cries (both figuratively and literally) over the weekend and we had a magnificent day today.  With Christmas festivities beginning tomorrow for our group, the idea of a normal routine is quite the JOKE.  It does not happen.  With that said, I did my VERY best to keep my little Sweet Shoppers as close to their comfort-zone as possible.  Same calendar, cancelled Auditory Enrichment pull-outs and had crafts, language, crafts and Christmas stories to do all day!  This was my favorite part of the day... it was after Specials, so around 2:00, when some of my little Sweeties are on their last straw and can barely keep their eyes open.  We had our name-lights to finish up so that we can get them on string tomorrow and a few little assessment pieces that I needed to wrap up so that I could be FINISH with grades/report cards that go home tomorrow.  With all that focusing and FIRSTY stuff, I decided to have a GO-CHRISTMAS huddle and conquer the afternoon.  IT WAS MIRACULOUS!  We walked through the options... everyone agreed they would be active participators at all stations, we put our hands in the middle, counted to 3 and exclaimed, "CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!"  It was a picture perfect afternoon.  Different pairs (or singles) for each rotation eliminated the bickering and I got everything checked off my to-do list.

What a happy Monday!  Let's hope tomorrow goes as smoothly.  It is, after all, the December Birthdays Party!!!  


Until Next Time,
<>< Laura  {ilovesignlanguage}

Really.... I neglected my blog?!?

Hola Bloggers!!

Merry December!!!  Boooooooo Laura ignoring the blog.  As I write this blog (and feel annoyed with myself) my Silhouette cutter is doing it's thang and helping me create Christmas goodness for my classroom tomorrow morning!  I have not been home this weekend, so I have not had time to cut out my cookies.  I created some ADORABLE workstations over the past few weeks.  I will be sure to upload some more info on them tomorrow - yes, that is a promise.  I have on math workstation that I am extremely proud of that I came up with ON MY OWN!!!  That's right!!  No beggin', borrowin' or stealin' here!!!  It's called "Christmas Cookies for Greater Gator"... precious, right?!?!?!?

Have a peak!!

Alright, I have a dozen more cookies to "ice" {get #s on}... sweet dreams, bloggin' world!  I shall not neglect you like this ever again.

<>< Laura {ilovesignlanguage}

**There's About to be a Party in Room 315**

Hola Bloggers!

Guess who has been MIA?  Me!!!!  Have no fear!  I am more than willing to procrastinate my Tuesday To-Do's by updating my blog.  I have no shame.  I am a fabulous procrastinator.  There is a load of laundry spinning and I spent my evening as a greeter at Math Night.  Yay me!!


So - My daily routine is fabulous!!!  All of my hard work this summer actually paid off.  I have never felt so proud.  Balancing three grade levels ~ eh, it works.  One of our two aides was moved to our main site elementary campus for the elementary age.  She is helping out with the total communication classroom over there.  I miss her dearly!  She is one of those co-workers that when you have a few minutes for a break to clean up . . . she has already done it.  She reads your mind before you know what you're wanting.  **SIDENOTE -[we had a "see you later, alligator" party for her whenever she left.  This helped our kids realize that we do not know when she will be back and that feeling sad is okay.  No worries.  Everyone was crying . . . even the kids that you think are poot-heads and seem like they don't care.


{total communication: signing in English word order while speaking at the same time}


Moving on!  Party?!?!  WHAT?!?!?  Yes.  My birthday is FRIIIIIDAY.  I am so excited!!  My kids are too!  We celebrate birthdays monthly with all of our Deaf Ed kiddos.  I'm the only birthday girl this month.  EVERYONE IS SUPER EXCITED!!!  Including me - but I think my kids are more excited in all honesty.


So!!!  In honor of my birthday all of my math workstations were birthday themed.  Check it out!

Roll the dice ~ Color your sum

Add the balloons and presents

Draw your brain!

Birthday Candle Data for Graph

Birthday Candle Graph ~ Don't worry . . .  the graph looks like candles..

So when colored, it looks awesome.

Birthday Place Value

This one is AWESOME!!!!!

I bought birthday party invitations from the Dollar Tree and filled out all of the information about my own birthday.  The front has "Clock # __" and they match them to their record sheet.  My gooses (*silly goose!*) read the time, create it on their clock and then write it.  We are working on telling time to the hour as far as writing the time.  They're totally clicking it and ready to be able to tell time.

Needless to say - It has been a wonderful week so far.  It's only been two days and I hope that it continues.  It is a four day week.... so I get to spend my birthday doing staff development on our campus "hot spots" for STAAR.  Pray for me.

Alright ~ I need to tackle my To-Do's.  

Adios, bloggers!!!

<>< Laura {ilovesignlanguage}

Ms. Cothran's Sweet Shoppe!

I've slaved away in my room for endless hours and days... most of the time without air conditioning (n-o j-o-k-e).  SO!  Lots of ADD/ADHD moments, sleepless nights, and all kinds of hours sweating... Ms. Cothran's Sweet Shoppe is READY for kiddos!  There are a few display labels that I will get up in the morning, so I'll post those later. :)  REMEMBER - Three year old Pre-K, first grade, ANDDDD second grade are all in my room!!!  Holy.  Smokes.

Bull-Board outside my room!

 Doorway - SPRINKLES BORDER!

View from the door! (M&Ms=My Math Stations) 

My Math Stations - Words need to be put on the "candy package"...

Stations correspond with baskets below & students rotate according to their colored M&M.

Reading focus wall, Word wall and Math focus wall!

Front of the classroom.  Please note the LOLLIPOPS!!!!!  & hanging gumball/candy. 

 My computer, classroom library, literacy workstation area... ahhh!  It all fit!

Three year old zone!

Art Workstation & some three year old area! 

More threeeeeeeeee space!!  * ALL THIS FOR ONE KIDDO!* 

-more threes should be joining in October and December- 

NOW!!  These are some cute "happies" that I made for my teammates!  I'll surprise them in the morning! :) :)

 Hollywood/Movie Star theme on the left ~ Mrs. McGee's Adventures in third grade on the right

ICE CREAM ~ SWEET SHOPPE ~ LOVEEEEE

C is for Cothran. :) 

Sweet Moses.  I'm pumped.  Exhausted.  Thrilled.  Anxious.  Nervous?  Shaking my head in disbelief that as of 7:30 a.m. tomorrow morning those walls will house a learning space for THREE grade levels.  I have faith in my Jesus... just not sure He really realizes what is on my plate.  I.  Can.  Do.  This.

Adios, bloggers!
<>< Laura - ilovesignlanguage

Classroom Transformation

I woke up this morning, threw my hair up in a pony-tail, brushed my teeth, slipped on my Sperry's, poured a cup of coffee and hit the pavement.  *Side-note - I've always thought that idiom was hilarious... you don't hit the pavement...*  I was fully prepared to spend the day in my miserably hot classroom (the high today was about 104 degrees) and sweat all day as I played around with room layout ideas.  I was completely elated when I found some workers in my hallway, crawling in the ceiling connecting some new, blue and white cable... thingy majig.  Now, I have no idea WHAT they were doing (I think it is speaker related)... but I can tell you I am very thankful to not have to crawl up there.  I would spend my time totally grossed out.  I am also grateful for them working today, because the A/C was on in my wing since they were contracted by the district and were given A/C.  **Yes! They are working tomorrow, too! :)**  ANYWAY!  I arrived to freshly cleaned carpet, shiny blackboards, sparkly waxed tile, my gorgeous Promethean Board awaiting my fun, new flipcharts, and tons of furniture shoved along the walls surrounding my room.  TALK ABOUT STRESSED OUT!  

Yes, my rug is wrinkled.  This is the front of my classroom.

I <3 my sign language #s!  The ABCs are at the front of the room.

These cabinets were actually in the middle of my room and the blue wall dividers were on their sides on the floor.

I forgot to snap a photo of the area before I began to setup my room.

 After pushing and carrying things across the room, scratching my head, making changes, sorting my library, lunch with girls at school, and mentally imagining my room without all the stuff that still needs to be cleaned up and put away, this is how I left it.

1st & 2nd grade desks and front of the classroom.

Classroom Library  -  Sorted with all three grade levels in mind!

The mess in the far corner=guided reading & guided math table.

You cannot really see it but the rug on the floor has sign language. :) :)

The m&m's you see are for my math workstation area.  

This is hard to explain, so I'll just post more pictures later to explain.

Three year old area... all the junk piled up will be sorted through and 

properly placed back where it belongs.

Art workstation to the left, divider/organize the preschool-ness, three year old work area.

Is it still a mess?  Yes.
Am I still stressed out?  Yes.
Do I feel like I accomplished a lot?  Yes.
Do I wish I could poof and make it all the way it is in my head?  Doi... yes.


After a delicious dinner of bbq after a long day of work with my family+Mom's BFF Shelby, I am hitting the shower, putting on a chic-flic, and curling up on the couch!


Adios, bloggers!
<>< Laura - ilovesignlanguage