Brain Waves Instruction: March 2015

True Confessions of a TpT Teacher-Author - Erin Beers

I have a feeling you're going to love learning about Erin Beers...the latest "True Confessions" ~~victim~~ subject. She's creative, funny, humble, and a fellow TpT teacher-author that I truly admire! Take if from me, if you're not already nuts about her, then you'll want to learn more about...

Keep reading to learn even more about Erin...

I started my TpT store...

because I wanted to put finishing touches on the resources that I created for my students. The first TpT product that I purchased was the Hunger Games Novel Unit that Tracee Orman created. Her unit was so thorough and just what I wanted to maximize student understanding of the novel, that I thought I might be able to take some of the resources I created for my students and help them benefit teachers in other classrooms.

I named my store Erin Beers from Mrs. Beers Language Arts Class because...

I already had my blog in place and I wanted teachers that read my blog to be able to find any resources easily. My husband laughs about it and says that I have the longest name in blogging and TpT store history, but it has stuck with me.

My store is filled with...

all things English Language Arts -- novel units, reader's theater scripts and toolkits, and writing resources. I love to find the perfect novels for my upper elementary learners. So many of the novels I have read with students have turned into novel units to support those novels. I have also loved writing reader's theater scripts that turn some of the crazy events of my teaching life into realistic fiction stories.

My favorite part about creating resources is...

seeing their effectiveness in the classroom. I know that they work with my students, but seeing someone else blog about them or give feedback is an exciting feeling.

In terms of TpT, who knew it could be such an amazing platform to connect teachers from all over the world?!

Where in the world do you live now? Have you ever lived anywhere else? If so, where?

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, but have lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Missouri. My mom works for Marriott, so we moved a great deal with her job when I was growing up.

After someone meets you, what do you hope they say about you once you leave the room?

"She certainly loves her family and students."

If you had a day completely free of obligations, what would you do?

I love to run, play in the park with my kids, and hang out in the front yard with neighbors having a few drinks while watching our kids run around the yard.

Describe the worst haircut or outfit of your life.

I have never been the seasonal turtleneck or alphabet sweater-type, but I wore some pretty ridiculous corduroy jumpers my first years of teaching.

If you had to enter a talent contest, what talent would you showcase?

I think I could beat anyone, hands down, in a competition that consists of completing the most tasks in one day. I have a hard time sitting down and am always busy tackling something.

Name two things on your bucket list.

1. Travel to Europe.

2. Go to Atlantis. (My kids are very hopeful to go there, thanks to the nonstop commercials on Nickelodeon.)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I have my Masters in Administration, so I have dreamed of being a principal, but I have also thought about going to culinary school after I retire from teaching and becoming a chef. Guess it's a toss-up!

Interactive File Folders

No joke...my favorite birthday present as a child was a yellow filing cabinet. Yes, it's true, my love of office supplies and organization runs deep. That's why it shouldn't be surprising at all that I adore using file folders in the classroom with students. Whether in response to a short story or an entire novel, they're a motivating and engaging way for students to demonstrate their learning.

One of my favorites is this file folder book project!

It's ideal for a summer reading project or as a book report any time of the year.

With just one file folder, students demonstrate their understanding of a novel. While the outside is a creative expression of the cover, the inside is filled with a plot diagram, character analysis, setting profile, and personal reflection. The back cover includes a listing of other books by the same author.

The completed file folders are super fun to display and even more awesome stored in what else...a filing cabinet next to the classroom library. When students are looking for a book to read during our independent reading program, often they'll check out these file folders first for book previews and reviews.

I've also developed a file folder resource for the short story "Thank You M'am" by Langston Hughes.

This unit is super engaging because it combines all the elements of literature instruction with the added twist of interactive shapes stored inside a file folder.

As students read the story, they create interactive shapes.

The end result is a file folder of learning.

Learning and file folder in one sentence....what could be better?

If you'd like to learn more about these file folder resources, check out this File Folder Book Project or the Interactive File Folder "Thank You M'am" Unit.

Thanks for stopping by,

Regional TpT Meet-Up - Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Calling all TpT teacher-authors (or future teacher-authors)!

The Western NY TpT Team is hosting a regional meet-up...and it's going to be so much fun!

The Western NY TpT Team is a group of 16 TpT sellers from, well, Western New York. We've been meeting together and growing our TpT stores with one another for over a year. Recently, we decided that we'd like to meet even more sellers (that means you). So, we're planning a Regional Meet-Up.

We're calling it...

Here's the event details:

What: Northeastern Regional TpT Meet-Up: Birds of a Feather Flock Together

When: Saturday, May 2, 2015 --- 10:00 AM - 4:45 PM

Cost: $25 (to cover the venue, lunch, and coffee)

Where: Holiday Inn Binghamton

Why: We know firsthand that collaboration is not only invigorating, but also essential for TpT success. We're so much better when we flock together! So, let's get together to exchange ideas, network, connect, collaborate and take home loads of effective tips and strategies to grow our TpT businesses!

We've planned facilitated discussions for meet-up attendees on the components of high-quality products, social media collaboration, and optimizing the TpT-site features for success. We're hoping for information-packed sessions filled with sellers sharing and swapping ideas all morning long.

We'll be eating lunch at the Holiday Inn. They're putting together a deli buffet of meats, cheeses, breads, rolls, condiments, green salad, fruit salad, cookies, brownies, and coffee. Yum!

The afternoon is designed to give attendees opportunities to put new ideas into action and to learn even more about effective TpT practices. We've planned collaboration stations on the following topics:

--- Idea Brain Sparks: Where Do Great Product Ideas Come From?
--- Tech Tips for PowerPoint, Instagram, and YouTube
--- Optimizing Pinterest in the Era of Smart Feed
--- Social Media Marketing
--- Collaborative Promos, Blog Hops, Linkys, Giveaways, eBooks

We're also encouraging attendees to bring along actual products from their stores so that we can have a feedback session with one another.

Our goal is to have an information-packed day together with lots of opportunities for fun! That's why we're planning giveaways, raffles, and a teacher-tool exchange as well!

It's going to be a day where birds of a feather flock together in the spirit of fun and learning!

First Step: Click Here to fill out a Registration Form

Next Step: Once you receive a registration confirmation via email, you'll learn how to pay for the registration fee (to cover the venue and lunch). Just pay your fee and start counting down the days until we can meet!

Oh, and we've secured discounted hotel rates for those of you who may want to stay overnight at the Holiday Inn.
The discount code is: TpT. The room rate will be $129/night.

Brain Waves Instruction: Engaging and Differentiated ELA Resources for the Upper Elementary and Middle School Classroom

Ellen Weber: Brain-Based Tasks for Upper Grades

Kinders in NY: Multi-Sensory, Developmentally Appropriate Resources for PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade

Literary Sherri: Middle School ELA and Classroom Management Resources

The Math Spot: K-5 Math Intervention

Selma Dewani: Brain-Based Resources for all Grade Levels

Yay for PreK: Modern and Bright Resources for the Early Childhood Classroom

We can't wait to meet you!

Pages

True Confessions of a TpT Teacher-Author - Erin Beers

Interactive File Folders

Regional TpT Meet-Up - Birds of a Feather Flock Together