Tips for Teaching Writing

How many of you teachers struggle with writing? Be honest! I was the world’s worst at not knowing how to properly teach my students how to write. Then, something terrifying happened! My principal called me into his office to tell me that he wanted me to move to 3rd grade ... a state tested area! Yikes! He gave me the choice of math or writing. I didn’t know which was worse! I told him if those were my only two options then, I would have to choose to teach writing. And secretly, I have always loved to write and journal. I just didn’t know how to teach it and didn’t think that I was great at using correct grammar (and I still am not!) 

So, fast forward. I grabbed the writing curriculum and ran with it. I studied it. I taught it. I revised it to meet the needs of my students. And, our school was a failing school at the time, so we had many literacy coaches and writing experts there to guide us and teach US. I think that was the best thing that ever happened. I now feel fully confident teaching writing. I didn’t say perfect, just confident that I know what to do to help the students to become successful writers. So, I wanted to share some of my best tips to help you help your students. 

1. Have students write EVERYDAY-This can be in the form of a journal, a quick open ended question about what they are reading that day, or a “Quick Write”.
2. Provide model writing-  Model, model, model. Show great examples and poor examples. Have the students to study these to learn what makes them good and what makes them poor. They love if you tell them that they are grading other students’ work! 
3. Partner writing- During the learning process, two (or more) brains are better than 1. Group students with different skills. One student may do a great job with creating an introduction. Another student may do a great job of following the writing steps. And another student may be the “grammar police” to help make sure the writing is free from errors. They love to help each other! 
4. Let them type it out- Our state writing tests are now typed on the computer. So, they need to KNOW how to type. Also, it makes it so much easier to edit and revise in my opinion. Did the student get to the end of their writing and realized they left something important out? No problem! Just insert! Another quick tip, using Google drive or Google Classroom, allows me to see their work AS they are typing it from my computer. How convenient! Can’t read a students dyslexic handwriting? No problem. Type it! 
5. Use a checklist or a rubric- Students need to know how they will be graded. Teach them to understand the rubric. Have them to grade other students’ work with the rubric. Make them familiar with it. If you are using a checklist, it also helps them to go step by step so they have no excuse to leave any part of the writing out! 

I encourage you to use these tips in your classroom, no matter what grade you are teaching. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Just have them to write! Practice makes perfect. 

Below is a student friendly rubric I created based off of our state writing rubric. I just reworded it to be in kid-friendly terms that my students can understand and be able to use in the classroom. Once you download it, leave me a rating to tell me how you like it and how it helped in your classroom! 

>>>>Kid-Friendly Writing Rubric<<<<

Happy Teaching! 

Faith, Love, Teaching, and Oils  

Continued from my last post, I wanted to share some ideas of how I have been preparing for going back to school/work.... 

First, I had to make a list of items I needed. 

New lunch bag

Snacks

Drinks

Etc. 

Next, I went shopping! I actually got my oil changed while shopping so that killed two birds with one stone... Here is what I got: 

Water

Almonds

Pickles

Coffee, coffee, coffee

Pork rinds

Heavy Whipping Cream

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Cheese

Pink Salt

Salsa

Tuna

Monk Fruit -> hubby wanted to try this instead of stevia! Win! 

I also bought a hefty lunch bag to fit my food into. Haha. I act like I am about to starve, but I want to be prepared! 

Next, I packed my lunch bag with some necessities that I am going to keep in my classroom. 

- Portioned out almonds

-Pink salt... this is one is so important! 

- Portioned out pork rinds

- Gum

- Cans of sparkling flavored water

-Packets of tuna

- I boiled tons of eggs in the insta pot. I will use them as needed! 

That’s all for now. That should keep me from any slip ups for my first two days, Thursday and Friday. 

Speaking of slip ups- I just joined a group of fabulous Keto women who are committed to 100 days of Keto. No slip ups, no cheat days, no junk food, for 100 straight days. I am excited to commit to this right along with them. This group will be my accountability to not jump off of the wagon like I slowly do every year. This will keep me focused. I am excited for it. That is why I am over planning everything. Failing to plan is planning to fail. 

Another thing I did, I was make a weekly chore list. I am going to space out my housework doing certain things on each day of the week so that I am not overwhelmed during the weekend. That was miserable. Being so tired all week when I got home. Doing nothing. Then, killing myself trying to catch up every weekend and never really getting rest. This will cut down on stress, life, and being overwhelmed and feeling inadequate and hopeless. 

My last step is to go set out my clothes for the next two days of work. Every night I want to KNOW what I am wearing. That way, I am not frantic, irritable, and anxious in the mornings. I want to wake up early, go to bed on time, and find that balance for exercise! 

Here is to the start of a wonderful year! It all begins with a new mindset and setting yourself up fair success! 

My Last Day of Summer Break- Speak Truth to your Emotions

Happy Hump Day, Friends!!!

Today is the last day of my summer break… 

I am feeling many different things, so I thought I would put them all into words and out of my head. 

The biggest emotion I am feeling is excitement. I mean, c’mon. Who doesn’t get excited about a fresh start. A fresh classroom, a fresh attitude, a fresh beginning with a new group of kids. An endless beginning of possibilities, excitement, and fun! It’s fun to inspire little learners to love learning just like you… And guess what??? My classroom is already set up! I am way ahead of the game… So there is no stress on that end! 

That sounds so wonderful, until… my anxiety kicked in. I don’t know why. I keep telling my brain to shut up, but it just ignores me most of the time. Lol. Here is what it keeps saying…. Your summer is gone. Your freedom is gone. You are about to be constantly in a state of stress and always be overwhelmed. Remember how you were so stressed last year, and the year before? So, that’s how it is going to be this year. You are about to lose your mind! …. Like…. SHUT UP! You are a liar! 

Do you ever fight with yourself? Or am I just nuts? 

Here is what I have been combatting those thoughts with… It is going to be a wonderful year. You are ready. Your classroom is ready. Your mind is ready. Heck, even your body is ready (thanks to ketosis!) You are excited. You will not let any of the tasks overwhelm you. You will do them with all of your heart because your goal in whatever you do is to glorify God. That’s your only goal actually. God is in control and he has put you where you are for a reason. God’s got you! 

So, there is my dilemma with my own brain. It’s trying to create problems that do not even exist! 

The good thing is, I am no longer taking my anxiety meds. That may sound scary, but its so liberating. For the first time in two years, I am able to feel my emotions, recognize them, and control them. I am mindfully experiencing them, letting them surface, and handling them like a boss! 

The overthinking keeps popping up, so on the next post, I will explain how I am using my overthinking to just simply prepare… Stay tuned… And speak truth to your emotions! 

SISTERS, WE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH, AND THAT’S OKAY.

Goooooood morning friends and happy Friday!!!

I have a very important topic to talk about today that has been weighing heavily on my mind and I KNOW that I am not alone.

I want to talk to you about feeling like you are enough. Because, sista, I have had to learn the hard way that I will NEVER be enough and neither will you. This sounds like a hard pill to swallow but let me explain.

I go out a buy a new planner to plan my life out and make myself feel organized and accomplished. The truth is, I forget to pick up that planner after I spend hours planning in it. I don’t have my life together.

So then, I make a to-do list of all the things I want to accomplish today, or this week, or even this month. I want to have the perfect morning routine where I spend time with God first, read his word, meditate on it, get my mind right for the day.

Then, I want to be a great friend who calls, texts, and checks up on all of the people that I love. But I fail. Days or heck, even months can go by and I realize I haven’t talked to my best friend. It makes me feel less than as a friend.

Next, I want to do all of the chores around my house and deep clean and make it smell heavenly. I get started on one task and get distracted with a million other things which leads me to never getting everything accomplished. Truth is, if you show up at my house without giving me a heads up, you will discover just how “together” I have it. There are currently dirty dishes in the sink from last night. There is dog hair in every place imaginable in my home. So you better bring a lint roller. The dirty clothes basket it overflowing right now. I have this wonderful thing called essential oil diffusers that produce wonderful aromatic experiences and improve your health. But who even remembers to fill them up and turn them on everyday? So, my house may smell like dog, it may smell like food, it may smell like coffee. Who knows??


Next, I want to be the perfect teacher, influencer, educator, motivator. Not just for children but for those around me. My family, my friends, my social media followers, and even strangers. I want to do all of the things. Guess what? The perfect teachers don’t exist.... Jesus is the ONLY perfect teacher, influencer, educator, motivator. I have had to take a step back and realize that I can’t work myself to death only to feel like I have fallen short or failed a child, or couldn’t save them. And as far as social media? It can be so great, but it can also steal your time, it can also be the thief of joy as you compare yourself to others.

As I come to a close, I want you to know that my mind is always GOING. It sees something new and shiny and I want to do it, or try it, or participate in it, or learn about it. I want to do ALL of the things.
Let me give you another example. I have been learning and trying to create products to build a good Teacher Pay Teacher store. I also have been trying to educate others on how to become healthier with diet and nutrition. I have just starting learning how to use an envelope system for budgeting. I am wanting to get more organized in my house and in my classroom, so I start a new project on those. These are just a few things. I am always running and trying to do all the things. But in the end, I realize that I can’t do all the things. It’s impossible to be enough. It’s impossible to be the perfect friend, the perfect teacher, the perfect wife, the perfect church member, the perfect daughter, the perfect housekeeper, the perfect educator or social media influencer. I FAIL MISERABLY. And that can steal my joy!!!

Solution: WE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH. Stop trying to be good enough to feel good enough about yourself. JESUS. That’s why we NEED Jesus. He IS ENOUGH. He is perfect. He completes us. When we are weak, He is strong. He is the one who defines us. Our identity has to be found in HIM. NOT in ourselves, because we fall short. We always will because we are human. We have to learn to lean on Him for guidance. We has to trust him to guide our steps. Once we stop putting all of the pressure on ourselves, we can find our joy in life... with Jesus.

This is the perfect picture to represent this post. This is me. This is me without makeup. I am still wearing my workout clothes from this morning. I am sitting in front of a dead house plant that I never remember to water. I am also sitting in front of a pretty planner that I never pick up. 

Sista, we are all a hot mess express and it is perfectly okay. 

My Keto Journey and the Benefits

Hello Friends!!! 

The very first thing I want to talk about is my Keto journey.

The day I got serious about my eating habits, was the day after Christmas. If you are like me, you indulged in every meal at every house. Christmas parties, homemade goodies from my students. It was EVERYWHERE.

I woke up on December 26, 2018 and decided that I felt like pure crap. I didn’t like feeling this way. I was tired, sluggish, irritable, hungry all of the time, and craving all of the sweets. I felt foggy headed and slept all of the time. That very day, I made a choice. I knew that it was time. I had already done many late nights worth of research on the Ketogenic diet. I had even tried it on and off before but never stuck with it long enough to accomplish anything.

I have been been eating a ketogenic diet ever since. Have I stayed 100% Keto everyday? Nope. I’ve had to learn to give myself grace. But I always picked myself up and kept right along.

I wanted to share some personal benefits that I have experienced on this journey so far. I hope that this will help you get a better understanding of the way of life and what it can do for you, because my friend, it has changed my LIFE.

#1: Improved energy- Because my body is no longer being fueled by sugar, glucose, or carbs, it is using clean energy from the ketones or stored body fat. And you better believe that my body has plenty of that! I hardly ever need to nap. Most days I feel like I need to go running.... but I am not a runner. So, I just power walk and if no one is looking, I will try to run.... for a few seconds. Lol

#2: Mental Health: I have anxiety. I have obsessive thoughts. I struggle daily. But lately, if I could bottle up the joy and happiness that is being emitted from my brain.... I’d be rich! I FEEL so good!!!
Less anxiousness can be a game changer! I feel less stressed (or able to handle the stress) and that makes all the world of a difference in quality of life.

#3: Less hunger/appetite control: You know the drill. You wake up hungry and eat a big breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day. Then, lunchtime comes. Duh, you eat a big lunch and go back to work. When you go back to work, you feel tired and just want a nap. (That’s because of your blood sugar). We eat or drink something sweet to get us through the afternoon. By the time you get home and are tired and hungry again. So, you eat dinner and probably have something sweet a few hours afterwards to satisfy that sweet tooth. You may even snack again right before bed or as you are on the couch watching tv or scrolling your phone. We’ve all been there. .....
Let me tell you that Keto takes away the hunger. I have to remind myself to eat most days. I get lost in the day and realize........ Hey, you probably should give your body some food! Talk about breaking a bondage!

#4:Hormone balancing: I won’t go into too much detail but EVERY female has hormones that are out of whack. I suffer from many symptoms but the most being excruciatingly painful and heavy periods. Acne is another symptom. Now that I’ve cut out all of the garbage that caused inflammation, I’ve seen a drastic improvement. I am happy to report that my last period did not require ANY meds. There was no pain! I barely even knew it was happening. My mood swings weren’t wild like normal either. (And for that, my husband and students are thankful!) It can only get better from here.

#5 (Last but not least) Weight loss!!!- I have struggled with my weight since being a young kid. I was overweight and unhealthy. That also lowered my self-esteem. As I got older and was able to make better decisions for myself, I started eating healthier. The weight never would budge, which resulted in me giving up so many times. I just got used to it. I realized that was just how it was going to be for the rest of my life. ..... Now, I down 27.5 pounds. I went from a size XL/L to a size M. My pant size went from 14s and 16s to 12s.  I have never had this kind of success with my weight. People have actually told me that I am getting “skinny”. Even though I don’t believe it in my own mind, that is crazy!

Obviously I am not an expert, but I wanted to share the benefits that I have personally seen on this journey. And the good thing is.... I have not reached my destination. This is a lifestyle that I don’t ever want to part with because it has changed my life.

What benefits could you add the the list?

If you have any questions about Keto or how to get started, don’t hesitate to ask!

Hello and Welcome!

Hello! And welcome to my page! 

I want to start off my introducing myself. I hope you are ready!

My name is Amanda Busby. I am a wife, daughter, teacher, friend, fur-mother, and a child of God!

 I live in a small town in Mississippi where everybody knows everybody’s business. The joys!

I am married to my sweetheart from my high school days. We starting dating 12 years ago and have been married for 5 years. So we are technically an old married couple!

I am a Christian. My life purpose is to serve God. There is nothing else. He is my number one priority. Wherever He leads, I follow. I have reformed theological views, and believe that ALL things are preordained by God.

I have been teaching elementary school for 6 years. I student taught in Kindergarten, taught 4th grade as a long term sub, taught second grade for 2 years, taught third grade ELA for 3 years, and now I am moving to 4th ELA. Whew! I thought I was finally settled in third grade, but I am looping my kids to fourth grade. So, it’s a roller coaster ride, but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

I am what you call “crunchy” because I live a natural lifestyle. I am on a journey to natural health and wellness. I have gotten rid of all chemicals in my home, and replaced them with plant based products and essential oils. This has been the game changer in my family.

Last, but not least, I am living a ketogenic lifestyle. That means my diet consists of high fat, low carb, and moderate protein. I started playing around with low carb a few years ago, but I didn’t see much results and I was hungry all of the time! I discovered the Keto way of eating and finally got serious with it in December of 2018. So far, I have lost a total of 26 pounds, and have gained so many health benefits and definitely confidence.

I am so excited to connect to share recipes, teaching resources, encouragement, lifestyle hacks, and natural living inspiration! Thanks for being here!

Amanda Busby