Christi Fultz • Page 4 of 77 • teacher resources • blog design • branding •

Partnering with Parents

July 26, 2015

Sharp new pencils, neon pocket folders, shiny pink erasers, a new backpack with a working zipper… it can only mean one thing. Back to school season is upon us! I know we spend a good chunk of our summer preparing our classrooms, but today I want to focus on how we prepare ourselves to partner with parents. A supportive relationship with your students’ parents can make or break your year, so it’s important to get things off on the right foot. Here are my top three tips for doing just that.

Reach out to your students and their families as soon as possible. I like to send send postcards home as soon as class lists are final to begin building that relationship before school starts. I also make coordinating contact cards for the parents. You can print these on card stock, but I actually love printing them on magnets. I have a simple pattern here if you need one, but Vista Print has tons of great options too. Their templates make creating something of your own super quick and easy.

back to school, Erin Condren, giveaway

Erin Condren Life Planner Review & Giveaway!

July 8, 2015

Hey, friends! I don’t want to be dramatic, but today is seriously one of my favorite days of the year. My new Erin Condren life planner arrived, hooray! This little gem keeps me organized while also being cute. I love it when fun and functional meet. There’s just something about the perfectly packed boxes, the colorful extras, and a brand new blank slate each year. Full on #teachernerd over here, no shame. This beauty is the school supply of all school supplies for me. And you have the chance to grab one for yourself too!

But first… loooook!

literacy, reading, science, technology

App Review: Ocean Forests

July 1, 2015

I’m a big fan of using educational apps in the classroom. The students LOVE using iPads, so they can work independently on iPads while freeing me up to focus on individuals or small groups. When I was contacted byBright World eBooks to review their first app, Ocean Forests, I jumped at the chance to test it.

As soon as I logged in, I was pleasantly surprised by the graphics and sound effects (I recommend turning off the music, but leaving other sounds on). It took me right into an underwater scene where I could choose to read, explore, or play a game. I decided to opt for what I’m sure my students would have picked– the games. There were two to pick from, a matching game or a skill/timing game. But here’s the best part– the games were based on information the students would have learned exploring the other parts of the app first! They were complicated enough that my own background knowledge alone wouldn’t have been enough to solve all of them, which means students would have to go back and do the learning portions in order to be successful in the games. I’d call that a win!

tech tips

WordPress vs. Blogger

May 8, 2015

If you’re visiting my blog outside of your reader or email today, you’ve probably already noticed something new. If not, click on over and see it for yourself. I’ve found a new home at www.ChristiFultz.com {update your bookmarks} and I’ve also moved from Blogspot to WordPress. For now, I’m keeping the same design theme so my new blog has the same feel as my old one.

I’ve opted to go for a solid white background on my new blog and also moved to a landing page, which means you’ll have to click “blog” to see my feed. It’s just a little bit of a cleaner look that’s popular in education blogs right now. I do love color though, so we’ll see if this lasts. =)

As a blog designer, I often get asked about the difference between WordPress and Blogspot or if there’s any clear reason to pick one over the other. Here’s what I’ve learned from making the switch.

giveaway, literacy, writing

Teacher Appreciation Giveaway Hop

May 3, 2015

It’s May, you’ve almost made it through another school year! For most of us testing season is over, so it’s all downhill from here. =) I always loved those final weeks with my class each year. The sweet notes came more frequently, the students would beg me to loop to fourth grade, and we’d spend more time on projects that let us learn outside while taking advantage of the spring weather. It’s also time to pat yourself on the back for all the progress your students have made. Whether you hear it at school or not, YOU are appreciated. Teaching ain’t for the faint of heart these days, hats off to you!

To celebrate your hard work and Teacher Appreciation Day, I’ve teamed up with some of my favorite upper elementary bloggers to giveaway care packages with teachers in mind. Each one of us is giving away a box of our favorite “teacher stuff” along with a few of our favorite TpT resources.

I’m giving away some of my favorite teacher tools– bright pens, multi-colored pencils in a pail, sticky notes, a funky to do list, an Erin Condren notepad, and a cute little teal pouch to hold it all.

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