A Walk Down Memory Lane

My 1st year of teaching CCSD had us attend these new teacher workshops.  In one of the workshops the instructor gave us a sheet with the word S.W.I.P.E.D across the top.  It stood for Stealing With Integrity and Pride Every Day.  I feel like that's pretty much what I do.  Except I don't like the connotaion of stealing.  I am inspired by lots of people, places, things.  I get inspired watching commercials for heavens sake!

Having said that, my 1st year of teaching I worked with an amazing team.  I found that I changed so much during that year because I literally lesson planned with everyone!  I wanted to see what everyone was doing (We had 9 first grade teachers at the time) and how I could tweak it to be my own.  Well Amy & Yvonne had cute little While you were absent folders.  That actually had a much longer poem on the front about the duck and quack quack we're excited you are back.  And the poem went on from there about the work you missed and it was adorable but too much text!  

Then after I first discovered Teachers Pay Teachers, I came across this freebie from Kindergarten Works. 

Again the wheels start turning... I need a little face lift to my absent folders.  I loved the colors and the brightness of the ones made by Kindergarten works. 

After getting my masters degree in TESL, I have a hard time putting lots of text on anything.  (Besides my blog posts)  The population I work with typically do not speak/ read English.  I need things to be simple and consice so the kids can explain them to their parents. 

So after all of those things this is what I came up with. 

I feel like my little kiddos would be able to explain to their parents this is the work I missed and I have to bring it back to school on Wednesday (for example).  I am also confident in my ability to write the days of the week in Spanish so I could also write the date it is due in Spanish and hopefully they would get the idea. 

And again I love my full/ Half sheet shipping labels.  No need to laminate, no need to glue stick.  Pop that bad boy on there and I am done!