French Lick Teacher Tool Swap

Last weekend marked the second annual French Lick Meet Up in Indiana.  And I got the opportunity to spend the entire weekend with two LOVELY women: Amanda from A Very Curious Class and Jennifer from Stories and Songs in Second.  After reflecting on the weekend, I realized that I learned a great deal from both of them through our dinner talks, long car rides, and sleepover time.  I am so THANKFUL for the time that I got to spend with them.

But more about that in a later post.

Today, I want to share the teacher tool swap with you.  This year we broke into grade level bands to swap tools.  Each teacher had the chance to watch their tool be opened and then got to explain it.

Just to set the scene (a little)...I was sitting in a large group of first grade teachers that each had a small gift waiting to be used in a first grade classroom.  Oh!!! I just love teacher stuff.

I brought some colored masking tape, sharpies, and chocolate.  But I also stuck some Mavalus tape in the bag.  This was a new product to me that I discovered at the EdExpo.  The guy LITERALLY hung up a steel iron on a wall with this tape.  It seemed like a must-have teacher tool to me!! :)

When I opened my gift bag I found the perfect gift from Stacey at Teaching Ever After:

So I took a little shopping trip this week.  First of all, I really needed a new binder to hold all the leveled passages that I bought but had no "home" for.  Why do I love new binders?  So clean, shiny, and pretty!

Second purchase with my gift card...balloons.  These are for our Zoology Writing Celebration on Friday.

And last...but ABSOLUTELY the most important...purchase was chocolate.  I think these are my new dangerous love.  Twix eggs.  I do not understand what makes them so amazing.  But they make me happy!

I hope you find some more teacher tools through the link up.  I know I havena "must-have" list just from watching my group open their little packages.

An InLinkz Link-up