I am thankful for so many things.  No matter how difficult life can get, this is the perfect time of year to reflect on all that we have that we are grateful for.  For one thing, it is a blessing to have TWO jobs I love.  I get to teach by day, and create resources and blog by night!  Also, I have a wonderful family and great friends. I have a more-than-ample roof over my head and go to bed with a more-than-full belly every night.

There are so many people who are struggling in so many ways, and I just need to take the time to appreciate what I have.

If you are on my email list, you may have seen this list I shared with my followers last week:

You will never convince me that dedicating your life to education isn’t worth it! 33 years in, and I am still working every day to find the best parts of what we do!  Each one is a true blessing to me.

• Awesome coworkers – Having a solid crew of teachers to lean on and swap ideas with…and share the workload when it makes sense!
• Engaged students – When kids actually get into what you’re teaching and make the day feel rewarding. This year my students are the best I’ve had in this area in the recent past.
• A positive classroom vibe – Creating a space where everyone feels welcome and ready to learn. This year has been amazing…very few behavior issues (and we’ve addressed some of the bigger ones) which makes the classroom a lot more fun!
• Great resources – Access to cool tools, books, and tech that make teaching easier and more fun. (I’m pretty partial to the resources I’ve created that help me teach and help my students learn!)
• Supportive parents are families that are on the same team and help their kids succeed. My district has historically been strong in this area. Fewer and fewer parents can spare the time to come in and help, but I still feel their support in so many ways.
• Flexible teaching tools – Things like apps, whiteboards, and fun activities that keep learning interesting. Our new View Sonic boards have been a work in progress, but I’m finally starting to “get it!”
• Small wins – Those “aha!” moments when a student finally gets it. I think every teacher knows that feeling–it’s fuel!
• Amazing support staff – The behind-the-scenes heroes like administrators (I have a great one!), parapros, our special ed team, and custodians who keep things running.
• Breaks and holidays – Time to recharge and catch your breath after a busy stretch. We get off the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it helps make that week feel so much more relaxed.
• Personal growth – Always learning and getting better as a teacher and person. Whether you listen to podcasts, network with other teachers, read professional materials, watch videos–whatever fuels you to be motivated to keep growing as a teacher!
• Classroom supplies – Having enough basics like pencils and paper to keep the classroom running smoothly. My families are always so willing to chip in when needed.
• A reasonable workload – A good balance of class sizes and schedules that keeps things manageable. This is huge. I don’t know how teachers do it in districts where they have upwards of 30 students. I literally cannot imagine and you have my 100% sympathy.
• Watching student progress – Seeing how much your students grow throughout the year. Even though report cards are a pain, it iS a great time to reflect on how far the students have come!

I could continue–but I think you get my drift!

PART 1:  FREE RESOURCES

First of all, each one of us is offering up a gift for you–we are taking one or two of our products and making them FREE for you, our loyal readers! If you are already a newsletter subscriber of mine, you will automatically get these resources.  If you are new to my newsletter, just CLICK HERE to sign up and be ready for your freebies!  Check later in this post for more details about the free resource I’ll send your way!  (And click HERE to have an easy list of all the other freebies too!)

  This offer is only good during this celebration, so don’t wait too long!

PART 2:  A Giveaway?  Yes, Please!

In addition to the great resources we’re giving away, each blogger is also hosting a raffle for a $25 TpT certificate! That gives you a ton of chances to win, so be sure you don’t miss any of the blog hop stops!  $250 worth of TpT gift cards are out there waiting for you!

There are three ways to enter to win my gift card–the more you do, the more chances you have to win!  If you want to join my newsletter and get freebies and other offers, just click the image below to take you to the sign up form.

That’s the first way to enter–and it’s worth triple the entries! Following my store or my IG account are the other ways–following my store will help you see what new items get added, and following me on Instagram will show you lots of teaching ideas, resources in action, and glimpses into my “real” life!  By signing up, you get the following resource for FREE–as a thank you for being a blessing!

You wanted to grab my “blessing” freebie?  Here goes!

My “Fragments and Run Ons” sentence writing task cards!  You can learn more about them RIGHT HERE!  I have always struggled to help my students recognize complete sentences and fix fragments and run ons, so I created this set of task cards to help me do just that.  No prep needed–and THAT is real blessing!  This is one of FOUR sets of sentence writing task cards because, let’s be honest, teaching writing is challenging! (Click here to read more about a lesson I use if you are interested!)

FINALLY…