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Teaching from Beyond the Desk

with Laura DeMars

Coming Together as Teachers, Leaving as Friends: Teachers Take Sacramento 2016

When I joined the four-person planning team and we started planning this event, I was not quite sure what to expect. I know personally that meet ups have been enriching experiences that have allowed me to bond with other teachers, share stories, and form relationships with people across regions, states, and country borders. It was my hope that through this meet up that it would allow teachers the opportunity to connect with each other. I know that for me teaching can be isolating and meet-ups have allowed me to build relationships with Teachers Pay Teachers sellers, share common issues and struggles with other teachers, and build friendships with other people in the realm of education. In fact, Brianne, Erin, Sarah and I have become friends and been able to bond due to previous meet-ups we have attended. It is through previous meet-up opportunities (including time spent together at TPT Vegas 2015) that we have been able to form valuable friendships. I know that I have leaned on each of them for support, we bounce ideas off of each other frequently and share in the general struggle and laughter that comes with teaching. They have quickly become an integral part of my teaching tribe all thanks to previous teaching meetups and gatherings. As we began planning this event I knew that if it provided the opportunity for just one person to make a connection with another educator, then I knew it would be successful. 

As anyone that has planned an event (big or small) would know, sometimes the details can drive you crazy. Through our late night Voxer messages, lots of emails and text messages, and conversations over meals Teachers Take Sacramento 2016 more than a crazy idea or dream, it became a reality. Throughout this process, I learned that working as a collaborative team can be such a rewarding and empowering experience.  I learned that while Brianne enjoyed coordinating details with the location coordinator, attention to detail and decorative flair was truly Sarah’s forte. Erin, on the other hand, was phenomenal at gaining outside educator (including that AMAZING dropbox link) and TPT support, and she was the head contact which ultimately was responsible for getting team TPT to our event. I am grateful for being able to work on such a memorable event and could not ask for better friends to share the experiences. 



Teachers Take Sacramento 2016: 

February 19th & 20th

Our weekend of adventures started with a low-key gathering for drinks with friends and ended with even more time for talking and laughter. Each moment will be treasured and I am beyond blessed for each one of the unique and passionate education-enthusiasts I met throughout the weekend. Each and every person brought their passion and love for all things teaching and I left feeling inspired knowing that these wonderful human beings are making a difference in the lives of so many people.

#TeachersTakeSacramento2016: Outside the California State Capitol Building in our fabulous shirts printed by Graphic Traffic by Marty (a local business here in the CA Bay Area).

The Scavenger Hunt: Old Town Sacramento

During the planning process, Sacramento always seemed like an obvious location choice. Full of rich history and fabulous eateries, when we finally decided on a location I instantly started dreaming of fun activities. As a former Sacramento resident (I attended UC Davis–GO AGS!), I spent a lot of time wandering the Downtown and Old Town Sacramento area. After narrowing down a list of ten places, the Teachers Take Sacramento 2016 Scavenger Hunt was born! While I’m still slightly envious of all the bonding time during the scavenger hunt, I can honestly say that I had a blast watching all the photos take over my social media feed. 
Some of my favorite photos from the Teachers Take Sacramento 2016 Scavenger Hunt. One of my favorite parts of this event was watching our hashtag fill my Instagram and Facebook newsfeeds. What I loved the most was seeing teachers creative, sometimes a bit goofy, and enjoy getting to know each other. 

The Main Event: Dinner & Meet Up


Who doesn’t love a photo booth?! What I love the most about this adorable prop made by the Photo Booth Prop Shop on Esty is the nod back to social media (Instagram). While mingling and maneuvering between groups of people, I overheard, “I follow you on Instagram!” so many times. It goes to show how powerful social media can be in the teaching community.
The laughter was definitely contagious over on this side of the room!

Giveaways & SWAG: The Support of Companies Both Big and Small

Something that blew me away (as a first-time event organizer) was the generosity of all the companies that sponsored. We had the support of companies big and small and overwhelmingly we heard the words, “Yes! We love teachers!” 
We were blessed to have so many different companies and small businesses donate digital and customized products. Sarah had the great idea of displaying all their donated products in such an elegant manner. Seriously, if you need inspiration for party planning, crafty solutions, or decorations, Sarah is your girl!

Thank you Spelling City, Planbook, Alexis from Laugh Eat Learn Designs, Tailwind for your generous support!!!


Handmade Items You’ll Adore: Find them on Etsy

OhKoey
Tulipe Studio
Pixie Perfect Stamps
Glitter Sips
JNLsewcute
Math Grab Games
Gifts by Gaby
Crave the Look Shop
Bright Winter Studios
StarTee

Trashy Crafter
Classroom Friendly Supplies
Erin Condren
Educational Insights
Heidi Songs
Better Life Bags
Maria Dismondy
Nickel & Suede
Kendra Scott
Seat Sacks
Funky Monkey Fashion Accessories 
Front Row
Remind
Lakeshore Learning
Pampered Teacher
The Teacher Crafter

Brianne had the great idea of making one of our giveaways an interactive game. Throughout the reading of a story written celebrating our meet-up participants passed a special gift either to the left, right or across the circle. 
After many giggles and attempts to remember which way was which, three lucky winners finally got to unveil their prize.
Thank you to HUE HD for donating such wonderful technology goodies.

Many thanks to Amy, Jillian, and Elliot of Team TPT for supporting and attending Teachers Take Sacramento 2016!

Teachers Pay Teachers
Yogi Tea
Astrobrights by Neenah Paper
Erin Condren
TOMS
Original New York Seltzer
Udderly Smooth
Jenga
GoNoodle
Blue Orange Games
Sprout Classrooms
Skinny Pop
Carson-Dellosa
Mary Saunders
Jamberry-Rachel Cole
Chloe & Isabel Perfume-Trinity Garcia
A HUGE shout out to Kat of Sprout Classrooms for handmaking a beautiful wine glass for each one of the attendees. As we were setting them out on the table, I could not help but notice how beauty they brought to our meetup. In the times that I have used my glass since the meet up I cannot help but smile and remember the laughter and joy that accompanied the weekend. It goes without saying that yes, laughter and camaraderie (with wine, of course) is always part of the plan.
A special thank you to Sheila Jane for her continued support and promotion of teacher happiness. What could bring more teacher happiness than delectable, bite-size treats!? Thank for donating edible happiness and continually being a ray of sunshine in the teaching world. Congratulations on celebrating your one-year birthday of www.SheilaJaneTeaching.com. It makes me so proud to be part of THM network!

The After Party: Bowling at Country Club Lanes

Oh boy! Bowling with teachers is a real treat! We don’t mind being a little bit goofy and we don’t take ourselves too seriously! It was such a blast to end a fantastic evening with such a laid-back after party.
The smiles of this weekend will forever be kept in my heart. The level of passion and love for all things education brought light to my heart and a renewed sense of love for the teacher community.

One of the biggest joys of this event was seeing the passion, inspiration and love that people have for teaching (and all things related to the education of children). 

My deepest thanks to all our wonderful sponsors and everyone that made this event possible. I am forever grateful for the time that was shared celebrating.

(A special thanks to Shyra for taking so many wonderful photos during our event)

With Love from the CAFab4: Erin, Brianne, Sarah & Laura

And of course, we could not leave you out of our meet up! Join in on the fun & enter to win a swag bag!

We hope to see you next year! 

#TeachersTake___?___2017

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Comments

  1. mrs.rappsclass says

    June 18, 2016 at 6:46 am

    Is there a sign up to get notified for the 2016-2017 event? I sadly missed it this past school year.

    Reply
  2. Beckaloria says

    July 16, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    Hi Laura! Is this happening again this next school year? If so, I'm interested!

    Reply
  3. Mrs. DeMars says

    July 22, 2016 at 8:19 am

    Stacey,

    We are getting ready to start planning Teachers Take ___?____ 2017! We will be posting more details in the Fall of 2016. Make sure you are following (we will be posting on IG & our blogs). 🙂 Hope to see there!

    Reply
  4. Mrs. DeMars says

    July 22, 2016 at 8:21 am

    Hello! 🙂

    We are getting ready to start planning Teachers Take ___?____ 2017! We will be posting more details in fall 2017. Make sure to stay subscribed here and on IG to make sure that you don't miss any of the details! We hope to see you there! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Mrs. DeMars says

    August 3, 2016 at 5:02 am

    And that should say fall 2016 🙂

    Reply
  6. Unknown says

    May 5, 2018 at 4:52 am

    It's truly very complicated in this full of activity life to listen news on TV, so I simply use the web for that purpose, and get the hottest news. sign in hotmail

    Reply

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Vote. Vote early. Vote now. #voteforchange Vote.

Vote early.

Vote now.

#voteforchange
There are few people that could be classified as N There are few people that could be classified as NOTORIOUS.

Infamous.

A World changer.

In current times we need to remember why we fight.

We remember that our voice is powerful.

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"I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability."

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“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception."

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”Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true."

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“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you."

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“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time."

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“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent."

#RBG #WhyIVote
This is what my schedule looked like today: [afte This is what my schedule looked like today:

[after spending the majority of the weekend working on getting things ready for hybrid learning & communicating with parents]

5:00 AM—Wake up after a restless night.

6:00 AM—Drink 24 oz of water because I know I won’t have time during the day.

7:00 AM—Arrive at school (an hour before contract time) to pass all materials out that students will need (since I cannot move throughout my room), make a key for my seating chart, double check that all assignments were posted for my hybrid (at home) cohort.

8:00 AM—Students start showing up & they don’t even acknowledge me, even though I told each of them good morning, though I can’t greet them like I would in a normal year.

10:00 AM—Watch my students leave for a socially distant recess & cry in my classroom, alone, as there is no one to talk to because we are all on our own recess/lunch schedules.

12:00 PM—Walk to my car to eat, as there is no dedicated space for staff to eat, beyond the copy room, which has a maximum occupancy of 2 people.

12:40 PM—Trying to wipe the tears off my face & put my mask, voice amplifier, and face shield back on.

2:40 PM—Feel like nothing was accomplished today & like a failure today. None of my students even said goodbye.

5:00 PM—At home, feeling defeated & having to spend the evening getting everything uploaded for tomorrow.

This isn’t sustainable. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way.

#teaching2020

#teacherlife
Well, we survived this week. We start in a hybrid Well, we survived this week.

We start in a hybrid model on Monday—which is really stumping me on how to plan for—and there are so many unknowns.

Our Hybrid Model:

💙M/Tues.: Cohort A is on campus & cohort B is at home learning (no live instruction)

🧡Wednesday: Distance Check-Ins

💚Th/Fri.: Cohort B is on campus & cohort A is at home learning (no live instruction).

The planning for this planning has me stumped. We were just getting into a distance learning routine & now all of us are having to switch gears again.

Any thoughts?

#teacherssupportteachers

#teachingin2020

#distancelearning
It was another day, full of new challenges & strug It was another day, full of new challenges & struggles. I keep looking for a new normal & know that it might be a long time until we find it. There is so much chaos & turmoil in daily life, for so many, that it makes you appreciate the glimmers of light. And if you cannot find the light, recognize it in others.

#teachervoice

#teachingin2020

#allinthistogether
After being told repeatedly that if I don’t like After being told repeatedly that if I don’t like the conditions, then leave, I decided to write down my thoughts.

Here is a poem I wrote. It’s been in the back of my mind & I finally just decided it’s worth sharing.

And before anyone comments that “teachers are superheroes”.

Please stop.

We aren’t fictional characters.

We are human. 

The decisions being made are crushing us. 

We are experiencing trauma—just like everyone else during this pandemic. 

The emotional burdens alone placed on us are impossible to bear. 

We are not superheroes.

If I Die Today: The Voice of a Teacher

By Laura DeMars

If I die today, I want to be remembered for the passion I had, and the love that I shared my students, their families, and my school.

To be remembered for the engaging lessons that I prepared & the details I planned.

To be remembered for the inside jokes that we laughed about & the zany outfits I wore.

To be remembered for standing on the desks & dancing across the classroom.

To be remembered for the love of reading & books that we read.

To be remembered for learning about salmon & releasing them into the wild.

To be remembered for the spirit days & class celebrations.

To be remembered for the silliness & handshakes for each and every student.

To be remembered for the Skype calls with guest speakers & working with classes all around the globe.

To be remembered for the my love for education. My love for teaching students.

My care.The small gestures. And those actions that might have meant a lot.

Will this be my legacy?

Or will I just be another casualty?

A teacher without any say in the workload, the plans or the conditions in which we are to teach.

No voice. 

No voice. 

No choice, but to teach. 

No, we don’t want to hear from you, just do your job or leave. 

Burden after burden added to list upon my heart.

My health & safety of those kids are just the very start.

To-do lists are ever growing, 

where does the teaching even fit?

Another burden, added to my list of burdens to bear.

Will anyone notice if their teacher isn’t there?

#teachervoice 

#teachingin2020
This is what my desk looked like at the end of the This is what my desk looked like at the end of the day today. It was clean this morning. In fact, it was clean at the start of my open office hour.

I feel like my brain has too many tabs open & too much to juggle.

I’m checking in with each student.

I’m planning lessons to help support them emotionally.

I feel like I could work 24/7 & I wouldn’t be able to complete the bare minimum demands of my job.

I’m constantly having to respond to district requests and my email inbox constantly is overflowing with unread emails—that need responses—but when is there time?

I made parent phone calls in the middle of independent work time today.

I made parent phone calls during our recess break.

I was writing emails during lunch because there was a time sensitive deadline.

I want to give feedback to my students work they are submitting, but honestly, I’m not sure how to fit it all in.

And then there’s the tracking of missing assignments & lack of respect for trying to reasonably complete deadlines.

How am I supposed to be switching gears in about one week—to a hybrid model—that requires more planning, little to no time to support learning for students that aren’t in the classroom?

Teachers want to be incredible, and they are, but we are super human.

Is anyone else feeling like there’s no support & yet the demands just keep getting greater?

And then my health & risk will be in question? That will be on the front of my mind. 

This job isn’t sustainable—even at the minimum effort level.

And most teachers put in so much more effort.

There’s a reason why there’s not a line of people waiting to do our job.

There is no support.

Every year we’re asked to do a little more with a lot less.

This year, it’s magnified.

#teacherlife

#tiredteacher
It’s odd how quickly you can fall into a routine It’s odd how quickly you can fall into a routine, or create a sense of normal—even in a very non-normal situation.

Today I found my self looking forward to our morning meeting & our read aloud discussion time. These are some of my favorite parts of a normal school day.

While distance learning is hard:

💙We are still able to have rich conversations.

🧡We are still able to get to know each other & focus on stress relief techniques.

💚We can still hold space for building a community of learners.

In our distance learning community we are still working on engagement & demonstrating habits of scholars, but I see glimpses of real academic learning happening & that gives me hope.

#distancelearning

#teachertalk

#positivethinking
I’m feel like I’m watching the scales get read I’m feel like I’m watching the scales get ready to tip in education & for teachers.

Teachers need to stand together.

Our voices MUST be heard.

I’m watching as opening plans are being written & teachers are afraid to speak up.

Teachers naturally want to teach students, but they have the right to feel safe & supported.

Taking every additional request, demand or burden—without question— is not conducive to having high-quality education.

So often, teachers joke about their “teacher voice” & how effective it can be in the classroom.

Why are our voices not being used to set guidelines, when writing opening plans, or discussing the extreme measures & demands for both in-person & distance learning (& BOTH in a “hybrid” option)?

Teachers are resilient & often come up with creative solutions. We are notorious for just making it work—but at what cost?

Teachers can only effectively teach when they are equally supported by the ENTIRE school community

-Colleagues
-Administrators
-Support Staff
-Student Families
-School Board Members

But right now? I’m not seeing that universal support in education.

Maybe it was never there?

Maybe that is part of the problem & challenge to over come?

Maybe the years of budget cuts & undermining public education has now been spotlighted during this pandemic?

Public education is so much more than students & teachers.

The time to use your voice to support education is now.

If you’re a teacher? Use your teacher voice.

If you’re a parent, grandparent or guardian, reach out to your students teachers & see how you can support their classrooms. Get involved.

Band together to support public education. Together, voices can be strong.

#CATeacher #UnionStrong #TeacherVoice #WeareCTA
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Teacher Makeup Tips
I’ve been loving playing with different eyeshado I’ve been loving playing with different eyeshadow looks lately & warm tones have been my go-to. It must be the fall weather... #eyeshadow #makeup #fallmakeup #beauty #natashadenona
I’ve been having fun playing with the @tatibeaut I’ve been having fun playing with the @tatibeauty Textured Neutrals Volume 1 palette. It’s been my go to eyeshadow palette since I got it! 
What is your go-to product lately?

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I love when your makeup makes the look come togeth I love when your makeup makes the look come together.

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Just a little Saturday playtime with some makeup. Just a little Saturday playtime with some makeup. I’m loving playing with this @natashadenona sunrise palette lately. What is your favorite makeup item right now? #makeup #teachermakeup #eyeshadow #makeupshouldbefun
🍃How do you take care of yourself?🍃 Skin car 🍃How do you take care of yourself?🍃 Skin care is becoming a favorite way to check in with my self & spend a few minutes taking care of me. These are a few products that I’m loving lately. 🌿What are your favorite skincare products? 🌿

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🌸How do you bring fun into your daily makeup? 🌸

Makeup should infuse fun in your everyday life. It doesn’t have to be boring & can be something that brings you joy. One of my favorite ways to bring fun into a look is to bring color—like a colorful mascara. #teachermakeuptips #funmakeup #colorfulmascara #eyemakeup #teachermakeup #teacherfashion #funmakeupfriday
What is your favorite product or technique that is What is your favorite product or technique that is part of your makeup routine? 🌺For an easy & simple look, I love dusting my favorite bronzer & blush on my eyes—which makes me feel much more put together. #teachermakeup #teachermakeuptips #nomakeuplook #simplemakeup
What is your one product that is worth the price o What is your one product that is worth the price or space in your beauty routine?

We all have those products that we use every day. Sometimes they are around because they work or are affordable. & then you have those that you’d buy time & time again, because they are worth it. 
For me, this Tartelette in Bloom palette is my #WorthitWednesday product. Is it cheap? No. Does it create the most perfect look for when I’m on the go or running late? Yes. It is one I throw in my teacher bag or with me when I’m traveling because it works. It makes me feel beautiful—even when I’m stressed out due to parent-teacher conferences, a field trip, and report cards being due all on the same week. 
#TeacherMakeupTips #eyeshadow #favoritebeautyproducts #makeup #teacherbeauty #teachermakeup
🌸What is your favorite step of your morning rou 🌸What is your favorite step of your morning routine? 🌸

Playing with new makeup—always a fun way to spend the morning. Makeup & subscription boxes are like therapy to me. Sitting down & playing with new products bring so much joy. #boxyluxerose #makeup #eyeshadow #beauty #beautyblogger #teachermakeup #teachermakeuptips
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