Back to School YouTube Party + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!  I know I have been seriously MIA again, but I just cannot for the life of me manage BTS and the blogosphere at the same time.  I realize, I am flawed.  I have accepted it, and have learned to work with my deficiencies.  But I am back today for a super special reason.

My super-fantastic blogging friends and I over at the Primary Chalkboard wanted to do something BIG for back to school for you.  I'm talking, B.I.G.  Sooooooo, we decided to throw a party!

A YouTube Back to School Tips Party + Giveaway! 

So how is this going to work?  Well, we are going to be here sharing lots of tips -- organizational, DIY, helpful ideas-- that you can use RIGHT NOW to make your back to school a little easier!

AND

We are having a huge giveaway!

Would anyone like a $100 Amazon Gift Card?  uh?….yah!

What about a $100 TeachersPayTeachers Gift Card?  Yes, please!

or

A fabulous Michael Kors bag.  

Ok, I am not a "purse" person.  But, even I would die for this bag.

Ok, so yes!  You want in!  I knew you would!  So what do you need to do? 

Did you see that? You can EVEN gain EXTRA entries in the giveaway by watching our videos and entering our SECRET WORDS into the Rafflecopter (but I know you were going to do that anyway, so... 2 birds, 1 stone).  

We will be linking up 5 new videos every day this week... so you can come back, watch, and enter every day!

Alright, so let's get you started here.  How do you manage individual, group, and table materials?  Has management of said materials ever threatened your sanity?

Go grab a cup of Joe, and a notepad, and watch my video below to find out how I solved my own little storage issues!  No worries, I'll wait…..Ok, ready?…..GO!

Yes, I am a total dork.  Who really says the word "bazonkers"? Apparently, just me. 

Well, there you have it.  Don't forget to head over to the Primary Chalkboard to watch more tip clips and gain more entries to the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bright Ideas Blog Hop #2

So excited to see the coming of another Bright Ideas Blog Hop! It was so much fun last time, and I got so many wonderful ideas.  I can't wait to see what teaching treasures I walk away with this time!

So the topic for my post today goes out to all those who have maybe recently acquired a new, fancy, schmancy, interactive whiteboard.  Maybe you have transferred your usual calendar math activities onto said whiteboard, and now you are left with a bajillion calendar cards, of various colors and themes.  Like this!  

Now what are you supposed to do?  Throw them out?  No way! ….

4+ Ways to Reuse Old Calendar Math Cards

1) AR (Accelerated Reader) Testing Management

This pocket chart has a pocket for each student (I use student numbers in my classroom.)  Each pocket holds three cards for each student, with their class number on it.

Green means, "Everything is great.  I have a book, and I am reading."

Yellow cards are put under the "I need to take a test" sign.  Students are trained to put their yellow cards back into their pocket after they take their test, and then notify the next student in line. (Tip: These cards have a little bit of magnet tape on the back!)

Finally, the red card means, "I am out of books, and I need to go to the library."

This system has made AR and library visits very easy to manage.

2) Bathroom Management

When students leave for the restroom, they put their card up.  Now you can account for everyone. When they come back, they can either put it back into a chart pocket, or drop it into a container like the green one above.  At the end of the day, you can chart who is leaving the room, and see if any students are abusing this privilege, or spending too much time out of class.

3)  Waiting For Teacher Management

4)  Pairing Up and Small Groups

Pass out cards.  All the 3s pair up, or all the greens, all the jack-o-lanterns, all the Valentine's hearts, all the triangles, etc…  

5) Your idea here!  Leave a comment at the end of this post with your idea of how you use, or might use, your leftover calendar math cards. 

Now head on over to 

to learn about how Velcro can make your life as a teacher easy-peasy!

You can also check out the linky below!

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Bright Ideas Blog Hop

I am so excited to be a part of this fabulous blog hop that is all about great ideas that you can use in your classroom starting tomorrow.  Nothing to print or buy…just bright ideas that will spark the best in you, and your students.

Before we get to my idea, I just want to send a massive "THANK YOU," to the indefatigable, and amazing, Shelley from Teaching in the Early Years.  It is thanks to all of her hard work that all these Bright Ideas came together in one place.

My bright idea is all about getting our kids to engage in more meaningful classroom discussions.  I know at my school there is a huge emphasis on this.  

Just two years ago, I HATED having my kids "turn and talk," but it was required in all of our lessons.  I complained that it chopped up the flow of my lessons, and the kids conversations were just not deep.  But, something happened for me a year ago, and I have not looked back.  My kids are talking up a storm, and their conversations are meaningful and lively.  I LOVE it!  Here are some tips that have made all the difference in my classroom.

Set, model, and post clear expectations for what "turn and talk" time looks and sounds like. Here is the chart I have up in our meeting area. We go over these everyday!

I work with mostly ELL's and I find it helpful to be super explicit about the kind of language I want to hear during our discussion times.  So, I have anchor charts galore in my classroom, to help scaffold our discussions. 

I usually add one stem at a time, to our Partner Talk poster.  This lets kids have time to try it on, before adding another.  I make a really big deal when I hear students using these.  It encourages everyone else to take a risk, too.

The first three stems above, are awesome, and really encourage kids to think and talk. (P.S. - Did you catch the "teachable moment" to teach the prefix dis- above?  Take that, Common Core!)

More sentence stems for a recent unit of study on heroes.  A good sentence stem will help students express their ideas without telling them what to think.

My ELL students really had a tough time with syntax when asking questions.  This quick little question words chart has really helped.  They now know that most questions start with question words.  Being able to ask thoughtful questions has really improved the quality of discussions going on in my classroom.

All these little tweaks in the classroom really make a big difference, and help students keep conversations going.  There you have it.  Hope you found something to spark great discussions in your classroom.

Nicole

Feeling crafty?  Hop on over to KinderAlphabet by Lidia to find out how to make some adorable No Sew Chair Pockets! Um, yes please!  Click on her button.

Alternatively, you may visit the link-up below and choose a topic that interests you. 

You can also see all of these great ideas by visiting The Bright Ideas Blog Hop Pinterest page

Thanks so much for visiting. 

My Kingdom for a Stapler and a Pencil Sharpener!

I have come to the conclusion that not all vacations are created equal. 

Sometimes, I wonder what other people, meaning non-teachers, do during their vacations.  

Do they go back to work for professional development workshops?  

Do they stalk advertisements for the best deals on composition books and scissors? 

Do they spend dollar upon dollar, hour upon hour, laminating task cards and behavior charts?

Do they hit their local charities for book donations, and spend their Saturdays sifting through bins (and I mean BINS) of discarded books- in the hopes of adding to their libraries?

Do they do ample amounts of professional reading to find that one structure or idea that is going to make all the difference for the students they teach?

Do they spend their time doing this?

No!  They are lying in Bora Bora, or some other amazing place, sipping on Mai Tai's, because they are on VACATION!  

Yes, today, I actually spent 10 minutes of my vacation dismantling my ancient, school issued, pencil sharpener.  This sharpener is older than dirt, and dirt could probably sharpen a pencil better than this 12 pound beast.  It's loud, only sharpens one side of a pencil, and sprays pencil shavings in a tidy halo-type ring around its base.  

But, it is the only one I have, and my sweet son - who went to work in my classroom with me last week (once again, mind you, during my "vacation") tried to sharpen that two-sided pencil (GRRR!) for my Emergency Pencil Jar.  Sweet boy, he knew not what he was doing!  

The pencil sharpener is now clear of all obstacles.  That should make me happy, right?  No, it does not.  Because reality is, I am looking at another 10 precious minutes of my life to put it back together. And what will I have to show for it?  A pencil sharpener that still does not really work!  

So this got me to thinking - My kingdom for a pencil sharpener AND a stapler that actually works!  I have a graveyard of over 10 staplers in my classroom.  Not one of them works.  My one "good one"?  Heaven forbid should you ask that thing to staple more than 5 sheets together, and every 4th time you use it, you have to open it out to clear out a jammed staple. Does anyone else feel my pain?

So, I have decided to bite the bullet, and I will be purchasing my very own, brand new, pencil sharpener - and 2 staplers for my classroom.  But, I need recommendations!  Please, help!  If you can recommend a stapler and pencil sharpener brand, that will stand up to large amounts of physical abuse, and is worth the pretty penny that we all work so hard to make, please leave a comment below.  

Thanks, friends.  I am off to enjoy what is left of my "vacation" - or in other words, what is left of my 6 weeks of unpaid prep time.  ;)

See ya,

6/28/13 I am making an update to this post for all my fellow teachers out there, who have suffered in silence for too long at the hands of subpar office supplies.  Rise up, my friends!  Rise up!  

Now remember, I have not tried any of these products myself, yet.  I am just listing the most recommended products, in response to the post above.  The research, and risk, is yours (all prices current as of 6.28.13)

Pencil Sharpener Recommendations.  

1)  By far, the most recommended was this sharpener from classroomfriendlysupplies.com 

 $24.99

Here are some honorable mentions,


2)  $59.97-$149.99


3)   $23.95-$31.92

Did not hear as much about staplers.  Your guess is as good as mine.  But these were the ones mentioned by readers.

1)  $23.39-$26.99

2)  $15.99

Best of luck, to all of us.

Classroom Management - Part 2

Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

 As many of you might already know, Google Reader will be no more as of July 1st.  But, you can still keep track of all your favorite blogs by using Blogovin. Just click the link above or on the right side bar, to stay connected.

So in my last blog post, I promised a follow up on the topic of classroom management. Today, I am going to share the "meat" of how I manage behavior in my classroom.  If you missed Part 1, you can find more info on this topic by clicking HERE.

In my classroom, I use a behavior chart very similar to the popular "clip" system.  The card system has gotten a bad rap for being negative, but with a few tweaks, it is every bit in line with positive discipline as a clip chart. So here are some pics of my very boring, needs a makeover, behavior chart area from last year. (I've got a plan for this - see the end of this post.)

Every child has a pocket, and that pocket contains 6 cards.  5 of the cards correspond with the key that you see at the top of the picture.  You will also notice that each student's cards has their classroom number on them.  

So, everyday all my students started with a green card, which corresponds with "Ready to Learn." Kids may change their card throughout the day, depending on their behavior.  If they forgot homework, or were off task, or did not follow the rules on the playground, they would change their card to orange, red, or - heaven forbid, blue.  Orange was really just a warning.  Red was a loss of recess time, and a note home in their behavior calendar that required a parent signature.  Blue was "Teacher's Choice" and could involve a variety of consequences depending on the "crime."  

On the other hand, if a student went above and beyond, they could switch their cards to yellow.  Students with yellow cards get to pick something from my "Treat Jar" at the end of the day, and get a ticket in our classroom raffle that is held on Fridays.  The winner of the raffle picked something from my Treasure Chest, which contains a collection of small toys and items that kids love, but I didn't want cluttering up my already too small home. 

Everyday, before we went home, kids would color in a box on their homework calendars informing their parents of their behavior for the day.  Kids who received a red card had to present their calendars to me.  I would make a small comment regarding the child's behavior, and request that the student bring it back, signed, the next day.

This system was very easy for me to manage.  So, even though I do plan to tweak it AGAIN, next year. (I have decided to add a level for positive behavior, and remove one level of negative behavior.  I think that will balance it out a bit.)  I will definitely stick with it.  
One reason I prefer cards to clips is because I can see from across the room where a student is on the chart.  When it comes time to give extra privileges, or ask for a helper, or even dismiss for recess.  I can take a glance at this chart and know right away who I might need to single out.  
Another reason I like this card system is that it helped me monitor student trips to the bathroom. While I strongly discourage my students from using the restroom during class time, reality - parents - and my administration dictate that students be allowed to go, as needed.  So, what I did was stick in that 6th card I mentioned earlier. I chose purple, and that became our "bathroom pass."  This pass bought students one free trip to the restroom during class. There were some additional rules like:  1) you could not use your pass within 30 minutes of a recess break, and 2) you could not use your pass during direct-instruction. If students needed a restroom break during one of those times, they had to change their card down one level.  They had to make a choice.  Often, my students chose to wait other than move down.  Offering children choices and consequences develops their sense of responsibility for their actions.  I really had very few children leave class to go to the restroom. So, victory goes to ME!

I mentioned in Part 1, that I use differentiated behavior cards in my classroom.  These tied in perfectly to my behavior chart.  Each day that a child ended on a green card or higher, they would turn in their behavior card to a small container by the door, as they walked out.  I would sign, stamp, or punch (I went through several stages) these.  When their card was full, they got to pick a small treat, treasure, or reward coupon.  It was very motivating!  

Here is a pic of my 20-box my FREE polka dot/apple card. Remember though, that one reason these cards have been so effective for me is that they are differentiated.  Some of my students needed more immediate reinforcement, so they got a 5-box card, others a 10-box card.  The key is to choose the card that is right for each student, and then gradually move them up towards the 20-boxed card.  I only had one student last year that did not end the year with the 20-boxed card. Click on the image to download your copy.

Alright, so I mentioned that I had plans to update my behavior chart.  Well, I have made 3 new Behavior Clip Chart sets (all of them contain the option of using a Behavior Card Chart, as well).  I will be using the Owl & Chevron set for the upcoming school year.  Take a look!  Click on any of the images to find out more!

This set is editable.  So you can change the wording!

This file also includes some of my favorite management tools like Behavior Tracking Sheets, Behavior Calendars, Think Sheets, a mini-version of my Differentiated Behavior Cards, reward coupons, other class incentives, and lots of tips for making this the best school year ever!  These are on sale now for early bird, back-to-school shoppers thru the end of June, 2013!

If owls are not for you, I also have two more themes available:

Alright, I know this post has been crazy long, but I couldn't leave without sharing that Ashley over at The School Supply Addict is having an insanely awesome giveaway for reaching 4,000 followers.  Yes, 4,000!  Click on the image below to participate!

Bye for now friends,

Classroom Management - A Linky Party

"Look, Mom!  I'm blogging!"  Sound the trumpets!  

Honestly, it is just so sad.  I have no idea why blogging is so difficult for me. Thankfully, Leigh over at the The Applicious Teacher sparked my interest with her "An Apple a Day Linky Party." 

Last week's theme is a topic that I am very passionate about - Classroom Management.  I am already thinking about this year's class (Which by the way, may end up being a 1/2 combo.  Eeek!) and what, if anything, I want to tweak, try, or ditch when it comes to behavior management.  Here is Part 1 of what I know will remain constant for me:

1)  Be Relentlessly Consistent:  The teacher down the hall recently retired.  Sad. She is, not was, a model teacher.  She is, not was, the very essence of what a great teacher is all about! She has been incredibly inspirational, and I have learned many things from her.  But the most important lesson that I have learned from her is to "Be Consistent."  If I have appropriately explained my expectations about any part of our day, and my students do not fulfill those expectations, then we review the expectations orally, and then spend time practicing them again.  I do this without fail each and every time.  All. Year. Long.  

Sometimes, I have to admit it is a real drag to be "Relentlessly Consistent."  Like when it's lunch time, and I'm starving, and the kids decide to go berserk during line-up. I just want to leave quickly, and drop them off at the cafeteria, so bad!  But, I don't.  I send them back to their seats.  We review our class expectations for lining up.  Then, we spend time practicing.  I cruelly call attention to the other second grade classes who are walking past our classroom on their way to lunch. You get the gist.  If any of you have done the Daily Five, you probably can relate to this method of "perfect practice."  In our class we say, "Perfect practice.  Every time.  All the time."  It really does work. Yes, yes, I know it's controlling, and very Type A.   I have already accepted that "the shoe fits," in this case.  But, I also tell my students, "I will only control you until you are able to control yourselves."  

I should clarify that the expectation is not that my students will attain "perfection" or be "perfect" - That would be unfair, and too much to ask of anyone.  But, I do expect my students to practice everything the way it was taught.  When they slip up, and they do, I gently guide them back to the routines and procedures that make learning possible.  

2) Devise systems to keep students focused, motivated, and safe.   A couple of my favorite classroom management tricks are:

Musical transitions:  LOVE! If you have not visited Rick Morris' website, New Management, go now.  He has tons of classroom management tips, including music that he uses to transition students from one activity to another.  My students' favorite is the tune for "Mario Bros."  It is 50 seconds long.  Each student knows 1) I will only give instructions one time, and 2) they must be in their place, with the proper materials, ready to learn, by the end of that tune.  If not, my students change their behavior cards (clips), and pay back any wasted time during their recess (where we will model and practice quick transitions, organize materials, whatever the obstacle may be) Transitions in my room are usually very efficient and smooth, and this tool has helped me move towards my goal of reducing unnecessary "teacher talk."

Behavior Cards:  I love this idea that I borrowed from Rachelle over at What the Teacher Wants blog.  She has been so gracious to allow me to adapt this idea to meet the needs of my classroom.  These cards are a critical part of of my day-to-day management.  They are fun, differentiated, and extremely effective!  The basic idea? Students get a card that has 5, 10, or 20 boxes.  Now, it is personal, and must be appropriate for each child.  When students are on task - they earn stamps or "punches" in their cards. When their card is full, they receive some type of reward.  

I have created many themed sets including Beach, Zoo Animals, Owls, Robots, and Pirates. These sets are available in my Tpt store now.  You can read more about this, and try this tool for FREE by clicking the image below.

Ok, I'm going to stop here.  Part 2 will continue with more systems (behavior clip/card charts and more!) that I have in place to keep my classroom running smoothly.  

I would love to here your reactions to this post.  Even better, if you have a classroom tip that has worked wonders for your classroom, please share it below. Oh, and don't forget to check out the other bloggers participating in this linky.  They have a lot of other great tips and ideas about classroom management.

Hasta!

Classroom Management Tips and Two Amazing Giveaways!

Just returned from a great 4-day family vacation to Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, and Universal Studios in Los Angeles.  So much fun!

As promised, I wanted to talk a little about the beginning of my school year.  I just found this draft for a post I started writing in the beginning of the school year.   I am amazed at how much progress we have made in less than two months time.

"I just finished my first week with my new class and it has been one of the more challenging "first weeks" that I can remember in my 18 years of teaching.  Don't get me wrong.  Each and every student in my class is sweet, and I think we will have a great year together.  I'm really not complaining.  Really.  How does it go?  "You get what you get, and you don't pitch a fit!"   

It comes down to that mysterious, intangible quality.  In my school, we call it, "Dynamics".  It's the way kids bounce off other kids, and it can either bring out the best in them, or well.....not so much." - August, 2012

Can anyone relate to this?  Are you living it right now?

So what do you do when the "Dynamics" of your class is a little off?

I thought I would share some strategies that I have used in my 18 years of teaching to smooth out the "wrinkles" :)  Some of these tips may not fit everyone's style.  I offer them only as suggestions.  Take on the ones that feel "right" for you.

1)  Give students a preview:  I knew ahead of time that I would have some challenging personalities in my classroom this year.  In fact, I already knew I would have some of them by the end of the last school year.  So, I made it a point for last year's 1st graders to get to know me, my name, and expectations.  I talked to them on the playground when I had duty.  Complimented them in the hallways.  Just gave them a preview, if you will, of Mrs. Rios. The tone of my interactions with the students was as positive as possible, but always purposeful.  Meaning, I chose my interactions with those students to convey a specific message about me as a teacher...that I would be fair and consistent, but firm.

2)  Seek Advice:  I also talked to my students' previous teachers and asked questions about what management strategies worked with those children in the past.  What motivated that student? What kind of supports allowed that student to be academically successful?  Does he need to sit in the front, next to the teacher?  Do they need to stand, instead of sit, when completing assignments at their desk?  What kind of support did they receive from parents?  

Speaking of parents, if at all possible, I highly recommend calling or meeting with parents before the first day of school, if you know that child has had difficulties in the past.  Most parents can be incredibly helpful and provide lots of information about their child, what is going on at home etc..., that just might provide a valuable insight that you can use as you proceed with that child.

Finally, do your homework.  I read books, online articles, and teacher blogs that addressed some of my students' needs.  I also gained a TON of ideas from Pinterest.

3) Divide and Conquer:  In my school, we receive cards on each student from the previous teacher.  These cards are used by the office to plan for enrollment for the following year.  But, they also contain valuable information about language, reading level, math performance, medical alerts, and behavior.  Many teachers I know let students sit wherever they like on the first day of school.  I do not.  I am strategic (obsessive) about classroom management from day one.  When my students arrive on the first day, their seat has already been assigned.  Here is how I do this:  Using my class cards, I first pull out any students with glasses, hearing impairments, and IEPs and usually, but not always, try to find a seat for them in the front and in a desk that completely faces the front of the classroom (Some desks in my class require students to turn their bodies a bit to look at me.)  Then, I divide the rest of my cards by behavior:  Challenging, Average, Good, and Excellent.  I then place all my "Challenging" kiddos in their seats.  I like to place them at the ends of a table so they only have another student on one side (less distraction!).  I also like to space them out so there are only one or two at each table.  Then, I take my students who are marked as Excellent and use them to surround my Challenging students.  As an additional step, if my Challenging student is a boy, I normally surround them with Excellent girls.  I then place all my "Good" students.  Finally, I place my "Average".  When that is done, I do a quick check to make sure that each table is balanced for language, (I teach ELL's, so it is important that I have strong language models at each table.) academic performance (I don't want to have a whole table of students who are struggling), and gender. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but I have been doing it for so long, it really does not take very long and the best part is, I usually have to make very few changes once school begins.

4)  Be Relentlessly Consistent:  The teacher down the hall is a model teacher.  She is the very essence of what a great teacher is!  I aspire to be even 1/2 as effective as she is.  She has been incredibly inspirational, and I have learned many things from her.  But the most important lesson that I have learned from her is "Be Consistent".  If I have appropriately explained my expectations about any part of our day, and my students do not fulfill those expectations, then we review the expectations orally and then spend time practicing them again.  I do this without fail each and every time.  All.  Year.  Long.   Sometimes, I have to admit it is a real drag to be "Relentlessly Consistent".  Like when it's lunch time, and I'm starving, and the kids decide to go berserk during line-up. I just want to leave and drop them off at the cafeteria so bad!  But, I don't.  I send them back to their seats.  We review our class expectations for lining up.  Then, we spend time practicing.  I usually call attention to the other second grade classes who are walking past our classroom on their way to lunch.  You get the gist.  If any of you have done the Daily Five, you probably can relate to this method.  It really does work.  Yes, yes, I know it's controlling and very Type A, but I always tell my students that I will only "control" them until they are able to control themselves.

5)  Ok, last tip for today. Devise systems to keep students focused, motivated, and safe.  A couple of my favorite classroom management tricks are:

Musical transitions:  If you have not visited Rick Morris' website, New Management, go now.  He has tons of classroom management tips, including music that he uses to transition students from one activity to another.  My students' favorite is the tune for "Mario Bros.".  It is 50 seconds long.  Each student knows they must be in their place, with the proper materials, ready to learn by the end of that tune.  If not, my students change their behavior cards (clips) and pay me back any wasted time during their recess.

Behavior Charts:  I also love Rick Morris' idea about behavior clip charts.  You have probably seen them all over Pinterest. What I love most about them is that they acknowledge those students who ARE following the classroom rules. The behavior chart I used two years ago only had children move their clip for poor choices.  With Rick Morris' chart, students can move up or down the chart.  Love it!  It really does keep the tone of our classroom positive.

Raffles:  This year, I have to say...more students than any other year, did not do homework!  It was driving me crazy.  I always have children change their card (clip) from Green (Ready to Learn) when they are not prepared with their homework.  But honestly,  some of my students could not have cared less.  So, this year I pulled out some tickets that I had purchased at Staples.  Every morning, I give students one ticket if they have all their homework.  They write their names on the back and put them in our Raffle Jar.  We hold the raffle at the end of the day.  The winner gets to pick something out of my Treasure Chest.  This has improved homework completion dramatically.  When we return from Fall Break, I will do this sporadically throughout the week, instead of every day.  This idea can be used for any behavior that is driving you crazy.  

Behavior Cards:  I love this idea that was originated by Rachelle over at What the Teacher Wants blog.  She has been so gracious to allow me to adapt her idea to meet the needs of my classroom.  These cards are a critical part of of my day-to-day management.

I have created many themed sets including Beach, Zoo Animals, Owls, and Pirates.  These sets are available in my Tpt store now.

You can read about and use this system for FREE using the file below.  Just click on the image to learn more, and download your free copy.

Most recently, I just created these cute Halloween themed behavior cards.  My own kids actually helped me come up with some of the motivational sayings!  They really got into it!  Click on the image below to get your copy!

I will share more about how I use these cards with students with special needs in an upcoming post.

I also have many more fantastic ideas on my Pinterest Boards under "My Class Management".  If you will permit me to brag a little, I was just named one of "10 Fantastic Teachers to Follow on Pinterest" by Cozi.com.  I hope you will consider stopping by my boards.

I hope you have found something helpful today!

Until next time.

One Last Hoorah...and My First Day of School

Hi Everyone,

I just got back from camping at the beach for 4 days.  We had so much fun. Every year my father's side of the family puts on a big family reunion.  It is a relaxing time for me, and has created many cherished memories for my kids.  There is no other way that I would want to spend the last few days of my vacation.

So, yes, I started school yesterday!  I finished my room the day before I left for the camping trip.  I still have a lot of organizing (a.k.a  purging) to do.  But, all the areas that are visible to the eye are pretty much in order.

Here are some pics of the (almost) finished product.  As I mentioned before, I really ended up liking the lime green and teal together.  Believe it or not, it creates a very serene atmosphere inside the classroom.  

Below is my computer/docucam desk area and my Non-Fiction bulletin board.  I downloaded the Non-Fiction charts on the right from Primary Punch on Tpt HERE.  They're free!

I made the posters on the left to go with a beginning lesson where we discuss how fiction and non-fiction are different from one another.  You can download them HERE, for free.

This next area is my phonics word wall and Accelerated Reader board.  

Students receive a star/stamp/sticker for every 100% they receive on a test.  When they fill their incentive card, they receive a free coupon to a local restaurant, and a treat from my treasure chest. 

Speaking of AR.  As you can tell by these pictures, I have a Promethean Board.  I do EVERYTHING on that board and absolutely love it!  But, if you are like me, you might have been left with a lot of these...

Ever wondered what to do with these casualties of the interactive whiteboard?  Well, since I now do my calendar on the whiteboard, I have been thinking of what to do with these little guys.  

One thing I did to reuse these was to use them in my AR testing management.

This pocket chart has a pocket for each student (I use student numbers in my classroom). Each pocket holds three cards for each student.

Green means, "Everything is great.  I have a book, and I am reading."  

Yellow cards are put under the "I need to take a test" sign.  Students are trained to put their yellow cards back into their pocket when they take their test and also, to notify the next student when they are done testing. Most of the time, that last step is not necessary, as students pay close attention to where they are in the testing line. 

Finally, the red card means, "I am out of books, and I need to go to the library."  This system makes AR and library very easy to manage.

Ok, moving on....The picture below is of my reading board.  We will list the strategies we learn through out the year under each column.  The areas are Comprehension, Responding to Text, Accuracy, Fluency, and Terms and Vocabulary.  I downloaded these signs from Ladybug Teacher Files, for Free!  Click HERE to download your own.

Remember those cubbies that I emptied out after buying the green organizing bins to organize my math manipulatives?  

I ended up using those cubbies to organize my language arts and math intervention materials.

Here is the view from the back of the class.  If you are wondering about my long midievil table set up here.  I really don't have much choice.  My student desks are very long, and I like lots of empty space.  

So that's pretty much where my room is for now.  Notice that all the pics are of the front of the room.  Yeah, the back still needs some work.  That will have to be a work in progress.  

Anyway, we had a very good day today.  The students are very sweet, and I am looking forward to getting back to the business of teaching.  

Want to see more classrooms?  I'm linking up with Swimming into Second who is having a Classroom Reveal Linky Party.  Just click on the button below.

 

See ya tomorrow!

Nicole