Are you able to have live classroom pets? What are some good suggestions for classroom pets?

We are not able to have any pets with fur due to allergies, other than our school therapy dog. Several of our teachers have fish or turtles.

How do you manage behaviors in Kindergarten?

I use a warm fuzzy jar and LOTS of modeling of behaviors that I WANT to see happening. Students earn warm fuzzies as a class for following classroom routines and expectations and when we fill the jar, we choose a no-cost, school appropriate reward such as extra recess, extra play time, dance parties (10 minutes), extra time to read/draw/paint/build/etc. Each time a student models the correct behavior they earn a warm fuzzy. As we move through the school year, it takes more to earn a warm fuzzy and they are given out less and less.

How do you welcome new students to your classroom when they arrive 2-6 months after the school year has started?

Some school districts have adopted Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures or other approaches. What tips do you have for increasing engagement in the classroom?

One thing that I hear teachers say is that they do not teach to the test. I feel that if the test is assessing the standards, and you are teaching the standards then you should teach to the test. I use the released test to show the students how questions are worded and how to look for patterns in the format. I liken the test as playing a game. The more a person knows the rules of a game, the better they will do. Likewise, the more a student understand the testing structure, the better they will do.

How do you incorporate movement into math and literacy?