With the focus on Science of Reading, have you found any decodables for beginning readers that you really like?
I am ready for a new classroom theme! Any suggestions for a theme that is calming and has more muted colors?
I was introduced to Magic School over the summer. Have you used it with your students? How have you used it? I learned how to app smash it with Book Creator, but I am looking for some other suggestions.
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.
Do you use desk pets? How do you organize them and how do your students earn them?
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.
I am searching for some new dramatic play themes for my kindergarten classroom this year. Any suggestions or ideas I should try?
I have already decided that I will add in:
-coffee shop
-weather station
-garden center
So, it has been a while since I have been on this platform as a coach. I did not want to seem like a hypocrite. I have been teaching a long time and this year seemed to be extremely difficult all around. I felt that if I were to give advice, it would be hollow and just mundane. However, while I was reflecting on my year and cleaning my room, I happened upon a box, a time capsule if you will. In it were my goals that I set as a first year teacher. There were also notes and cards from students and parents. One particular note was from a student who thanked me for listening. He wrote that he never felt heard until he was in my class. This letter renewed my spark into a flame.
As you reflect on your teaching, remember why you decided to teacher. My focus became about me and I reminded myself that the students are my focus. My goal should be to help at least one more.
Teaching is a tough job. But the rewards outweigh the struggle. I almost lost that hope. Stay strong teachers!
My school will be shifting to using Fundations for our phonics skills next school year. For those of you who have used it with Kindergarten students, what do I need to do to prepare?
My district is not purchasing any materials for us except the teachers manual and online access.
What are your favorite summertime professional development reads?
I’m finally able to sit down and read The Anxious Generation and it is so good!
What other books would you recommend?
What work do you do over the summer to make the beginning of the next school year easier?
Have you found any good strategies that keep your absenteeism rates lower?
We introduced a school wide award that is awarded to the classroom in each grade level with the highest attendance rate each month. When our individual classes have attendance above 95% on a daily basis, we get a postcard with our mascot on it to display outside our classroom door (with the date earned). When our classroom earns 10 of them, we get a visit from the Woot-Woot wagon and each student gets to pick a treat!
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?
I'm always looking for some good brain teasers for students for the transition into math intervention. I came across this link and thought I'd share!
https://www.weareteachers.com/math-brain-teasers-for-kids/
Any other great brain-teasers you use for your students?
As I was reading an educational article recently, I saw this idea, and I loved it! I will definitely implement it at the start of next year:
Have students write down (or tell you if they are little ones) what they want to hear on hard days. Collect those notes and hand them back out to students when you feel like they need to be reminded.
What are some ways you help students persevere on hard days?
This is something I just recently started doing with my third through fifth grade intervention students: when we have an exit ticket, I will leave some highlighters next to the turn in bin. Students highlight their name when they turn in the assignment: green if they feel like they got it; yellow if they feel like they mostly have it; and orange if they are still struggling. This provides them some self advocacy and allows them to share with just me that they may need more help or that they felt great about the assignment!
What are some ways you practice self-assessment with students?
One of the things I've heard so frequently in my teaching career: "Kids love you. How do you do it?"
Students want a relationship with someone. They want to know that the people who they spend all day every day with care about who they are. I read a quote recently that said, "There's nothing to lose by giving a student a second chance. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. There's only the possibility of strengthening a relationship, demonstrating the power of empathy, and instilling a glimmer of hopeful recovery." --Teacher, Justin Tarte
This describes perfectly how I build relationships with students. Do I have high expectations? Yes. But do I also demonstrate that you can make mistakes and learn from them. Giving a student a second chance allows them to be exactly who they are, a child.
What are some ways you build relationships with students throughout the year to build them up?
