Caring, Sharing, and Preparing Linky Party #1

(If you missed the details on how this linky party works, please click here to learn about it!)

Welcome to the very first-ever round of the Caring, Sharing, and Preparing linky party!  Here is my contribution...

I have made several changes to our dismissal routine this school year.  During those first weeks of school, dismissal was the most stressful part of our day, so I have been tweaking it ever since.  I am getting closer to being in a "happy place."  I wanted to share these changes with you in hopes that you can pick up a tip or two that will make your dismissal less stressful.  Here is what our daily end-of-day routine looks and sounds like.

The first thing we do to get our dismissal routine started is that I pass out our dismissal clips.  I bought ours at the Dollar Tree.  We use the ladybug, frog, and bumblebee ones, but I have seen the alligator clips in the store, too, and they seem durable as well.

Each student gets a clip.  I write their names on the back with permanent marker.  They attach the clip to themselves right away (usually on their shirt / jacket collar or sleeve) so they do not lose it.  When we eventually get outside and they see the adult who is responsible for picking them up, they know to hand me (in my hand...not in my basket) their clip.  The purpose is accountability and safety.  I want to know, to the best of my ability, that my students are safe and leaving school with the correct person.  For the most part, my students are great about remembering to give their clips back to me.  This is one strategy I used in the past as a Kindergarten teacher and even those young kiddos remembered.

During those first weeks of school, I was passing out my students' homework folders, homework (sometimes multiple papers), notes from the office, classroom newsletters, etc. with the assistance of a few student helpers.  But most of our class was just sitting at their tables chit-chatting, which is okay for a few minutes, I guess, except they would get louder... and louder... and LOUDER!  Mrs. Unger was going bonkers!  I needed to figure something else out.

Enter these magical "mailboxes" (or at least that is what we call these hanging pocket charts).  I got this idea from one of my first grade teammates.

I bought them at a local teacher store, but you can order them online (example - Really Good Stuff).  They certainly were not cheap, in my opinion, especially when I had to buy four of them.  However, they have saved time and my sanity!  SO.WORTH.THE.MONEY.  I was lucky to have that pocket chart stand in my classroom already and it was not yet being used for anything, so it worked out.  But you could hang them anywhere within student reach really.

The most recent change to our dismissal routine is this song: "Bye Bye Goodbye" by Super Simple Songs.

The song itself is about two minutes long, so when there are only two minutes left on the clock before the end-of-day bell rings, I play this song.  Not only do my students know they have two minutes left to empty their mailboxes, zip their coats, put on their hats, and so on... a calm also comes over the room.  The students quiet down and sing this tune.  They have even started making up their own gestures!  #totalcuteness

The last thing we do is say a see-saw chant.  In other words, I say a line, my students say the next line, etc.  There are many versions of this chant out there, but I have this one hanging in our classroom:

This freebie comes from Shannon at Technology Rocks - Seriously.  My students know there must be silence at the end of the chant.  This is my gentle way of saying, "Zip it!  We are entering the hallway."

If you are stressing out at the end of the day, try asking yourself, "What are we doing during dismissal that could instead be done during some other part of the day?"

I asked myself this question and then I decided to move the time in which we check out take-home books.  We were doing it at the end of the day and some days, my students would not get to check out books because we ran out of time.  Not cool.  Now we check out take-home books during quiet time.  Our quiet time used to be only about 5 minutes, which was enough time for me to take afternoon attendance, address issues that may have come up during recess and/or lunch, etc.  So unfortunately, yes, checking out books during this block of time lengthened our quiet time, but it is a much better option than the end of the day.

Okay, I have one more tip for you.  If your students go into a coat room or out in the hallway to retrieve their backpacks and such (like my kids do), I suggest having them bring everything into the classroom, instead of getting dressed out there.  Now this is coming from a Wisconsin teacher, so when I say "get dressed," I am referring to the jackets, hats, gloves, snow pants, and snow boots that my students put on.  This takes some time, especially if I am not keeping an eye on them, they start to dawdle and chit-chat too much.  Some of them struggle to carry everything back into the classroom, but they help each other and work it out.

Do you have any other dismissal tips to share that work in your classroom?  I would love to hear your ideas!  Please comment below.

Alright, now it is your turn - yay!  Do you have a recent blog post to share that falls under at least one of these categories?

If so, grab the image(s) above and the blog button below to include in your post, then link up below!

As always, thanks for stopping by!  :)

An InLinkz Link-up

Caring, Sharing, and Preparing: Advice From Amber - Building Reading Stamina

I think it is safe to assume that most teachers struggle to get their students to build (and maintain) good, consistent reading stamina.  I'm talking about "actually reading and thinking about the book, not just pretending because my teacher wants me to focus" kind of stamina.  Can you relate?

Well, I tried something this year with my firsties and it worked like a charm!

We have a mini poster in our classroom that has a thermometer outline.  It is tough to see, but the mini poster hangs on the upper-left-hand corner of our whiteboard and this is what we use to record our minutes (or at least the highest number of minutes we have reached).  Do you see it?  (I'm sorry I do not have a close-up!)

Every single day, I refer to our stamina chart.  We talked about it A LOT in the first few weeks of school...less now because it is not as necessary.  We also learn, regularly discuss, review, and routinely practice what good habits readers have and show without reminders.

I told my students that when they reached 5 minutes, they would get to use the "fun stuff."  This includes pillows, stuffed animals (to whisper read to), laundry baskets (to sit in), and exercise balls.  Do you think they tried hard to focus on their reading and thinking in order to show that they were building stamina?  Yep!  It took them a few days, but they got the hang of it.

After the students showed 5 minutes of stamina, our next goal was to get to 10 minutes.  It was at this time that I told them the next incentive = reading partners!

These pictures were actually not taken during Partner Reading, but I realized I do not have any pictures to show this.  I am using these as a substitute.  These partners pictured here were actually trying out a new reading strategy during the Active Engagement section of our Mini-Lesson.

So the next goal was...yep, you guessed it = 15 minutes.  After my students met the 10 minute reading stamina goal, I then told them the next incentive was... Flashlight Friday!

I have not yet taken a picture of our bucket of flashlights, but I can tell you that I found mine at Wal-Mart for $1.00 each in cute colors.

Our next goal was then 20 minutes, which my students have already exceeded, but...there is problem.  The incentive is to read books via Raz-Kids on our tablets, but we are having issues deploying apps to the tablets in our school district right now.  I hope the issue is resolved SOON because I have some antsy first graders.

What do you use as incentives (or anything really) to encourage your students to build and maintain reading stamina?

Thanks for stopping by!  :)

Two Quick Tips for Those Who Teach Our Little Ones!

Ahh!  Winter.  The time of year that many preschool and primary teachers dread... at least those of us who must battle broken zippers, dirty slush tracked into our classrooms, and the rat race of getting a group of little ones dressed for the cold and out the door on time for dismissal.  (On second thought - do I really want to go back into a Kindergarten homeroom?  Haha!  Just kidding.)

Anywho - here are two quick tips to help with the insanity:

1 - Bundle-Up Buddies:  I have my students choose one partner to assist when it is time to bundle-up.  They are taught to focus on one another and then line up.  This really speeds up the process; you can even make it a race of sorts.

I highly recommend allowing the students to CHOOSE their own partners.  The first time I did this, I assigned them partners based on my observations:  one student who was able to dress themselves quickly, paired with one student who struggled to get the job done in a timely manner.  Welllll - the buddy system goes down the drain if they are not truly motivated to help their (assigned) buddy.  So then, what's the point?  Just let them choose.  For those little ones that still struggle or dawdle, that is where you come in (or your educational assistant, if you are lucky enough to have one).

2 - "Put the banana in the monkey's mouth." - Ha!  Do you have students who say, "I can't do it!" when it comes to zipping their coats?  (I am sure you do.)  Turn it into a game.  You know that little metal, skinny piece on the zipper?  Well, that is the "banana."  The open part on the bottom of the zipper is the "mouth."  (Do these parts have names?)  Anyway, most students eat this idea up.  Give it a try!

(This is totally not my picture, by the way.  I take no credit for it; I snagged it from my BFF - Google.)

Hey, do you have any other tips to help our little ones get out the door faster?!  I would love to hear what you have to share!  As always, thanks for stopping by!  :)

Share Chair "How-To" with Pictures and a FREEBIE!

Especially now that I am switching to Third Grade next school year, I am really LOVING the idea of a "Share Chair."  If you are unfamiliar with the idea... it is simply a special chair that students sit in when reading their writing pieces aloud to the class.  Here is an example of a "Share Chair" that I found online that I love:

If you search "Share Chair" on Pinterest or Google, you will be able to find many more examples.  There are so many cute ones out there, but I wanted one that could be folded up and put away when not in use (since my new Third Grade classroom is MUCH smaller than my current Kinder classroom).  So I purchased this at Big Lots for... I think... $14, sounds about right.

Well, I am not much of an artist, so these are the steps that I took to ensure that I came up with something that was semi-fun and kid friendly.

1 - I found a font that I liked and typed the words "Share Chair" in a Word document.  I printed the words extra large and then taped the papers to the top of the chair.

2 - I traced the words with a thick permanent marker, ensuring that the ink bled through on to the chair.

3 - I used acrylic paints and thin paint brushes from JoAnn Fabrics (Don't forget to use your teacher discount there!) to paint the inside of the letter outlines.











I am super sad because when the purple paint dried, it looked totally black!  Boo hoo hoo!

4 - I traced the outline of the letters with puffy paint.

I had an oopsie on the letter "I"...darn it!  I am hoping it dries clear!

5 - I added some dots around the letters with the puffy paint.  I wish I had an artistic hand, so I could paint cool designs, but I decided to keep it simple with dots.

Here is the semi-finished product!  I still plan to tie some fun ribbon around the white bars to "spice" it up a bit more!  If you have any more EASY ideas on how I can make this "Share Chair" more fun for my kiddos, I would love to hear them!!

Okay, now on to your FREEBIE!  If you have been reading any of my recent posts, then you already know that I have recently been doing a lot of planning for next school year.  I am changing grade levels (Kinder to Third Grade) and I will be on maternity leave during the first month of school (July at my school).

Anyway, something I just finished is a "Classroom Rules Brainstorming Sheet."  I love the idea of my students brainstorming, developing, and writing their own classroom rules, but I know I will probably get blanks stares looking back at me if I do not scaffold this activity.  So to help my kiddos with their thinking, I created this brainstorming sheet.  The idea is not my own... I read about it in "The First Six Weeks of School" written by Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete.

Anyway, if you would like to grab this FREEBIE, please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store (where everything is always free) by clicking HERE!

Maybe it is just my pregnancy hormones flaring up, but I was a little crushed to see 909 pageviews on my blog, 230 views on TPT, and 120 downloads on my previous freebie and ZERO comments.  * tear*  So if you are able to use this freebie in your classroom, I could use a little love in the form of a comment.  <3

Thanks for stopping by!  :)







Grab this classroom management FREEBIE!

As a Kindergarten teacher the last three years, I have had the luxury of having a boys and a girls bathroom right in my classroom.  I have been fortunate to be able to ignore the constant complaints during staff meetings that involve shared hallway bathrooms.

Well... that privilege will be coming to a quick hault for me soon.  Boo hoo hoo!!!  When I switch to Third Grade next year (July 2012 for our school), I will have to figure out a completely new bathroom procedure.

I listened enough to the complaints at staff meetings to know that one problem with intermediate students is HOW OFTEN they are in the hallway because they are supposedly in need of the bathroom.  I would like to nip that problem in the bud before it even starts in my classroom!  I saw the perfect inspiration on Pinterest:

I am not sure where the idea originally came from because, when I click on the picture, it does not lead to a blog or anything.  :(  So if this idea is yours, please let me know and I will - of course - give you the credit you deserve!

Anyway, I wanted to "cute" it up, so I created my own "Emergency Bathroom Trips" poster.  I plan to...

1 - Print this little creation (including the numbers, not pictured here) on our color printer at school and on cardstock.

2 - Cut out and laminate the cardstock.

3 - Arrange and attach the printables on a thick, cute strip of ribbon (running vertically), so that the poster is on top, then the "1," the "2," the "3," and finally the "4" at the bottom.

The AMAZING and FREE border came from "The 3am Teacher Graphics".  I am in LOVE with this newly found blog! 

  Anywho... if you would like your own copy of my FREEBIE, be sure to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store (where everything is always free) by clicking HERE! Thank you for stopping by!  :)  If you are able to use this freebie in your own classroom, I would love to hear about it! 

 

I have a Pinterest-inspired FREEBIE for you!

I spotted this chart on Pinterest and I knew I had to cutesy it up and post it in my own classroom!  It looks like the idea originally came from Mrs. Roper.  If you want to check out her Third Grade blog, "Rolling into 3rd!" click HERE!

If you would like to grab your own copy of this FREEBIE, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store - where everything is always free - by clicking HERE!

I hope that you find this printable useful.  Thanks for stopping by!  :)





Teacher Tips That Save Valuable Learning Time!

Here are a few easy-to-implement tips that will - hopefully - save valuable learning time in your classroom!  (By the way, if you were wondering...the cutesy, wootsy apple table cloth was a $5.00 clearance item at Target.)

1) Pencil E.R. - So the pencil sharpener in our classroom is not the best and I hate how loud it is, so my Kinders do not sharpen their own pencils.  Instead, we have a pencil E.R.  The children know that when they need a new pencil, they put their old one in the Pencil E.R. and take a new one from the sharpened pencil cup.  This system works really well.  The only problem is one a child has a really "cool" pencil and they do not want to risk losing it, in which case, I tell them to set it on my desk (not in the Pencil E.R.) and I will sharpen it later.

Since this photo was taken, I have replaced the cheap Target $1 cup (on the left) with a super cute glass cup my great friend made for me for my birthday a few years ago.  It had been sitting on my desk because I was afraid the kids would break it.  I am, however, training myself to GET OVER IT!  (No good teacher keeps all her "good" stuff to herself.)  You can see it in the photo at the top of this post.



2) Crayon Lost and Found - This is basically the same concept as the Pencil E.R.  If the students find a crayon on the ground, the put it in the Crayon Lost and Found.  This is great because it minimizes those "Mrs. Unger, I found a crayon!!" interruptions.  Also, if the kids need a particular color, they know where to go and what to do without my help.

3) Whisper Phones - Oh the uses!  I keep a basket of Whisper Phones on our catch-all table.  Whisper Phones are useful for students who have difficulty hearing themselves sound out words when they read and write.  They help students who are easily distracted stay on task - I think the physical reminder of having a Whisper Phone on reminds them, "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be writing / reading right now."





4) "Please Sign Up!" Journal - Do you ever try to do one-on-one or small group instruction and other students constantly interrupt?  This idea might help (and it helps young writers with name writing).  Instead of interrupting you, instruct the students to sign up, if they want your attention and/or help.  When you are between interventions, check the list and touch base with the top one or two students on the list.  Be sure to cross off their names after you have checked in with them!



5) Headbands, Hats, and Other Hilarious Head Pieces - This idea piggy-backs off of the "Please Sign Up!" journal.  When you are working one-on-one or in small groups, wear a hat or headband of some sort, as a visual reminder to the other students that it is not a good time to interrupt.  I teach my kids to not interrupt if I am wearing a hat, UNLESS there is "fire, flood, or blood."

It is difficult to see, but this is my basket of hats and headbands.  You can find a lot of seasonal headbands in the $1 bin at Target.

I found this princess hat at the Bristol Ren Faire.  I used to have the same one in pink (from the same faire) when I was a young girl!  Too bad I did not keep it....



6) The Boo Boo Basket - Any elementary school teacher knows the number of boo boo's that can happen in a single day.  It can be overwhelming...and slightly annoying.  I have a basket of Band-Aids in my classroom, but the students know they can only have one if we see blood.  Otherwise, they can rub some boo boo lotion on the owie.  Leftover hotel lotions or any cheap lotions that you have laying around your house work great for boo boo lotion!  Tip!!  Put Band-Aids on your supply list at the beginning of the year.  You know you'll need them!

7) Mini Garbage Cans - I have 6 plastic mini garbage cans that I found at the Dollar Tree. These can be handy when the kids are doing a lot of cutting and you do not want them getting up and down, up and down. Just place one can on each table.

Here are a few more ideas.  I do not have close-up photos for them, but you can spy these ideas in the picture at the top of this post:

8) Bell - I keep a bell handy to signal clean-up time or if I need my students' attention for whatever reason.  Tip!!  Keep the bell in a cup, so the kids are not as tempted to pick it up and ring it.

9) Baby Wipes - My students often ask to wash their hands, even if they have the smallest amount of glue on their hands.  Instead of sending the kids to the backroom, which can cause chaos, I tell them to grab a baby wipe instead.  Tip!!  Put baby wipes on your supply list at the beginning of the year and you will not have to buy them youself.

10) Bank - I do not know how it happens, but my kiddos often find spare change in our classroom, in the hallway, on the playground...you get the picture.  The kids put these coins in our classroom bank.  Right now, my school is having a "Pennies for the Playground" fundraiser (we are trying to get a new and much-needed playground for our school), but you could purchase the kiddos a special treat once they have collected enough change.

11) Hand Sanitizer - This is a must everyday before lunch!  A 3rd grade teacher at my school said they put hand sanitizer on their supply list.  I am thinking Kindergarten should do that as well!

Woah!  This is getting to be a LONG post.  I guess I should stop there.  Please leave a comment if you have any great teacher tips to share that help save valuable learning time in your own classroom!!  Thanks for stopping by!  :)