Self Portraits!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Well, with my room under construction it's fair to say that it has been an interesting start to the school year to say the least. I feel like I have been on a long scavenger hunt that has lasted a lot longer than I had anticipated. When I finally find something I am looking for it almost feels like Christmas. On the flip side of the construction, I really have learned a valuable lesson. As I tried to ease my nerves about starting a new school year without having every little thing in place, I learned that I had to let go of the idea of perfection and enjoy the joy in each day. And I learned that we really need fewer things to survive in kindergarten than I had originally thought. The kids were just happy to be in kindergarten finally and they didn't seem to care at all that things in the environment were not perfect.

As Open House was approaching I wasn't sure if I would be back in my old room or if I would still be in the new room. No matter what I had to get things ready for parents to come and visit the classroom. I will admit I had no grand plan. It was hard to get motivated considering I still felt like nothing was perfect or even close. I came in each day and stared at the walls and I was afraid to look at the shelves because they were not so organized but in reality only I would have known that!

As I passed my old room each day I knew I needed a pick-me-up and quick. We decided on self portraits because it is such a traditional kindergarten must. And I knew these would do the trick to add some life and color to the bare walls. But this time was different. A teacher friend of mine suggested that I include a you tube video to help facilitate the lesson. I believe this really helped the children produce such great self portraits. Not only could they visually see the process, they could hear the artist explain as he drew. The results were amazing.

We watched the video and used scrap paper to practice drawing our self portraits. I had plenty of paper on hand and we used it. Some children were happy with their first portrait and others were not. We practiced drawing a new portrait for five days and ended those sessions evaluating each portrait as they were shared. I believe all of us had a better idea of how to approach our final portrait after practicing for five days and learning how each person created theirs. The final products were amazing to look at. Each portrait had personality. I could not wait to hang them on the walls for Open House!

After the self portraits were up it started to feel a little more like home. I was able to throw together a few decorations behind my desk just in time. And the morale to this story is that the kids were happy to just be in kindergarten and it didn't matter if things were perfect. The parents were snapping pictures of the self portraits and the conversations were lively. Nobody ever knew things were not perfect or how I would have done this or that had there been no construction. I learned to not sweat the small stuff and move on and enjoy the joy in everyday no matter if it's perfect or not!

Flexible Grouping!

Hey Kinder Friends,
Flexible grouping has been on my mind since late last year. In the spring I was able to try several group strategies with my easy going class. I liked the idea and I learned it was not only engaging but highly motivational for my students. I was even able to branch out and try flexible grouping with a bilingual class and the results were the same...we loved it. We used flexible grouping mostly in math and science last year.

But this year I wanted to use this grouping strategy a little more and try some new things. I knew from experience that when I started in the spring last year I had already established many things in the classroom that made trying different strategies easy. Since I wanted to try flexible grouping this year at the beginning of the year I wanted something that would be simple to understand and easy to use. As I was on an internet search I came across these.

I knew when I found these that these would be the perfect start to my flexible grouping because they are simple to use. These are from Learning Resources. I bought them on Amazon cheaper than buying them direct and I paid no shipping since I am a prime member. I ordered them late on a Friday after ten days in school because I was thinking my class was ready to give it a try. I am excited that I have them in my hands on Sunday ready to take into the classroom this week and put them to work. I love that about Amazon Prime.
So, how am I going to use them?
In the beginning of the year the children can get familiar with them by selecting a stick and having them group themselves together and answer simple questions or even introduce themselves to each other. These can be used as a grouping tool for those first day ice breakers and you could establish flexible groupings from the first day of school...I love that!

The pencils can be grouped in a few simple ways. Cooperative groups can be grouped together by color, shape or number. It is simple and I especially love that at the beginning of the year. You can determine how the groups will be grouped or you can also allow the class to determine the grouping.

These pencils are made of think plastic and are very durable. These will last a long time and will survive Kindergarten. You will be able to use these again next year for sure. Additionally, you could use these if you happen to change grade levels. They could be used as call sticks for random calling but you would need to put a sticker on them and then write the name of the student. The sticker could be peeled off at the end of the year. I like keeping them as is and not marking them because I know I will be able to use these for years to come!

Handwriting!

Hey Kinder Friends,

As the school year approaches, I am starting to think about the essential items that I need to have on hand in order to be prepared for the year. Over the years I have noticed that the children that come to me need a lot of help in the area of handwriting. In the past, I have been able to get by with simple lessons and materials but over the last few years I have been faced with some serious handwriting challenges. For the past several years I have noticed a huge increase in the children that either wear or need glasses. Last year one third of my class either wore them or needed to wear them and didn't. In addition to that, I have also noticed that the children entering my classroom either cannot write yet or very little and if they do write their letter formation is poor. And I also know we have no formal curriculum for handwriting. Furthermore, this year I am faced with another challenge. Last year our prek at my school was cut and the children were sent to another school. The problem is many of the parents decided to keep their children home instead. So this year my classroom will more likely be filled with children who may not have had the benefit of a prek teacher or program.

Letter Formation Slide Show

Based on the needs of my class last year I needed several different things when considering each lesson. Some children needed large print, some needed very focused and repeated instruction and some just needed a little practice.

With the slide show I was able to focus on a particular letter each day or week and revisit a particular letter as needed. I was able to save the original slide show, delete the slides I did not need that week and keep the ones I would be working on. We focused on letter formation for about ten minutes per day and it was needed. It did not take long for the kids to catch on. The blue dot in each slide shows the proper path of motion for each letter. When I made my personal slide shows I made 3 copies of each slide so we could see the path of motion 3 times.

Highlight and Write

My Handwriting Book

Color and Write Beginning Sounds

Handwriting Practice

After the slide show focus lesson we all had plenty of opportunities to practice what we learned. We had fun with it. We went from weak handwriting to strong handwriting. I had to eventually create some large print handwriting pages for a few of my students who struggled.

Providing the larger format for practice really helped my strugglers. These would also be great in plastic sleeves with dry erase because they are large enough for the width of the marker. These pages can be found in the Handwriting Practice above.

I almost forgot my favorite part... One of my favorite teaching tools is my presentation pointer. I was able to walk around the room with it in my hand advancing the slides and pointing where needed from anywhere in the room. I found this on Amazon and would not want to start the year without it! So with a few basic tools on hand I feel ready to conquer and handwriting challenges I face and I know we will have fun doing it!

The Daily Schedule!

Hey Kinder Friends,
We are so close to the first day of school it is time to talk about the daily schedule. It is amazing how we fit it all in and get it all done all in a day and with a class full of students. Most of my career I  had flexibility in my schedule and I loved that. For the last few years I have had a mandated schedule but flexibility within each block...thank goodness. No matter how you look at it, it has to get accomplished so the way I look at it now is totally different than in the beginning of the mandate.
The Literacy Workshop
I am fortunate to have the flexibility to move the components around within the workshop and if I need a little more time one day for something I can use it. Even knowing that, I do my best to honor the amounts of time for each piece and make decisions based on the needs of the children I teach.
It is a balancing act...
What are the components of the Literacy Workshop?
Reading
Writing

Integrated Social Studies

Breaking it down!

Independent Workstations 10

Read Aloud 10

Word Study 10 

Writing Demonstration 10

Independent Writing 20

Reading Demonstration 10

Guided Reading/Workstations 40

Shared Reading 10

Enrichment/RTI 30

So much needs to be accomplished in 150 minutes!

The Math Workshop

One of the biggest questions I hear and ask other teachers about is the structure of the math workshop. We all want to know what is going on in this or that classroom so we can tweak and modify our own workshop and make it better. I never really tire of talking about the math workshop. Over the years I have had a standard 90 minutes of math. The only difference in the last few years is that now that 90 minutes is not broken up by specials or any other event. My 90 minutes is continuous. No matter if I have 90 continuous minutes of math or if it is broken into two parts, I could find and discuss the pros and cons of both. The fact of the matter is that I have 90 minutes of continuous math that consume my math block. Knowing the nature of a five year old and knowing my time allotment, I had to make it work so that we are continuously moving through the 90 minutes and accomplishing everything. I will be the first to admit 90 minutes at the beginning of kindergarten is challenging to say the least. It feels like that block will never end and within a few weeks I always find myself begging for more.  

What are the components of the Math Workshop?

In my math workshop I include:

Calendar Time

Focus Lesson

Guided Practice

Independent Practice

Small Group Instruction

RTI

Number Talks

Notebooking

Breaking it down!
I follow this format each day of the week except for my computer lab day. Having the lab day break up the week really helps me because it is just once a week and we look forward to it. So the rest of the week we follow the breakdown.
Calendar 5-10
Focus Lesson 5-10
Guided Practice 10
Independent Practice and Focused Small Group 20
Transition 10
Independent Practice and RTI 20
Number Talks 10 

The calendar time is quick and easy. The focus lesson is our current content. Guided practice is simply guided instruction and modeling. Independent practice is when children practice what has already been taught while I work in a small group. I usually have a transition planned that I am excited about because...I don't really like stopping! I need it for time management. In the beginning I use surveys and questions. We have another round of independent practice and RTI. And finally we end with Number Talks.

I end with Number Talks because everything is cleaned up and it signals the end of the workshop. Number Talks is one of my favorite components so leaving it to the end is motivational to...me!

The Science Workshop
One of the biggest changes over the last couple of years has been in the area of science. We used to have a flexible schedule rather than a mandated schedule. Before the mandated schedule science could be integrated into other subjects and the actual time was flexible. It was a freedom I enjoyed for well over a decade. I always had science embedded into my day before but it was flexible and if I needed a little more time for something I had it. So naturally I was not thrilled when we were on a mandated schedule and science was limited to 30 minutes at best and at the end of the day. Honestly I struggled and struggled a lot finding solutions that covered the standards and left enough time for hands-on exploration. Sometimes what I normally would do in one session, I had to spread over a couple of days. Last year smack in the middle of the year, our actual school day was increased 9 minutes and that was added to science. I made adjustments and moved on. This year I now have an hour! In response to the added time, I now envision a science structure that will actually work with enough time for hands-on learning!
What are the components of the Science Workshop?
Focus Lesson 10
Guided Practice 5
Independent Practice/Small Groups 30
Notebooking 15

Kindergarten Daily Schedule
8:20 Arrival
8:20-8:30 Independent Workstations
8:30-8:40 Read Aloud
8:40-8:50 Word Study
8:50-9:00 Writing Demonstration
9:00-9:20 Independent Writing
9:20-9:30 Reading Demonstration
9:30-10:10 Guided Reading/Workstations
10:10-10:20 Shared Reading
10:20-10:50 Enrichment/RTI
10:50-11:20 Lunch
11:20-11:40 Recess
11:50-12:00 Calendar Time
12:00-12:10 Math Focus Lesson
12:10-12:20 Math Guided Practice
12:20-12:40 Math Independent Practice and Focused Small Group
12:40-12:50 Transition
12:50-1:10 Math Independent Practice/RTI
1:10-1:20 Number Talks
1:25-2:35 Specials
2:35- 2:45 Science Focus Lesson
2:45-2:50 Science Guided Practice
2:50-3:20 Science Independent Practice
3:20-3:35 Notebooking
Social Studies is embedded into Language Arts
Check back with me to learn more about each component of our day!

         

First Day Freebie!

Hey Kinder Friends,
I can almost hear the school bell ringing. It is right around the corner. I can't believe how fast the summer just seemed to fly by. It won't be long and it will be the night before the first day.

With all of the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping and getting the classroom ready it is hard to get it all done. There are so many things to prepare for the year that sometimes it is easy to overlook the first day. The first day is so important and you might want to capture it in a quick picture. So if you need a little help getting a prop ready I found this in my files just ready for back to school. It is simple to print and prepare and a great prop after reading First Day Hooray.

Just a simple print, cut, laminate and staple together for the kids to hold for their first day pictures. So if this helps you get it all together and ready for that first day...hooray!

If you need your copy click...

HERE

Too Much Glue Freebie!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Thinking about Back to School always makes me think of glue. I had my basket loaded with bottles just the other day and it seems like no matter how many bottles you have it just is not enough. So you probably have figured out that I use bottles in my class. Yep, plain old bottles of glue. It is what is on our supply list and it is what I get a few of at the beginning of the year. I have no fear of the glue bottles. I just have learned to deal with it. And right from the very start we quickly learn the expectations for glue.

A Dot Will Do!

After reading the book and having a class discussion the kids are ready to get some hands-on experience with glue. I make copies of the glue page on red, yellow and green copy paper and we are set for a couple of rounds of glue work. We practice gluing hole punched black circles onto the paper. We practice how to open and close the bottle. We practice where and how to put it away and clean up. It's a big deal. And we have fun with it.

Grab Your Freebie HERE!

Yep, It's Free!

My Number Card Freebie!

Hey Kinder Friends,

With Teacher Appreciation time fast approaching I wanted to give back something to all the great teachers that inspire and help me. I was thinking a lot of getting ready for the back to school season just as the year is winding up. I was copying and laminating some ABC cards and it made me think of a number card. I have searched forever to find what I was looking for and just never found it. So I decided to finally sit down and create on for myself. I finally have what I have wanted and needed for a long time. I can't wait to print these and laminate them and put them up for next year. I know when I see them next year I will be glad I finally took the time to make it. I can already think of a few uses for it. These would be great copied on cardstock and laminated and stored in math folders. Staple one on the math wall. Copy and laminate a few to be stored in independent math boxes. And a simple black and white copy for take home folders.

ABC and 123 Handwriting Practice

And as I was working on the number card my mind was also thinking of one more simple thing I wish I had for a long time. For so many different reasons I have needed a resource for letter and number formation that the font was large enough to see the proper path of motion that the children could use with dry erase markers. I decided to sit down and create it while I was on a roll and get it ready for the back to school season. Just getting the basics ready and prepared helps to ease the pain of the stress of a new school year. The font in this product would be considered large and perfect for independent math and literacy stations or centers. And what I love is that it is simply...

Handwriting Practice Print and Go!

I just love that. And if I have a few kids that need practice with a certain letter or number I can send one home in a bag and a dry erase. Lots of possibilities for such a simple resource and the best part is that it is ready to go! Wishing you a great end of the year and looking forward to the next!

Meet The Teacher!





Hey Kinder Friends,

What a good day it was today to be able to spend it with new teachers! Just remembering my own first year and being able to share those feelings with other teachers really made me think about just how grateful I still am to be...a teacher. I am thankful to be able to still say I love my job and still can find the joy in it. But the nerves of the first day of school never seem to go away no matter if it is the first, first day of your teaching career or you are having the first day for the 15th time. I just can't believe it will be the 15th first day of school for me.

The other night I was thinking about Meet the Teacher night, that is fast approaching for me. I have been so preoccupied with trainings and presentations that I had given it little thought. I decided that I wanted to have something simple just in case parents and students drop by. I decided to give one of  my newsletters a try and see if I could make it work for Meet the Teacher. Before I even opened the newsletter to start typing, I was really struggling about what to write. When I opened the newsletter template, it just didn't seem so intimidating anymore. It looked manageable. I knew I wanted to say something about my teaching experience and I knew I wanted to share something personal. When I looked at the spaces provided, it seemed to help me focus because it needed to be short, to the point and sweet. Within about 15 minutes, I was ready to print. I was now feeling a little bit ready for Meet the Teacher, even if my room looks like it did the last day of school! My panic and twitch was starting to ease.  

I couldn't stop thinking that it was just too simple. It was just too easy to make me feel better about this upcoming day. I wondered if I should do something else because this came together way too easy for me. I decided that I wanted to set out a welcoming basket of apples. If the parents and kids sat down and ate the apples...great. And if not? I had some apples on hand for snack...no big deal. And as my mind wandered a little bit more, I came up with the rest of my plan. I am grabbing some framed pictures of me and my family and I am going to skip myself all the way to Kindergarten looking like I had this planned for days.

I even might have time to craft a wreath, write a first day of school letter and get my room ready for the first day of school.

If you need more information about creating your own newsletters, just click on the images above.

Wishing you nothing but the best this year!



Alphabet Rescue!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Right about now I need an alphabet rescue! I am sure you can relate. Thinking about letters at the beginning of school is what we all do. Can we ever get enough resources to use in class or send home with kids to practice? I seem to always need a little more. And I love things that serve as double duty for my kids. So one day I was thinking about an alphabet rescue and this is what I came up with.

You know in the beginning of Kindergarten every kid just wants to get their hands on the new supplies so Color And Write seemed to fit for the kids. We get that coloring itch out in the very beginning. My kids tell me they have never even once used a crayon until Kindergarten and it is a big deal! And you know one of my smallest goals this year is better handwriting with automaticity. So that when we become independent writers, someone can actually read it! So the Color And Write can serve up some double duty here. And last, I needed yet another go to resource that I could have on hand and print when I needed...in a flash!

Now I have a quick and printable resource that I can put in a center, make books with or send in take home folders or bags. And better yet, I have it saved on my computer and ready for the new kid who comes to school late and needs a little help.

I had to keep this alphabet adventure going because I was on a roll. Just one more! Every teacher knows kids need multiple opportunities to master something.

 



So there you have it!

From an alphabet rescue to adventure...wishing you the best year yet!