Renewed Passion for Classroom Management!

Part of my new teacher orientation this week was watching some of the Harry Wong videos on being an Effective Teacher.  Since this will be my 9th year of teaching I have probably seen these videos at least 3 times.  But I was amazed today about how excited I am to have a clean slate and start fresh that first day laying out all my procedures and routines.  And just how important the success of your year is based on those first few days.  Click on the pic below if you'd like to order the book from Amazon.

I always think of the first day and all I have to share with them, train them on, review, etc.  So this year I decided I am going to make a list of all my procedures and keep them on a clip board with me on the first few days.  So as things come up I can check them off.  There is just NO WAY I can fit it all in a plan book and I know I will forget something! Harry Wong even says there is NO WAY to cover everything on the first day, only cover the things that will really happen and then cover other things as they come up.  Here's my list of procedures and I would LOVE to have you help me add to my list:

• Morning Work
• Lining Up and Walking in Line
• Bathroom
• Sink Usage
• Turning things in
• Coming to the carpet - going back to your seat
• Lunch
• Handing out playground equipment
• Getting Supplies

Another big one is how to get the student's attention without flipping off the lights, raising your voice, or asking a million times.  What is your tried and true trick for refocusing your class?  Here are some our group of new teachers came up with:

• 1, 2, 3, Eyes on Me
• SALAME - Stop And Look At ME
• Quiet Sign
• Give Me Five
• Waterfall - teacher says "Waterfall" and students make a "whoosh" noise and use hand motions as if making a waterfall.

Can't wait to hear what all of you have to offer for Classroom Management Tips.  As Harry Wong says, "Great teachers beg, borrow, and steal the good ideas!"

An Important Tip - Inventory Your Stuff

Something I picked up today at my new teacher orientation that I just had to share with you all.  After nine years of teaching you would think I would already know this!  So if you are like me and this has completely gone past you, it's not too late!

My mentor teacher - who is amazing and love working with her - told us that we should keep an inventory of our own personal teaching stuff!  You know how we spend a good chunk of our year end tallying and filling out inventory forms for our school - why aren't we keeping track of our own stuff!  If there is ever - and I hope this NEVER happens to anyone - a fire, flood, leak, etc. there is no way to know what or how much needs to be replaced if you don't have a record of it. 

I know what you are all thinking, at least those of you who have taught a while........this will take FOREVER!  So I am going to make it a monthly goal to get one "subject" inventoried.  Here's what I came up with:

1.  Professional Books
2.  Classroom Library - this one is a biggie!
3.  Bulletin Board Sets
4.  Big Books
5.  Games/Puzzles
6.  Manipulative's

As teachers we spend so much of our own money - the little that we make :( - buying things for our classroom or spend all of our hard earned bonus points from book orders :)  Let's protect our investment shall we?  Happy Inventorying! - yes I made that word up!

Storage For My Sanity!

To say I am structured and love to be organized may be a little bit of an understatement for those who know and love me!  I say "love to be" because actually acheiving that is a whole other issue :)  I am starting at a new school so I am looking at this as my opportunity to have a clean slate and do it right the first time!  But you know how it is when you have to work with what you have and limited funds....so here's some things I have used and new ideas I am looking forward to using.

LOVE these stackable drawers!  Since I teach first grade the schools I have been at have tables and not desks for my kiddos.  What to do with their math books, journals, folders, etc?  This is the answer.  I get one set per table.  Each drawer is labeled - Folders, Language Arts, and Math.  Click here for the labels I use on the drawers. 

These baskets are at the Dollar Tree - one of may all time favorite places to shop for cheap storage.  I use these for putting my Word Work activities together.  Kids can pick up a basket and take them to their seat.   



Book boxes are a must for me with the Daily 5 and I have been looking for ideas on new storage boxes, labels and where to keep them.  I really like this idea of the plastic bins and the binders next to them. 



I saved the best for last!  I want to hire this teacher to come in my classroom and make it look just like hers....I want to be her!!!!!!!!  Click on the button above to see what I am talking about.  Happy Organizing!!

Ready to Fill Some Buckets!

So this book literally changed my life as a parent with my kids at home: Have You Filled A Bucket Today?  By Carol McCloud

My kindergarten daughter was read this book in class by her amazing teacher to help with some friendship/bossy issues going on during recess.  It has helped me as a mom so much at home to teach my kids about being a good person and making good choices.  At dinner time we always go around the table and ask, "What did you do to fill someone's bucket today?"

So now I am taking it to my own classroom.  I stumbled across this link on Scholastic about using it as a behavior management system and fell in LOVE.  I already had the plastic shoe pouch and am on the hunt for some cheap buckets at Oriental Trading.  I am so excited to put this into my classroom!!  Click on the picture below to read all about it.!

I'm Baaaaack! And with good teacher finds!

Just returned home from 2 weeks in Southen Cali visiting family and friends.  Such a great break and fun time with my kiddos too!  I pretty much ate my way through the L.A./Orange County area :)  And my other discovery is that teacher supply stores are WAAYYY better there than here in AZ!  I found some great ideas and bargains at CM School Supply. 

My favorite was the clearance area....which was the size of a warehouse!  I found great teacher resource books from Scholastic for $1.50!  Glyphs are one of my favorite activities to do with my kids.  I was able to get a book for Holidays and All About Me.

If you haven't done glyphs with your class, YOU SHOULD!  They are a great way to integrate reading, writing, and math.  They also make great class bulletin boards.  It's important to include a key on your bulletin board so that people can figure out the meaning of each child's glyph.  I like to have them up for Back to School night or conferences.  I hope to post a picture of this year's class birthday glyphs when school starts....which by the way is only 2 weeks away for me.....AHHHH!