Conversations from the Classroom: July 2017

Jul 29, 2017 by Lauren

#backtoschool

Start the Year off RIGHT!

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Jul 27, 2017 by Tracy Smith

#backtoschool

Back to School Name Practice Freebies

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Jul 26, 2017 by Katie Ellingson~Kindergarten Rocks

#backtoschool

Get Your Google On

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Jul 25, 2017 by Unknown

#backtoschool

7 Helpful Tips For Back to School

Back to School time is always so exciting and a little chaotic...So let us help you out with some tips and ideas to help this time be smooth! I've learned a few things in my 11 years of teaching kindergarten that might help some of you.

This is one of my favorite ideas that I have LOVED using. Purchase a wireless doorbell from your local Home Depot, Menards, hardware store... plug into an outlet and you have yourself a (stop, look and listen tool) without having to say a word. My wonderful husband also cut a piece of wood and made a hole to attach to my lanyard, so I can walk around the room and have this with me at all times.

Last year I had a student with medical needs and I needed to carry with me at all times, a walkie talkie and other items....So instead of looking all over the room for everything I needed I purchased an apron from a restaurant supply store. I like this one because it was plain black so it would go with most of my outfits! (That is important too!) I carried my phone in the pocket too, so I was always ready to take good pictures! :)

We had always taped down numbers or names on the floor for students to stand on in the beginning of the year (and actually for the whole year). We would assign each a number so there would not be any fighting over where anyone was going to stand. It is amazing how everyone just falls into their spot not arguing who is in front or who is the caboose. Well we would tape these onto the floor and our janitor was not too happy ~ he would have to scrape these up and it would take a long time. Also a lot would fall off. So....the other scoop(Eryn) started making these cute dots. Problem solved! You can purchase these at her Etsy store Erynskindercreations (as soon as she gets back from her honeymoon).

Along with the doorbell, I also make a tiny class list in number order to wear with me on my lanyard. Then I will always have that with me so if someone happens to forget where they are to stand I can help them out. Also, it is an easy way to figure out if you have someone missing ~ which does happen at times!

Another teach friend has the best word wall (actually he has a few). This particular one is magnetic (he made a magnetic fence ~ so cool!) Students can go up take a word off and then bring it back to their seats. No walking up and trying to find the word and going back and forth to the word wall for each letter. (Yes, that happens) After they are done ~ they put it back up on the magnetic fence under the correct letter and it is ready for the next student! Easy, peasy! If you would like his sight words, you can check them out here.

After teaching for a few years and yes, struggling with classroom management ~ being consistent is so important ~ I really needed to have the rules of the classroom front and center and be very specific about it. Sooo I created Classroom Rules and Procedures and post them everywhere around the room. It is important to get verrrry explicit especially with 5 year olds but I imagine with older students too! So these Classroom Rules & Procedures have helped me and my students so much ~ I can point to the pictures, along with the simple directions ~ to remind students what is expected.

I wish I had this trick when I first started, it would have saved me a lot of headaches. When my students go to the bathroom (which we are fortunate it is in our classroom closet). They put the bathroom bear in their spot. So when I look up and do not see someone but see the bathroom bear I know that is where they are. They then put the bathroom bear back in it's spot on the counter. Students check to see if someone has the bear and if it is gone they know the bathroom is being used and they have to wait.

Thank you for visiting us here at 2 Scoops of Kindergarten! I hope you take away one tip or trick that can help you when you go back to school! Here are a few freebies for you too! Tech Rules, Beginning of the year sight word activity.

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Jul 24, 2017 by 2 Scoops of Kindergarten

#CFTC

The Two Books you NEED this School Year

I am one of "those" teachers, you know, that reads professional books-lots of them! I always have and I always will. It's how I build the depth and complexity in my own thinking so that I can transfer that same depth and complexity to my students. This summer I built a home office and I was able to consolidate all my at home professional books in one location to the joy of my husband! Here is just what I have at home!

Anyways, there are a few that I come back to time and again. With the onset of Common Core, I realized that I needed to grow in my understanding of how to incorporate the "new" standards into what I was doing. I mean, have you tried to understand some of this wording! It is, to say the least, mind-boggling! That is, until I found these two bad boys right here!

math, reading, ela, the Standards, Common Core,

These are the Common Core Companions: The Standards Decoded, by far the best professional purchase I have made since Common Core came out! Here is a little breakdown of what is inside!

ELA Version:

Inside the ELA Version you will find the Standard broken down by grade level. The book come as K-2 and 3-5. So, the intermediate book shows How the standard looks for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.

Next, the standard is followed by "What the Student Does". This page shows both the literature and informational text breakdown of how the students are to master the Standard. This is where the magic of this book happens! The author's clearly explain what the Standard is to the student! It is very easy from this page to also come up with "I can..." statements for students. Super simple from this page!

The next two page spread is key to you, the teacher. The first page of the spread shows you how to teach the Standard. Some of these ideas are really key to developing good lessons. I've included them in a number of products including this one:

On the other side of the spread, there is a lesson planning page so that you can jot notes. This is not a "lesson" planning page. It is more of a mindset "lesson" plan. It makes you think about your classroom and the Standard connected across academics and behaviors.

Finally, the last spread is about the academic vocabulary of the standard and how you are going to teach it. This continues for each and every standard in ELA! Brilliant!

Math:

The Math version is laid out a little bit differently and took awhile to get used to, since I had used the ELA version a ton before I dived into math.

The first page of the Standard appears to be not so important till you dig into the Standard. Then, you suddenly realize you have to turn back to this page. It gives a very good overview to the Standard, providing the limitations to the Standard as well. Then it provides the Standards for Math Practice that connect to the particular Standard. These were very eye opening, again providing some insight into the limitations of the Standard. Very interesting... I would normally have skipped right over this, but am now glad I took the time to read them.

This book doesn't work in "spreads" like the ELA book. These get right into the Standard from here. The page has the Standard listed at the top. Then it jumps into "What the Teacher Does" followed by "What the Students Do". At the bottom, there is a section called "Addressing Student Misconceptions and Common Errors". At the end of each Cluster there is a sample planning page with suggestions and ideas for questioning and differentiating. Then, next to it is a blank planning page for your use.

The other awesome thing about this book is that they offer online resources that match each book. Graphic organizers and other goodies are available once you purchase the text! Bonus!

Overall, these are the best purchases I have made in a long time! I highly suggest them for you too! They are so valuable as a tool to really understand what we are teaching without the text book companies getting in the the way! They are considered so valuable that my administrators purchased them for the whole staff! How about that! So, I'll keep a copy at home and a copy at school! WOOT!!

Let me know what you think and what you think is your most valuable professional book! I might just have it in my library too!

Jump on over to my blog and discover Student-Led Classroom ideas!

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Jul 23, 2017 by Julie from The Best Days Classroom

#BacktoSchoolBinder

How To Get Better Behavior... From the Start!

There are so many different techniques for dealing with behavior, but the most important work begins before students even step into your classroom. It's true. They say teachers have the summers off, but the truth is that great teachers do most of their classroom management before school even starts.

In order to create your ideal classroom environment, you need to plan ahead of time. Think of how you want your students to act in class, how they’ll complete specific tasks throughout the day, and what you expect of them. Plan it out and put your plan into place before the students arrive. Don’t wait until you have a behavior problem before you figure out a way to deal with it!

Set it up.

You’ll need to set your expectations ahead of time. What do you expect from your students? Is it okay if students talk quietly to each other during class? What should they do when they need to use the restroom? When should they sharpen their pencils? What if they need your attention or have a question?

Set your expectations by creating rules and routines for your classroom. Think about every part of your school day: Entering the classroom, unpacking book bags, handing in homework, etc. Write out each step of the day and have a specific routine in place for every single part of the day.

Seems excessive? What, you think teaching all of those routines would take too much time? What if I told you it would save you time in the long run?

Putting specific routines in place, practicing, and reinforcing them teaches students exactly how you expect them to behave throughout the day. There is less confusion, less “I didn’t know,” and more chance they’ll remember the routines you’ve put into place and meet your expectations. This is how you turn your rules and routines into the classroom norm. And establishing an organized and productive norm is part of how you create a positive classroom environment!

Keep in mind that different teachers have very different expectations for their students, so you can’t expect that your students will walk in already knowing what to do. Last year’s teacher may have been fine with students calling out instead of raising their hands. As a self-contained special education teacher, many of my students had never been asked to raise their hands before because they were always part of such a small group. As the teacher, it is up to you to set your expectations, establish it as your norm, and create the classroom environment that you envision.

Reinforce It.

Okay, so now your students know what you expect of them, but do they know what can they expect from you? What will you do when students fall short of your classroom expectations or make poor behavior choices? Will there be consequences? If so, what? What will you do when students rise up to exceed your expectations? Will you provide incentives or rewards?

Make a list of your consequences, consider creating a hierarchy, and decide when each of your consequences would be appropriate. Know ahead of time how you’ll handle poor behavior so you’re not caught off guard in the moment. Think about the rewards and incentives you can offer to motivate students. When will you use them and how often? Again, make sure you know ahead of time!

Be consistent.

Your rules, routines, consequences, and rewards will all depend on the age and needs of your students. The important thing is that you stay consistent in what you choose for your classroom. If you tell students they will lose a privilege for not meeting a certain expectation, make sure you follow through. Be specific so that students know what to expect and know that you have a plan. After all, you are the one in charge and you do have a plan, regardless of the choices they make.

Your students’ words and behaviors do not control your classroom.

Remember that, and allow your well-planned classroom management system guide you and your students throughout the year.

Stay Positive.

There are many ways to manage classroom behavior, but I am a firm believer that positive reinforcement is always the best approach. You want your students to want to be their very best in your class. You need to make it so that it is in their best interest to meet your expectations. Make sure your rewards are effective and items or privileges that your students actually want to earn.

Choosing your behavior modification plan can be tricky and personal. What works for someone else might not work out for you. You’ll have to find a behavior management plan that you love and can apply to your lessons throughout the year. My CHANCE program changed everything for me. It helped me turn a truly challenging year into a positive and productive one.

This token economy has helped me to set students up for success quickly, easily, and without spending a lot of money. Previously, I had been spending a ton of money on erasers, stickers, pencils, and small toys to give out all the time for homework and behavior. Silly!

This program cut down on my expenses…drastically. It had been a long road finding that perfect behavior management system.

Personally, I don’t believe in writing students names on the board, using traffic light behavior systems, or any other behavior modification technique that calls out the “bad kids.” Students who fall short of expectations are publicly shamed with these systems. Students with unique sensory needs may struggle to sit still or stay quiet during classwork. Others may have attention deficits and may have struggle to pay attention in class, making it difficult to perform classroom tasks as requested. If these students end up being called out for their poor performance too often, students begin to accept it as the norm, rendering the system ineffective.

Even sticker charts can be tricky. Many teachers award a prize for filling a chart with stickers, for example, a week’s worth of homework. But what if the student misses the first sticker? The whole point of the chart is to motivate students to complete their homework for the whole week, but if they miss it on Monday, there is no incentive to do any homework for the rest of the week since they already lost their chance to get all 5 stickers.

Every behavior management program has its pros and cons, but at the end of the day, I firmly believe in the power of positive reinforcement. After all, why do most of us go to work? Sure, we love our jobs, but hat paycheck sure is a great incentive. That is why I’ve always used the CHANCE Token Economy System in my classroom. A token economy is a system that rewards students for good behavior and/ or school work. Students earn tokens for engaging in targeted behaviors, such as following directions, appropriate behavior, classwork, homework completion, or whatever goal or behavior you are focusing on.

CHANCE allows me to award students:

without disrupting the class
without spending a ton of money on little prizes
without calling out “the bad kids”

Instead, CHANCE allows me to:

Award students quickly and easily
Set students up for success, even if they’ve struggled earlier in the day/ week
Modify expectations for students with challenging behaviors or special needs
Provide manageable goals by breaking the day/ week into opportunities to achieve success
Establish good behaviors and positive interactions as the classroom norm
Create a positive classroom environment
Introduce the concept of earning and saving, a valuable life skill

Behavior is a form of communication.

Say it with me: Behavior is a form of communication. It’s true. I learned this while working with nonverbal children in an autism program, but it is true for everyone. Really, it is.

A baby cries if because is hungry. A child pushes a friend because she wants him to move over. An adult taps because they are bored or impatient. There are examples all around us, and we too communicate through our own behavior as well. If we think of behavior as a form of communication, then we can use it as a tool to understand our students’ thoughts and needs.

A student becoming irritable and impatient at the same time each day might be hungry (or “hangry,” as some might say). A student constantly kicking the chair in front of him might have sensory issues and may need more physical stimulation and movement during the school day. Looking at behaviors, especially recurrent ones, as a form of communication can help us understand WHY students are behaving as they are. Once we better understand our students, we can help them to be their very best selves.

Visit my blog at https://teachingexceptionalthinkers.com/ for more fun teaching ideas!

Follow Exceptional Thinkers on TPT for freebies, discounts, and new products!

~Christy D. from Exceptional Thinkers

Here's where you can find me:

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Jul 22, 2017 by Christy from Exceptional Thinkers

3-5

Tips for Introducing Setting in the Upper Grades

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Jul 21, 2017 by Lisa Prins

#CFTC

Creating a Love of Reading Through Your Read Aloud

With a jam packed curriculum, it can be so challenging to create a classroom where reading takes center stage, but creating a love of reading in your classroom should be a primary goal. One of the best ways to do this is through your read aloud.

Be Faithful to Reading Aloud

I have two types of read aloud's in my classroom. The first is a lesson based read aloud where I am teaching a skill or strategy. While powerful, I struggle to use this type of read aloud to create joy in the reading process. The second type of read aloud is focused on pleasure in reading. To teach this way you to create time in your day for more than one read aloud and that is hard. Try finding a small space of time in your day where you can do this consistently.

Share Your Story

Sharing the reason you love a book or series of books is very important. Last year, one of my boys had a teacher who consistently shared her life as a reader with him. Whenever he read more than expected, she always related how she had a book she couldn't put down either. This made a huge impact and created a bond as readers. I love to share how I found the book that I am reading. Maybe it was recommended by a friend or you found the book at the library or book store. These back stories make books come alive for students. It also lets students see how books are important in your life. They may not have a model of a reader at home.

Read a Series

Reading a series of books that are just slightly too hard for most of your readers is a great strategy. You can then suggest a series that your students could read that is simlilar or it can stretch some of your top readers. A series of books are critical for new readers. If they like a series, it lets them move from book to book without having to go through the process of selecting an entirely new topic or characters. They also love to see past characters or topics sprinkled throughout other books in the series.

Read Unrelated Books by the Same Author

When you read a group of books by the same author, it helps keep interest and lets students look for commonalities and differences among the books. It also creates a conversation between you and your students as they begin to see patterns in characters or settings. It also gives you the opportunity to also dive into the author's story and lets them get to know them as a person. The students then begin to explore reading that author's book too.

Read Books Related by Topic

Tap into the interests of your students and pick some books that are tied together by topic. This will help them bridge the gap and see themselves as readers. It also gives a context to read non-fiction which we need to include in order to satisfy all of the readers in our classroom.

It takes some time to create a love of reading in our students. A read aloud is the perfect vehicle to let our students see us as readers and get to know the books we love. If you share this love with them, it will pay big dividends for them. Comment with your favorite read aloud strategy.

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Jul 17, 2017 by A Spot of Curriculum

#3rdGrade