Brain Breaks with GoNoodle.com!

Have you heard of GoNoodle.com?  

Well...you need to go, if you haven't!  It's a super fun brain breaks website for your class.  It features tons of dance and kid-friendly videos to move to.  It also has relaxation videos.  You and your class can create an avatar.  This avatar grows and becomes a champion as your class accrues more minutes doing brain breaks or exercises.  My first grade students last year...LOVED it!  

Classroom management tip here:  I told them they needed to show me UH-MAZING focus during our lesson and independent work and if they did well...then...GO NOODLE!  They got to work and stayed focused ASAP...with the excitement and anticipation of a brain break in mind!  

On top of fun...it's free to sign-up!  And you know how I love FREE.  :)  

Please come back and post a comment about how your students reacted to it.  Thanks!

Enjoy!

Read More...

Behavior Think Sheet

If you read my Beginning of the Year Information, you would find the documents I sent out to my first graders' parents this year.  

Within this document it talks about my class' behavior plan and how I incorporate ClassDojo, which my first graders love!  I talk about giving my students 3 strikes when they break a class rule.  

1st strike is just a verbal warning and a negative point on ClassDojo.

2nd strike is to take time during their afternoon recess to reflect on their behavior with the Behavior Think Sheet.  Rather than have my students lose recess by just sitting out, they need to reflect on what they did on the Behavior Think Sheet.  Once they finish the sheet and we've discussed the behavior, then they're free to play again, if there's time left.  This Sheet goes home with the student with the expectation that parents discuss it with him/her, sign it, and return the Sheet the next day.

Feel free to use the Behavior Think Sheet.  Please leave me a comment and let me know how it goes for you.  

Thank you!

Read More...

Daily Class Reflections Idea

Holding students accountable for their learning is a learning process.  It teaches them to think about what was taught and whether they learned it or not.  But more importantly, it teaches them to set goals to achieve what they want to learn.  

I think a daily end-of-the-day class reflection is a fantastic way to bring the class back together, discuss what happened that day, which subjects/things they liked or disliked, and which subjects/things they feel they need more help in.  

Don't forget to maintain a positive welcoming environment for those shy students to share what they feel they need to work on.  With a group discussion, acceptance and acknowledge of each others' comments are necessary.  

Write these daily class reflections on a whiteboard.  Have a student record, or copy, what you write and put it in a binder and put it in the classroom library for students to read.  This can become the classroom newsletter!

If you have older students, eventually have them lead the end-of-the-day reflections and have them write and record!

Plus, this is would be a great way to see where your students are at and see if you need to reteach a lesson!

Please comment and let me know what you think!  Don't be shy to share your ideas, too!  Thanks!

Read More...

Clever Student/Parent Reminders!

I've posted about The Mailbox many times because of their clever ideas.

Here is one that I think will work in reminding students and parents what is needed:

The next time a child needs to replenish a school supply or you’re requesting that students contribute to a class project, try this! Have each child write a short note to his parent(s) on the outside of a folded paper sack that, when unfolded, can be used to carry the needed supply to school! These unique requests really deliver!

See!  Clever!

I definitely recommend subscribing to them!  Thanks, Mailbox!  

Read More...

Reward Your Students with Coupons, not Candy

I prefer to reward my students with experiences, as opposed to candy or toys.  

As a fan of TeachersPayTeachers.com and liking their page on Facebook, I recently came across a first grade teacher named Laura Martin, who has reached $20,000 in sales this year on TpT!  That's awesome!

Laura created this 

Classroom Reward Coupons-50+ Coupons to Reward and Inspire Packet.  Some coupon ideas are Lunch with Teacher, Good Behavior Phone Call, Sit at Teacher's Desk, etc.  Pretty fun and definitely something a child would want!  Makes he/she feel extra special that day!

I downloaded something similar last year and put it in a folder for my students to flip through and choose what they would like.  It was something they looked forward to when I surprised them with these rewards at random.  

Thank you, Ms. Laura Martin for your time and creations!  You are awesome!  

Oh, and check out her website, Peace, Love, and First Grade, too!

Enjoy! 

Read More...

Level It Books™

I stumbled upon Level It Books™.  

It seems perfect for educators and parents to find that "just right" book for children simply by scanning the ISBN code from your iPhone.  

However, it has some mixed reviews at the moment.  

BUT...I still purchased the app on my iPhone and can't wait to test it out and start leveling my classroom library books!  

I'll submit and update and review of the app soon!  

Check it out for yourself.  It is on sale now for $2.99 on the iPhone app store.

Please leave me a comment and let me know how it's working for you!  Thanks!

Happy Leveling!

Read More...

ClassDo What?! No...ClassDOJO!

I absolutely love love love ClassDojo!

It is a behavior management app that allows you, your students, and their parents to see how the student is doing on a daily basis!  In real time!

You will love it because it beats behavior flip charts or any other color-coded behavior management tools you've ever used.  

Your students will love it because they can create their own creatures and have their own account (with permission from their parents), plus they love accumulating points (which is up to you how you want to reward them, or just let it be)!  
Their parents will love it because they get a daily report on their child's positive and negative behaviors in real time and in specific activities!

This app is simply genius!  In class, I use my iPhone as the remote, while ClassDojo shows up on the SMARTboard, and it syncs together to create harmony!

I started using it last year with my second grade class and it only had an English (US) version.  Now, you can use it in 9 different languages, including English (UK)!  Amazing!  

So, please check it out and don't forget to...

Share me!

Thank you, ClassDojo!

And please leave me a comment and let me know how it's working for you!  Thanks!

Read More...

Mystery Walker

Behavior Tip: hallway manners

I plan on implementing this in my own classroom soon!  Sounds very fun and mysterious!  Thanks, again, Mailbox!

There's no secret to maintaining proper hallway behavior with this fun tip. Write each student's name on a craft stick and place the sticks in a container near the door. Also hang a laminated sheet of poster board on the door. Before leaving the room, remove one stick without revealing the mystery walker's name. After returning to the room, name the mystery walker only if s/he behaved properly. (If s/he did not behave properly, return the stick to the container.) Have the student to use a dry-erase marker to sign his name on the poster. Encourage the class to sign as many names as possible during the week. On Friday, count the number of signatures and address them as role models and then, wipe the poster clean for a new week.

Update: I did this with my second grade class, using the Random button on my ClassDojo app, and my kids walked perfectly down the hall!  I told them if my mystery walker does well walking nicely and quietly down the halls, they will receive 5 ClassDojo points.  It worked like magic!  Try it!

Please leave me a comment and let me know how it works for you!

Read More...

10 Classroom Organization Tips & More!

Thanks to TeacherVision...here are 10 classroom organization tips that will for sure help with time and classroom management!  & classroom organization tips from veteran teachers!  Can't ever have enough teacher tips!  :)  
Afterall, an organized classroom = a positive classroom environment!

Read More...

Walk Quietly Down the Halls Chant

Here's a chant I found from The Mailbox to prepare & remind students to walk quietly down the halls!

("If You'e Happy and You Know It" tune)

When we're walking down the hall, quiet, please! (Shh! Shh!)
When we're walking down the hall, quiet, please! (Shh! Shh!)
So that we do not disturb, we must walk and not be heard.
When we're walking down the hall, quiet, please! (Shh! Shh!)

Thank you, Mailbox!




I may make this chant into a printable like these!  Stay tuned!

Read More...

Ever Heard of the Pencil Police?

Thanks to A Cupcake for the Teacher Blog, you will get to know the Pencil Police aka PEPO!
PEPO is definitely someone you should know.  
Mrs. Cupcake has some great tips in how to manage pencils in the classroom!  

I definitely want this pencil sharpener now!
Thank you, Mrs. Cupcake!

Read More...

6 Classroom Mgmt Tips Every Teacher Can Use

6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use from NEA (National Educational Association) is pretty much on point.  

1. Take Charge of Your Class: This is a must for every class before you can start your day!  Anything that can get their attention is a step to learning something.  The fun part for teachers is figuring out what fun attention getters to use!  
2. Focus on the Disruptive Students:  This is as easy as just walking towards them to snap the students back to the task at hand.  Nonverbal cues are definitely effective.  But of course, calling out their name and asking them a question works too!  
3. Let Students Choose Their Seats: Most teachers do not like to do this.  I like to at the beginning of the year, just so you can figure out which students are buddies and give them the opportunity to act responsibly...but if they get chatty, change seats! 
4. Give Incentives to Do Their Best on Assignments: A little incentive can be good.  But ultimately, I am a teacher that likes to promote intrinsic motivation (more on this another time).  But I do like the idea of randomly picking that one student to determine further assignments for the whole class.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Students:  This is a another must!  No matter where you are in the classroom, you must always have an eye on your class, even when you are helping one student at a time.  This helps in maintaining behaviors, too.  
6. Establish Consequences for Misbehaviors: Students are going to act out at one point.  Although I like to focus more on students' positive behaviors, sometimes you do need consequences to misbehaviors.  In regards to behaviors though, I like to create the rules & consequences with my class at the beginning of the school year!  

Enjoy!

Read More...

THE GIVING TREE

Mrs. Gold's Class is an awesome teacher & blogger!  Found her today and love her ideas!  Especially her Giving Tree idea!  You make a huge tree in your classroom, branches & all.  Make a ton of leaves.  As students see each other doing good deeds for one another, they write a blurb on a leaf and place it on the tree!  An amazing positive environment will come about!  Here are Mrs. Gold's Class' Bulletin Board Ideas (Pictures), and click on her Giving Tree pictures for details!

I tried to implement it in my preK class this year.  Put up the brown butcher paper tree towards the end of the year, but never got to writing down the good things my students did for each other.  Will definitely do it this year...& the next...& the next...

Thanks, Mrs. Gold!

Oh and you can also use a tree and call it a Wishing Tree, where you put an item on each leaf that you wish to have in the classroom and parents/volunteers can take down a leaf, if they wish to donate that item!

Read More...

STUDENT PHOTO MAGNETS

I love student photo magnets!  Here's an idea using magnet strips (found at arts & craft stores) in the classroom.  Take a photo of each student and print it out on a business size card with student's name & student number on it.  I would laminate it to make it last.  Then, put a small magnet strip on the back.  Use it on magnetic white boards!  For what...you ask?

• students' checking in to school (seeing who's here at school that day)
• student behavior charts posted on magnetic whiteboard and instead of moving clips, you move the magnets (I've used this in my 5th grade gen ed class and it was very easy & effective; wish I took a picture of it to show!)
• student lunch choices
• student going to restroom, office, or simply leaving the classroom for the moment
• graphing purposes
• perfect for substitute teachers, too!  So they know who is who at a glance!

Thanks, Mailbox, for reminding me of this!

Do you have more ideas on what to do with student photo magnets?  Feel free to comment to this post!  Thanks!  

Read More...

Seating Chart

A seating chart can be easily updated and doubles as a valuable substitute teacher tool with the help of sticky notes (post-its)!


Write each child’s name on a small sticky note and arrange the notes on a sheet of paper to match the seating arrangement in your classroom. Then tuck the handy reference into a binder/page protector. When the students' seat change, simply rearrange their sticky note.


Believe me...this saves a ton of time!  Especially when you rearrange your class' seating often like I do!

Read More...

The Wiggles. Not The Group.

If your kiddos ever get the wiggles and need a break.  Here's a song to get them wiggling & giggling in no time and get you back to focus, too!

(sung to the tune of "Shoo Fly")

Wiggle your happy toes.
Wiggle your happy nose.
Wiggle your fingers too.
Then wiggle yourself like wiggle worms do.

Reach down and touch your knees.
Reach up and touch the trees.
Tap, tap your happy feet.
Then turn around and take a seat.

Thanks, Mailbox!

Read More...

Daily Tubs

These Monday-Friday Tubs are very helpful in keeping your classroom lessons & materials organized weekly.  It's great when you have a sub and everything for the day is needed in this one tub.  

You can also try trays like these.  I actually bought mine from the $1 section at Target.  They weren't $1, but $2.50 each; still cheaper than ones at Lakeshore.  

I also had cubbies like these that I used for my teacher supplies and the top row of 5 cubbies, I dedicated a cubby for each day of the week.  


Bottomline is...you should have something where you can put all your lesson/materials ready for the day/week at your fingertips!  Hope one of these works out for you!

Read More...

Remind101

Did you know about this? 
Remind101 is an app to text Message your class!  It's "a safe way for teachers to text message students and stay in touch with parents. Free."
Apparently, the ratings in the Apple App Store is 5 stars!  
Informative idea.  Quick way for teachers and parents to stay connected!

Read More...

Transition Songs

Useful Songs: transitions

Use this trio of songs to ready youngsters for cleanup time, snacktime, or lining up.

(sung to the tune of "Head and Shoulders")

Cleaning:

It is time to clean our room, clean our room.
It is time to clean our room; clean our room!
Pick up toys and put them all away.
It is time to clean our room for the day!

Snacktime:

It is time to eat our snack, eat our snack.
It is time to eat our snack, eat our snack!
Wash our hands and say thank you for this food.
It is time to eat our snack, yummy snack!

Lining up:

It is time to line up now, come along.
It is time to line up now, come along!
Stand in line oh so very quietly.
It is time to line up now, follow me!

The Mailbox.com is so awesome!

Read More...

Helpful Fun Resources

I love these 2 books!  They easy resources to navigate and use!  

<----- This book to the left is one that will help you organize your classroom.

-----> That book to the right is for enhancing lessons and engaging your students.  

Both are awesome for teachers new and old.  You can never have too many ideas!

Read More...