Well Hello!

Hi. My name is Sarah and I have failed you as a blogger. Yup. It has been OVER a month since I blogged. Sorry. My summer has FLOWN by and well...I have less than 2 weeks until I start back full time. With all of those stinking snow days and us having to go until the very end of May...they tacked our PD days to the beginning of the year! Boo! I know!
I've had a wonderful summer. I looked back at my summer bucket list to see how I have done! I've not done great. Most importantly I have done #1. Lilly and I have had a WONDERFUL summer together and enjoyed every bit of it. I have worked and finished SOME TPT units (keep reading) and I went on my vacation. That's about it!
I have been back to school shopping. (More on that at a later date.) One thing I did get done was create a new Vertical Behavior Chart and update my other 2. I made each section larger (to allow for more clips) and updated the behavior logs to include the dates for the 2014-2015 year. I was having trouble with my kiddos knowing which object to color (since we missed so many days here and there.) Here is my new Chalkboard Vertical Behavior Chart.

 

As with all of my behavior clip charts, it contains the actual chart to place in your classroom, a parent letter, note to send home if student reaches parent contact (editable), behavior logs for August-June, and class list (editable) to record student behavior each day.

 

I also updated my Polka Dot Chart.

And Chevron.

 

 

These are one of my best sellers and work great in the classroom! Want to win one? I will give one lucky reader their choice of Behavior Chart. Just enter below! Quick. It ends tonight!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 comment Tags: classroom management, giveaway

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Classroom Management Tips

One of the MOST important aspects of being a great teacher is having good classroom management. Why? Because if you have good classroom management, your kiddos respect you and listen to you and they are eager to work hard for you and please you then you can do what you are there to do....TEACH. My first year of teaching (12 years ago) I had 9 kids. Yep. You heard me right.....9! I had 8 boys and 1 sweet little girl. These kids were good. Like perfect. For real. Who needs classroom management when you only have 9 kids in your class? Apparently I didn't.
Fast forward to the next year. 19 kids. WILD kids. Ruh. Roh. I remember my principal coming in and saying "You have got to get a hold of these kids." Ya think? Whew! I began using the "Strikes and Red Card" system. I didn't know any better. It worked. For 10 years. Last year, I was inspired by all of these wonderful bloggers to try the clipchart system. I'll be honest. I was skeptical. I liked the idea of kiddos who always did well moving up, but I doubted that kids who made mistakes would CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR to good and move up. Well, they did! I SWEAR! Brilliant!
Last year I created and implemented my Vertical Behavior Chart system. Worked like a gem. Best thing I have EVER done!

This year I made a Chevron themed one and I have JUST added it to my store. I added a place for parent initials at the end of the week. I know. You are SHOCKED that some parents never looked at their kiddos folders all week to see how they had been doing, but they didn't. Therefore, I added a parent initial line and now they don't have a choice hopefully they will follow through and initial.

 

You can see the behavior chart in use here and read more about my experiences with it! I am going to try and implement more of a reward for students who go above each day. I'm considering a ticket system! I'll keep ya updated! If you want more great classroom management tips, just click below!

 

 

8 comments Tags: classroom management, linky party

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Throwback Thursday

Just a quick note before I link up with Cara, but don't Happy 4th of July! Make sure you run over to my Facebook page and get TONS of freebies in our Kinderland Facebook Freebie Hop!!!

Now to Cara's Throwback Thursday..... :)

 

Here is a great post on some freebie Back to School forms to get your year started off right!

 

Original Post - August 3, 2012

 

I am so excited to be part of the Back to School Blog Hop!!!! I love Blog Hops!

It is Back to School Time! I cannot believe school starts in 5 days for me!!!! 5 days people....where did the summer go? Our district is really good a making sure Kindergarten students have been exposed to the school and teachers well before school really starts. At our school, we send letters in the mail to our new K students announcing who their new teacher is. There is also these forms for parents to fill out:

(click to see a clearer picture)

I really enjoy getting the parents view on what their child knows and doesn't know as well as a few things that can help the students transition into kindergarten.

As soon as schools starts, we questions students using this form. With kindergarteners...it gets really funny!

The first day of school, we send home the following items with the kiddos. We can ALL use volunteers, right? We have THE BEST volunteers ever!!!!

Although our parents fill out emergency cards, I like for parents to fill out these for me to keep!

Do you like these forms? Would you like them to use in your classroom? Well lucky you...they are free! Just click below to go to my TPT store and download them...for FREE!!!!

 

Also visit Sharing Kindergarten...she is on the Blog Hop today too!

Leave a Comment Tags: back to school, classroom forms, classroom management, linky party

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Whats in my centers

As promised in the post below, I will share what I use in each of my centers and a little bit of how I do my rotations. Bear with me. It’s not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. My kiddos go to 3 different centers a day for 20 minutes each. They are color coded like a stoplight….green, yellow, red. Students are paired up with different students throughout the week. Like I said….not the easiest thing to figure out. It was SERIOUSLY like a mathematical equation. First, I numbered each center:

Then I assigned each student their numbers throughout the week. (This stays the same…I don’t change week per week unless needed.) I wanted to make sure that kiddos went to some stations at least twice a week (phonics, writing, word play, computers). I switch out the pocket chart at the end of each day.

See? Crazy, right? I swear Deedee has it all figured out with moving one row up and one row down. I can’t be that simple…I’m just not made that way. I complicate everything!
Now to the good stuff. Here is what my kiddos do at every centers:

Meet with Me

Well, that one is easy - Guided reading groups

 

Pocket Chart

I usually put something from one of my units in this. This month I have either done the sentence scramble or ABC order from my Winter Word Families unit.

 

 

Some students are still working on beginning sounds so they do this pocket chart:

 

 

Writing

I use a variety of things here. When I first began literacy centers, I used some of Lori’s Writing Station Activities for Young Learners.

 

 

I have also used writing stations from Deedee.

 

 

Right now, my kiddos are pretty good writers. We are working on nouns and starting to get into verbs a little. I am posting 4 pictures for the students and they are to write 1 sentence about each pictures describing it. Hence they can’t write “I like the snowman” because they are not on the picture.(Am I the only one who has kids write, "I like... I like.... I like...."? This has been really good for some of my kiddos.

 

Games

Most of my games are ones I already had made up from my centers (I usually have 1-2 in all of my units) or I purchase them from who else…Deedee. These are all differentiated (usually 2-3 different games).

 

 

Listening

This center has a few copies of a book and a CD. Students listen and then respond. I may have them draw their favorite characters, write about their favorite part, draw and explain the setting, write if it is fiction or nonfiction and why. I usually do the same response sheet for a few weeks then switch it up.

 

Phonics

This is differentiated as well. Typically, I use things from the units I have created to go in this center. This month we have been sorting short vowel word families from my Winter Word Families unit. We will be doing rhyming soon (that will be in my Valentine unit…almost finished!!!)

 

 

Time Me

Most of my students are doing our Read Words Around the Rainbow, depending on what level of the rainbow they are on. Once they master one level, they move on to the next.

 

 

Some students have completed all levels and are ready for fluency passages. For that I turn to Deedee’s Time Me units!

 

 

Word Play

Now this center is a little bit of everything! This month we did a lot of Spin-A-Word and Write the Room from my Winter Word Families Unit.

 

 

Sometimes we do magnetic letters, stamping, etc. etc. etc. I have just bought a bunch of Scentos. I see a Spell and Smell coming soon!

 

Computers

Headsprout (required by our district), Compass (required by our district), Raz-Kids

 

What do I do when kiddos finish early? Well, I have been using Deedee’s overhead station unit….for Handwriting practice. When I began these centers, it left little time for handwriting and let’s be honest – these kids need some handwriting practice!!! So, when they are finished, they grab a page protector that has a handwriting practice page from Deedee’s unit, a dry erase marker, and an eraser and go to town! They enjoy it to be honest. I’ll be changing it up soon!

I hope this helps answer your questions. If you have any more, just let me know!

3 comments Tags: classroom management, literacy centers

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Literacy Stations

After having the same schedule for 10 years, I got brave and completely changed my schedule this year. After I became addicted to started reading everyone’s wonderful blog and their literacy centers, I knew it was something I needed to do. Our school has a 90 minute reading block and have for about 5 years now. In the past, I did 30 minutes whole group instruction and the other hour we (kindergarten) broke into about 12 groups and split among ourselves, assistants, and extra help sent our way during this hour. I really liked it but I have a lot of trouble letting go of my babies. I like to keep my babies with me all day (okay….except for the much needed specials!) This year we lost a lot of our help and were trying to make it work with 6 of us. I have such a diverse group this year something had to change. There were a few kiddos who just weren’t getting reached. So….I TOTALLY redid my EVERYTHING. Started from scratch. I have to say, I couldn’t have done it without reading Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.


I really like the way she ran her literacy centers and a lot of the centers she had in her classroom. If you haven’t checked out her blog, (which I am sure you have) you must. She was very helpful in answering any questions I had about her rotations. Here is her post about her literacy center set-up. She also explains how she switches her rotations and displays it here. She switches 2 times a day. There was only one problem with me doing my schedule a lot like hers. We are required to have a 140 minute reading block now. I couldn’t just do 2 rotations a day and I had to get my kiddos at least every other day in a reading group. In order to make this work, I have to have the kiddos switch 3 times a day to 3 different centers. (Note: I have not read a single book on literacy centers. I'm just winging it this year and started in November. It is on my summer reading list to get to all of those great books.) So…I created these Literacy Stations Cards to place in my pocket chart.



Each center is color coded green, yellow, and red. They visit their green center 1st, yellow 2nd, and red 3rd (think stoplight). (Don't you just LOVE the graphics from Ashley Hughes?)  I followed Deedee’s advise and got the following Work Stations Chart from Really Good Stuff. It makes it so much easier!





Now, I wish I could tell you that I had an organized way of switching these out every day like Deedee does…but I don’t! I numbered each center and then set up a weekly chart making sure that each student visited some centers at least twice a week and some just 1. I looked at it million times but I finally got it right! I really didn’t want the same kiddos together all of the time for each station. For Time Me! I needed a higher student with a lower student because Whew Wee! I can’t imagine otherwise. The only station that is the same for each student is listening and sometimes word play and writing. Pretty much every other station has differentiated work and they know where to find it. Want to find out what I put in my literacy centers? I’ll be back later in the week to let you know!

Leave a Comment Tags: classroom management, literacy centers, teachers pay teachers

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Behavior Management Update

I am linking up with What the Teacher Wants! Behavior Management Linky Party.

I thought I would update you on how my new behavior management system is going. In the past, I used the "strike" system (see here). It was similar to What the Teacher Wants! system, but I wasn't smart enough to do the dollars for rewards! Last year I did do a weekly random reward system but it wasn't consistent.
After 10 years of the same behavior management system, I FINALLY made the switch and I am oh.so.glad I did! If you remember, I created this vertical behavior chart system.

It is similar to the "clip chart" system in which students can move up and down. I LOVE it! Here it is in my classroom.

I swear y'all...it works!!! I was seriously worried about my babies this year. I knew I had a "potential" bad behavior problem coming from preschool. This so works for him! He has made it to the top (PINK) 2 days in the last week! He wants so bad to work up the chart and I love it! He is the sweetest kiddo and I am so proud of him! The kiddos try so hard to clip up so they can earn a jewel. I clip up for random things like:
-being one of few sitting quietly on the carpet
-being one of few having their name on their paper
-sitting with a lonely friend at lunch
-cleaning up an area they didn't mess up
-working hard
-answering a hot question

I will be honest...I was skeptical. I just didn't think kids would change their behavior once they started going downhill, but they do! I was also a little scared of attempting daily behavior logs (also in my unit) with K kiddos! I am here to tell you that THEY CAN DO IT. We have been implementing them for 23 days and they do it completely independently now! They check their behavior, get the log out of the folder, color the correct apple, and place it back in their folder!

I will never go back to the other behavior system. If you are on the fence about a system like this, go for it! You won't regret it!

If you are looking for more great ideas for classroom management, just head over to What the Teacher Wants!!

3 comments Tags: classroom management, linky party

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New Behavior Management System

After much convincing from some TOP TEACHERS....I'm changing my management system this year! I am going to the "clip chart" system. I love the idea of the up and down movement that students do and that students get rewarded for good behavior. I wanted to make sure that if I implemented it, the system was familiar and had a good recording system. I created my own "Vertical Behavior Chart System" to use in my classroom and just placed it in my TPT store.

I have 7 different levels:

FABULOUS

SUPER

GREAT
READY TO LEARN
WARNING

THINK ABOUT IT

PARENT CONTACT

Included in this unit is:

-7 levels to print, laminate, and hang vertically
-Introductory letter to send to parents
-Parent Contact form to send home when students reach the bottom of the chart (simple checklist format)
-EDITABLE monthly themed behavior logs for students to record their behavior daily (11 months August-June)
-EDITABLE class record sheet to record students behavior each day
-Reward cards to print and use when students reach FANTASTIC (the top of the chart) 10 times

I am SUPER excited about beginning this unit in my classroom and sharing with my team! If you think this will work for you, just click on the picture above to go to my TPT store.

We are getting a little MUCH NEEDED rain tonight and I am super excited. I also got word that Wal-Mart has their school supplies out. That's not good for my pocketbook!

8 comments Tags: back to school, classroom management, teachers pay teachers

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Random Pictures

Do you see this??? Do you know what that is??

Beautiful, waxed floors. Oh lordy! I LOVE these clean floors. We have the BEST janitors in the world! They have every room emptied, waxed, and items put back in 2 weeks. We have 123 night for incoming K students next week so I went and got my room ready for parents to see. Nothing fancy...just presentable. I hung up my pom poms to make sure it looks good!

LOOK!!!! That is my 1st Donorschoose funded project! I am SO excited!!!

That is my LLI kit. I posted about it here. I GOT it! I am SUPER excited to use it!

This is my discipline system that I THINK I am getting rid of. I am THINKING I will try the clip chart. I'd love any suggestions!

Random pictures but that is what my room looks like right now! Have a good weekend. My BFF just had a baby today and I am SUPER excited to go get my hands on it!!!!!

9 comments Tags: classroom, classroom management

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What's your schedule?

I'm asking for some help here! I am planning to completely redo my schedule and the way my classroom runs. GASP! I know. Just when I posted about needing to relax.
When I first began blogging, I posted about my classroom schedule here. I picked this schedule up (10 years ago) from my mentor K teacher who had been there for 25 years at the time. She was a FABULOUS teacher who had just as much enthusiasm the day she began as the day she retired. Seriously. Awesome.
After blogging, I decided my schedule was much different than most. I began creating fun units to place in my TPT store (which I had NEVER heard of until I began blogging last June). I know. I am a nerd. I started seeing that maybe I wanted to do my schedule a little differently.
We have a new principal this year. Your thinking I thought I read last year (here) that you got a new principal. Yep. We did.  We have another new principal. Don't ask. We also have a new schedule which I LOVE. It allows for a mandatory reading block in the morning and a mandatory math block in the afternoon....hence the change in schedule.
Here is where I need your help K teachers!!!! I would LOVE to see your schedule. How do you run your classroom? How do you organize centers? What does a typical day look like? I am really stressing about organizing and rotating groups so that everyone completes each center during the week. Am I making sense? PLEASE if you could either comment with links to where you can described this in a post or maybe email me at kykindergartenkorner@hotmail.com a sample of your lesson plans/schedule I would be FOREVER grateful!

I just need to make sure I have time to do this:

 and still stick to my schedule!

6 comments Tags: classroom management, schedule

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Classroom Jobs

I am joining up with Mrs. Dillard's 1st Grade Classroom Jobs linky party. I have the following jobs and switch them out throughout the year. The students names are on a handprint (or another diecut) and place in a stack. I start with the first and let them choose which job they want and continue until all jobs are taken. At the end of the week, I take those hands out and place them at the bottom of the stack. The next week students who did not have a job previous week will get a turn. I do this throughout the year and it works out really well. Here are my jobs:
Line Leader - The obvious....they are first in line
Door Holder - They hold the door whenever needed...they are 2nd in line.
Lights - This person makes sure all lights are turned out before we leave the classroom. They are also responisble for turning out lights to get students quiet if needed.
Messenger - This person takes messages/attendance to office in the morning and gets messages at the end of the day. Towards the end of the year when they are familiar with teachers/places, I may also use this person to run notes to others.
Lunch Box Counter - This person counts how many lunch boxes there are each morning.
Paper Passer - This person places all papers in the appropriate spot after directions have been given.
Strike Wiper - This person wipes the strikes (given for bad behavior) each morning. They know they are not to discuss what each students had. It is a new day..new beginning!
I am considering (but not convinced) I may try these new jobs this year:
Pencil Sharpener - sharpens pencils at designated times throughout the day
Housekeeper - Makes sure all chairs are put up at the end of the day and tables are clean

I've enjoyed reading the different possibilities. A lot of Kindergarten teachers don't fool with having jobs but I think it makes them responsible and it makes it easier on me! Who doesn't want that?

3 comments Tags: classroom management, linky party

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