New Teacher Tips

My first year teaching I was so excited and nervous at the same time! I remember having so many thoughts run through my mind that I couldn't sleep the night before school! It was like I was a kid again...starting the school year...having the first day jitters!! 

If I had to give advice to a new teacher, here are some things I would share with them...

1. Over plan and be flexible! For the first week of school you are still going to be figuring out your kids and your schedule. Plan a lot of activities, but don't worry if you don't get to them all! It is much more important to establish routines and procedures then it is to stick to your daily schedule.

2. After reading above, there are certain things in your schedule that you must stick to (lunch, specials, etc). These things have specific times where you have to drop your kids off and when you have to pick your kids up. TRUST ME...the day goes by so fast and you barely have time to look at the clock. Have your schedule posted.  You don't need times next to everything in your schedule, because if you don't get to it or if you go over the time, that is fine. However, have times posted next to the lunch and specials and other important events. I use these schedule cards which come with little clocks. I only printed the clocks for certain events. The other parts of my schedule are flexible!

I hang my schedule on my white board which is right in front of the class. It is easy to see and glance at whenever I need it (which I actually need all year haha I rely on this!)

3. Have your behavior management system set up prior to the first day of school. Starting day one you will go over this system with the kids and use it! They will start learning their expectations and they will want to 'please' you! In kindergarten it is important to keep routines/procedures consistent and this is a great way to start!

You can read more about my behavior management system here.

4. Lessons for the first week of school. What do you teach? What should I do? I start off the year teaching rules and I use my Monsters Back to School Activity Pack. It includes lots of letter activities, a book to help start your discussion on classroom rules, a craftivity to help you get to know your students, and more.

But, you can also gather materials like these to use on your own if you can't purchase anything. I think one of the most important things to have ready (to keep your sanity in the mornings) is a coloring sheet out on the tables each day. This way as students come in they can start coloring while you put supplies away, put name tags on, try to get parents to leave, etc.

5. When all is said and done, the most important thing that first week of school is keeping the children safe! My number one concern is making sure I know how they get home from school! At our 'meet and greet' I give each PARENT a clip with their child's name on it. I make THEM clip it to the 'How We Go Home' chart. 

I tell the parents over and over again, this is how they will get home the first day of school! Then after that, they must write a note to change their child's dismissal. At our school I will have kids that are bus riders, but the first 2 days the parents want to pick them up, etc. That is why I only concentrate on one day at a time. I don't worry about what their dismissal will be down the road....only the first day of school! Then if I receive a note in the morning from one of the students, I will just change their clip and I am good to go!! You can find the dismissal chart here. 

I honestly think I could go on and on with ideas and tips!! If you do have any questions please leave a comment and I will definitely answer them for you!! 

Don't forget to link up below and share your New Teacher Tips!! Even as a 7th year teacher (and I am sure those of you that have been teaching for a lot longer) I can still learn some new tips from ya'll! I can't wait to 'hop' around and read your ideas! 

Apple Fun!

Good morning!! and Happy Monday!! Monday is a great day in the summer, isn't it ;)

This weekend I redid my entire Apple Unit! If you have already purchased it, you can head over to TPT and download it again! I would love to hear what you think of the new editions :)

I also redid my Johnny Appleseed Craftivity (which is included in the Apple Unit as well). So head on over and redownload that pack if you already own it! :)

This summer I have really made it a goal to get back in shape!! First step...eating healthy!! I have started making a smoothie in my Nutribullet for breakfast and I am totally in love! You can put in a hand full of greens (I use spinach which I would never normally eat!) then fill the rest with fruits or veggies and a couple of nuts if you want! You can pretty much fill it with anything healthy! Turn the Nutribullet on....and within 10 seconds or less everything is turned into a smoothie!! I have yet to make one that I didn't like! You can't even taste the spinach either! 

I usually pre-bag most of my fruit. It is just faster for me in the morning! I grab a bag from the freezer and go!!

My original idea was to start 'juicing' but I was looking into it and realized that juicers are a pain to clean! The Nutribullet is sooo easy...and the part you blend it in, turns into your cup! YUM! I am off to make one right now :)

Click below to head on over to 4th Grade Frolics to see what other teachers have been up to! There are some SUPER cute crafty ideas that I will definitely be adding to my 'to do' list! 

End of the Year Ideas

This year at our end of the year party we had 4 centers: cookie decorating, making jewelry, perler beads (a HUGE hit but very time consuming), and decorating frames. 

When we were finished with our centers, we had our big AWARD show!! I had been discussing the 'awards' for days prior to the party and the students were all SO excited to find out what award they were going to get. I overheard discussions that went like this...

"I wonder who is going to get the tardy award"

"Oh, definitely Neil!"

"I wonder who is going to get the farting the most award?"

"Oh, that's Eric for sure!!"

"I don't know what award I'm going to get?  Probably the 'I'm good at everything award!'"

I'm not going to lie, I kind of, just a teeny bit, let those discussions continue because they were just too funny (and cute!). But, no worries, I wasn't giving any awards for farting or being tardy!!

We rolled out the super star carpet and set up a row of chairs on each side. I stood at the front to announce and the parents that were volunteering sat at the end of the carpet. I called one award up at a time and it was sooo cute!! The kids had to walk the carpet, turn around and pose with their award, then walk back down the carpet. The kids all started sticking their hands out to high five the winner!! They felt so famous!

I got the awards from Mel D. over at Seusstastic. You can check out the awards by clicking on the image below.

To see more amazing end of the year ideas, check out other blogs below!

Shopping: Oriental Trading

I LOVE getting packages in the mail!! But then again, I'm not sure who doesn't?! I was lucky enough to receive a $50 gift card to Oriental Trading and I spent every dollar...and a little more too!

Everything I ordered was in preparation for next year. 

I ordered erasers so I could finally make the cute eraser gum ball machine I found on Pinterest. 

HERE is the gum ball machine I ordered :)

I also ordered new crayon cases for my little ones. We share crayons for the first half of the year, but in January I give each student their own crayons. This gets them ready for first grade and also makes them more responsible of their materials! They actually LOVE it! I think these cute cases from Oriental Trading will fit much nicer in my desk organizers too!

I got more clips--which we all use ALL the time!!

Then I decided to order more foam dice. I have 2 right now, but I have a bunch of regular dice in my classroom. I use these ALL the time at the beginning of the year (lots of dice games) and my kids all like the foam dice much better! I do too--look at the fun colors!! 

and lastly, I ordered more hot glue for all of my fun summer 'crafty' projects!

LOVE everything I received from Oriental Trading! The site is very easy to navigate and I received my materials SUPER fast! I will definitely be shopping there again soon!!

This review is based strictly on my opinion. Others may have a different opinion or experience with the product listed above. I was provided the sample free of charge by the company or PR agency and I provided my honest opinion. No other type of compensation was received for this review.

Fun Centers...Yay!!

In my classroom I use the same centers throughout the entire year. For instance, I may introduce a CVC center to the children in September; however, I introduce it to them at the 'teacher' table because they still need assistance to complete it; but, the students can complete a very similar CVC center in May, independently. 

I do this with all my centers. Introduce the center at the 'teacher' table or with a parent volunteer and within a couple of months (or less) that same center can be completed by the students themselves. 

My students love the centers that I made in my thematic units and that is why if you have any of my packs, you will see a lot of the same centers repeating, but with different words, letters, numbers, etc. This is so eventually the kids can complete these centers without any help!!  Even though I make a lot of centers, it is always fun to introduce something new to them. Well, I have officially fallen in love with centers from Lori over at Teaching With Love and Laughter.

During our plant unit, I introduced Break the Code's to them. Well, they LOVE them!! I told them that even I don't know what the 'secret message' is. So they will have to figure out the top secret question! 

I ended up buying the entire bundle because I know I will introduce these earlier in the year next year.

My students also did a wonderful job sorting nouns. I know this is technically not a Common Core skill for kindergarten, but I knew my kids were ready for this! And sure enough, they did it! I found this center in Lori's Fun With Parts of Speech pack.

I also have 3 packs that I use in my writing center all year and I don't know what I would do without them! Again, some of the activities need to be done with the teacher first, but after that, they can be left at the writing center for students to complete independently. These packs are all I need and I just LOVE everything about them!!

The first pack that is in my writing center is also from Lori. It can be found here  and you can see my students below 'interviewing' each other. SO cute!! 

I also use my writing pack that can be found here and is currently undergoing a major upgrade ;) and a pack from Deedee Wills that can be found here.

I LOVE to keep my centers consistant and these packs are perfect for that! 

Summer Bucket List

Ahhhh 9 more days of school for me!! I honestly have to say that I am not ready!!! I am actually kind of sad :( But, I have a lot of exciting things to look forward to during the summer and next year so I need to keep that in mind!!

There are a couple little 'cutesy' things I want to make for my classroom. (Maria, I promise that I am not stalking your classroom) I already bought the flowers and ordered some of the chip clips  when I was shopping online to make these magnets! LOVE! 

 I also want to make these wonderful little containers from Maria as well. I have a Michaels right by my house, but haven't had a chance to stop in yet to pick up these canisters. But I guess that is what summer is for!!

 I have this 'never ending to-do list' of items I want to create for my class and share with you all of course!! So I will definitely be spending a lot of time creating!

I will be in NY for a wedding and Atlanta for a wedding this summer, but majority of the time will be spent up in the mountains of North Carolina! The most relaxing place ever! I love it SO much!!

Typical summer day.....

 trying to work, but the dogs want to play...

 out for a run or a hike...

relaxing/looking at the amazing sunsets! <3

I definitely want to get in shape this summer. I am going to try to 'juice' all summer and work my ass off!!! 

Can't wait to read your summer bucket lists! 

A+ T-Shirts for Teachers

I am totally excited to team up with the Freebielicious girls and A+ Teacher Images! Doug, from A+ Images made us the cutest custom designed t-shirts  and now we each get to give a t-shirt of choice away to one winner from each of our blogs!!  Woo-hoo!! 

First of all...love the color--it goes with anything. The shirt is super soft and comfy! and on top of that...it is super stylish!! didn't you see the diamond studs around our logo! LOVE! 

Here are all my wonderful freebielicious buddies wearing their shirts. Can you find me?!?  ;)

Now, you can win a free t-shirt of your choice! 

We have made this giveaway super easy for you and you have LOTS of chances to win!! It is a blog hop, so you can enter as many or as few giveaways as you would like!  The contest begins RIGHT NOW... Saturday, May 18th, at 8:00 a.m. EST and ends on Sunday, May 19th, at 12:00 a.m. EST.  Winners will be announced on the following Monday. You can start by entering my giveaway here: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Next, you can head over to my friend Lidia's blog, Kinder Alphabet, and enter there!

If you don't win one of the giveaways, but you see a shirt that you really just have to have, they are offering our Freebilicious followers 20% off orders of $20 or more by using the code: FREE20 :) Time to shop!!

don't forget to follow Freebielicious so you don't ever miss a freebie or a wonderful giveaway like this one!!
Happy Saturday!