Category Archives: Classroom Organization

Classroom Organization. Everything from Teacher Organization, Classroom Design, labels, flexible seating, and organizing student materials. Here is where we find help in the “daily” activities of the classroom. Tips and Tricks help the classroom run efficiently and effectively.

Why Am I Changing My Classroom Library Again?

Change my Classroom Library…AGAIN?

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OH, NO YOU DON’T!!!!

 

So again…WHAT AM I DOING???


REDOING MY CLASSROOM LIBRARY!

WHAT????   AGAIN???? NO!!!!!!!
So, How many times do I have to do it..before I LIKE it??

Here is the BEFORE…

Classroom Library- before or after?
Classroom Library- before or after?

 

Classroom Library

So, why? Oh, why?

Why mess with a GOOD thing? ( Can you hear the shame in my voice?)
BECAUSE. Because I know what wonderful books are in the tubs.

BUT …  the kids DON’T!
They know their favorites. They go to the same tub over & over. I LOVE THAT.BUT…
How do you know… there might be a BOOK you would LOVE BETTER!

They don’t search. They just go to what they know.


SO…I am expanding their KNOWLEDGE BASE!


I have decided to TAKE AWAY THE TUBS!

WHAT???? I know…you with OCD will HATE ME!
WHY?

Because..it’s not MY library…it’s OURS!

I am going to dump EVERY book in a pile in the middle of our carpet area.

AND WE WILL SORT!


Common core says NONFICTION is a PRIORITY!

My kids don’t even know WHAT Nonfiction books we have!

So…we shall sort!

Fiction…Nonfiction…author study…science…etc..etc..etc…NOT ME!

Not my SUMMER! (again )

OURS…ALL OF US!


(Do not do this the day your admin is observing YOU!)

This will take time…time well spent!

My thoughts are to have the kids make labels…NOT ME!

And put them right ON THE SHELF!

YES…ON THE SHELF!

They take ownership,  so they can put things away!

Not ME!

Others have perservered…it IS POSSIBLE!

WOW! A Classroom library that mimics a PUBLIC LIBRARY!???


They will know HOW to USE a PUBLIC LIBARY!

Not “What tub is LIBRARY——-  book in?” Hmm…


Food for thought.


So…if you are thinking of RAISING THE BAR in YOUR classroom library…


LET THEM DO IT!


Close your eyes…change your MINDSET..and collaborate WITH YOUR STUDENTS!


They might surprise YOU!

Classroom Management with BRAG TAGS!

Read At Home

 

Teacher-Parent Meeting

The Dreaded BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!

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How to get ready for the 

 “PARENTS ARE COMING!”  Night!

Screaming child

Screaming Child

AKA  BACK-TO-SCHOOL Night!

We ALL get nervous speaking to a room of parents!

I can speak to a group of first graders all day every day…but a roomful of parents?

My palms sweat & my brain “freezes” up!

(Wear  good  deodorant, use a breath mint, and  wear  comfy  shoes!)

So..THEY are coming.

Today’s tip is about getting parents to sign up for everything you need at Back to School Night.

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE!

I work in a Title 1 school.

Most parents DON’T WANT TO COME to SEE ME!

So I have to make it very “inviting”.

I tell the kids to “drag” their parents to talk to me.

(Not literally!) Two hands!

I give stickers to kids who “hand their parents the BTS night NOTE!”

And then…

Number 1 for Back to School Night

Number 1

Have Food at Back to School Night.

A bowl of apples, a plate of cookies, popcorn, Mini bottles of water!

CHOCOLATE CANDY!

They will come for food!

I also put the Class DOJO sign-up link on a BIG POSTER

 NEXT to the FOOD!  Eat, text, and make the teacher HAPPY!

Number 2 for Back to School Night

Number 2 

MAKE a chart of dates & times YOU are available,

AND HAVE THEM SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE at Back to School Night!

(You will send a reminder note as it gets closer..let them choose first!)

Put out sticky notes & pens for those who want to write it down AND

a poster to remind parents to TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEIR PHONE of the conference chart, to remind them!

Number 3 for Back to School Night

Number 3

If you have any WISH LISTS or things you might need…

HAVE THEM SIGN UP TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM ITEMS and/or to VOLUNTEER for ANYTHING

at Back to School Night!

( We can always use glue sticks, expo markers, tissues, etc)

AND  LAST…

If YOU want volunteers for classroom work, parties, field trips, etc…

HAVE THEM SIGN UP!

This is the ONLY night they will ALL be in YOUR classroom!

USE IT!

Sometimes a CAPTIVE AUDIENCE…is a good thing!

So.. Just a quick reminder

  1. Rewards for students whose family attends.  DANGLE the CARROT!
  2. Bring FOOD and/or drinks.
  3. Have ALL Sign-UP charts READY

DOJO, Conferences, Wish Lists, Volunteers, etc.

4. Breathe, bring water for YOU!  Smile.

For more info on BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT:

 

Good Luck!

Classroom HELPERS…How do YOU choose them? Do you WANT to??

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I want my kiddos to

HELP!

I am NOT your MAMA.

I am NOT your Grandma,

AND

I AM NOT YOUR MAID!

We ALL work & play in our classroom.

If you work here… you are a part of our TEAM.

AND ALL Team members HELP!

So HOW to

“Share the JOBS?”

Make it a

CHOICE!

I don’t

CHOOSE

daily helpers.

I let them choose what they would like to do each day.

Here are my helpers:

I write their names on

  a  cardstock strip.

I use a 12″ X 36″ pocket chart.

I have

2 Clean-Up Crew members,

2 Ball Handlers ( for recesses ),

and

2 Tech Teachers ( help with log-in’s )

1 line leader,

1 door holder,

and 1 messenger.

9 helpers each day.

My NUMBER 1 RULE!

If you are NOT quiet and  in your seat when the

BELL  RINGS…..

YOU CANNOT BE A HELPER

THAT DAY!

( Don’t be Tardy…or NOISY!)

My kiddos LOVE it!

(I’m HERE & I’m QUIET!)

Hahahaha

and then…

I ask the next person on the card…

“_(susie)___ “,  would you like to be _( ball handler)_  or __(tech teacher)_”

( Go straight down the pocket chart…)

Until ALL the jobs are filled for the day!

They like having a CHOICE in their day!

and then…

I don’t have to do the JOBS!

And…I LOVE THAT!

Leave me a comment.

How do YOU choose helpers?

Wendy

How to Make CHUNKY CRAYONS for your classroom.

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Have YOU ever made

CHUNKY CRAYONS?

ALL kids LOVE to draw.
They LOVE big, chunky crayons!
 
MAKE THEM!
 

Use the broken crayons from your classroom…

AND

BEG OTHER TEACHERS FOR THEIRS!

 
Teachers LOVE to get rid of broken crayons.
 
Then …start searching stores ( including thrift stores, Goodwill, etc )
for silicone-shaped candy molds!
 
If not… my BFF…AMAZON PRIME!
You are NOT making food…
They can be “recycled” …wink, wink!

 

I found some snowmen, trees, and gingerbread men 
at Goodwill for $1.00 !!
 
Now what?
 
Have the kids…
YES THE KIDS
…take off ALL the paper wrappers!
 
DON’T  TELL  THEM  WHY!  🙂

 

 

 

Paper wrappers …I did them MYSELF!
 
Should have had kids do them…
they would have ENJOYED IT! 🙂

 

Gingerbreadman

 

Christmas Trees

 

Lots DONE… FAST…EASY
If you don’t have a LOT (it takes a LOT) of broken crayons,
ask for donations from other teachers.
 
Bring the unwrapped, broken crayons home.
 
Break up the crayons into LITTLE  chucks!
 
Put them into the molds…press them down a little.
 
Place molds onto a cookie sheet.
 
 Bake 60 minutes (1 hour) at 200 degrees.
 
Take them out & let them cool.
If rushed…PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER!
 
(Don’t POP them out…until they are SOLID.)
 
POP them out…
 
and   VOILA!
 
 
 
I also made them in the SUMMER.
 
Check out this blog post.
 
More fun making CHUNKY  CRAYONS!
 
Have fun! 
 
Let me know if YOURS works or not.

Close Reading and a FREEBIE!

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Bringing it BACK!

It’s time for…

NIBITS FOR NEWBIES!

This week’s theme…

CLOSE READING

If YOU need CLOSE READING info…

just ask

PINTEREST!

From HANNAH @ The Classroom Key

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430164201886627298/

From Jen @ Teacher Karma

and from

Kristine @  Young Teacher Love

She has a GREAT blog post about

CLOSE READING!

If you are learning…check it OUT!

Gotta know YOUR standards!

And so…

to help US all

DIVE  INTO THE  TEXT…

Here is a little  FREEBIE

from ME  to  YOU!

Enjoy!

Write On Journal Pages

How to HELP kids…WRITE! Freebie,too!

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Writing

Writing in First grade.
 
Common Core Standards DEFINE 
what writing will LOOK like in Grade one.
 
 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

 WOW! 
 A lot for firsties who are learning
 to read AND write.

We “JUMP” in!  🙂

We start with

NARRATIVE WRITING.

 

Much easier to write about yourself, than others.

My kiddos are just beginning to understand LANGUAGE.

Sytnax…grammar…structure…????

A LOT FOR A 7 year old!

HOW?  HOW?  HOW?
Breathe…

 We TALK… A LOT!  

We share our ideas.  
We draw. We draw some more.
 We chart ideas. 
We sound out words ( the best we can ). 

student work, writing paper

 

 

 


 We share. We edit. 
We write more. 
And we FIX IT!
Is it perfect?  NO!

Is it OK?

YES!

Writing is a process. 
It takes TIME!
And practice.
 And MORE practice!

I want my kiddos to WANT to write.
Not for ME…for themselves!

The LOVE of writing is a GIFT!

 Give them a GIFT!

 

 

Need HELP with resources, ideas, & planning?

Here are some helpful ideas:



 

My kiddos use these writing pages
 to SUPPORT their writing.
 
for Language / Spelling Support.
 
To help YOU get started…
 
 
for YOU! 
 
Give them a GIFT! 
Wendy

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation? It might SURPRISE You!

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What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

I am a VETERAN teacher.

NO.

 I have NOT fought in a WAR.

I have taught in GRADE 1

 ( exclusively )

for over 30 years!

WOW!

( Never “graduated” to second grade..as my students tell me!) 🙂

But…

I have changed my “VIEW” on teacher appreciation.

We ALL want to be appreciated.

We want to be recognized for

SOMETHING “GOOD”

 we have done!

But..

things can get a little …

OUT OF HAND!

I believe..

YES…

I believe there are

those who

are APPRECIATED

and those who

WISH THEY WERE!

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

I will say this ONE TIME…

IT  IS  NOT  ABOUT  TEST SCORES!

The teachers with the SUPER highest test scores

are NOT, always,

the teachers who are

APPRECIATED the MOST!

Now…disclaimer…teachers work WAY TOO hard!

I got that!

Some are SOOOOOO  focused on the “data”…

they forget, or can’t “document” the traits of the child the “data” came from!

Nowhere is there a box to check that says:

___  Didn’t have breakfast ( or dinner the night before ).

___ Couldn’t sleep because my parents were arguing LOUDLY!

___ No one would help with homework/reading ( for the past two weeks!)

or

___  not in a good “mindset”  today.

BUT…

these are kids!

This is life!

To attach a “number” to a student, 

based on “today’s testing module”

is NOT  what teaching is all about!

( Ok sorry…OFF my soapbox!)

So,

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

Where? How? When?

Admins…

Please… I don’t need a new pen with my school name on it.

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

If YOU really want to show me your appreciation…

HAVE MY BACK during an IEP

when ‘the team” says

I NEED TO DO MORE!

By the time I have gotten to his stage…

I HAVE DONE ALL I CAN DO!

Take the stand that I AM DONE!

SEND ME SOME HELP!

Now I have great admin’s…

I know they have my back!

THAT’s  APPRECIATION!

If you want to “give” me something…

…TAKE MY RECESS DUTY!

…Take my class for an hour at the end of the day, if MY child is home sick!

… Come in and do reading groups once in a while

( an extra adult doing centers is ALWAYS appreciated).

You see…it’s NOT about the “things”

it’s about WHAT you DO!

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

How do you know if your “team” appreciates YOU?

Do you “share”?

Do you “follow through?”

Do you “care” about each other?

My “teaching partner”…

( I said “partner” one time..it took on a WHOLE DIFFERENT meaning!)

and I have taught next to each other

( rooms 3 & 4)

for 26 years!

We are going to retire together 

the same year…in 1 year.

( We “pinky sweared”…

..as long as nothing catastrophic happens before then).

Her mom works in her room.

I call her MOM!

Our students think we are

SISTERS!

See the family “resemblance”?

In my heart…

SOUL SISTERS!

We run homework for each other.

We share our students.

We laugh, we cry, we CARE about each other!

We are NOT the ONLY grade 1 teachers.

We have 1-2 others who teach with us.

( Depending on the year and student numbers).

We ALWAYS include them!

This is NOT a

CLOSE YOUR DOOR & DO YOUR THING!

NOPE!

WE DO!

Together.

Feel appreciated? YEP! Daily.

( I could have transferred to another school in MY district..many times!)

NOT LEAVING!

LOVE MY CRAZY TITLE 1 school!

and then…

Your students…

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

When do they make YOU feel appreciated?

Is it when you are passing out report cards?

Is it when they forgot their homework?

Is it when they have interrupted you for the 1000th time that day?

Probably NOT!

It’s when that SAME little girl walks in EVERY morning

and says…

“Can I have a HUG?”

or

When the little boy who STUTTERS ( severely )…

asks if he can READ his newest story

TO THE CLASS!

( And EVERYONE cheers  for him!)

or

The “behavior problem” child

who knows ( his MAMA tells him a lot )

that he is a PROBLEM…

and he hands me a heart he made with a picture of me & him!

( Melts my heart..right before he hits another student!)

and last…

the “older students” who come back…

just to say HI!

or…

“I got my driver’s license & I promise to be safe..just like you said!”

“I got a full-ride scholarship…to HARVARD!”..yes  it did happen!

“I want to be back in first grade so I can PAINT!”

“Thank you , Mrs. McCarty, for listening to me!”

Giggles, Grins, Hugs, & High Fives to 

ALL of YOU!

YOU make a difference!

What does READ AT HOME really look like?

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I am a BLOG STALKER!
I admit it.
 
I am ALWAYS trying to find the BEST, FASTEST, & EASIEST ways
to make my classroom run smoother & more effective while being 
academically successful.
I want my students to continue to practice their reading & writing skills and strategies 
AT HOME!

BUT..What does Read at HOME really look like?

 
Aren’t we ALL?
 
So each year I try to “change” a few things for the better.
NO THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER!
 
(  For YOU youngin’s…  Don’t get rid of the good stuff while trying NEW stuff! )
 
So here is something “NEW” ( or New to ME )  that I am doing this year!
 
I am NOT ( Ugh…),
NOT  
choosing the Student’s TAKE HOME BOOKS each week.
( Let it go! Let it go!)
 
I LET THEM!
The power is in the CHOICE. 

I thought if I chose reading books that were ON their reading level

THEY would MAGICALLY fall in LOVE with READING!

NOT!
I have RAH ( Read AT Home ) envelopes…
Purchased at REALLY GREAT STUFF
BUT ANY envelope will do!
 
Each WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY they bring their RAH folder back.
I have them choose 2 books…YES…2 books to put in their folder.
( I place a pile 20 or so, of books at each level …
 
*disclaimer…right now I have 5 Guided Reading groups..I group their 
PILES of books by the Guided Reading group level…
 

So they really are taking home books at THEIR reading level.

Just a little teacher “nudge” in the right direction!

 
They choose two books, put them in their envelopes, and put them in their cubbies.
They keep them for 2 nights..hence bringing them back WED. & FRI. 
We change them for two NEW books … and here we go again!
 

Some nights I add a READING RESPONSE page to their homework.

USE ONE OF YOUR RAH BOOKS!

( Your choice!)

 
You can get my READING RESPONSE Packet HERE  
Some nights I have them do a page or two from my
Book Reports.
Accountability?
I do have a paper…lined…for parents to sign each night.
DO ALL OF THEM SIGN IT?
 NO!
If YOU take a horse to water…Can you FORCE it to drink it?
NO!
Let it go! Let it go!
So then what?
If you have a parent who won’t support reading at home…
 READ, READ, READ at school.
 
YOU may be the ONLY adult who reads with “THAT CHILD”..
We ALL have “that child”.
 
Don’t fight it!
Don’t PUNISH the child.
IF he/she could read it BY THEMSELVES…..THEY WOULD!
 
They can’t.
So
Let it go! Let it go!
BUT…
I do REWARD those who make the continued effort to read at home
EVERY NIGHT!
 
When they bring their envelopes back, I check the paper.
IF the parent HAS NOT SIGNED…I highlight in RED that date.
 
At the end of the MONTH,
I give a reward (and a SPECIAL BRAG TAG ) to those who have read
EVERY NIGHT!
 
I know…NOT fair for “that child”
Fair is NOT Always EQUAL!
 
I want my kiddos who 
DO THE WORK
to know…
I NOTICE!
 
And so my friends…
I keep stalking.
 
LOTS of great ideas out there in 
BLOGGY LAND.
 
And PINTEREST  LAND.
 
AND  INSTAGRAM LAND.
 
If you need some ideas..
 
 
 
 
Happy  Reading my Friends!
 
 

My LOVE/HATE relationship

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Classroom Library

I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with my 
classroom library.

I LOVE BOOKS!

I Love my kiddos to LOVE books!

I Love the organization of a classroom library.

I HATE PUTTING BOOKS AWAY!

I HATE  A MESSY CLASSROOM LIBRARY.

And so…

What’s a teacher to do?

REDO IT AGAIN!

So, How many times do I have to do it…
before I LOVE it?? (Again )
 
Here is the BEFORE…

 




So, why? Oh, why?
Why mess with a GOOD thing?
( Can you hear the shame in my voice?)
BECAUSE.
Because I know what wonderful books are in the tubs.
BUT …  the kids DON’T!
They know their favorites.
They go to the same tub over & over.
I LOVE THAT.
BUT…
How do you know?
There might be a BOOK you would
LOVE BETTER!
They don’t search. 
They just go to what they know.
SO…
I am expanding their KNOWLEDGE BASE!

I have decided to TAKE AWAY THE TUBS!

WHAT????
I know…you with OCD will HATE ME!
WHY?
Because..it’s not MY library…it’s OURS!
I am going to dump EVERY book in a pile in the middle
of our carpet area.

AND WE WILL SORT!

Common core says NONFICTION is a PRIORITY!
My kids don’t even know WHAT Nonfiction books we have!
So…we shall sort!
Fiction…Nonfiction…author study…science…etc..etc..etc…
NOT ME!
Not my SUMMER! (again )
OURS…ALL OF US!
(Do not do this the day your admin
is observing YOU!)
This will take time…time well spent!

 

My thoughts are to have the kids
make labels…NOT ME!
And put them right ON THE SHELF!
YES…ON THE SHELF!
They take ownership, so they can put things away!
Not ME!

 

Others have persevered..
IT IS POSSIBLE!
WOW!
 A Classroom library that mimics a
PUBLIC LIBRARY!???
They will know HOW to USE a PUBLIC LIBARY!
Not “What tub is ——-  book in?”
Hmmmm…
Food for thought.
So…if you are thinking of
RAISING THE BAR
in YOUR classroom library…
LET THEM DO IT!
Close your eyes…
change your MINDSET…
and collaborate
 WITH YOUR STUDENTS!
They might surprise YOU!
Wendy
seed germinators

Spring gardening 101 and a FREE CHICKEN DANCE!

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I love SPRING!

DID I MENTION…

I LOVE SPRING!

And I Love to GARDEN!

This Spring I taught my students how to recycle water bottles into seed germinators!

Hello Spring

I Love Spring!

I am an AVID  Gardener!

 
LOVE to get my fingers in the dirt.
 
We call my hubby “FARMER WITHOUT A FARM!”
 
We are “suburbanites” with a backyard farm.
Chickens included!
 

Luna our backyard chicken

Black Chicken

Sunshine our white backyard chicken

Sunshine – white chicken

 
 
More on that later.
 
 

This year we installed

PALLET  GARDENS!

How to plant in a Pallet Garden

Grow plants in a PALLET GARDEN!

So easy!  
Lay down wooden pallet.
Fill with potting soil & steer manure.
Plant!
 
We did seeds.
And more seeds. (Rotate your crops)
 
We didn’t have a lot of room for “vines”.. so we did NOT
grow pumpkins.
 
We did grow some BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWERS in the
back.
They need A LOT OF room. They got 10-12 feet TALL!

             Check out my Sunflower Seeds Plant Unit.          AWESOME!

 
Grow vegetables that you eat.
I wanted to show the kids
ROOTS, STEMS, LEAVES, FLOWERS, etc.
Choose plants that will help with that!
It’s SPRING!
Time for new growth!
 
We also made individual planters for the kids to take
home.
 
As we had been studying EARTH DAY…
 
We RECYCLED
 
water bottles as seed planters!

Water bottles for planting seeds.

Recycled Water bottles for planting.

Start with water bottles.
Cut them in half.
Poke a hole in the lid.
Tie a knot in string & thread through the hole.
When lid is ON…string hangs DOWN.
Flip the  TOP of bottle..into the  bottom.
The bottom will hold the water.

Add soil.

Cut bottles in half. Add soil.

Add soil.
And seeds to top.
Fill the bottom with water.
The string acts like a wick…to water itself!

Water bottles growing seeds.

Recycled water bottles with seeds.

Water bottles as seed germinators!

We have sprouts!

Soon… sprouts!
We took them HOME at OPEN HOUSE!
The kids were SO excited to show off their garden.
Maybe THEY will become
MASTER GARDENERS
some  day!
 

Happy Dance!

Happy Dance!

 
In honor of my 
CHICKENS…
 
Chicken Dance is FREE!
 

Word Game

Chicken Dance Word Game from 1stgradefireworks

Happy Spring to all!
Wendy