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.

I LOVE the Guided Reading Table!

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What is YOUR favorite time of the day?

Before lunch?

Recess?

Mine is…

GUIDED READING!

The place where “MAGIC” happens!

The “AHA!”..the lightbulb…whatever you want to call it.

Last year I got rid of my

TEACHER DESK.

This is my

CENTRAL COMMAND.

Then I added stools from IKEA.

My kiddos LOVE IT!

My next favorite “accessory”

from by BFF…AMAZON!

Brewster Wall Pops

WPE99065 Peel & Stick Calypso Dry-Erase Dots

with Marker

I put BIG teal dots on my table!

My kids write on them!

After we read… then

we write questions on them

and then change seats to answer them!

Musical Chairs!

They LOVE it!

Write & WIPE!

The BEST!

I use my

BALANCED LITERACY BINDER

to guide my lessons.

I use it

to assess kids reading levels,

to group them with like skills,

and to teach them AT THEIR LEVEL.

Now a couple of things I have learned “on the way”…

1. Guided Reading is NOT the independent reading time!

They read to themselves (READ TO SELF) at a different time of the day… we do it after lunch.

2. Guided Reading is NOT a time for a LONG teacher LESSON!

I only have them for 15-20 min.

Always give them a skill or strategy they can use NOW!

Your goal is to create INDEPENDENT READERS…

do not enable them to wait for YOU to do the reading.

3. You DO NOT have to read a BOOK every day!

(This is not the time for HOW MANY BOOKS have you read?)

My lowest reading group needs PHONEMIC AWARENESS.

If you don’t know your letter sounds…it’s really HARD to read.

So Guided reading should be called

GUIDED LITERACY

Meet them at their level.

Give them a “takeaway” that they can use TODAY.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

I also use FRIDAYS for assessments ONLY.

NO GROUPS!

I do one-to-one RUNNING RECORDS.

I do fluency assessments.

I do letter & phonics assessments.

BUT…

Don’t “DAWDLE”…

Make it quick. Not a “story” time.

Try to get the most BANG for your buck.

Suggestion:

Start with your middle groups.

The “BUBBLE” kids.

They will be moving the fastest.

Next. Alternate assessments between your highs & lows.

Your highs probably will make continued growth with “less” support…they

came in with strong foundations or they wouldn’t be HIGH!

Don’t forget about them.

Keep them connected with BOOK CLUBS, Writing, and

LOTS of comprehension.

My low babies. You can’t practice TOO MUCH.

When they become “done”…distracted, unable to focus, etc.

CHANGE IT UP.

Interactive writing, phonics games, reading with “finger pointers”, etc., etc.

Change the game…not the content.

Here is a Sight Word FREEBIE for YOU to get started!

So I LOVE the guided reading table.

LOTS of learning goes on there.

BUT ALWAYS, ALWAYS, remember…

IT STARTS WITH

BALANCED LITERACY!

GAME CHANGER!!!

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VOCABULARY BANNERS

I love it when SOMETHING WORKS!

YESSSS!!!!

I have

discovered, learned, and found a BETTER WAY!

I LOVE BANNERS

Obviously…

So Does PINTEREST!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/211317407494866485/

and so…

I needed some vocabulary words for MY classroom.

Different ones for EACH MONTH.

FAST & EASY for me.

High Interest for Kiddos.

TADA!

Vocabulary Banners

I have a

GAME CHANGER

for YOU!

Tie a triple KNOT!

Yes, a TRIPLE KNOT…and staple it to one side of your board ( or window ).

Measure side to side. Add 3-4 inches!

Tie another triple knot and staple it to the other side.

( I measured to make sure both sides were LEVEL.)

I know…those of you who know me… I NEVER MEASURE!

EYEBALL IT!

But…I want to do this ONE TIME…not taking down the yarn until the END OF THE YEAR!

Staple BOTH sides of the KNOT!

The Knot will HOLD the yarn. NO SLIDING!

HERE IS THE

GAME CHANGER…

After you have laminated the banner ( OR TAPE THE TOP EDGE BEFORE

you HOLE PUNCH!)

Use a hole punch to make two holes at the top.

I went down about ( No measuring there ) a 1/2″.

THEN…

SLIT THE HOLE TO THE TOP!

( SEE the PICTURE )

WHAT??????

“NO! Then it will fall off!”

NOT!

No one is pulling on these. They are for

LOOKING…NOT TOUCHING!

What this does is allows you to

change the BANNER page

without having to

remove & put up a new string!

JUST CHANGE THE BANNERS!

YESSS!!!

Alternate sides when you add the vocab. cards.

I wanted an ODD number…

so I could have 1 in the middle.

Add another layer.

Same directions.

I cheated in the middle layer.

Stapled the middle card ( so the arch would be close to the others).

TADA!

WONDERFUL Vocabulary words at my writing center for kiddos to use!

BIG pictures…spelling…variety

for ELs, independent work, & everyday writing!

And I can change them each month…

IN A FLASH!

Just change the cards…not the string!

Here are my

vocabulary banners

And so…

A GAME CHANGER

for me!

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.

DO YOU SCOOT? Learning Games

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NIBITS FOR NEWBIES

This week’s theme…

DO YOU SCOOT?

HUH?

Do… YOU… SCOOT?????

Ok..

Have you ever PLAYED SCOOT???

Here is a game to get 100% of YOUR students ENGAGED!

My Kiddos LOVE SCOOT games…

Here are the basics:

Materials needed:

Game cards, task cards, pictures, flashcards, or multiple pages for review.

AND

A student page for responses.

Each student needs their OWN page.

Can be a pre-printed one, or blank.

The main idea is:

The teacher places different “tasks” on student desks.

The students walk around the room and respond to the task on their papers.

Some teachers use a timer ( 1 minute per “station”) or FREE FOR ALL!

MY KIDDOS LOVE LOVE LOVE this!

Here are some examples…

We used this packet to play.

The CLOCK cards are the packet.

NO laminating is needed!

I just place them in clear report sleeves…or Zip Lock bags when I need more!

Each card has a DIFFERENT LETTER in the Top LEFT corner…

see the “V”????

Students walk around the classroom ( this time with a partner )

to find the cards.

We just used a blank page, folded it into 12 squares, and gave each one a LETTER.

I told them NOT to put their squares in ABC order.

WHY? That way ALL kids are not at the same card at the same time!

Mix it up!

They found the 12 cards matching THEIR CHOSEN LETTERS!

We are working on time to the hour & half hour.

THEY LOVED THIS!

LOTS of discussions, helping each other, and giggles!

Check out PINTEREST…LOTS OF SCOOT GAMES!

I know you will enjoy it!

Have fun!

Wendy

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

Do You Have a PLAN for Packing up YOUR Classroom?

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It’s THAT time.

Time to pack up my classroom!

Are YOU packing up YOUR classroom?

via GIPHY

WAHOO! Summer vacation. The Beach. Family BBQ’s. R&R.

BUT, WAIT! NOT YET! First I need to pack up my classroom so I can find the things I need when we come back. Back to School is crazy enough without me NOT being able to find my MOST needed items! ( Where is MY stapler???)

Are YOU packing up your classroom?

What am I packing?

What is on my classroom packing list?

Here is my list:

Number One

It’s ALL about ME! What will I need the first week?

Teacher Editions and Lesson Plan Book

My Teacher Editions & Lesson Plan Book. I need them to plan for the first weeks.

Mostly Routines and Daily schedules. (Work on THIS before VACATION!)

Sticky Notes

Sticky notes inside to remind my “aging” brain…what I INTEND to do!

What MATERIALS will I need to accomplish this? What lesson to focus on those first weeks? What went well? What didn’t?

USE THOSE STICKY NOTES INSIDE YOUR TE!

You will NOT remember months from now… what you are thinking about TODAY!

Use the next few weeks to make your NOTES!

How to Prepare for a Successful Reading Workshop in First Grade

Teacher’s Desk

Don’t forget, in your TEACHER DESK…

hide a few water bottles, mints, chocolate, and Tylenol, sanitizer, throat lozenges,

for the first week back…FOR YOU!

Never know how that FIRST WEEK will go!

BE Prepared!

* “SUGGESTED” teacher MUST HAVES for the first weeks:

Number 2

Student materials ( packets, papers, journals, etc ).

Before packing up your classroom, RUN THEM NOW!

( Nothing feels better than pulling out MUCH NEEDED things…ALREADY DONE!)

Stacks of copied papers, sorted and ready to go!

Papers copied, sorted, and filed!

Whew! SO glad I prepped these BEFORE school was out!!

Get some puzzles, games, blocks, etc. out.

It’s National PUZZLE Day! Do YOU play GAMES??

classroom card games

THEY WILL NOT BE INDEPENDENT!

Have a few things ready so they can have “downtime”

while YOU are doing ONE-TO-ONE assessing!

You know you will HAVE TO…prepare for IT!

How do YOU FIT IT ALL IN? Balanced Literacy

Number three is third.

As you are packing up your classroom with those MANY, MANY BOXES (for centers, games, things you need to go through) …

DO THOSE LATER!

I know you NEED these, BUT

You will “SURVIVE” looking at them LATER!

NO STRESS!

( YEAH, right!)

Read to SELF…LET THEM READ!

Prepare today… after a RELAXING Summer… the thought of coming back

and redoing everything in a day or two is

EXCRUTIATING!

Screaming Child

Breathe…relax…make your lists…stick to them…and PREP AWAY!

The payoff is HUGE!

Now…where did I pack that STAPLER?

stapler

These posts might help “ease” the transition Back to School…

Polka Dots Please blog post on flexible seating.

Polka Dots Please

Teacher Stacking chairs

Packing Up Your Classroom

* PS…I just found out I have three weeks to pack up

MY ENTIRE CLASSROOM! I am getting NEW Carpet! I am happy…I think!

PACK UP 30 years of stuff? In 3 weeks? EVERYTHING?

Time to PURGE! Who needs the PD resource from 1999???

I think I need a LOT MORE BOXES!

I may need ALL of these boxes to pack up my classroom.

Hi HO…HI HO…It’s off to pack I go!

via GIPHY

WENDY – 1stgradefireworks

The END Of the School Year is NEAR!

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The End of the school year is coming up fast!

May begins the RUSH to the Finish Line!

After the calendar changes, I start getting ready for Summer vacation.

Spring Fever is kicking in.

I daydream of the beach, family barbeques, gardening… Ahhh…

I am thinking BEACH! Spring FEVER is here!

But WAIT! I am NOT ready for the end of the year.

I have things to do!

STRESS is kicking in! So what? What do I need to do?

End of the Year Report Cards.

All end-of-the-year paperwork for my students needs to be completed. We have to sign off on cum files. Put papers in files. Purge student portfolios so the second-grade teachers only get current information.

PURGE those files!

OPEN HOUSE

Our Open House for parents is in May. The end of the year is a good time for them to visit our classroom, see their child’s projects, and let their child “teach” them. I step back and become the “visitor”. The kids run the show. I teach them how to properly introduce their parent to me. “Mrs. McCarty, I would like to introduce you to my mother, Maria ” and we shake hands. ( Practicing good manners ALL the time!) The kids are the “guides” and they WALK THE ROOM (start at the door & show them ALL the things we do and then to their clean desk ( cleaned that day). EVERYTHING ON their desk goes HOME with them. MAKE SURE NOT TO PUT ANYTHING ON THEIR DESK THAT YOU WANT TO STAY. We have ALL of our end-of-the-year projects completed and ready to go.

Clean classroom desks for OPEN HOUSE

ASSEMBLIES

Our End of the Year assemblies are WONDERFUL! Our school talent show, sing-alongs, class sharing, etc. happen this month.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

At the end of the year, we celebrate our families. We have a LUNCH on the LAWN for our families. They can bring a lunch (McDonald’s is ALWAYS a favorite), a picnic blanket, and have lunch with their child. They can bring Grandparents, siblings, cousins, whomever. It’s at their regular lunchtime, just a fun time for all. ANY student whose parent cannot come, ( like ME..I was always working..dad went) they get to sit on MY picnic blanket and have lunch with ME!

Picnic lunch with families. Photo thank you to http://allaboutgracie.blogspot.com/2011/06/school-picnic-lunch-with-gracie.html

We also have our end-of-the-year BOOK FAIR! Families are encouraged to purchase books for their child to read over the summer. We usually have a good turn out. If you have NOT had a Book Fair at your school, try it!

Scholastic Book Fair

CLASSROOM

We are winding down with our books and curriculum. Workbooks are almost empty, journals are full, and the crayons and markers have had it! The end of the year has taken its TOLL on student materials! 🙂 But, I have to get ready for NEXT YEAR!

The books need to be sorted before the end of the year.

Before the end of the year…START NOW!

Have students sort through classroom library books. THEY CAN SORT! Add labels to any books not labeled and have your books ready for next year.
Sort writing center materials ( papers, markers, etc) and make sure everything is in working order. Have your students check markers. Any that don’t work..TOSS!
PURGE your FILES! ( Yes…I said IT!) If you haven’t used it, seen it, or are not even sure where it came from…RECYCLE IT!
OPEN YOUR CUPBOARDS! If you have NOT opened the cupboard this year…YOU DON’T NEED ANYTHING IN IT! Don’t store stuff because you MIGHT need it. If you aren’t using it… BYE BYE!
Take out EVERYTHING from drawers and closets. DON’T PUT IT BACK, if you haven’t used it! ( I found 10 computer cables for the technology we don’t even have anymore!)
Have students CLEAN! I give them a paper towel and SANITIZER! Wipe everything you can touch! NO PAPER OR BOOKS! Chairs, stools, door, tables, desks, TOPS & BOTTOMS! CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!
Think about YOUR bulletin boards for the beginning of the year. Put ALL of the things you will need in one box. Don’t forget a stapler, tape, etc. MARK IT for TEACHER IMPORTANT! Keep it with YOU.
Don’t take home a ton of stuff over the summer. I allow myself ONE box. THAT’S IT! You are NOT going to do a lot of school work over the summer. Don’t FAKE IT!
I begin to pack at the end of the year, as soon as OPEN HOUSE is over. A little EVERY day. My goal is to fill one garbage can a day for the rest of the year. Purge a little every day. You have digital files…use them!
Runoff your first-week materials. Have them in a box ready to go! I am working on my lesson plan frames for next year. I do mine on the computer. Wouldn’t it be nice to open the lesson plan binder and already have the first week DONE??!!! I already have my year-long plans for ELA and MATH. My BFF teaching partner has done that.

SEND HOME STUDENT MATERIALS

I send ALL workbooks ( with pages we didn’t get to), BRAG TAG necklaces, student-made books, etc. on the last week. If I change the routines, I must deal with behavior problems. AND WE DON’T WANT THAT! We have a game day the last day. They can play our rainy-day classroom games. Then we write a letter to the kindergartners telling them about First Grade.

The end of the year is a fun time, a stressful time, and a time to organize for next year. Don’t “over-do” it. Remember…it’s YOUR vacation TOO!

When you are getting ready for Back To School… check out these HELPFUL resources:

Check out this great BLOG POST from LAURA at www.thecoreinspiration.com on setting UP your classroom library.

How to Set Up Your Classroom Library http://www.thecoreinspiration.com

My friend, CHRISTINA DECARBO will help YOU get organized for the END of the YEAR!

https://www.missdecarbo.com

end of the year organization tips & tricks

End of the Year Organization https://www.missdecarbo.com/

Balanced Literacy

BALANCED LITERACY

Be A Reader Blending Lines for FLuency

BE A READER… BLENDING LINES FOR FLUENCY

Write On Journal Pages

WRITE ON

Back to School Word Work BACK TO SCHOOL WORD WORK

CA JOURNEYS MEGA BUNDLE…

CAN WORK WITH ANY CURRICULUM

YOUR WHOLE YEAR… DONE!

JOIN THE BOOK CLUB

These posts will help ease your stress:

How to Prepare for a Successful Reading Workshop in First Grade

How to do GUIDED READING in 20 minutes or less..(FREEBIE TOO!)

How Do you Fit It ALL in? Balanced Literacy.

HUG your kiddos. BREATHE. Think ahead. Enjoy your SUMMER VACATION!

Wendy 1stgradefireworks

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!)

___ 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 24 years!

We are going to retire together

the same year…in 2-3 years.

( 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?”

When the little boy who STUTTERS ( severely )…

asks if he can READ his newest story

TO THE CLASS!

( And EVERYONE cheers for him!)

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!

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

I Needed a KICK IN THE PANTS!

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I can tell it’s SPRING…

I’m getting

LAZY!

But I have FINALLY, updated one of my

MOST Valued PRODUCTS!

BOOK CLUBS

HURRAY!

Now…I work 3 jobs…

I get up at 5:00 AM and go to bed at 9:00 PM.

I think I deserve some DOWN time!

BUT…

Then…I..get…really….complacent…

procrastinate…LAZY!

So every once in a while,

I need someone to give me a little

PUSH SHOVE

KICK IN THE PANTS!

Time to git ‘er DONE

What is YOUR favorite time of the day?

GUIDED READING!

My next favorite “accessory”

Brewster Wall Pops

WPE99065 Peel & Stick Calypso Dry-Erase Dots

with Marker

I put BIG teal dots on my table!

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I needed some vocabulary words for MY classroom.

HERE IS THE

GAME CHANGER…

WONDERFUL Vocabulary words at my writing center for kiddos to use!

Just change the cards…not the string!

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CHUNKY CRAYONS?

Use the broken crayons from your classroom…

AND

BEG OTHER TEACHERS FOR THEIRS!

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Here is a game to get 100% of YOUR students ENGAGED!

The teacher places different “tasks” on student desks.

The students walk around the room and respond to the task on their papers.

LOTS of discussions, helping each other, and giggles!

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“Share the JOBS?”

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

9 helpers each day.

They like having a CHOICE in their day!

How do YOU choose helpers?

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It’s THAT time.

Time to pack up my classroom!

Are YOU packing up YOUR classroom?

BUT, WAIT! NOT YET! First I need to pack up my classroom so I can find the things I need when we come back. Back to School is crazy enough without me NOT being able to find my MOST needed items! ( Where is MY stapler???)

Are YOU packing up your classroom?

What am I packing?

What is on my classroom packing list?

Before packing up your classroom, RUN THEM NOW!

As you are packing up your classroom with those MANY, MANY BOXES (for centers, games, things you need to go through) …

DO THOSE LATER!

EXCRUTIATING!

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The End of the school year is coming up fast!

But WAIT! I am NOT ready for the end of the year.

I have things to do!

End of the Year Report Cards.

OPEN HOUSE

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What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

I have changed my “VIEW” on teacher appreciation.

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

What is TRUE Teacher Appreciation?

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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.

I have decided to TAKE AWAY THE TUBS!

AND WE WILL SORT!

They take ownership, so they can put things away!

LET THEM DO IT!

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I can tell it’s SPRING…

But I have FINALLY, updated one of my

MOST Valued PRODUCTS!

BOOK CLUBS

HURRAY!

PUSH SHOVE

KICK IN THE PANTS!

This has been one of those weeks!

So…

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.