Sunday Seven

Well I forgot to do a Friday Five so here's my Sunday Seven! 

1. Practice, practice, practice makes better. Despite the random and hilarious words of wisdom that Kindergarteners give, they are still just tiny people. They have had a mere 5 almost 6 years on this planet. Some haven't spent much of that time in a place like a classroom. I must remind myself that even when our routine looks good we need to practice it a few more times. Practice, practice, practice.

 

2. Perfection is a nice idea, but let's just aim for getting better and better. I would LOVE it for my students and I to have a perfect day but that's not going to happen too often. (See that phrasing? I know our perfect days are coming albeit few and far between :) ) Every day, small victories are awesome too. 

3. Kindergarteners will keep you humble. Did you pick out an amazing outfit and take an extra few minutes on your hair? Don't be surprised if not a single student says you looks nice. Throw on a superhero shirt, barely make it out of the house without the hairbrush still in your head and guess what? In the middle of your profound, life changing lesson on how to match buttons a student will blurt out "you look cool today Mrs. T!" And then sometimes one by one a handful of additional students will shout out things they like about your (after thought of an) outfit. 

4. Enjoying your job is important and we all work hard so be kind. Everyone in your school building is working hard toward educating students. That's not always an easy job. Smile, say hello, learn names and thank people whenever you can. People you think you know well are often fighting battles that you are unaware of. A small act of kindness can make a huge difference in their day. 

5. My husband rocks! Slightly off topic but he really does. He is building a platform in his man cave to elevate some of the seating. I'm quite impressed. 

6. I rock too!! I helped my husband install a ceiling fan yesterday and I managed to watch an entire season of a TV show On Demand. I am proud of my Saturday lol. 

7. Football is back. Let's.Go.Ravens!! I love the feel of football season even thought I don't pay too much attention to the games. Fall means lesson planning and grading on the couch while simultaneously listening for when I need to "ooh" or "aw man" about a play on the field. It also means fall is on the way...

(Disclaimer. These "Brace Yourself" memes crack me up but I've never see this show)

Tyson Tidbit - It's ok to borrow great ideas from colleagues. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. 

Week One of Kindergarten

My littles and I have completed one week. I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it went. We have learned all about class dojo, we can line up (in the same order every time!) and walk quietly, and we know lots of catchy songs that teach us (no matter how annoying they are to adults). 

My goal for the week was to create an environment that incorporated choice, challenge and comfort. Along the way we also got a lot of learning done. 

Look at my cool word wall! Students are able to grab the word they need and then reclip it onto the correct letter's ribbon. 

Students decide what work they are proud of and want displayed on the Incredible Work board.

A comfy place for little people to sit while reading.

My students have a variety of ability leveles based on their prior experiences so far. It's a bit challenging to meet them all where they are but that's ok. The joy that I feel when a high flyer makes a profound connection is the same joy I feel when a struggler beams with pride for understanding the basics of our lesson. 

I had the chance to meet and greet about half of my parents at Back to School night. I appreciated the efforts of all the hard working parents that showed up. Some, no doubt, had worked all day before coming to the program. Some, admittedly had difficultly understanding it all. Regardless of their challenges, they attended. Their attendance shows their children that they care about a positive outcome this school year. And it reminds teachers like little old me that we are a community of hearts all hoping and sacrificing for the good of our students. 

Mrs. T

Friday Five - 7/3/15

It's Friday again!! 

1. Target's dollar bin has some really, really, really nice things for teachers right now. Careful, even at $1 per item you can rack up quite a bill. (I have packed all these items back up so as not to alarm Mr. Tyson) :)

2. I'm teetering on the edge of being prepared and being overwhelmed. I'm excited to be moving down to Kindergarten but I'm worried that I'll be a hot mess for the first few weeks of school. Thankfully I have a great administration and teaching team. 

3. Despite my unplanned Target shopping spree today I am trying to remember less = more. When designing my room LESS of what I want as a teacher means I can do MORE of what my students need and want. I want my classroom to be reflective of my students and their work as opposed to being just a "pretty" or "catalogue classroom". 

4. Sooooo last school year I had two students that definitely benefited from not having to sit in the traditional seating of a chair and desk setup. Honestly, there were probably at least three more students that would have benefited from alternative seats as well. The problem? Obtaining alternate seating options! I'm hoping a combination of school funds, creativity and perhaps donations will lead to some seating options that will help my most fidgety little ones. Look at how engaged these students are!

5. Don't worry. I am enjoying my summer despite the amount of time I am spending building anxiety and planning for next year. I hope you are too. Make sure to get lots of rest and enjoy some reading or crafting or hanging out with family. Before we know it we'll be back in the trenches wondering how summer flew by. 

Tyson Tidbit - Collaborating can go beyond the walls of your own school. Find teacher friends all around to share ideas with, even if they are not teaching the same grade or in the same place you are.

Friday Five - 6/26/15

Alrighty! It's Friday yet again. Here is my very first Friday Five post. 

1. I can't believe one whole week of summer break is gone! I've already enjoyed the pool, the beach and some time with family. 

2. The Daily 5! Why didn't I investigate this method earlier?! I am loving the information I have found on it so far. My county has a push toward student centered learning environments and I think this would be perfect. Students provided with choice and differentiation.

 

3. I'm thinking about making seating for my reading area this year. I'm transitioning down to K and I want a few seating options for my littles during "Read to Self" rotations. As if I need anymore DIY projects. :)

4. Couponing!!!!!! I am so thrilled to be attempting to coupon now. I have downloaded a few apps on my phone to help. Now I need to reach out to friends, family and  coworkers to donate unused coupon inserts. If you have tips or a particularly great resource for couponing please let me know. 

5. Organizing and packing. The least favorite topic of the week. Why is moving so much work? Is there an app that will organize, pack and subsequently unpack and organize all of my bindings? If you can solve this problem I will be very grateful. 

And that's my Friday Five! 

Tyson Tidbit - Pinterest is a great way to spend time looking at projects/recipes you will never actually make. 

This is crazy and horrible timing...

for starting a new blog but hey, I can't help myself.

In 8 more school days I will be leaving behind my very first classroom and joining a new teaching team for next school year. As if that wasn't change enough I will also be switching grade levels. That's right! I will be training Kindergarten superheroes next fall.

It is a bittersweet transition for me as I love my school and my littles. I'm excited about the prospects that this change will bring.

I'm also hoping to spend some time over the summer planning out how to manage this blog.