It looked like spilt milk.

I'm not sure if it's Common Core or Essential Standards {is anyone else confused switching back and forth?!} or just the fact that we've hired a full-time Science Lab teacher this year {who is amazing!} but our science concepts have changed immensely this year.  Technically we are only teaching 4 concepts, 1 per quarter...weather, measurement, animals & tools.  Well, that leaves a lot to be desired so while we're continue to explore those concepts in the Science Lab, we're definitely pulling out some of the oldies-but-goodies to teach more in the classroom.

For our quarter one objective of weather, we combined our knowledge of clouds and rain to make this little display in the hallway:

After reading It looked like spilt milk by Charles G. Shaw, we tore up pieces of white paper to create our own cloud pictures.  In the past when I've read this book, our follow-up has been to squirt some white paint on the blue paper, fold it in half, smooth the paper around and open it to find a symmetrical white shape but my kinders had a hard time {year after year} trying to figure out what that white blob looked like.  I'm super happy about how the paper tearing worked out this year.  I modeled by gluing my pieces down in a high heel shape {which, of course, they recognized!} and then made their own.  I will definitely be using this follow-up from now on.

I typed a sentence structure into a cloud modeled after the story so the students could tell me what their cloud picture was and I extended it to add somewhat of a pre-assessment piece when I asked students to predict what clouds are made of.  The next week when we learned more about clouds and rain, we wrote various facts and students chose on to write on their raindrop.  Complete with blue glitter...of course.  ;)

Here's two examples:

If you'd like my cloud outline, click the pic below!

{yes, it's just a speech bubble and I didn't cut out the thinking parts}

We're now taking a break from weather to introduce {my favorite!} all things fall...coming soon!!!

What teachers really want to tell parents.

Ron Clark is an amazing educator who really gets children and how to reach them. He knows that respect, manners and an encouraging environment must be in place before anything academic will stick. Google his name and you'll find accolades from multiple sources, clips of his students performing for the president and countless teachers telling how they've used strategies of music and student interest to create better lessons.  Or better yet, for his whole story, watch the made-for-TV movie The Ron Clark story starring Matthew Perry.

In case none of that is ringing a bell, I wanted to give you a little background to be sure you understand the credibility of the article I'm about to post.  If you've been an educator at all, even if this is still your first month of your first year, chances are good that you've already encountered a parent who doesn't respect you as an authority figure or who has already challenged a rule or consequence their child has faced.  Please hear me say that there are many good families and parents out there and that I am not at all stereotyping every grade school parent as disrespectful.  The unfortunate truth of it is, though, that as educators in the current school system, our credibility, authority and basic perception as professionals goes down every year.  Not because we aren't doing our jobs and not even because we're bogged down with paperwork & other things that are so prevalent in the education system.  No, the credibility of teachers continues to go down because how we're perceived by society continues to drop.

Ron Clark had the opportunity to talk about this issue with CNN and I think he made some clear and valid points.  Click on his picture for the article.

Now, how do we get parents to read this with an open heart and mind?

life management.

Ladies {because I'm assuming your husbands and boyfriends are currently parked on the couch in front of football like mine},

I'm having a struggle.  This is a new school year for us all, full of many exciting & new things.  For me, the list includes but is not limited to...teaching inclusion.  special need students.  additional 45 minutes in the day.  common core.  new science objectives.  new social studies curriculum.  new behavior plan.  {hopefully soon} new puppy in the new house complete with a new and longer commute to work.  And I have to say, I'm taking it all in stride!  Except for one thing...

no. time. to. blog.

Our bell schedule has been extended by 45 minutes in an effort to cut the budget by way of having less bus drivers {who are also working longer days by the time they get our kids home around 5 o'clock but that's another story}.  On top of it, our day has been backed up with a later start and end time.  Like many of you, I'm a teach-a-holic working extra hours, not for the money {ha!} but because it's necessary to give my students what they need.  Now I'm running around in 20 minutes or so after school trying to set up for the next day before getting in my car and driving half an hour home to stay just ahead of the city traffic.  By the time I get home, it's after five o'clock, I work in my office until dinner's ready {because I'm lucky enough to have a husband who cooks!} then it's about an hour with him before I have to go to bed early in order to get up extra early to get ahead of the city traffic going back in.

I apologize for the semi-rant, but I just have to ask...how do you ladies do it?!  I just can not find the time to get online with you all like I used to when we dismissed at 2:45.  I was getting on to complain when I saw a comment from Pam at Can Do Kinders, who was awarding me for being one of her top 10 favorite blogs.  {thank you!!!}  When I read her reasoning, "So many great ideas and so positive!  She is the best!" I was both humbled and smacked in the face for my desire to vent.  So for all of you who are sticking with me while I'm AWOL and all of you feeling the crunch of a new school year with new challenges AND especially you mothers who are juggling all of this plus kids of your own...I give this to you.

I know it's probably against the rules and I apologize for not choosing just 10, but I think we all deserve a little recognition for the hours, the frustrations, the challenges and the exercise of just managing life.  And hey, while we're at it...why not a freebie?  Pour yourself another glass of wine {just wait for the cheer of a touchdown and you'll completely go unnoticed} and take a few moments to do the things we love the most.  Browse blogs and research Pinterest, those things that force you to relax.  Just be sure to leave some recognition and a little appreciation in your wake.

Click for a letter sorting activity for your newest of learners!

Monthly Self-Portraits

Deanna Jump (the queen of TpT) inspired me with one of her end-of-year projects.  She has her students draw a picture of themselves each month and puts it together in a book at the end of the year.  I thought it was a super cute idea but wanted to add a writing element.  So I made a file with a picture frame outline and a place for the child to write their name.  Remember that the point isn't for it to look good, but to show progress.  So if your kindergarteners are like me and they scribble their names on their papers in August underneath a green smiley face with arms and legs sticking out from it...that's ok!!!  :)  It's all about the progress.

Click the pic for my file or see Deanna's original entries on her blog.

clip chart cuties.

I am psyched that we're moving away from the card system this year.  You know the one...construction paper strips in a pocket and once the kid gets away with enough warnings {which varies based on whose class you're in} then they have to pull the green card out and they're on yellow...to red to blue to whatever you choose.  5 greens in a week = treasure box.  You know the drill.  We've had the same system forever and it's worked well but I was ready for a break.  And yay yay, it's my favorite day becaaaaaause we're switching!

Our school has adopted the clip chart system instead.  And while I'm not saying you're a horrible teacher if you still use the color cards {hello, I used it the past 7 years} this one has way more benefits.  For example, you know that precious little lovie in your class whose name you can't remember for the first two weeks of school because you never have to redirect her?  Well, with this system, she gets to move, too.  UP.  Up for good behavior, down for not so good.  And wait for it...you can move more than once!  Mind boggling.

Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a little but I really do think there's more freedom with this system.  Kids are more motivated to do better because they can advance back and fix their mistakes and the kids who never get in trouble don't have to wait for Friday afternoon to be rewarded!  It's also a headache reliever for people like me who get sick of Treasure Box Friday Afternoons {you know, when parents pop in, extra announcements are being made, the office calls for early dismissal, assemblies are scheduled and the apocolypse takes place}.

We have some freedom within our own classrooms to praise and punish as we wish.  I've chosen the classic 9 step program for my little learn-a-holics:

Pink: Superstar

earns a cape or crown {I love a sentence strip crown any day!}
*also received a jewel on their clip to make it extra blingy* 

Red: Fabulous

earns lunch or reading time with a friend

Orange: Rockin

earns treasure box

Yellow: Good

earns candy jar or gumball

Green: Ready to learn

earns a sticker or tattoo if moving back up

Light Blue: Warning

earns the chance to fix-it 

Dark Blue: Cool Down

earns a few minutes in the cool down corner

Purple: Parent Contact

earns an email or phone call home

Black: Office Referral

earns a trip to see the principal

I also backed each one with cute scrapbook paper in the appropriate color.  {red has sparkly apples and orange has slick pencils...those are my favorites!}  Now that I've had this in place for a while, here's an update: I hung them vertically in that order near the bathroom by stapling just the middle and leaving the edges free.  My kids needed some help {even with a stool} once they got up above Fabulous but they loved needing to ask me "Can you move me up to Superstar?!"  I also made a hall of fame in the hallway so when the students got 5 jewels on their clip they got to move it out there and start a new one!

Get your own adorable grahics {here}.

And get your own 9 step-program {here} complete with 2 sample parent letters.

how do you inspire?

As teachers, I think we all have that little bug in us.  The one that crawls around whispering "Who have you inspired today?  Can you be as creative as {fill-in-the-blank}?  Will your students light up because of what you've done?"

I certainly have it.  In teaching.  With people.  In every aspect of my life.  I want to be inspired and inspiring.  I want to achieve greatness with my life, not waste it.

My amazing friend, Stephanie, has taken it to the next level to inspire others with her business.  She designs beautiful stationery {including our wedding invites & such!}, custom photo albums that would blow your mind and other graphic designy things that I still don't fully understand.  But it all comes together beautifully at the Inspire Design Studio.

She's dedicated part of her business to reaching out to others {coming soon!} and part of it to writing a blog on all kinds of things to inspire all kinds of people.  Yours truly was the guest blogger today!  Shockingly enough, it's related to teaching.  You just may enjoy it...

Click the picture to read my little post on her blog and if you like either what I have to say or her concept, consider following her as well.  I know she isn't a teacher per se {although she has taught graphic design at our near by university!} her business is definitely something that can be conducted over the internet and she has such a big heart to reach others and serve people that I just want to get her as much business as I can!

Now that  my wheels are turning, I'm thinking up a possible give-away pairing with Stephanie.  If you could choose a great stationery product, what would you want?  Personalized thank you notes maybe???  Let me know and it may happen!

no cutting. no gluing. no laminating. freebie.

We could all use some help at the beginning of the year, right?!  Even with all of the cute things in blogland, you still have to print, cut, laminate and cut again before you have something you can actually use.  {or in my case...go to Office Depot for a new ink cartidge...again...to start the process.}  Well you're in luck because I'm teaching a half day kindergarten camp this week and have come up with some easy printables.  yep. just. print.

You've got 2 freebies here to along with two great Back to School books.  I believe they were both from Scholastic and in the one to five dollar range.

As much as I would love to give you the whole unit for free, I would love even more to not be in court for violating terms of use.  So I am listing the 25 page unit on TeachersPayTeachers for ONE dollar.  If you're a 10 month employee like me, you're currently digging change from the couch to pay for gas and have a mile long wish list in TPT of things you'd like to eventually purchase whenever you get a paycheck again.  So hopefully this won't break the bank at $1.  What you can find at TPT are from stories such as these...

 

So here are your 2 freebies and I hope you'll stop by my TPT store for the rest of the unit!  Each story has a list of ideas & talking points, at least one printable and an extension idea.  If you purchase, let me know how you like it and leave me some feedback.  I cater to you!  ;)

After reading Off to kindergarten:

 After reading The night before kindergarten:

{click any of the pictures to go to google docs & all 3 will be there to download}