How to Start the Year off with a BANG!
Back to School
Summer is coming to an end... at least for teachers! We are thinking about what we need to do to get ready for back to school.
This year, I have started a to do list based on the list that Mrs. Jones used on her website. I have highlighted some of the things I have done already. I think I will copy it off and attach it in the front of my notebook. I always have something that I use for writing ideas down throughout the year. I keep ideas about school, church, and life in these. I like to have one that has a pocket in it to keep ideas that I write down when I don't have the notebook. Keeping it in my notebook, I can refer to it wherever I am.
| before_the_school_year_starts.doc |
Themes
You do need to pay for newsletter, passes, power points, and other goodies you will find on there, but the most is 1.99 I think to download single items. If you don't have a theme, it's a good place to look for one!
For pirate theme, I start with my summer letter to the new students. I use the language of the theme. When I had jungle, I wrote "Welcome to the jungle" on my welcome letter. When the kids come into the classroom on meet the teacher, they see pirate stuff everywhere they look. They grab a treasure map to walk through the class, find their desk, and find me! Get creative!
Don't have time to do it for this year? It's good to think about next year's theme at the beginning of this year. pick up things throughout the year so you don't have to do it all in the summer.
Setting Up the Classroom
Summer Assessments
A few weeks before school starts we do our district wide "tool kit" with our kindergarteners and first graders. This year we have added the 2nd graders. We are the only school that does it because we don't get paid, but it helps so much to have so much of that done. It is also a useful tool to have for making reading groups and having an idea of where the kids are academically. It covers letter and sound recognition, phonemic awareness, blends/diagraphs/dipthongs recognition, and sight word recognition as well as running record level. It is a time consuming, one on one assessment. Doing it during the summer allows for more time to do other things in the classroom.
Meet The Teacher
The week before school starts, we have "Meet the Teacher". This is a chance for the student to meet the teacher, as the name implies, see the classroom, find out where to line up and be picked up the first day, pay for lunches, buy school t-shirts, and all that jazz! I give my parents a little map of the classroom with steps to follow before the grand finale - meet me! :)
The students pick up their nametags and check the spelling. I always have a child or two that go by a middle name or a nickname or a name that is misspelled in the computer.
The students get to pick their seats for the first couple of weeks. This allows me to see who are buddies that work well together and who should be kept seperated.
At their new desk, they drop off all their stuff that they need there. This year, I plan to have a note on the desk of what to do with all the paperwork that will be on their desk. Check the "Before the school year starts" to do list to see what is on there. I think on the proxima I will have a short video showing how to put the stuff in the desk as there is a trick with the large pencil box and 2 notebooks. A substitute, Mrs. Zook, was talking about when she had her own class with my team during lunch one day last year. I like her because she is a neat (tidy) person, and I am not. She is the "wise" one that shares her wisdom with those of us who have much to learn! She said that she taught her kids how to organize their desks. It may not be interesting to you, but it was earth-shattering to me! Of course you need to teach them! They can't read your mind! Last year, I started out the year, showing them how it should look and reviewing with them throughout the year. I had kids ask if they could clean their desks out evey so often when they felt it was getting messy. I NEVER had that happen before!
As they stand in line to meet with me, I have a place for them to write about what they think a "good teacher" should be like, as well as what a "good student" should look like! I may just add it to my survey. I also had them take pictures, but I do a lot of this already so I am not doing that this year.
This year, I have gotten addicted to Survey Monkey to do surveys so I think I might have the parents do that on the computer before they leave. If you have a survey monkey account, you can e-mail me and I will share my survey with you. I have also used it on feedback from reader's theather/plays in school to planning the women's retreat for my church. It is completely confidential and free! My "back to school" survey asks what they feel is important in a teacher and what do they hope that their students will get out of 1st grade. I have been trying to get the whole school involved. My principal likes the idea, but it is just the logistics of doing it on a large scale Vs everyone do it on their own.
| first_day_info.doc |
| first_grade_class_info.doc |
The First Week of School . . . Setting the Tone
I know we have all heard it, but the first week sets the tone for the rest of the year. I have had 3 student teachers in the last three years. When they come in the spring, it always hard for them to "get control" of the class. I feel strongly that it is the fact that they are not here at this crucial time at the beginning of the year. My dream is to have them during the beginning of the year to help set the tone. Then in the spring, when they come back, they would have that ground work already laid out!
One tool I use is a heart cut out of pink construction paper. It isn't as fancy as the picture! I do not remember where I got this idea from, but I do remember that this is not original. I get the students in a circle, and I show them the heart. They see the smooth, pink paper. I go around the circle and ask them to say something that "crumpled their heart" - something that made them sad. As each child says something, I crumple up a little of the heart and comment about how that is a mean thing to say or do. After everyone has had a turn, I go around again and ask for nice things that we can say to others to make them feel good. With these comments, I uncrumple the heart. Once I am done, I say something like,"Wow, the heart is good as new." Someone always shouts out,"No, it's all wrinkly!" To which I reply, "Yes, because once we say something mean and crumple someone's heart, we can say all the nice things that we want to say, but we will still leave marks on their heart!" I leave the heart up. We use it when we are discussing our classroom code of conduct. The kids refer to it all the time: "He crumpled my heart!" When kids say, "I said I was sorry", I can refer to the heart and talk about the marks they left!
A Special Treat
I have seen and used many different poems or stories to welcome the kids to class. Below is a copy what I gave to my kids this year. I put all the items mentioned in a purple chinese take out box with a little crinkled paper and the note. You can add clip art to personalize it!
| welcome_to_my_class_wo_the_pic.doc |
Getting to Know You
I have several fun getting to know you activities that I like to do during the first couple of weeks.
The first idea comes from Jade Radcliff. It works as a getting to know you activity and the beginning ideas for story writing. They pair/share with another child in the class. I usually pick someone they would not pick. I say something like who ever has the most kids in their family gets to go first or whoever is younger. After a student shares, the other student needs to ask at least 3 questions to help the student think more about their item. I always model this for the first and second time we do it.
Friend BINGO is another fun activity and cute take home item.
| paper_bag_homework.doc |
Portfolios
The covers that I use on my portfolios (2" white binders with clear covers) are below for you to download. The kids color them and put them in the front of the binder.
More on Portfolios and what I do with them, later.
| portfolio_cover_boy.doc |
| portfolio_cover_girl.doc |
Communication
Communication to parents is key to a successful year with them. Below are pictures of what I have used to keep in touch with my parents. The items are from VistaPrints. Order one of their free items, pay the shipping, and give them your e-mail to be updated about deals. They have them all the time. If you order in advance, you pay the cheap shipping.
In order of appearance down below, I will tell what I got and how I used it.
My most recent purchase: Star of the Week lawn sign - the kids take it home and advertise their star status!
Have A Question magnet for parents - After I ordered it, I thought "Got Questions?" would have been cuter. I gave it to parents at meet the teacher night.
Happy Camper Postcards - I will send this out as I see positive things happening in class. I got address stickers from the front office for my whole class and put them on a postcard. (I did the same thing with the next postcard) As I catch kids being good, I write it down, take it to the office to be mailed out, and I am done.
Welcome Postcards - During the first several weeks I send this out telling the kids how glad I am that they are in my class and find a positive comment or write something that I have learned about them.
The Writing Rubric Stamp - I ordered this for me to use on students writing to give feedback. I will also send the parents the rubric so they understand the system.
(Last 2) Thank You Note Cards and Address Labels - I made it very generic, "The Campers and I thank you for your generousity!". I can use it to thank a parent for coming into the class. I already used one to a family who gave a $30 gift card for WalMart. I was able to purchase items that some kids were unable to bring in.
Here's the link to VistaPrint:
http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/default.aspx?xnav=welcomeback&xnid=removecookies
I have started to get things for my family too. I am ordering 10 Christmas notecards at a time!! :)
Enjoy!
Conferences
We have traditional parent teacher conferences at the beginning of the year. In years' past, we have had the second conferences at the end of the 3rd quarter with "Student Led Conferences" that I really led. This year, the district changed the time to the 2nd week in February. Another thing that is different is that I am going to be brave, release the reins, and let the students actually lead. I am still having sit down conferences with those families that I really need to chat with, but everyone else is going to come during a large open frame. Below are some forms that you can manipulate as you need. One is just in math from another teacher. I planned on cutting and pasting that one.
| reflection_for_the_qtr.mht |
| student-led_conference_student_reflection.doc.pdf |
| student-led_conference.doc |
The End of the Year
My list consists of assessing the children, entering grades, and other activities that need my special attention. As I think of something else, I add it to the list. Our school gives us a check out list also. We get started on that as soon as possible. Some things can't be completed until the kids have gone, but if you can get some checked off early, it's a good feeling!
We have "Celebration of Learning" going on the week before school lets out. It shows off all that we have learned throughout the year. The big cluminating activity for the kids is their animal report. That night begins the "taking home of stuff". The kids take their reports and their portfolios. The next day, I have parents coming in to take down bulletin boards and pack up. I have learned that if you have volunteers or visitors to the classroom at this time of year, and you have your volunteer list ready, you get a couple more things off the list! I tell parents specific days that I need extra help. I am fortunate that I teach an a neighborhood that is helpful!
The students help with clearing out and cleaning their desks. We do this in the afternoon of the day before the last day of school. They take home all their things that are in their desks. They also love to get the staples and hot glue remnants off the walls.
Any good ideas? Let me know in the contact page and I will pass them along! :)