SPRING BREAK and Growth Mindset

I am so excited to be on SPRING BREAK!  This year is the first year we have two weeks (minus one day) for break and I think it will be wonderful! A much needed break for the children.... and teacher.  I am still doing a terrible job of remembering to take pictures of all of the neat things we are doing in the classroom but I promise you we have been doing fun things.  We had school on March 21 and with only one day we knew the kids would be excited and not want to sit still.  We did some of our regular routine but instead of doing Daily 5 in the morning we did centers, had an all grade movie (including 'Ice Pudding'!) in the afternoon and ended the day with an Easter egg hunt.  For the last day before spring break I would say it was very successful!

I'm now on my last day of break... my boys are napping and I'm finally getting to the things I wanted to. :) Better late than never.  We are working on some new programs for next year and I'm wanting to work on them. The first is working on implementing the 7 habits of highly effective people into our school and I personally am wanting to work on giving my kiddos (at home and school) a growth mindset.  

My littles all dressed up for Easter!

My husband reads everything, or listens to audio books of many different topics. He is interested in EVERYTHING.  Sometimes he wants to talk about what he has been reading or listening to and I pretend to listen, but this time it was different.  It made sense to me and I wanted to hear what he had to say.  The idea of a growth mindset got me excited for what I could do in my own life and in my classroom.  As a teacher I want kids to feel worthy and like they can accomplish anything. It's hard to make them feel that when I feel the pressure of getting them all to read by the end of the year it's hard to focus on the fact that they are 5 or 6 years old and I need to be giving them a positive start.  

The book he listened to was Mindset The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. 

Here are a couple of links to videos that give a brief explanation of it.

Khan Academy

Championship Newsletter

Carol S. Dweck

As a teacher, I just fell in love with the idea! I WANT my kids to love learning, and not shut down when things get tough! I WANT them to try new things and not take the easy way out! But I had no idea where to start... so this is it! I am going to work on adding the 7 habits into my classroom and working on a growth mindset.  I am VERY excited to get started and see what comes of it! 

I went to school over break and got somethings ready for the next couple of weeks! I've been working on creating somethings for word work and centers as well. Here are some sneak peeks into the next couple weeks!

 

Dramatic Play in Kindergarten

This year I wanted to make a change in my classroom.  I actually made several, but my favorite was adding a dramatic play center (with purpose) back in.  I used to HATE my dramatic play.  It was a kitchen and NEVER changed.  It would end with me asking barking at the kids to pick everything up and put it in the right basket.  I was determined to make a change this year.  The first step for me was making a schedule... checking to see what would work with my reading series units.  

Most of the units were fairly easy to match up with a play center. but I have tons of extra ideas if I need them.

Our reading series has three week units so I planned on changing things out every three weeks.  A few of them only lent themselves to staying for a week or two but I was okay with that as long as the prep was minimal for those.  I also knew that the prep would be more for the centers I wanted to stay out for all three weeks.  I have found lots of sets on Teachers Pay Teachers (thank you Pocket of Preschool!) that have been VERY helpful in some of my set ups. I'll be honest, there have been a few times this year (including my current pet store!) that have taken the whole first week to set up.  So this just means they stay up for the remaining two weeks.  

Most weeks my students will visit during centers two days per week for three weeks.  My goal for this year was to incorporate a writing element into each center... let's just say there's some LOTS of room for improvement on this one! 

I've also been really bad at taking pictures of dramatic play this year so I'll add that to the list of goals for next year as well. :) I am planning on doing a post later in the year of all of my dramatic play centers so stay tuned to see those! 

AMAZING blog design!

Oh. My. Just look at this new blog! Doesn't it look awesome!? Many many thanks to Gabby Barba at Instruct and Inspire for designing it for me. 

She did a wonderful job and I am so excited to get back into blogging with this beautiful design.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Teachers Pay Teachers and my blog to get the latest info of happenings in my classroom and such!

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Spotlight Saturday

Phew! I don't know about any of you other teachers out there but I'm EXHAUSTED!  I have really challenged myself this year by revamping my whole curriculum to incorporate more play and sensory, new behavior management system, and new seating arrangement.  I went back to work after being on maternity leave for 6 wonderful months and trying to do it all is very tiring (especially getting a 2 year old and 6 month old ready each morning and out the door by 7:15) BUT I'm loving it!

That being said, I've taken a break from blogging for a few weeks but I'm back at it and glad to be linking up with Erin at Kindergarten Dragons for Spotlight Saturday! This week I'm spotlighting Pocket of Preschool's Question of the Day/Week.

I knew I was wanting to start doing a different way of taking attendance.  In the past I had a student be the attendance helper and they went around to check if everyone was there.  It just ended up being a social time for them, and not what I wanted.  So I put everyone's name on a label, girls went on pink paper and boys on blue, and they were then laminated.  I attached a magnet to the back and placed them in the bottom box on my chalkboard.  I made the boxes from Washi Tape.  Each question is placed in the top portion of the box and there are yes and no boxes as well.  As soon as students enter the classroom in the morning they put their bags up, grab their crayons and go straight to the board to answer the daily question.  Students have a different question each day.  We started the first couple of days doing color words and students caught on REALLY quickly! I even stopped answering the "What's the question today?" question, other students would pipe up and tell the answer!

I have bought all of the sets so if my calculations are correct I have 214 options for the year.  Since we go to school for 180 days I have more than enough options! 

Included in each purchase is a label for the bags/boxes you keep all of the pieces in.  You can also see on the top bags I have used small magnets on the back so they are ready to go.  I prefer the Lakeshore peel and stick magnets.  

Here is what my question of the day looks like.  Students come in and grab their crayon box and head up to the chalkboard.  Student names are kept in the bottom box (moved back to the bottom every day by my attendance helper), The question is housed in the top box and the yes/no boxes are in the middle. 

Most students don't have to be reminded to answer the question and often times it isn't me that does the reminding.  I was worried about having to read the question to each student but that hasn't happened.  I read it a handful of times as students are entering the room and those students that have answered then relay the message to students coming in later.  Since this particular question has dealt with counting I have had to help some students a little more than the previous colors question.  

All in all I'm loving this new portion of my day! It's a quick assessment too... I can tell who can count to 7, who needs assistance.... Who knows their colors, etc.  without it feeling like a test!

Winner Wednesday! Photo Album: Math and Alphabet

So excited to be linking up with A Dab of Glue will Do for Winner Wednesday.  I was thinking I wanted to giveaway some of my new products but wasn't sure how I wanted to do it and this is the perfect way!  So without further-a-do here they are! 

I am SOOOOOO excited about these products!  I saw in a picture (probably from PINTEREST!) someone was using a small photo album as a dry erase pocket.... and I thought GENIUS! So that is how these products were born.  Independent activities that students can do that can be reused.  Print multiple copies for small group use, individual copies for one student or have different books for different activities. I am already starting on my next set! 

Students can fill in the missing letter for upper and lowercase letters (right now I only have D'Nealian because that's what I use, but I'm working on Zaner-Bloser!) 

There are also 4 sets of alphabet pictures! Students can write the beginning letter for each picture.  I am planning on mixing up the pictures so students aren't just writing the letters in order! 

I also have Math Skills for the photo albums too!  These work on skills with numbers to 20. Except the 10 frame addition, that only works to 10. 

Fill in the number cards. 

Fill in the number of candies.

Draw the number of candies.

How many in the 10 frame.

Fill in the 10 Frame.

How many more to make 10? Addition cards.

I hope you all enjoy these products as much as I do! I am so excited to implement them into my classroom and I think the kiddos will have lots of fun with them too!  They will be perfect for centers or word work!

I will be giving away one of EACH product! So by entering your name once you have two chances to win! Good luck!!!

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Back to School Must Haves

 When I go shopping for back to school items there are certain things that are always on my list.  Here is my MUST HAVE list and how I use them in my classroom!

1. Post-its: This was the year of the post it in my room. I bought large lined Post-its, a 10 pack of regular size and two packs of the small! At first I thought I was going to use them in my planner (but I ended up with an AWESOME Erin Condren one!) So I think I'm going to have to come up with some activities that require the use of Post-its!  I'm also working on getting my principal to let me buy some large chart size ones! PLEASE!!! When I started this post I thought I was going to either have to beg or pay an arm and a leg for large Post-its for chart paper... Turns out WE HAD SOME IN A CLOSET!! NO ONE was using them so I get to! YAY! 

2. Sharpie Markers: I think this is probably a staple on EVERYONE'S list.  Nothing is better than writing student names with a fresh, pointy, black Sharpie. One of life's simple pleasures.

3. Crayon Boxes.  I started last year buying the smaller pencil boxes.  They take up less room in cubbies but still fit pencils and 24 crayons.  I like the smaller size this year because they are going to be in these boxes with scissors and glue as community supplies.

ugh... I know this is upside down but I tried like 7 times and it won't turn around! 

4. Folders: This year I decided I was going to have activities for students to follow along with during our calendar time.  (If you have suggestions leave them in the comments!!) I bought folders for that, sending homework back and forth and daily folder.  We were then informed that we are getting red Nicky folders this year! I've never used them, but I'm pretty excited to try them out! So I'm re-purposing my folders.  The ones I intended for calendar are going to be used to keep centers supplies if I want each group to do a different paper or activity.  Blue folders will now be our calendar folders and green will still be homework folders.

This one too!!! GRRRRRRRR.

5. Cardstock and Astrobrights: My brother (the tech guy at my school) could probably tell you exactly all the amounts of color ink I've used to print out awesome TPT products.  I love printing them on cardstock and laminating them to be used over and over!  Astrobrights are my new best friend.  I'm using them for my flip books at Back to School night and also for monthly newsletters (since I'm using my colored ink on all of my TPT products this makes them pop without using more colored ink!)

6. Ticonderoga Pencils: LOVE these pencils.  If you've never tried them... you MUST! I read in a Facebook group that someone was a pencil snob because they only allow these in their room ... me too! They sharpen sooooo much better than some pencils do.  The best part... I can spend a little more and buy them ALREADY SHARPENED!! No time spent fussing with the sharpener or blisters on your fingers to get 24 pencils ready for the first day. Yipee!

7. Erin Condren Planner:  Ok, this has never been on my list before but I can tell you this is most definitely going to be on there from now on (at least I think so).  This is my first year having my planner and just leading up to the school year I am loving it.  I have found a place to write in all of the important things I want to access while planning and I'm so excited to start using it for my daily plans.

8. Flair Pens: Confession.. These have never been on my list either, but (again) they will be on there from now on.  They write so nice! I love all of the colors and they look great too!

9. Washi Tape: I have fallen head-over-heels in love with Washi Tape. It has so many uses! I'm going to use it in my planner to separate months, planner to write down things that happen each week, on my chalkboard as a question of the day divider, and on my cabinet doors so I can easily direct someone where I want them to go. Pictures to come!

10. Color posters: These are new to my room this year and I love, love, love how they turned out! They are fairly low in the room so the kiddos can reference them in their writing! 

11. I know lots of teachers have these drawers in their classrooms.  I was always partially jealous and partially stupefied by these drawers.  I loved them but wasn't sure I had a place for them in my classroom.  However, this year I made a place! I got rid of my original word work space and these pretty drawers will be housing my word work options from now on! 

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear all about your back to school must haves if it's not on my list! What should I look for? It's never too late (or early!) for back to school shopping!

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