Classroom organization made easy. Really!

There are some people who are just naturally organized.   Everything is in its place. It comes to them instinctively. If that's you, you're lucky. I envy you. I'm not that person. I have to work to be organized. I have to be intentional. After all these years I feel like I've tried everything. I start out great; I'm committed. But I have to confess, I don't follow through. I don't put things away. It just becomes a big mess.

 I've found there are some things I'm good at and some things I'm not. For all those things that I struggle with, and organization is one of them. I need help. Since I work alone, the only other people who can help me are the kids!  They are my saving grace. I NEED them. My favorite trick I've learned is to delegate. Once I learned to do this we actually starting having less (I won't dare say none, but less) missing glue stick caps. Honestly, it was the ban of my existence. Constantly having to throw out perfectly good glue sticks gone bad,  because we couldn't find the cap. I hear you, "Oh I just keep a little baggie full of caps" I do too, but where is that bag when I need it?!?!?! Missing socks Huh! Amateurs missing socks have NOTHING on missing glue stick caps.

So I use color codes. I love color-coding things. For the most part my kids all come in at the beginning of the year knowing their colors, it's really visual and to be honest, it looks good. So I color-code everything!

One of my most effective and easiest tips to keep up with is color-coded tables. I know simple right? But if it's going to work it has to be simple. I have red, blue, green (you get the idea) tables. I found these great caddies at Amazon and they match my tables. I put everything the kids need in the caddy: pencils, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, everything they need goes in the caddy. Then I make a table captain.  The captain then takes that caddy and puts it on the shelf on top of a matching piece of construction paper. This part is key, because the caddy ends up in the same place every day. Are you seeing a pattern? Simple is the way to go. 

 Here's my dirty little secret, I have the captain in charge of making sure all the caps are on the glue sticks. The captain is my savior. They keep the supplies organized. Forget door holder, line leader what you really need is a keeper of glue stick caps. Every kindergarten teacher I know has a love/hate relationship with glue sticks. We love them seriously how can you not? But oh my goodness nothing hurts more than having a brand new glue stick all dried out because the cap is missing. 

So delegate this role to a student. Make them a table captain, put them in charge. Don't let the activity end until all the materials are neat and in their place.  The very best bosses know, put someone else in charge and get out of their way. You'll look great and in reality you just have increased your kid's independence. Like all things... give everyone a chance to be the captain.  You can download my free captain signs here. Check out my table sign and name tag resource in my store by clicking here.

4 tips to actually having reading groups the first week of kindergarten

 There will be those who tell you don't have reading groups before Halloween unless you have an assistant, 4 parent volunteers, and a death wish. Not true. There will be those who tell you, you won't smile until Christmas. Not true. I honestly believe the longer you put off starting groups the harder it will be. So rollup your sleeves and let's figure this out.  

                                            
 So last week we talked about my biggest secret to successful reading groups in kindergarten if you missed it, check it out here. The kids are at fun centers; blocks, water table, dramatic play. You've  just called 4  kids to the table for our very first "reading group". But as soon as the 4 little sweeties sit down. There is a problem at the water table. Billy stole Emily's teapot. Jason knocked down Sarah's castle. Caitlyn needs to go to the bathroom. Yikes, you can't even begin with the 4 in front of you because the class is falling apart. You abandon the group and just try to "police" the larger group.  You go home and say to your family I'll never be able to teach them to read, because I have no time to actually teach them to read. 

Don't give up. Not all of us are lucky enough to have an assistant or 4 parent volunteers. You're just going to have to figure out how to give your attention to the 4 in front of you while the 18 others are working quietly and independently. Cue eye roll.  I know what your thinking,  "working quietly and independently???  Have you ever even been into a kindergarten class the first week of school? Not only will they run amok they will actually run!!! Your perfectly planned reading group is a disaster because you can't be at it. 

Something has to change. It all goes back to that little secret from last week structure and routine. Trust me those two little beauties will be your best friends.  I have found a couple easy strategies that actually work. But it takes proper planning you know the saying "proper planning prevent piss poor performance". It's true. You need to get out in front of your little darlings.  

These are my tricks. 
#1 The problem solver. The problem solver is a lifesaver. Check out my post about the problem solver here and click here  to get a free download of the cards. What's a problem solver? Glad you asked, it's a student that solves all those pesky problems. Billy knocked down Sarah's building go talk to the problem solver; Jason broke Amy's crayon talk to the problem solver. Honestly there are a 100 little dramas that happen before lunch and if you don't delegate you'll never have peace. Give the kids the tools they need to solve their problems then let them do it!

#2 Go on Vacation.  No I don't mean leave all those little darlings. You just came back from 2 months off. I mean tell the kids when your on vacation they can't bother you. Then give them a way to know you are off limits. I wear a lei, or I put a pair of sunglasses on my head, my neighbor wears Mickey Mouse ears. You could even open a beach umbrella. Just let them know with a visual cue that you are off limits. They must go see the problem solver to fix any issues. Start slow go on Vacation for 3 minutes. Praise them big time for not interrupting. Then increase the time, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes. You get the picture. Be firm - no one I mean no one approaches you while you're on vacation. 

Side note.....Once the principal came in to ask me something and one child yelled out "You can't talk to her know she's on vacation." That required a slight explanation. This vacation time is when you can have small groups without interruption. 

#3 Don't have groups during active center time if you are the only adult in the room. Seriously read that again. Don't! Don't open the block area, water table, and easel when your trying to have groups. That's just crazy.  Have the kids at their tables writing, coloring, reading, listening to books on tape, choose any activity that can be done quietly. I mean it, read that again!!! I love to use this time for interactive notebooks. All that coloring, cutting, folding oh my. Check here to read my  post about why I love interactive notebooks.  

#4 The Special Crayons.  I have 5 tables in my class, and I have 5 containers of Special Crayons. They are only special because I call them special, and I put them in a cute container with a colorful trophy on it. Sometimes they are twisty crayons sometimes they are skinny crayons, sometimes, they are not crayons at all but colored pencils. It doesn't really matter. What matters is the kids know they are special and will do anything to get them.  If a table is quiet they earn the Special Crayons. I don't say a word. I go to the Special Crayon shelf pick up a container and slowly walk to the table that is working hard and quietly. You'll be amazed at the lull that comes over the room as the anticipation grows. Which table has earned the honor? I ceremoniously put the crayons down in the middle and say "Great job working quietly you have earned the Special Crayons." It works; the other tables will be dying to get something special they will quiet down immediately. The most wonderful thing about the Special Crayons is the kids earn it as a group. So they encourage each other to be quiet. You can access my special crayons herehere     

Bonus: All those other great ideas. My school uses a universal behavior system with colors and clothespins. We also use class Dojo it works great. Make your class filled with "Bucket Fillers". There are literally 100s of behavior management ideas out there. You should use any and all. 

I hope your biggest take away is this, you can have successful reading groups the first weeks of kindergarten but spend less time on the actual lesson the (reading part) and more time on the being in a group part. I often just sit with the kids and chat during the first week. The reading groups the first week is really setting the routines, explaining the expectations, spending time in a group. Without that, the reading part wont be easy and you just might not smile until Christmas. 

Oh, one last thought, make sure you take the Mickey Mouse ears off before you go to the teachers room or you'll look a little loopy.

What's The Secret To Sucessful Reading Groups In Kindergarten?

                                        

They say that teaching kindergarten is a lot like herding cats. It is! But it doesn't have to be. Getting behavioral control of a class is the first step to a successful year.  

Who doesn't love a new beginning. One of the best things about teaching is the clean slate every fall. Sharpened pencils, crayons that have never been used. Caps on EVERY glue stick. It's also a time to look at what has worked and what hasn't. 

The first few weeks are when I spend that extra time estabishing routines. The routines that will make my life and the kids' learning so much easier. I honestly think the most important part of a guided reading group has nothing to do with reading. It has everyting to do with structure and routine.                              
               

The best teachers can get their class to run like a well oiled machine. It all starts on the first day. Lots of people will tell you don't even think about reading groups until after Halloween. I have to disagree. I believe a successful reading program starts day one.  Here's the secret.....  it has nothing to do with reading.
My first tip.
Have a Lucky Duck. Yes a lucky duck! Every day I choose one student to be a lucky duck. They get to wear a tag telling the world they are the lucky duck. 

You will be surprised how many staff members will begin to comment on the lucky duck  as you walk down the hall. It will become the most prized possession in your class. What's a lucky duck you ask? Anything you want. In my class the lucky duck is always the line leader. The lucky duck always gets to choose centers first. The lucky duck gets to open the gate to the playground.  Whatever is valued in your class-let the lucky duck have it. It doesn't take long ( usually a day or 2 ) for every kid in my class to want to be the lucky duck. 

By the first parent open house every parent knows about the lucky duck tag. Their kids may not tell them much about the daily events at school, but you can bet they will tell their parents when they are the lucky duck. You know what this gives you?  A barginning chip! Control! Power! You'll never once have to raise your voice.  You want to be the lucky duck? Then sit quietly, stand in line, keep your hands to yourself. In my class the conveted lucky duck tag goes to a student who is trying very hard, who turns it around, who is kind, who follows directions the first time. I can't tell you how many times I say something like " Billy is sitting criss cross apple sauce - he must want to be the lucky duck", "Emily is working quietly she must want to be the lucky duck", "Jayden just shared his toy with Joel he must want to be the lucky duck" Try it you will seriously be amazed. It's a great opportunity to recognize what you value in your class. Even the custodian in my school knows it is a high honor to be the lucky duck. 

Make that tag worth gold and the kids will literally jump through hoops to get it.  It's one of my strongest behavior managment tricks.  Don't forget to  share the tag. Very quickly the best behaved will show themselves, and just as quickly maybe quicker, those who struggle with behavior will become obvious. The lucky duck tag is meant to be shared. Everyone gets a turn. You must find a reason to let even the most challenging kids earn the right to wear the lucky duck tag. I believe strongly in kids who "turn it around" We all make mistakes. Make sure everyone has a turn!


 Don't miss my next post in this series about Guided Reading Groups in Kindergarten, it's all about tip #2 "The problem solver" and tip #3 "Vacation" time. 

You can get a free download of my lucky duck tag by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter here to receive exclusive blog freebies. 
 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EjlZ6JiDh-srCZ8AriEAMDfPd2cy_qBiHllsJsZAT8Q/copy

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My top 4 reasons for using Google Drive in kindergarten

What's the best way to integrate technology in a kindergarten class? Is kindergarten too young to start with Google Classroom?
My top 4 reasons for Going Google.

1. More and more districts are going 1:1. I see so many administrators purchasing chrome books, and I pads. I remember just a few years ago when no one in my school had an I Pad. Now they are in every classroom. We may not be 1:1 yet in my school but technology is becoming more and more abundant. 
                                           

2. It's paperless!!!! Yay, yippee, halleujah, no more long lines at the copy machine. I can't tell you how many lunches, and planning periods that have been cut short because of that dreaded line at the copier. Not to mention everyone's most feared phrase - paper jam!
Just think you can send homework, notes to parents and worksheets all digitally. No more lost papers. No more mountains of papers.

3. It's so much easier to differentiate. Even the youngest learners can see their work just doesn't measure up to the child next to them. As the saying goes...comparison is the thief of joy. Once kids start comparing their work to their neighbors they begin to see themselves as "less than". Less than! In kindergarten, sad but it's true. When you use technology the difference between students is less obvious to the kids. But for the teacher it becomes so much easier to adjust work for our struggling learners and increase the rigor for our more confident learners. 

4. Kids will take risks with technology that that just wont when using a traditional strategy. We all achieve more when we push ourselves out of our comfort zones. That great researcher Vygotsky taught us about the zone of proximal development. We all strive to hit that sweet spot with our students. That moment when it's no longer easy, but it's not too hard. We should all strive to push ourselves- kids and teachers alike.

Check out my video that shows how to Go Google





If you're ready to give it a try check out my best selling Google products.

An InLinkz Link-up

The secret to loving teaching for 30 years.

"I love my kids." Every teacher I know has spoken those words. I do love my kids, but I NEED my summer break. I know all my non-teacher friends become increasingly jealous this time of year. I know they work hard too. But no one, I mean no one works as hard as a teacher, a kindergarten teacher to be exact.  Well, maybe our brave military,  cancer nurses, air traffic controllers, ok I admit it there are people who work harder than us.  But we work hard!!!!  

  

I've been teaching for 30 years. 30 years, I know thats more than some of you have been alive. Teaching is exhausting. It's like being on stage for 6 hours every day. Then going home and learning all the lines to a new play for the next day. Years ago I read a line that says the difference between a CEO and a teacher is that a CEO manages her decisions from a seat and a teacher manages from her feet. It can be mentally, physically and emotionally draining. I honestly wouldn't have lasted 30 years teaching without those 2 little gems- July and August.  You know what I do during the summer??? Wait for it....

Nothing! I do nothing and it takes all day. I lounge by the pool, I go to the beach, I read a book,  I have lunch with friends, I make elaborate recipes, I stay up late, I go for ice cream at 10:00 in the morning, I literally stop and smell the roses, and I LOVE it. It recharges me, relaxes me, and it allows me to reclaim me. I love those lazy days when you really have to think for few moments to be sure what day it is. 
                                       

Guess what? My boss should thank me for it. Because I can't wait to get back to my little darlings in September. I get so excited thinking of all the wonderful adventures we'll have. I can't wait to teach them to read. I can't wait to have them start their love affair with school. I have no intention of retiring. I love my job. I feel so lucky to spend my days with my kids and I'll love it when the end of June comes and I know I get my summer break.

Happy Summer, and if you do only 1 thing this summer....do nothing!

Graduation Day

                                      
I sat through my oldest son's high school graduation last night and I had a lump in my throat the whole time. I fought the tears and almost won until the  principal told the kids to turn around and wave to the people who love them the most. After a moment of scanning the hundreds of eager parents, he found me in the crowd, we locked eyes- he smiled and waved, I blew a kiss. Cue the tears and tissues. 

Whether it's kindergarten, 8th grade, high school, or college; every graduation tugs on our heartstrings the same way.  As teachers we sit through countless graduations. Our hearts fill with pride to think how far our students have come.  Only we truly know the work that went into getting those little ones from not knowing any letters to actual readers. Every year it shocks me as much as it shocks them that they are actually  ready for first grade.  However, it's totally different when you are sitting in the audience straining to see your own child cross the stage. 
                                      

So to all my teacher friends, I know it's about the kids, but please remember the parents. Today is  a milestone, and as a parent we only have so many. Let them take the extra photo, be patient when they ask for just one more. Forgive the paparrazi like frenzy. This is as much their day as their children's. 

Commencement means beginning. And it is a beginning, but honestly as a parent it feels like an ending. With each milestone our children go through, our grasp on them becomes lighter. They need us less and less. Our whole relationship starts out with them needing us completely to stay alive. I remember leaving the hospital with my first born thinking "How can the doctors and nurses let us leave with this tiny person? We have no idea what we are doing. How can this be safe?" 

Somehow my husband and I were able to keep not only Michael alive but his brother Matthew and his sister Katherine. I should have had more faith in us. We did it, if we are to believe his college recommendations we raised a bright, independent leader, who is kind - basically a pretty good kid. 

Michael is leaving in August, and I'm so proud.

 I find myself giving Michael the same advice today as I gave  him 13 years ago as he started kindergarten. Smile, make new friends, be kind, look out for those who look nervous, make good decisions,  find friends who make you happy, try hard, follow your teachers directions, stay away from kids who cause trouble, remember I love you. I'll be here when you get home and I can't wait to hear all about it.

Congratulations graduates!!!

Don't forget to write! Avoid the summer slide.

                                           

So, a well deserved summer vacation is almost here. Thank goodness! Adults and children both need a break from the hustle and bustle that is a school year. But that doesn't mean learning has to stop. I know I plan on catching up on some reading while sitting on a beach. My favorite thing for kids to do over the summer is read and write. 
                                   

    If we can keep up with these skills during our break, we can avoid the "summer slide".  I love having kids read for pleasure over the summer.  Reading what you want or what interests you is a great way to build a  life-long love of reading.
                                         

But what about writing???   My own kids struggled with writing in the summer. They usually left it to the last week then made a mad scramble to journal about what we did.  It wasn't exactly their best writing. I have a solution. Summer writing prompts! These visual writing prompts help even the most reluctant writers. My parents love receiving a summer writing packet instead of a journal.  It makes it so easy for the parents. Half the battle is coming up with a topic to write about.  No parent wants to battle during the summer - we get enough of that all year. Let's make it easy for the parents, tutors, and summer camp counselors. Give em' something to write about.   Here are my favorite summer prompts.