Have you heard?!

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I am so excited about this sale! I have so many wonderful items in my shopping cart just WAITING for me to press the 'purchase' button! I can't wait!!

 Fill your cart and get ready to be prepared for next year with all your fabulous goodies! :)

Now, have you been over to Rachelle's (and Natalie's) blog "What a Teacher Wants" {love her}?! Well the other day she posted this fabulous classroom management idea... along with a FREEBIE! So, I decided since my kids are 'out of this world crazy right now'  and I'm pretty much willing to do ANYTHING to ring them in, that I was going to take a stab at this idea!

What'd'ya know...it works MAG.NIF.I.CENT.LY!

Here's how it works:

There are two teams. Team Beiber and Team Skywalker.  Before I told my sweeties what the two team names were I talked to them about using their 'poker face.' Ok.  I didn't use that terminology but you get the gist!

Then the discreetly came and chose their team without showing or telling anybody.  Once they all had chosen their team, we shared and showed our friends.  I taped the small team tags onto their desks (when you visit Rachelle's blog it will make sense!)

The whole idea is that everyone is working together as teams to earn points (I say "tallies").  Whichever team has the most tallies/points at the end of the week gets some sort of treat.  So whenever I catch someone doing something amazing or if I catch most of the team doing something amazing, that teams earns a tally.  This week I took away a tally because too many kids on one team were off task.  They have the chance to earn that tally back too.

My kids absolutely LOVE this little game and it has worked marvelously.  All I have to say is "Hmm...which team is going to earn that next tally" or something along those lines.  The second I say it, the rooms gets silent and they are all eyes on me!  I LOVE IT!!!!

You MUST go check out these goodies NOW! {HERE}

Have you heard?

I know over the summer I saw several blogs talking about Whole Brain Teaching but I was so wrapped up in my Math Workstations book study that I didn't give it as much research as I should have.  Then while I was browsing through Pinterest I found a YouTube video that had me HOOKED, and when I say hooked I don't mean like a good movie you want to watch more than once, I'm talking about like that chocolate cake kind of indulgence! 

I have several students who are "busy bodies" and often disengage within seconds of me starting a lesson.  I've tried so many different approaches {my LAST resort is to talk to a parent about their child being "ADHD"} to try and keep these sweet little ones focused, engaged, and learning and nothing seemed to work... UNTIL Whole Brain Teaching entered my life.  Those kiddos are no longer a "problem."  It is the best behavioral, classroom management that I've ever come across.  The bonus is that it engages multiple parts of your students brain! What's better than getting them to behave and learn?! :)

WARNING: Watch this video and you'll never look back:

This is the video that forever changed how I teach!  I wanna be her! :)

Parent-Teacher Communication

So for the past three years I've used these nifty little binders to help with parent-teacher communication.  I can not express to you how much I LOVE them and so do the parents.  They are a great way to organize information, communicate to parents, keep students on track, and hold students accountable!

They have been called many things, BEE Book, STAR Book, etc., however mine is the FISH Book {which totally goes along with my beach theme}!  FISH stands for Family Involvement Starts Here.  

Of course I wouldn't have any pictures handy of these cute little binders in action, but they are simple three-ring binders that have a pocket on the front to place the cover.
This is the FISH Book Cover!  I place this on the outside of the folder/binder.  I also put a label on the side of the binder with the students name so that when I'm looking to place something in a student's binder I can easily find it!

This is the first page {after a letter explaining each section of the notebook to the parent}.  I place each of the following pages inside page protectors so that they do not get ruined throughout the year.  Behind this page is blank sheets of writing paper. This is where parent can jot down a quick note for me and/or vise versa.  I check these in the morning as students come in {they are required to place their FISH Book in designated baskets that are next to my desk before beginning morning work/activities}.  It's the most simple way for me to communicate with parents.

fishschedulesheet[1]This sheet is next.  This is where I place a copy of our daily schedule and my long range plans for the year.  This is great because parents can easily see what there child is doing throughout the day {if they need to chose an appropriate time for an appointment, etc..} and what their child will be learning throughout the year.  My parents say they love knowing what their child is learning about and what the expectations are.

Fish Reading Log Sheet 2The next section... Reading Log.  In my school, each first grader is required to read for 15-20 minutes nightly as homework {in addition to other things}.  This is a section where I place a table that allows students to take charge of their reading and learning. They are required to write the title of the book(s) read, how long they read for, and then a parent signature.  I give a sheet for the month.  It seems to work best {without a lot of changing out papers}.

fishbehavior&rulessheet2Here is the last section.  Here I place my classroom's behavior plan as well as my expectations for myself and my students.  Behind that sheet is a calendar that I mark daily.  I place the color that each child ended on each day and the parents are required to sign nightly.  This allows problems to be immediately addressed.  There's also space where I can write notes to the parent in reference to the particular behavior.  It's great!

So this is what I create each year for my parents to help with communication... what do you do?!

Side note:  You should be able to click on the photo and download.  This is my first time doing this so let me know if I failed!! :)  Happy Friday!

Sparklers!

Today I am revisiting this blog post that has continuously been my top viewed post for the past two years {you may have also seen this image posted on Pinterest}!  It's a great classroom management post and a good way to get you thinking for next year {for those of you over-achievers}.

I have used this fun little classroom management tool in my room for four years and it is HANDS DOWN the BEST way to get your kiddos transitioned in a timely and quiet manner.  I've used this with both my first graders and kindergartners.  

This year {since I went back to kindergarten and no longer had individual desks, instead had tables} I placed the magnetic holders on my dry-erase board in front of the class.  It worked just the same...wonderfully! :)

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I love playing little 'classroom management' games with my kiddos!  My first graders LOVE to play the "beat the teacher" game.  How to play "beat the teacher:" I have an area on my dry erase board where I write "Mrs. McHaffie vs. Class," every time a student calls out an answer or something of that nature I get a tally mark.  Every time the students raise their hands, THEY get a tally!  Whoever has the most tally at the end of the day wins!!  So simple and easy and the kids LOVE it and it really helps with calling out!

Sparklers is a version of a game I was introduced to when I was interning.  These cute little "sparkle balls" as my kiddos call them are from your local craft store.  I got the magnetic holder to place on each group of desks {I've grouped together 5 desks to make a "clump island" :)  }  from the Dollar Tree!!

Here's how the Sparklers work:  When we transition from one area of the room to our individual desks, each "clump" has an opportunity to earn a sparkler for their "island."  Once the "island" has earned 6 sparklers they earn some type of reward.  They earn a Sparkler by going to their desks quickly and quietly, getting out their needed materials, and showing me they're ready to work and/or listen for directions.  This helps with making transitions run smoothly and we are able to get right to their next lesson!  

Their rewards are NEVER food and/or candy. I reward with them with things like: a choice of a new eraser or pencil to add to their 'toolbox' or I might let them be the first to line up for the rest of the week.  Something easy and simple like that!  The best part is... the kiddos L O V E it and really encourage one another to earn Sparklers for their group!!  It's so fun being in first grade!

Any cute and fun classroom management ideas from the "peanut gallery"?  :)