Teaching Tip {linky}

I love Hadar from Miss Kindergarten.  She is one of the sweetest bloggers and is amazingly talented!

She decided to start a fun little linky party all on teaching tips.

I must say...I've read SEVERAL blogs {found some new ones too} and now have a L-O-N-G list of "must-dos!"  

Even if you don't link up...you MUST go check out these blogs.  Lots of good stuff.  Isn't that why we're all part of this blogging community anyways?! :)

Okay.  Let me preface some things before I give you my teaching tip. I am slightly OCD.  My mother gracious gave me some of that gene amongst others! ;)  I get massive OCD when it comes to organizing.  I like things to be broken down every which way.  For instance my "files"... like "worksheet files."  They are not just broken down by theme...no, no, no...they are broken down by theme, then by subject, then by common core standard, then by level of difficulty.  Oh yes!  These are all nicely filed into page protectors and placed in two large binders (I actually am in need of a third binder now).  The binders are also organized by months/semester.  Makes finding things SUPER easy.

That's just the background heads up to my teaching tip!

My teaching tip is simple.  LABEL.  Label EVERYTHING!  Label things for YOUR sanity and label things for your students.  I might be making mine slightly OCD, but hey, everything's where I want it to be. We have a drawer for our Marvelous Monday writing folders, a drawer for our monthly journals, and a drawer for our writing folders {where we keep our on going writing for writer's workshop}.  We also have every.single. math manipulative in it's own little box.  

The kiddos are able to find and place everything where it belongs.  

Talk about saving time!

One area of my room that I LOVE is my classroom library {as seen above...another tip, turn your old cubbies that you don't really use into a library...Dollar Tree baskets}.  It's labeled and organized to the max.  My kiddos are able to go book shopping ALONE.  Yes, I let my kinder babies go book shopping ALONE.  Why?!  Because everything is labeled and they can easily find where everything goes.

Each and EVERY.SINGLE book has it's own label that matches the basket it belongs in.  I taught them {and we practiced A.LOT} where to find the sticker and where to find it on the basket.  Viola!  Sanity! 

I created these labels two years ago, updated them slightly a couple months ago, and have them in my TPT store for a whopping $4!!! 

I am in the process of adding more labels for a sweet fellow blogger.

While you're there check out my new packet!  Read more about it HERE!

Don't forget to link up and/or begin your long lists of must-dos after reading these fantastic tips!

Happy Veteran's Day weekend!!

Kinder Number Sense Games

I am so excited about this packet!

Math was never my strong suite growing up and it was hard for me to grasp those hard math skills.  I hated math.  Math was not for me.

Then when I became a teacher I realized I had to start liking math again.  I struggled the first few years teaching math.  Then I attended a thinking math conference and it all changed!!

Counting with understanding is a crucial math skill that child must learn in order to build a strong number sense.  Abby Mullins is currently in the works of creating another awesome RTI packet all on number sense.  This packet is a great addition to that.

Each of the 21 games were designed to meet all Counting and Cardinality Common Core standards for Kindergarten and are engaging to all students.

My students have been playing most of these games already this year.  I have printed and laminated each of the games for durability and longevity.

I play these games one-on-one with struggling students, have students play as partners, and sometimes allow them to complete a game independently.

I might be slightly biased but my kids LOVE playing these games during math workstations and I have seen improvement in their number recognition and one-to-one counting correspondence!

Okay.  Well you can check out the packet HERE!

Let me know what you think!

*****Anyone going to the FL Kindergarten Conference?!*****

My favorite time...CURRENTLY! :)

I absolutely love Farley's Currently posts! I find myself LOL when I read some of your "currently" posts!!! :)

Ok.  Now for some explanations:

I'm not sure if you know how adorable my sweet pups are so I'm just going to share this:

:) Aren't they just so sweet?! I promise they are not in pain, even though Nelly's {the small one} face may look like she's being tortured! These are their new collars I got them for our Christmas Picture this year!! Yes, they are my babies and they are SPOILED!

I LOVE this time of year! Being from FL, I am not used to seeing all the seasons (leaves changing colors, etc..) but I love the crisp cool air!!  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I love getting to be with family all day and, most importantly, I love getting to eat myself silly! :)

I am beyond PUMPED to be going to the FL Kindergarten Conference in Orlando again.  The first year I went I got to meet the amazing Shari Sloane and this year, Deanna Jump!!! I REALLY want to meet YOU too!

If you are going to the conference, LET ME KNOW! Let's meet up.  Leave a comment!

Okay, the pedicure thing.  I know I've said that for at least the last three currently's! This time, I'M SERIOUS! My feet are all kinds of nasty and neglected.

Music.  My kids LOVE to sing and dance.  If you didn't already know, I am THE best singer and dancer.  According to my 20 sweet kiddos. :)  Our favorite songs come from Mark D. Pencil! 

Here is our ALL TIME f-a-v-o-r-i-t-e song:

My kiddos BEG me to play that song!  Go to his Youtube channel and get ready to sing away.  He's amazing!

******

Well thanks for stopping by! Leave a comment {I LOVE getting comments} and while you're at it, click that "follow" button! :)

Head over to Farley's page and link up! 
Happy Saturday!