Why I Took My Behavior Chart Off My Wall!

August is quickly approaching and that means school is right around the corner! Eek, where did July go? Starting to think about school and...

Why I don't review the syllabus on the first day of class in high school and what I do instead. Fun first day of school activities and icebreakers!

Implementing icebreakers on the first day of school is neccessary for building classroom community. Check out these easy first day icebreakers . . .

A few photos of some of the things we have been doing during the first week and 2 days of school. 1). After reading First Day Jitters one of the follow up activities was a cooperative group vocab exercise which is pictured below. I love doing partner and group activities with my students as it provides great opportunity for practicing social skills and working with others. we love our clipboards:) Can't head to groups without them I also allow the students to pick a place to go with their buddy. We later decided that this location (right by all the centers and fun games) was not the best choice for minimal distractions. 2) My Job/Your Job This is a great back to school activity. We met up at the small group table and discussed jobs that students might have, and the jobs a teacher has to do. We discussed what would happen if we didn't do these things? Once we created our anchor chart we all signed it as a contract reminding ourselves of the importance of being responsible and doing our jobs in the classroom. 3). Principal from the Black Lagoon (see original post here: Principal from the Black Lagoon here is the picture from our interview with the principal. Each student had their index card with 2-3 questions on it. Before our Principal came, I had them practice reading into the microphone. Comparing and Contrasting posters in our groups teamwork! Part 2 coming soon.

The first day of school is full of so many things: anticipation, wide-eyes, school supplies, new faces, maybe a few butterflies. And I...

For more information about these back to school games check out my post HERE:

The first week of school generally consists of getting to know one another, in addition to discussion and practice of classroom procedures and routines. We also got our creative juices flowing by creating summer reflection writing pieces, squiggle stories, and "All About Me" mini-posters. Students are getting to know one another and me, and we are learning to work together to build a successful and positive classroom environment. On Wednesday, I wrote out six questions, all having to do with how to make our classroom and ourselves function to the highest level, on six pieces of chart paper. Students, in groups of three, spent two minutes at each chart, collaborating and responding to each question on a sticky note. After all groups visited each chart paper station, I hung all of the charts up and we discussed each answer and noticed some very interesting trends. Here's the finished product, which you can click on to enlarge: Inspired by Life in 4B To tie into the previous activity, I was inspired by my wonderful teammates, Mrs. Fadden and Ms. Mattox, to develop at class pledge with my students. We reviewed our responses to the above questions, and then we put all of the ideas together to form a cohesive paragraph that we have all agreed will help us to remember why we are here at school and what our common goal is. Below is the rough draft of our class pledge (which I will type up, make pretty, and have all of my students sign): Since we were able to develop a class goal (to achieve success in third grade), I also had each student determine an individual goal after reading the story Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni. I displayed our "Hopes and Dreams" for third grade near the classroom door, so that we can refer to, and revisit, them throughout the year. Lots of students are interested in learning how to sharpen their cursive skills, multiplication and division skills. I was very impressed by the number of students ready to take on our 40 book challenge! More on that later! Here's our class display of our hopes and dreams for third grade: Lastly, I read a book called Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The premise is that everyone carries an invisible bucket everywhere they go. When your bucket is "filled" you feel happy.When your bucket is "empty" you feel sad or upset. People can fill buckets by lending a helping hand, smiling, being kind, including others in games, and more. People can empty buckets by teasing, being ungrateful, acting disrespectfully, and more. I encourage my students to recognize the actions of bucket-fillers by writing them quick note and sticking it in their bucket display. This helps make everyone feel good. When we feel good, we want others to feel good. Therefore, kindess is passed from person to person. This is our bucket-filling display, complete with ways we can fill buckets and ways we can empty buckets: I look forward to more of these types of meaningful activities that promote teamwork, kindness, and achievement with your child!

Check out these great ideas for helping your students feel like part of a classroom community during distance learning & social distancing.

30 Fill-in Personal Posters for Students to Display with Pride Invite students to tell all about themselves in writing and pictures by completing this motivating, literacy-boosting graphic organizer. A great back-to-school icebreaker! Details:30 posters plus teaching guide17 x 22Grades: 3-6

Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.

One of the best things to do on the first day of school is plan cooperative learning activities where students can get to know one another.

So this is my last official day of summer. That picture pretty much sums up how I feel. So.....since school is quickly rapidly approaching I thought I would have a #FlashbackFriday to a great team builder game to use a the beginning of the year. It is called The Best Game....because that is exactly what it is.....THE BEST GAME! You can download the game for FREE at my TPT store by clicking here..... You can read ALL about it on the old blog post, by clicking here..... Now, if you don't believe that it truly is THE BEST GAME......look at the smiles on these kiddo's faces... Or if you want further proof.....check out these reviews. I'm not lying people. You, and your class, should try it this year! Oh....and happy start to the school year!

A simple way to teach your students classroom procedures and expectations at the beginning of the school year

Read George and Johnny and more premium Slice of life Community series now on Tapas!

It's the first day of school. Whether you've welcomed students into your classroom for many years or it's your first year ever, it's always exciting (and sometimes a bit terrifying!) to meet so many new students at the start of the year. You know you're going to spend the next year together and making a good first impression is the key to getting started on the right note. Here are 5 ideas to take with you into the new school year: Tip #1: Over Plan In one of my first years as a teacher, I made the mistake of under planning for the first day of school. I worked so hard to make everything perfect but I didn't anticipate how fast some of the activities would be completed. As a result, I found myself looking up at the clock and seeing 15 minutes left of class staring back at me...along with 22 faces waiting to see what I had planned for them for the rest of class. Oops. I quickly added a small review game, but I felt so disorganized. I had put so much thought into the first day of school but had made a classic rookie mistake. With that in mind, my first advice for you is to over plan. Have a back-up activity or two already prepared in case you find yourself with some wiggle room at the end of class. If students see that you have fully prepared for their arrival on Day 1, you'll already be off to a great start. Tip #2: Make a Seating Chart I'm sure there are some benefits in allowing students to sit wherever they'd like on the first day of school, but it is definitely not a strategy that works for me! There are two big reasons I have a seating chart posted right when they walk into the classroom: it establishes order and parameters on Day 1 and I can call them by their name when we start our activities. I love seeing student's faces when I call them by their name within 5 minutes of entering my classroom. It immediately starts establishing the positive classroom community I strive to create in my classroom. They know my name and I know theirs! It shows them that I care about them as individuals. (And yes, I do keep a seating chart in my hand or nearby so I can discreetly refer to it during class - it takes me a few days to memorize all those new student names!) Having a seating chart also demonstrates that the classroom is organized and a plan is in place for their learning. It sets the stage for a great school year right away. Tip #3: Change it Up I've made the mistake of spending half the class period (or more!) discussing my syllabus, classroom rules, procedures, etc. Talk about a BORING first day for the kids! Now, I change it up and make a point to select 3 or 4 different activities for an hour-long class. I usually start with a small icebreaker that doesn't put kids on the spot. Then I give kids my welcome letter which introduces them to the class and review over the parts I think are most important on Day 1. Then, we review some class rules and end with a few games / activities to get them talking and moving around. I spread out my classroom rules, procedures, syllabus, etc. over the first 2-3 days of school so as to not overwhelm the kids with too much information all at one time. They will appreciate you for it! P.S. If you're looking for some fun digital activities for the first week of school, check out some of my favorites here! Tip #4: Choose a Game (or two!) I love to host a game or two on the first day of school! Also called icebreakers, these fun little games or activities encourage students to communicate with each other and helps you learn more about their personalities right from the start. Side note: Icebreakers can make...or break...a child's confidence in your class on Day 1. Seriously. I love a good icebreaker, but never want to put a child in a position where they feel uncomfortable on the first day - this is the opposite of my goal of building a positive classroom community! This means I make sure to choose icebreakers that aren't going to put a singular student "on the spot" (like a solo skit/charades or solo public speaking role). Ultimately, it depends on the class and you know your students best, but sometimes those types of icebreakers are better left for later in the year when students know each other better and feel more comfortable in your classroom. That being said, here are some of my favorites. (Some of these can be found in my Back to School Activity resources on TpT!) Check them out here for sixth, seventh and eighth grade: InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name on the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: This activity is perfect for a class who loves skits. These skits are centered around our class rules, expectations and procedures. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits - one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. Hilarity ensues when showing the wrong way to follow a class rule. After each skit, I point out all the positive behaviors as well as reinforce the correct ways to conduct ourselves in the classroom. Online Games: Something new I tried last year was a great success: taking the classroom rules, procedures, policies, syllabus information, etc. and turning them into a fun online review game at the end of the week! The kids LOVED the games and it was a fun way to review. Some of my current favorite game websites are Blooket, Quizlet, Kahoot and Gimkit. Tip #5: Dress for Success Every individual teacher has their own preference for clothes, so this is not a tip about wearing particular types of clothes or styles on the first day of school - just advice recommending that you dress to impress in a way that fits your style. When students walk into the room, they are making a first impression of you. What will it be? I make sure to dress teacher-professional that day because I want my students to see not only my classroom neat and organized, but also my appearance. My main goal is to convey that I take my time at school and their learning seriously and that I am organized and will conduct myself as someone who is approachable and professional. What you wear conveys your personality - both on a personal and professional note - to your students. They are watching carefully! There are SO many things to think about as you prepare for the first day of school. If you were creating your own list of 5 things every middle school teacher should do on the first day of school, what would it say? Add your thoughts to the comments section to help other teachers ace that first day, too! :)

Ues this name game to learn every students' name on the first day of school! I use this every year, and it works! It's so easy to

3 Essential Downloads for the First Day of School Expectations % %

If you want to get to know more about your students, download this poster for free. You don't need to cut, paste, laminate, simply print and play! The rule of this game is very simple. Children will roll the dice and then share something about themselves, depending on what they rolled. Share this Facebook Twitter Pinterest

The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that pivotal time. Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of school: One: An Icebreaker. I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each other. Two: Classroom Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own, spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom. Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!) Three: Fun and Games. On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth) InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits – one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations. After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land. Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16 off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic – but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during their first week of school to try and win the game. Four: A Pre Test. After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period. Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your pre-test! Five: A Writing Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year. Here are some suggestions: Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can help them achieve success in my class. Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters away and revisit them during the last week of school. I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc. with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing proficiency. Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas for my classroom!

It seems like every day there is an endless stream of students reporting behaviors or incidents that happen in the classroom. On one hand, we want to help our students feel heard and validated so they know we are a safe person for them to talk to. On the other hand, we certainly don't want to feed into the tattle machine. It's a fine line to walk. So how do we handle tattling in our classrooms?

As we head back into the school year with new regulations and practices, it is essential to take extra time to prepare parents and students for everything new coming their way. Listed below are some resources that can be used to help make transitioning back into the school year easier for parents, students, and teachers.Back-to-School ChecklistIt is crucial to be prepared with all the necessary school supplies before school starts. One way to encourage parents to prepare for school is with a checklist. We like this checklist by Country Hill Cottage.Syllabus TemplateYou can use a template like this one from Teachers Pay Teachers to make the perfect syllabus for your students this school year. This can also be used in classes with younger students and given to their parents at the beginning of the school year, so they know what to expect from the school year.Meet the Teacher NightThe blog, Hanging With Mrs. Hulsey, has fantastic resources for Meet the Teacher Night. There are printable form fills, contact cards, and lots of activities for teachers to use to get to know their new students.Parent BookletThink of these booklets as a syllabus for the parent. Both Kinder Kraze and Mrs. D’s Corner have easy-to-use ideas for booklets that will make the parent’s life much easier as they navigate the new school year. This allows the parents to know ahead of time what is expected of them and what they can expect all in one organized place!All About MeIf you want to learn more about your new students, perhaps consider doing an “all about me” activity. This activity by Notes From the Portable, is perfect for learning a bit more about each student since it asks who they are and has them list some of their favorite things.Slide TemplatesThere are a lot of templates out there for morning slides for teachers. We liked this template in particular from Teachers Pay Teachers. Are you interested in free templates? Additionally, this page from, Ditch That Textbook, lists 20 more templates for teachers to use in their classroom.Ice BreakerIce breakers are important for the first week of school to allow students to get comfortable in the classroom. Teaching With Haley has an activity where students can roll dice and answer the question on the worksheet that is listed next to the number they rolled. This activity is great because students get a random question instead of having to introduce themselves on the spot.COVID-19 ResourcesThe concept of social distancing and wearing masks is confusing for many children. They simply do not understand why it is important, and it can sometimes be frightening for them. Help make the new school year a smooth and worry-free transition by using COVID resources that are appropriate for young ages to learn about the new safe practices. This website, Sliding Into 2nd Grade, has a lot of activities and resources for learning about COVID in the classroom.Are you looking for more back to school resources? Check out Teacher Vision’s website for resources and activities that work for all ages and grades.

Every Year we try to do some sort of All School mural in the beginning of the year. This year we did a Lego theme. Each student made a lego...

After a few small hiccups, I was off and running for my first day as the... ART TEACHER! I have to admit by 11 a.m. I was emailing my hubby and Dad to tell them... "I like this art teacher thing!" HEE HEE - they told me to get back with them in a month and see how I still feel. :) It was a crazy whirlwind of in and out - the classes only have 45 minutes from beginning to end. I tried to do a QUICK all about me (why are YOU the Art teacher, what happened to other art teacher, why are you not teaching 1st grade anymore???) THEN, on to the rules of the class: (looks like this but this is not mine) See how it spells ARTIST? I kept trying to think of rewards for behavior and came up with after FIVE times the class is good, we will have an "AWESOME ART" day. Little do they know, they still do art! LOL! I was telling the 5th graders (who surprisingly was a delightful class) that maybe we could do something with duck tape. They LOVE that stuff! They are always making things with it anyway so, why not? This led me asking if they had seen the duck tape prom dresses, which they had, which led to them asking if WE could make some and have a fashion show with them??? We shall see about this one... I also was told by the OLDER CLASSES playing with shaving cream and play dough were good ideas. Who doesn't like play dough? SO - - - - after my adventure of the 1st day I had to go buy folders for portfolios. At Walmart. On a Friday after school. On TN tax free weekend. Let me just say - - - not my idea of fun. THEN, once I get there, I ask a customer service person to help me because I need 500 pocket folders. You think I would have said a dead body. They looked at me like I was CRAZY! (which is probably true) So next thing I know everyone is on their walkie talkies asking do they have enough folders, who would want 500, must be a crazy teacher... THEN, ready for this???? They made me COUNT OUT ALL FIVE HUNDRED. Yep, one at a time. Oh the joys... So what did I do? I took a picture of it titled: "This is how we art teachers roll!" At this point I was so TIRED and CRAZY I did something I NEVER do: I took a selfie. I needed one of my 1st day and I had forgotten to do it that morning. WHEW! What a day! Can't wait for the adventures next week when we include..... kindergarten.

This year, I wanted to be intentional with my third graders as it relates to relationship. We started that on the first day of school. One of the things I’m most passionate about when it comes to academic achievement is building to mastery.Some students LOVE the first day of school, but not all students are...Read More »

The best "icebreaker" activity for high school students (who hate icebreaker activities). Get a jump start on creating a bond with your students.

Classroom introductions. The ICEBREAKER! The moment your students (and YOU!) have been waiting for all summer. But the butterflies, they are in the pits of your students stomachs. How do you make it effortless for everyone? Well, here are 5 different ways to break the ice and say “hello!” the easy way. Start by breaking your… Continue reading →

One of my favorite things about back to school, is knowing that I get to meet and love on a brand new bunch of kids for the school year. I’m sure you feel the same way, and have your lesson planner packed to the max with different “get-to-know-you activities.” I want to share with you […]

Math About Me is a fun getting to know you activity where students describe themselves using math!

On the first day of school I always guide my students to create the classroom rules. I base this off the Ideal Classroom activity in the TRIBES book and it really helps the students understand the importance of having classroom rules (to keep us safe and help us learn). Usually the students come up with A LOT of rules and I help them narrow them down to five (and they are usually very similar, if not the same, year to year). This year, though, I was quite impressed with the rules that my students came up with, and they couldn't narrow it any further down from six. I always write the rules on a poster board and the kids sign this "contract" for the year. We have been working on our first week time capsules. Yesterday the students wrote their first day letters to themselves and today they worked on a posted that includes: handprint, footprint, thumbprint, and list of favorites. I went around the room and cut a piece of string to the length of each students' height. All of these are placed in an envelope and sealed until the end of the year. I got some free envelopes a few years ago and loved the black ones, but never had a chance to use them. I figured this was a perfect opportunity. They put their photo on the front of their envelope and wrote on them in white crayon/pencil. We have a few more items to add to their time capsules before we seal them up! Here are a few from today.

Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.

The first day of school is full of so many things: anticipation, wide-eyes, school supplies, new faces, maybe a few butterflies. And I'm notorious for trying to get too much done on the first day...I