What every school parent volunteer group should be doing to keep their PTO PTA PTSA PTSO on track during the month of June as the Summer Break begins. Great advice for President, Fundraising Chair, Family Events Chair, Staff appreciation Committee Members, Officers and parent leaders to follow for the month
Whew!! The first day has come and gone...actually, the first TWO...we went back on Wednesday - which I actually like because it gives us three "get to know you" days.... BUT, we have been SUPER busy!! Let me show you what we've been up to.... I know..I know...I haven't shown you classroom pix yet - but that's a long post, so I am going to do that one this weekend for you... Anyway... Here's what we did the first day... Since my room is beach themed, I thought, what better "community" activity than to do it with a beach ball?? So we tossed the ball to each other and everyone had to say, "Hi, my name is....and my favorite thing we did this summer was..." and then they wrote their name on the ball. And we hung it from the ceiling - right dab SMACK in the middle. THEN, we did our time capsule... They turned out super cute! (sorry for the wonky pics...I've tried it THREE times -grrr) I just took what I've been doing for years and made them cuter - you know, since I'm addicted to clip art - hehe.. Then, I measured them with a piece of yarn... (yes, I've already gotten permission to post pics of my students from my parents - that goes home in the first day packet) and used that piece of yarn to hold the papers together - and wrote their name on the outside - and I "buried" them (in a drawer) until the end of the year. You can grab them on {THIS} post! AND we've done Reagan's quilt! Yes...there are some missing ones...slackers - haha! AND we've done the glyph I made to go with Corinna's surfer kids she posted. Click {HERE} for her surfer.... and {HERE} for the glyph I made to go with it. My centers are all set for next week... In the Math tubs, I have my School Days centers and some of Reagan's Back to School Math Centers (again...wonky pictures - sorry!) And in my Literacy buckets, I have my School Days Literacy centers.... OH! Forgot to share another form we use in the beginning of the year that I made cuter :) My friend shared this with me years ago and I love having it... It's our parent survey - I keep this in my communication binder in those plastic sleeves...and then keep all the notes they give me behind this paper in the sleeve....and the log form hole punched behind the sleeve. Click {HERE} to get a copy of the survey. And last, but not least... LOOK what the hubs gave me the first day :D He's a firefighter - so they are PERFECT - LOVE THEM!! Hope y'all had/have a great first couple of days! Let me know if you find my freebies useful =) Love hearing from you! Feel free to pin too!
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Starting Middle School Soon? Tips for Boys by Boys. #3 is my favorite
Subscribe to the Teach 4 the Heart Podcast.It was a great day when I discovered 4 magic words that just seem to dissolve tension and eliminate at least half of the arguments in my classroom.And those words are: "You're not in trouble."Students can be so defensive, can't they? (and let's be honest,
Kids Lying? If you’re looking for strategies and consequences that don't involve punishment to stop your child from lying, we've got 20 ideas to help!
Teachers, you must send this letter home to parents on the first day of school. It will set the tone with parents for the rest of the year!
Dealing with mean kids at school - how to support your child with their experiences - from the UK parenting blog Motherhood: The Real Deal.
Anxiety in children is never something to be taken lightly. Here is article about how parents can understand their child's anxiety according to their age.
Even in the middle of the summer, I still find myself thinking about the upcoming school year and what I can do to make it even better than the last. Today I thought I would share one of the routines that I use that keeps me in constant communication with my students' parents: Weekly Take-Home Folders!!! Take-Home Folders have been such a valuable tool for me ever since I started teaching. They serve as a way for me to communicate with my students' parents throughout the year. They allow me to share their children's work habits, behavior, and grades on a weekly basis, while also sharing important school and classroom information. I prep them every Friday, send them home every Monday, and ask for them to be returned before the end of the week, so they can go home all over again!! Here is how I use them in my classroom.... On the LEFT SIDE of the folder, I include graded tests, assignments, projects, etc. Attached to the top of these, I staple a Weekly Progress Report to share students' work habits and behavior. On this side, I also include any important papers that need to be filled out or signed (permission slips and such!). I ask parents to go over their children's scores and progress reports, and then sign the progress report to show that they have seen everything. This comes back to school in the folder. On the RIGHT SIDE of the folder, I include routine classwork and homework assignments and any school flyers that need to be sent home. Everything on the right side should be kept at home. People are often surprised that I put the time and effort into putting these folders together and sending them home each week. But for me, the benefits definitely outweigh the effort it takes to keep up this routine. First of all, parents always know how their children are performing. There are NO SURPRISES come parent conference time. Also, it gives parents a chance to have important conversations with their children about their work habits, behavior, and even about what they are learning in school. Lastly, it keeps me accountable for grading and reporting, and provides a record for me when I sit down to do report cards and conference with parents. If you would like to download the labels that I use for my Take Home Folders, as well as a copy of my Weekly Progress Report for FREE, visit my teacher shop by clicking on the cover pic below!! This routine is a MUST for me each year! Paired with a weekly group e-mail, this is my main form of communication with parents, and it's been a HUGE success every year!!!
How prepared are you feeling for the transition to middle school? What can we do to help prepare our children for 6th , 7th, and 8th grade? This is the conversation you need to have as you navigate middle school with your tween or teen,
Little ones crying at school drop off? These tips for parents and teachers can help ensure a tear-free drop off time any time of the school year.
Tips for making Life with an ADHD child easierLooking for advice about how to calm a child with ADHD without medication? You've scoured the internet HOPING to find that advice for parenting an ADHD child that will change your life.You've talked to family and friends.You've searched for things like How to help an ADHD Child in Schoolor maybe support for parents of an ADHD child.You've joined the facebook groups, you've talked to friends and family, but nothing works.I understand your struggle. ADHD warriors, we've seen it all, heard it all, and probably punished it all. (right?)I know you've heard advice like 'Get her
Are you too strict of a parent? These are 5 signs that you have too many boundaries and restrictions that can hamper your kid's development.
Middle school is tough, so arm your kids well with these 10 truth bombs so that when the going gets tough, they'll know just how to respond.
Learn and try these 20 tips to overcome your toddler’s separation anxiety, no matter how bad it is! What do you do when your toddler disapproves of being left alone with anyone accept daddy and …well, you! You know you’re in for it. Your inner dialogue runs on and on asking you how on earth […]
Dear Mother of a Child entering Kindergarten, This is so hard, isn’t it? I was you last year. And the anxiety and excitement is still fresh in my mind. I remember scouring the internet for help, for advice – for a magic combination of things I could do to make this new experience okay for […]
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What’s the meaning behind all these tantrums? Dealing with tantrums can be so frustrating as a parent - especially when you child is past the toddler stage! This teaches you the 2 kinds of tantrums that even older children have and how your approach will differ with each one.
Advice from a Family Therapist - How to Handle a Difficult Child Okay, first of all, I hate the word difficult and thought for a while about what to call this. I want my
Middles school is tough and new for tweens. I'm sharing my advice about What To Tell Kids Every Day Of Middle School. They need to hear
ADHD in girls often presents differently than in boys. This post is a great introductory guide, with common symptoms and tips to help.
A logical example list of healthy consequences for kids - that actually work! Discipline done right can be beneficial for everyone in the family.
As you enter high school, your dad and I have some last minute, but timeless advice for you.
Need tips on how to help your distracted child focus? Try these 14 simple strategies for intentional parents. Plus Free focus cheatsheet.
It can be difficult to think of effective consequences that actually teach BETTER BEHAVIOR than simply punish a child for a discipline prob...
Say goodbye to toddler biting with our positive approach! Explore practical tips and insights to create harmony at home.
Learn how to get kids to listen the first time without yelling with this collection of practical tips, tricks, and listening activities you can implement at home and in the classroom!
Is your child starting a new school after a move or other life transition? Here are several ideas for parents that will help kids adjust to being the new kid. There are few things kids anticipate more than starting school each fall, but it can be stressful for students who are beginning at a brand...
Want to know how to discipline a child without yelling ? Check out this collection of 14 simple but effective positive parenting techniques!
How to teach kids that words matter using this brilliant analogy. Children need to learn the power of words, and with this clever lesson, they will understand the wisdom behind the visual.
The most common mistake I see is #1 ... this is great advice for people teaching handwriting to kids in preschool and kindergarten. The tip about worksheets is so important. #handwriting #preschool #penmanship #kindergarten
What Makes a Parent Love a Teacher ... and it's not what you might think! Read this terrific post by Jennifer Gonzalez to find out what really matters to parents. Be sure to download her free "deep data" chart for organizing your student data!
I missed these 7 Symptoms in my Child of ADHD, and it caused some serious strain in his education.
If you're looking for information about speech delays in toddlers, this post has all the details, from what to look for to treatment tips!
Enforcing logical consequences is a fabulous way for teachers to encourage good classroom behavior and parents to get kids to behave without yelling, and we're sharing 13 logical consequences that actually work!
If your child has negative behaviors at school, they should receive an FBA and a Behavior Plan. Here are IEP behavior goal ideas and examples.
Inside: The first day of school can bring a lot of strong emotions for kids. Here are 3 lovely and meaningful first day of school gifts that will make them feel loved and calm their
Teach responsibility in your classroom through the use of intentional activities. Continue refining what responsibility means to your students all year.
Do you have a difficult toddler or is it autism? Is my toddler being stubborn or is it autism? Those are just two of the questions that a new parent may ask themselves- especially as
Art museum activities encourage children to explore art and express their own creativity. Try our art museum activities with your kids!
Are you a parent, teacher, or mentor working with teens? If so, you'll want to check out these awesome growth mindset activities for high school students!
