Self-Explanatory

It's always a good thing to keep an eye on their "answers".

Reading Chart - Week 2

The First Day of School

When I Grow Up...

Reading Chart - Week One

Our school system began using a new word chart for Kindergarten. So I'll be posting my weekly reading charts on Wednesdays, to be used the following week.

On Mondays, we read together. (After the first 9 weeks, I let them read aloud by themselves as a group, without my assistance.)

On Tuesdays, we'd read the chart again. Then I would start having (keeping tabs of who's read) the children read aloud individually.

On "Win-Win-Wednesdays", we'd read the chart, then I would pit one group against the other. Ex: boys vs girls, each table against the others, etc. Whoever read the chart with the least amount of errors got to be at the head of the line that day (to lunch, to PE, to recess, etc.)

On Thursdays, we read the chart again, and I would have who hadn't read on Tuesday have their turn.

On "Fun-Fun-Fridays", we'd read the chart. Then we'd read it BACKWARDS. 

The following week, we'd review the previous week's chart before going to the next one.

They're Pocket Sized for a Reason

On our school's list of supplies is a box of tissues. My kids go through tissues like crazy, but every year I have to show them how to pull a tissue out of the box. Plus I have to tell them, "Only one! You take just one!" instead of the 2, 3, or 4 at a time. 

Anyway, more often than not, someone will bring a package of take-along packets. I guess the parents think their child will have access to their own personal tissues, and the three or four tiny bags will suffice them for the entire nine months of school.

At first, I thought of the small packs as almost useless, until I realized how often I caught someone sniffling or needing to wipe their nose while we walked down the hallway. Thus I discovered that by keeping one of those packs of tissues in my pocket, I was ready for any occurrence - especially when the cold and flu season hit us, followed by the allergies.

Some Great Summer Finds

Found at Target: 

First, this Draw & Write Roll. It would make a great class project, or station.

Some more dry erase boards are always needed.

Can never have too many Happy Birthday certificates.

An Engineer in the Making?

Julie Seems to Have Realistic Expectations

Always Keep Some Handy

Every so often, one of my girls comes to school with her hair in her face. Not only is this distracting for her, but it's distracting for me. And sometimes I catch them chewing on the strands. So I keep some cute but inexpensive hair clips I bought at the dollar store in my desk drawer, and let the girls know they can keep the clips.

Don't Push Away Those Pencil Cases

Even though pencil cases are not on the school supply list, there are always a few students who bring one their first day of school. I used to tell them to keep the cases in their backpacks, or to take them home, until I realized I was missing a great storage opportunity. 

Card games fit perfectly in the cases with the clear window. The window allows the students to see which game is inside.

The cigar box type is a wonderful container to put some sand in so the children can practice writing their numbers, letters, words, and their names.

The pencil box (above) can hold dominoes, dice, game markers, or whatever else you need to store.

What is Love?

Awww....

A Lesson To Parents