Are you starting out the school year right now or planning on starting in the next couple of weeks? Starting off the year on the right foot is important. Ever teacher knows that teaching procedures is essential in order for a classroom to run smoothly. After a week of procedures in my own classroom, I decided to add a little kindness into the mix. My students were understanding procedures and following rules and routines pretty well, but they were still tattling and getting frustrated with each other. I guess I should mention that I teach kindergarten, so most of the issue is just teaching them how to interact with multiple children at a time. I decided to read this book to my students.
As I was preparing to read this book, I started coming up with a whole list of ideas that would promote a positive classroom environment.
The first idea I had was to create a bucket filler and dipper sort. After we read the book, we would discuss what being a filler means and what being a dipper means. The students really started to understand that when they make people happy, they become happier themselves. It was nice to be able to use these sorts as a way to practice identifying different behaviors. The students loved it so much that they started coming in from recess telling me all about how they were a bucket filler. The smiles on their faces were priceless!!
The next idea I had was to have a management system that goes along with bucket filling. As a class we can earn hearts whenever we see someone being a bucket filler. Once the bucket is filled the class can earn a surprise, extra recess, or even a small treat. This is not how I'm going to use it though. Since bucket filling is all about making good choices, I want to encourage happiness in my class. When our class fills the bucket with all of the hearts, we will have a meeting about Random Acts of Kindness (RAK). We will choose a person or people to preform a RAK for. This may be making cards for the class next door, cleaning up the playground, or even going down to the office and singing a little song for the secretaries. When my students are able to see the smiles on the faces of the people who get RAKed, this will be encouragement enough to keep earning more hearts.
The last part was to make fun craftivities that would reinforce making good choices, while still being fun.
So far I am really loving the bucket filling system in my class. I will continue to use it and add more to it as the year goes on. If you would like to use this in your classroom this year, you can pick up Buckets of Kindness in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Don't we all just love Pinterest? I know I do! I have been wanting to implement math centers into my routine this year and I slowly want to teach my students games that can one day be part of their math centers. I am currently working on a math fluency "program" (future post) and I knew that I wanted math facts to be a big part of my math centers. I saw this flip chute on pinterest and I thought it was perfect. I went ahead and made one of my own. It was actually pretty easy. There is a video on Classroom DIY, but I decided to do a more step-by-step video. You can see that video here. I also made a template in word that you can go ahead and type your questions and answers into. Click the photo to visit my TPT where you can download the template for free.
I am linking up with Weekend Warriors to let you know a little bit about myself. I love getting to know other teachers and thought this would be a fun way to do it. 1. I love being a teacher and I have wanted to be one every since I was a little girl. I even turned my closet into a classroom and taught my sister and gave her homework to do. Even when she was done playing with me I would continue to play teacher by myself and my Barbies. If you peak into my classroom I am always with my students. I am either sitting on the floor with them reading a story, sitting at their tables during math time, and even dancing during Go Noodle with them. I love my job and being able to be a kid at heart 7 hours a day is pretty awesome!! 2. I absolutely love center time. I love making and creating fun and engaging centers for my students and this year I am even going to add an additional math center time. This is a time where my students get to unwind a little, have some fun, ...
I'm excited to announce that I am starting a new link up. It is called Show and Tell Wednesday. Every Wednesday I will be hosting a linky party. This is a place where you can share anything you would like. All you have to do is write a blog post about something you would like to share and tell us about it. It can be something from your TPT store, an activity that you did in your class, or anything else school/teaching related. I always love learning new things from fellow teachers and I'm always searching for new ideas. Here are a few rules for the link up. Become a follower of my blog. This is not necessary, but occasionally I will be doing giveaways and in order to be considered for the giveaway, you must be a follower. Also, you don't want to miss anything in the future! :-) Add the Show and Tell button on your blog post that you link up. Visit the person before your link and leave them some thoughtful feedback. Have fun!!!! Here is my show and tell for the week. School...
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