Week 4-Back to School Bash!

Well ya'll, I have survived 2 days of first grade.  That definitely called for a pizza and cat nap kinda evening last night at my house.  What was supposed to be a 30 minute siesta turned into an hour-ish nap.  I just couldn't help myself!  Back to school time is ROUGH! 

 

For the past several weeks I have helping host a fabulous linky series with some blogging friends.

 

It's our fourth and final week for this series.  And this week, we are sharing ideas about Parent Night and Open House.

 

 

Now I'll have to be honest with you.  My grade level doesn't host a Parent Night or an Open House. We have a Meet the Teacher night prior to the first day.   We have the option of hosting one after school starts, but in the past we have chosen not to.  At the beginning of the year we hold Fall conferences.  We use that conference time to go over any and everything with our parents.  We can be more detailed and specific with what we share with regards to individual children AND most parents are more comfortable asking certain questions during that time.  Yes, it obviously takes more time to conduct those conferences.  But, the payoff is far greater.  I feel like I can really talk with my parents about what is important about being a first grader.  Those individual conferences are also huge in building that parent-teacher relationship that we all know is key to the success of our students!

 

I would love to know your thoughts and ideas on hosting an Open House/Parent Night (just in case!).  What do you do to get ready?  What do you share with parents?  Do your students play a big role in getting ready for this special night?  Link up with us and share!  Then, check out some of the other posts in our linkup and share the love.  You know that some of the best PD we receive is from other teachers just like you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Don't forget to enter our giveaway! Who wouldn't love a TpT gift card?!

 

 

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Back to School Bash-Meet the Teacher

 

 

Hey ya'll! 

 It's week number 2 for our Back to School Bash. 

This week we are all about Meet the Teacher.

 

 

 

 

With little over a week left before Meet the Teacher night, I've started to think about what needs to be done to get ready.  I like to keep things as simple as possible.  No speeches for me!  Tried that and nobody paid attention to anything I said.  They were all to busy filling out all of those dreaded forms we give to them.  So now, I mingle and chat.  Most of the time that gives me all the information I need!   It also gives me a chance to talk to parents who have major concerns or issues that will directly impact their child in my classroom. 

 

So to start, I typically put all of the necessary paperwork that I have for parents in pocket folders.  On one side I put a label that says Please Sign and Return and on the other I put a label that says Please Keep at Home.  I have found this to be the best way to get back what I need. It also keeps everything organized and in its place, especially when you are handed another stack of papers 20 minutes before Meet the Teacher starts!

 

I typically place those packets on a desk right by the door with a container of pens.  I also place a welcome sign along with those things.  When parents come in, I guide them straight to this spot.  I don't put packets out on desks for parents to find simply because I don't have nametags on desks yet.  I have been burned to many times doing it this way.  Students don't show up or I've unknowingly written the wrong name on the tag.  After the first few days I go back and create nametags.  That gives me time to see who shows up, to check names, and to see who can sit next to each other (or not!).

 

 

One of the things I personally include in the packet is a student information card.  Our school requires that students have one on file in the office, but I also like to have one on hand in my class.  I run them on cardstock, punch a hole in the corner, and place them on metal ring.  I then hang it on a hook next to the phone in my room.  Easy access!

 

You can download the student information sheet here.

 

As my students leave, I like to surprise them with a little gift.  Each year I try to do something different.  This year on Pinterest I saw the cutest bubble gift and knew that was what I was going to do.  I found a 24 pack of bubbles at The Dollar General Store for $3.50.  I recreated the tag and hit print.  I had my daughter put it all together for me and now that's one more thing I can knock off my long list of things to do!

 

 

You can download the bubble tag here.

 

If you haven't registered for our giveaway yet, do that now! 

 

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Now that I've shared some ideas for Meet the Teacher, why don't you link up and share yours.  Once you have linked up, please remember to visit 3 other posts to share some love! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for stopping by! 

Currently!

Well August has arrived.  Can't do anything to change that.  So now I must embrace it and get my rear in gear for this new school year!  Here's a little bit of what I'm doing Currently!

 

 

 

I'm so hoping that I can get into my classroom to work this week.  This is my last week off.  I don't really want to spend every minute of it working at school, but it's the only way to get myself ready before the madness starts.  I have list after list of things to buy, make, and do.  I take one and crumple it up to only rewrite it again on a bigger piece of paper. I have stack of "things" to look at and read.  I have professional books I "need" to finish.  Hmm, a little bit more summertime would be nice right about now.  But in all honesty, I don't think it would all get down even if I had more time!

 

My baby girl is back from music camp.  So my little family is all back together again.  Both my girls have had a busy summer going here and there.  I've been nothing but a glorified cab driver and personal ATM.  Wouldn't trade it though! It's been a good summer with my family.  So blessed.

 

This year I want to really work hard at sharing words of encouragement.  It's free and doesn't cost anything.  But the impact of those words have the potential to be huge.  This year my first grade team will really need to rely on each other and be supportive for several big reasons.  Those words of encouragement will be NECESSARY.  I also want to try and just surprise my teammates with fun treats every now and then.  Again, just little things that could be so meaningful at any given time.

 

What are you Currently doing?  Head on over to Farley's and link up!

 

Happy August!

Back to School Bash Linky Series and Giveaway

Hey ya'll!  It's hard to believe that we are rapidly approaching a new school year.  I'm so excited to kick this new school year off by co-hosting a FABULOUS Back to School Bash with some of my favorite blogger friends. 

 

 

 

Each week we will have a Back to School topic for you to link up with and share.  We also have a fantastic giveaway planned for you to participate in as well!  What a great way for all of us to share what we do best and hopefully spark some enthusiasm for this new school year.

 

This week we are all about classroom set-up. 

 

 

Now as overwhelming as it is to get back in gear after summer vacation, I do get excited about getting back into my room and getting it prepped for my new first graders.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to get into my room to work, so I'm gonna throw it back to the beginning of last year.  And I'll let you in on a little secret, my room this year will more than likely look a LOT like my room from last year.

 

 

Can't wait to see what you all have planned for your rooms!  I would love some new ideas for my classroom this year. 

 

You can link up right here.  Once you link up, don't forget to visit 3 other posts and share some love!  Feel free to grab any of our images to use in your own posts.

An InLinkz Link-up

 

But that's not all! 

Don't forget to enter our giveaway!  There are some pretty amazing prizes involved!

 

 

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Now get busy linking up!  And for homework, start thinking about next week's topic!

 

 

Get to Know Me!

 

I'm linking up with The Tattoed Teacher today to share some different things about me.  This week's theme is a fun Yes or No checklist.  Here goes!

 

 

 

 

1.  Yes, I do talk to myself.  Not all the time though!

 

2.  I'm not superstitious.  Or at least I try not to be!

 

3.  Yes, I crack my knuckles on occasion.  I think I mostly do it out of nervousness!

 

4.  Yes, I'm hungry.  Pinning all those fabulous recipes doesn't help with this at all!

 

5.  TV is on, it's always on!  It's actually on something that I chose this morning.  Doesn't happen that often though!

 

6.  Yes, I still have 3 out of 4 wisdom teeth.  I had 1 removed last summer.  I have a big fear of the dentist and anything to do with my mouth.  That was about all I could handle at that time.

 

7.  No, haven't showered yet.  Don't judge.  It's summer!

 

8.  I've been to Disney several times.  Love it!  My girls are so ready to go again.  Hopefully we can plan a trip for sometime in the future.

 

9.  No more glasses for me.  I had lasik surgery 14 years ago.  Best thing I ever did.  I had such poor eyesight, it was really bad!  In fact, I went into labor unexpectedly with my oldest and had to have an unplanned c-section.  I had to remove my contacts prior to the surgery.  Because this happened so fast, I didn't have my glasses for after the surgery.  Which meant that I couldn't see my precious baby girl after she was born!  I was like, "Bring her closer, I can't see!"  My sweet father in law had to go all the  way to our house to bring my glasses back to the hospital for me so that I could see.

 

10.  Yes, I still live in the state where I was born (SC).

 

 

What a fun linky! 

Head on over to Rachel's blog to link up yourself.  Next week will be a fun fill in the blank activity!

 

Show What You Know!

I'm trying real hard to wrap my head around the fact that it's almost time to go back to school.  It's not hard to do that though when it's all you see when you walk into Wal-Mart or Target these days.  Thanks guys for sucking the life out of what's left of my summer!  In all serious, I have been doing a little bit of work.  I'm trying to get ahead of the game a little bit because once it starts, it won't stop again until that last day!   

 

Once we make it through the first day, and the first week, I always start thinking about where my kiddos are academically.  Cum files, last year's report card, IEP's, and teacher talk are great ways to learn more about your students.  But I know with me, I don't feel like I truly know their potential until I sit down with them and start to work with them on an individual basis.  That's so hard to do.  I  mean, it's the first few weeks of school.  You more than likely haven't started any "formal" centers or stations.  And the likelihood of them working independently for any amount of time is next to none!  So after some brainstorming on my part, I can up with an idea to assess my kiddos in small groups.

 

 

In this activity, I've included 20 task cards and 1 recording sheet.  The task cards contain several different ELA and Math concepts. 

 

 

With this activity I want to find out if my kiddos understand the language of the task cards, AND, if they can complete the tasks independently.  Thus, the reason why I chose to use it in small group setting.  It will give me immediate feedback on who knows/understands what.  My fantastic teaching buddy, and editor, even suggested using white boards for this activity in place of the recording sheet.  I think that's an absolutely GREAT idea!  That's even BETTER feedback.  And for time's sake, because we know the attention span of our new first graders, you could just pick and choose which task cards you want to hit first.  This activity would be great for you Kindergarten teachers to use at the END of the year.  And for you Second grade teachers, maybe you want to use this as a Scoot! or Walk the Room activity to assess what your new kids remember from 1st grade. There are so many different ways you could use this activity.  It all depends on the type of class you have.

 

If you would like a copy of this activity, head on over to my TpT store and download it for free! 

The Sunday Scoop!

Happy Sunday! 

 

 I cannot believe that we are almost at the halfway mark for July.  Summer is flying by for sure!

 

Today I'm linking up with The Teaching Trio to share with you my Sunday Scoop! 

 

 

I'm hoping to be real productive this week.  We shall see!!!!! 

 

What's your scoop for the week?  Head on over, link up, and share!