Pictures are here!!

Good news - Issac left us alone here in Hernando County.  We hardly had any rain after 11 AM.
I did check my portable - it has leaked before.  All was dry and okay.
Here are some pictures -in no particular order

This is my visual data wall.  The first poster is for capital letters, the second for lowercase.  I track the kids and will put their names on each poster showing how much they know.  I change the data 3 times during the year (although I check them at least monthly - more if I am doing RTI)

 I got this from Julie Lee's "Schools in Session" unit.   We completed the first day.

My take on the famous birthday board (I think original was Erica B, first grade teacher). Since I'm getting new kids this week (after IEP's), I'm waiting to take pics of kids and teachers.

My new cute color posters - I love that these were available in half size - I am so limited in wall space.

Class rules - we start by singing the Rules Rap by Dr. Jean, then I will go more into these rules - I love that they have movements associated with them.  Motions help solidify stuff for my little kids.

So this pic is my question of the day.  I post the question in a plastic sleeve taped to the whiteboard.  My hubby painted some old cookie sheets black and I made the kids names (pink for girls and blue for boys, thought it might help with name identification, we have lots of kids with the same first letter).  After kids answer, we go over data (more, less, equal)

I ran out of wall space - so I stapled these numbers on the ceiling : )  Even if kids aren't paying attention to me - if they look up, they are still learning!!

 

Super cute, new bright polka dot alphabet and my blank tens frames for counting to the 100th day.

  Same stuff from left side of white board. The blue paper is blank because we are working on that ten frame, so it is closer to our calendar area (makes it easier to put up daily picture)

Sideways pic - I made a pocket chart for the kids to recognize their names. 

 

Well, that's what I've got for now.

 

Happy Monday everybody!!

Day 6 - Not Tomorrow!!

Well, after 5 happy days in my PreK class, school has been canceled tomorrow, due to possible weather issues from Hurricane Issac.  Thankfully - we are not in the cone, however, we may gets bands of bad weather.  I'm not too excited about this!  Reasons: 1. it's the beginning of the year; I need to build routines, an extra day off, not always helpful; 2. we will have to make the day up - losing either a day at Thanksgiving break (we only get wed-fri to begin with) or Christmas (we go through Dec 21st); 3. worst case scenario, the weather is super nasty and my fragile portable does a Dorothy from the wizard of oz!!  All my personally bought stuff (99.9% of what's in that room) - gone, destroyed, so sad for me!!

I certainly hope tonight/tomorrow is tame.

Question for all the super smart, super organized teachers out there.
How do you do your lesson plans?? DO you use a preprinted book?  Create your own template? Use an online lesson planner??
I am not happy with my current system - looking for most efficient way.
I'd love to hear what works for you guys!!

Tomorrow  is picture posting day, stay tuned
(I want to make sure the portable is still there - don't want to post pics and jinx it!!)

Day 3 and counting

Today was the third day of our new PreK class and happily, it's still going well.  woohoo!Lining up and walking - could still use some improving, but, we will get there.  All 12 kids I currently have (5 new ones start next week) can recognize their name in print - woohoo!
We are continuing to practice our daily routines and they are beginning to know what the expectations are - with a little less prompting.
Definitely need to work on the "ms. connie  ms. connie  ms.connie" - they just keep saying my name over and over - regardless of who else might be talking or what I might be doing.  I have a couple of kids who have not been to school before, so they need to experience group dynamics/social rules.

On a side note - I brought my camera - and took pictures - 3, then my cameras memory was full. Huh, - oh crud, hubby didn't replace memory card.
Good news, I got it, it's in camera.  Picture taking will happen tomorrow. Posting probably on Friday or Saturday.

Day 2

Today went really well!! I redid the spots on the rug where the kids sit, that made a huge difference.
I also introduced "smarties" (candy) and told them that if they can remember where their carpet spot is, they are super smart - so they earn a smartie.
Boy- did that work!!
We did centers and they did much better at staying in their center.  Still a fair amount of wandering and "I'm done", but we are working on building that stamina, so all in all, pretty good.
(BTW - all of the centers are play centers - playdough, home, legos, beans, manipulatives, etc)

My goal for tomorrow - take pictures!!!
And write 4 IEP's for the new students I am getting next week.  Busy, busy :)

HappyFirst Day of School!

While I had an "end of VPK" celebration 17 days ago - today was the first day of school.
A new group of kids - and boy were they busy.
I swear, I do not know if every year they roll on the rug, cry that they are tired/hungry (all day long) and get into all my teacher stuff, but they did today.
They also participated really well during songs, listened during a story (yahoo!!) and everybody said they were happy to be at school.
Did I get to everything I planned - no.  The stamina of these newbies is pretty small.  But we will build upon it and in a couple of weeks - we'll be doing some awesome learning and playing.

All in all, a great first day!!

Feeling a little better...

Summer vacation day #4.  But I have sooooo much to do and while next week is "preschool" week; I have all day meetings on Mon and Tues and Open House is Thursday afternoon.  Which leaves 1 1/2 days to get my room ready.  That's not going to work!  SO I went in today to do a little bit.
I had to change some of my thoughts about what I might get done, because when I went into the classroom, the custodian was in there cleaning it.  She told me she would be there all day to thoroughly clean the room.  Great - it needs it!, but, now I have to work around cleaning and scrubbing and I really can't put anything where I want to, because the carpets need to get cleaned. Grrrr.
Here's what I did do.
I put up my new (50% off) fabric and boarder on my bulletin board.  I also put up my birthday board (the one I love from pinterest, where you take pics of the kids holding their date number and post them on a month card).  98% done - I ran out of border! UGH!!
I also laminated my tens frames for counting the 100 days of school and I printed out and made all the names I need for various things in my classroom - 6 sets total!! (cubbies, mailboxes, center chart, question of the day board, "are you here today?" pocket chart and  I also make 1 set and put magnets on the back to post on white board.  I use this for picking a "helper of the day".  All my kids are always in ABC order by first name and so they can see where they are in the order and figure out when it will be their turn).

Pics to come - once my husband surrenders the camera -- new Harley, so he's in picture taking mode!!
I hope to go in tomorrow and put up my new alphabet line (purchased through Live Love Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten) and maybe tape down some names.  Monday's coming fast!

summer vacation, day 3

Friday was my last day of summer VPK. It was great! But not having to rush out of the house in the morning - fabulous! (even if it is only for 1 week).
So far I spent the 3 days going to dr appts (waiting in dr offices... for-ev-er!!) and doing a little bit of back to school prep.  Still so much to do.
Only 2 more days of vacation left.
Back to school on Monday, kids come on the 20th.  It's going to be busy!!

Where has the time gone????

Wow - my last post was over 2 weeks ago.  This summer has sped by sooo fast!.  This Friday is the last day of my summer VPK program.  It has been a great summer - I had a really great group of kids - AND - I got to teach all summer in my own room, that is awesome!!! (last 3 years, had to go to area daycares, not fun)
Anyway, 2 more days of VPK, then I have to get CRACKING on my room, oi vey!!
I have so much to do.
At least all my "back to school" centers are printed, cut and laminated and, I have to add, in labeled folders, organized in file totes :)

July is over, August is here
19 days til a new group of kids

Hope everyone has a great start to their year!!