Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Snowpants, Boots and Untied Shoes...OH MY! *FREEBIE*

Oh Sweet Bejeezus...it's that time of year!  We had our first "big" snow today. Granted, it wasn't much {not like my dear friends on the west side of The Mitten} but it was enough to need the whole sha-bang of winter gear.  Oh how I dread "snowpant season". 

My southern friends don't quite get this.  You see, with winter comes crazy winter gear - first grade teachers have to tack on AT LEAST 10 minutes to their morning routine and 10 minutes to their dismissal routine.  Lord have mercy on our souls. 

I've already sent three crying kids down to the lost and found for missing mittens, lent out one coat {yes, one of my little ones forgot his coat and wore a sweater to school today in our 30 degree weather}, sent another one down to the office for socks {"I forgot to wear them"}, reminded one little guy that his coat "Goes on the OUTSIDE of your snowpants not the INSIDE sweety...that's why it's so bulky" and tried to figure out whose BLACK SNOWPANTS are whose {Label, say what?} just seconds before the bell rang to go home.  AND IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST DAY OF THIS CRAZY MAKING!!!!!!!!!

So, I'm cracking my knuckles getting my fingers primed to type up my "Winter Readiness 101" for parents.  {You know number one will be PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING with TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO PUT ON THEIR OWN WINTER GEAR  as number two}. 

Can you tell I'm worked up about this!?!?

So, while I've got a ways to go in teaching my kids how to keep track of their "stuff", put their "stuff" on, and bring said "stuff" to school - I do have my shoe tying woes taken care of....

Hubby teaches middle school.  I often say "Better you than me to deal with those hormones" and he says "Better you than me to blow noses and tie shoes". Yeah, I don't do either one of those things, thank you very much.  Because we're BIG kids {who forget to wear socks to school}...

At the beginning of the year I ask my kids who are my experts at tying shoes.  Those little slices of heaven use my handy dandy vis-a-vis marker to write their names on my shoe tying list.  This works well for a couple of reasons.  1. When somebody needs their shoes tied, they look at the list, and find a go-to person 2. It really motivates those who don't know how to learn how because they are DYING to get their name on the list.

Here it is in case you're knee deep in untied shoes...

Clipart: Scrappin Doodles
Just laminate and hang up in your classroom.  I attach a vis-a-vis marker right to it so kids can continue to add their names once they've mastered this skill.  I haven't tied a shoe in YEARS!!!!

If only my winter woes were solved so easily...

10 comments:

  1. Just printed off the tying shoes expert poster...can't wait to implement it tomorrow!! Also, your story makes me happy I live in the South:)

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  2. Right there with you, I live very close to lake Michigan on the West side of the state, we did the whole snow gear thing this morning, but the thing is we did not get one snow flurry here- parents watched the news showing the major storm in counties just to our east and decided we needed the gear to just in case! So Funny!! We always dread the snow gear and can't wait for spring to get rid of it!

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  3. Love this! Great idea!
    Lory
    Funforfirst.blogspot.com

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  4. Your post makes me laugh! I am right there with you. I hate the winter stuff. When you get it figured out and write that book for parents let me have a copy. Love the shoe tying thing. Going to start it tomorrow. Thanks for venting and sharing:)
    Petersons-Pad.blogspot.com

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  5. I am from Virginia, so we do have snow, but not on the level that you must! Where do you PUT all of the winter gear? I can just imagine what my classroom would look like: a children's outerwear store explosion (our first grade storage closet has been coverted to the Reading Recovery "classroom." I use this term loosely.)

    I'm loving the shoe tying chart! I can't wait to use it. Thank you so much!

    http://firstgrademagic.blogspot.com

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  6. Hey YOU! This is the site/lady I used to create my blog and the grab box. I hope it works for you...ask me anything if you need help..I don't know much about this blog stuff BUT I did figure out the button thing.

    http://bloggingwithamy.com/how-to-make-a-blog-button/

    Stacy
    2nd Grade Paradise

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  7. I'm giving you a Sunshine Award! You can see it over at my blog! Don't feel obligated to repost though. :)

    Amy
    Krazy About Kiddos

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  8. I love your blog! You always make me smile! :) And I love your Shoe Tying sign! Thank you for sharing! I don't button pants (they always have pee on them! I just tell them to put their shirt over it so no one can see!), wipe noses or tie shoes. My Kinders will love this sign! :)
    Cheryl
    Crayons and Curls

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  9. AWESOME idea!!!! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
    A Teeny Tiny Teacher

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  10. Just found your blog and LOVE it! You commented on my blog, so I followed the link. Your post is soooo true! I dread winter time and the hours spent dealing with the associated issues. Love your idea of reminding parents to label and teach the kids how to deal with their winter items. I will need to add that to my newsletter this coming week!

    Christine

    hoppingintofirstgrade.blogspot.com

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