Mystery First Grader {Classroom Management} *Freebie*

Close your eyes...

Picture the end of the school day....

What does it sound like?

What does it look like?

Did you break into a cold sweat just thinking about it?

It doesn't have to be that way!  You can find calm at the end of an otherwise chaotic part of the day if you choose a MYSTERY FIRST GRADER!

I know this simple idea is nothing new...or maybe it is?  I don't know, but it's one that I've used for years and it works like a charm.

Some might call it bribery - I call it genius.

Here's how it works:

*You announce that you'll be picking your mystery first grader

*You eyeball the room dramatically

*You mention that you'll be locking this person's face and name in your mind and they will never know who it is - until the very end of the day

*Pause for dramatic effect

*Eyeball the room one last time and then emphatically nod your head saying "Yup, they're in my brain and there they'll stay while I watch your every last move as you pack up for the end of the day".

*More pausing, nodding, smirking

And then they get ready...

Every minute or so you say something like...

"Oh my, my Mystery First Grader is _________________{doing a great job, having a hard time but I know they'll do better now, remembering to do everything they need to do, has it goin' on, etc. etc.}"

Mostly it's magical.  Mostly they are putty in your hands.  

Disclaimer:  Unless you were completely caught up in a science experiment, looked up and noticed the bell was going to ring in two minutes.  Then all bets are off.  You're outta luck.  It's the mad dash and Mystery First Grader can't slow down the hands of time - it's going to be frantic no matter what you do.  Some days are like that.

Keep a checklist handy so that you give everyone a fair shake at being your MFG.

I have a treasure basket filled with small items donated by my kids, parents, friends & neighbors. 

Or you could just give them a "Wowie Zowie".  Or both.  Or nothing but a bravo and a class cheer.  It's up to you!

Click the picture to download.
Kindergarten-Fifth

May the end of your days be full of peace and smiles!

Brain Breaks {Not the GoNoodle Kind}

Hey!!  There is life on the other side of this computer - I AM here!

I got a lovely message from my dear friend Patty over at 2nd In Line telling me that a teacher in her district had sent out an email referring them to my blog to read about how GREAT they are!  If you read that post you'll see that it has been quite a while since I last blogged. 

No excuses.  Just life.

That little bit of happy, from Patty,  motivated me to get back to it...

So, here I am!

Well, I hope with this new school year, you've been able to hold on to those good feelings you gathered over the summer months - relaxing, pinning, blogging, Periscoping {don't know what that is - check it out here}, and all those other things us teachers do during those glorious long summer days.

I know it can take one staff meeting and you feel like the weight of the world is back on your shoulders.  I CANNOT urge you enough to hop on social media.  Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, Blab.im {outside of Instagram, that's my personal favorite - google it!} to help you focus on the POSITIVES in our profession.  I swear to you, I don't know if I would still be teaching if it weren't for the positive energy I glean from all my online teacher friends/colleagues.

But, that's not why I'm here...

I wanted to share a magical part of our day.  Magical in the quiet, non-academic sort of way.

I pride myself on classroom management. It is one area that I can say, with a smile on my face and 100 percent confidence, that I rock the house.

Think about right after recess.  What does your classroom sound like?  Do tattles abound {even though it has already been handled on the playground by an adult}?  Do the acceptable noise levels of a school playground follow your students into your classroom?  Do you hear yourself saying "quiet down boys and girls, QUIET DOWN - you are NOT outside anymore, you are in a classroom", over and over?  Does it take, what seems like forever, for them to calm themselves down and get ready for the rest of the day?

I don't have that problem.  EVER.
{disclaimer: full moons, party days, random "what on earth" days excluded}

Okay, at first I do.  Like, say, for the first few days of school - but with lots of practice and training, I don't; and here's why:

That's one of our schedule cards that hangs on our agenda each day.  You can pick my schedule cards up {here}for free. It's almost just that simple.

Name it.

That's what I did, I named it.  I gave that time of day an official name - like math, science, social studies {all have clear expectations} we have "brain break" with lots of expectations that we practice over and over and over.

I tell my first graders that the minute their first foot walks through the door, their voices turn off, and they sit down, drink from their water bottles, take their turn to use the restroom, and focus on their breathing.  Some put their heads down, some stare off into space, some find an object to focus on and "smell the soup, cool it down" {how we slow our breathing down}.  

And the lights?  Make sure they are all off! {I spray some cinnamon air freshener right before they come into the classroom.  I'm not sure if cinnamon is an official calming smell - but I like it - it calms me down...so I like to think "happy teacher, happy classroom".}

The whole first part of the brain break I speak calmly and quietly - reminding them of what they should be doing.  I sound so calm...I want to fall asleep. All the while, I'm reminding them that their engines were running really fast outside but now that they are inside they want to slow them down by slowing down their breathing, drinking water, etc.  First graders need to be taught HOW to calm themselves down.  Every single day I go over some techniques for how to go about doing that.

It's magical.

I still have little ones who try to come up to me about a recess problem and I'll quickly {and ever so quietly} say "Did you tell a noon-aide" and if they did - I quietly motion them back to their seats.  Soon, they realize they can't come into the classroom with a tattle/recess problem.  I am always sure to ask if they told an adult outside - because I don't want to dismiss something serious that is happening outside that may deserve some attention.

Naming this time, setting the expectations for this time, practicing the right way and stopping them when it's the wrong way has made a world of difference.

Our afternoons aren't perfect...but after taking the time to calm ourselves and get our bodies ready for an afternoon of serious learning - they are better.

And then there's always GoNoodle...

...for after science

...and math

...and social studies

HA!

Are You a Great Teacher?

What kind of teacher would you say you are?  A great one?  Dynamic?  Getting there?  A work in progress?  All of the above?

I talk to so many educators and many of them are self deprecating by nature.  You know, you compliment them on something they did, an idea they shared and they can be so quick to point out the error of their ways.  

Are teachers just humble to a fault or do they truly believe to their core that they aren't really as good at this gig as they want to be, or aren't rockin' it out like their teacher-neighbor, or that blogger that really seems to know their stuff?

Do you know the saying... "Comparison is the thief of joy?"

You see that teacher that you think is "highly effective" or "innovating" and you think...

"Gosh, I'm not doing enough."

I have a lot of teachers in my life.  My husband is a teacher.  Many of my dearest friends are teachers. I engage in a lot of teacher conversations.  A LOT.  

Like so many of you, teaching is more than a profession; it's a hobby.

Mostly, the conversations I have are enlightening, fun, interesting and motivating...

But sometimes they can be disheartening.  I've heard teachers say they would never encourage another person to go into this field.  While, I understand that - because I do, I urge them to dig really deep inside and remember WHY they chose this profession. It wasn't for the kudos and accolades it was because they love children and want to help them move the mountains in their lives.

Another comment I hear SO often is that more and more they end their days not feeling like they did enough and this feeling has become more and more overwhelming.  

Whether you're a teacher or not, I'm sure we can all appreciate that to-do list that goes on for weeks.  A day will end and you'll find yourself thinking there are never enough hours.  Right?  

We can all relate.  

Real talk here...

I think it's not so much the physical things that are weighing some teachers down - like cleaning your desk, filing papers, grading work - I think it's the heavy feeling of ending each day and thinking you didn't reach enough students.  Not that this is anything new - I mean, we've always felt like we could DO more...but the shift is that we may end our days feeling like we DIDN'T DO ENOUGH for our students.  That's different - do you see that?  That effects your mindset.

Years ago, I might end my days thinking, "Man, that science lesson was so awesome it went long and I didn't have time to do social studies.  Oh well, I'll get to that tomorrow."  To me, that was a good thing - I went with the teachable moment.  Now, it seems that if we don't get to every lesson we're harder on ourselves - like somehow we've shortchanged our students and need to work harder to 

"do it all." 

I urge you to flip your thinking.

You ARE doing the best that you can.  It still is about the teachable moment.  You may not get to everything and that means you are a fantastic teacher.

No teacher does it all, all of the time.

{even bloggers}

Be forgiving of yourself and know that while it's important to hone your craft and look for ways to fit more in and maximize your time...

It's also important to realize you are awesome. Don't compare and if you do use it to your benefit - to motivate and inspire you to move your own mountains.

Are you a great teacher?

YES!

Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! {Book Tour & Giveaway}

Guess what?

Michigan author, Maria Dismondy, has done it again - made the lives of countless kiddos BETTER...and our teaching lives easier!

She has written another book...and I'm so happy for that! 

If you're not familiar with her work - Maria Dismondy focuses on writing stories that help children navigate this social world of ours.  As teachers, we know that there is much more to our job than the ABC's and 123's.  We are also responsible for helping our little ones understand one another as human beings.  WOW - that's a daunting task - but one made easier with the help of Maria's books.

Such rich discussion can take place before, during and after a read aloud.  Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! is about two young boys, Johnny and Gabe.  Johnny loved school until Gabe entered into the picture.  Gabe doesn't speak English and Johnny has a hard time accepting Gabe with his differences.  As the story progresses; Johnny learns a lesson about empathy and he and Gabe become friends who are able to accept and celebrate their individuality.  

After I read this story to my first graders here's what they had to say...

Character education is part of a well-rounded classroom climate. I know sometimes it's hard to fit it all in - I'm right there with you.  That's why I like incorporating it into my daily read alouds.  

Maria's other books {here} can help you with that.

To get you started Maria has offered to give away one signed copy of Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! 

Because my first graders are so invested in this book and the lessons they learn from all of Maria's books, I'm going to ask that you give one piece of advice to my kiddos, in the comments below, that can help them be a good friend to others.  We {my first graders} will randomly choose one winner on April 20th! {Please include your email address with your comment}.

Next up on the blog tour...

Erin Klein at Kleinspiration

&

Andrea at JYJ Counselor Blog

Book Study: Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: Chapter 11 {Music, Rhythm, Rhyme & Rap}

I'm linking up with Rachelle and Natalie over at What the Teacher Wants to talk about chapter 11 in Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites.

I think I may have said that chapters 9 & 10 were right up my alley - well, so is this one!

They don't call me DJ Jazzy Wazy for nothing..

Okay - they don't actually call me that...but they SHOULD!

Strategy 11:

Music, Rhythm, Rhyme & Rap

"Music has the remarkable ability to energize, relax, set the daily mood, stimulate student brains, inspire, and make learning fun." {Jensen, 2009a}

Holy powerful!  WOW!  That quote right there says it all.  I mean, really, "relax and energize", "inspire and make fun". You name the tone you are trying to set and music can help with that.  

That's just how powerful music is!

I use music a ton in my classroom.  Whether it be during a brain break, a transition, during a quiet calm work time, to have fun, as a celebration, to help us learn new concepts or review previous ones - seriously, I use music CONSTANTLY!

I'm not much of a singer, so I do rely mostly on the professionals when singing in my room, but you do know that our students don't really care about that, right?  So, I will break into song or rap if the situation warrants...{i.e. nobody is listening, all you know what has broke loose, I'm just feelin' it...}

I have so many songs/artists - I thought I'd share some so you can add them to your repertoire!

In no particular order...

10.

We listen to this during writer's workshop.  For some reason I don't play music during reader's workshop.

9.

We listen to all the songs on this album - I typed up the lyrics and put them on my SmartBoard because so many of them teach a lesson.  Some of our favorites:
Read a Book {that's our cue that it's time for reader's workshop}
All the Way Around the World {our cue that it's writer's workshop}
Itchy Itchy, Owie Owie, Boo Boo {clean up time after various activities}

8.

There are so many of "these" that you can find on YouTube - from music set with a fire burning in a fireplace, to sea-side music.  I just search until I find one that I like.  This is a great one to use when we come in from outdoor recess in the spring time.  Lights out, heads down - a wonderfully calming way to give our little bodies/brains a break.

7.

I have a whole collection of Kidz Bop from my own boys - we like to listen to these when doing "Ketchup and Mustard".

6.

Need to teach a certain concept and you want it to stick?  Harry Kindergarten is your man!  Many songs are free on YouTube!

5.

I love this blog post over at Scholastic - Mr. Vasicek put a lot of thought into the songs he uses and when he uses them.  You'll want to check out this post - because I downloaded most of the songs he suggested and will use them throughout the day.  

4.

I just love Rockabye Baby!  Have a favorite music artist? Rockabye Baby may have just turned one of favorites into an album of lullabies.  Great to use during calming brain breaks.

3.

Another YouTube favorite of mine - I love their ABC songs - I use these at the beginning of the year as a review - but also throughout the year when working on handwriting.

2.

I still have this one on CD - I've owned this CD since it originally came out.  Enya is just good for the soul!

1,

The Learning Station is a favorite of mine because they have a lot of "call and response" type songs.  These are great working those listening muscles!

I hope the list of above gave you a few to add to your bag of tricks - having a variety of musical artists/genres is as important as the eclectic choice of books in your classroom reading library.

"Change the music during a learning episode.  Set an emotional mood before class starts, upbeat tunes for moving around the room, music appropriate to the task during seatwork, and positive music at the end of the class." {Sousa, 2006}

One way I'd like to improve is by incorporating music more authentically by encouraging my students to create their own raps, rhythms and rhymes for various concepts.  I'm already seeing this as a work on writing activity during Daily 5!

How do you use music in your classroom?  Do you have any favorites that you'd like to share?

Go visit What the Teacher Wants to see what other teachers shared!

Book Study: Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: Chapters 9 & 10 {Mnemonic Devices, Movement}

Happy Spring Break!

We are having a staycation 'round these parts - and honestly, I couldn't be happier.  Instead of rays - I'm hoping to soak up a lot of laziness, relaxation, snuggles & Netflix! 

I'm linking up with a fellow "Holly" over at Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten to discuss chapters 9 & 10.  These chapters were right up my alley because THIS is how I learn.  I might not be a graphic organizer kinda thinker slash learner - but mnemonics and movement...KA-CHING! 

Strategy 9:

Mnemonics

"Mnemonic techniques are time-tested activities that enable students to recall and use material without conscious efforts from the brain." {Mayer, 2003}

There aren't a whole lot of specifics {aside from those personal stories my teachers told about themselves} that I remember from my days in school.  I do, however, remember:

The Fifty Nifty United States!

...and so many others!

One I STILL use today!

Just this year, I had one of our parapros say to me "I was working with some of your previous first graders and they shared with me how they will never forget how to spell the words "would, could, should"

Click to grab!

That just goes to show how powerful those mnemonics are!

Strategy 10:
Movement

Getting those kiddos moving is so important and that's what this strategy is all about!

"Any task learned when we are physically engaged in doing it remains in our memory for a very long time. {Allen, 2008}

"Because physical movement increases the energy of students, it, therefore, enhances their engagement." {Marzano, 2007}

"Movement not only enhances learning and memory but it also causes neural connections to become stronger." {Hannaford, 2005}

I could just keep pulling quotes from this chapter.  Movement is essential to learning in any classroom - young and old!  I've been Brain Breaking before "GoNoodle" even existed.  HA!
...but thank goodness for those folks at GoNoodle - why didn't I think of that?

Circa: 2013

I'm great at incorporating movement in the form of a brain break in my classroom - but where I'd like to improve is incorporating it into my actual teaching/student learning more often.

I'm sure you've heard of  Whole Brain Teaching.  I've read up on WBT quite a bit and after much hemming and hawing - it's not for me - not in its entirety, anyway {It's a little too robotic for me}.  There are pieces of it that I really like and believe in.  Much like mnemonic devices, I think involving movements as we learn engages the brain and increases retention of new concepts.  There are a few techniques that Whole Brain Teachers use that I use as well...

Blow it in Your Hand/Release - I'll have my students go eye-to-eye, knee-to-knee with one another and share their thinking.  Once they've firmed up their thinking I'll have them whisper/blow the answer into their hand and then release it - by saying the answer out loud.

Just the other day we were talking about decomposing numbers.  When we said "decompose means break apart" we pretended to break something apart with our hands.  The next time I asked them what decompose meant I had several that quickly made the motion.

There's a song we sing about living or nonliving things that we've been singing for years.  I wish I knew who originally wrote it but it goes like this...

Tune: Yankee Doodle

Living or nonliving things,
Now which one will it be?
If something is to stay alive,
It has some special needs.

Give it food and water,
And lots of air to breathe.
It also may need space to grow,
And sunlight for its leaves.

Each year my kiddos love singing this song and creating movements to go along with it.  When I give the test at the end of the unit - without fail, I see kids making the movements to this song and whispering the words when they come to the part of the test where they have to list things that living things need.

"The one most detrimental barrier to learning and recall of information may be a teacher's deliberate attempt to stop students from moving." {Jensen, 2002}

My goal is to incorporate even MORE movement into my teaching/student learning.  Here are a few bloggers who are Whole Brain Teaching gurus that I'm hoping to pull a few more ideas from.

Mrs. Shipley's Whole Brain Classroom

Whole Brain Teaching With Style

Teaching and Learning Together

I'm curious how you incorporate mnemonics and movement into your classroom?

If you are a Whole Brain Teacher I would REALLY love if you would share why you like it so much, how much you incorporate the techniques into your day, and anything else you might want to share.

Go check out Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections   and read what she has to say about these two strategies as well as what others have to say in the linky!

Book Study: Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: Chapter 7 {Manipulatives, Experiments, Labs & Models}

I'm linking up with Deanna Jump over at Mrs. Jump's Class to talk about Chapter 7! I love this chapter!  I love it so much because I think had I been taught this way I would have done a MUCH better job in school! {One of the reasons I became a teacher}

Strategy 7:

Manipulatives, Experiments, Labs and Models

The chapter started off with a story about the author's daughter doing very well in her chemistry labs but not very well on the paper/pencil tests.  

Seriously...

Okay...I'm having a Twilight Zone moment....

Just today, we were dealing with this as a family.  My son, who is in 7th grade, found out he received a C- on his final in Art class.  He received A's all along on every other project - but since this final exam counts for 30 percent of his grade - he'll receive a B in the class.

I know - a B is fine - it's not the letter grade that we are most concerned with - it's the message that was sent to our 7th grader - grades aren't always fair and definitely aren't always reflective of your hard work and your skills.

Marcia Tate said "...when is the last time a chemist walked into a laboratory, sat down, and completed a worksheet or took a paper and pencil test?"

...and I can say the same for artists.

In his teacher's defense - I'm going to guess she wishes she didn't have to give grades like this either.

Moving on...{I will not send her an email, I will not send her an email}

We use manipulatives a TON!  I wouldn't know how to teach without them. 

These letters are from TouchTronic 

One of our math workshop stations - pattern block reflections

Bins are loaded with manipulatives for math workshop

Learning about shapes - using....shapes!

What better way to learn about plants then to plant some grass?

"When students use manipulatives over a long period, they make gains in verbalizing their thinking, discussing ideas, taking ownership, and gaining confidence in independently finding answers to problems.} {Sebesta & Martin, 2004}

Amen!

On my Pinterest Math Wizard board I pinned a few manipulative finds that I really liked because many of them are DIY - we all know those manips can be expensive!

Sources: Learn, Play, Imagine
Rachel K Tutoring Blog

Where I need to improve is having them out year round so they are just part of what we do and how we roll - like an appendage.  

I found these awesome "math action cards" that I'm thinking about purchasing.  I think constant use of these manipulatives can only increase their learning value and help students understand that they can be used for any learning situation THEY deem them necessary.

Do you use manipulatives?

Which ones are your favorites?

Visit Mrs. Jump's Class to see what others are saying about this strategy and join in the conversation!