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Building Enthusiasm for Sight Word Study

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You might see my chest puff up just a little in this post.  I’m gonna apologize right now. I have to admit, I’m more than a little proud of my kinder class (and my own homegrown kinder too).



If you know about my sight word system you know that I introduce sight words as sports levels.  So, Dolch list 1 words are called Baseball words, list 2 is Soccer, then Basketball and so on all the way until they get to list 11 which is Beach Balls. 

I love that this system appeals to the boys AND the girls in my class.  It is motivating and fun, and I never ask my kinders to work on sight words.  They always want to practice their ‘ball words.’  As with anything at this age, it’s all in the packaging, the presentation and the hype.  And I’m hear to tell you, I get them all hyped up about ball words.  When one of them passes a level, we all HIP HIP HORRAY, there’s a certificate, a  trip to the treasure box for a small trinket and their name goes on the  ball poster.

Here’s a gander at my posters this week.  You’ll notice they go the whole length of my room.  Yep, 11 different levels, and I have names on every single one.  In fact, I have three of my kinders have already passed beach balls (one passed them the first day of school so he had to spell them for me-fair isn’t always equal)  and as of last Friday . .  .here it comes . . . I might be getting a bit teary . . .every single one of them has their name on the baseball poster!!!!!



So that means today we PARTIED.  Yep.  Parties are lots of work and they cost money, but these kiddos worked their little behinds off learning those baseball words.  And when the last three passed on Friday (all in one day) the first thing out of their mouths was . . . ‘can I please have the next soccer ball list?’ I was like ‘seriously?  You want to keep working on these?’


So today we celebrated.  One of my kinder’s momma made these cute cute cupcakes . . .

We played a little sightword baseball.  It was the Eagles vs. the Tigers.  They had a little pre-game huddle…

and then a quick cheer and BREAK (I think they might watch a little too much ESPN-I’m not sure!)

And you can’t have a baseball party without HOTDOGS and  . . . CRACKER JACKS. 


Do you know how many kids have NEVER had Cracker Jacks?  I was amazed. Who doesn’t like the a surpise in every box for goodness sakes.

And then we finished off with a little Baseball pinata. 

It was a blast, well deserved and just so so so much fun to watch some of my little ones who have never been celebrated for how wonderful they are get recognized for their hard work. 

I’d like to think it was because of me, but that is just so not the case.  I love how these little ones work together to help eachother meet their goals.  I melt when I hear one of my high fliers say ‘come on, I’ll help you with your ball words.  I just know you’re gonna pass today.’ or when they pass and I hear them yell ‘WoooHOOO I’m a golf ball champ!’ Who doesn’t want to be a champ?  And I really think that’s the reason they work so hard, not for the treasure box trinket, the certificate or even for the party . . . they just all want to be ‘champs.’ 

And I couldn’t not tell you about my own little champ.  No he’s not in my classroom, but I have the pleasure of seeing him next door everyday in my teacher friend, Kerri’s room.  This is the picture/award wall at my house (don’t judge me by my dirty kitchen please). I with I could say he learned all those words for his momma.  WRONG!!!  He has a great teacher, who he LOVES, who motivates him, who cheers him on and gets him excited about his sight words and reading. 

Thanks Mrs. R (and Ms. E)


So if my chest is just a bit puffed out today, again, my apologies.  These are just one of those days that we teachers look back on and smile on all those other days when we feel like pulling our hair out.  And I don’t know about you, but I need more and more and more days like this.

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Marsha Moffit McGuire

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