Whew! My head is spinning like a top I tell you! I don’t ususally wait so long to post a blog, but I have to tell you . . . . I have been exhausted. Since last Friday when I last posted, I’ve been scrambling to get ready for my little kinder friends that would be arriving for Kinder Open House on Tuesday! I completed my welcome bulletin board (notice it’s a big window and NOT an actually bulletin board-a bit of a challenge but I make it work).
It makes it difficult to see what’s on the window. It’s says “We’re wild for kindergarten” with little animals and students names attached. Next time I think I’ll put a piece of paper up behind.
And gathered my Monkey Books together, filled and ready to go.
This is a great tool for student/parent communication. I used to have ‘star books’ but I loved Mrs. Miner’s Monkey books so much I had to change it up a bit this year.
You can click on the picture above to find out more about these binders if you’re interested. It will take you to Mrs. Miners page.
And I finished up some just basic tasks of organizing for that first day. It’s amazing to me how much time it takes us to get a little thing like lunch choice organization taken care of when getting our classrooms ready.
Then, of course, in my own home, the first day of school fairy had to make her appearance. . .
I love the first day of school fairy, but once again, she didn’t leave me a darn thing!
Rats!
And I was able to welcome my own class for Open House on Tuesday and their official full first day of school on Wednesday. You know how it is . . .my head is in a whirl wind of activity. No time to eat, sit down, check email or blog . . .
Learning routines, rules and managing rotations and movement of many little bodies in my small room has been the focus of last couple of days, but I have allowed them to get a bit of exploring new materials that they will be using while learning the ropes. I’ll blog more about my specific centers and plan later this weekend (I hope). But until then, you can click on the picture of each to find out more.
Cookie Sheet Activities from Julie at Make Take and Teach.
I Spy Letters (with a Magnifying Glass). It’s a freebie. Go ahead and click on the picture to get it.
Pokey Pin letters (the picture of my students were blurry but my sons had previewed the activity and I had taken a picture of them here so you can get the idea). These are from Mrs. Miner’s Monkeys. My kinders LOVED these this week and what great fine motor.
And Top Bananas letter swat! Of course there were tons more stuff going on but who has time to take pictures when your head is spinning. . . I’ll get you more details later I promise. In the meantime, click on the pictures for links and also, take a gander as you are planning for the upcoming weeks, at my latest I-spy. You can click on the picture below to take you to my TpT link and find out more.
I’m working on some other goodies too. So stay tuned.
With nearly 20 years of experience as a full-time kindergarten teacher, I’m committed to creating a classroom where learning is joyful, engaging, challenging, and fun. Each day, I work to ensure that my students feel successful through instruction that considers their unique interests, learning profiles, and readiness levels. I believe that students should be excited to come to class and enjoy a myriad of hands-on activities that encourage exploration and discovery.
While I continue to teach full-time, I find so much joy in connecting and building friendships with teachers worldwide. It’s why I started this blog back in 2012. My hope has become a reality as I have been able to forge relationships with teachers, sharing ideas and building friendships beyond my little neck of the woods through professional development sessions and this blog.
So by all means, take some time to look around and explore A Differentiated Kindergarten. Gather some new ideas, fun tips, and most importantly, don’t forget to reach out and say, ‘Hi!’
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