The Way I Teach: Back to School

Showing posts with label Back to School. Show all posts

Back to school routines and procedures, classroom management, and classroom systems can make or break a teacher! These 4 resources will help you implement systems that will set you up for a successful year. I'm keeping it short because we all have prep to do!

MY #1️⃣'s!

Take a minute look at a few resources that will save you 100's of hours ⏲and truly make your teaching life a lot simpler this year!  Even if you have a classroom system that you think is working and have used forever, some of these systems may streamline it even further. The systems and resources below,

I used in my own classes.
My grade level partners used them.
Many of the primary grades that are at my school still use them to this day!
Read the feedback on each, other teachers will tell you the same.

#1 system for sight word or  high frequency words management:

It  will run all year long in your class once you set it up. It is editable, students manage their own words to practice in centers, it is differentiated, volunteers can pull students at a glance and so can you - ALL YEAR LONG. Students can track their words, parents are informed, students keep track for goal setting. NO MORE MOVING KIDS FORWARD or KEEPING THEM BACK with the the class. Students progress at their own rate with this easy to  implement system.   This resource will also generate a sight word or high frequency sheet for you! You fill in the words once and the entire document fills out!  You can read more about this resource in this post HERE.

Get the Resource HERE.

#1 Classroom Management Resource - TRANISITION SLIDES:  THIS ONE is a MUST!

I have classroom slides with timers that you add music to (instruction included).  You play the slides and a VISUAL timer plays. Students must be in their place by the time the timer is done and the music stops. On the slides you can select the arrow an move it to where kids are suppose to be when the timer is up.  I STILL TRAIN kids on this the first few weeks of school.   It's a great movement break that teaches a routine and procedure the first few weeks.  You move the arrow to LINE UP, SEATS, OR CARPET.   You play the music, kids walk around, and when it stops they need to be in that place.   Many other teachers agree this has been a HUGE lifesaver (you can read the comments in the FEEDBACK).  I included editable slides and a voice level where you can move the arrow to as well (another routine and procedure for the beginning of the year.  This saved my life in Kindergarten but is great for all grades. I use something similar in a lab now with TK-5th and it is a life saver!  Classroom Visual Timers HERE.

Get the Classroom Visual Timers HERE

#1 ACTIVITY for BACK TO SCHOOL!

Build it cubes! I have back to school and summer cubes. They are differentiated with different level of cards of the same design.   HANDS ON, NO PREP (except print and laminate), MOVEMENT - WIN-WIN! You can read a book and have students build the design on the card(s). Let them choose or have them all build the same one. DO it whole class and use it for training for a center later on since I have different sets of BUILD IT cubes for the entire year!  Believe it or not, I've had these out by accident and even 4th and 5th were into it. PERFECT for K-2 Back to SCHOOL!

SCHOOL BUILD IT PICTURES RESOURCE LINK 

SCHOOL BUILD IT PICTURES RESOURCE LINK

#1 HOMEWORK RESOURCE!

I actually have 2 but the # 1 is the "AUTHENTIC AND DIFFERENTIATED" Reading LOG. It's number one because students can use it with any book so they can use their level of book but practice the same skill you are working on in class. It has ELL support with sentence stems, a parent helper piece, you choose the log that matches the skill you are working on, students are responding to reading (comprehension and writing is therefor imbedded, students reread for fluency. There you have it! And you use these all year long! CLICK HERE to GET IT!

Year Long Homework Resource LINK

I'm going to leave this here because I'd love to share some other resources that are high impact, low or NO prep but really, they wouldn't be implemented the first week of school and NO ONE needs overwhelm at the start of school. The resources above are systems and management resources that will stay with you the entire year and help you and your students. 

Wishing you the best this year!

Warm regards,

❤️Tonya Leslie

I am excited to show you these "I Spy" bags but I worn you they can be addicting. The I spy bags I made for literacy centers so it puts a spin on your typical worksheet and turns it into an interactive recording sheet. When I went to make these It started with inspiration from my kiddos from last year. They had this obsession with the I Spy books in the class. At the end of the year they were supposed to be reading to someone while I finished assessing and I would look up and there would be the same 4 students (each and every day) with the I Spy Books hunting for pictures and they were LOUD! So I would get up an go look at what they were doing because they were just having sooooo much fun when they were supposed to be reading to someone not playing in a group! I would get up and go look being very annoyed but when I would return I would be so happy because they were reading the words and hunting for the pictures and they were having so much fun reading! Did I mention 1 of the students was the lowest in my class and the other was a very disengaged student? So this made me so happy. They would be very happy with these activities. I will be adding a Free I Spy class book activity to this blog soon but I have to get packing my house and class! I am moving soon and have NOT packed a thing!

*** Tutorial is further down and links to a free I Spy student reader is there too!***

I got picture happy because they were so fun!

I went on a mission to Hobby Lobby for Duct Tape and seriously that store can cause issues because they had so many cute duct tape rolls I had to stop myself (do not use anything but duct tape on these. Scotch tape will come off)! I was supposed to get in and get out with 3 items and $42.00 later - I left. Whatever. I am sure I will find good use for all the things I absolutely did not probably need.

You can click on the pictures below or the link HERE for the printable instructions for the I Spy Bags. I also have a Free I Spy book HERE if you want it.

thewayiteach.blogspot.com

thewayiteach.blogspot.com

So some are wanting to know where are the activities to go with the I Spy bags. If you want to know go HERE.
Download the Preview to see all the components. Its a back to school review unit that helps with integrating review activities so you can teach routine and procedures too. A "Back to School Guide" for the unit is included in the preview too.

I haven't made this yet but I am going to put it out there for next week and see if I can hold myself to it. I have 4 vintage/antique iron parlor chairs in need of redoing and they have been outside for about 3 years now. I also have an antique trunk that I have toted around for about 10 years and I shove it in the closet. I need to redo them before we move or I may just very well have to give them away because I don't think my spouse will agree with moving those things just to shove them in a closet and stick 4 ugly chairs outside so stay tuned . . . Next Monday. Cross my fingers!

Click on the Button at the top to go to more inspirational finds at 4th Grade Frolics.