First Week Fun!

Whoo hoo for surviving the first week of school! Last year was my first year at this school and I was a HOT MESS all year long!! The goal was always survival. BUT…dun dun dunnnnn, this year is totally different. I feel like I can bring my “A Game” now that I have been down this road before. I don’t think it matters if you have taught forever or are just starting out, going to a new school is a whole new world and it is great to be somewhere that I can plant myself and grow!

So, here are my favorite things from week one!

Okay, here is a funny. A friend of mine posted this pic on facebook and I think it was how most of us felt, but now I am excited about being back. I just need a nap! J 

We make our rules chart together within the first two days of school. I read “David goes to School” and “How do Dinosaurs go to School” and we discuss how to make good choices at school. Then the students come up with rules and everyone signs it. I think it becomes personal when they choose the rules and it is more effective. J 

As soon as we get the rules on paper, we start word work with our names. We will make a name chart that we will reference all year. When I am teaching sounds, I will say what sound does ‘a’ make? ‘A’ as in Alice. This chart will be on the wall and I will make a mini version for the writing center and the group carpet location. It becomes an asset in teaching. J

The first day of school we read “The Kissing Hand”. The kids love it. They all say ahhhhh! Many of them can relate to the sadness Chester feels. We made this Interactive writing chart after we read the story. We talked about their feelings and then made a kissing hand of their own. You can check out my 57 page Kissing Hand Unit on TPT for $6 at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Kissing-Hand-Unit.  

I was trying to find a new way to teach my students how to walk quietly in the hall when I found this cute poem on teachers pay teachers from Castles and Crayons. I love her blog! I took the poem and added a foot so my kids could glue on marshmallow toes. The loved it! I try to keep a few marshmallows in a baggie in my pocket or on my clipboard so when we are in the hall, I can give one to the student with the quietest toes. J 

On Friday, we reread The Kissing Hand and Chester left us a note in the back. We went on a Chester Hunt and it was so much fun. We followed the clues around the school and his paw prints too! The Chester Hunt cards are available in my Kissing Hand Unit too! J

When we made it back to the room, Chester had left us a surprise kissing hand cookie. Yummy!!

Thursday was my birthday and I got flowers! What a nice cherry on top of an already sweet week. A parent sent me flowers from my class too. That has never happened!! My birthday is always within the first three days of school so it usually gets overlooked, especially by me. Who has time to get older when it’s the first week of school? LOL! J

Thanks for reading. I love your comments!! More to come soon. Have a wonderful day! J