A Question for Self-Reflection

I was doing my nightly rounds through Pinterest (I love summer vacation!) when I stumbled across a blog I’d never visited before. As I read a few of her posts, Pernille Ripp asked this question “Would you like being a student in your own classroom?” What a profound question! I had never really thought about this before. Yes, I’ve tried to put myself in my students’ shoes before, but never had I considered how I would feel if I were a fulltime student in my classroom. As I make my grand plans for the school year I will keep this question in mind. To help myself to remember, I made this sign.

I hope, upon deep reflections, my answer will be a booming “YES!”

Traveling Library

Each week, my students create class books. They are usually about a subject we are studying or a response to a book we have read. Here are some of the books that we make. Every student contributes a page, we add a front cover and then we staple or bind the book together. Each book is put into the bucket we call our “Traveling Library.” 

Each day as we leave for lunch, we grab the library to take to the cafeteria with us.  When the students finish eating, they entertain themselves with a good book. The rules of the Traveling Library are taped to the outside of the bucket. We use these:
    1.  Choose only one book at a time.
    2. Read quietly.
    3. Take good care of the books.
    4. Have fun!

We add books to the library all year. The students are always proud to publish and enjoy having the chance to read their books every day.

Classroom Job Chart Makeover

Last year, when the school year started, I pulled out my same old job chart. It was faded, dusty and didn’t have every job I needed. I looked through catalogs and couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I made my own. It’s clear, easy to print and even easier to change as new jobs develop and others become irrelevant. If you need to renovate your job chart, you can find ours on Teachers PayTeachers. Let us know if you need a job we don’t have and we’ll create it for you! 

Research Sheets

It's never too early to learn basic research skills. Our first graders use these easy, one page sheets to explore new locations and favorite animals. To help understand the process in the beginning, our class completes one or two together. We begin by reading several books about our chosen subject. We record interesting facts or random details either in our journals or on sticky notes. When we feel well informed, we begin filling in our research page. Upon completion, I model how to present the final research, so when your students complete these as individuals, they feel confident in their sharing.

Not a teacher? Print them for your own child and research your beloved family vacation spots and the animals found there. 

Note: The sheets are intended to be printed on legal size paper. Here are the Word documents so that you can edit them if you’d like.

Enjoy learning unique and exciting things!

Refresh and Renew

Another school year has come and gone. This one most certainly came in like a lion and left like one too! Experience has taught us that we must reclaim our lives as soon as summer begins. Forget about the grading, the grueling hours of planning and the griping (our own and others)! To counteract our elevated stress levels, we’ve devised the perfect plan. It begins with a drink, 

a treat,

and a  book to make you laugh.

Now, settle into a comfortable chair, in a location you love and just let go. William Wordsworth once said, “Rest and be thankful”. We plan to do both, because soon enough we’ll be back at it again. Stay tuned for new ideas, and let us know what you are doing this summer!

Student Autograph Books

Send your students off for summer with memories of their classmates by making autograph books. Create your own cover or print ours (personalized for each grade, K-5) and staple it to a couple of pages. During the last week of school, designate a special “Sign Time” where your students take turns writing good-bye messages and signatures for each other. Make sure to sign every book yourself!

Motivation Station

Keep students motivated for the final month of school with our Motivation Station. Cover a table or extra desk with an inexpensive tablecloth, and then place a variety of items on the table such as markers, colored pencils, notepads, stickers and envelopes. At the end of each day, announce the names of students who have been thoughtful and responsible throughout the day. The next day, make time for those students to spend 15-20 minutes at the station creating artwork or making a card for someone special. Keep a record of the students who earn visits to the station so that you can encourage those who have not yet earned the privilege. The Motivation Station gives students the push they need toward good behavior at the end of the year.