Monday

Reading Larger Numbers Activity

In math, most teachers start the new year with some kind of number sense activity... place value, reading numbers, comparing numbers, etc. One thing I have found with some of my fourth graders is that they have a hard time reading larger numbers. They can break the number down into expanded form. They can tell you the value of the digits. But, when it comes to reading really large numbers, it can be a challenge. One thing I have done in the past is refer to the commas as 'last names', meaning that when you hit a comma, you need to add a word. It goes something like this:

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When you are working on this activity, you might enjoy this I Have Who Has activity.

I Have Who Has ~Reading Larger Numbers

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Saturday

Teacher Tips to Start the New Year

Teacher Tips For Back to School

Throw out the old- It has taken almost twenty years to realize it, but if I haven’t used it in two years, it’s probably best to just throw it out. Don’t start the year again with posters that have torn edges, the three paper plates that you just think you will find some use for… you know what I mean.

Get yourself organized- after you throw out the old, organize the new. Get crates, labels, buckets, whatever it takes to give everything its own place. You will feel so much better about your classroom. I’m always more productive in an organized space.

Spice up your classroom - Something new for the classroom is like sporting a new outfit. New clothes make you feel good. So, get a new bookshelf, design a new bulletin board, just do something. The same ‘ole same ‘ole is just a boring.

Be prepared- It’s a wonderful thing to start the year with a few weeks already planned. It can be a stressful thing to start the year not knowing what you are doing on day 2 of school. I would not recommend it. Spend the time now to get your thoughts in order and know how to get your year off to a great start.

Don’t reinvent the wheel – There are a lot of teachers, former teachers, etc. that are making great lesson plans and activities. The act of teaching is hard enough, and there is rarely any time left in the day to search all over the internet for plans. Use sites like Teachers Pay Teachers and teacher blogs like mine and many others in order to streamline where you get your lessons.

Prioritize- If there is one thing I have had to learn over the years, it’s that everything does not have to get done today. The hard part is that there is always something that has to be done. The list of things to do in education just never ends. Designate an area of your desk where you stack or make note of things that have to get done and when they need to be turned in or completed. Put them in order based on when they are due. It will take some pressure off of you if you realize you just have one thing due tomorrow and not ten.

Get out of the classroom – It doesn’t matter how long you stay at school, there will always be a list of things to do. There will always be a nameplate on a desk that has to be replaced or papers that need to be graded. Yes, there are times when it really is necessary to stay until 6 o’clock between those four cement walls, but on a day to day basis, go home, get out, free yourself. It's better for you and the students. The truth is, it may have been so many years since you've done it that don't realize how refreshing it can be. It took me lots of years to realize it, and I stress that to people. You can be a great teacher and leave at a decent time.

Work, don’t chat – As much as teachers like to talk, sometimes things just need to get done. Yes, we need to vent, discuss the happenings of the day, etc., but some teachers spend their entire planning time (which may only be one day a week for some), talking and complaining. Take that time to actually get things done. My point is, be productive and don’t waste what little time you do have to get things done at school. Look closely. Those teachers that you look at and wonder how they get to leave at 4:00 each day…. Well, they typically don’t waste time during the day.

Don’t be the Debbie Downer- negativity typically breeds negativity. People understand when others need to vent a bit. After all, teaching is hard. Parents can get under our skin. Teachers don't always do things our way. We all have things we need to share and get off our shoulders. But, don’t make a habit of it. Pick and choose the important topics that are worthy of griping about. Also, live by the rule if you don’t have something nice to say about someone, just keep it to yourself. It really isn’t nice to talk about others, no matter how much we want to, and trust me, I have wanted to.

Close your door and teach- There are new approaches to education introduced every year. There are new methods for teaching reading, math, and everything else. It’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out. If you look closely, most of the time the method is the same , but the name has changed. You aren’t really needing to change your way of teaching at all. So, just close your door and keep on keeping on. Teach the way that works best for you and your kids. And if something does change, I always have the attitude that if I can justify why I do what I do then all is good. After all, I have taught for twenty years and have two degrees. That does leave me to be able to make some professional call on how I should run my classroom. I like to try new approaches when I come across them, but I like to pick what will work for me and my students. Not every new approach works for every teacher and for every group of kids, and like I said, the only thing new about most ‘new’ methods of teaching is the name. Sad but true.

I hope you have a terrific school year.

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Friday

DIY Inexpensive Partner Pocket Chart

When I say inexpensive, I 'm talking like $2.00. I think that is pretty cheap!!

This little DIY pocket chart will work great for a partner center. Maybe students are working on spelling, and one student calls out a word to another for that child to spell it. Then they take turns being the caller or speller. I can think of lots of different ways to use this little partner pocket chart. Be creative.

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Supplies: Stapler, Scissors, Cheap Sentence strip pocket chart from Target dollar spot, heavy duty cardboard pocket folder, patterned duct tape.

1.First, you will cut off the top piece of vinyl fabric above the top plastic strip. It is the part that has the two brads for hanging. Leave a little bit of fabric above the strip. Save this for a later step.

2.Next, cut the pocket chart in the middle of the strips, so that you will now have 2 sentence strip charts with 4 each one.

3.Now, face the two pieces of vinyl to each other with the plastic strips facing each other. Make sure the plastic strips are open to the top. You will staple across the top.

4.Flip the vinyl back over, and the staples should be on the underside with the plastic strips now on both outer sides.

5.Take the file folder and keep it closed. Drape the stapled vinyl over the folded part of the folder. The folder will open on the bottom. You will have 4 strips on each side of the folder. Basically, you have a small pocket chart on each side.

6.Now, staple the vinyl to the top of the folder.

7.Then staple down 4 sides. You will hold the folder slightly open and staple the vinyl on the sides to attach it to the folder. Do this on both sides.

8.Now, pick a colored tape. I used a lighter weight tape, but I would probably now recommend a patterned duct tape. You will use this to cover all staples.

9.Last, take the strip that you originally and you will use it to staple to the inside of the folder in order to help the folder stay open at an A-frame. I cut mine to the inside of the brads, and then trimmed off a little more. The size you choose will determine how much the folder will open up.

Once completed, you should have 4 strips on each side. It's perfect for a partner center, but it can always be used individually, too.

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Thursday

FREE Independent Reading Poster

Goodness! At the start of every year, you always have a few reluctant readers... the ones that have to be trained to read independently. They want to do everything but read. You know the ones I'm talking about. I call it pretend reading, and I tell my students from the beginning that I can spot pretend readers. For example, they flip one page then three then back two. Their eyes wander. They squirm. You know the drill. Anyway, if they can just sit still and focus long enough to enjoy a book then most of the time they figure out that reading is actually fun. I had a student last year that fell in this category and he ended up really loving reading. His parents said he would not put books down. They thought there was no way he was actually reading the books as fast as he was, so they started reading them too and quizzing him. To their surprise, he WAS reading. They really started appreciating me at that point. :-)

Below is another one of my little posters that might work well for you in an interactive reading journal. The focus is on independent reading. On the day the students glue this down in their journal, you can have them do a practice independent reading session. Then you can have them come back and respond in writing to how well they think they did with following the expectations. You can also watch the kids and then give them some suggestions of things they may need to improve on, which they could also make note of in their journal. This is a great list to have, especially once independent reading gets into full swing. When you see a child not doing one of the expectations, have them take out their journal and tell you which one they are not following.

As always, I love comments, so drop me a hello in the comments section. :-)

Independent Reading Poster

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You may also like this book buddy chat activity. My students love it. Most any student loves to talk about what they have read. Plus, this holds reluctant readers a little more accountable, as they will want to be able to become engaged in conversation. After all, if they haven't read their book, they will have a hard time talking about it. My students actually ask to do this activity :-)

Book Buddy Chat Activity

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Wednesday

What is Reading?

This reading poster is another one that will work perfectly in an interactive reading journal. For me, I would use this at the very start of the year when I am setting up my readers workshop. You may even pose the question "What is reading" before you show the poster. Have your students write a few sentences in their journal to answer the question and then share with a partner. After letting a few students share their answers with the class, pass out the mini poster to glue in their interactive journal. Discuss in detail what reading really is, and that it goes far beyond saying the words on a page. Enjoy.

As always, I love feedback, so say hello by leaving a comment. :-)

What is Reading Poster

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If you teach grades 3-5, you may also like my Readers Workshop Guide. Many people have been very happy with this product, which you can read under the feedback section. Thanks for checking it out.

Reader's Workshop Guide