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mousehawg - hello
HAV - hello
mousehawg - do you teach?
mousehawg - I teach kindergarrten in a public school in Texas
HAV - yes-kindergarten. How about you??
mousehawg - we started inservice yesterday---get kids on Monday next
HAV - we don't start until the end of the month, so i still have time to get some good ideas!
HAV - how many years have you taught?
mousehawg - do you do whole or half day? and where are you?
HAV - i teach in idaho, i have 1/2 day
mousehawg - 27 years, ranging from 3 yr olds thru college level early childhood
mousehawg - and you?
HAV - wow! this will be my 4th year.
HAV - I think this will be a good meeting- hopefully!
mousehawg - what reading program do you have?
HAV - we have the waterford reading program which is all on the computer- each child goes on for 15 min. a day. It has been wonderful!
HAV - this program is used throughout idaho- funded by the albertsons
HAV - how about you?
Marie - I'm switching from 3 and 4 yr olds to K this year
Marie - don't know what exactly to order
Marie - I'm going to have a co teacher in the room with me and it seems kind of weird who runs the room?
maude - does anybody out there teach middle school?:0
Addie /MO - i am an elementary assistant principal. i taught k for 11 years prior to that.
sabre00 - Hi everyone, I teach first grade in Key Largo, Fl
Melissa - first grade in michigan
maude - I'm looking for a way to decorate my door for "back to school" without the "big kids" thinking it is too silly...any ideas?
Marie - hey Melissa I'm in MI also
newmom - i will teach grade 3 for the first time
Melissa - marie where about?
Addie /MO - marie, that sounds like something you will have to negotiate with your co-teacher. maybe sometimes you will lead and she will monitor and other times you will do the opposite. you might divide the class into two groups and each of you teach a concept and then switch groups
sabre00 - This Friday is meet the teacher day at our school.
Addie /MO - maude, do you have theme that you are starting with?
Marie - I know she's doing math and I'm doing language but my director is asking me to give her a list of supplies and I don't want to step on her toes.
Marie - 'm new to the school and probably won't meet her until parents night
Melissa - maude....we make "keys to a good year" for our door
Melissa - we decorate paper keys with important things we need to do to have a good year
Addie /MO - do you mean student supplies or classroom supplies? can you call her and see if there is anything she really wants?
maude - not yet...last year I started with an autumn theme (so i wouldn't have to change it for a while)
Marie - I'm teaching in a suburb of Detroit Melissa
Marie - Oakland Montessori Academy
maude - good idea melissa...thanks
Melissa - no problem
Marie - I mean classroom supplies and that's a good idea I can introduce myself
Firstgr - addie-what part of MO?
suze - Hello any other brand new teachers?
Addie /MO - yes, she will probably be glad to hear from you. she is probably just as nervous about you are you are about her.
Melissa - going into my second year
Addie /MO - southwest mo....seneca
Marie - Thanks Addie that's a great idea we can get together and come up with a list
Melissa - marie!LOL....im in troy as well!!!
Barb - Hi PreK new teacher here
maude - Melissa--any more door decorating ideas for anytime of the year?
HAV - are there any kindergarten teachers here?
suze - Special ed- middle school
Marcy - Each year seems like a brand new teacher year, Suze! Are you all excited?
Addie /MO - lots of new teachers.....are y'all excited or overwhelmed or nervous? how are you feeling?
suze - Excited-scared and every emotion in between
Marie - I'm kindergarten Hav
Melissa - maude......"sea what we are reading/learning
HAV - what are you doing for the first day of school
Jillann - I am a Kindergarten teacher
Barb - I 'm very excited but VERY nervous!
Firstgr - not brand new, but I think we all have some of those feelings
Melissa - each child can decorate a fish with a fact they learned or a new book they read
Marcy - Just get your vitamins ready!
Melissa - i saw this it was cute
Marie - I always start with introductions, how they get my attention and a tour of the school
suze - I'm 46 and have wanted to teach since I was 6 so I feel like I'm ready to explode!
Melissa - addie very nervois here
Melissa - nervous even*
maude - melissa--can you run the "key" one by me again?
HAV - my goal is to TRY and be organized! This is always so difficult for me!
Addie /MO - i remember my first day. this little girl named sarah came in the room. she said, "hi, i am sarah. i dont know very much 'cause this is my first day of kindergarten" i replied, "i'm mrs. gaines and that is fine. today is my first day of kindergarten too and we can learn together."
Marie - we brainstorm some classroom rules
Melissa - sure maude...put paper over the door...with the saying keys to a good year....
Firstgr - we do a buddy Venn diagram activity. It lets them work with a classmate while also learning some likenesses and diffrences from their friends.
Marie - basically get to know each other and what they can expect
Melissa - brainstorm as a class what will need tohappen to have a good year
Melissa - for example...be patient...follow directions
Marcy - That is so neat, Suze! I started later, too.
cp - I've been working in my room...love the way it looks so neat. I've tried to go for the uncluttered look this year. I love it. Keeping everything simple and meaningful. I'm getting away from the cute fluff.
Addie /MO - i was always a little nervous before the first day every year....you just didnt know what the year would bring.
Firstgr - cp-when do you start?
Marie - It works well if the kids have input and come up with the good ideas themselves
Addie /MO - we planned our rules as a class too.
Marcy - Addie, what are you doing now?
Melissa - then the children can decotate the keys and hang
HAV - I think i get nervous just worrying about all the parents
Addie /MO - i am an assistant principal
maude - thanks melissa
Jillann - I wish I could get into my room. We have lots of remodling going on and won't be able to go into our rooms until a week before the kids come.
cp - We start Aug. 20, but our staff is going on a 3 day retreat next week.
Addie /MO - what do you do on your retreats? that sounds fun.
Marcy - Do you miss the classroom at all???
maude - does anybody know of a website that i can type in the titles of books and get the reading levels of them?
Melissa - I can't beleive we have a full day the first day!
Melissa - anyone else in this boat?
HAV - that sounds like a good idea having the students help with the rules- how does that work with kindergarten? Do they seem to get some good ideas?
Addie /MO - yes, some. when i go to an inservice and hear neat things to do in the class with the kids, i miss it. at work, i dont....i am just too busy to worry about it.
cp - I love our retreats...this is our second one. We go to a state park. We work on our year long plan for school improvement. We do bonding activities too. We have lunch free and evenings. Some people bring their families. We have fun, but get lots of stuff done too.
Addie /MO - yes, maude, i have a couple of sites. let me check my favs
Marie - I was preschool last year and they were able to come up with a few good rules too
Firstgr - cp-it sounds like it also unites the staff
Melissa - does anyone have their first day of first grade planned?
suze - I just found a lot of ice breaker ideas at www.education-world.com
maude - i don't think it matters how old they are, they can still come up with appropriate rules
maude - thanks addie
Addie /MO - hav, they come up with some funny ones and then there are a lot that are repetitive. i used to write the ones that were related to each other in the same color of marker on the overhead. then i would read them to the class and try to extract from them how they are all alike and how could we make one rule that covers all of these things
Melissa - lol..Marie i just noticed that private message thing
cp - I may check out
Melissa - dont know how to resond
Melissa - respond
Nanci - I will have a 1-2 split (18 students total)...We needed to switch classrooms to make things more workable...I worked at school today...
HAV - sounds good- I'll try it!
Marie - My classes were almost all boys last year and some of the ideas they had were a hoot like no punching
Addie /MO - here is one.....http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/resources/booklev.htm
Addie /MO - if you right click on the link you can save it to your favorites and visit it later. i have two more.
Marie - that's ok Melissa
Addie /MO - and another: http://registration.beavton.k12.or.us/lbdb/FMPro?-db=lbdb_&-lay=Data_Entry&-format=search.htm&-view
Addie /MO - here is the last one: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/literacy/leveled_books/
bette/tx - first grade you back yet?
Nanci - Thanks Addie for the url about the book levels...I bookmarked it...
suze - I just finished teaching 1st grade summer school and we came up with Good Ideas to Live By and put them all in positive form- such as no punching became keep your hands to yourself
Marcy - I teach half-day Kdg. and have 20-25 in each. Yikes! How you all handle discipline?
Addie /MO - hi bette
Nanci - Hello, Bette...
bette/tx - hello lish what do you teach?
Addie /MO - i used class meetings and ideas from love and logic
bette/tx - addie kinda of like HighScope?
HAV - I have about 23 also marcy- very scary. I am still looking for a good discipline plan as well!
Lish - Junior and Senior Kindergarten
cp - I got disconnected. I was going to say, I'll look at some of the ice breakers for our retreat. Thanks.
Nanci - We have different colors of cards and we turn the cards , with a different consequence for each color...
Firstgr - Marcy-do you like 1/2 day Kindergarten as oppsed to all day
suze - Have you read anything about Responsive Classroom? Wonderful positive and very effective
Addie /MO - i think that there might be some similarities...but we mostly used the meetings to start our day on a positive note with compliments and appreciations and then we had our "agenda" which were problems brought up by members of the class.
vic - What assessments for 1st grade is everyone planning on using?
Marcy - I always get a little nervous when I go over 18-20. I can tell a difference. Sometimes even one child makes a differrence, doesn't it?
bette/tx - addie highscope did that..not many folks using it any more
Marie - I like Robert Mackenzie's setting limits in the classroom
HAV - nanci- do you have the kids turn the cards over when they are disciplined in front of everyone- I always wondered if it was too embarrassing for them!
bette/tx - vic not first grade sorry
maude - my stupid computer voluntarily logged me off!!! UGH!!
bette/tx - hello nancy drew
cp - I thought this was a neat idea: On the first day, ask your students what their favorite book is so that you can be sure to have it in our class book corner. I think some students will have a hard time naming a favorite book. I'm going to try it though.
HAV - yes for sure- it seems like one child can make it or break it!
Lish - We work on 6 day cycle....kids come every other day...I'll have 21 in each room, 1 child with Downs Syndrome in each class...only part time assistance
nancy_drew - hi bette
maude - addie-i got the first website you gave me, but i wasn't around to see if you gave me any more?
bette/tx - HAV that is so true i had a biter last yr that made the yr bad and i hated to go to school
bette/tx - lish how function are the downs children?
Addie /MO - in our school first grade will be using marie clay's concepts of print, running records, and the developmental reading assessment. we also use the STAR test which is part of accelerated reader in january and in the spring
HAV - and you always love it when that ONE is gone!
Addie /MO - here is the last one: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/literacy/leveled_books/
bette/tx - HAV yes was like heaven...after that yr i can do it this yr with a small number and no aide
HAV - Addie do you know what is used for kindergarten assess. at your school?
Melissa - I have to do running records for the first tim ethis year...Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can learn how to adminster them?
Nanci - I do the turning! Yes, in front of the class...the infraction occurs in front of the class...I don't make a big deal our of the turning...They get in heaps of trouble if they turn the cards themselves, because they have been known to turn them back...OR turn someone else's card...
Lish - both in diapers....neither very verbal, one knows some signing...not sure about the other except he is a runner!
Melissa - possibly with in the next 2 weeks
vic - Addie, that sounds a lot like what we do. I was hoping for some quick assessments, not quite so extensive. Thanks for the input.
Addie /MO - kindergarten will be using marie clay's concepts of print and the dra later in the year for the kids who are reading.
Marcy - There was a cute idea on a chatboard...Who's Bee-having. Each child has a bee on a beehive. If a student misbehaves, the bee is moved. I may do this and yes, I will move the bee in front of the class. Any other ideas for Kinders?
maude - thanks addie!!
HAV - Nancy what are the levels that you use- green , yellow,. red etc. and then a dif. time out time for each?
bette/tx - lish how do you do the diapers...?? my daughter has delays but by kindergarten was finally potty trainned but in regular classroom which was the mistake of a life time with no extra help to a non verbal student
Addie /MO - maude, here is the other: http://registration.beavton.k12.or.us/lbdb/FMPro?-db=lbdb_&-lay=Data_Entry&-format=search.htm&-view
cp - Does anyone use Early Prevention screening? Pre and post test? What kind of pretesting do you do?
bette/tx - maude i have two doors and a huge bullentin board between
Marcy - I do the Brigance for K in Sept.
Lish - that's probably when I'll get the assistance....we don't do toileting here...only Ed assistants do that
suze - Melissa- try using a premade block with a 100 squares or lines- makes it easy to count and come up with easy percentages
nancy_drew - do any of you teach special ed preschool?
bette/tx - cp we get early childhood prevention to do our screening
bette/tx - the state agency
Melissa - suze do you have a template? sounds great!
Addie /MO - the kids are screened with the missouri inventory of developmental skills prior to kindergarten, but next year they have to use a different test since that one will not be available anymore. i cant remember what we are going to use. there were a couple being considered
Melissa - I'm not sure i understand though
bette/tx - what would be a good door bullentin board???
HAV - we do the brigance as well- its helpful but i wish i had something not so time consuming to use in my class for assessments
maude - bette any ideas on decorating them for back to school, you know cute little sayings etc.
cp - bette, do you like the Early Prevention screening? Does a team do it, or do you?
Marcy - (I loved all the of Nancy Drew mysteries!)
bette/tx - maude i am trying to think too..first day i am going to take pictures i think for the big board
suze - sorry melissa-nothing thats computer compatible
Melissa - ok thanks
bette/tx - cp a team from the agency does it ..but then the parent has to meet and then agree for services...and they don;t always want it
Nanci - I missed the question about the colors of the cards...please post it again?
bette/tx - i might put a bear or some animal on the door and add a saying depending on the animal
vic - What are everyones plans for first thing on the first day?
cp - We are looking for a good pre and post test for kinders.
bette/tx - maude i use to have a huge bear that i could change with the months ..dress i etc
Addie /MO - you could put frogs up on the door with the kids name and say something like..."have a toadally awesome year" or "hop on in"
bette/tx - vic ..picture ,songs and coloring a school bus as most ride one
Melissa - Can anyone explain their dismissal procedure?
HAV - i was wondering what each card represents. Do you do the green yellow red etc. with diff. time out periods for each?
suze - How about we all are stars for your door or bulletin board-
bette/tx - addie i like that ..frogs
Lish - my first week are parent-teacher-child interviews every half hour
bette/tx - melissa we have to release them to thier parent or person they tell us..we are usually oustide
Lish - then 4 days of staggered entry
maude - last year i did a really cute scarecrow with "Mrs. Alli's pumpkin patch " and little pumpkins with all their names on them
suze - we walk them to their bus and sign out each class
Marcy - I am using the star intro theme this year. There was the neatest star poem on the primary chatbd. earlier. I have done the frogs before, too.
bette/tx - maude that is oct for us or even nov...
cp - I bring a monarch caterpillar the first day. We observe and discuss how it will change. We talk about how we will change this year. We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and do all the fun things that go along with that great book all week long. My son(17 years old ) has helped me every year find a caterpillar. What will I do next year when he is off to college.? Wahhh!!
maude - i like the frogs one and the stars one...both are very cute
Marcy - Hi Sally
HAV - any cute ideas for student of the week boards?
Marcy - And Donna
Nanci - Cute themes...frogs and stars...
Melissa - hello sally and donna
Addie /MO - i always started the year with a watermelon unit....here it is online if you are interested: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2221/melon.html
Donna - Hi, my first time in teachers chatroom
vic - I like that idea cp, thanks.
suze - Hav-biographies and pictures from home-examples of hobby- one teacher had a student of the week table-made the kids really feel special
Marcy - Thanks, Addie! That was my next choice. Great for the end of summer.
Addie /MO - we had a watermelon patch for our welcome. it said, "look who's "growing" to kindergarten. you could use that caption with any plant or garden idea
Marcy - Has anyone heard of a watermelon hunt?
HAV - thanks suze
cp - I feel like I talk way too much the first day or two. Do you just have a few centers open for choice time the first week? Then there are all the outside rules and cafeteria rules....
HAV - how cute addie!
Addie /MO - the kids always enjoyed it
maude - hav-i don't know about student of the week, but for the upper grades we did tootsie rolls for honor roll and up in lights with the names of the students on stars
Sally - Hello Everyone. My first time here too!
Lish - only a greased watermelon contest
Addie /MO - we did that marcy. it is a good way to let the kids go around the school and see important places and meet people
Sally - I had a watermelon hunt last year . Lots of clues around the school and the kids loved it
Addie /MO - LOL, lish! i dont know about that!
Nanci - We make a poster about ourselves the first couple of days of school...and then I draw the posters at random for student of the week...THEN when that is done...I give each student a stickie note and they write a "Nice Note" about the student of that week...and they all get stuck around the poster...At the end of the week I stick the notes on the poster, roll the poster, and send it home as a great keepsake! Kids and parents love this.
Marcy - Can you please explain it? I've not heard of it. Thanks.
cp - It's so important to get off to a good start. I'm always happy when the first week is over.
Nanci - Save your watermelon seeds up now to use in your watermelon unit...
Sally - Lish --could share how you handle the program with the stagger starts.
vic - I like this idea Nanci, thanks for sharing.
Nanci - I love the first week, the first day...
Addie /MO - you could do a watermelon seed spitting contest and tie it into measurement, but i never did. i was always afraid that my kids were too little and someone would swallow the seeds
HAV - i usually left it up to the parents as for what they wanted tosend in for student of the week- however i had some that didn't do anything and then the kids felt bad!
Donna - Anyone have any ideas for use in Angie's ABC bottles
Lish - greased watermelon was a camp game....we greased the watermelon with vaseline and the kids dove in and the cabin that got it out won the watermelon!
Nanci - You are welcome, Vic...
maude - thanks for the ideas everyone...gtg
Addie /MO - donna, i had a list of things a long time ago. let me see if i can find it on my hard drive.
Addie /MO - brb
Marcy - Please describe ABC bottles. I'm afraid I don't know of the concept. Are they really bottles? Are they for Kdg.?
Nanci - I do the student of the week activities and preps all at school, easier on me and no hurt feelings...
Donna - I'd really appreciate it, Addie!
suze - Thanks for the chat-time for bed-of course its still in the 80's here so sleeping may be a non issue!
Lish - suze...only 80!! It's over 90 still here
cp -
Melissa - What do you do with kids righ twhen they come in the door in the first day..while getin name tags/hanging up backpacks ect.?
Donna - ABC bottles are clear bottles filled with water and small items to match the letter on the outside of the bottle. I'm looking for some ideas of what to put in bottles, especially for the vowels.
Hat - Someone mentioned using erasers in the abc bottles
Melissa - somone on a chat board said they allow them to paly wiht playdouhg
Marcy - Hi silverslinky! You gave me some great ideas earlier. I love "Slinkies".
silverslinky - this is my first year but I have made a folder with coloring pages, dot-to -dot and other activities for the kids to do until they are all there
Hat - i also liked the idea of name bottles
Donna - Good idea about the erasers!
Nanci - I have a coloring paper on their desks...(grades 1 and 2)...a couple of them as a matter of fact...
Melissa - oooo typing skills are very shabby
Melissa - what are name bottles?
silverslinky - that also will allow me a little time incase some parents want to ask a question or two, and get the kids busy so the parents will have an easier time leaving
Melissa - thats easy nancy
Marcy - Thanks, Donna. Are you afraid of the bottles breaking in the classroom?
vic - We start the very first day with our schoolwide breakfast program. That is what our students do as they come in the door. Then we do all of the labeling of the new supplies. Next we go outside for the digital camera pictures to be used on the names posters and anything else we decide to use them for.
silverslinky -
Addie /MO - a friend and i made abc bottle several years ago. we put that party confetti in a lot of different shapes in the bottles. go to the dollar stores. we also found small items on little girls hair barrettes or those ponytail holders
Donna - The bottles are plastic
Lish - how do you put the happy fces on ???
Melissa - silver..yeah..I was tryin gto make it so much more complicated
Hat - name bottles are part of the discovery bottle idea. you put those beads that have letters in the bottle and the students have to figure out whose bottle it is
silverslinky - each kid has a folder, this will be an every day thing, update it as they run out of activities, this will also be what they do while I record who is there and stuff like that
Addie /MO - we just used small spring water bottles. the lids were hot glued on
Hat - i used to make the ocean bottles (oil and blue water) when i taught preschool
Melissa - hat ..that sounds fun!
Nanci - I have done birthday bottles...glitter confetti, even found a glitter "happy birthday" packet... I put this in white karo syrup...
Addie /MO - i love the name bottle idea. how fun.
Donna - I just love the idea of the bottles. Did you find that kids liked them??
Hat - yes, it does, Melissa. i am going to try it this year
Melissa - great for first grade!
Addie /MO - you could even have the kids participate in building the name bottles if you wanted to
Melissa - where do you buy the beads?
Hat - Oh, nancy! i haven't heard of a birthday bottle! i'm going to try that one too!
Nanci - Silver slinky...Love this idea, I am going to use it...thank you...I will call it the Good Morning Folder, or any other suggestions?
Marcy - Boy, I must be out of the loop about discovery bottles! They are new to me. Can you buy the bottles premade?
Melissa - yeah addie! oh what fun
Hat - I've seen the beads at a local Hallmark store, but I'm wondering if you could get them at Walmart
Addie /MO - some of the kids really liked them and others were not as interested. i made a recording sheet that was shaped like a bottle. at first they wrote the letter on the sheet and drew what they saw. later they used inventive spelling to put words with their pictures.
vic - What liquid do you use for the names bottles?
silverslinky - for attendance , each kid will color the first day a pic that I made from www.abcteach.com of a boy or girl, it will then have a magnet on it, I have a board that says boy...girl.....when they come in the pick up their person with their name on it and then place it under boy or girl
Nanci - I have them made up...and just give one to the birthday child...I tie ribbons with streamers and curls around the cap of the bottle...
Melissa - yes im thinking cheap..ive spent WAY too much money
vic - Hat, I got mine at Wal-Mart and Michael's.
Hat - I like that idea addie, about a recording sheet
Addie /MO - you could find the beads at the craft dept. at walmart or any craft store
Donna - Check out this sight for great pictures of the bottles: www.mrsbonthuisclass.com
silverslinky - we will keep count of how many boys and girls are there every day
Hat - thanks, vic
silverslinky - I call mine the BUSY BEE FOLDER...but that is because I have a BEE theme
Lish - so Addie..for recording..they might print any letters they saw in the bottle?
Angie K/IA - well, that was cool, Donna, I no sooner log on and someone quotes my website! thanks!
Melissa - any other attendance/lunch check in ideas?
silverslinky - BEE-HAVE BEE-GOOD all my rules are BEE rules and then I have a cute way of keeping track of BEE-havior
Marcy - Donna, where can I purchase them? Thanks for the site.
silverslinky - you could use clothes pins for check in and out
Nanci - First day of school I am taking a picture of each kiddo...then we are making a page for each child, teacher too, in a photo album...they will fill out papers about my fav food, color, tv show, etc...it will be our class book...each page inclosed in the magnetic plastic...I got one at Michael's today.
Donna - Angie, now that you're here --Can you give us any great ideas of items for the bottles, especially the vowels???
Marcy - Silverslinky--Your the one with the Bee idea!! Thanks.
silverslinky - have a poster saying in and out and when they come in they move thier pin from out to in,.....record in the morning, remove those out, then if a student leaves the room they put it on out.////back in...move it to in...you'll know who left then
silverslinky - I AM THE BEE GIRL!!!!!!!!!
vic - Can someone tell me what liquid you use in your names bottles?
Melissa - yeah i wsa trying to think of how to incorportate lucnh and attendance all in one step
Hat - buzzzzzzz!
Addie /MO - when you want to make the bottles, it is good to get together with a couple of friends and share expenses
Melissa - but i suppose if they sign in for lunch they are present
HAV - k-teachers- do you all have parents and kids come on that first day? if so what do you do with the kids- it seems like whenever the teachers are trying to talk to all the parnts the kids are really noisy!
Marcy - Come on, guys/gals, where in the world do you get these bottles?
Glenda - Hi everyone
Nanci - I use white karo syrup, Vic, in the birthday bottles...not sure about the name bottles, but karo would work...
Addie /MO - i just drank lots of bottle water all summer. i wanted them all to match, so i bought up a certain brand
Melissa - lol@marcy
Melissa - haven't a clue
Lish - what is karo syrup?
Nanci - Marcy...save up the water bottles...bottled water.
Angie K/IA - hey, donna, I amtaaking an individual picture of each of my alphabet bottles to post hopefully later this week.....I don't glue mine shut (they have water inthem Vic) and I'madding stuff all the time. Mostly I "borrow" stuff from the vast Barbie collection at my house. I figure if I have to pick up all those little tiny things, I should be able to get something out of it!
Marcy - Oh, I see. Ok.
silverslinky - melissa...you could have a poster/bulletin saying buying or packing...and when they come in for the morning they put their clothespin next to what they are doing for lunch, that way you know who is there and their meal plan
vic - Nanci, thank you! I happen to have some that must be at least a year old on my shelves.
Addie /MO - i was looking through my old emails and someone suggested using hair gel mixed with water. i wonder if this would be cheaper than karo syrup
Addie /MO - i was looking through my old emails and someone suggested using hair gel mixed with water. i wonder if this would be cheaper than karo syrup
Hat - yes, karo syrup is expensive
Melissa - thanks silver
Nanci - Karo is a brand name...
silverslinky - HAV I hava a folder with coloring things and dot-to-dot for the kids to get busy with while their parents might want to chat, then the kids get busy and forget about mom
Lish - what is karo syrup?
Addie /MO - angie, are you afraid that disaster might strike from not having the bottles glued shut?
Angie K/IA - Marcy, the ones posted on my site I purchased (for about 12cents apeice) but I hear they are out now.
HAV - ok thanks!
Glenda - How do you use the bottles?
silverslinky - no problem
Nanci - Hair gel desolves in water...otherwise it would not wash out of your hair...I don't think it would be the A-plan...
HAV - do you make a folder for each child with things to do?
Hat - it is a clear syrup
silverslinky - yes!
Addie /MO - it is a syrup that you buy at the grocery store. they have light and dark. get light
Angie K/IA - I've never had a problem. I screw them on really tight though
silverslinky - eckard have 10pocket folders for a dollar
Melissa - why not use water..i must be missing something
vic - What do you think about putting the letters in sand in the bottle? Sort of like a dig, only do it by turning the bottle. Too hard???????
silverslinky - this is my first year teaching ...and I have 26 kindergarteners
HAV - wonderful!
Addie /MO - i never saw any of my kids trying to take the lids off, but i know that i mentioned to them that they were glued on, so dont bother.
silverslinky - and we are still registering...private school.....2 k teachers...26 each class
HAV - 26??! Do you get an aide??
Marcy - Yes, each year I have parents with video cams, etc. come into my room on the 1st day. I guess I'm used to it in Kdg. It's the parents who hang around forever with the crying kids that kind of bothers me a little. I try to tell them that it really is best if they go after a while.
Nanci - The Karo syrup makes things move in "slow motion" within the bottle...with water it gets all clumped up and moves quickly...with the Karo each piece of giltter stays separate...
silverslinky - no aide, the principal does not believe in them
Addie /MO - melissa, the karo syrup is added to water and it is thicker so the items float more slowly
HAV - marcy isn't that frustrating! I always tell the paretns the first day its easier on the kids if you leave right away!
silverslinky - we have a school rule that the parents can only stay max of 10 min
Melissa - ooooo ok thanks addie
Angie K/IA - I have 3 different types of "discovery bottles" in my room. ABC bottles (one for each letter that has water and stuff that starts with that letter)..Name bottles that have beads and kids names and they try to find their own name...and science discovery bottles ....those have syrup, baby oil, magnetic things, glitter, things that sink and float, bubbles.....tons of stuff.
Nanci - No parents passed the door rule on the first day at our school...
Marcy - No aides here either.
Melissa - i want that rule!
Lish - Those parents drive me insane...I find they're the ones who still have problems in June!
silverslinky - it's a private school,. plus they have to be potty trained before coming to k. or have to go home
Hat - Nanci-I like your rule!
Addie /MO - we have an open house on the night before school starts, so i told the parents then that it was important to let their child ride the bus and if they brought them in, the needed to not prolong the good bye.
HAV - i wish my school had that rule!
silverslinky -
Angie K/IA - silverslinky....is that REALLY a problem! potty training before K...I HOPE so!
Lish - Me too!!!!!
silverslinky - if it happens to many times, the child may have to go home until trained with out getting tuition back....but they say that is VERY rare
Addie /MO - sometimes it is a problem in K, but usually the child is dev. delayed or has a physical problem of some kind
Marcy - Our wonderful principal has the same ideas. She (and I) believe that the bus promotes independence.
Melissa - Anyone have a sample first day schedule they could email me.....for first grade
Angie K/IA - I'm sad to say I will probably be "that" kind of parent in two years when my baby goes off to K.
Melissa - im getting very overwhelmed
silverslinky - all our kids arrive by the lovely graces of mom and dad, I wish they took the bus to avoid parent stress the first day
Addie /MO - i dont think it is fair not to give back tuition, or at least a prorated amount.
Marcy - Kdg. didn't bother me as much as 1st grade did with my own kids.
Hat - I feel overwhelmed too. i am trying to change a lot for this year.
Lish - Thought I would be too Angie but since I had to be at school and my son had to take the bus....off he went!
silverslinky - I didn't like that either,....but they say it has to be like a bad problem for that and it happens very rarely
Glenda - Melissa - I would be glad to email you a very rough schedule.
Melissa - thanks glenda!
Marcy - Heh, Angie, did you make all of your bottles yourself??
Addie /MO - i worried more about my son going to middle school. i always felt that kindergarten and elementary were pretty safe.
Melissa - mmcauliff@home.com
Melissa - i will be eagerly awaiting it
Hat - does anyone do kid writing?
Nanci - I have one starting college, and one starting high school! Sigh.
Glenda - Melissa - email me at jhigh@home.com
Angie K/IA - I send a letter out to parents early on talking about separation for kidsand parents....gives "suggestions", It really helps. Can't remember the last time I had a major separation issue....even with the 3 year olds I taught a couple of years ago!
silverslinky - kid writing?
Donna - Angie, did you answer my last question about items in bottles while I was offline. I had to logoff because of a lightning storm. Sorry.
Melissa - ok
Angie K/IA - yup, Marcy. It's kind of an obsession now!
Addie /MO - angie, isnt that letter on your website?
Nanci - We do lots of writing...we use the SFA reading program and I thing one of the good things about SFA it makes for good little writers...
HAV - does anyone send a letter to their kids before school starts to ease the transition?
Angie K/IA - I'm doing Kidwriting this year Hat!
Lish - most of mine don't have problems...the ones that do have the stressed out parents
Glenda - I have one starting high school and one in her second year in college.
Angie K/IA - I think so, Addie.
Hat - silverslinky-a program for primary(?)
Marcy - How about making me some? Really! My husband is having surgery this week and I'm going to be really busy.
Nanci - Yes, I do...Postcards with a fun theme...
silverslinky - I don't even have a class list yet and school starts monday...tomorrow is our last day pre-paring....I just know I have 26 right now
silverslinky - really wish I had a list
Angie K/IA - donna, might have missed that question
Hat - angie-do you have all your k's write at the same time or do they write during their center time?
Addie /MO - you ought to post the url. i thought i remembered reading it and it was very good.
Lish - we go back the day after Labor Day
Angie K/IA - AAAH now I am feeling overwhelmed!
Nanci - The second graders I am having, I am looping with from the first grade last year...
silverslinky - ????????
Marcy - for $$$??
Angie K/IA - Hat, all at the same time.
Hat - thanks, angie
Angie K/IA - Marcy, wish I could....running out of time myself.
silverslinky -
Marcy - Gotcha.
Nanci - I am logging off now...Thank you all for the wonderful ideas...Best wishes to all of you for a SUPER year!!!
Snook - this wil be my first full year teaching and i'm wondering which organization to join????
Addie /MO - you too, nanci
Angie K/IA - here's the link to my "first day fears" letter for parents http://www.mrsbonthuisclass.com/First_Day_Fears.html
Lish - Gotta run too...have a great year everyone!
Snook - i know !! we had orientation today and were bombarded by them all!
Melissa - snook what grade are you teaching?
Snook - elem. sp.ed
HAV - thanks angie
kaci - I'm looking for a beginning theme for preschool, any ideas?
Addie /MO - snook, i would ask around at your building and see what other people are members of. then you should go to the organizations' websites and see what they stand for.
Angie K/IA - Addie, what's happening with you this year? Are you still doing "the administration thing" or are you going back to the classroom?
Snook - All About Me is good to start preschool
Melissa - kaci ...colors
Marcy - Angie, you have helped me so much with your ideas and websites. Thanks.
HAV - angie what is your website?
Angie K/IA - You are very welcome, Marcy. You just made my day
Addie /MO - i am still doing the admin thing. finishing my certification up. i am trying it again.
kaci - thanks!
silverslinky - my theme is based on bee's but I have a board that says, we're nutty about kindergarten...with a squirrel and all the kids names will be on acorns
Melissa - ok time for me to go
Melissa - have a terrific year
Snook - yeah i need to go too but i will be back for sure!!
Marcy - Except, Angie,.......I still need those bottles!! Ha, ha.
Addie /MO - i belong to international reading assn., the missouri state teachers assn. and missouri assn. of elementary school principals.
Angie K/IA - I bet they miss you in the classroom! Sure would hate to be the teacher who had to fill your shoes! Addie
Jacque - Yes, those would have been huge shoes to fill....
Addie /MO - i think that they miss me some. and i miss teaching too, but not really when i am at work...when i read about new ideas or go to inservices with good ideas, then i miss teaching
Glenda - I've got to go. I hope you all have a great year.
Marcy - Addie, how many years did you teach Kdg. did you say?
Angie K/IA - oh, Marcy, I'm sorry. It's not that hard, really!
Addie /MO - i taught k 11 years
Addie /MO - i am too busy at work to miss anything
HAV - wow addie what other ideas can you give us for the first day!
Marcy - That's where I am now---11 years.
Jacque - I'm glad I saved all my discovery bottles---they are 2 years old and still look pretty good--plan to use them for some transition activities
Addie /MO - well, my lesson plans for the first few days were more like a "to do" list and we got done what we could.
Jacque - Yes, Addie, some hints about 1st day...
silverslinky - how long did you wait to "test: their individual knowledge of letters, numbers, skills, and other stuff?
Angie K/IA - I'm already having those "first day nightmares". I wonder if they ever go away! Hi Mark!
silverslinky - I was planning to do it within the first 2 weeks....is that too soon?
Addie /MO - also, dont get too bent out of shape about anything. i always told my parents at open house that i promised i would make sure their child ate lunch and i would make every effort to get them on the right bus to go home, but beyond that wouldnt promise anything else for the first day.
Mark - Anyone have any good ideas for a bulletin board for jr high back to school
Jacque - I get to go pick out my furniture later this week and get my key...
Angie K/IA - I'm doing it right away too silverslinky
Marcy - Me, too, Angie, with the dreams! But, each year I look so forward to meeting my new kids.
Addie /MO - no, silver... i think that you want to get baseline information so that next time you assess, you can see some growth.
Jacque - Jr. High---they probably need something kind of 'hip'---I'm sort of out of that loop...
Angie K/IA - oops, I lost that private message! my website address is www.mrsbonthuisclass.com
HAV - i usually do it in mid september/oct. it takes me forever unless i have parent helpers!
HAV - thanks angie!
Angie K/IA - My class is 11 girls and 6 boys this year.
silverslinky - I know a teacher that has pictures of the7 dwarfs and the title is hi - ho it's back to school we go....for a middle school bulletin board
Mark - thanks anyway jacque
Jacque - Boy 17 kids....I'm jealous....
Mark - thanks silverslinky
Addie /MO - i used naptime alot for assessment purposes and our center times when i got those going well enough
silverslinky - so like the first week I should try to get it all done?
silverslinky - yea, while they were napping I was going to do it
HAV - addie what would you suggest for k- assessments
Mark - well I had better go, you all take care and good luck on your first days back.
Angie K/IA - my limit is 18
silverslinky - you to mark
Marcy - Has anyone here gotten so close to a child that you missed them all summer? I can't wait to see a little K graduate of mine when she starts 1st grade.
HAV - we only have the kids for 1/2 days
Angie K/IA - bye Mark, sorry we weren't much help
Jacque - Mark, if you're up on music groups or a movie that appeals to that age group, you might be able to work up something with that...
silverslinky - I was told I would have 10, now I havw 26
silverslinky - no aide either and this is my first year
silverslinky -
Addie /MO - i checked to see how far they could count by rote, letter recognition, and phonemic awareness. i didnt ask about letter sounds til first quarter, because most of the kids have no clue what you are asking for.
Jacque - Angie how is your little guy with all the special needs doing?
Angie K/IA - how do you teach 26 kindergartners? I guess I really am spoiled!
HAV - what did you assess for phonemic awareness?
silverslinky - I have no idea. both me and the other k teacher are in our first year,,,,we both have 26
Angie K/IA - my litltle guy with Down's Syndrome? He's repeating K with me again. Looking forward to having him. Gonna try it with pretty much no aide this year
Jacque - silverslinky what grade will you be teaching?
Jacque - never mind...
silverslinky - kindergarten
Angie K/IA - HAV we do DIBELS....I really do like it! Have you heard of it?
HAV - no what is it?
Jacque - That's cool Angie...I got a call from a Mom who had the little guy with PDD and all the food allergies in my preschool class---he'll be pre-K this year and they're looking for a new shadow...
silverslinky - well, I have to go...I will be back in a little bit..gotta go and eat
silverslinky - talk to you all later...it was good meeting those I talked to
Angie K/IA - Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. It's really informative. Individual assessment done 3 times a year in K and 1st. tests beginning sounds, phoneme segmentation, nonsense word fluency and letter recognition in K.
Marcy - Silver....26 Kinders? I am way up there this year, too. One year I had 18 and 17 kids in AM and PM and got so much more done. It really is true about small classes.
HAV - wow who makes it?
Angie K/IA - bye silver slinky! I LOVE your name! I need a cool name!
Jacque - Addie, do you also try to get a sense of what each child's target number is?
elle - I only have 9 students this year
silverslinky - silverslinky@aol.com
elle - we go three days a week
marcie - Do any of you team teach? I will be this year - 3and 4 year olds. Have yet to meet the new person and school starts in two weeks!
Jacque - elle, 9? you will have a great little class I bet.
Addie /MO - one year when we used to have half day, i never had less than 28 kids in either class...i had up to 31 in one of the classes. they hired a half time aide in november.
elle - 6 girls and 3 boys
elle - I am excited!
Addie /MO - what do you mean, target number?
HAV - elle that would be a PERFECT class!
Angie K/IA - University of Oregon I think.....I'll try to get the address for you.
elle - All the girls are young fives and the boys are all six
Addie /MO - in the p.m. section there were three kids that were later identified spec. ed. that was also back in the days before lots of inclusion and all the classroom aides.
akaivyleaf - Greetings everyone...
Jacque - I hadn't heard it phrased that way either, but the number that a child is totally comfortable with and can tell you how many are missing when you hide some of them
Addie /MO - elle, maturity-wise they sound like they will be close together
Angie K/IA - HAV here's the linkhttp://dibels.uoregon.edu/measures/kindergarten.php looks like you can download it for free! We had to be trained on how to give it though
elle - Angie, are you the same angie with the K site called Mrs. B class?
Marcy - It seems to take so long to get a child identified. It's a time issue in my district for all involved.
cloc - nice to "see" you again aka!
Angie K/IA - yup, Elle, that's me!
HAV - thankyou angie!
elle - I think so too Addie, hey Addie, I just read an article the other day with some quotes from you
Addie /MO - jacque, i had done that a long time ago....piagetian task, but i dropped it. it wasnt something i really needed to know for how i was instructing.
elle - Thank you , Thank you, Thank you Angie, I have gotten so many good ideas from your site
Addie /MO - was it the one in the ascd publication?
elle - i went to walmart yesterday and asked for 26 paint sticks, they thought I was nuts but they gave them to me
Angie K/IA - well, gosh, Elle. I needed that today. Having one of those "I can't do anything well" days.
Jacque - Well, good...that makes me feel better....one of the teachers I will be working with had suggested that's where I needed to start with her K's
HAV - bye everyone thanks for the great ideas!
Addie /MO - ang, i loved the alphabet pointers idea....see that is the type of thing that makes me want to go back to the classroom.
Angie K/IA - bye HAV nice chatting with you!
elle - it was about K curriculum
Jacque - elle, you just reminded me I wanted to pick up those paint sticks too...thanks...
elle - I was reading along and saw your name and thought to myself, I have heard that name before
akaivyleaf - nice seeing you cloc
Addie /MO - jacque, i do think that is in math their way too. didnt you say on the chatboard that you were going to be doing mtw?
kaci - Angie, what is address on your website?
Angie K/IA - www.mrsbonthuisclass.com
Addie /MO - yes, i am sure that was the ascd publication.
marcie - well, I guess I'm in the wrong spot.
akaivyleaf - I know I"m late to the "meeting" anything interesting I missed?
Jacque - Sort of---it's Kathy Richardson/Marilyn Burns, but someone said to me that K.R. is just an updated version of MTW
elle - yes it was Addie
Addie /MO - akaivyleaf, there will be a transcript of the meeting in a day or two and you can read the whole thing
kaci - thanks Angie
elle - Angie, I also liked your ABC bottles, I really want to make some
Angie K/IA - I need to go put my munchkin to bed. Nice chatting with everyone!
Addie /MO - yes, i have the KR book and it is very similar in concepts to mtw. the book i have teaches all the concepts with unifix cubes, mtw uses a variety of materials
elle - bye Angie
akaivyleaf - I have to wait that long for all your wonderful tips?
Jacque - Bye Angie!!
Addie /MO - night, ang
cloc - where do you get the transripts.. i can't find them when i look
elle - thanks again!
akaivyleaf - I guess so, I see everyone is leaving
Addie /MO - you go to archives, and then to the early childhood section. they are listed by date and topic
Jacque - Well, I have to go as well....lots of reading to do
Addie /MO - gotta go too! L8R!
cloc - hey, aka, i'm still here, are you coming up my way soon?
Marcy - Thanks, everyone, I need to go drink a whole bunch of water!!!
cloc - thanks addie
elle - gtg too, bye all
akaivyleaf - I admit cloc I'm having a hard time remembering our previous conversation...
akaivyleaf - Were you from illinois?
cloc - it was a LONG time ago, we chatted about National Bopard Certification and my power point open house thing
cloc - you may be the wrong aka are in Atlanta somewhere?
akaivyleaf - Oh yes... now I remember. How did your presentation go? Have you presented it yet?
akaivyleaf - Yes I am in Atlanta and I remember now
cloc - it was great, all the others were scrambling to put one together an hour before open house...
akaivyleaf - Wanted to know the difference between animation and transitions
akaivyleaf - Great to hear... I do so like PowerPoint.
cloc - yep, that's me
akaivyleaf - It takes me a while to put a name with a name... but I come around. I never forget a face though
cloc - well i guess i'll just have to get those notes later on, it was kind of late to log on...
akaivyleaf - Yeah. . . I'll go chat in the other room now.
cloc - have a good one !
akaivyleaf - Nice seeing you again...
