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Melissa - I survived my second day of school..lol
akaivyleaf - Congratulations Melissa...
Melissa -
Hockeyrabbit - I teach K-2 Spec Ed..soo
Melissa - 1st grade here
Melissa - anyone havea any good open house ideas?
Hockeyrabbit - I am getting nervous for my parent meeting
Melissa - I need help
Hockeyrabbit - school starts the 4th and kids come the 5th
Melissa - yeah we have meet the teacher night next week
akaivyleaf - Open House Ideas? Meet and greet parents and students Melissa?
Melissa - yeah I'd like to have a project for the students to do
oldhat - How about making a booklet for each parent that contains your class schedule, rules, upcoming events, etc.?
akaivyleaf - ooh, I should read...
Melissa - and I'm ni already sent that stuff home
Melissa - but great idea
Melissa - hm my cpmputer is messed up
Hockeyrabbit - mine too
Melissa - ok i can't cope with this computer
Melissa - have a good night
akaivyleaf - Hi lisa
Hockeyrabbit - does anyone use the Rigby test?
akaivyleaf - Melissa how about making spacers to use when writing?
akaivyleaf - They have a name but I can't think of it right now.
akaivyleaf - You decorate popsickle sticks and children use them as spaces between words when writing
Hockeyrabbit - I'm hoping that I have eveything ready to go
Hockeyrabbit - does anyone here do centers?
Hockeyrabbit - I'm wondering how many to introduce the first week of school?
akaivyleaf - Not I hockeyrabbit. I've read a lot about them but I'm no longer in the classroom. If I was, I would use them.
lisa - Has anybody used the 4 blocks reading method in grade one?
Hockeyrabbit - lisa-it will be my first time but I am using Building Blocks with my kids
Hockeyrabbit - do you have both the teachers manual and the month by month book?
lisa - I usually intro centers and everything slowly in the beginning with LOTS of modeling!
Hockeyrabbit - ok
Hockeyrabbit - like maybe 2 a week?
oldhat - when I taught second grade, I had a creative writing center, a math center (with lots of fun games) and a reading center. I find centers expecially helpful for the children who tend to finish their seat work quickly.
Hockeyrabbit - Hi De
akaivyleaf - Hi De and Cloc
lisa - Yes, I have both books. This will be my first year trying it. I tried guided reading with the work board last year and I am going to use some of the program this year. What did you think?
cloc - hi everyone,
Hockeyrabbit - lisa-I am going to try guided reading for the first year,and try to incorporate Building Blocks..soo not sure yet
Hockeyrabbit - did you get good results using GR last year?
cloc - what's the topic so far?
bk - hi every one
Hockeyrabbit - hi bk
lisa - I think that using independent activities for the workboard were awesome for meeting the needs of kids at different ability levels, especially in the beginning of the year. The kids also quickly gained a lot of independence.
Hockeyrabbit - no topics..but have you used guided reading or building blocks?
cloc - ok, since no topic seems to have been set so far, is anyone familiar woth the FROG program?
bk - hi
cloc - hockey rabiit, yes i have
lisa - never heard of frog..tellus..
bk - i am new this chat
Hockeyrabbit - frog..nope
debi - frog???
Hockeyrabbit - is anyone here from NY?
bk - i do want to know child thinking habits
lisa - yes
Hockeyrabbit - cloc..did you like GR and building blocks? did you see results?
lisa - okay so what is frog///
debi - mystery
cloc - absolutely, our school is going to full implementation by April 1st
debi - frog mystery
bk - what is the topic that is going on
cloc - lisa, sorry, i couldn't see what i was typing, anyways frog works as a resource program with 4 blocks
lisa - What do your buildings do as far as providing supplies for your class? Do children have to bring a lot of their own supplies?
bk - i am from bangkok
cloc - it uses some of the same components as is g. reading but you have 3 teachers/parapros coming into a room and teaching the same small group of kids all year
debi - yes students bring supplies
lisa - cloc , how does the classroom teacher get to work with all kids?
cloc - the frog stands for something but i can't remenber, something like frequent reading ....
UNI - Hi everyone
Hockeyrabbit - lisa-not really..upper grades yes
lisa - hiuni
lisa - hiuni
cloc - she also has a small group., to be honest, we just read about it and i am trying to see if anyone is familiar with it
cloc - it's intended like a resource program, you know like title, but not a pull out program
lisa - I am having a hard time with what seems to be the district giving us little class supply $ and book $ and relying on use to spend money out of our own pocket...
martibel - went back to school today!
Jane - I think that is a problem everywhere too little$'s too much expectations without funding
lisa - martibel where are you from?how was your day??
Hockeyrabbit - yep
cloc - so, no one is familiar with FROG?
martibel - merrimac ma 1st grade first time
Hockeyrabbit - can anyone reccommend any good workshops/seminars that deal with reading, math etc..want lots of hands on ideas
cloc - martbel, i teach first too, do you like it si far?
Jane - SDE provides good workshhops
martibel - I am beat, the bus thing put me over the end, trying to figure out where to put crying children
lisa - cloc , frog sounds like a good approach...how do you like it?
Hockeyrabbit - Jane- what is SDE?
Hockeyrabbit - marti-LOL
cloc - the bus thing makes ALL of cry, i have been doing for 11 years and it doesn't get any smoother
Jane - Society of Developmental Ed. they have a website somewhere
martibel - thks, I have a great team and alot of admin support
Hockeyrabbit - ok I will do a search to see what I find
cloc - we always have to have all bus questions completed by lunch, that does seem to help
lisa - Jean Feldman, Pat Cunningham were both very helpful. Also anything thru Bureau of Ed. Research are very hands on
Hockeyrabbit - thanks
martibel - I also washed dog poop off sneakers and was late for library but nobody really complained
Hockeyrabbit - ok well I gotta jet..school meeting tomorrow
Jane - unless the parent changes their mind and decide to pick up the child or have him go somewhere else
cloc - wow! you were really initiated!!!!
cloc - jane, so true, missed that itty bitty deatil
martibel - thats what happened!!! and the note came late!!
Jane - Lisa, they are good too...
Jane - HR, don't you love school meetings on top of teaching...NOT
martibel - wait the Boston Globe decided to come in and take some pictures and interview a "NEW" teacher
cloc - you wouldn't believe it, but after a few days, things just take of themselves and the same little ones that were so confused, suddenly become so full of confidence
cloc - please tell us you tols them about the poop!
Jane - Cloc, that is the joy of teaching, seeing students bloom before your eyes
martibel - I didn't have to the smelled it throughout my room
cloc - that's why i have fallen inlove with the 4 blocks, i do more real teaching than ever before...
meeha/ece/tx - Hello! What's the topic this evening?
lisa - Anybody have an idea for neat first day of school activity?
Jane - invest in frebreez- a not scented cleaner that gets rid of odors.. even little accidents
cloc - hi meeha, nothing in particular, i am still hoping someone has heard of and maybe been involved with FROG, sorry to beat that in the ground
martibel - what grade
martibel - Sounds like a plan
meeha/ece/tx - lisa -- when i taught pre-k i liked doing a m arble painting where the kiddos had to work in pairs to move the box -- started right out working on building teamwork!
lisa - grade 1
Jane - lisa, have students to draw self-portrait. save until end of school and see how they progress
cloc - are you familiar with the book First Day Jitters?
martibel - here's a tip don't forget to tell them that a self portrait is from the neck up, I of course forgot this information and got mini people
meeha/ece/tx - have everyone write ( or try to write ) about what they want to learn this year ... then review their learning later (kind of like the self-portraits)
Jane - I used Miss Bindrgarten gets ready for Kindergarten
martibel - sounds good for day two and other tips or info needed?
cloc - i also love Never Spit on Your Shoes
lisa - good idea.. I want our classroom to be more filled with kid work, but their is so little eye level wall space any ideas...
meeha/ece/tx - lisa -- your question caught me off-guard ... we just completed day 12 here!
Jane - The Kissing Hand is also good, we made Chester brown bag puppets
meeha/ece/tx - why no wall space? lockers? curtains? windows?
cloc - our rolling reader is going to read the Friday,
meeha/ece/tx - I post picutres in the hallway, under the chalk ledge, on the doors, etc.
lisa - meeha...yes.. and we are not allowed to put anything on our huge windows..
martibel - well i'm going to bed, good night &good luck
cloc - what about hanging stuff from the ceiling?
meeha/ece/tx - Lisa -- do you have curtains in front of the windows?
meeha/ece/tx - 'nite, martibel
cloc - me, too zzzzzzzz
lisa - I wonder what tomorrow's aroma might be?? good luck?
meeha/ece/tx - heat registers under the windows?
lisa - bookk shelves under all windows
lisa - everyone is going to bed... you have school tomorrow too? what grade again?
meeha/ece/tx - what is the deal with the windows? it is easier to clean adhesive off glass than anythingn else!
meeha/ece/tx - early childhood special education
meeha/ece/tx - yes -- school tomorrow! i'm glad we're back in session. (i miss my babies in the summers!)
lisa - we have a big time pain in the neck fire inspector .. it is absolutly rediculous!!!!
meeha/ece/tx - i'll be right back ... left water boiling in the kitchen (ice tea in the making)
meeha/ece/tx - back .... ten minutes to steep and I can make iced tea!
meeha/ece/tx - I've seen teachers hang poster boards from the ceiling and affix pictures at didfferent levels on those ... or art lines from which pictures are hung (like clothes!)
lisa - Is your program part of a public system?
meeha/ece/tx - how about having each student post his or her "best" piece on the side of her/his desk?
meeha/ece/tx - yes -- federally mandated, part of the IDEA (and earlier PL94-142) legislation.
lisa - Boy you have great, easy ideas..thanks
meeha/ece/tx - (watch the movie MATILDA and see how quickly art work can be displayed and/or hidden!
lisa - how severe are their disabilities?
lisa - ha,ha about matilda!
meeha/ece/tx - how about a long strip of laminating plastic which could be rolled across the window or another wall area? pics could just be hung with tape!
meeha/ece/tx - my kiddos range from speech/language impairments (IQ 140 but speech at 60) to autism to mental retardation to other health issues to behavioral disorders ... a mix of everything!
meeha/ece/tx - (probably not too dissimilar in ability range to your kiddos!
lisa - have you been teaching longt
meeha/ece/tx - this is my 5th year in this district ... have been certified 16 years ... subbed a lot!
meeha/ece/tx - you?
lisa - Have you ever done any Lilian Katz project work?
meeha/ece/tx - I think I may have read one of her books while in school, but nothing since ...
lisa - 7th year with the district cert and teacing 14
meeha/ece/tx - presently nine hours out from completing my masters' in behavior intervention/emotional&behavioral disorders
meeha/ece/tx - .....seriously looking toward a doc degree so i can prepare teachers in the future
lisa - in ny we must have our masters to be permenantly certified. I wish they also require us to have more special ed traing especially with all of the inclusion..
meeha/ece/tx - your fire chief would go crazy in my room ... paper lines the room on two or three walls, two paper trees actually have christmas lites in them (and arelit daily!)
lisa - you are not kidding!!!! I am so jealous....
meeha/ece/tx - what teachers truly need ... far above the extra training ... is more support for their classes with the inclusion practices increasing in popularity!
meeha/ece/tx - how about providing each child a clear plastic pocket or folder in which to display a piece of work on his/her desk ... easily put away, but would brighten the room, too!
lisa - Our district is good about providing support...k-5 gets a ta for all students for 2-3 hours each day in additition to support for iep students..
meeha/ece/tx - that's good ... some places arent' so diligent about that.
meeha/ece/tx - do your ta's get good preparation for working in the classroom with special needs children?
lisa - i'm going to sign off.. good luck to you... our tas don't get great training or decnt pay..
meeha/ece/tx - well, it is 9 pm ... and i still have 'miles to go' tonite ... and phone calls to receive this evening -- good night, nice chatting with you.
lisa - 10:00 haere bye...
