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Beth Bruno - Hi everybody. tonight's topic is back-to-school success
Beth Bruno - What went wrong at the beginning of last year?
Beth Bruno - Hi Jan. What grade do you teach?
Beth Bruno - Where are you from? I live in CT and work as a school psychologist and author.
Kathleen - Check this out after the chat: Wild Tulips writen by Beth: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970843003/teachersnet
Beth Bruno - What's the worst thing that's happened to you at the beginning of a school year?
Kathleen - The worst thing was the time the classrooms in a new building weren't ready to be set up until the day before the kids were to come.
Beth Bruno - Hi Audrey. What would everyone like to talk about having to do with the start of the new school year?
paula - My worst was opening a new school with nothing, we had no furniture, files, and all of my stuff had been stored in a locker room all summer, and had lots of creepy crawlies in it.
Audrey - i am a second year teacher changing grade levels from 5th to 3rd and schools from private to public. i wont have any text books until 3-4 weeks into the year! HELP
Beth Bruno - Great start for a science unit - all those creepy critters!
Beth Bruno - Wow, Audrey, you've come to the right place. Join the third grade mailring.
Beth Bruno - The techers will give you zillions of suggestions.
paula - We are a science magnet, and were supposed to start with an "Intensive" based on a book I didn't own and couldn't buy (AIMS). What a disaster
Audrey - BETH, i already have! i have been on the mailrings since i was in college!
Beth Bruno - Hi Kim. What advice do others have for Audrey - that's quite a challenge!
Beth Bruno - Do you have children of your own, Audrey? Or are there neighborhood kids you know well who were in 3rd grade last year. They can show you their papers and projects to get you rolling.
paula - Audrey, beg, borrow, steal from your team mates.
Audrey - i was thinking about starting with Charlottes web and doing a big unit with that. we have class copies of the book
Kim - I am not sure what I could say about not having any textbooks...I am also new to the grade I am going to teach. I am looping to 1st with my kinders from last year. I am very nervous about this new curriculum!!
paula - Check out your state's academic standards
diane - okay...i'm a second year teacher. i think i was nervous last year, because i can't remember what i did on the first day!!! any good ideas for third?
Audrey - i am going to!! I am teaching summer school right now future 3rds and have raped the teachers room!!
Kim - Audrey, I think that would be a great unit for the beginning of the year! I remember loving Charlotte's Web!
paula - Make friends with the custodian and the secretary as well. They will get you most of the stuff you need
Beth Bruno - Kids are very imaginative at dreaming up study units. When I was teaching a human body unit to third graders one year, they asked if they could do a project carving teeth out of soap.
Audrey - already made friends with them. in fact the janitor called me personally today to let me know that my room would be ready promptly at 7:30 in the morning from the carpet cleaning and rearrangment!! he is so sweet
Beth Bruno - The interviewed their dentists, collected teeth and made the most perfect sets of dentures you ever saw - out of bars of soap using a moderately dull knife. unreal.
Beth Bruno - Audrey, you are a trooper. You won't even need those textbooks.
JenofPA - Ok, I will be a long term sub again this year (2nd year as LTS)........
JenofPA - I will be in learning support
paula - I start the year with a unit based on a book called "
JenofPA - I have always been told I do a wonderful job
teachermomof1 - Where in PA are you JenofPA?
JenofPA - I think I "MESS" up on interviews
JenofPA - near harrisburg
Beth Bruno - how do you involve parents from the beginning of the year on?
teachermomof1 - How do you mess up on interview?
paula - Me on the Map. I personalize it for the children. You could get one copy, and read it to the kids and do that for a long time. It is usually my first quarter project
JenofPA - there's a school district near by that's looking for a elementary teach (grade untold)
JenofPA - I don't know....It is the only reason I can think of that I don't have a permanent job
Beth Bruno - long term subs very often get contracts - it might take another year, but it's a good way to go when jobs are tight.
teachermomof1 - I am about 50 miles east of Pittsburgh, and just got my permanent job 2 years ago.
Alison/4/OH - Beth, in my building my biggest thing is just to get parents to support their child with homework, and to show up at conferences....asking that is a HUGE deal
Alison/4/OH - our school lacks parent support majorly
JenofPA - any interview suggestions?
Beth Bruno - maybe we can come up with some innovative ways to get parents involved right away. any suggestions?
teachermomof1 - We have parent workshops where we invite the parents in to observe our reading classes in the first few weeks of the year.
Alison/4/OH - Jen, know ALOT about the things you would like to implement in your classroom, and don't say things like, "well if the child's bad I'll send them to the principal...not my problem"
Audrey - i send home a letter to my parents asking them to tell me about their kid. I call it my Brag about bobby letter. i had about 1/2 my class respond.
Beth Bruno - the earlier they volunteer in the classroom or become involved in some specific way, the better their involvement all year long, don't you think?
Kim - We have really good parent support at our school. However, some parents think that answering the phone is enough support!
naneb - We had breakfast for each grade. The teachers seved the parents and the kids
Alison/4/OH - you don't know how many time I heard that this year as I was on a teacher interview team with our principal because we had 6 positions open in our building
JenofPA - the superintendent told me last year..."next opening is yours" it came and went
Beth Bruno - I once took my flute and piccolo to school and showed all the kids how to make them toot. It was fun. I felt like a part of the class almost, after that.
teachermomof1 - PA is very political
Alison/4/OH - Oh I agree....but unfortunately our parents don't see it that way....they feel as if when their child is at school it's our problem. I just hoard them with phone calls alot. I ask every year for parent volunteers for small jobs and in my 4 years I've had one parent to do it.
Beth Bruno - the breakfast idea sounds fabulous. people often get closer when they break bread together.
paula - JenofP call and ask what you need to improve to make your interview better. Most principals will tell you what they are looking for.
Addie/mo - we have an open house the night before school starts. each teacher does a thirty minute presentation about their classroom and what the children will be learning for the year. we have really good attendance at this since most people are anxious to meet the new teacher. it sets the stage for a positive start to the year
Addie/mo - hi bill
Beth Bruno - have you ever asked parents to come in before school starts and help decorate the room?
JenofPA - well I have never said that in an interview, but then again, I know better
Addie/mo - the teachers have to do the presentation three times to allow for families with multiple children
Addie/mo - i havent, beth
Beth Bruno - I like that one too, Addie. start out the year with the parents in the room, finding out what's expected of their children and of them.
Bill T 6 NC - We're doing a power point presentation, on video tape, this year, to show to parents
Alison/4/OH - You know our school just doesn't have it....there are some schools just like that. We have 95% of our parents on welfare with most of them more worries at home than thinking of coming to school...I think sometimes they are scared, because they quit school at such young ages themselves.....
Audrey - we did something similar for back to school night. it was nerve racking for me, but it was a good experience and got people involved.
Addie/mo - we also have a monthly pto meeting with a different grade level providing the program each month. nothing like kids on a stage to drag those parents out
Beth Bruno - what will you cover in the powerpoint show, Bill?
Alison/4/OH - we have family reading and math nights with spaghetti dinners throughout the year as well
Kim - We also have an Open House the night before school starts. Most of the parents attend. It is also a good time to get them to fill out some necessary paper work!
JenofPA - but I am 'expecting" to get an interview in the district near by, applications had to be by tomorrow, should I call tomorrow asking about interviews?]
paula - My first year at our school a mom came in to help. She was crying because our campus looked like we were testing missles. She told me her concerns and I reassured her, and she has been a great supporter for 4 years.
Bill T 6 NC - basic stuff...like grading policies,ns for the year...
Addie/mo - audrey, as a teacher, i found it very nerve wracking, especially the first time, but i put the presentation on powerpoint and for subsequent years it was much smoother. also, i think the results are worth the nerves.
history chick - Alison, I think you hit the point, many parents are intimidated by teachers because of past negative experiences
Beth Bruno - wow-lots of great ideas - I like the one about kids performing at the PTO meetings. Of course the parents come for that!
Alison/4/OH - you know Jen now is a great time to start calling principals each day and asking if their are any openings......that's how I got my job 4 years ago.
naneb - Sometimes Alison parents are embarassed. They might want to help but they don't know that they have anything to offer. Maybe send home a list of suggestions or have a parent day and make invitations, refreshments etc. in your classroom
Addie/mo - kim, true, you can get addresses updated, make sure the kids know what bus to ride, etc
Bill T 6 NC - Another advantage to power point is that, if it is taped, you can show it to parents who move in during the year and your message is consistent
Beth Bruno - Hi again, Kathleen. This is a great turnout tonight. Everyone must be sick of vacation!
Alison/4/OH - I do send home what I need done...very simple tasks too, nothing taxing.....
Audrey - i like the power point idea. i live in silicon valley so technology is a big issue!!
Beth Bruno - Is powerpoint hard to learn?
history chick - I have found that parents are more receptive when I call them and ask them to specifically help with something.
Jan - I'm sorry that I'm a little late.....what are you putting on power point?
naneb - Powerpoint is apiece of cake, Beth
Alison/4/OH - I wish our district would get Powerpoint on our computers...I've asked for 2 years and nothing!
paula - I include a coversheet for my homework packet, and I expect the parents to sign it daily that their child has read.
Bill T 6 NC - Our 6th grade team also maintains a website with all our policies, curriculum, plans, etc etc posted
Addie/mo - bill, i never thought of that....i always gave "move-ins" a copy of the welcome letter from the first of the year, but never thought to show them the powerpoint
JenofPA - thanks Alison
Sinatra - Jen, the next day is too soon
Beth Bruno - If you plan several different things that each parent can do when they arrive, it breaks the ice for them.
Bill T 6 NC - We do an intro our 6th grade team on power point, Jan, for open house.
Gumbo - no, it's not..............if I can do PPT, trust me, anybody can!!!!!!!!!!!
Alison/4/OH - welcome!
Addie/mo - powerpoint is a cinch! it really has some great possibilities for all sorts of presentations
paula - allison, do you have Kidpicts? you can do a simple show with that.
JenofPA - call principals or superintendent?
Kathleen - Right, all these great educators just can't wait to get back into the flow!
Kim - Beth, powerpoint is simple, once you get the hang of it. I can be harder to grasp if you have a hard time using a computer. I thought I would never understand it, but I got it in no time!
Beth Bruno - m very well educated, yet I didn't know what to do when I volunteered in a class,. I didn't want to step on the teacher's toes.
Bill T 6 NC - Saves paper and aggravation, addie
Alison/4/OH - In our district it's better to call principals
Jan - ok.....that's a great idea!
naneb - I have a powerpoint presentation for the first day of school. It is about me and the procedures for each part of class
Sinatra - yes, Jen
Kathleen - Beth bruno's topic tonight is Geting off to a good start this school year
Bill T 6 NC - Another good tool is hyper studio
Addie/mo - also, you can involve some parents who cannot come up to the school to do jobs at home, like cutting out or recording story cassettes. some of my working parents in the past have liked to do things like this to feel a part of things
paula - What procedures do you include
Kim - naneb, are you going to present this to your class?
Bill T 6 NC - I think power point is simpler, though
Audrey - naneb-what grade do you do that for?
naneb - Yes, Kim
Charter - Hey, Bill, what part of NC are you from
history chick - call principals, and go to the campus to put your face with your name for them
Beth Bruno - OK. I'm going to learn how to give a power point presentation . this year. I've stayed away from it, but I think it will help me when I give workshops.
JenofPA - I have used hyperstudio and powerpoint
Gumbo - I did a PPT presentation on our day.............helps parents of kinders get a better idea............so much info is thrown at them in the beginning..........
naneb - everything, when to sharpen a pencil, when to go to the RR,
JenofPA - I have my portfolio on PowerPoint
Kathleen - Easy for you to say, Bill (that the powerpoint is easier)
Bill T 6 NC - I did it today, Beth. It's easy. I live near Greensboro, Charter
naneb - I teach 6th grade special ed
Bill T 6 NC - It was for me. Maybe not for others.
naneb - Beth, if you can use Print shop you can do Power point
Bill T 6 NC - I found hyper studio to be more difficult, actually
Charter - Bill, I live in Burlington Where do you teach?
Addie/mo - i did a power point at our "kindergarten roundup" back in april, but it was photos set to music....."warm, fuzzy, this is kindergarten kind of thing"
Heather - I agree with Bill, PPT is easier than hyperstudio
Beth Bruno - it's party night at teachers net. While there are so many people here, do you mind a digression? What topics do you want to talk about during chats this year?
Gumbo - PPT has the wizards (or whatever they're called) that guide you thru creating the slides............
Alison/4/OH - Beth, I've taken classes on PPT but found that I had it figured out before the class by playing around..then just learned some other neat tricks to add in.
Bill T 6 NC - Wedstern Middle
naneb - I do Guess the covered Word on Powerpoint
JenofPA - ok, if you were asked, "what would you do if a parent has a concern?" in an interview, what would you say?
Beth Bruno - Does PPT stand for power point or is that a specific program?
Charter - I teach at River Mill Charter in Saxapahaw
Alison/4/OH - Power Point
Bill T 6 NC - How about character ed???
Alison/4/OH - Good one, Bill
Kim - I took a technology class back in the spring and we learned how to do powerpoint. I spent so much time on it I had to show it to my kinders!! We were studying rocks and that is what I did it on! They loved it!
Bill T 6 NC - I know where that is. Used to teach in Graham
Audrey - if you want to learn ppt or any other msoffice product there are some great books called Teach yourself VISUALLY. they are wonderful for those of us that like pictures more than words!!
Jan - I've heard of Guess the Covered word, but how do you do it? (forgive my ignorance!)
Beth Bruno - Good suggestion, Bill. I know some people who travel from school to school teaching teachers how to build character education into their curriculum.
Addie/mo - we also have a parent/grandparent day for each grade. in the past they have eaten lunch with the students, but with over 100 kids per grade level and some of them bring everyone but the kitchen sink....we are going to a classroom visitation and then a tea and cookies thing
Charter - I got moved from 1st to 3rd. This is the first time I'll be teaching 3rd. Need suggestions
Alison/4/OH - I would like to discuss Dealing W/ the Angry or Unmotivated student
Jan - I taught 3rd last year.....I moved so now I'm in 5th
Beth Bruno - Hi charter. look at the archive of this discussion. we talked about that exact subject at the beginning of the hour.
paula - Yes, that sounds great! (angry...)
naneb - it is kindof like a cloze procedure. It is for teaching context clues. You leave a word out of a sentence and the kids guess what it could be. then, you uncover the onset and cross out some guesses and guess more. Then, uncover the word. You might do a series of sentences or a paragraph with a word missing in each sentence. I do it with vocabulary words
Kim - We had a wonderful presentation for the kids about character education! A group of college kids working for Character Counts came and did a wonderful show! The kids really got a lot out of it and had fun singing and dancing along with the presenters!
Audrey - jan i am doing just the opposite!
Bill T 6 NC - I tried 3rd two years ago and r one year, went RUNNING back to 6th grade. Never again.
Charter - Thanks Beth, I came in late.
Beth Bruno - Do you think being angry and unmotivated go together?
Alison/4/OH - Not really
Heather - Bill, you and I sound like the same type of person. I had 3rd last year, and am so glad not to be teaching it this year!
Jan - ok....now I understand the Guess the cov. word....I think I'd like to try that
JenofPA - how do I do that?
Kathleen - Angry can lead to unmotivated
Charter - I'm not very happy about this at all. Good thing is I had most of these kids when they were in Kindergarten.
history chick - jen- tell the interviewer that you would go along with the policy of the school in dealing witht the parent with a concern. Tell them that you would like to establish open communication with the parents from the beginning of the school year, so that you wouldn't anticipate any problems
Bill T 6 NC - I can handle the older kids problems much better than the little kids ones
Addie/mo - i dont think that angry and unmotivated always go together, but they can
naneb - Beth, I think you need to look at learning problems when you see a student like that. A lot of times the anger and lack of motivation are a defense against anyone finding out they can't read
JenofPA - thanks hirstory chick
paula - I agree with naneb
Beth Bruno - having a chat about some of the defenses students put up to hide their learning problems might be a good topic. what do you think?
naneb - jan, go to my website and download the powerpoint presentation and you will see how it works It is on the 4 blocks page. The address is; http://www.fortunecity/meltingpot/gipsy/41
Audrey - is anyone here familiar with open court? I am new to CA and dont know much about it!
Kathleen - Beth, that sounds like an important topic
Addie/mo - also problems at home can create unmotivation...i mean if you are worried about where your next meal will come from or if you dad is going to leave you this evening, it is hard to see that school work matters. it just isnt always a priority to the child
Beth Bruno - what might you do at the beginning of the year to get shy, withdrawn students to come out of their shells early on?
Jan - thanks naneb....I'll do that
paula - I don't care for it. It is contrived and really doesn't do much for anybody.
Alison/4/OH - Yes, but at the same time I'm speaking of just angry children.....or very bright children who are unmotivated to work to their potential...usually it comes down to home problems...but it's hard to determine and I'd like strategies or ways to determine the reasoning.....or ways to help...I guess that's the topics I'd like to see covered.
naneb - Sometimes when we finally get a student identified and in special ed they are so unmotivated and frustrated that you spend half the year overcoming that before they can feel success at all
Kim - When I was teaching my kinders how to write in their journals I had this one student who ALWAYS said, "Mrs. Crumbley, I don't know how to ....." What unnerved me was that he was one of my brighter students!
Alison/4/OH - Addie, sounds like we teach in very similiar situations
Beth Bruno - thanks for the good ideas for chat topics. I appreciate that.
Kathleen - with young children, using puppets helps with shyness (children using the puppets)
Audrey - paula, i have heard just the opposite from a lot of people. any ideas to try to make it work?
Charter - Audrey, we are going to Open Court this year.
paula - My son was a great reader, young, gifted, unmotivated, and hard of hearing
Addie/mo - beth, i let the kids like that observe for a while and get comfortable with their surroundings. i let them know that if they want to participate, great, they are welcome, but i dont hover over them. they typically come around in a short time, when they see that everyone else is having a good time and that it is a nonthreatening environment
Kim - With about a month and half left of school, something happened and his whole attitude about EVERYTHING changed and he suddenly had no problem doing any of the work!
paula - He learned many bad habits and got away with it because he could compensate for his hearing loss with his intelligence
Beth Bruno - breakthroughs kids have are what we teach for, I think. It's such a thrill to see it happen.
Audrey - Charter, have you gotten the TE's yet to check it out?
Addie/mo - we have kids from every income level and every parent interest level at my school. we have kids that live in big fancy houses at a country club and kids in houses that dont always have electric because mom and dad dont pay the bills
Kim - I had another child that was so shy the whole year! Even on the last day of school he still hid behind his mom! I think this shyness held him back from progressing more than he did.
Jennifer/4/NC - Does anyone here have any ideas when it comes to langauage arts centers and how to use them successfully and grade them
Alison/4/OH - Oh then we aren't in similiar schools....we have parents from VERY LOW income houses....2 shelters that feed into us, and one house for drug addicted moms to live in while they get hlep.....our transiency was 64% last year
Beth Bruno - you'll find lots of great ideas and stories in my new book, "Wild Tulips" - stories about every stage of child development and parenting, plus stories about solving problems with tough kids.
Charter - Audrey, I've only seen the samples of it. We used Saxton phonics and it was awful. Open Court was chosen because it had all sorts of literature with it.
Alison/4/OH - Sorry Jennifer, we don't use centers....we teach Success For All in my building......ugh dying for a change soon though
Addie/mo - i think that not making an issue of the student's shyness, usually helps them come out of their shell. also, not letting other kids say things like "so and so NEVER talks" because then that child can take that on as their identity and it can be even harder for the child to participate when they feel like it
paula - Jennifer, I would mark the assignments done/not done and be done with it!
Jennifer/4/NC - Alison your school sounds like mine
Kathleen - Check this out after the chat: Wild Tulips: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970843003/teachersnet
Beth Bruno - having huge turnover in your class can be very difficult to deal with, because the group cohesion and group problem solving fails to develop, making a teacher's job that much harder.
Audrey - Charter, I taught saxon phonics and math during my student teaching. I loved the math and thought the phonics was ok. it is definiately not Open Court with everything included
Jennifer/4/NC - I feel like I need to take home half my students and feed them and make sure that they are safe
Bubba~Sue/NC - Jennifer.bless you for doing centers in 4th grade...not many 4th grades do
Addie/mo - alison, i had a feeling that is what you were thinking. our school isnt predominately like that, but we have families with all sorts of issues, drugs, hunger, joblessness, etc. we are a rural area, so we cover a large area....therefore, the diversity
Alison/4/OH - I do too! Unfortunately we can't do that......
Kim - Alison, that sounds a lot like the other 2 kinder classes in my school! They were always dealing with all these problems and loosing kids...where, I just kept all mine!
Beth Bruno - I agree Addie. Putting a spotlight on a child's personality traits doesn't usually have positive results.
lynn/sc/3 - I think that solving problems with tough kids begins with good parent communication. Do you have any quick and easy to type ideas that seem to be positive initial contacts that would promote teacher-parent communication?
Kim - I think it is interesting how the status of one classroom differs so much from another!
Charter - I have found that as the school year goes on, shy children usually find one student to be friends with eventually.
Addie/mo - i agree that a lot of turnover is hard. it seems that it is hard for the new ones to totally fit in, since they werent there from day one
Jennifer/4/NC - I have been langauge arts centers to review for the state test and writing test ... I tend to do what ever it takes to make it meaningful for them
Alison/4/OH - That can be hard too, my student teaching was in a similiar school and it seemed as if some students were ignored because of the issues they faced at home and the other kids had the parents that supported the school so they got the attention..DROVE ME NUTS!
Beth Bruno - do any of you do home visits?
Bubba~Sue/NC - GREAT!!!!! Jennifer!!!!!!!
Alison/4/OH - Kim our whole schools transiency was 64% not just my classroom.....mine actually wasn't too bad.
Beth Bruno - I often paired up with another teacher and visited parents, if they would invite me.
Kim - My shy student did finally become very friendly with several other students in the class. He was especially shy around me and other adults! That's why I had such a hard time getting him to do more!
lynn/sc/3 - the only teachers n my school who do home visits are the kinders..... the rest of us receive our class lists tuesday morning and meet the parents night is tuesday night, so that sort of precludes a private first meeting at home
Charter - Jennifer, where are you in NC?
Gumbo - no, on the home visits question..........
Jennifer/4/NC - the hardest thing I learned in my first year was being able to leave school and not think about my kids and if they were safe or not
Addie/mo - no, we dont at the elementary level, but i think they do at our early childhood special ed program, and i know that head start does. also missouri has a program called parents as teachers where trained parent educators go into the homes and work with families with children birth to age 3
PJ - Beth, I have considered home visits. What exactly would you do as you visited in each home?
Alison/4/OH - I tried this last year and of the 4 houses I tried visiting one parent opened the door, while the others sat on the couch and continued watching TV
Jennifer/4/NC - Wake county
Charter - I teach in a charter school in Alamance county
Addie/mo - i mailed a cute little card to all of my kinders and welcomed them to school and invited them to open house.
Bubba~Sue/NC - I am in Craven County
Alison/4/OH - I write a letter addressed to eah child in my classroom..I mail in about a week and a half before school starts
Beth Bruno - I usually brought papers the student had done and went over them as a way of talking about learning, stengths and weaknesses, study habits and skills, attitudes about school. Sometimes I brought a book or two along.
smschatz - I've done home visits with the students in my at-risk classroom.
Jennifer/4/NC - I student taught at EM Holt
Addie/mo - one of the teachers in our building telephones all the parents prior to the start of school and has a short chat with them
Audrey - Anyone have wonderful ice breaker first day activities?
PJ - Can you give me examples of the kinds of things you look for to observe about the family as you visit?
Kathleen - Audrey, what age/grade?
Gumbo - we send welcome letters and screening appt times to our kinders..........
Charter - I give my kids welcome bags with pencils, stickers, etc. the first day of school. We send letters to our parents before school starts.
Addie/mo - beth, how did the parents feel about this? were they ever self concious about their house not being just right or whatever?
Alison/4/OH - Charter, I give those too
Beth Bruno - Nice idea to send a letter or make a phone call - maybe include asking if parent has any questions about getting the year started.
Jan - are the welcome bags appropriate for 5th graders?
Charter - Jennifer, did you go to Elon?
Jennifer/4/NC - Charter.. what school??
Jennifer/4/NC - yes
Charter - You can get the bags from Really Good Stuff
naneb - Jan, I do welcome bags for my 6th graders
Alison/4/OH - I give them in 4th....I put a Tootsie Pop, pencil, little motivation stickers, eraser, etc. in them......
Heather - I think the welcome bags are appropiate for any grade. I still like to get presents!
Charter - Elon college or now university
Addie/mo - my son's fifth grade teacher gave them neon plastic cups with a cool pencil and i cant remember what else. he liked it. just depends on what you put in them
Jan - ok.....I've done them for 3rd and 4th...wasn't sure about 5th
naneb - I get the white lunch bags and make my own
Beth Bruno - In the same way kids are more likely to talk with their parents about what happens in school if their parents visit the school, a quiet child might open up more if he or she sees the teacher at home talking with the parents.
Alison/4/OH - I buy white lunch bags from the bakery and stamp multi colored stars all over them...takes me about 20 minutes to do a whole class set of bags..much cheaper
Jennifer/4/NC - Sounds weird to here university
Jan - worried about if stuff is too "babyish" for them....I've never taught 5th grade (it's in the elementary)
Addie/mo - i think that pencils and candy are safe bets
Beth Bruno - I watch interactions between the parent and child, get a feel for the learning environment, build relationships with the child based on common knowledge about home environment.
Audrey - Jan, 5th love gel pens and special pencils
Alison/4/OH - I think sometimes if you do things like this Jan you allow them to not grow up too fast...........
Charter - I did my Masters at Elon. We hope to get some student teachers from there.
naneb - I teach in a middle school and the kids still like them
Jan - ok...thanks for the ideas...just another thing to add to my to-do list
Jennifer/4/NC - What chold would turn down candy.. that was how I taught fractions
lynn/sc/3 - Do you have any other ideas for creating a positive home school connection early in the year?
Kathleen - There are instructions for the welcome bags in the Teachers.Net Lessons Bank, available through links all over the site.
Alison/4/OH - oh yeah, i also bought cute little smiley face notepads a the dollar store for my bags
paula - I think I might include a small water bottle. It is always hot the first week of school
Jennifer/4/NC - can't spell tonight :0
Heather - I know that my fifth graders did like stickers, but they had to be "cool" - hologram or something like that.
naneb - I'm going to put in highlighters and maybe gel pens if i can find them fairly cheap
naneb - I didn't do stickers
Alison/4/OH - Do you have a Sams' naneb? They have like 30 of them for around $13
paula - How about a book mark and a "snazzy" pencil and fancy eraser
Addie/mo - sam's has large pkgs of gel pens fairly reasonable
Kathleen - Melissa, welcome to a chat about positive beginnings for the new school year, moderated by author/school psychologist Beth Bruno
Alison/4/OH - sorry meant Sam's Club
bliss - hey all! Is this a specific topic chat, or open chat?
naneb - thanks
Melissa - wow..thanks for getting me on track
Beth Bruno - we've covered the waterfront tonight, Melissa. anything goes.
bliss - kathleen answered my question!
Addie/mo - our dollar stores around here have bags of little erasers, cute ones...for a dollar a bag! there are probably 20 or 30 in each bag
Charter - Newsletters sent home each week. Depending upon the grade you could have older children keep a journal and there own newsletter.
Alison/4/OH - I give the welcome bags at our Meet Your Teacher Night........
Addie/mo - LOL, alison, i meant "sam's club" too. we just always call it sams around here.
Jennifer/4/NC - Anyone have a way to spend less during the year... I teach fourth and my boyfriend teaches fifth we would still like to be able to have some sort of social life
Alison/4/OH - Addie, my 4th graders didn't get a kick out of those like I thought they would.
Audrey - Last year for the first day of school we made bookmarks. I just cut up construction paper into a 2x6 strip and let them decorate it. The only requirement was it had to have their name on it. It was great for literature books and stuff. I think I had them make 4 each
Beth Bruno - uhoh, I didn't mean to get things off trak - just commenting on a terrific combination of open-ended yet helpful and constructive chat. great fun!
paula - Staples has a container of erasers that are great and not much money. They also had a container of highlighters
Alison/4/OH - Funny Jennifer, two teachers has to be hard.....
Addie/mo - the gel pens or little erasers?
naneb - I did newsletters and I always had a part that the parent had to answer and send back. I gave the students apiece of candy if they brought it back filled out and they almost always did
Jan - is your Meet the teacher night before school starts or during the first week?
Jan - I personally had problems with the gel pens....
Alison/4/OH - Or MYTN is a couple days before school begins.
Melissa - sorry if i missed it....was their any ideas on buliding home/school relationships
Alison/4/OH - Erasers....I don't go near gel pens....
naneb - I already hit Staples and spent a bundle but, i got lots of good stuff!!
Addie/mo - i did newsletters too. they were weekly and always had the same heading so they were recognizable. i included lots of digital photos of the class happenings, so the kids were always excited to take them home. they were always looking for themselves in the pix of course, but then they could also show their parents their friends too
paula - I give my kids stickers for reading and having their parents sign their homework sheet. I use it with the "Book It" program from Pizza Hut. When they have 5 stickers I give them a pizza coupon.
Alison/4/OH - Target is my fav for back to school supplies!!
Jan - at my new school...it's the week before school starts....was diff. at my Tex. school
Jennifer/4/NC - Yes it can be especially since we want to do whatever it takes for our students
naneb - sorry I hit enter twice
Audrey - Jan, i "sold" them in my store, but did not allow them for assignments
bliss - As a resource room teacher, what would you like me to do to help you out, or help out your resource students during the first couple weeks?
Gumbo - we have our meet to teachers nights the first week of school...........and kinder orientation the week before kinders start.......
Beth Bruno - If you know a child has had a bad year the year before, how do you help turn that around?
paula - They keep their reading stickers on their bookmarks
naneb - I have 6th grade orientation next week
Jennifer/4/NC - Walmart has helped me out so far.. 50$ for lots of emergency school supplies for two teachers
Alison/4/OH - I start them off on a clean slate and act as if they are brand new to the school. I let them knw that the first day, and they need to impress me, not disappoint me
Melissa - i never look at personal comments or records made by other teachers until october
Beth Bruno - good question, Bliss. What do teachers need from the resource room teacher at the start of the year?
Melissa - just so i dont form opinions about that child
Janet - I agree Alison....I pretend that they are new to the school...and tell them they've started on a new slate
paula - I ask them to help me, and I make sure they are given some good jobs and responsibilities before they mess up. This helps the other kids see them in a better light
Alison/4/OH - Good idea Melissa, I know most of the dirt though on my students because our school is small
Kathleen - Working harder than ever to make that child feel he's in a safe environment, that he can trust this new teacher. Start right away going out of your way to build a relationship
Audrey - Target in our area has single subject notebooks for 14 cents each!
Gumbo - I never looked at cume folders or report cards till after I did the first report card...........didn't wanna be influenced..........
Addie/mo - here is an idea i had, but i never tried because i went to admin....i was going to take each child's pix and put it on an apple on the computer. then i was going to run these off on the magnetic paper for ink jets. i was going to send these home with my first newsletter, to encourage each child to have a place to keep the newsletter for the week (on the fridge)...oh yeah, it had a caption, "grow with me...inside kindergarten" (inside kindergarten was the name of the newsletter)
Jennifer/4/NC - I try to start of with a clean slate... I take into a account what is written but I make the fianl opinion on that students.. Besides we all have different teaching styles
Alison/4/OH - I have had TONS of success with students who had very rough years the year before
bliss - hello, tim!
paula - great idea addie
Alison/4/OH - I did this last year with a star that had comprehension questions around it to help them out after they had read for 20 min. each night.....
Janet - at my new school, I'm "required" to look at the cumulative folders before the 3rd week is up
Alison/4/OH - they were magnetized to keep on the fridge
Kathleen - Tim, we're winding down from discussing getting off to a good start this school year
Jennifer/4/NC - I tend to like the students who are problems.. Guess it is the second year teacher in me
Addie/mo - i did look at the files, the screening test results and other info. i wanted to know about the kids and know where to start with them. but i didnt accept the results as the gospel. i let what i saw day to day in the classroom be most important in evaluating the child
Beth Bruno - There are some lucky kids out there who will be your students next year - so much compassion for the student who needs a lift. impressive and moving.
Tim - When does your school start Kathleen?
Kathleen - Addie, great idea. You could cut the sheet into sort of a frame to hold the letter underneath
Alison/4/OH - I know that children react differently to different teachers....I bond with problem kids for some reason
Jennifer/4/NC - School starts in Wake county Aug. 13
Kathleen - Tim, school starts in my area the week before Labor Day. How about your school?
Janet - I seem to do that also, Alison
Alison/4/OH - Kathleen the same here
bliss - I agree with not making judgements on students until you can get to know him/her yourself. I also seem to like the "difficult" ones the best!
Janet - we start Sept. 4
Tim - August 27th for students!
Janet - in York County, VA
Audrey - what happened, i just lost the whole page
Addie/mo - well, i could run off lots of apples, maybe 9 or 12 per sheet and then cut out the apples. they would just be small magnets. but with the child's pix, they would like them
Melissa - addie making a magnetic picture would be a great first day project
naneb - I start Aug 6 kids start Aug 8
Melissa - hm
bliss - Sept. 5 for my kiddies.
Melissa - wow aug 6!
Beth Bruno - Thanks everybody for chatting tonight. Talk with you at the end of next month. Most will have started school by then, so best of luck with opening day!
Jennifer/4/NC - Thanks for all your help... Need to go and spend time with my favorite fifth grade teacher...
Audrey - we start back Sept. 5th.
Melissa - aug 27 for me
Jennifer/4/NC - Good luck with your school years
Kathleen - addie, I see, I misread. That sounds really nice, reinforce the concept of keeping and referring to the newsletter
Heather - aug 20
Melissa - you too jennifer
Alison/4/OH - We go Aug. 27 with kids...sometime the week before for teacher work days
Tim - Janet,Bliss, & Kathleen: Where do you teach?
bliss - Thanks, Beth!
Addie/mo - sometimes the kids that everyone would "warn" me about were just fine in my class. i learned not worry about them. when people would give their "warnings" i would just laugh it off and say, yeah, there are some in every class. that is just my job.
Beth Bruno - g'night.
paula - Thanks, Beth
Kathleen - School psychologist Beth Bruno is author of Wild Tulips: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970843003/teachersnet . Thanks for moderating this productive chat, Beth!
Kathleen - Thanks, everyone! Goodnight
Melissa - thanks you beth
