Special needs students are special needs all day, not just for 90 minutes per day.
~ Bill T.
When I decided at age 5, in kindergarten, that I wanted to teach so I could be in charge of the glitter, I had no idea what an adventure I was embarking on.
~ Cloe
Keep in mind that punishment is not your most effective behavior management tool.
~ Mary/PA
Rejoice and be glad that you are in school where the teachers pay attention to their work rather than to one another.
~ L. Swilley
Ability is that which we have in us. Achievement is that which we show.
~ Sharyl
If the schools stand back and essentially say that since they didn't create the problem it's not their responsibility to find the solutions, then school violence and the fear it creates (which interferes with the academic program) will only increase.
~ Nelda
States have huge deficits because they operate on short term solutions.
~ Ann HS/WA
We do things differently, and I like it like that.
~ Alison/Aus
I don't have any illusions that I'm convincing anyone, but ideas grow from seeds.
~ Lev
Snickerdoodles are marvelous for dunking in hot chocolate!
~ Magoo
Dictionary Skills Activity
Posted by Jan on the Second Grade Mailring
Last year someone posted an activity that has helped my students understand which words are guide words.
The students write a dictionary entry using their first name: John (noun) 1. Brown hair 2. blue eyes 3. boy etc. Then I put the entries on a poster in the hall to look like a dictionary page. The children are real interested to see who gets to be the guide words. (First and last child on each page when listed in abc order.)
Understanding Voice Control
by Kim in Southern California
My class has a real problem with LOUD voices. I thought I'd go nuts for a while. One thing I have tried that is working for most of them is our "Favorite Voices."
I put up a chart with a list of "voices"--inside voice, shouting voice, whining voice, Mom voice, cowboy voice, etc. When we are reading short poems, I ask the helper to choose one voice, and then we read the poem again in that voice. If they do a good job, they get to choose another mathematical sentences (like 4 + 1 = 5). It is a really fun way for them to actually HEAR the difference between the voices. MY favorite voice is "No voice" which means they have to mouth the words without ANY sound.
Person of the Year
by Alisha/2
A fun activity I did last year came from the Bag Ladies. You show the class Time Magazine's Person of the Year issue and read snippets about why they were so important.
Their writing assignment is to write an article for Time pretending they are the Person of the Year, either for last year or for in the future.
My class wrote about what they were doing in their future professions- teachers, vets, policemen, pilots, inventors. After they wrote the article, they had to draw a picture of themselves with TIME (like the magazine cover) at the top. They turned out so cute! I posted them on red paper-portrait on one side, article on the other.
100th Day Activities
Posted by Various members of the Teachers.Net Community
We will be at day 84 when we return which will put our 100th day on the 29th of January. Have a few things planned - 100 object collections, collecting 100 buttons for me to wear on a vest, copies of $100 dollar bills to use in math, but nothing beyond that yet. I know there are all sorts of activities floating around - anyone have an absolute must do favorite?
~ Susan
I did sew 100 buttons on to an old white t-shirt that belonged to my husband. It is a once a year wear and the kids love it. It took me about an hour to do it and is very interesting to wear.
~ Celia
I painted 10 sets of 10 different things on a sweatshirt with fabric paint. 10 fish, 10 happy faces and so on. It turned out really cute. One year our principal pinned 100 one dollar bills all over her outfit.
~Patricia
It would be cute to make 100 Hungry Ants (from the book of the same name) on a sweatshirt -- using an ant stamp or thumbprints.
~Nancy
