Saturday, August 4, 2012

Library and Class Dojo



   Since its still summer and I haven’t been able to do too much in my classroom, I have been spending time making cute and useful things for the year to come!  I found an old Mega Blocks wagon in my new classroom. The other teacher didn't want it, and since it was already labeled, library, I thought it would continue to make a great library cart for my room.  However it was faded and old looking. 
    We went to Lowes and bought plastic paint and painted it green and black. Next I added some polka dots with dot paint and now we have a very cute library cart for the new year!



 
  While I was doing my “art time,”  Olivia and Mathias also got creative.   Last week I picked up all kinds of little trays (from microwave meals) from the OnslowCounty Partnership for Children resource room that someone had donated.  Today my creative sweethearts decided they would decorate them.  Now my students will have art trays that have been beautifully decorated!                                                 





Class Dojo
 I am really excited about this new app I found on Google Chrome!  The kids each get an avatar with their name.  They are displayed on the white board and you can use your mobile phone or tablet to access throughout the day. The kids earn points for behaviors, both positive and negative.  At the end of the day or class period you can print and e-mail behavior reports. It’s a great way to track behavior and motivate students. I am super excited about trying it out this year in kindergarten.  I think it will solve a lot of the not remembering when things happened problem. I just have to get used to bringing my tablet with me when I go places with my class.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Welcome

      Well, I am finally starting a blog.  I just thought it might be a fun way to remember and share all the fun and exciting things we do in Kindergarten.  After following so many blogs about teaching its time to start my own!    


Our one day vacation to Tweetsie Railroad.
      I love teaching.  It is a calling, a hobby, and an addiction. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.  I have the two most adorable kids in the world.  Mathias is 2 and Olivia is 5.  We have a beautiful boxer mix who was originally named, Bella, but Mathias has renamed her Bel Bel.  My husband is a US Marine and is currently serving on the USS New York.  I miss him, but I am so proud of him!  This seems the perfect year to start because my sweet girl will be going into kindergarten!  I am at a new school and I have yet to learn who her teacher will be....so I am a little nervous about that.  She once told me she was, "sneaky like Swiper the Fox."  This has continued to be true, so I hope her teacher is ready!