More Super Improver Tags

Here are the next few Super Improver tags to use on "brag tag" necklaces as requested by Paula.

My kids simply cannot get enough of these.  I've actually had to make more of them than I ever imagined...way beyond what the typical Super Improver Wall had on it.  It tickles me to see the kids get so excited about what the next tag says and has for an image on it.  It's the little things in life, right?!

To Print: Just download the PNG, save to your computer, right click on the file 

and choose Print from the drop down menu. 

I do full page photo and print them on white cardstock. 

Enjoy!!

How is the snow accumulation going in your neck of the woods?  We are fifth on the list of cities in the US with the most snow.  GRRRRRR!  The forecast says up to 16 more inches this weekend.  Currently we have three times our winter average.  I've had enough thank.you.very.much!  

The below zero temperatures that keep us inside all day (for days on end) are the worst!!  The kids go crazy no matter how many brain breaks we take and the colds and crud keep getting passed around no matter how much we clean and sterilize.  And the SMELL!

This photo shows us at recess standing on a pile of snow next to one of the basketball hoops...yep, that's my head higher than the top of highest hoop! 

Super Improvers Wall ( or Not)

I love Whole Brain Teaching.

Last year I had a Super Improvers Wall.  I had the levels (thanks to Teacher on the Loose)

and each of my students had a colored card with their name on it to put their stickers on...except I used gems instead of stickers.  Who doesn't like a little bling!

I get these at Joanne's in a variety of colors.  And the kids LOVE them!  Occasionally I'll buy some that are a little larger just to mix it up....but only because I'm crazy like that....or they are out of the smaller size.  Take your pick.

It was a great success!  I loved it and the kids loved it.  Win-Win!!

Flash forward to a shopping trip near the end of the school year for more gems.  The clerk asked what I was making with so many packages of gems.  I told her about the Super Improver Wall and she suggested if it was something they could wear and collect all year it would be even better.  I agreed and we brainstormed a little about how it could be done.

End.of.story.

Then while stalking a favorite blog over the summer aka Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera!  I fell in love with her behavior beads and purchased just about every set she has.

As I was printing set after set out the light bulb went off....click!

Super Improvers Wall....that they can wear!

The kids love these!

Here are the first three tags for you to download and use.

Free Graphics from Phillip Martin

I'll be adding others as I make them.

I hope your kids like these as much as mine do.

Attention Please!

Ahem!

You are busy working with a student one-on-one or with a small group and the interruptions just keep coming, right?!

"How do you spell cousin?"

"What am I supposed to do on this one?"

"Did you know it's thirty-eight days until my birthday?"

Really??  You interrupted me for that!

How do you make the madness end?????

Train your kids.  What do you do if _______ happens and I'm busy?  Role-play.  (Kids love that!)

I admit I've not done this well enough many years and it made working with someone or a small group PaInFuL!

I've tried the "Ask 3 Before Me" sign, the crown on my head, etc. to signal no interruptions.

Those all worked to a point but there was something missing.

This year part of training my class included this little miracle.

Sorry it's a little blurry.

Each of the kids gets a stick with their number on it.  (Right now they are all in the container as you can see.) Love the numbers because it makes it possible for me to use the sticks for many years to come.  =)

Then while I work with a child or small group, if someone needs help or attention they quietly walk over and put their stick in the can.  It's important to teach what is a good reason to seek attention before hand so you won't get the birthday countdown info....usually.

When I have a minute between groups or kids, I pull a stick and call that child over so I can help with what they needed and give them their stick back.  Often times the kids will solve their own issue and sneak back over and remove their own stick while I am still working with someone.

Ah, bliss!

My Musical Class

This class is so funny!  I love how they spontaneously burst into song.  It can be a real pick-me-up.

Take Friday for instance.

I wasn't feeling very well.  (well?  good?  I'll never figure those two out!  GRR!)

I've had this cold/sinus thing going on for three weeks now.  Got a prescription antibiotic about midweek but it's not kicked in yet.  So on Friday I felt like doo-doo and thought I'd get a sub.

HA!  With seven subs for preschool through 6th grade (that's 24+ teachers) I had a better chance of getting my tonsils removed on my dining room table.  Top it off with the fact that I don't have a book of sub notes on my special little guy and you can probably guess what happened.

I ended up having the principal sub for me going in and toughing it out.  (I'd probably have better luck with the tonsils again than the principal.  Will your principal sub for you?)

So with jackhammer sinus headache reverberating in my skull and every little noise setting off the jackhammer headache, I set out to teach to the best of my ability.

It wasn't a day I'm overly proud of but I know there are teachers who do less on their best days sadly.

I whispered as much as I could to keep the drilling headache on low and my class thought it was a game.  They love it when I sing so I sang some questions/directions in funny whisper voices.  Game on!

And then, probably because I was just way off a tad off I forgot to sing the "Name on Your Paper" song.  So they began to softly sing it.  It was so cute.  Those angelic voices!  In spite of feeling like something a dog dropped in the backyard or the cat left in the litterbox, I was smiling.  It made my whole day folks.

I thought I'd share this little tune.  I'm not sure if you have your kiddos do the same kind of thing on their papers, but if so you can grab it by clicking on the picture below.  Or maybe you could tweak it to fit your needs.  I have a lot less no name papers because my little peanuts will sing this as they write their names on their papers with or without me. :)

What To Do When You're Angry!

Wow, I can't believe how close I am so 400 followers.  I'll have to think of something special to do.  (My husband just suggested I could shower!  Har har, honey!  It's summer and I don't have to!  Na na na na na na!)

Seriously I don't want you to think I'm sitting here in my own swill stinking the place up.  But sometimes often when the hubs comes home for lunch I'm sitting on the couch or deck on the computer still in my pj's.  So he isn't looking at me with a whole lot of lust in his eyes.  That's all I'm saying.

So I'll have to do some thinking.  Maybe while I'm in the shower cuz I do good thinking (and singing) in there.  And best of all, during the summer, it's not a quick-I'm-gonna-be-late-for-school shower.  No siree!  It's the-water-tank-still-has-a-bit-of-warm-water-left kind of shower.

Thank you to all who have said they like and can use my little posters for 2nd Step.

Here is another poster freebie for you.  This one kind of integrates the problem solving and calming yourself down steps but also includes reflection time.

Enjoy!

Problem Solving Poster

Pick yourself up off the floor . . .

Come on, you can do it!

I know it's shocking that I've posted a so many times in the last week or so after neglecting this little ol' blog for months.

But it's summer people!

Can I hear a woo woo?!

A few days ago I posted a freebie poster about how to calm yourself down.

Here is another one.  Click on the picture to download.

We brainstorm problems and go through each step.  The kids love it.  Role play, be silly, have fun, be serious!

Use it for problems big and small.

Post it somewhere where you and the kids can easily see it.  I even have a laminated copy that I have been known to hall to recess with me.  (Some years and groups you need it more than others.)  I've got the poster on how to calm yourself down on the back.  Use a ring to hang it on the fence during recess if you need to.

Make it so that kids can use it.

There have been years where I've forgotten to bring it to recess and someone will ask if they can go get it.

The more you use it at the beginning of the year the less you'll need it physically later on as the kiddos internalize it.

Enjoy!

Calming Yourself Down Poster

School is out (in most places) for the summer but it's not hard to recall the turmoil that can happen on the playground or in the classroom (bathroom, hall, lunchroom) or anywhere for that matter.

As adults it's hard to see how hurtful someone calling you a "big meanie" or cutting in line can be when we're dealing with budgets, health issues, and other "big, adult" problems.

But we need to remember that for our little ones (or not so little ones) these everyday occurrences are a big deal.  And they can cause some kids to blow.

So it's important that we teach our kiddos to recognize their own (and others) emotions and manage them.

Too many adults in our world haven't learned these crucial skills as one can attest by driving down the road and witnessing all the road rage.  (Maybe we'd need less medication in our world if we all learned and practiced these skills more regularly.)

Our school has used the Second Step program that teaches empathy, emotion management, and problem solving for as long as I can remember.  And like all things, there are some components I like and some I dislike.

But one that I have always liked was the way they teach kids to recognize their own emotions and manage them.  I see a lot of adults who haven't learned this biggie and know that I sometimes struggle with this one too.

Second Step has some posters that come with the program but they are really blah so a few years ago I redid them.  They were a bit better but . . .  Let's be honest here.

Not

nearly

enough!

I mean a primary classroom is supposed to be happy and homey and all those other feel good things.  I honestly spend more time in my classroom than my own house people!

And research shows how color makes all things more appealing.  (As if I needed to have research prove that to me . . . at a cost of billions of dollars!  lol)

So this is the first Second Step poster to be redone.  It is "Calming Yourself Down".  Feel free to nab and enjoy.  I hope you can use it . . . for yourself or your classroom.  :)

Stay tuned for more as I tackle the job of redoing these posters!

Home Away From Home

Finally I've got some pictures of my classroom. (New camera...love it!) Take a look and let me know what you think of my already "lived in" small home away from home!

I didn't realize how small and crowded my room was until I began taking pictures and looking at them. Wow!

Clothes Pins for Clip Chart

Okay, I am obsessed!  I found these tiny little bee stickers while placing an Oriental Trading order and figured I'd find a use for them.  There literally were a gazillion in one package.  First order of business was to add one to the clip chart clothes pins.  I stuck them on and then Mod Podged over them for extra holding power.  The photo isn't great but you get the idea.

After a couple layers of Mod Podge dries I will add numbers.

Hive of Fame

Christina Bainbridge has her kiddos put a gem on their clothes pin each time the get to the top of the clip chart.  Then once they get five gems on their clip it is "retired" to the wall of fame and they get a new clip.  I love this idea!  So, in keeping with my theme, I created the "Hive of Fame" that the clips will be moved to.  Thanks Christina for the idea!

Hive of Fame

Adorable Bee Font

I found this adorable bee font and naturally had to redo my clip chart sayings.  Hope the kids can read it otherwise I'll be the only one enjoying it!

Clip Chart Calendar Masters - Bee Sayings2

More Clip Chart

Can you believe that I want my clip chart to go along with my bee theme?  I made header to go at the top.  You'll notice the bottom saying..."What level will you choose to "bee" on today?"  We use Marvin Marshall's levels of behavior at our school.  They fit in nicely with the clip chart levels I think.  My clip chart levels refer back to Marshall's levels of behavior.  I will  mount each level on color scrap booking paper and hang under the header.

Heading for Choices Clip Chart

Clip Chart Calendar Masters

Clip Chart Outstanding Stickers

Last year when kids made it to the top of the clip chart they would get to take home a happy note.  However, I was constantly finding them dropped on the ground or having kids run back into the building to get their forgotten note.  In an effort the solve that problem I decided to create stickers using labels that the kids could just stick on their shirt or forehead (as some of them like to do!)  Mine have a bee theme, but you could create yours anyway you like.

Outstanding Beehavior Label Stickers

Clip Chart Calendar

Simply 2nd Resources had a post about her clip chart calendar to inform parents about the color the kiddos ended up on at the end of the day.  I did something similar last year.

At the end of each day the kids would quickly color to show what their ending color was on the clip chart.  Once the procedure was established it took very little time.  The calendar went home on Fridays for parents to look over, sign, and comment on.  Each month we'd add the new calendar but keep the previous.  It was great to be able to look back over time and comment on improvements, etc.  I even had kids counting the number of certain colors they had and setting goals for the next week/month.  Loved it!

MayClip Chart Calendar With Dates

Sample of May Clip Chart Calendar