Beginning of the Year Centers

We are embarking on our fourth week of school.  We have spent a lot of time just learning about learning. We are learning to become independent learners.  My class can work and stay engaged for about 15 minutes.

As a result, I have planned centers that build upon their learning needs but also keep them on task.

Puzzles, board games, and easy to prep centers are among the activities that I am using during center time. During literacy centers, the groups have no more than four students.  Whereas, during math time, children work in pairs.

During center time, I am monitoring students or working with a group.  In many cases, it depends on how the class is responding to their independent work.  

We are taking small steps but we are heading in the right direction.  It will only get easier as they mature and learn.

How is your class going?

Happy Teaching!

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It's All About the Details

I think one of the trickiest things about teaching is planning for classroom management and organization.  This is especially true when your audience is five year olds!

I want my kiddos to be as independent as possible as soon as possible.

Here are a few things that I do to help me and them.

First, each child is assigned a number. This saves me time from having to write the child's name on a myriad of supplies and items.

Another thing, I do is to assign each table a shape.  As students complete their assignments, they place their completed work into the "I'm Done" box based on their seating.  Students at each table are responsible for distributing the work at the end of the day to take home.

To save time and arguments at listening center, everything is labeled.

How do you keep your classroom organized? Share your teaching wisdom.


Happy Teaching

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A New Journey Begins

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

My classroom is as ready as it can be.  I am sure that I will "tweak it" as needed.

This is my door.  The name owls will later be used to display student work and the door will be used during Word Work.

This is the view as you enter the classroom.

Our whole group space is ready for lots of learning to take place.

Our alphabet chart and Letter Factory Cards are displayed just below our main white board area.  I am planning on adding our monthly words and our writing anchor charts here.

My tables are grouped in varied sizes.  These are the only supplies we'll use (crayons and golf pencils) until the others (scissors, glue, highlighter, dry erase marker) are introduced.  Those supplies will go in their Grab and Go Boxes.

Book Boxes and office supplies are ready to go.

Now, all that is missing are the children whom I look forward to meeting and getting to know over the course of the school year.

Happy Teaching!

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