Wiggle and Learn

Flexible and alternative seating is one of the most talked about teacher topics.  Many teachers are changing the look and feel of their classrooms by incorporating more seating options for their students.

As a primary grade teacher, this has been the norm in my classroom.  I have spent all of my teaching career creating classrooms where students have a variety of places and spaces to work.

Yet, every year, I had one or two students who struggled to "sit" to work. They need to wiggle and learn.

Like most of you, I wanted these students to be successful.  I tried a variety of alternative choices like lying on the rug or using a stool but found limited success.

This year, I was blessed to win a wobble chair from Debbie Clement during her weekly #TeacherFriends Twitter chat.  

You do not know how this one chair changed how my student worked and learned. This little one had trouble sitting still anywhere! When I introduced the wobble chair to him, he beamed with pride. This was going to be his seat for learning. He was permitted to use it anytime he liked as long as he was working.  

Now, you may be thinking this was not fair to my other students. While it may not seem fair, in many ways, it gave him equal access to learning.  He had a place where he could move and learn. 

Source

At first, he took the wobble chair everywhere. Over time, he began to choose the chair only when he needed it. In fact, sometimes, he'd start at his wobble chair and by the next activity, he was ready to sit in a regular chair.  

As a teacher, I noticed that with the seat, he was more focused and able to release that energy. 

Click image to watch video.

This wobble seat has worked wonders for this little one. He decides when he needs it and moves it from place to place since we do not have assigned seats. @debbie_clement distributes these. My plan is to order more for the upcoming year.

A video posted by Mrs.Parker (@learningwithmrsparker) on May 1, 2016 at 8:58am PDT

While I do have plans to purchase more wobble chairs, I know that this is a seating alternative. It may not work for all my students. Keeping seating options flexible gives me and my students choice.  

Would you want one for your classroom?  I am giving one away to a lucky follower (US residents only) of Learning with Mrs. Parker. All you have to do is follow me via Bloglovin', Instagram or Twitter.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!  

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Our Learning Space

Each summer, as I see teachers laboring for weeks in their classrooms, I wonder if I should do the same.  But I refrain, because I love my students' work and learning to be as much of our space as the decor I set up prior to their arrival.  The first few weeks, our walls are minimal.  Weeks later, this is what our classroom has become. It may not be "magazine worthy" but it is a homey learning space.   View as you enter

Our Meeting Area

This is the heart of our classroom.  Much of our learning takes place here.   Book Boxes

One change I made this year was to purchase these shelves.  Our book boxes fit perfectly and it looks much more streamlined than it has in the past.  

Library Area

Our library space contains a mixture of board books, easy readers and themed books.  I also have our listening center here.  

Writing Center

Currently, our writing center has student generated word lists and focused vocabulary from our Language arts adoption.  I will add words into the pocket charts as students become more confident to write.  

Exploration Table

I am trying to add more play and STEM projects.  This table will house different activities.  So far, we have used it to explore magnetic and non-magnetic items, build with legos, and to play with letters.  The class really likes this space.

Guided Reading Area

I use one of the tables my students sit at for Guided Reading.  I like to do this so that I can have as much open space as possible; less tables.  

Our classroom is beginning to look and feel lived in.  I am sure that our classroom will evolve as the year progresses. 

Happy Teaching!  

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It's All Good!

Wow!  It's hard to believe that we are entering our third week of school.  We have 10 days under our belt.  My class is doing great; all 23 of them.  This is one of the largest class sizes that I've had in over a decade.

I thought I'd pop in to share a few photos and a little freebie to use now or tuck away for next year.

While setting up my classroom, I decided to dedicate an entire white board space to math.  I am not a huge calendar fan but do use our calendar time to teach many math routines.  This trimester we are focusing on substizing  numbers from 0-6,  counting orally to 20, decomposing teen numbers, and showing multiple ways to make 5.

The monthly headers and papers above the calendar will serve as a timeline of our kindergarten year.  It was inspired by A Place Called Kindergarten.

I am in love with these Melonheadz Learning Objective Headers from Learning in Wonderland.  Although not required, during my summer course, I read about the importance of students knowing what they are learning.  These objectives will help me be more purposeful in what I am teaching and sharing that with my students.   

No beginning of the school year would be complete with Pete the Cat! We used I Love My White Shoes to review our colors. Each day, we would create a color anchor chart and share an item from home with that color.  This bulletin board display will hold my students' writing; their first opinion piece.  We also played this Pete the Cat Roll and Color game which my students loved.  

Well, as you can see, we've been busy.  But, it's all good!

Happy Teaching!

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A Minion Reasons To Be Healthy and More

We are learning about making healthy choices in honor of Red Ribbon Week.  This year's theme is A Healthy Me is Drug Free.

A Minion Reasons To Be Healthy

I knew that I wanted to decorate our door using these Minions and slogan. First, we brainstormed ways that we could be healthy.  We created a list  using the sentence starter, I can.  Each student choose an item from our list to copy.  Next, we created our Minions.  I just love how each one is as unique as the person who made it.

Mr. Big Mouth
Mr. Big Mouth helps to teach us about what are safe and harmful things to put in our mouth.

I have taught this lesson for several years with much success.

I introduce the students to Mr. Big Mouth and let them know that we need to help him make good choices. During the lesson, I show the students magazine cut outs of harmful and safe items. If the item is safe like an apple, we feed Mr. Big Mouth.  If it is harmful like alcohol, we say, "Not in your mouth, Mr. Big Mouth."

This lesson always leads to a good discussion about when it is safe to take medicine.

We also talk about the experiences we may have and how it is important to do the right thing.  



What are you teaching for Red Ribbon Week?  How do you teach young children the importance of making good lifestyle choices?


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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Classroom Essentials

As you prepare for back to school, I thought I would show you some of my "must haves" for the classroom.

Books, Books and More Books!

This display holds our thematic books and teacher read alouds.  

Here is a small portion of some of our library.  I hope to replace these book boxes with some from Really Good Stuff.  Any suggestions?



Storage Containers

The numbered ones are from here.  They are the perfect size for most centers.  The colored boxes are scrapbook boxes that I use to organize some of my math manipulatives as well as to store centers once we've used them.

On top are my students' Grab and Go Boxes.  These numbered boxes keep some of their school supplies such as scissors and glue.  I like that they are portable and can travel with the student anywhere in our room.  On the bottom are our Book Boxes; ice cube buckets.


Technology
I can't imagine teaching without it anymore.  My classroom comes equipped with an Elmo and a teacher and student computer.

To make better use of our one student computer, this headphone adapter comes in handy. I was able to turn it into a instant listening center. I numbered the headphones and adapter to keep us organized.

Thanks to Donors Choose and a generous spouse, I have two iPads which my students can use.  I really hope to integrate this tool a lot more into my classroom.



Teacher Created Resources

Teachers are amazing, creative people who know and understand what kids need.  They have become my go to resource when it comes to planning.

They have also inspired me to create for my classroom as well.  This Parent Friendly Common Core resource is one of my favorites.

Our Future  

No classroom is complete without them.  It's amazing how each year I pour my heart and soul into my classroom for them.

What are your "must haves" for the classroom?  

From my classroom to yours,

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My Hopes and Dreams

I've never made resolutions.   But I do believe in this.

Click image for your copy.

As I return to the classroom, I want to remind myself why I teach.  I teach to touch the hearts', minds' and souls' of children.  I can make a lasting impact in their lives. I know because teachers made a lasting impact in my life.

Cheers to the new year!

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Classroom Pictures 2012

Here is a mini-tour of my classroom.

Although, not a new portable, the room did get a major facelift with new carpet and a fresh coat of paint.   Instead of a theme, my primary colors are light blue, lime green and hot pink.

Room from the front door

This is how the room looked like after school. Not bad.

My wonderful aide made the tissue paper flowers.  

Teaching Area

The calendar area is a work in progress.

This is a "new to me" book shelf.  

Focus Wall

As you can see, we are learning a lot this week.

I hope to share more about the first week of school soon. In the meantime, I shared a Pete the Cat inspired first day of school certificate for my Facebook fans because it's all good.  Grab your now to tuck away for next school year.

Happy Teaching and Learning!

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Summer

Summer is officially over.  How did I spend my summer vacation? I spent it being a full time momma.  Usually, I have had the luxury of daycare to take care of my son at least half time.  Not this year.

Here are a few of my favorite resources that I used to prepare my little one this summer for kindergarten.  I loved these products so much that I plan to use them with my students at school.

Annie's Sight Word Watches

These are great!  My son loved to color and wear the watches.  I loved that it reinforced his reading skills. The only help, he really needed was to cut out the watch. I highly recommend these.


Penmanship practice was a part of our day.  We used Pamela's Alphabet Practice Pages.  Prior to this, he was not interested in learning how to form letters correctly.   Somehow, the graphics piqued his interest.  Each page contains both the "just right" amount of practice and variety with stars showing where to begin.  As with all penmanship worksheets, the only thing I needed to do was monitor him to ensure he was completing the correct strokes.

This along with our weekly trips to the library, gardening, and play encompassed most of our days.  Overall, it was a great summer of family time.  I am now ready to get back into "school mode."  Here is a sneak peek of my classroom.

I moved into a portable classroom and with the help of some amazing staff, I was able to get my classroom ready in less than a week.  It did not really feel like my classroom until I had my library up and organized.

Just in case you are wondering.  I am teaching kindergarten.

Happy Teaching and Learning!

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