10 Musts to Have in Your Classroom.

My lack of blogging has been due largely to moving and loosing my camera cord. Therefore, leaving me with no pictures to post.  To try to explain art projects or bulletin boards without pictures would simply be pointless.  So, while I have a blog post today, I have no pictures and therefore must blog about something different than my 'great' lessons ;).

I want to talk about the things you absolutely need to have in the classroom at all times.  Okay, maybe not NEED, but will definitely help take away some stress in a day of teaching :).  Whether it be for emergency lessons, quick management strategies, a simple fill in, or just to make a teacher's job a tiny bit easier.

 Over my past year of teaching I have realized the importance of keeping certain things in my classroom at all times - I failed to do this most of the time and learned greatly from it.  There were numerous times when I needed something and didn't have it.  I'm going to skip the obvious ones (ie. tape, stapler, hole puncher, pens, etc.) because I am pretty sure we all know those.  I want to tell you about the ones that are not always thought of right away, yet can really make your days go that much smoother.  While some may seem obvious to you, as a new teacher, they weren't to me at the beginning of the year.

1. Jelly Beans.  

Jelly beans are KEY.  Whether it be for a math lesson, a review game, a reward, or just a regular Fun Friday afternoon, jelly beans are a must.

2.  Dice. 

 Primarily for Math...no need to explain much here.  (If you need some ideas for math games with dice, comment and I will blog them!)  Cards could also be added to this!

3.  Labels.  

At the beginning of the year, fellow teachers told me the importance of making labels - labels for each student's name (big and small), labels for each subject/book, and labels for your name.  While I saw the importance of making these for the students books and duotangs, I did not see these as important for much else so I ended up stuffing them some where quick when I was finished labelling the books at the beginning of the year.  Well little did I know how often they would become useful throughout the year.  Whether it was for the students' snacks on field trips, new notebooks when students' finished theirs, costumes for the school play, labelling projects, etc. etc., I needed htem all year long.  The amount of annoyance it is to run out of labels is underestimated.  Next year, I plan on making double the amount I did this year so I am sure not to run out.  

4.  Bandages.

This might be an obvious one.  Honestly, for some reason I just never had them in my classroom this year.  When students have a tiny hang nail or cut that they 'desperately' need a bandage for, it would just be so much easier to be able to give them one rather than having to send them to the office and wasting all that precious work time.  

5.  A box of random toys, prizes, etc.  

This could help with many of the same ways that the jelly beans could.  My school has a prize bin in the office for any reason a teacher chooses to send them there.  However, I think it is so nice to be able to have such a box in your own classroom as well.  I definitely have used the prize bin in the office, but I also would .like to seriously start one in my own classroom for more management plans.  (Perhaps to be blogged about in the future...)

6.  Birthday gifts.

This year for every student's birthday I gave a birthday pin and a sheet of stickers.  I also printed off a sign that said 'Happy Birthday _____!' and hung it up in front of the classroom for the day.  I chose to buy all of the gifts ahead of time, which worked really well for those days that I remembered it was a student's birthday 5 minutes before class started... guilty.  However, I chose to leave the sign printing until the last minute... every time - well how much easier it would have been had I printed them all at the beginning of the year and simply pulled them out the day of?!  

7. Empty jars.

Empty jars are needed more than one would think.  While I used them mainly for science experiments, they were also useful for things like my marble jar (found here), picking names for an activity and storing items.  I am sure you could find many more uses for them as well.

8.  Students' names on magnets.

I started this at the beginning of the year and it was helpful for numerous reasons.  I simply wrote the student's names on colourful cardstock, cut it out and glued a magnet strip to it.  I used it for two main reasons. First of all, every day the students had to hand in their agendas. Once they handed in their agenda they had to put their name on the chalk board to show me that it was handed in.  If their name wasn't on the chalkboard, I knew I didn't have their agenda yet.  Secondly, I used it occasionally for students who were misbehaving or who needed to stay in for recess to finish work.  Rather than writing their names on the board  I could just put their magnet up to remind them.  While this isn't necessarily a must, it definitely makes your life that much easier.

9.  Stickers, stickers, stickers!

Do not underestimate the importance of stickers.

10.  EXTRAS... of everything!!

Whether it be duotangs, pencils, erasers, notebooks, paper... Always have more than enough.  This year I failed on this with pencils and duotangs.  Two very key things in order to make your student's work go smoothly.  

These are just my top 10 things - while there are definitely plenty more.  If you have any more to add, please do comment!!

Summer is two weeks away for me.  In this spirit, stay tuned for a blog post about Summer To Do's as you spend a bit of time preparing for the next year! :)

Music in the Classroom

As the year slowly comes to an end... I am starting to think about three main things:

1. The ideas and plans I did that worked really well this past year. 
2. Those 'awesome ideas I had' that definitely did not work.
3. All the ideas and plans I have for the future...some time....  

I decided I want to blog about all three of these things.  I already have blogged about what I liked that worked, however blogging about failed attempts and future ideas are not so common.  After all, it is always easier to talk and write about 'accomplishments' than failures and ideas that might not follow through.  However, I've realized by leaving those two out, a lot is missed out on.  The best way to learn is through failed attempts and hopeful wishes!

So, I will start with writing about both a failed attempt and an idea for next year:  Using music in the classroom.  

I did use music with my Grade 2's while doing quiet work or working on an art project this past year.  I also played music during my art classes quite regularly.  However, I had no real plan with it.  With my Grade 2's I usually played Christian worship music (since I work at a Christian school).  This worked well - as they would many times sing along and really enjoy it!  With my art students, I picked very random music to play.  Often I played Newsboys, Adele, Keane, some Mumford and Sons, Enya, and some Walk Off the Earth.  Many times the students would ask for requests (as I was playing from Grooveshark on my laptop) and at the beginning, being the naive teacher I was (and still am), I played whatever they asked as long as there was no swearing and I knew what the song was about.  Soon enough, I came to realize that this does not work well for classroom management.  One class, I accidentally played Mumford and Sons and forgot to take out the one song with swearing - lets just say students heard, and it wasn't the most spectacular teaching moment in my life - taught me a lesson of the importance of reviewing everything before playing it in class.  Coming to the end of the year I soon got tired of trying to pick the right music and many classes I just wouldn't play it anymore.  Or I would say absolutely no requests and simply stick with Christian worship music.  The problem with this, is that I had started off on the wrong foot with the music in my classroom and so students weren't so happy.

Next year, I want to have a plan for music in the classroom.  I want to know what I am going to play before I even set foot into the classroom.  (Seems obvious, but while planning all lessons I never took the time to do this.) So, recently I decided to search for ideas.  I found this website: Music to Manage Your Classroom, which has inspired me in many ways.  This teacher uses music for classroom management.  What a brilliant idea!  He plays a certain song when a transition is needed, certain music for when students enter the classroom and to end the day, music to introduce a new lesson, and music to set the tone.  Even his transition times are timed with the song playing.  This idea blows my mind!  Students will be able to hear a song and know what to do or know what is happening.  No longer would I as a teacher have to remind students, count from 10 to have students sitting in their seats, or urge students to hurry up.  I simply play a song, and students are aware.  Oh how I wish I had seen this idea at the beginning of this year! The teacher also gives great ideas for what songs to use in each situation. After hearing about this idea it seems so obvious to me.  Music is all around us all the time, why not use it for purpose in the classroom!

Since I have a SMARTboard in my classroom, easily enough this can be used.  Next year, I may not have a SMARTboard, but as long as you have a laptop and some speakers, you are set.

I cannot wait to use this idea next year!

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Back in November, I briefly mentioned a conference I had attended.  I mentioned that a lot of things stuck out for me from that conference and that I might blog about it at another time.  Welll...it's January, and it's about time eh?  :)  I decided to take much of these holidays to organize our small apartment and some of my teaching materials.  While doing so, I found my notes from that conference again.  Some of which I have remembered and tried to incorporate in my classroom, and some of which I completely forgot about, yet are great strategies to use.  It's January, so a good time for a new start in my classroom anyways!

One workshop I attended was called 'Teaching the Learning Brain'.  The leader (whom I completely forget the name) mostly discussed the motivation of children in school.  There are two ways of motivating children - extrinsically or intrinsically.  Extrinsic being giving the child an outward reward for behaviour or work, and intrinsic being giving the child an inward desire to finish work.  I'm sure we would all agree that it would be nice to be able to use intrinsic motivation for our students.  The problem is, extrinsic motivation is so much easier!  However, it is also short-term and only generally motivates students in the moment.

I have a few students who struggle to get to work.  Specifically, I have one who will sit and stare at his work for entire periods no matter how much prompting and help I give him.  Many times I resort to using a prize bin if the student finishes a certain number of pages.  This usually works.  However, I realize that it is not helping this student have a long-term motivation for such work.  I want to try to get a way from this prize bin and start using more intrinsic motivation.  

Now, with behaviour, routine tasks and classroom management, I see the importance of extrinsic motivation (For example, a marble jar, which I have brought up that I will be starting soon.)  However, when it comes to doing work I want my students to want to do their work!  In the conference we were reminded that intrinsic motivation cannot be generated but only fostered.  Intrinsic motivation must come from inside of the child, a real personal want to do such work.  But, as teachers, we can help this want to come out!  These are some tips we received on how to foster such motivation and how I plan on using that in my classroom:

- Give students freedom and choice.   I plan on allowing students to choose between two topics for journal writing, and to give students the choice between two worksheets or even simply picking certain questions in Math.  

- Provide challenge and avoid boredom.  Having many students who excel in Grade 2, I have and will continue to do so, give such students more challenging questions and activities than others.  I believe this step is all about knowing your students and really assessing to see that the students are working at the correct level.  I also believe the importance of not overwhelming your students.  I have some students who I know, if I give work that they don't think they can do they will easily just give up.  Another important part of intrinsic motivation, is to not frustrate your students so that they also loose motivation because they don't think they can accomplish such work.

- Recognize meaning in learning.  I want to make my lessons more relate-able to students in their everyday lives.  This sounds obvious, but can easily be forgotten!

- Instructive Feedback while students are working.  I have and will continue to do this simply by walking around desks and checking their assignments while they are in the midst of working. 


One of my New Year's resolutions is to spend more time on making my lessons more engaging and exciting for my students.  I really want my students to get more excited about learning!  I plan on using my SMARTboard more, using more manipulatives, and more group work.  Let's hope I keep this one resolution! :)

2 Months in..

My original intent for this blog was to write about my first year of teaching.  I figured I'd write in it at least once a week, but hoping for twice a week.  Whether it be to simply talk about my experiences as a first a year teacher or to share ideas I've found or come up with for my classroom.  Well, it is now coming to the end of October and here is my second post.  They were all right when they said I would be the busiest I could be my first year of teaching.  

So far the experience has been indescribable.  Thinking back to 2 months ago, I could not have imagined myself here at this point.  I have grown so much through mistakes made every day, encouraging and extremely helpful colleagues, and just simply through getting to know my students.  

God has been faithful through it all.  Through those days I did not think I could get through because of misbehaved students, lesson plans gone wrong, and complaining parents, He has been there giving me patience and endurance.  I praise Him for this.  

Now I come to approach the time of report cards for my first time.  Assessing my students is something I feel anxious about.  Will I display each child as best as can be?  In some way it seems that these grades and marks are what define these children.  Oh how I wish that could be different!  

Before I close up I just want to share one project I have done with the students of my school.  For Thanksgiving we have the privilege of having a big feast to celebrate the goodness of God.  I was in charge of some of the art work for this feast.  I wanted to come up with something that involved the entire school on one project.  My reasoning was that this would be an opportunity for the students to see the school as a community - all connected with the love of Christ.  This is what I came up with:

(I simply made a tree on Bristol board and had each student in the school add their fingerprint to act as fall leaves.  My hope was that the tree would be filled more with fingerprints, but with a such a small school, it makes for a difficult task.)

I call it the Thankful Tree, indicating that we, as a school, are thankful for God's love, and that is what connects us as a community.   Next year I would like to do a project that shows this a bit more.  Though, I still liked the way this one turned out, I am not sure if the whole idea behind it came across to the students as well as I hoped.

Hopefully, soon I will be able to add more projects I am working on with my Art students as well as my Grade 2's.  I'd like to say that will happen later this week, but I make no promises. :)

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you, Tomorrow...?

Tomorrow is the day it all begins. It is surreal.  After so many years of schooling, I am no longer a student but a teacher.  To think that those years of schooling came to a purpose is incredible.  What a blessing!  God has a purpose for me, and right now it is being a Grade 2 teacher and an Art teacher.  Wow.  It is hard to find the right words for what I am feeling right now - Apprehension, fear, excitement, joy ...those are just a few.  

I think about what the worst is that could happen. I have even looked up horror stories of the first days of teaching online.  The first day can't really be that bad can it?  I am nervous to meet my students, nervous that they won't like me, nervous that I won't be the right teacher.  Nervous for this new beginning.  Did I make the right decision in taking this profession?  Did I make the right decision in taking this specific job?  Can I really do this?

Above all I must remember the purpose behind this all.  Why do I teach?  Why am I starting this crazy adventure?  Why am I taking on this huge challenge?  To glorify God.  I chose to live for Him and I firmly believe this is where He wants me right now.  What a comfort this is.  What a reassurance.  

My trust is in Him.