Elbow, knees, dreams : classroom management

my brain is overloaded

kiri8 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:30:04 GMT

On the one hand, spending a morning with preschoolers can be lovely and simple. Read stories, play, follow routines, talk, play outside, learn about interesting things. On the other hand, spending a morning with preschoolers can be made frustrating and...(read more)

The Second Day is So Much Better

kiri8 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:28:43 GMT

I did wake up with another migraine, but it went away and hasn’t come back. My morning crier came back, and true to his word, wasn’t scared, and didn’t cry at all. He even rode the bus to school with no troubles. My end-of-the-morning crier, on the other...(read more)

Getting ready for Open House….

kiri8 — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:44:22 GMT

…is really hard. The room is coming along great, but it’s also still a mess, with tons left to do. I keep madly scribbling down items on my to-do list, so even when I cross some off, I put more on. Yesterday I spent the morning in meetings, then worked...(read more)

this looks awesome: customizable lesson plans

kiri8 — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:08:51 GMT

Through the magic and wonder that is Pinterest, I found this website, Dragonflies in First . The blog author has made lesson plans for the computer that she is selling on Teachers Paying Teachers that look extremely cool. I have tried and failed to come...(read more)

ideas for requesting school supplies

kiri8 — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:31:56 GMT

1. All the other teachers in my school send out a list requesting particular school supplies (markers, pencils, crayons, notebooks, etc.). I, however, use an abbreviated list with only three things on it. I ask that each child bring a composition notebook...(read more)

Pinterest find: More Classroom Organization

kiri8 — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 16:03:13 GMT

I love the idea of clean, organized, lovely looking desk drawers. Sometimes I succeed at it, and other times I get off track. Here are two photos of lovely desk drawers to inspire you: This one is from Better Homes and Gardens . I think I may try this...(read more)

Pinterest find: Classroom Organization

kiri8 — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:58:23 GMT

So I haven’t been writing in my blog this summer. What have I been doing? (You know, besides drinking cold chardonnays in the evenings, reading books, sleeping in, and organizing my house a tiny bit each day?) I have been PINTERESTING. Man, I am in love...(read more)

interior decorating

kiri8 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:50:24 GMT

I’m not really into cute. My blog isn’t filled with cute ideas. I’m more interested in children’s literature, curriculum that actually has content, and making the most of the time I have with the children than I am in cute stuff. And I didn’t go into...(read more)

National Teacher Appreciation Week discount at Container Store

kiri8 — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:30:01 GMT

The Container Store is having a 20% off sale for teachers, through May 31. If you sign up here for their Organized Teacher discount program, you will qualify for the discount. It’s probably worth doing; the Container Store has great stuff, and most of...(read more)

the flaw in my brilliant plan

kiri8 — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:55:54 GMT

I believe that I am a very good teacher, and that classroom management (behavior, organization, community-building, routines, etc.) is one of my strengths. And that is largely true. I start off the year by teaching the children all of our routines, hold...(read more)

what does why mean?

kiri8 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:16:54 GMT

Today Crow hit a little girl at the beginning of the morning, at journal time. It came out of nowhere. I put him in the take-a-break chair. “Crow, did you hit her?” He nodded. “Why did you hit her?” He looked blank and nodded again. I started to think,...(read more)

Spring cleaning, with snow on the ground

kiri8 — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:51:06 GMT

It is a classic winter day here, with ice and snow and cold. However, I felt some signs of spring within me — I did a major spring cleaning of the classroom, with the help of my Americorps volunteer. Visual clutter raises my blood pressure. My classroom...(read more)

Gingerbread Day

kiri8 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:35:05 GMT

Yesterday we celebrated Gingerbread Day in our classroom, and the children were delighted. We read three versions of the classic story (over two days), and then we decorated gingerbread men with squiggly white frosting. (One girl said, “this is my mom”...(read more)

on sharing, the little red hen, and teachers

kiri8 — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:31:37 GMT

There is a new teacher teaching the afternoon class this year. She is young, determined, and confident. I had hoped to develop a mentoring relationship with her, but she doesn’t seem interested. Which is completely fine. She doesn’t have much overlap...(read more)

we are on a roll

kiri8 — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:18:16 GMT

Last year I felt frustrated about my low increase in scores on vocabulary, so I started making vocabulary cards, using Google Images. (I make two for each word, so that they get used to seeing different images of the same thing for each word.) So far...(read more)