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Many ideas for classroom jobs. Some are meant for older grade levels, but all are easy ways to make your students feel important 

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Many ideas for classroom jobs. Some are meant for older grade levels, but all are easy ways to make your students feel important 

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Teach your students about responsibility by assigning classroom jobs at the beginning of the school year.

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5 basic ways to create classroom community with many examples of how to incorporate these 5 ways. 

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5 basic ways to create classroom community with many examples of how to incorporate these 5 ways. 

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As a new school year approaches, I have lots of things on my mind as a teacher. One of them is always, "How will I help the kids make new friends and work together as a team?" Building a classroom community is one big way to do just that! Even better, teachers, kids, AND families can work together to build community in the classroom (thus modeling how to work as a team)!

what is a classroom community?

I'm sure that each teacher has a slightly different definition of a classroom community. As I explain it to my students, "We're a preschool family. We play and learn together. We have fun together. We don't always agree with each other, but we treat each other kindly. It takes ALL of us to have a good preschool year." In my mind, a classroom community means that my room is a safe, friendly environment for everyone (kids and teachers, alike) to learn and grow together. Yes, that sounds very general, but it's my goal.

why is a classroom community important?

Kids need to feel safe and wanted. They also need to feel like they have some ownership of their actions, surroundings, and decisions. When that's in place, they're more receptive to learning. This means they're more receptive to learning across the board - be it academics, social interactions, etc.

5 ways to cultivate a classroom community

Let the children see themselves in the classroom
I don't like posters. There, I said it. I'm not huge into buying them to put up around the classroom. I think I have a hundreds chart and an alphabet chart, and that's it. I try my best to have most of the "decorations" in my classroom be kid-generated. That means their interactive writing goes up, their artwork goes up, and we even make charts together to display.

In addition to that, I really love having family photos in our classroom. I've had them up on bulletin boards before, as well as in frames throughout the classroom. Children love to see their family members in the room, especially at the beginning of the year when they're transitioning into school. The photos are also an awesome way to get kids talking to each other! I love listening to them share stories about their families with their new preschool buds! In a related topic, children also adore bringing in pictures of their pets!

At the beginning of the year, I like to talk about the rules and what we're going to do in preschool. I keep the rules simple so they're easier to remember and make sense. We review them every single day that first month of school, then about once a week after that.

Before the year even starts, I draft a preschool schedule for my class. I explain and model the preschool day a ton during that first month. We practice the routines A LOT! Over and over and over again. I also like to spice it up and add some humor while we're doing it. I enjoy being silly with the kiddos, and they love it too. Plus, a little humor makes things even more memorable to children. So I might say, "After lunch, I take my lunchbox and go put it on my head!" Inevitably the kids will go, "No, Miss Mary Catherine, it goes in your backpack!"

Each week, we pick new kids to fill our preschool classroom jobs. I keep a chart so I know who has had each job. That way, everyone gets at least one turn with each job during the year. The kiddos are so proud of themselves when they're trusted to be a helper! They know I value them and trust them to be a leader in the class.

The children have a morning routine as they come into class - greet the teacher, hang up backpack, set out lunchbox, put water bottle in appropriate bin, put daily folder away, sign in, and then choices. It sounds daunting written out like that, but it's really not. We practice and practice (and practice!) this routine the first months of school. I'm there to help out as needed, but I encourage them to take on more and more independence in each activity.

Basic, everyday tasks are included here. We work together in preschool, so the children are definitely expected to help each other out. If a box of crayons gets knocked over, there's usually more than one child helping (even if they didn't knock it down).

Have fun together
This is a huge part of a classroom community, too! Make memories with the students, and let the kids make memories with each other! It can be something as simple as reading a silly book at circle time, making a snack together, writing a class book, or creating collaborative art. It can be more in-depth like planning a pajama party or painting a car together.

Keep in mind how important the "little" memories are too! Moments like laughing together at a corny joke, giving or receiving an "I missed you!" hug after winter break, or a child's triumphant cry of, "I did it!" as he finally sails across the monkey bars while you watch.

Having fun and making memories isn't all about the planned activities in preschool. It's more focused on being genuine and warm with the children. My students know I have high expectations, and there are consequences when rules are broken. They also know that I will smile as they come into the classroom and laugh with them throughout the day - because I genuinely love them and what I'm doing. They know that I'll give them hugs when they're hurt, and high fives for working hard. It's a connection, and that connection cannot be adequately described with words. I know all this sounds a bit hokey, but it's really how I feel and what I think, so thanks for putting up with the sentimentality!

Keep up consistent communication. Yes, it can be difficult to do so sometimes, but keep at it! Parents need to know what's going on with their kids, and what's going on in their classroom.

Ask questions. At the beginning of the year, I ask my parents to fill out a short questionnaire about their school year expectations. I love getting their viewpoint about the preschool year.

Invite them in. Let them know they can come and help out in the classroom if they want to. Invite them to celebrations and special events. Encourage them to share their interests with the kids. My students loved it when a dad brought the family pets in during our reptile theme, and the dad had a blast too!

Understand if they can't come in. Conversely, be understanding if they aren't able to come into the classroom. I try hard to walk that line - I want parents to feel welcome, but I don't want to pressure them into coming.

5 ways parents can help with the classroom community

Well, I sincerely hope this was helpful to both parents and teachers! How do you create a classroom community with your students? How do you, as a parent, encourage that sense of community? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

making friends | Early Childhood Education team

Be sure to pop over and see what the rest of the #TeachECE crew has to say on the topic of making friends:

Role Playing How to Be a Good Friend by Mom Inspired Life
Songs About Friendship for Kinder and Pre-K by Capri +3
Teaching Kids About Friendship and Being a Good Friend by Raising Lifelong Learners
Making Friends: Teaching Kids to Learn and Respect Different Names by Munchkins and Moms
How to Play with Friends a Preschoolers Visual Guide and Game by Powerful Mothering
Helping Your Homeschooler Socialize by Still Playing School
Making Friends Even When You Are Homeschooled by Learning 2 Walk
Making Friends: Qualities We Look For in Friends by Tiny Tots Adventures
Book Friends by Growing Book by Book
Tips for Helping Preschoolers BE a Good Friend! #TeachECE by The Preschool Toolbox Blog

Free Friends Play Dough Printable by Life Over C's
Working Together to Create a Classroom Community by Fun-A-Day!
Teaching Kids How to Make Friends by The Educators' Spin On It

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Working Together to Create a Classroom Community

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As a new school year approaches, I have lots of things on my mind as a teacher. One of them is always, "How will I help the kids make new friends and work together as a team?" Building a classroom community is one big way to do just that!

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Very informative article about the importance of building classroom community.

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Very informative article about the importance of building classroom community.

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The beginning of the year is a time for creating a sense of community, and your room is the gathering place. Here, all children can feel secure, nurtured and supported by the environment, each other, and YOU. This new group of individuals bring with them divergent interests, abilities, cultures, and families. Each child arrives at your door with a fertile background of experience that enriches your program. By demonstrating your loving acceptance of all children's backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints, you create an environment that says, "All are welcome here." At the same time you are modeling just how you want children to be with one another. The goal is to celebrate individuals while creating a sense of community.

We know from recent studies that children who feel a sense of identity within a group are the most well-adjusted and successful in school. As children progress developmentally, their group interaction skills become more finely tuned as well. Children's "world view" expands to add a greater understanding of the relationship between self and other. Studies also tell us that some of the most important skills children need for school readiness and success are the "people skills" of social interaction, communication, collaboration, and problem solving. They are the fertile ground that supports the academics of learning ABCs and 123s! That is what you are doing in the first month of school - creating an emotionally secure "home base" for children to learn in. So don't worry if you are not teaching many specific academic skills in your first month. By focusing on establishing a safe, secure, and nurturing environment, you are teaching children how to learn and are setting the stage for the entire year.

How can you help a child feel secure in a new community? Let's look at a few elements that allow children to feel known and supported.

Building Community Through Identity
Your children need to see themselves reflected in the classroom. Invite families to send in photos of their children and family before school starts or in the first few weeks. Finding themselves "already there" will go a long way towards making children feel comfortable. Not only will children enjoy finding their photos around the room, but they will delight in learning about their new friends and their families. Children may want to make family books in the first few weeks of school as a way of getting to know each other.

Building Community Through Familiarity
Moving into a new class of children can be very challenging. Children need to find things that are familiar to them in the classroom. It can be something simple, such as puzzles and games they might have played with in a previous classroom. These might be materials that seem too "easy" for them, but in order to build a community, children need to build a sense of comfort - the time to be challenged comes later. And interestingly, children who have a sense of success with a particular educational material or game are more likely to share it with others and thus build community. Don't forget to use familiar and favorite songs and books at group time. Children will feel so proud when they can say, "I know that book!"

Building Community Through Warmth and Beauty
Studies have shown that warm colors and soft spaces are welcoming to children and create a secure and nurturing "nest" from which they can grow. Lots of pillows, soft toys, fresh flowers, soft clay or dough, and items for water play, create a homelike environment. These elements also foster a sense of community. A soft place to share a book with a friend, a small clay table for two, or a beautiful bouquet of flowers to examine together all can create "warm spots" for children to share with a new friend. But perhaps the warmest element of your classroom is you and your SMILE.

Building Community Through Trust
At this stage of development, in order to feel part of their classroom community, children need to feel the same sense of trust in school as they do at home. Your calm acceptance of children's feelings during the transition from home to school goes a long way towards letting children know that it is safe to express their feelings and building their sense of trust in you. Reassure children by making eye contact, listening to what they need to say, and acknowledging their thoughts and feelings. Don't expect children to make friends right away. Children may need to engage in parallel play before they are ready to share and communicate with another child.

Building Community Through Predictability
Predictability is another important part of building an environment of trust and safety. Establishing predictable routines helps children know what to expect and helps them feel confident and capable in the group. Keep a regular schedule of activities throughout the day. If possible, take photographs of each section of the day and place them in a row at child eye level in a left to right sequence from the beginning of the day to the end. If children are wondering "what comes next" or "when do I go home," they can look at the sequence to see how many more activities are left for the day.

Building Community Through Family Involvement
Each child who walks through your door "comes" with a family. The family is a key ingredient to children feeling at home in your classroom. In some programs, you may only meet the families at special meetings or occasions. In others, you will have the pleasure of seeing them every day when they drop off and pick up their children. Make a point of connecting in a variety of ways, from phone calls to letters or notes sent home. If possible, learn their email addresses for instant family communication. They will appreciate your efforts and may reward you with active participation in your program. Invite family members to visit and share their culture, work, and interests. You will be expanding your classroom community to include the greater community of the town where your school resides.

Ultimately, the essential element to creating a sense of community in your classroom is YOU! It is not the number of toys and materials or the size of your space that really counts. It is your loving, compassionate attitude towards the children in your classroom family that creates a joyful community.

For more beginning of the school year activities, see Ellen Booth Church's book, Best-Ever Circle Time Activities: Back to School (Scholastic, Inc., 2003).

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Building Community in the Classroom | Scholastic

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The beginning of the year is a time for creating a sense of community, and your room is the gathering place. Here, all children can feel secure, nurtured and supported by the environment, each other, and YOU. This new group of individuals bring with them divergent interests, abilities, cultures, and families.

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Adorable video to show your younger students able being happy together! good to show when students are not cooperating together.

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Adorable video to show your younger students able being happy together! good to show when students are not cooperating together.

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TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

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The More We Get Together - Kids Songs - Children's Songs - Nursery Rhyme - by The Learning Station

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Examples of themes you can have in your classroom that will help the students feel a part of something. Good ideas your younger grades! 

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Examples of themes you can have in your classroom that will help the students feel a part of something. Good ideas your younger grades! 

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Classroom Themes to Inspire Your School Year | Scholastic

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When my former students come back to visit me years after they have been in my classroom, one of the main things they recall is our class theme. Read on to get tips and i

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A teachers examples of Star of the Week activities that she uses with her students. Many examples that can help all the students get involved with that weeks special student. 

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A teachers examples of Star of the Week activities that she uses with her students. Many examples that can help all the students get involved with that weeks special student. 

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One of my students favorite things during the week is when we get to learn about our Super Star Student of the Week! I decided to call them this because I have a star theme in my classroom. I do many activities during the week with the star student and the entire class to make the week extra special for that student. Below is the weekly layout of how I do the Super Star of the Week in my class:

At the end of the day, I announce who the new Super Star Student of the Week. I like to do this at the end of the day on Friday because it is a good way to end the week and this also gives the student/family time to prepare during the weekend. I send home a letter that looks like this:

I also attach to the letter, a 'Read All About Me' poster and a brown paper bag for the student to bring in some special items they would like to share with the class.

As soon as the Super Star of the Week walks in, they give me their completed poster, the brown paper bag full of items to share, and any other pictures they would like to share. I hang up their poster and their pictures on our special 'Super Star of the Week' door. They are so excited and proud to have their poster up on the door. It is just so cute to see them beaming with joy! They also get a cool chair cover for their seat all week long and I display their name on it. (I bought the chair covers in the $1 section at Target... my favorite place!) I will have a picture of the chair covers tomorrow.
At the end of the day, the Super Star Student gets to share their poster, pictures, and items they brought in the brown paper bag with the class.

During morning work, I ask the Super Star Student to answer a couple questions for me:
1. What do you like to eat?
2. What do you like to do?
3. How old are you?
I place their answers on index cards and get them ready for calendar time.
During calendar time, I display their answers on a pocket chart and the Super Star Student gets to share this with the class. I also allow the class to ask the Super Star Student some other questions that they want to know.

During calendar time today, the Super Star Student gets to complete their name puzzle. I write their name on a sentence strip and make it into a puzzle. I place it on the pocket chart and they get to unscramble it. After their puzzle, they get to chant their name using a super cool plastic microphone :)
(Example of chant: If their name is Kayla.

Wednesday:

Student: "Give me a K"
Whole class shouts: "K"
Student: "Give me an a"
Whole class shouts: "a"
Student: "Give me a y"
Whole class shouts: "y"
Below is my name puzzle: Student: "Give me an l"
Whole class shouts: "l" Student: "Give me an a" Whole class shouts: "a" Student: "What does that spell? Whole class shouts: "Kayla!!!"

Thursday:
During Calendar time today, the Super Star Student gets to chant their name using a fun megaphone! They do the same chant as yesterday with the class.
We also begin to write a letter for the Super Star Student of the Week. Each student in the class gets a paper where they write the Super Star Students name, then their own name at the bottom of the letter. Each student writes a sentence or more about something they like about the star student, something they learned, or something nice about the star student. They also draw a picture to go with their writing. The Super Star student always likes to write a letter to themselves :) Once everyone finishes (sometimes we have to finish on Friday depending on time), I make all of their letters into a book for the Super Star of the Week to take home on Friday.

Here is what the book looks like
Today during calendar, the Super Star Student of the Week gets to chant their name in either the microphone or the megaphone... they get to pick! (9 times out of 10, they pick the megaphone!). Sometimes we finish the letters today or are just starting to write the letters today. It depends on the week! I do however, make sure their letters are complete and the book is made by the end of the day. I make a cover for the book and hole punch all of the letters with the cover. I then tie a bow with yarn in each hole to complete the book.
Finally, the FREEBIE!!! The freebie is the page that the students write the letter to the star student on. Enjoy! The first page is for students who write one sentence and the second page is for students who may write more than one sentence. (Click on the book for your FREEBIE!):

(CLICK ON THIS PICTURE FOR YOUR FREEBIE!)

I give the book to the Super Star Student at the end of the day with a big hug! And of course, I get to then announce the new Super Star Student of the Week! I wish I had a video of some of the reactions I get when they are chosen to be the Super Star Student. It is absolutely priceless! What a fun week they have to look forward to!
** The book is a great kindergarten memory keepsake! I have had parents tell me that their child sleeps with their book, reads it every night before bed, shows it off to their entire family, etc.!

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One of my students favorite things during the week is when we get to learn about our Super Star Student of the Week! I decided to call them this because I have a star theme in my classroom. I do many activities during the week with the star student and the entire class to make the week extra special for that student.

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Good ideas to help the students get back on track after winter break

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Good ideas to help the students get back on track after winter break

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It has finally arrived, midyear break! This is the time that you have looking forward to for months -- that much-needed time off after all of those long days of being a classroom teacher. But, you can't sit back and relax just yet. If you want a smooth transition back from break, then there a few teaching strategies that you need to get done first. If you are not prepared for the first week back from break, then all of that relaxing that you just did will be for nothing. Your entry to your classroom will be tough and filled with craziness and chaos. Here are a few time-tested teaching strategies to help you prepare for your return from midyear break.

Make sure before you leave for break that you have all of your lessons, projects, and chapters completed. The last thing that you want to do after a short (or long) midyear break is come back to a room full of kids and have to reteach everything that you already taught them.

Prepare for something new and make sure that it is engaging and fun. Remember, students are just getting back from relaxing and having no schedule or routine to follow, so you need to be able to capture their attention and keep it. Try planning on using a new, fun piece of technology or plan to have a videoconference with another classroom from across the country. You need to find something for them to look forward to coming back to after vacation.

Talk About the Students' Adventures

Children love to listen to themselves talk, especially the younger ones. As soon as they step foot into your classroom door they will filled with stories about what they did over their break. Instead of telling them that you will talk about it later, use those stories and incorporate them into your lessons. Encourage students to write about them in their journals, take a few minutes all week long to let students talk and discuss about what they did over break, or plan a day for a show-and-share where students can bring in something special to show the class. Before you leave for break, encourage students to write down what they do each day or pick up something special (like a seashell) from vacation to bring in and share when they get back.

Prepare for the Chaos

You need to prepare yourself for the utter chaos that may ensue when your students get back from break. Not that your students are going to be bad ... but they may be a little extra wild for you. If you are prepared for it, then it will make it a whole lot easier for you to manage. You have to keep in mind that these children were just home for 1-2 weeks and they did not have a regular schedule to follow like they do in school. Many of these children may not even have any rules to follow at home, so this can make for a wild ride when the students have to get used to the routine once again.

The easiest way prepare for the chaos is to have low expectations. Do not plan on the students coming back to your class just as they left it. You do not know what they did or may have went through while they were away, so give them a day or two to settle in. You do, however, need to stick with your normal behavior management plan, but you can give them a curve.

Be Ready for the Unexpected

Think of each break that you get back from like the first day of school. You need to overplan and overprepare for anything and everything. Plan extra activities, plan for an unexpected fire drill or school assembly, and plan for students to be sick. This way, whatever comes your way, you will be ready for it.

Do Something for Yourself

Give yourself something to look forward to when you get back from break. Plan a special spa day with friends, plan on giving yourself something new for the classroom, or just plan for something that will bring a smile to your face every day. When you plan something for yourself (big or small), it gives you something to look forward to, and makes going to work each day that much more enjoyable.

Returning from midyear break doesn't have to be a chore or a struggle. All you have to do is overplan, set your expectations low, and plan something for you to look forward to. Once you do all of that, it will be smooth sailing and you can enjoy your break.
Do you have any teaching strategies that you would like to share with us? Please share how you prepare for midyear break with your classroom in the comment section below. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. She was also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com for five years. You can follow her on Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, on Facebook at , or contact her at Janellecox78@yahoo.com.

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Teaching Strategies for After Midyear Break

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It has finally arrived, midyear break! This is the time that you have looking forward to for months -- that much-needed time off after all of those long days of being a classroom teacher. But, you can't sit back and relax just yet.

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Different activities you can use to honor the student of the week in your classroom. Not time consuming ideas that will make the student feel important. 

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Different activities you can use to honor the student of the week in your classroom. Not time consuming ideas that will make the student feel important. 

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Young children love to be in the spotlight, and having a "Star of week" is a great way to honor each individual student.

The star of the week concept is meant for students to share a little bit about themselves with their classmates. By taking center stage, students feel a sense of pride while they get to share fascinating facts and stories about themselves and their life with their peers. It also helps to build a sense of community because students are celebrating each other every week. Each day consists of a new exciting event or classroom activities that relate to the "Star."

The specific classroom activities that you choose to do depend upon the age of the children and how much time you have allotted to devote to the project each day. It's important to mention that you must send home a note to parents explaining that their child is the star of the week, and describe what each day of the week will entail. Here are several different classroom activities that you can do. You will find two options to choose from for each day of the week. Do them all or do just a few, it's up to you.

Poster Day - The star of the week will receive a poster on the Friday before they will be star of the week. Parents are asked to help their child complete the poster and return it the following Monday. The poster will be shared by the student and displayed in the classroom for the entire week. Students are encouraged to add photographs to the poster and be prepared to answer questions about the poster from their peers.

In the Spotlight - The star of the week will get their very own bulletin board dedicated to them. There will be a large star with their picture in the middle of it. Surrounding their picture will be facts about the child. Children are encouraged to bring in pictures and mementos to add to the bulletin board which will be displayed all week. Students will shine a light (literally the student will be under a spotlight while his/her classmates ask them questions) on the star of the week. Students must be prepared to answer any questions his/her peers have for them.

Tuesday: Favorite Book/Sharing Sack

Favorite Book - The star students will bring in his or her favorite picture book to share with the class. Depending upon the age of the child, the student can read it to the class or the teacher can.

Sharing Sack - On the Friday before they are student of the week (when the star student is chosen) they will receive a sack to bring home and fill with any special items that they would like to share with the class. On this day the student will take each special artifact out of the sack and share it with their classmates.

Wednesday: Parent Letter/Special Duties

Parent Letter - Parents are asked to write a letter to the class about their child. The content in the letter is up to the parent but you can give them some ideas, like to describe a funny or special story, write a poem about their child, tell interesting facts that no one knows about them, or tell the class how proud they are of their child. Have parents send in the letter in a sealed envelope so their child cannot read it. The letter will be read to the class as some point during the day.

Special Duties - The star of the week gets to choose several special duties that they will conduct each day. Have a list of classroom duties that the student may choose from. Here are a few ideas: Line leader, teacher's assistant, classroom messenger, etc.

Thursday: Mystery Bag/Luncheon

Mystery Bag - The star student is asked to bring in one special artifact that is very special to them and hide it in a mystery bag. They must be prepared with three clues about the artifact for their classmates to guess, along with a background story about the item. Classmates are encouraged to ask questions about the artifact so students must be prepare to answer them.

Luncheon - Parents are invited to join their child for a special luncheon in the cafeteria. They can also choose to invite a sibling or special family member. If parents or other family members are unable to attend the luncheon, the teacher will join them for a special lunch in the classroom.

Friday: Friendly Letter/Star Friends

Friendly Letter - On Friday students will write the star of the week a friendly letter. Each letter will tell the star some positive things about themselves as well as what the classmate has in common with them. The letters will be bound and made into a class book that the child can take home with them and keep.

Star Friends - The star of the week will receive a class poster of the star that was on the bulletin board with their picture. It will include compliments from each student in the class as well as special drawings from the students.
How do you honor your star of the week? Do you have any different events or activities that you do in your classroom? Please share your ideas in the comment section below, we would love to read about them. Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, or on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators.

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Classroom Activities Honoring the Student of the Week

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Young children love to be in the spotlight, and having a "Star of week" is a great way to honor each individual student. The star of the week concept is meant for students to share a little bit about themselves with their classmates.

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A good example of making your students feel special. Star of the week. Good to use at the elementary level. 

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A good example of making your students feel special. Star of the week. Good to use at the elementary level. 

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Different awards you can print out for your students (including student of the week). 

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Different awards you can print out for your students (including student of the week). 

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Home // Educate, Decorate and Motivate // Award Certificates // Student of the Week/Star Student // Student of the Week Awards

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Steps to make a homemade display of birthdays in your classroom. 

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Steps to make a homemade display of birthdays in your classroom. 

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Tell your kids' teacher THANK YOU with this fun birthday calendar!

What's Included:

🔹6"X24" custom handmade wood board with 30 wooden circles(in the 5 colors pictured)

🔹Sharpened piece of Crayola chalk

🔹31 shaped-by-hand "s" links

🔹Two sets of Command velcro picture hanging strips for super clean and easy hanging, also making it easy to move.

🔹Easy-to-use Sawtooth metal hanger for hammer hanging if you prefer that over Command strips

Using chalkboard vinyl and paint, I created this custom birthday calendar that would be a perfect gift for your child's teacher! Because the names and dates are written using chalk instead of paint, your teacher will be able to use this for years to come!

For custom requests, please click on the "custom order request" or just shoot me a message! :)

⭐️The vinyl where I have written "Class Birthdays" will be blank since it is written in chalk and will definitely smudge during shipping.⭐️

SHIPPING AND HANDLING costs are $15 for the lower 48 states. $40 for international shipping.
I ask that you allow up to 2 weeks for me to complete your order.
I use USPS for shipment and will send you the tracking number once your order has been shipped!
Contact me if you live locally for pick up orders which means no shipping fees for you!

Tell your kids' teacher THANK YOU with this fun birthday calendar!

What's Included:

🔹6"X24" custom handmade wood board with 30 wooden circles(in the 5 colors pictured)

🔹Sharpened piece of Crayola chalk

🔹31 shaped-by-hand "s" links

🔹Two sets of Command velcro picture hanging strips for super clean and easy hanging, also making it easy to move.

🔹Easy-to-use Sawtooth metal hanger for hammer hanging if you prefer that over Command strips

Using chalkboard vinyl and paint, I created this custom birthday calendar that would be a perfect gift for your child's teacher! Because the names and dates are written using chalk instead of paint, your teacher will be able to use this for years to come!

For custom requests, please click on the "custom order request" or just shoot me a message! :)

⭐️The vinyl where I have written "Class Birthdays" will be blank since it is written in chalk and will definitely smudge during shipping.⭐️

SHIPPING AND HANDLING costs are $15 for the lower 48 states. $40 for international shipping.
I ask that you allow up to 2 weeks for me to complete your order.
I use USPS for shipment and will send you the tracking number once your order has been shipped!
Contact me if you live locally for pick up orders which means no shipping fees for you!

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Teacher Gift - Chalkboard Class Birthday Calendar- 30 Name Circles- Made to Order - $75.00 USD

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Tell your kids' teacher THANK YOU with this fun birthday calendar! What's Included: 🔹6"X24" custom handmade wood board with 30 wooden circles(in the 5 colors pictured) 🔹Sharpened piece of Crayola chalk 🔹31 shaped-by-hand "s" links 🔹Two sets of Command velcro picture hanging strips for super clean and easy hanging, also making it easy to move.

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Good ideas to decorate your classroom bulletin board that show classroom community. 

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Good ideas to decorate your classroom bulletin board that show classroom community. 

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Cute homemade ideas you can use to help the class show their individual interests. Also, good ideas to use daily in the class to create a good flow of positive behavior. 

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Cute homemade ideas you can use to help the class show their individual interests. Also, good ideas to use daily in the class to create a good flow of positive behavior. 

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Because I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.

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Team building games to play when it is nice outside

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Team building games to play when it is nice outside

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Team building activities or games develop communication, coordination, cooperation and team spirit amongst people. Let's have a look at some interesting corporate games that can be played within adults and kids.

Tennis Ball Transfer

This requires a large metal washer and a tennis ball for each group. The groups have to hold the strings and balance a tennis ball on the washer while walking and moving towards a plastic cup a distance away. Once the team successfully reaches the cup without dropping the ball, they have to work together to figure out how to get the ball into the cup without touching either one.

Tent Pole Game

Great Activity to do with older kids. Everyone in the group has to keep 2 fingers on the tent pole at all times. The goal is to bring the pole off the ground to a certain height without anyone taking their fingers off the pole. (Could go from a certain height then to the ground.) If someone's finger comes off, the group must re-start.

Hula Hoop Team Building Activity

They had to move the hula hoop around in a circle until the marker was back where it started.

Marble Runs

Simple Team Building Game

Human Table Football

Team Building Game with Balloons

Fill the Bottle

Each team has to fill the empty bottle, passing water from one to another with the palms of their hands without any tools. The team that fills first or the maximum wins.

Group Structure Building

Human Caterpillar Wheel

Team Building & Leadership Training

Give them each a knife and a marshmallow and have them build a structure where all knifes are touching at least one other knife and only one marshmallow.

Trust Circle

The group must stand in a circle holding a rope or holding hands. People taking turns to lean in and out of the circle to test the trust and support of others.

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10+ Team Building Activities for Adults and Kids

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Team building activities or games develop communication, coordination, cooperation and team spirit amongst people. Let's have a look at some interesting corporate games that can be played within adults and kids. Tennis Ball Transfer This requires a large metal washer and a tennis ball for each group.

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Ice breakers to use the first few days of school (could also use them in morning meetings) 

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Ice breakers to use the first few days of school (could also use them in morning meetings) 

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Building Classroom Community | Scholastic

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Read how creating a community full of character and student-dialogue can boost confidence in all.

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More helpful ideas to use in the classroom (mostly on the first day of school)

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More helpful ideas to use in the classroom (mostly on the first day of school)

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Last week in this post I shared how I strive to create a positive classroom community beginning on the first day of school. Right from the start, students need opportunities to build a sense of community and bond with their classmates. One thing I've found that has helped to create a positive classroom community in my classroom is sharing circle. Every morning after I take roll and lunch count, I call my students to come up front to the carpet and sit in a big circle. Students practice thoughtful, attentive listening while their classmates share one at a time. Everyone gets a chance to speak, and I allow them to pass if they would rather not share. Sometimes I have them answer the same question and other times I have them pull a question out of a bag. You can use any questioning prompts to get them to share such as: what is your favorite movie, song, book, food, etc. The ideas are endless! I like to change it up each day to keep it fresh and fun .

Another activity for sharing is to have students pass around a card with pictures on it and ask them which picture they are feeling most like and why. There are no right or wrong answers. They always come up with the most unique responses.

If I don't give students a bag filled with prompts or a card to pass around, I give them something to pass around such as a stuffed animal or a plastic toy microphone. All eyes are on the person who is holding the item.

Sometimes students don't want to share, and that's fine. I allow them to pass. After everyone has a chance to share, I ask if there is anyone who passed and would like to share. Most of the students who pass end up sharing at the end.

What I love about coming together for sharing circle every morning is that I can get a quick glimpse of how my students are feeling. Sometimes students are having a rough morning, and other times they are going through something difficult at home. By knowing this first thing in the morning, I can give those students extra attention throughout the day. It gives me a heads up and I will know to be more patient with them if they are having issues. Their classmates tend to do the same when they are aware. When I consistently do sharing circle, I have less behavioral disturbances during the day. Students get a chance to speak and be heard first thing in the morning and are less disruptive. Sometimes we talk about issues that are going on during recess or lunch. It helps them to resolve their problems so they are better able to focus on their classwork and sets the stage for a positive classroom culture.

At the end of the first day of school, I like to have my students get into sharing circle and tell about one positive thing that happened to them on the first day of school. It's a great way to end the day and send them home feeling happy about their new classroom. I spend about a week doing sharing circle first thing in the morning and the end of the day. After that, we get together for sharing circle in the morning only.

I have created a Sharing Circle pack for you. I hope you find the tools included helpful if you begin using sharing circle in your classroom. You can download it for free HERE.

Thank you so much for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week! :)

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Last week in this post I shared how I strive to create a positive classroom community beginning on the first day of school. Right from the start, students need opportunities to build a sense of community and bond with their classmates.

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Article giving examples of community building activities to do in the middle of the year, and why that is important. Great ideas! 

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Article giving examples of community building activities to do in the middle of the year, and why that is important. Great ideas! 

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There are affiliate links in many of the posts on this site. This means your purchase supports myself, my business, and my family when you click through to buy - at no additional cost to you. This site also uses cookies. Please see our full Disclosure & Privacy Policy for all details. Thank you!
For those first weeks of school in September, most teachers are doing a lot of classroom community building activities. I teach ESL to 5 th, 6 th , and 7 th graders at the moment. In September, my walls are full of world maps where students mark their home countries, pages from all-about-me-books, and the results of lots of collaborative team-building activities. We all know that icebreakers and community builders create a friendly and safe learning environment. They help students bond and make friends, as well as alleviating that "new" feeling students get. And it's also a great way for me to learn about my student's interests and home lives. That way I can adapt the class to my students' lives.

But what about after that first week or so? How many of us go back and give students a structured time in class to reconnect and reshare? It's easy to get caught up in the rollercoaster rush that is teaching, but here are a few reasons why it's worth taking time to revisit getting-to-know-you activities. And the beginning of the second term is a great time to do it. Even if your classes have started up again, it's not too late to check in with students and reinforce that strong classroom community. Here's a few reasons why I do mid-year community building (in fact I do it year round) and some of my favorite activities for it.

Changing life situations

Our students' lives change. Even though winter break seems all too short, a lot can happen. Students get presents that can launch a new hobby, a new way of seeing themselves. They see cousins and uncles and aunts that they don't normally see. They may go to new places and try new activities. At a time when students are starting to shape their own identities, even seemingly small changes can feel dramatic. And of course at any time, students may experience real dramatic events-they may move house or a parent may lose a job. When my dog passed away in sixth grade, I was pretty devastated and I appreciated the teacher publicly telling me how sorry she was.

Now, we know that students will share their new presents and adventures and insights with their favorite teacher and their friends. But it's also nice to give them a chance to share with the class, to process how it changes their identity, and find out that others are going through similar changes.

An activity I like to do to check in is the 3-2-1 Introduction. Have students write 3 things that are new in their lives, 2 things that have stayed the same, and 1 thing they are looking forward to in the near future. Then, have them share their sentences with a partner. Finally, have each student share one thing about themselves and one thing about their partner with the class. Of course, it's easy to adapt this activity by changing the categories of things students share.

Changing interests

Along with changing lives come changing interests. I remember a well-read student who was crazy about John Grisham for three months before discovering Stephen King. Well that led him to horror movies where he discovered John Carpenter. Since I like to tailor my lessons to my students' interests, it's nice to let them share those interests. You can use the 3-2-1 Introduction, I discussed above with students sharing 3 things they like to do, 2 things they don't like, and 1 dream job.

Another great activity is a variation of Who Wrote That? Have students write two hobbies or interests on a piece of paper. Collect the papers, mix them up, and hand out two random slips to the students. The students' job is to find the person who wrote each paper. To do this, they must ask questions such as, "Do you like reading?" or "Who's your favorite author?" Then have each student report back to the class one thing they learned about a classmate.

Changing dynamics

School is a microcosm of society and often the volume is turned up to 11. The kid who bullied you in December is your lab partner in January. Your best friend went skiing for the holidays while you stayed home and now you don't know how to deal with this feeling of jealousy. Without letting students spread gossip or snipe at each other, it's nice to acknowledge that relationships and friendships do matter.

You want students to know that, regardless of social dynamics, they have to work together as a class. They don't have to be best friends with everyone, but they do need to be helpful and respectful. Activities where students work together toward the same goal are great ways to practice putting aside social dynamics in class. Have your students do a group project like following a plan to build something out of Legos following a plan or solving a complicated mystery.

Changing needs and goals

Finally, especially as an ESL teacher, I like to do needs evaluations in the first week of class or so. It helps me shape my class to give my students the skills they need. Even outside ESL class, in a new semester students are taking new classes or the focus of the class changes. My 6 th graders have life science all year, but in the second semester, the focus shifts to human life and biology. In other classes, students do more practical hands-on stuff in the second semester, having spent the first semester mostly studying. That means students are using new skill sets and knowledge bases. Students who excelled in October may struggle in February. It's useful to check in and see how student needs have changed.

A great easy evaluation that can be done any time in the year is an Often, Sometimes, Rarely Evaluation. Have students draw 3 columns on a piece of paper. At the top, have them write Often, Sometimes, and Rarely. Now have them write various things they do in English (or ways they use math, or times they need calming techniques, or whatever it is that you are teaching) in the appropriate columns. You can even have them indicate the really important tasks with a big star.

Have them share their evaluations in a small group, looking for similarities or differences. They can then report to the class what their members need to do most in class. Obviously, make sure that you collect and keep these evaluations. Pay attention to the class needs and also how individual students' needs change over time.

I hope this article has convinced you to keep doing community builders mid-year and year round. Our students, like all human beings, are works in progress. We need to work continuously to build and maintain strong, respectful learning communities in our classrooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walton Burns is a teacher and award-winning materials writer from Connecticut who began his career teaching in the Peace Corps in the South Pacific. Since then, he has taught around the world. As a writer, he has been on the author team of two textbooks and written lesson plans and activities for private language schools. Check out his book of icebreakers and classroom community builders, 50 Activities for the First Day of School, and his Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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Mid-Year Community Building - A Guest Blog on HoJo's Teaching

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There are affiliate links in many of the posts on this site. This means your purchase supports myself, my business, and my family when you click through to buy - at no additional cost to you. This site also uses cookies. Please see our full Disclosure & Privacy Policy for all details.

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Cards that can be used to help the students get to know each other. 

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Cards that can be used to help the students get to know each other. 

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Cutie picture of an idea of creating a community in the classroom. This would be used in younger grade levels 

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Cutie picture of an idea of creating a community in the classroom. This would be used in younger grade levels 

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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPVYi60jOCM/UAXv6WlKE9I/AAAAAAAAC0o/GQoUTG11Rec/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-07-16+at+5.10.55+PM.png

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Helpful "getting to know me" activities that are good for the first week of school. 

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Helpful "getting to know me" activities that are good for the first week of school. 

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AATT: 5 Back-to-School Community Building Activities

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Back-to-School time is here! Yesterday was the first day of our teacher work week, and the hallways were buzzing with talk about first-day-of-school activities. So...in the spirit of exchanging ideas, this week's episode of Ask-a-Teacher Tuesday is dedicated to just this.

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Great video showing what a good classroom community and cooperation should look like 

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Great video showing what a good classroom community and cooperation should look like 

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Different lesson plans and activities you can use to create a better classroom community. good for younger grades. 

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Different lesson plans and activities you can use to create a better classroom community. good for younger grades. 

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Creating a Classroom Community | Scholastic

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A successful classroom community promotes positive social skills and academic achievement. Foster a sense of belonging in your classroom with these tips, activities, and

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Morning greetings. Helpful for daily morning routines 

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Morning greetings. Helpful for daily morning routines 

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Photo Credit: mattjlc via Flickr, CCL 2012

Last week I posted about powering up the start of the school day with a Morning Meeting routine. As promised, today I will share a few of my favorite "Greeting" activities for the start of the meeting time.

There are 4 things to consider when selecting your greetings:

1- Time: Sometimes you'll have the time to do a longer greeting (such as a circle song that names each child.) Other days you'll need a quickie (such as the "1-minute greeting.") It depends on factors such as the activity you are going to do, the number of students sharing, and your plans for the school day as a whole. The goal should be to keep the entire meeting around 20 minutes.

2- Naming power: Try to go for "naming" power in as many greetings as possible. Greeting children by name makes them feel known, seen, and valued.

3- Comfort Zone: Some greetings are mellow and work well for a class just getting to know each other. Some greetings invite kids to let their personality shine and depend on an existing atmosphere of friendship and trust. Use your judgement as you go through the year. Your "teacher gut" will tell you which greetings will work for your class at it's current level of community.

4- Fun factor: Make sure to keep the greeting time upbeat, energetic, and fun. Each class has its own personality. You will find that the "favorite" greeting one year is not as popular with a different group of children. Try a variety of different greetings and "mix it up" to keep things fresh. It's good to keep introducing new greetings throughout the school year.
Here are 10 of my favorite greetings:
1- "We Are Here!" - This is a greeting sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell." The children stand in a circle and we clap a steady beat. Then we all sing,

"Andrew is here!

Andrew is here!

It's a great day because Andrew is here."

(While we sing about Andrew, he walks around the inside of the circle, waving at his classmates or giving high-fives. Other options include hopping around the circle, skipping around the circle, dancing inside the circle, etc.) I usually give them a few options and let them choose.) This is always a favorite and it goes pretty quickly.

As an optional finale, you can sing "We are here- we are here- it's a great day because we are here!" and let everyone dance at once.

2- The 1-minute greeting: This is for those days when you need a super-quick greeting. Teach the children how to properly greet someone with a firm (but not painful!) handshake, smile, eye contact, and a friendly "Good morning, Ryan!" (Tell them to be sure and say names.) Give them 1 minute (or less) to move around the room and greet as many peers as possible. Teachers participate too! *During flu season (or any time germs seem to be circulating) we switch to an "elbow" shake, fist bump, air handshake (shake hands without touching), etc.

3- Echo Greeting: Children stand in a circle. Each one takes a turn saying, "Hello, my name is _____ and I'd like to say good morning!" On the "good morning" part, they say it in a unique way and also add gestures. For example, one might say "Good morning" in a robot voice and add robot arms. Then, the whole class echoes the voice and movement by repeating "good morning" with robot voices and arms.

4- Greetings in other languages: It's fun to collect "hello" words from other languages and compile a class chart. Teach children the proper pronunciations and then challenge them to greet at least 5 friends in other languages (they move around the room to do this.) Or, for younger children, draw each child's name and go down the list. (i.e.- "Our next friend is... Ben! Let's greet Ben in Japanese. Konichiwa, Ben!")

Konichiwa (koh-Nee-chee-wah) is hello in Japanese.

Jambo (JAHM-bo) is hello in Swahili.

Hola (OH-la) is hello in Spanish.

Ni hao (nee-Ha-OW) is hello in Chinese.

Bonjour (bohn-Zhoor) is hello in French.

Buon giorno (bwohn-JOR-noh) is hello in Italian.

Annyong ha shimnikka (An-YOH HASHim-ni-kah) is hello in Korean.

Czesc (Chesht) is hello is Polish.

Zdravstvuite (ZzDRAST-vet-yah) is hello in Russian.

Al Salaam a' alaykum (ahl sah-LAHM-ah-ah-LAY-Koom)) is hello in Arabic.

Two great books to go with this greeting:

Say Hello by Rachael Isadora

Can You Say Peace by Karen Katz (Learn how to say "Peace" in different world languages.)

5- The "Jump, Jump" greeting: This is such a fun greeting and is also a great way to get out some wiggles! See this post for a description of the "Jump" greeting.

6- Pass the Hello: The general idea with this greeting is that students pass an object and greet each other. Everyone starts by standing in a circle. The teacher greets the first child by taking (or tossing) the object to a child and greeting him/her by name, "Good morning, Andrea! I'm glad you are here!" The child accepts the object and responds appropriately, "Good morning, Mrs. Antonelli!" Then the child delivers the object to the next child with a proper greeting and then goes and sits down in her spot while the object is passed on. (Having children sit who have already participated prevents getting muddled at the end with questions like, "Who hasn't had a turn?" It's obvious that students who are standing are the ones who still need to be greeted."

Objects that work well for this game are a soft ball like a koosh ball, bean bag or Beanie Baby toy, painted "talking stick", or stuffed animal. The kids love tossing something to each other but you have to tell them to name the person BEFORE they throw the object so the receiver knows it's coming their way!

* Fun Variations: After kids complete the first round, have them repeat the object pass/toss in the same order, faster and silently! They love it! Finally, you can also add another ball or two and have them going around simultaneously.

7- Hit the Floor!: This is one of my funniest, most loved greetings. (It's a dance-based greeting and your students' moves will crack you up.) Everyone stands in a circle and chants,

"1-2-3-4!

Come on, __________, and hit the floor!

We're so glad you're here today,

Hooray, hooray, hooray!"

Once a student's name is called, he/she jumps out into the middle of the circle and dances during the end of the chant.

This one requires some strong, existing classroom community for children to be comfortable dancing for each other, but once you've got that established, it's a hoot!

8- Snowball Fight: When the recycle bin is full of paper, this is a fun greeting to try. Give each child a piece of recycled paper and have them write their name on it. Then have them crumple the paper into a ball (i.e.- "snowball") and put the kids into 2 groups on opposite sides of the carpet. Signal "Go!" and give them 1 minute to have a "snow ball fight." When it's over, have each child pick up a piece of paper and greet the child whose name is written on it.

9- Cow Greeting: This one cracks me up. Children get in pairs. They greet each other for a moment (say hello and chat) until the teacher calls, "Milking time!" Then they take turns "milking" each other. One child laces his/her fingers together with thumbs hanging down while the other child "milks" the thumbs. (The child being milked can "moo.") Then they switch. So funny! You can do this once or let them repeat with another partner if you have time. (*Make sure the children know to be gentle while milking and avoid pulling down on the thumbs too hard.)

10- The Friday Greeting: This is a special one for Fridays (obviously.)

The class chants,

"Hello, ________!

The weekend is near!

What are you going to do when it's here?"

The child responds,

"Hello friends!

I'm going to ___________."

Class: "Got it!"

Then the process is repeated for the next child. (It is important that children understand that their response should be very brief- just a few words.) You can also clap a beat or add hand signs such as waving during the "Hello, ______" part or thumbs-up during "Got it!" As the class gets comfortable and memorizes the chant, you can work on making it rhythmic and keeping a steady beat. (I like to give drums to 1 or 2 of my students and let them serve as the "beat keepers." That is a very coveted job.)

So, there you go! 10 great greetings to get you started!

I created a downloadable pdf (freebie) so that you can have these greetings at your fingertips.

Click on the image below to download the greetings. Print, cut, laminate (or not), and bind with a binder clip. You will have a great start to your collection of Morning Meeting Greetings!

I'll also be sharing some of my favorite activities for the "Activity Block" of the Morning Meeting in my next post.

Do you have other greetings to share? If so, post them in the comments below.
Sources for Greetings: I have gathered many of these greetings from my fellow teachers through the years. I have also collected them from professional development workshops and professional resources such as The Morning Meeting Book and the Responsive Classroom website. Another favorite book is 99 Activities and Greetings. If you want more, check those links or simply Google "Morning Meeting Greetings." There are tons of ideas out there!

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Photo Credit: mattjlc via Flickr, CCL 2012 Last week I posted about powering up the start of the school day with a Morning Meeting routine. As promised, today I will share a few of my favorite "Greeting" activities for the start of the meeting time.

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Good games for morning meetings. Mostly for elementary level. 

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Good games for morning meetings. Mostly for elementary level. 

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With July rapidly coming to a close, many teachers are preparing for "Back to School"! In honor of this busy time, I'm sharing something I made and used during morning meetings last year.

Morning meeting is part of our daily schedule because it's such an effective way to build community. Playing cooperative games during this time helps students to get to know one another and have fun in a noncompetitive way. Plus, it's tons of fun!

To help myself be better organized and teach my students these games, I created cards that I could cut out and put on a ring to hang on my teaching easel for easy referral. When it was time to play a game, I'd grab the cards, flip through them and ask students which one they wanted to play. They grow to have favorites, by the way...and they weren't too shy to bug me about request that we play them!

Here's a preview of what the cards look like:

Most of the games need minimal or no materials or at all. I hope you find these cards helpful as you start the school year and build strong relationships with and between your students!

Do you hold morning meetings in your class? What tips can you share? I'd love to hear from you :)

Check out what other teachers have been up to lately at 4th Grade Frolics where everyone is linking up for Monday Made It!

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With July rapidly coming to a close, many teachers are preparing for "Back to School"! In honor of this busy time, I'm sharing something I made and used during morning meetings last year. Morning meeting is part of our daily schedule because it's such an effective way to build community.

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This article shows examples of books that teach kindness in the classroom. Good to use in elementary levels. 

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This article shows examples of books that teach kindness in the classroom. Good to use in elementary levels. 

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Do you have tattling troubles? No matter how many ways I have tried to cut down on tattling it always seems to creep it's way back into my classroom. This year is no different. I have decided to take a different approach this week and focus on KINDNESS. Kindness is the key!

Let me give you a little background before I begin.

(All names and situations have been changed of course)

On Monday the very first thing I heard in line was from Johnny was "Mrs. Langley.....Sally......" I stopped him right there. We weren't even in the classroom yet. I didn't want to start my week with a tattle so I stopped him and asked him to wait until we got into the classroom. Phew....crisis averted....maybe he'll forget.....
We walk through the door of the classroom and he yelled, "Mrs. Langley!.....Sally....."
No way.....not ready for it yet.
We unpack, we get settled, I collect notes, I hear about lost teeth, I get 12 students ready to leave for a field trip, I take attendance.....all the while this child is breaking in with, "MRS. LANGLEY....SALLY..." I made him wait.
Not. Going. To. Hear. It.Yet......(insert me drinking coffee here)
OK....it's time. I call Johnny over and Sally too because I'm pretty sure I need to tell her to stop cutting in line or something and I need to get the whole story. Sally cut in line (was I surprised?) and he told her she needed to go to the back. Instead of obeying him (still not surprised) she called him fat and cut in line anyway. In shock I look at Sally and asked HER what happened because I like to hear both sides first. She said she got out of line to get her backpack and he wouldn't let her back in and called her stupid. She then proceeded to tell me, "I am sensitive...that's why I called him fat back".
I took a couple of deep breaths because this was REALLY not how I wanted to start my Monday. Why can't they just be nice to each other? When someone wants to get in line why can't they just let them? If someone needs help why don't they just help instead of calling each other names and then tattling on each other???????
Because they are 5. That's why.
So deep breaths are over and we did our regular routine of how we can fix this situation. We talked it out and apologized. We always use the "I am sorry for (the thing they did)" and "Next time I will (what they will do next time)" outline for making a heartfelt apology. Johnny said he was sorry for calling her stupid and for not letting her in line and next time he will just let her" (That's exactly how he said it!) and Sally apologized for being sensitive and said next time she would think about his feelings.
This is what started my thinking about KINDNESS in the classroom. I teach kindness, good manners, and respect all year long. Why isn't it working?
Well first off....it is. I had to remember that I have 43 other kinders and none of them were tattling this morning. They actually were all working quite nicely while I spent 10 minutes talking with these two so it is working. I still came home and made a list of the books I want to read in the next few weeks to discuss kindness.

Elmer by David McKee Elmer the elephant, a colorful character because of his patchwork hide and sense of humor, tries to blend in with the herd but soon realizes he's happiest just being himself. I like to use this book to teach to teach caring, kindness, and empathy.
Unique Monique by Maria Rousaki Monique is all about being different and transforms herself in this book wearing clothes from her mother's old trunk. It's a great one to teach about being an individual and finding that thing that makes you unique.
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig This story shows how small acts of kindness can make someone feel included.
The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill This classroom classic is a great one to read when you are dealing with bullying. I also really love to read Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell around the same time. Molly Lou is my hero! Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes This book is a great one to talk about feelings. Everytime the kids make fun of her name Chrysanthemum "wilts". I love the play on words, but more importantly I love how it teaches people to think about others feelings.
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson This character learns how to get rid of an enemy and figures out a lot about friendship in the process. Great to teach caring and kindness.

That's what's in my tool box to teach about kindness. What are your favorite books to help promote a caring community in your classroom? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Tattling Troubles: Fostering Kindness in the Classroom

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Do you have tattling troubles? No matter how many ways I have tried to cut down on tattling it always seems to creep it's way back into my classroom. This year is no different. I have decided to take a different approach this week and focus on KINDNESS. Kindness is the key!

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Tootling.. The opposite of tattling pointing out positive behavior. Good to use at all grade levels

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Tootling.. The opposite of tattling pointing out positive behavior. Good to use at all grade levels

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Students with social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges often struggle to connect positively with their peers... and vice versa - children (and even adults) often have trouble connecting with students who struggle socially, emotionally, and behaviorally! In Schenectady CSD, high transiency rates contribute to the difficulty some students have with feeling as if they are an accepted and valued classroom community member.

If you find yourself feeling stressed about these students and spending an inordinate amount of time on handling their behavioral challenges, it is likely that your classroom environment is being negatively impacted. Furthermore, you may be concerned that a student's lack of control or social-emotional skill deficits are causing their social status or self-image to suffer, or notice a pattern of peer rejection, social isolation, or negative attention-seeking behavior. If so, you may wish to consider implementing one (or both) of the following best practice behavioral interventions.

TOOTLING
"Tootling" is like tattling, as it involves students reporting on other students' behavior to an adult, except that "tootles" are only about the positive behaviors children observe.

It is an appropriate intervention choice for teachers interested in increasing academically engaged behavior and decreasing disruptive classroom behavior; it has been shown to have both of these effects for elementary school students when implemented daily (McHugh, 2014; Rathvon, 2008).

Teachers can identify which positive behaviors they'd like reported, and may wish to rotate the desired positive behaviors (e.g., kindness, helpfulness) according to prosocial skills lessons or other character building themes, as applicable. A Tootling Goal can be set periodically and when it is achieved, the whole class can earn a fun activity of some sort.

This link summarizes each of the steps involved in preparing for, introducing, and implementing the best practice Tootling intervention. A brief materials list and suggested variations and considerations are also included.

"Positive Peer Reporting," sometimes referred to as PPR, is a best practice behavioral intervention that allows teachers to simultaneously help students who are experiencing social rejection as well as those who engage in negative interactions with these students.

PPR is intended to systematically encourage and reinforce peer compliment-giving and reduce inappropriate social behaviors. PPR has been demonstrated to help improve peer acceptance, social interaction and involvement of socially isolated elementary and middle school students, and also promote cooperative learning.

It involves teaching students about authentic compliment-giving and how to know they've received a compliment (i.e., providing steps and examples, included below) and identifying and praising peer's prosocial behaviors during brief daily meetings. Teachers identify the number of points needed to earn a group reward, and publicly monitor group progress toward this goal.

Examples of compliments include saying something nice about someone's physical appearance, noticing they were generous with sharing or turn-taking, recognizing someone's contributions to a group project, or describing how someone was helpful.

PPR's four steps in compliment-giving are as follows:

1. Look at the person.

2. Smile.

3. Report something positive the person did or said during the day.

4. Then, make a positive comment, such as, "That was awesome."

This link describes the steps in introducing, implementing, and evaluating the best practice Positive Peer Reporting intervention.
TAKE-AWAYS
These templates will help you get the Tootling or Positive Peer Reporting intervention off and running in your classroom. Please request assistance with planning and implementation and let us know how it goes for you and your students!

This blog post was authored by Jacquelyn O'Connor, PsyD, NCSP.

McHugh, M. B., (2014). The effects of the tootling intervention using daily reinforcement. Master's Thesis.
Rathvon, N., (2008). Effective School Interventions, Second Edition: Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Student Outcomes . New York: The Guilford Press, p. 134-146.
Skinner, C. H., Cashwell, T.H., & Skinner, A. L. (2000). Increasing tootling: The effects of a peer-monitored group contingency program on students' reports of peers' prosocial behaviors. Psychology in the Schools, 37 , 263-270.
Wright, Jim. Intervention Central Website, Retrieved 2/1/2016 from http://www.interventioncentral.org/print//behavioral-interventions/schoolwide-classroommgmt/positive-peer-reports-changing-negative-behaviors-

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INCREASE POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS & REDUCE PEER REJECTION IN YOUR CLASSROOM

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Students with social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges often struggle to connect positively with their peers... and vice versa - children (and even adults) often have trouble connecting with students who struggle socially, emotionally, and behaviorally! In Schenectady CSD, high transiency rates contribute to the difficulty some students have with feeling as if they are an accepted and valued classroom community member.

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A video and article showing a good example of building classroom community through complimenting each other. 

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A video and article showing a good example of building classroom community through complimenting each other. 

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The Compliments Project | Cult of Pedagogy

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If you want to build trust in your classroom, you need to see this video about a powerful activity where students give compliments in an unforgettable way.

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Helpful games that could be played during the first week of school

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Helpful games that could be played during the first week of school

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http://www.milkeneducatorawards.org/connections/articles/view/10-team-building-activities-for-the-first-week-of-school