Zero Hero Day!

We had a visit from Super Hero Zero yesterday for day 20.  I can't believe we've made it that far!  We asked our school secretary to be our Zero Hero this year and she does a WONDERFUL job!  The kids love it and are mesmerized by how she really hams it up.  Here are a few pics from her visit.

Super Hero Zero's entrance

Listening and counting to 20 with Zero Hero

She brought a wig so that the kids wouldn't recognize her.  The first time we had a lot of kids say "she's not real." or "that's the principal!" 

Enjoying our Zero snacks- chocolate donuts!

We had a great time learning about 20 yesterday.  We even did the Zero the Hero book that I found by Growing Kinders on TPT.  I am really loving that packet and I made the books that are included.  I would suggest it to anyone! 

I will be back to show you some pictures of our Aa  and Bb week and also some apple activities that we have been doing.  Until next time....

Megan

Another Week Down

We made it through another week!  This one was a bit more challenging!  They definitely were testing what I would or wouldn't do as far as correcting behavior.  By mid week I was about to pull out my hair!  I tried to introduce some of the whole brain teaching ideas and so far what I did introduce they have really understood.  I did the class-yes! and we tried the hands and eyes.  I am going to introduce the rules next week along with the scoreboard.  It will take a bit but we will get it I think!  I hope that it makes my life more stress-free. 

We have finished our color unit and we are starting with the alphabet next week.  The letter A is up first.  I'm still trying to find my way with activities for a whole week for each letter.  I don't necessarily like going in alpha order but I don't want to change my way and cause hard feelings already.  Change is hard and that's why some of the same things have been done for years!  I think it's time to break out of that mold.  One thing at a time though! 

We had Open House and I was very sad.  Our parent participation has dropped drastically at school.  I had two families come in this time and only four came into Meet the Teacher night.  Both of my Open House attendees came to Meet the Teacher!  It makes me very sad for the students.  What has our world come to?  Parents just don't understand how important it is to be involved. 

I have not forgotten my blog...

I have just been swamped and stressed with this move to Kindergarten the past few weeks.  But, we have started school- 8 days in to be exact!- and I am really loving this move.  It has been the best thing for me I think.  My kids are so sweet and loving.  I have a few stinkers but they are ones I can handle.  I can't wait to see what else is in store for us. 

We have been working on colors and will continue with that this coming week.  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was a hit with them and we have another activity to work on with that this week.  I can say there are a few things about the curriculum that I do not like.  We do journals daily and I am just not seeing the productiveness coming out of them...yet.  I'm hoping I see it soon!  I feel like it's art time because they spend the majority of it drawing and coloring.  I do have to brag though.  I let them try to write the date on their page last week and almost all of them could copy it off of either the whiteboard or SMART board. That was so exciting!!!!! 

I am going to try and post pictures of my room soon.  My camera battery died and I hate my school camera.  It doesn't take clear pictures.  I have to pick up my battery at my aunt's today and then I will get pictures taken.  Have a great weekend all!

Giveaway!

I don't usually do this because I only have a few followers but Little Warriors has teamed up with Deedee Wills to do a fabulous giveaway.  Go over there and check it out! 


http://www.littlekinderwarriors.blogspot.com/
(Sorry-new to this blogging thing and can't figure how to link with her button!)

Done!

I can't believe it but I am actually pretty much finished with my classroom.  It will be a work in progress as the year goes I'm sure but that's just part of getting used to a new grade level.  I still have copying to do and labeling names on everything. I don't like to waste labels so I want to make sure no one drops before I label.  I'm staying away from there for the next four days because we have to return on Monday for in-service.  I'm not looking forward to that.  I would rather be there with kids but it has to be done.  I forgot to take pictures before I left because I was in a hurry to get home so I could leave again!  It's been a busy hectic week! 

On another note, today is my wedding anniversary.  Hubs and I have been married 8 great years.  We've definitely had our ups and downs but I wouldn't trade him for anything though as he is my best friend and a wonderful daddy to our two little boys.  Here is a family picture from last Christmas.  Our first family picture since we have had both of our kids. 

A Little Down Today

I am a little down today.  I briefly looked for a new position closer to my husbands work place at the end of last year.  I did get one interview but it was for Title I Reading and it was only a year long position.  I just couldn't possibly be without a job for the following year the way education is right now.  I passed on the position and we decided to wait until after Christmas and I would start applying for jobs again as they come open.  We hope to sell our house next spring and move closer to his work and put the kids in a different school.  Plus I hope to get a rockin' new job that pays so much more than what my pay is now.  Well, yesterday I received an email that a kinder job had opened up at the school where I so want to work and put the kids.  There is no way that my school would let me out of my contract and it would be too hard to move schools at this point.  We start back to work on Monday of next week and kids come on Wednesday.  That said, I am praying that a job opens up next year at this school and I can get my foot in the door.  It would make everyone's life easier and we might all be a little happier!  Pictures of my room to come.....

Motivation or lack thereof!

Well, I went to my room on Wednesday and did quite a bit of arranging and dragging stuff out of my closet.  I meant to post pictures with this but I just can't get motivated today to do much of anything.  I was going to go up and work some more but I just don't want to.  It might help if I had some 3M strips so I can put hooks on the wall to hang things.  I need to make a trip to Walmart but I don't want to do that either!  So, as you can see, I just plain have a lack of motivation today.  Maybe I can get my act together tomorrow or over the weekend and get some things done.  I can only hope as I only have about 9 days left to get it together.  Maybe I'll even post those pictures from my camera tomorrow!

Same Old Thing

I went to my school today to arrange furniture and see what was in my boxes from my order.  I couldn't remember what I had ordered for my classroom this year.  Needless to say, the same old stuff that usually goes on there has already started and it's not even time to go back yet.  I cannot wait until I can finally say that I am out of that environment and love my job again.  Hopefully it will happen for the next school year.  Otherwise, everything is there and ready for me to start putting it out. 

To Journal or Not to Journal

In the past, my school has used kindergarten journals on a daily basis.  They start the morning out with calendar time and then they have the students draw a picture and write about their picture in their kindergarten journal.  The students are encourage to try to write sounds and make words but the teacher or an aide also write down what the child tells them about the picture.  Sometimes it might be a sentence or sometimes just labels.  Coming from first grade, I'm not sure that I want to approach journal writing like this.  I want my students writing to be more focused and have more of a purpose than just drawing and labeling daily.  This can be controversial so I want to say that I'm not trying to start controversy but would rather have some ideas of how other teachers have used journals or teach writing in the classroom.  What does your writing time consist of?

Miss Bindergarten Freebie!

I was perusing the posts I've missed while gone and I found a post on Kinder Kraziness that has an awesome Miss Bindergarten unit.  I am hoping to use Miss Bindergarten this year and this will be a great addition to my resources so far.  Go check it out!


http://kinderkraziness.blogspot.com

(Sorry, I tried to grab her button but I couldn't get it to work.)

Home Again!

Well, after a short trip to see my little brother late last week and weekend, we are home!  On the way out there we decided that hubby would try to change his vacation days this week to next week after finding out that he didn't have major commitments at work after all.  That means that I get to go and start on my room this week!  I think I will head up later today and work some on it.  It looked a mess when I ran in and saw the janitor last week so it should be interesting! I will take some pictures and post them later. 

As for projects I've been working on, I finished my Clip Chart for behavior last week and also I cut out story retelling props for Chicka Chicka, Brown Bear Brown Bear and the Kissing Hand on my Cricut last week.  I love being able to do that!  I hope to use the one at school more this year than I did last year.  The cricut markers are on the Cricut.com rewards website so I think I will redeem my points and get them.  I can make some projects and not use the copier that way. 

Welcome to my followers!  I hope you spread the word that I'm new on the blogging scene and send others my way! 

Decisions, Decisions

Wow! Have I fell into blogger land and found the greatest teacher blogs out there. I am so excited for all of the wonderful ideas and files that teachers have shared on the web through their blogs. It has definitely helped with my anxiety that I've found some awesome Kinder teachers out there. I have officially decided that I am going to jump in and try and blog about my classroom and the things that I do with my Kinders this year. So here goes.....wish me luck!

New Year, New Beginnings

The new school year is just around the corner and I'm anxious to see what it brings. I am nervous about moving to Kindergarten but I'm excited to do new activities and use new ideas. I hope to do a much better job keeping up with my blog than I did last year. Time will only tell! Off to work on some more ideas!