I’ve been planning for the next school year. And, well, the spreadsheet format I’m using is a little tricky. So I’ve been learning some new processes, and I’m here to report—it has not been easy. I started out with a little surprise and curiosity. (”Oh, I don’t think I know how to do that, hmmmm…”) Next, I hit the gentle slope of exploring the new skill. (”Yes! I’m learning something new, and it makes sense!”) Then before I knew it–BAM!–I hit the wall! (”What? I thought…”) Anyway, I know I’ll figure it out, and then I’ll happily tuck this new skill into my bag of tricks. In the meantime, however, I’ve got some climbing to do!

Congratulations to Linda S. of Rio Rancho, NM! She is the winner of a copy of the Social Skills for Little Learners book.

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As I drove to work one day last week, I passed an elementary school with a sign out front signaling that open house was scheduled for that afternoon. It caught me by surprise because school has not yet started here. I always thought of open house taking place a few weeks into the school year. It was a time for parents to visit the classroom, ask questions, and learn about routines and the curriculum for that grade. So I figured that the open house I saw advertised was probably what I would have thought of as Meet the Teacher Day—a chance for the kids to meet their teachers before school starts. I brought this up to a few of my coworkers and we all seemed to have had different experiences. That’s why I’ve decided to ask you: do you have both events at your school? And what do you call them? I’m curious!

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A few weeks ago, I asked editor Krystle Jones to give us some ideas from her first year of teaching. Because the first year is such an important experience, I’ve asked two more editors from The Mailbox® magazine to share memories of their first days in the classroom.

I was beside myself with excitement that morning as I entered the classroom that my assistant and I had spent many long hours preparing. The lesson plans that I had perfected over the weekend were in my supersize tote bag, which contained everything except the kitchen sink and my lunch (which was still sitting on the kitchen counter). After I set down my bag and massaged my aching shoulder, I checked the room one last time to be sure everything I needed for the day was in just the right spot. Soon, my little ones began arriving. We had a great day getting to know each other, touring the school, playing games, and reading favorite stories. My youngsters all left with smiles on their faces that told me their first day of school was just as great as mine. As I reflected on the day, I realized that I had only completed about half the things from my perfect plan. Every activity took longer than I anticipated, plus we had several unexpected guests and interruptions. I quickly learned the importance of being flexible because some days are just not going to go the way you plan.–Tina Peterson

I’ll never forget my first year teaching! The bulletin boards were colorful, my lesson plans were detailed, and everything was in its place! I was nervous and confident all at the same time. I was wearing a lovely, professional, long yellow dress. At the sound of the bell, I expected to hear the pitter-patter of little feet…and instead I heard loud voices, rolling laughter, and pounding feet. Oh my! I had envisioned greeting each and every child as he entered the classroom but instead quickly moved aside as the mob rushed through the door and took their seats. Okay, so began day one!

It didn’t take long to learn that respect is a mutual necessity in the classroom. I showed respect for my students and, thankfully, they responded in kind. (Caution: It took longer than one day!) Then I realized how much children love to learn, even when they don’t show it. I used this to my advantage! When your students feel good about themselves, they perform better. I can say the same for myself too! With respect, genuine care, and persistence to teach the skills in a variety of ways, there is no limit to what can be accomplished! I wish you the very best as you welcome the pitter-patter or the pounding of students’ feet; they are counting on you!–Lynn Drolet

Congratulations to Jamie Jo Hampton of Friendship Kids Preschool in Greenwood, Indiana. She is the winner of a copy of the Early Childhood Ultimate Plan book.

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This is a photo of my cat, Newton. She is my baby. (She would like you folks to know that the camera adds ten pounds and the photo was taken at an unflattering angle.) For the years when teaching was my profession, I would leave school and come home to Newton. In other words, my home life was pretty mellow. (I was working on my goal of becoming a crazy cat lady.) However, many of you are with little ones all day and then come home to your own little ones. I’ve long thought that these are the people who should be up for sainthood. Do you have youngsters at home? Do you find it particularly challenging to be with youngsters during the day and the evening? Or perhaps you have a home filled with cats (or dogs). Send me a message and tell me about your home life.

Congratulations to Theresa F. from Glendale, Arizona. She is the winner of a copy of the K-1 Organize Now, May, book.

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BUY ONE, GET ONE 50% OFF

What better way to reinforce skills than with games? Students often get so engaged while playing a fun game that they forget there is learning going on!

As you start a new school year, how about taking Mix & Match Games with you? I have a special offer, blog readers. From now until August 30, it’s BOGO 50% on our Mix & Match Games series. That’s right: buy one Mix & Match Games book and get a second Mix and Match Games book for 50% off. Simply enter code WRAD at checkout.

Not familiar with our Mix & Match Games? Here’s a bit of info. In each book you get ten pull-out color games and ten different sets of game cards for practicing ten different skills. Now the cool part—they are interchangeable! That means 100 different possibilities! So you pick the skill a student needs to practice and then he picks the game he wants to play!

Here’s what other teachers have said about this book series.

I have the fourth grade math and language arts books. They are a wonderful addition to my classroom. My students loved playing them last year. They were always asking to play them again. I recommend these to any teacher out there.–David

I just bought the Mix and Match Games books for grade 4 language arts and math! I am excited to use them this school year. They will make great additions to my learning centers and give my students authentic ways to practice their skills! No paper and pencil!–Vicki

Click here to read more comments from teachers! Or click the links below to view a table of contents and sample pages for each book.

Books in this series:

Congratulations to Theresa F. from Glendale, Arizona. She is the winner of a copy of the K-1 Organize Now, May, book.

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I know it sounds cliché, but I just can’t believe that it’s time to get ready for a new school year already! Preparing the classroom for my students’ arrival was one of my favorite things about teaching. I know that establishing a routine can make all the difference in the classroom, so I’ve scanned the August/September 2009 issues of The Mailbox® magazine to find tips you can incorporate into your planning.

Preschool: I use this simple system to quickly and easily track attendance. For each child, I place a card labeled with his photo and name in a pocket chart. When a child arrives, he moves his card from the chart to a nearby basket. After everyone has arrived for the day, I know at a glance who is present.

Kindergarten: Looking for a way to keep small classroom items at your fingertips? Use plastic cups! Pin plastic cups to bulletin boards and place items such as nametags, calendar pieces, or manipulatives inside. Or adhere a strip of magnetic tape to the back of a cup, attach it to a board, and put dry-erase markers inside.

Grade 1: To keep your class list at your fingertips, type your students’ names using a small point size. Then tape the list to the back of your school identification badge. You can count on it to be a timesaving reference during fire drills and any emergencies!

Grades 2-3: I use a simple rhyme activity to signal transition time. I ask a question, such as “Are you ready, Freddy?” and direct my students to answer with a rhyme, such as “Yes, Eddie.” It’s a quick way to get their attention, and my students like to be involved. To keep students’ interest, I change the names periodically throughout the year.

Intermediate: To keep my hall passes from being lost or germ-infested, I use badges that hang from my students’ necks. I write my name and room number on the back of each badge, laminate it, and punch a hole in the top corners. Then I thread each hole with yarn and tie a knot at the end to create a necklace. These handy badges are sturdier and easier to see than handheld ones.

Here’s to the best year ever!

Hope

Congratulations to Theresa F. from Glendale, Arizona. She is the winner of a copy of the K-1 Organize Now, May, book.

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In my opinion, one of teaching’s best perks is the chance to learn new things. How great is it, when planning or teaching a lesson, to discover a fabulous new book or make a connection to a previously learned fact? Better still, how fun is it to get involved with students’ learning and have a new experience yourself? What do I mean? One example that comes to mind occurred early in my teaching career, when I taught fifth grade. Our students were being treated to a special three-day science and math program. It was a change from our regular routine and all the activities were hands-on, so of course the kids loved it! But it wasn’t just the students who benefited from this program. The fifth-grade teachers got a treat too—a helicopter ride over the surrounding community. While experiencing my only helicopter flight to date, I was able to get a different perspective on the community while sharing a few laughs with my coworkers. Another example occurred a few years later on a field trip to a local science center. We were observing various insects, one of which was a Madagascar hissing cockroach. The students were encouraged to hold it, but some of my second graders were a bit squeamish. Let me just say I’ve never been a fan of holding insects, but to assure my students that it would be okay for them to touch, I reached down and picked up that extra-large insect. Dangerous it was not, but I will never forget its prickly legs gripping my skin as it walked up my arm. I guess you could say I learned something about insects and myself that day.

Congratulations to Linda Powell of Powell Family Child Care in Eureka, California. She is the winner of a copy of Math Melodies, PreK-K.

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This is my pup, Lexie. Lexie has a delightful spirit. She’s sweet, curious, playful, mischievous, and very strong-willed. This latter trait has landed the two of us in not only one but three series of communication classes for pets and their owners! (We made some great friends along the way!) And here’s the thing: I paid a fair chunk of change to learn what I already knew, but I just hadn’t connected the dots between classroom discipline and doggy communication! I learned to be consistent, establish a routine so my pooch feels safe and secure, stay calm, acknowledge good behavior, have a sense of humor, and—most important of all—make sure my pooch knows I love her. Sound familiar? Now, I know firsthand that managing a classroom of children is a zillion times more challenging than getting through to a single pup. But I have to say that it sort of blew my mind when all the pieces fell into place. I want my pooch to be happy, healthy, loved, and yet know her boundaries. And I am glad to report that Lexie and I are having a wonderful time. We play, I laugh, she wags her tail, she comes, she sits, and she chews. But what the heck—I think perfection is totally overrated, don’t you?

So what are you thinking? I can make this multiple choice: a) Diane has lost her mind! b) Diane is a genius! c) Diane has made some interesting points. But seriously, I think we’ll all benefit from your insights into classroom management. Please share!

Your blog buddy,

Diane

Congratulations to Linda Powell of Powell Family Child Care in Eureka, California. She is the winner of a copy of Math Melodies, PreK-K.

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I’m pretty particular when it comes to how my office looks. Since I’m at work a good bit of the day, I like my office to be neat but homey. I felt the same way about my classroom. I always made sure it was cheery and inviting. The institutional-green cinder-block walls weren’t a big help in that respect, but curtains, rugs, rockers, and pillows went a long way toward brightening things up!

In one school where I taught, a custodian had painted murals in several rooms. I was one of the lucky ones who had a room with a mural. It was a gorgeous marsh scene, and it certainly made my room look interesting and fun. Recently I visited a school where it is a yearly tradition for students to paint a mural on a hallway wall. It not only spruces up the school but also gives kids a sense of ownership. Can you imagine how the kids feel, knowing they created something that others will enjoy for years to come? How cool is that? I’m always inspired by the ideas teachers come up with to make their schools and classrooms inviting.

Congratulations to Linda Powell of Powell Family Child Care in Eureka, California. She is the winner of a copy of Math Melodies, PreK-K.

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My young nieces love to go to summer camp. At first, I was afraid they would be homesick and beg to come home early. As it turned out, they were not ready to leave when my sister and brother-in-law arrived to pick them up! Kids always surprise me.

My dad is a faithful card writer, and I know how much those letters meant to me when I was far from home. So, when I found out that the girls would be away, I made plans to get mail to them as often as possible. My husband and I had a great time writing cards and sending silly jokes and notes that would comfort them and make them smile. In return, we received a postcard from each girl. My nine-year-old niece wrote in great detail about the horse she was riding during the week. She also described her best friend and told of the plans they had already made to meet during the school year. The card from my six-year-old niece was slightly less detailed:

I still have those cards and read them whenever I need a lift. With all the email and texting we do today, it’s so sweet to read them and know that the girls took the time to write them to us. Whether it’s a craft, a homemade treat, or a piece of snail mail, there’s nothing quite like something from a child’s hand, is there?

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