Friday, September 7, 2012

Highlights of my Week


I had a super Friday with my class! I just wanted to share some highlights of my week:

My students had good behavior for the most of the week and lots of lost teeth (3) in one week! My students are loving Erica Boher's Lost Tooth Club. One of my students even asked me where the club meets lol she was pretty excited. We are now reading Junie. B. Jones, Toothless Wonder as our chapter book during snack time. 


My students are loving Pete the Cat of course so if it gets them excited it is a highlight for me! They are really liking the listening center and doing well even though this is the first week we've started them. We have practiced for 2 1/2 weeks and this Thursday actually started rotating a little. I did 2 centers yesterday and 3 today. Usually we do all 5 in one day but I wanted to ease them into it and they are doing really well. We have stamina for about 12 minutes and then I usually get interrupted. I know with continued practice they will do fine with centers though. They are a quiet group for the most part but really love my attention sometimes at any cost. 

I saw this in a friend's classroom and knew I had to get it! What a wonderful tools for students! My students now don't have to ask me what to do when they are done. They can just choose on the the options.

I love using these awesome frames from Lakeshore! It is so easy to slide work in and out and the brighten up the room too! I just wanted to show you how they looked with writing actually in them.



 Another thing I love using in my class this year are poetry notebooks and reading response journals. I used poetry notebooks last year but I just love how my kids are taking their time with it this year and really doing an awesome job with highlighting, reading, and crafting a bit. I haven't used reading response journals before but I really like using them with first grade. Right now we are doing a shared reading response together on the board and then they copy it into their response journal. Later in the year I will have them response on their own after we've discussed the book. This is from a nonfiction book we read about Big Cats and Pet Cats today. This student is showing the similarities between pet cats and big cats.

Finally I am super happy to announce there were no fits thrown on Friday! Which has now made me day. I have one student who has crying/screaming/dangerous fits almost every day sometimes more than once a day. Thursday of last week he didn't have a fit and got extra computer time as a reward and today he got a trip to the treasure box because he didn't have a fit today! It makes everything better when the class doesn't have to listen to one of his fits. P.S. I have made a calming box with a special spot. He throws the items around and once it is finally worn out of crying (15-30 mins) will use the tools. Any other suggestions for calming down would be wonderful!

Well friends have an awesome weekend! Hope you can reflect on the highlights of your week with a smile.

20 comments:

  1. So glad to hear you had a great week! You need to look for the triggers to the fits. What happens RIGHT before they occur? And what do you think is the function of his behavior? Does he want the attention, he is trying to escape an activity, is he after a tangible item?

    Love to help you try & figure it out! :) You can email me if you'd like! creatinganddesigning@hotmail.com (I actually check that account more frequently!)

    Erin
    Creating & Teaching

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  2. I love those frames from Lakeshore! They are so bright and colorful!

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  3. Are those frames sticky and removable or do you have to staple them to the wall? Looks great!

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    1. They are not sticky they have hole on all 4 sides and I put them up with push pins. Thank you so much!

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  4. I am using a similar clip chart. I have never used one before, but my kids are loving it! I think I am going to post about how I use it as a reward each month and how the kids track their behavior!

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    1. Awesome! You should write a whole blog post about it. I'm sure others would love to see how students track their own behavior. I have my students write it in their planner each day and it works really well. Thanks for reading!

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  5. Do you have a copy of that "I'm done...now what?" I'd love it if so! :)

    BTW - You might already have one, but I am hosting a giveaway on my blog. You could win a free, personal laminator! Come check it out if you get the chance! :)

    Heather
    Sensational Seconds

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    1. http://inspiredbykindergarten.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-school-blog-hunt-day-20.html

      This link should take you to the I'm done now what posters!

      Thanks for reading and letting me know about your giveaway!

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  6. Would love to know where you got the "I'm Done" icons!

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    1. http://inspiredbykindergarten.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-school-blog-hunt-day-20.html

      Just found the link!

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  7. For the fit thrower I used to have soft animals and for some reason the petting of the soft animal seemed to help. I wish you luck.
    Jill

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  8. I just love your 'I'm Finished' idea. Would you be willing to share?
    Thanks!!
    Ang

    angelahouse77@yahoo.com

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  9. I LOVE your blog and I LOVE sharing ideas with others!! I just wish I had time to keep up w/ my own blog! I love the kinship it proves with those I have connected with....

    My student finally has a 1:1 aid after he ran out the front door in the rain down 2 blocks to a blind intersection but fell 10 ft before. My prin who was just behind us was calling 911. It was SCARY. He also esculates w/ almost no notice with no response to bring him down he has to go through a semi process --rage, crying, quiet. i can even start to see it happen and cant get the cycle to "break" even w/ a promise to the moon. :( He scratches, hits, kicks-- its sooo very sad. I am THANKFUL for my 1:1 yet sometimes it feels like NOT enough.

    Sounds like I have a similar student ...
    **Using BoardMaker (check w/ your SpedEd department) to create a pick card schedule
    **First, Next, Then personal mini board for my student to have has REALLY helped him stay w/ what is happening next RIGHT in front of him (even tho, he tries to re-arrange events lol) cracks me up
    **We just started "High Five" time (call it what you want) we had 90 minutes of no compliance (IN THE MIDDLE OF READING) Phew girl let me tell you...STRESSFUL. SO, we started w/ this activity then reward time then this activity only during that activity (to stretch out as we move along w/ success)
    **Schedule breaks every 30 minutes NO MATTER WHAT ....we needed something to be happening on OUR terms!
    ** two in classroom cozy corners w/ limited visibility & senstory items (rugs, pillow, manipulatives (one is open to everyone one is open to only 'said student') 1 person limit....amazes me how many OTHER students will go there ....interesting.
    ** 1 cozy corner in the hall for just mental break time
    ** First book, then game, later lunch. Over and over until he complies. We have issues with he waits things out until he get what he WANTS to do. So, just recently (last week) we have started no, math first, buddies next, buddies OUTSIDE next. Now, it causes a bit of freak out, but he complies once he realizes he can wait us out but the order will not change. I am OVER the moon excited about this one....it was bugging me he was still PICKING what he wanted to do....ugh!
    **We also have done the functional behavior analysis thingie. Our Area Education agency (AEA)has helped us w/ that
    **We are on waiting lists for a few consult teams from our AEA teams too.

    When my students becomes upset he often throws things ....
    Plan 1: Student leaves ....not working 2 weeks in. Becomes physical w/ staff :(
    Plan 2: EVERYONE (the other 20 students & I ) LEAVE. UP and LEAVE. Last week day 1 of implementation we left 4 times in 45 minutes! I was FREAKING OUT. I finally took over the library and we ran reading there w/ 1/3 of our materials. STRESSFUL. Thankfully he has not throw anything again. PHEW. Teacher 1 student 900 :D

    I by no means have the answers but I know that we have had 1.5 days of success and yet he had a "freak out" moment at recess and was brought back into our safe spot w/ adult assistance. RATS!

    We are still working w/ self selected cozy corner time. Using words instead of throwing objects our next task is verbal outbursts. Its at 78% of our day. :( But I couldnt have the run away from group and throwing things at 20% any longer lol. TO MUCH CRAZY!

    Ok. Im sure this is a novel. if you want to chat MORE and I would LOVE that to hear more of what you are doing that is working with your kiddo .....
    I am at shetrick@gmail.com I would LOVE that!

    Good Luck!!!
    Sarah

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  10. Love your posts here of different pictures...your website is fantastic too. Great to know that we are on the same track of finding the best educational resources for our students.

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  11. Do you have a TpT for your "I'm Done" cards? I LOVE them! :)


    kelcihulsing@gmail.com

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    1. Hey! I don't know where I got them but they are not from my TPT. I'm going to e-mail you right now.

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  12. I would also love your "I'm done" cards.... Please let me know how I could get them.!

    Smheifner@gmail.com

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  13. Hi! Any chance I could get a copy of the "I'm done" cards too? Thank you for your time!
    Stephanie
    spritchard@mpusd.k12.ca.us

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  14. I would like a copy of the "I'm Done" cards too, please. Thnks for your great ideas!

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  15. May I have a copy of your Im Done cards Thank you in advance.

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