5 pages.

Get organized and make life easier with a book hospital basket.  When students are reading a book from your classroom library and discover that it needs some repair work to avoid further damage, have them fill out an Rx form of what's wrong with the book and how you can fix it. They tuck the note on the page that needs repair, so that the end sticks out and then drop the book in the "hospital" basket.  This is a special FREEBIE in my TpT store.  Click on the link to grab this easy, classroom management activity.

11 pages.

Including adjectives, enhances students' writing.  Here are 10 fall-themed describing worksheets that will help your students practice this skill. Includes an adjective definition anchor chart.

22 pages.
This is a quick, easy and fun way to have your students practice their writing skils and cover quite a few Common Core Standards.  Includes a page for the 1st day of school,  + a writing prompt for each month, and culminates with a page for the entire year.  Great for Daily 5 and to share with parents at conferences, to show improvement.  Completed projects make an awesome keepsake.

1-2-3 Come Decorate And Hang Up Some Posters With Me!

Has anyone else out there lost an entire morning on Pinterest?  I swear their new pop up windows with suggestions of other boards is rather addicting.  I kept saying: "You are only going to PIN and putz around here for an hour!" Well it's 3 hours later, and the "just one more peek" has certainly gotten me away from my "to do" list, that I now have no desire to do.

The good news is that I stumbled upon some wonderful quote boards.  I LOVE a quote that makes you laugh, nod in agreement, or come away with a wonderful bit of advice to reflect upon.

I chose a few favorites and turned them into posters, suitable for the classroom.  Hang 1 in your closet that will make you smile, when you go in there to sniffle, to remind you of why you became a teacher, as we've all had one of those days.  Print off some extra's and tuck them in the mailboxes of your teacher friends, as a sweet surprise on the 1st day of school.

The "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day!" poster is a great one for all of the above. My Girl, by the Temptations, is a personal favorite.  I thought I'd give the poster a unique twist by adding: "I teach!" after the lyrics.  I believe that all great teachers truly LOVE kids.  Children have a way of stealing your heart and leaving footprints there. Their empathy, sense of adventure, and wide-eyed wonder, can't help but bring sunshine to your life.  Their boundless energy, and enthusiasm can be contageous if let it. 

Click on the above link to view/download this "hope it makes you smile" poster.

I also like to use posters as little life-lessons; pearls of wisdom that can become writing prompts.  The poster "Remember you don't need a certain number of friends..." is a great springboard.  Do you agree with the poster? Why or why not?  How is this good advice?  The "Put yourself in their place" poster, is a nice "make you think" poster.  What does this quote mean?  Would putting yourself in another's place help you understand them better?

Click on the above links to view/download these posters.  If you missed the latest new ones I posted, click on this link to zip to the Anchor Charts & Posters section.  I have over 100!  I hope you find just the right one to add some sunshine to your day.

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.  If you'd like to see all the wonderful educational things I PIN, simply click on the "Follow me" heart to the right.  Be sure and set a timer so your morning doesn't fly by!

"So many PINS, so little time!" and "Thank you Pinterest for helping me feel so creative, even though I've just been sitting at my computer for hours!"

1 page.

A sweet poster to put up in your room.  Make a few for your teacher friends and tuck them in their mailbox on the 1st day of school.

1-2-3 Come Learn Some Hand Signals With Me and Take Control of Interruptions!

Ask any teacher what their students' most frequently asked question is and "Can I go to the bathroom?" will be in the top 3.  "Can I get a drink?" and "Can I sharpen my pencil?"  Will be right up there as well.

If their question was grammatically incorrect, as with the above use of "can", to help teach appropriate grammar, I'd often reply: "Yes you CAN, but NO, you MAY not."  I'd explain this from the beginning and pretty soon all of my students were learning the proper use of the word "may".

Young children, simply being kids, are often interrupting. An obvious remedy to this problem is enforcing the raising of hands. Because this is easily understood, I thought I'd take it a step farther.

If you want to go to the bathroom you make a fist and stick out your thumb. Displaying a specific number of fingers, to signal a need, has been around since I was a child, however, instead of putting up 1 finger, I found it especially helpful, to do the "fist and thumb" for a bathroom request, simply because my Y5's were often raising and waving their hands, but never with a fist. I could then see at a glance, who needed immediate attention.

This technique is so simple, yet really works. Start out by teaching the concept on the 1st day of school.  Choose one of the posters, print several copies, laminate, and hang up in several "sure to be seen" places in your room, and then practice a bit.

The hand signals are especially helpful when you are explaining something. No need for a child to raise their hand and state their need out loud.  They just put up a hand signal; you make eye contact with that student and nod yes or no.  This also avoids children getting out of their seats to ask you, and lessens "copy cats." Have you ever noticed how many kiddo's all of a sudden need to do something, just because one child got the ball rolling?

Some teachers add "Get a tissue" as another signal, but I feel if you need a Kleenex, because you just sneezed and snot is running down your face, no need to hesitate, just go get one and take care of business.  I let students know from day one, that they could get a tissue whenever the need arose, and then follow up with a squirt of hand sanitizer shortly after. In all of my years of teaching, no one ever abused the privilege.

Click on the link to view/download the Signal Me anchor chart-poster, and let the training begin! I've also designed a few more classroom posters for back-to-school week. To view the 2nd article I wrote for today, simply scroll down.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.  If you'd like to see all of the cute educational ideas I PIN, click on the "Follow me" heart to the right.

"In the garden of my loneliness, trespassers will never be prosecuted." -Ashleigh Brilliant

1 page.

A sweet poster to help remind students that winning isn't everything. Simply participating and following through are extremely valuable life lessons.

1-2-3 Come Practice Writing Letters With Me!

Just because a child can write a letter, does not mean they are forming it in the correct way.

I was extremely excited to purchase a font that shows arrows, that students can follow, as they trace letters. By using these practice sheets everyday, for the first few weeks of school, you will help your students learn correct letter formation in a quick, easy and fun way.

Allow them to choose a different color highlighter or crayon each day, or for each line. These sheets work well for a simple Daily 5 activity too.

I've also designed a page you can send home to parents, so they can help a struggling child, or reinforce the lessons practiced in school. Many districts require homework for kinders and this is an effective thing to send home that parents can easily do.

Click on the link to view/download the Follow the Arrows Letter Formation pages.

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything you think is worthwhile. My "Pin it" button is at the top.  If you'd like to see all of the cute educational things I PIN, simply click on the "Follow me" heart on the right.

"Winning isn't always finishing first.  Sometimes winning is just finishing!" -Manuel Diotte

2 pages.

Help your students practice correct letter formation with these trace and write alphabet sheets. One is for daily practice in school, and another is a note home to parents, so they can help their child too.

7 pages.

This booklet is an easy and fun way to assess your students' name writing skills each month.  To help strengthen finger muscles and dexterity, I've included a themed coloring page for great fine motor skill practice.