1-2-3 Come Make Some Posters With Me

I've learned that when it comes to young children, keeping things simple is a recipe for success.  With that in mind, I designed this simple rules poster.  Use it to review, reinforce and remind. 

This is the latest addition to a lot of other posters and anchor charts that I have on TeachWithMe.com  Over 50 are just a click away. 

I LOVED using posters as a quick way to decorate my room and our hallway, for the various seasons and themes that we studied throughout the year.  Having taught PK, K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 12th and college, you can imagine the collection I accumulated over the years!  They were not easy to part with, but I'm glad to say they have been happily recycled.

Since I wanted to post the newest addition and blog about it, I needed a bit more of an article, so here are a few of my favorite classroom-management type posters.  I've also used posters as a writing prompt, asking my students what they thought and if they agreed or disagreed with the poster.  Click on the various hot links below to grab your copies.

"Please ZIP your lips!" was something that I taught my students on the first day of school. 

Since sewing is one of my hobbies, I had a few zippers on hand, so I took them to school, laying one on my chalk sill, another on my desk, and a 3rd by my reading chair. 

To signal silence, I'd hold up the real zipper and zip it shut.  My students would then pretend to zip their lips. 

It was a simple and effective way to start story time, and my students really enjoyed the monkey-see monkey-do zipping. 

Sometimes, we'd sing the "Zip Your Lips" song, when we prepared to get ready to transition or go somewhere.  Click on the link to view/download the "Zippy" posters and song.

"Owl" Be Watching is an effective, yet gentle reminder, to make wise choices.  Making students take responsibility for their actions and holding them responsible with consequences, is a must for successful classroom management.

I got the idea for my "Dear Students"  poster from Caroline’s 6 point-note to her 3rd grade English students in SC.  Check out her cute Tupelo Honey blog by clicking on the link.

To make your new students feel extra special, run off copies and tuck them in their take home folders or Open House packets, then display one on your classroom wall. 

Likewise, the "In This Classroom..." poster (another tweaked idea) is a nice addition to your classroom booklet.

Studies have shown that good readers are risk takers. 

It's important to foster the idea that it's OK to make mistakes, so students feel at ease making a "guess-timate" and taking the risk of being wrong.  It's simply how we learn.

With that in mind, I designed this pencil poster. 

Remembering to put their name on all of their work, was something that I reminded my students of daily. 

To help with that in  a fun way,  I taught my students this simple rhyme and then made it into a poster that hung above our "turned in work" basket.

"You get what you get, so don't get upset!" was another rhyme that I taught my Y5's.  This is especially handy if you have young ones who pout and/or pitch a fit when they don't get their 1st choice or color preference. 

My little ones were quick to pick up on this, so whenever a child carried on, at least one, if not more students would kindly chant the rhyme to them.

The other Don't Get Upset poster in this pack, is for when students cop an attitude when they don't get to participate, or do a special craftivity, because they did not complete their work.  This "Don't Get Upset" poster is a gentle reminder of the choices they made. 

 If you're like me, you hate it when children continue to whine and give excuses for not following through, staying on task, or completing an activity. This little "Make an Effort Not an Excuse" poster is one of my favorites.

If you practice the "bucket filling" philosophy or simply want your students to consider their words and actions, you may find the "Trading Places" poster helpful. 

Have you used the technique of "Put your thinking caps on?" I actually had my Y5's pretend to put one on, and then make a goofy noise to show me that theirs was working. 

We'd zip our lips and be ready to get down to business.  Click on the link for a cute picture of a "real" thinking cap that I made into a poster. 

Finally, I had to throw in a silly little teacher poster  to make an even dozen FREEBIE posters today.  I hung all sorts of paper "stuff" (poems, posters, quotes, pictures and notes) inside my cupboard doors that would make me smile, or give me a much-needed lift. 

We all need this boost to our spirits, especially if it's been a challenging day -- and the reason we became a teacher in the first place is clouded by craziness.  Thus, I give you my "Whew!" poster, for when you've had one of those days.  I'm sure you can relate, as we've all been there; done that!

Thanks for visiting today.  Hopefully you found at least one goodie that you can use in your classroom, as you prepare for a "clean slate" and exciting brand new year. 

A zillion more ideas are floating through my head, so I'm off to jot them down before they disappear like my summer seems to be doing!

"There's no tired, like teacher tired at the end of the first, last, or party day!"

1-2-3 Come Make Some Voice Choice Things With Me

I think if you'd poll young children about voice volume they'd say loud or soft.  Little ones are just learning that there are varying degrees to those, and that they will be required to adapt their volumes and voices when inside the classroom.  

If you Google voice level posters, you'll get a huge assortment that are very similar and basically agree.  I also designed one of my own, but wanted to go a bit farther to not only help explain things to your kiddos and remind them of voice levels, but offer up some real classroom management that made a world of difference with my Y5's.

There are several options in the Voice Choice packet.  You can display the cards in a pocket chart and go through them with your students or hang them on your white board and put a magnet next to the level you want your students to be at.  Simply gluing a smilie face to the back of a large, glass flat-backed "marble" and attaching a magnet, is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to make one. 

If board space is limited, hang up the mini poster and then clip a colored clothespin to the appropriate voice level.

You can also explain things via the large posters. Show each one to your students and read the examples for when they should be using that voice. 

You can begin by showing them the picture and reading the name of each voice level, in the appropriate volume.

i.e. If you are showing them the volume level 1 Whispering poster, whisper to your students: "When do you think you would use this kind of voice?" 

After they have shared their thoughts, read the list and add anything else that's appropriate for your class.  Finally, reinforce the sound of this level, by having students model the volume of that voice, as they too "whisper" the name and number of that level.

As a review, after you explain the voice choice concept, put the number cards in a container, and have students pick one.  They share when they would use that number voice level. 

Another way to play this game, is to have students say the words “Voice Choice” in whatever number level that's on their card and have the other children guess what number they are modeling.

You can also use these voice-level number cards to remind students what level they should be on, by quietly placing the appropriate number on their desk or group table. 

Once they read it, hopefully they will make the appropriate volume adjustment and flip the card over, so you can pick it up and re-use it when necessary.

Another thing you can use the voice-level number cards for, is to make a class book.  (Templates provided.) Whatever number a student picks, is the voice level that they write about and then draw a picture. 

Collect and collate the pages and add the cover, then read as a whole group with the entire class.  Each child comes up and shares their page using the #4 sharing voice level.

Besides the number cards, I also made several designs for "Quiet Cards."  Print, laminate and trim the cards and keep them in a narrow basket on your chalk sill, under your voice choice poster. 

As with the number cards, without a word, you place the appropriate card on a child's desk or group table.  This is a great way to silently encourage students, as well as have children adjust their behavior or voice levels, without disturbing the class or bringing negative attention to someone.

Another quiet way to remind your students to adjust their voice level, is with the paper STOP sign.  Simply run off the pattern on red construction paper; fill in the letters with white crayon or paint; laminate; trim and put on a craft stick.

Without a word, and with a grand flourish, (they'll spot the movement) hold up the sign when students are not at the appropriate voice level.  With your other hand, hold up the appropriate number of fingers to show what voice-level number students should be using. 

Keep holding up the sign and fingers ’til everyone has their hand up with the correct number of fingers showing. If they should be at zero, with their lips zipped, put your index finger on your lips as if saying Shhhh, and stare at specific noisy students with your best “teacher look.”   I also made matching "quiet cards" that you can use as well. 

I've included a "Please zip your lips" and a "Shhhhhh!" poster.  These could also be mounted on a large Popsicle or paint stick.  If students don't notice your "grand flourish" as you hold one of these up, and are not adjusting their volume, you can signal them with the tinkling sound of a bell, or flicking the lights off and then on. 

These were a few more quiet ways I got my students' attention. I also hung a lovely sounding wind chime, next to my reading chair to signal story time.  You could use one for your volume adjustment bag of tricks. 

Clapping out a pattern and having students repeat it, was also a successful sound signal for me.  Make sure you explain these sound signals to your students, so they know what you're expecting from them.  Equally important, is having a consequence if they don't make changes. 

If most of your students are doing a wonderful job with their voice choices, you can reinforce their great behavior by giving them a praise bookmark.  They come in full color, as well as black line. 

Unfortunately, there always seem to be a few stragglers, who need a bit more reminding.  Self control was probably one of the top reasons I always had more boys than girls in my Y5's classes.  With them in mind, I designed some positive reinforcement voice control activities for you and included them in this packet.  

Z is for zipper and  ZIPPING your lips.  You can send one of the "I'm having trouble zipping my lips" poster-notes home to a child's parents, or have them color it while they sit in your Time Out or Think chair. This is an easy way to communicate with parents and enlist their help.

Every year I had at least one child with ADHD. An effective behavior modification technique with them, was to earn the right to connect a dot on their paper to make a mystery picture.  Whenever they modeled the appropriate behavior that we were working on, they got to connect another dot. 

This was super-simple, quick and easy for me.  If they completed their picture that day, they received the agreed upon "prize."  If not, they could continue the next day.  Thus, I also made the "Z is for zipping" paper,  into "color a star and connect it to the next one" -- voice control worksheet. 

Besides encouraging them to adjust their volume, you can also work on interrupting, and not blurting inappropriate things out.  I hope you find these techniques helpful, and that you are able to use a few of them to make life in your home-away-from home less hectic.   

This packet will be FREE for an entire year, after which time it will be up-dated and put in the Classroom Management section of my TpT shop. Voice Choice Packet.  

Well that's it for today.  The sunshine is calling me!  As always, thanks for visiting and feel free to PIN away. 

Summer: "Hair gets lighter; skin gets darker; water gets warmer; drinks get colder; music gets louder; days get longer; life gets better!" -Unknown

Behavior Bingo!

Bee-autiful Bee-havior Bingo, Is an incentive program to get students to model good behavior without constantly having to give a prize or something away.

It’s delayed gratification that helps teach patience and builds excitement.

Plus It’s a fun and easy way to reward students throughout the day on a daily basis.

The Bee-havior Bingo Board is perfect if you catch a child bee-ing good, completing a project 1^st, staying on task, when you know that’s difficult for them, helping another student out etc. all those little things that really don’t deserve a big reward, but behavior that truly needs to be noticed and reinforced.

A student is acknowledged and gets to go up and jot their name anywhere on the board.

At the end of the month the teacher draws as many letters and numbers as they deem appropriate.

The teacher calls out a letter and number, which match up to a student’s name.

Teachers/students decide what the rewards will be.

You can give certificates, classroom “bucks” that students can save and “buy” things from the classroom rewards store; students can get a trip to the treasure box, or get to choose a non prize type thing, like getting to be line leader, getting to be student helper, or get to eat lunch with the teacher etc.  I have a list of over 100 such activities if you like that sort of idea.

Click on the link to view/download 100+ Behavior Rewards.

Obviously the more times you are caught bee-ing wonderful, and get to write your name on the Bingo Board, the more likely you are to get a “bingo” and receive a prize.

I have a bingo board for each month.

You can mount these on an appropriate monthly color of construction paper, laminate them and have students use dry erase markers, so you can reuse them or simply run them off each year.

For sure laminate the BINGO letter and number cards.

I’ve also included mini- Buzzin’ By Happy Grams to send home with students who win the monthly Bingo Games.

I hope you enjoy this behavior modification technique.  I think your students will.

It’s easy to implement, simple to keep track of and fun for your kiddo’s.

Click on the link to view/download INDIVIDUAL Bee-autiful Bee-havior Bingo

The individual Bee-autiful Bee-havior Bingo goes well with the whole group 100-chart  Bee-autiful Bee-havior bingo.

Click on the link to view/download that packet.

Feel free to PIN anything you find helpful on my sight and thanks for visiting.

I hope you can come back tomorrow for another new idea!

Home-School Connections: Life Made Simpler

“What did you do in school today?” How many times have you asked your own children that question?  How many times have they answered with just a few words, leaving you wondering if they did anything?

On the other side of the coin, are you a teacher that needs a quick checklist so that you can easily communicate with parents of a child who’s on a behavior modification program, so you can let them know what they did and how their conduct was for the day?

I designed a quick home-school connection chart that’s easy to fill out.  You can simply check the circles, or get more in-depth by jotting down specifics next to the subjects.

I’ve designed one for boys as well as girls.  This form can be filled out by the teacher or by older students.

I hope it makes your life a little easier.  Enjoy!

Click on the link to view/download Today I Did Checklist Chart

Do you have a form that works for you?  I’d enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com or feel free to leave a comment here, especially if you use an idea of mine.  Thanks in advance for your time.

I hope you can pop on over tomorrow for more teaching tips.

Thanks for visiting today.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

Alternatives to the Treasure Box: 100+ Behavior Rewards

It’s getting that time of year when students are filled with lots of energy!

Sometimes the weather is a bit rainy and inside recess just doesn’t help get all of those wiggles out.

I find that having behavior incentives truly helps motivate children and gives them that extra incentive to try a bit harder.

The jury is out in many schools about the proverbial treasure box.

Are rewards good or do they do harm?  Whether a reward system is intrinsic or a thing, it is in our society to stay.

Adults go for the raise, the bonus, the extra paid vacation day, the free trip for the highest sales etc.

Yet constantly rewarding children with a trip to the treasure box can lose its impact too, so one day I decided to let my fingers do the clicking through the Internet, to see if anyone had done any surveys or studies, or taken any polls, on what students liked as rewards.

Incredible as it sounded, many students liked to DO a special thing rather than have a prize, such as be line leader, student helper, or message/errand person, to name a few TOP jobs.  With that in mind, I whipped together a list of 100+ rewards.

Switching desks and eating lunch with the teacher or sitting on a bean bag or at the teacher’s desk, were also high on the list of “woo-hoo’s”, as well as phoning home, or receiving a certificate or happy gram of praise, to share the great news with parents.

Something that isn’t often seen in a treasure box, but coveted by kids, are trophies and medals.

Anyway, before you shell out big bucks for your treasure box, you may want to check out this list, and make a few coupons for special treats your students will truly treasure and “behave for!” What a win-win.

Why not enlist their help and ASK them what’s their hot button.  To jumpstart their imaginations, read them the list and highlight the ones they think are the best.  Enjoy the good behavior to come!

Hope you can pop back tomorrow for more tips and tricks! Do you have one you'd like to share? 

I'd enjoy hearing from you dianehen@teachwithme.com or feel free to post a comment here, especially if you use one of my ideas, which you can PIN if you think it may help someone! Thanks in advance for making the time to do that.

Having Fun Behaving!

Since the star student flags and encouragement cards were such a big hit, I decided to write one more article on behavior modification.

100-Chart Bingo is also a quick, easy and fun way to help improve student behavior. This tip also helps teach math skills and cooperation.  What a win-win for everyone!

Here's How To Play:

Run off and laminate the traceable 100 chart.

Run off and laminate the smaller number chart.

Cut up the smaller numbers and put them in a container. You'll need another container to put the chosen numbers in.  I have labels for "picked" and "not picked".

Anytime that you recognize good behavior choose a student to draw a number out of the container and have a different student trace it on the 100 chart, using a permanent marker.

The tracings can later be removed with a Mr. Clean Eraser.

I find that if you use a dry erase marker, the color can easily be brushed off by accident.

When the class gets a "BINGO" (a straight line in any direction) they get a reward. 4 corners is also a Bingo. 

What will be fun for students is that the diagonal lines are all different lengths. Some are only 2 numbers long, while others, like the one straight across the middle, which includes numbers 1 through 100, is the longest of all.

At the beginning of the year, brainstorm a list of rewards with students, and list them on the reward chart.

You can either have students vote on what reward they want, or choose a number out of another container with however many numbers in it, that correspond to how many rewards you have.

Whatever number they choose, will match a reward on the poster and that’s the one that the students earn.

Also, decide what sorts of behavior warrant the choosing of a number. i.e. the whole class transitioning quietly, completing morning work etc.

List those on the "Just LOVE this kind of bee-utiful bee-havior!" chart. 

As an incentive you can list individual students on the other bee-utiful bee-havior chart and decide how many need to make the list in order to get a number drawn.

You could also draw more numbers for better behavior. i.e., a compliment in the hallway from another teacher or in their gym, music, or art classes =’s 2 or 3 numbers drawn; no one is absent, a great report from the substitute, etc. 5 numbers are drawn.

I've included a "Bee good for goodness sake bookmark, + 4 "Buzzin' By" bee-utiful bee-havior happy grams as well as "Caught bee-ing good" awesome cards.  

I truly feel that positive reinforcement goes a long way in helping promote great behavior and improving self-esteem.

I think you'll like Behavior Bingo because it teaches patience, as it takes a while to get a Bingo.  It also teaches teamwork, because it’s a group effort.

I like the teachable moments it provides. i.e., instead of the student who chooses the number announcing the number, have them give a clue: I drew a number between 30 and 40.  My number is less than 10 but more than 6, my number is in the 1^st row and is odd. This helps students really understand number concepts as well as look for patterns.

Click on the link to view/download Behavior Bingo Packet

Scroll down for the other 2 articles on Behavior Modification: Star Student Flags & Encouragement Cards

Do you have a behavior tip that works for you?  I'd enjoy hearing about it. diane@teachwithme.com or feel free to leave a comment here, especially if you use one of my ideas.  Thanks in advance for taking the time and for visiting. Feel free to PIN anything you feel others might enjoy.

Hoping to see you tomorrow for more teaching tips.

Calendar Paper Chain

Young children have a difficult time grasping calendar concepts especially the concept of time.

My students were forever asking: "When is the party, fieldtrip, or other special day?”

To help them actually VISUALIZE this, I designed a calendar extension called our Monthly Paper Chain.

Here’s how to make one:

• I count how many days in the month and make a color-patterned paper chain.
• We are learning ABAB or ABC patterns in September, so I start with an ABC pattern.
•  
• I choose red, yellow and lime green to represent the 3 colors of apples, because we will also be studying apples for a science unit.
• Each month I pick different colors that somehow match the month.  i.e., in October I choose black, orange and purple and continue with the ABC pattern.

•  Every day we're in school we take away (subtract) a paper chain.
• I review this math terminology with my students.
• I also ask them if we have more or less, if our chain is getting longer or shorter, if it’s greater or less than etc.

• We rip off the weekend ones too.
• My students love tearing off the chains so that's why I included Saturday and Sunday.

• We count forwards and backwards, (in English and Spanish).
• We also identify the pattern.
• The children identify the colors in English and Spanish.

• I have them look for any paper chains that have stickers on them.
• These denote a special day that we are looking forward to, like a theme day etc.
• We then count how many more days 'til we get to wear our costumes, have a special visitor, get to go on a fieldtrip, or have our pictures taken, etc.

• Besides all of the great math extensions, the paper chain also acts as a cute decoration.
• I've included a little blackboard that you can run off and laminate and hang from the top of your paper chain.


• There’s a page of monthly icons (Some are pictured on the right; September's apple is pictured on the blackboard above.) that you can change each season or month if you want.


• Simply add a piece of Velcro to the back of each piece, with the opposite Velcro button stuck on the corner of the hanging blackboard.

• Make your paper chain personal by making a copy of your class picture and putting it on the back of the slate.
• You can add the caption:  Who is here today?

• Click on the link to go to “How many days are left in the month?” paper chain things so you can view or print them.
• Be sure and pop back tomorrow when I’ll have another back-to-school tip for you!

Until next time…

Do you have a classroom management tip that you find helpful?  I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

When I taught high school, I remember running into a mother of a student years later.  She shared with me that her son still carried a dog-eared scrap of paper around in his wallet, with a list of positive qualities his classmates had wrote about him in my class!  Wow.  I never forgot that conversation, and the impact something so simple can have on a person. 

I hope this idea brings a smile to your students' faces and helps build their self-esteem.  Who knows, maybe someday you'll meet a mom somewhere and they'll tell you their child still has their Smile File! 

"I am not a teacher, but an awakener." -Robert Frost

Fun and Fair Ways To Pick A Partner

When it comes to children choosing a partner they sometimes find it hard to make a decision, because they are bombarded with “Pick me, pick me!” as many friends start asking to be their partner.

Other children feel left out because no one wants to be their partner, still others continue to choose the same child to work with ALL of the time.

I try to mix things up and make things fun and fair, with no hurt feelings, by having students pick a partner in a variety of enjoyable, sometimes themed-ways, that often carry an educational purpose with them as well.

Here are some of my favorite tips:

• Find someone wearing the same color as you are.
• Your partner is sitting on your left/right.
• Count off by 2’s, 3’s, or 5’s etc.  Remember your number. Look at the numbers on the board and see who your number match is.  (5 is matched with 10, 15 with 20 etc.)
• I buy stick-on bows at Christmas when they go on sale and make sure that I have at least 12 different kinds with matches.  I put them in two different seasonal bags and then have children choose a bow, stick it on and go find their partner.

It's Partner Time! Make this unique clock:

• Reinforce colors, shapes, numbers, telling time and have fun spinning by making my Partner Time Clock. 
• Laminate the students’ clocks when they are returned; help them punch a hole in the center with a protractor, insert a brass brad and use a paperclip for a spinner!
• Click on the link to view/print everything you need.

A Deck Of Cards:

• Sort cards in a deck of playing cards so that matches come out perfect and then have students choose a card and find their “mate”.
• i.e. the 2 of diamonds is partner with the 2 of spades or however you want to make it.

• I also use seasonal bulletin board border like apples or pumpkins and cut the pieces apart putting upper or lowercase letters on each one.
• Make sure you have only enough apples for the amount of children you have present that day.
• Put them in two different baskets/bags, (one for uppercase and one for lowercase) and then have ½ the students choose an uppercase apple and ½ choose a lowercase one.  Give them a minute to go find their partner.
• You can do the same with different colored shapes.
• Cut apart compound words. Write the answers on the board to assist students in finding their partner.

Puzzles: Who's My Partner?

• Use contractions and have them find their match. Write the answers on the board to help them out.  Use the squirrel/acorn cards in my free Take Action With Contractions Help Book
• 
• Use my seasonal  Partner Monthly Puzzles.  Like the apple pictured here for September or in February run off a copy of my heart on 12 different colors of construction paper, laminate the paper and then cut the hearts apart. 
  
• 
  
• Put them in two different “valentine” envelopes and have the children choose who will be their Valentine for the day.  Click on the link to check them out.
• 
  
• Run off, laminate and cut up my Number Puzzles, where the number 3 and the number word are partners, or the number 3 and the set of 3 stars are partnered. 
  
• There are 3 ways to make puzzles with these cards and a variety of other ways to use them.   Click on the link to check them out.

 I hope you found some ideas here of how to make choosing a partner more fun and certainly more fair.  (Hopefully “Partners Without Tears!”)

Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

 As always, if you have an enjoyable tip of how your students accomplish this task, I’d enjoy hearing from you.  diane@teachwithme.com

I hope you can pop back tomorrow for more back to school teaching tips. Scroll down for another picking partners idea: Pairing Pears!

"Example moves the world more than doctrine." -Henry Miller

How Do You Get Your Students To Transition Quickly and Quietly?

Sometimes it's like "herding cats" or getting all the fairy princess-ballerinas in a row isn't it?  There has been so much buzz about this on my mail rings that I thought I’d address it as January's Hot Topic to see if anyone will offer some of their handy tips and ideas.  It seems lots of teachers are having problems getting those kittens in a line and having them settle into "purrr-fect" behavior....I decided to sit down and write down as many tips as I could think of that I’ve used over the past 11 years teaching young children and I came up with a list of over 70!  I’d like to get this list to 100, so if you have some ideas that work for you please share! diane@teachwithme.com and I’ll add them.

Click here to view/print a copy of my article and 74 Transition Tips