Showing posts with label Tales From K. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tales From K. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2015
A Favorite DAD!!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Survival
Monday, May 11, 2015
New Look-Make Over
Happy Monday Friends!!
Woooohoooo!! Kindergarten Squared had an awesome blog MAKEOVER! We feel so much cuter. What do you think?? We love the colors, we love the fonts, we love the cute little flags and the doodle arrows. Thank you Gabby's Classroom so much for our new look!! I think this new look may inspire some more frequent blog posts!!!
Enjoy your week!! If your blog needs a new look check out our friend Gabby's work. Just click the button below!
Thanks for looking,
Woooohoooo!! Kindergarten Squared had an awesome blog MAKEOVER! We feel so much cuter. What do you think?? We love the colors, we love the fonts, we love the cute little flags and the doodle arrows. Thank you Gabby's Classroom so much for our new look!! I think this new look may inspire some more frequent blog posts!!!
Enjoy your week!! If your blog needs a new look check out our friend Gabby's work. Just click the button below!
Thanks for looking,
Monday, January 19, 2015
Effective Communication- Happy MLK Day
Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great day and had a chance to take some time to remember the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Last week I went to an awesome training called Mindset. This training is specifically for deescalation. However, I learned so much that truly will help the day to day behaviors in the classroom.
I know every one's class is full of precious, sweet angels. However, sometimes these angels come to school with quite a few learned behaviors that well mixed with other learned behaviors can create quite a challenging learning environment.
How can we help??
Well most importantly, take 2 minutes or so each day just talking one on one with the kids! The number 1 aid in creating a positive learning environment is creating RELATIONSHIPS. Kids will do what you want them do to and exhibit accepted behaviors if they LOVE you and want to please you!
Be PROACTIVE! If you know certain kids have certain fun behaviors. Discuss them before the behaviors are in ACTION. Discuss the feelings attributed to bringing on the behaviors as well as what caused or could have been done to prevent the behaviors.
Sometimes behaviors will escalate even though you are proactive and have created relationships with kids. What should you do? Try communicating using the following steps to help the student associate a particular feeling with a particular behavior. While this may seem logical, it was quite difficult to do. We practiced scenarios in our training.
Always remain calm and be non-judgmental
1. State only what you see. This helps a young kiddo associate what is happening to a particular feeling. For example if a kid is sad and crying, say... I see you are crying.
2. Question the kiddo about how he/she is feeling. Example, I see you are crying. How do you feel? If a kid doesn't answer give him/her a couple of choices to help. Do you feel happy, or sad or mad??
3. Question the kiddo about the cause of the behavior. Do not as WHY. You can ask about who, what , where, when and how, but do not ask WHY. WHY sometimes sounds judgmental.
4. Question the kiddo about what you could do to help them feel better or solve the problem. You need a plan of action. You can help guide this plan, but ultimately try to put the planning in the hands of the kiddo. You can always give the kiddo possible solutions, but making the student create the plan empowers them be able to follow through with their plan.
We would love to hear how you effectively communicate with your kiddos to create the most positive learning environment possible!
Last week I went to an awesome training called Mindset. This training is specifically for deescalation. However, I learned so much that truly will help the day to day behaviors in the classroom.
How can we help??
Well most importantly, take 2 minutes or so each day just talking one on one with the kids! The number 1 aid in creating a positive learning environment is creating RELATIONSHIPS. Kids will do what you want them do to and exhibit accepted behaviors if they LOVE you and want to please you!
Be PROACTIVE! If you know certain kids have certain fun behaviors. Discuss them before the behaviors are in ACTION. Discuss the feelings attributed to bringing on the behaviors as well as what caused or could have been done to prevent the behaviors.
Sometimes behaviors will escalate even though you are proactive and have created relationships with kids. What should you do? Try communicating using the following steps to help the student associate a particular feeling with a particular behavior. While this may seem logical, it was quite difficult to do. We practiced scenarios in our training.
Always remain calm and be non-judgmental
1. State only what you see. This helps a young kiddo associate what is happening to a particular feeling. For example if a kid is sad and crying, say... I see you are crying.
2. Question the kiddo about how he/she is feeling. Example, I see you are crying. How do you feel? If a kid doesn't answer give him/her a couple of choices to help. Do you feel happy, or sad or mad??
3. Question the kiddo about the cause of the behavior. Do not as WHY. You can ask about who, what , where, when and how, but do not ask WHY. WHY sometimes sounds judgmental.
4. Question the kiddo about what you could do to help them feel better or solve the problem. You need a plan of action. You can help guide this plan, but ultimately try to put the planning in the hands of the kiddo. You can always give the kiddo possible solutions, but making the student create the plan empowers them be able to follow through with their plan.
We would love to hear how you effectively communicate with your kiddos to create the most positive learning environment possible!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
An exciting call!
Ok one last story from Vegas! We promise! Ok maybe just one more after this one, but this one is the BEST!
So, after the conference sessions there was a MEET and GREET with yummy snacks and refreshing beverages. As I was walking to the MEET and GREET, I decided to call Cristy and fill her in on the day! She was back in Georgia, wishing she was in Vegas and I was sad in Vegas, wishing Cristy was with me!!
Anyway, I was walking along and bumped into Deedee Wills. She is one of Cristy's absolute favorite TPT girls!! I quick handed the phone to Deedee!
Cristy was so excited! You could just hear the excitement in her voice! TPT super stars were super down to Earth, amazingly SWEET and very informative!
Hope to see and meet more TPT and Blogging friends in Vegas next year!
So, after the conference sessions there was a MEET and GREET with yummy snacks and refreshing beverages. As I was walking to the MEET and GREET, I decided to call Cristy and fill her in on the day! She was back in Georgia, wishing she was in Vegas and I was sad in Vegas, wishing Cristy was with me!!
Anyway, I was walking along and bumped into Deedee Wills. She is one of Cristy's absolute favorite TPT girls!! I quick handed the phone to Deedee!
 |
| Page and Deedee Will in Vegas |
Hope to see and meet more TPT and Blogging friends in Vegas next year!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
A little inspiration!
Need a little inspiration?? Have you have ever had a bad day at school or wondered why you do what you do?
Here are 2 awesome videos to help you remember why you have the best job in the world! You are a teacher!! YOU make a DIFFERENCE!!! YOU MATTER!!!
Let us know what you think about Kid President!! We think he is pretty special and AWESOME!!
Here are 2 awesome videos to help you remember why you have the best job in the world! You are a teacher!! YOU make a DIFFERENCE!!! YOU MATTER!!!
For Students and Teachers!
A Pep Talk!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
A Big Change
We just completed our first three days of school and are off to a great start!! So what's the big change!
Well Cristy is busy training 2 new teachers in kindergarten because one teacher moved to second grade and I....
AHHHHHH left the classroom! It is a super big change and has been a very emotional start, but I am working on adjusting to being an administrator (Assistant Principal) at our school!
So how can Cristy and I still be Kindergarten Squared?? We are still twice the fun and twice the ideas!! We just may be blogging from different perspectives within the school!
What do you think?? Will it work?? Let us know if any of you have experienced a big change!
Even though we are working through change and doing great I think, we are still creating awesome packs for tpt. Check out our Back to School Galore pack for first grade! It is super cute and will be very helpful getting those firsties acclimated to first grade!! Let us know what you think! We will send this pack to some friends who leave awesome feedback!!!
Hope your school year is off to a great start! OR- Hope you are enjoying your last few days of summer!!
Well Cristy is busy training 2 new teachers in kindergarten because one teacher moved to second grade and I....
AHHHHHH left the classroom! It is a super big change and has been a very emotional start, but I am working on adjusting to being an administrator (Assistant Principal) at our school!
So how can Cristy and I still be Kindergarten Squared?? We are still twice the fun and twice the ideas!! We just may be blogging from different perspectives within the school!
What do you think?? Will it work?? Let us know if any of you have experienced a big change!
Even though we are working through change and doing great I think, we are still creating awesome packs for tpt. Check out our Back to School Galore pack for first grade! It is super cute and will be very helpful getting those firsties acclimated to first grade!! Let us know what you think! We will send this pack to some friends who leave awesome feedback!!!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Million Dollar Tips TPT Tips!
Did I mention how awesome VEGAS was?? Not only did we meet the founder of TPT, but we also met an amazing LADY!! Deanna Jump is Teachers Pay Teachers first Millionaire!
Was it the the money that stood out about this AMAZING LADY? Did she dress in DIAMONDS and FANCY CLOTHES??? NO!!
It was her STORY that was from the HEART that made her worth a million dollars in my eyes!! During her story I laughed, cried and reflected on how I was living my life.
I won't tell her story, but just know, she came from humble beginnings, worked hard, helped her family that was in desperate need by improving the quality of their lives, and earned an awesome payout!! Wow- she deserves to be a millionaire, just from how she lives her life!
Why do I tell you about Deanna Jump??? She did give us some tips for having a successful tpt store.
1. Start a blog if you don't have one!
2. Network with the awesome bloggers who have been blogging already
3. Make great products and get them out in the world (email them to teacher friends or strangers who teach in other schools for FREE)- If you send it to them, they will come!! COME TO YOUR STORE!!
4. Update older products so that your customers feel you are giving them the best customer service ever!!
5. Keep trying!!
5. Be grateful!
Hope everyone is enjoying the rest of their summer!! Cristy is headed to the beach with her pals for girls weekend!! WILD TIMES!! I am headed back to work. Hmmm why is Cristy enjoying more summer, while I am headed back to work?? Hmmmm more to come..... ?
Was it the the money that stood out about this AMAZING LADY? Did she dress in DIAMONDS and FANCY CLOTHES??? NO!!
It was her STORY that was from the HEART that made her worth a million dollars in my eyes!! During her story I laughed, cried and reflected on how I was living my life.
I won't tell her story, but just know, she came from humble beginnings, worked hard, helped her family that was in desperate need by improving the quality of their lives, and earned an awesome payout!! Wow- she deserves to be a millionaire, just from how she lives her life!
Why do I tell you about Deanna Jump??? She did give us some tips for having a successful tpt store.
1. Start a blog if you don't have one!
2. Network with the awesome bloggers who have been blogging already
3. Make great products and get them out in the world (email them to teacher friends or strangers who teach in other schools for FREE)- If you send it to them, they will come!! COME TO YOUR STORE!!
4. Update older products so that your customers feel you are giving them the best customer service ever!!
5. Keep trying!!
5. Be grateful!
Hope everyone is enjoying the rest of their summer!! Cristy is headed to the beach with her pals for girls weekend!! WILD TIMES!! I am headed back to work. Hmmm why is Cristy enjoying more summer, while I am headed back to work?? Hmmmm more to come..... ?
Don't forget to enter the big GIVE AWAYS! Check them out BELOW
We have 5 products featured in our KINDERGARTEN Giveaway!
These are ALL products that will help make your BACK to SCHOOL prep SO much easier as well as keep your classroom running smoothly all year long!
Click on ANY of the product photos to take a closer look!
We have 4 products featured in our
1ST GRADE Giveaway!
Oh man, here you will find goodies that can make your teaching much easier as well as a Winner's Choice prize so you can look for just the right item to make you sing!
Click on ANY of the product photos to take a closer look!
You are MORE than welcome to enter BOTH giveaways if you think the products will work for you, but we did want to split them up so we can have 2 WINNERS! And so that you get JUST THE RIGHT products for you and your kiddos.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Ahhh Vegas!!
Hubby and I are back from Vegas BABY!!! It was AMAZING!!
Oh my!! We walked and walked and then walked some more! Each hotel was super cool! We saw 2 shows, went to an Ice Room for a yummy treat... hmm... get what I mean :) Yikes, time to get busy with a diet/exercise plan!
Feeling so inspired and supercharged after the Teachers Pay Teachers, Inaugural, Premium Sellers Conference!! Wow! Met some inspiring people and heard some fabulous stories!
Going do a separate blog post for each of the GREATS I met!!
Let's start with Paul!
Paul Edelman is the founder of TPT! What a brilliant, humble and truly amazing man! Not bad on the eyes either! Paul was at the conference with his adorable wife and precious parents! Loved hearing his amazing journey from traveling around the world to ending up in the classroom and then becoming the founder of TPT! AWESOME!!! Did you know he brought with him to the conference 749 hugs!!! One hug for each of his TPT teachers! What a thoughtful guy!! This company is growing at an amazing rate! Can't wait to see what the future holds!
More to come soon!!!
Feeling so inspired and supercharged after the Teachers Pay Teachers, Inaugural, Premium Sellers Conference!! Wow! Met some inspiring people and heard some fabulous stories!
Going do a separate blog post for each of the GREATS I met!!
Let's start with Paul!
Paul Edelman is the founder of TPT! What a brilliant, humble and truly amazing man! Not bad on the eyes either! Paul was at the conference with his adorable wife and precious parents! Loved hearing his amazing journey from traveling around the world to ending up in the classroom and then becoming the founder of TPT! AWESOME!!! Did you know he brought with him to the conference 749 hugs!!! One hug for each of his TPT teachers! What a thoughtful guy!! This company is growing at an amazing rate! Can't wait to see what the future holds!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
More Reflections-The Great and The Sad!
So you read about our Good, Bad and Ugly! Check out the GREAT and the SAD!
The Great!
Epic Greatness: Class Dojo
We loved, loved using Class Dojo! This is an online FREE (for now) behavior management program!! I say FREE for NOW (not because I have insider info), but it just seems every time we find something GOOD that is free and online, eventually it is not free after the world sees how awesome it is! Anyway enjoy free as long as you can.
This online program allows you to assign an avatar to all of your kiddos then award them positive and negative behavior points! You can customize the behaviors and make them as specific as you want. You can also give your kiddos their own code so they can create and customize their own avatar. We used that as an incentive for when they got to a certain number of points!! CLASS DOJO is awesome!! It made our classroom such a more positive place!! It was way better than that stinky old, negative Red Light! Click the image below to visit the Class Dojo site and learn more!!
Our kiddos loved getting their wiggles out to Mr. Marc during Adventures to Fitness! Mr. Marc has several online episodes that you can tie to curriculum and the kids just love them!! But guess what happened to this awesome site halfway through our school year???? I bet you know!!! Yep, they started charging money for accessing the episodes! There are 5 free episodes but that is not even close to the number available that can really align withe the curriculum! Sad news for us and for our kiddos, because as teachers, we can't afford to purchase them and our school doesn't have funds either!! Boohoo!!!
Thanks for reading!
The Great!
Epic Greatness: Class Dojo
We loved, loved using Class Dojo! This is an online FREE (for now) behavior management program!! I say FREE for NOW (not because I have insider info), but it just seems every time we find something GOOD that is free and online, eventually it is not free after the world sees how awesome it is! Anyway enjoy free as long as you can.
This online program allows you to assign an avatar to all of your kiddos then award them positive and negative behavior points! You can customize the behaviors and make them as specific as you want. You can also give your kiddos their own code so they can create and customize their own avatar. We used that as an incentive for when they got to a certain number of points!! CLASS DOJO is awesome!! It made our classroom such a more positive place!! It was way better than that stinky old, negative Red Light! Click the image below to visit the Class Dojo site and learn more!!
The Sad!
EPIC SADNESS: Mr. Marc- Adventures to Fitness
Our kiddos loved getting their wiggles out to Mr. Marc during Adventures to Fitness! Mr. Marc has several online episodes that you can tie to curriculum and the kids just love them!! But guess what happened to this awesome site halfway through our school year???? I bet you know!!! Yep, they started charging money for accessing the episodes! There are 5 free episodes but that is not even close to the number available that can really align withe the curriculum! Sad news for us and for our kiddos, because as teachers, we can't afford to purchase them and our school doesn't have funds either!! Boohoo!!!
Thanks for reading!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Sugar Problem & Easter STEM Project-Comments?
Ha ha!! I am blogging while my 3 year old takes a late afternoon nap!! Probably not a great idea!! I wonder who will be up with him when he is swinging from the furniture at midnight!! ME!! Yay!!!
Here is a real problem! Help!!! Please!!! Hide anything and everything with sugar!! We went on an awesome Disney Cruise and ate every dessert imaginable (including yummy Mickey bars)! The cruise is over, but I am still eating like I am on that fabulous boat, the Disney Dream!!
I really am about to go into sugar shock!! I feel awful, but I keep stuffing my face with M&Ms, Hershey Kisses, peanut butter brownies with butter cream frosting, Cadbury chocolate eggs!!!! Any advice with my sugar problem???? Those sugary treats listed above were just from today!!
Cristy and I decided we love S.T.E.M. lessons and maybe we can write our own! Here is our first attempt at creating a S.T.E.M. lesson. Let us know what you think. We added an emergent reader to help set up the problem.
Poor Bobby the Bunny lost his basket. He has so many eggs to deliver to friends! How can we help???
We can make a new basket for Bobby the Bunny! We can...
Design, Build, Test, Photograph, Evaluate and Redesign a basket to hold eggs for Bobby by using only paper and tape!!
Let us know if you found any great S.T.E.M lessons! Thanks for reading!!
Ahhh! 12 day count down until the Nashville Rock and Roll Marathon!! Feeling scared and excited!!
Here is a real problem! Help!!! Please!!! Hide anything and everything with sugar!! We went on an awesome Disney Cruise and ate every dessert imaginable (including yummy Mickey bars)! The cruise is over, but I am still eating like I am on that fabulous boat, the Disney Dream!!
I really am about to go into sugar shock!! I feel awful, but I keep stuffing my face with M&Ms, Hershey Kisses, peanut butter brownies with butter cream frosting, Cadbury chocolate eggs!!!! Any advice with my sugar problem???? Those sugary treats listed above were just from today!!
OK, sorry to ramble about personal problems!! How about a S.T.E.M. project to go with your Easter activities??
Poor Bobby the Bunny lost his basket. He has so many eggs to deliver to friends! How can we help???
We can make a new basket for Bobby the Bunny! We can...
Design, Build, Test, Photograph, Evaluate and Redesign a basket to hold eggs for Bobby by using only paper and tape!!
Let us know if you found any great S.T.E.M lessons! Thanks for reading!!
Ahhh! 12 day count down until the Nashville Rock and Roll Marathon!! Feeling scared and excited!!
You can grab this pack for 1/2 price for today only! Leave a comment and we'll pick a couple of you to WIN the pack for FREE!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Spring Fever and STEM
Who has Spring Fever????? We do!! It is so beautiful here TODAY!! But what will it be like tomorrow?? This GA weather is crazy!!
SO we are gearing up for Spring Break!! We are trying to keep those ANGELS out of TROUBLE!! Of course they are always ANGELS and never in TROUBLE!! But just in case they think about getting ANTS in their PANTS, what are you guys doing to prevent disruptions???
Well friends, We are having a blast with STEM lessons!!!! What are we doing???
Working in cooperative groups to DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, TEST, MEASURE, and REFLECT!!!
We built houses for the 3 Pigs, bridges for the Gingerbread Man, towers for Repunzel, boats for the 3 Men in a Tub, and traps for the leprechaun! Check out the fun!!
We asked the kids what they liked the best and most of them told us BUILDING!!
We also asked them what they liked the least and almost all of them told us it was hard COOPERATING!
Happy Spring!! Yahoo for ALLERGIES, training for the Rock N Roll Marathon in Nashville, warm weather, practicing for the kindergarten play and ASSESSING!!
Well we do love warm weather and training for the marathon is super exciting!! We ran 22 miles last weekend! Thank goodness that was the last of our runs in the 20s until April 26 when we run 26.2 (hopefully)!!
SO we are gearing up for Spring Break!! We are trying to keep those ANGELS out of TROUBLE!! Of course they are always ANGELS and never in TROUBLE!! But just in case they think about getting ANTS in their PANTS, what are you guys doing to prevent disruptions???
Well friends, We are having a blast with STEM lessons!!!! What are we doing???
Working in cooperative groups to DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, TEST, MEASURE, and REFLECT!!!
We built houses for the 3 Pigs, bridges for the Gingerbread Man, towers for Repunzel, boats for the 3 Men in a Tub, and traps for the leprechaun! Check out the fun!!
We asked the kids what they liked the best and most of them told us BUILDING!!
We also asked them what they liked the least and almost all of them told us it was hard COOPERATING!
Thank you Regina Davis for this super, awesome, fabulous pack!! We had tons of fun integrating language arts with STEM! Click the image below to link to this pack!
Happy Spring!! Yahoo for ALLERGIES, training for the Rock N Roll Marathon in Nashville, warm weather, practicing for the kindergarten play and ASSESSING!!
Well we do love warm weather and training for the marathon is super exciting!! We ran 22 miles last weekend! Thank goodness that was the last of our runs in the 20s until April 26 when we run 26.2 (hopefully)!!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
SnoThankful!
Snothankful in Georgia!! We are so very thankful for the awesome leadership in the Coweta County School System. Our school system is located south west of Atlanta! We are snothankful that we have been home safe and sound with our families since yesterday.
Monday, weather reports predicted snowfall with possible accumulation on Tuesday! Our county leaders announced for staff to report to school, but no kids. Our fabulous school system LEADERS then sent us home yesterday before noon.
Snow fell and fell and fell!! While it was super beautiful and easy to enjoy for those of us in our homes, for the rest of the area it was anything but great!!! It was a NIGHTMARE!!
There have been reports of students/teachers stranded in schools, buses having to return to school because of road conditions, and parents who have walked several miles to just make sure their baby was safe at the school!
We have also seen reports of so many of our friends and loved ones stranded in that mess in Atlanta, Georgia!! We have been on pins and needles praying for every one's safe arrival home!
We are snothankful for all of the awesome acts of kindness by first responders and people in the Atlanta area who just tried to help in anyway that they could!
We are snothankful for all of those families that have been finally reunited!!
Sending prayers to all of those who are still stranded and trying to get to their destination!!
Have a great week!
We have 1 more snow day tomorrow in order for road conditions to improve. Hoping to go to school on Friday! Keep your fingers crossed!
Monday, weather reports predicted snowfall with possible accumulation on Tuesday! Our county leaders announced for staff to report to school, but no kids. Our fabulous school system LEADERS then sent us home yesterday before noon.
Snow fell and fell and fell!! While it was super beautiful and easy to enjoy for those of us in our homes, for the rest of the area it was anything but great!!! It was a NIGHTMARE!!
There have been reports of students/teachers stranded in schools, buses having to return to school because of road conditions, and parents who have walked several miles to just make sure their baby was safe at the school!
We have also seen reports of so many of our friends and loved ones stranded in that mess in Atlanta, Georgia!! We have been on pins and needles praying for every one's safe arrival home!
We are snothankful for all of the awesome acts of kindness by first responders and people in the Atlanta area who just tried to help in anyway that they could!
We are snothankful for all of those families that have been finally reunited!!
Sending prayers to all of those who are still stranded and trying to get to their destination!!
Have a great week!
We have 1 more snow day tomorrow in order for road conditions to improve. Hoping to go to school on Friday! Keep your fingers crossed!
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