This school year, every teacher everywhere has experienced something pretty unprecedented. In a moments notice we all had to adapt to a new way of teaching meanwhile stepping up and being present for our students and their families. It was a fast and furious few weeks of trainings, meetings, and navigating new online tools like Zoom, Google Classroom, and Seesaw.
For me, we closed beginning March 13th. We didn't even finish the week with our students, which in a lot of ways looking back was heartbreaking. I wish I had just one more moment with my students, a moment to gather the tools and resources necessary to take my classroom online, and a moment to mentally ready myself for what the next few weeks would bring.
Closing schools also meant a closed school for my preschooler. So, as many can imagine, moving forward into this new normal was a challenge from the start and it often left me feeling like I was burning the candle at both ends. However, as I write this now (more than a month into distance learning) I realize I wasn't alone. Nonetheless, I buckled up and got to work; planning, Zooming, FaceTiming, emailing, and coordinating. Within a weekend my colleagues and I were not so ready to immediately implement a distance learning program for our kinders, but it was expected. We've since been refining and adapting our program and it's finally looking, and feeling, like it's working. Not ideal, but working.
I mention all of this because of the extra importance behind Teacher Appreciation Week coming up. This is a time to really thank and appreciate the teachers in our lives. This years' appreciation week definitely looks and feels differently, but you can nevertheless support your teachers in a lot of new ways considering these newfound circumstances.
Teachers Pay Teachers Sale
If you're a fellow teacher and looking for new resources for your online classroom, Teachers Pay Teachers is having an amazing Teacher Appreciation Sale! This year on May 5th and 6th you will be able to stock up on your favorite resources and my shop is participating. You'll not only be supporting your own classes by snagging some pretty great stuff, but you're directly support fellow teachers while they work from home.You can find me celebrating with 20% off my entire store! That's right, every single resource is at a discount which means this is a great time to find distance learning materials and even begin to look ahead to the beginning of next year!
Distance Learning
We are all adapting to this new online/distant learning and teaching so it's no wonder teachers from all over are adapting their lessons to accommodate such a transition. Many of my resources can easily be adapted to distance learning and here's a peek and what you can get!Spring Workbooks
We had to quickly move to distance learning in early March, which cut right into the beginning of our spring unit here in kindergarten. These workbooks are great tools to use in-classroom or out because it's a one-stop-shop for all the learning students will be doing.
End of the Year
The end of the year is looking drastically different than I ever imagined, but that won't get in the way of celebrating these awesome kids! Check out this pack of awards that can be printed and mailed to students or sent digitally!
Guided Reading
I don't personally do guided reading in my current position, however, I swear by these products I made back when I taught second grade. I used Jan Richardson's Next Steps in Guided Reading as a mentor text and inspiration behind the lesson plan templates. Take a peek for yourself and see how you can use these printables to get organized for guided reading groups!
Story Elements
We've been so busy in kindergarten these last few weeks really diving into the story elements and how they give us the tools for an awesome retelling. Check out these posters I still use (even if I'm not in 2nd grade anymore!) and are available on sale! |
| Note the change in blog name ;) |
Getting behavior under control
Managing behavior is always an area where I'm on the lookout for new methods and approaches. Our school has adopted Responsive Classroom so my colleagues and I have worked hard to implement a variety of approaches to behavior management. Here are a few of my favorite products that are on sale!
