The temperatures are getting cooler. The sound of coughing students fill the classroom. It is only a matter of time until the teacher “catches them all.” It took me several years and moving to a large city to consider having an emergency substitute plan and tub of work! Nothing is worse than having to drive 40 minutes while feeling like the plague has struck! Here are some simple ways to make preparations for your substitute.

Time-Saving Substitute Preparations 

Create a basic binder. 

Think about the general information that a substitute teacher needs to function throughout the day. This should include:

 A schedule of important times of the day (subjects, lunch, recess.) Make sure you include a list or calendar of the special classes (music, dance, physical education.) 

A current seating chart. If you use flexible seating, you can create a document with a headshot of each student with their name. (This is a great visual tool!)

Having these simple documents in a clearly marked binder will make your substitute’s day much smoother. If you create this early in the year, you will have it when that last minute prep is needed!

Create a general script of routine daily activities.

If you create a thorough script of your routine activities during the day, you will leave a lot of the guesswork out and your substitute can accomplish more. For example, I like to leave a detailed plan for what to do before, during, and after a read aloud. This way, the script can be paired with a book I leave or one a substitute grabs off a shelf! I also write out our calendar math routine so the substitute can follow our usual pattern of activities.


Is there an activity that stays consistent for you that you might be able to have ready? Is math fact practice or a warm-up a part of your regular routine? Write out the script or a detailed plan for that time.

Leave a folder of class sets of printables.

Find a series or set of printables that need little to no explanation that students can complete during the time when content is usually taught. 

Find pages that match concepts that have previously taught and make class sets of these pages. 

To save paper, photocopy pages front to back and staple pages together to make a packet. The packets help all students stay on task, no matter their pace. When you have your folder ready, you do not have to call your colleagues on the middle of the night or impose on them early in the morning to make your copies! 

The more planning and preparation you can do for your substitute, the smoother those days will be. If you have some general plans in place beforehand, you can feel at ease leaving your classroom when you have to leave in a hurry!

I hope this post inspired you to make some advanced preparations for substitutes, and if you want to use my set of math printables for your classroom, you can find them in my TpT store!

What are some things you do to be prepared for a substitute? 

www.kinderdownriver.blogspot.com 

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Laura Williams

Howdy, Friends...and TpT Sellers!

Today I am coming at you with six simple steps to start tracking your TpT Seller statistics! I have been part of the TpT family for two years and have learned so much a long the way.

Teachers Pay Teachers is making data collection easier than ever with their new Dashboard for sellers. Personally, I have several different platforms to share ideas with other teachers, including this blog, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Followers here, followers there, followers, followers everywhere! I figured new sellers especially could benefit from a starting point.

Create a convenient place to store the data you will be collecting. For the past year, I have been using a 1/2'” binder. I didn't like that my binder had to be planted on my desk. I often found myself taking screen shots of my stats at certain times of the month when I remembered what day it was...I'd forget, delete the photo, and well, it wasn't very successful.

I recently purchased a planner that fits in my purse and that is large enough for all of my important information I like to keep within it. I can now take everything I need to track my stats with me everywhere I go! So, pick a house…binder, planner, folder, etc. I have used the random sticky note method...but I can't seem to keep track of all of them!

Select or design pages to go inside your house, (binder/planner/folder) that meet the needs of the audiences that you reach. 

Basically, I want to track my TpT store and my social media accounts. When thinking about what sheets are best suited for you, think of what platforms you are a part of...and what platforms you will soon grow into as a seller. You may not have an account yet, but may be interested in expanded into that space soon. I started one at a time and tried to get proficient before moving onto another. There are many free and paid resources of stat trackers/data collectors right within the TpT site that are specially designed for its sellers. 

Decide how often you want to collect your stats (daily, weekly, monthly, and annually). Personally, I track my stats when I am able, but ALWAYS try to record them faithfully on the 15^th of the month (middle of the month) and on the last day of the month). This allows me to see growth…and growth motivates me. If I haven’t posted a new product, I might have the inspiration to finish one of my many “works in progress.” The great thing about the data sheets I use is that they are based on a monthly calendar with boxes for tracking data daily, so I just fill in the boxes whenever I am able to do so!

*TIP: A great thing about TpT is you can always go back to specific dates and track your earnings and how many products you sold. (So you can backtrack with this information as needed!)

If today is a "Data Collecting Day," log into each of your accounts TpT and social media and record the number of followers you have on recording sheets or calendars. (Data sheets I use in the calendar format are shown in the photograph to the left.)

Sometimes I make additional notes in extra notes or on the margins if something exciting happens on a particular day, such as "I hit 400 followers today!" or "The Top TpT Seller started following my account."

I like to note when I post new products and on which day I sold my first one. This is another way I encourage myself to stay persistent!

Using the new TpT Dashboard is great for analyzing data. You can look at how your store is doing this week as compared to last year. If you a new seller, you can look at your sales and decide which days are your best days and which are your slowest days. There is definitely a pattern! The most obvious pattern you will note is the summer slide…readers and sellers have this problem! The beginning of summer is pretty slow for most sellers and then it tends to pick up as the Back-to-School rush starts.

I tend to look at weekly and monthly data, more so than the day-to-day data. Within a month, I look at which products were most popular. For instance, this summer my biggest seller is pacing guides. I can make an apparent correlation about this as it is the summer and many teachers are planning their new school year. Also, there are many new teachers who are looking for a starting point so they can begin to look up resources for their new class. You know, Pinterest, and now Instagram are the most popular places for summer professional development! 

I would be amiss if I didn’t include Step 6. Now, that you have reflected on your data, make business decisions based on your data. If you sell Product A during testing months, you might want to change that to your "Featured Product" a few weeks before it usually starts selling. Last summer, I committed to revising some older looking products to bring them up to my current standards! (I still have a ways to go with that being said!) 

Another example of an analysis might be: If I am selling a lot of puzzle type resources, I might want to expand my line in this area.

Think of ways that you can expand on the good things that you are noticing.

If you are using a binder or planner, feel free to check out this resource which is what I am currently using to track my stats. Whatever you use, commit to looking at your data, analyzing it, and making a plan for the betterment of yourself as a teacherpreneur!

Planner or Binder Inserts for TpT Sellers

Happy Tracking!

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Laura Williams

 

Howdy, Friends!

 

A special Texas welcome to all of those joining me from the Kinder Tribe! I'm Laura from Kindergarten Down River. In this new year, many teachers are looking for exciting ways to keep students engaged in learning as the next semester begins...and some teachers have set goals to move more...also known as, the E-Word: Exercise. This strategy, the Magnet Game, as I have dubbed it, will achieve both goals: engagement for students and movement for teachers and students alike...great for the heart and the brain!

 

 

Before you use this simple eight-step strategy, you must have a question you want the students to ponder. In a bit, they will move around the room as they think about their response and then share with a partner in a fun, exciting way!

 

 

 

You can discuss "good movement spots" such as, the rug or walking spaces behind desks and "bad movement spots" such as behind the teacher's desk, the classroom library, computer center, or any other unsafe spots for movement.

 

  

When I first teach the movements that corresponds with this cooperative strategy, I use a basic question: "What did you do during Winter Break?" Or, "what was your favorite Christmas gift?" Then, as I use this strategy throughout the year, I use academic questions, "How did Lizard feel at the end of the story?" Or, "explain how you would change the investigation?"

 

Teacher can turn on music to cue the movement or tell students "Think and Walk." Students should begin moving around the room staying in their own spots as they meander around the room. It is important that when teaching them what to do, you emphasize some basic rules which will save you some stress when implementing this strategy: Stay in your own space, stay quiet, and keep thinking about your answer while you move.

 

My favorite part: If you...touch somebody, follow your best friends around the room, or talk, the consequence is having to sit out of the game. Muah, muah, muah. No kid wants this to happen!

Teacher Tip: I use a track I have downloaded on my phone. It makes it fast and easy for me to cue the music and the students know that it is special when we have some music.

 

This allows students the opportunity to look around the classroom without the pressure of partnering up right away.

 

 

Students face back-to-back while teacher ensures all students have a partner. It also discourages talking!

 

Finding their closest partner encourages students to team up with students whom they may not normally chose to talk to which builds relationships in the classroom and promotes risk-taking.

 

 

This is a great time for formative assessment. Select students whom you are working closely with and monitor their responses. You may select students with special needs or English language learners. You can assist them in producing responses by giving the students a sentence stem. For example, "Lizard felt __ at the end of the story because ____." My students use their "question hands to repeat the question to their partners; this is just another way for them to engage in practicing the language...learning to speak in complete sentences and use inflection in their voices.

 

Students ask their partners the question again before composing their answer.

 

 

Probably one of the greatest pieces to this game is having the students turn back-to-back. It is great for the teacher to know when the majority of students have finished their conversations, but it also controls the students' urge to talk to one another during this time! Genius, I know!

 

 

You can use this step if you want students to practice multiple times with other partners. You could also change the question and start a second round of the game. If you are short on time, you can students return to the rug or their desks and continue learning.

 

I hope this cooperative learning strategy becomes a part of your teaching toolbox. I'd love to see it in action in your classroom. Take a picture and tag me @kinderdownriver.

 

Happy Teachin' Trails from Texas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Laura Williams

Howdy, friends.

 

I have been connecting with so many beautiful teachers in the last few weeks. I am so thankful for so many wonderful friends whom are also called "teacher." We belong to such an amazing group of people. Thank you for your continued friendship, whether in person, through the resources we share, or on social media. I love connecting with you.

 

I have recently joined the VERY large group of teachers who photographically document our lives...the good (classroom---on most days), the bad (D.I.Y. projects gone bad), and the ugly (smashed toes, mosquitos bites, and whatever else we've gotten ourselves into this summer!) Are you following? Click here to see me in action...biking riding, teaching, eating at Whataburger...you get the drift! I try and keep it interesting (but G-Rated), for your viewing pleasure.

 

I am working on a few top secret projects preparing for my big classroom reveal coming to you in less than one month! (AHHHH, I better get back to work!) In the midst of my work though, I have found time to shop around. I love Michael, JoAnn, and Wally this time of year. We are best friends during back to school season! I try and go a couple times a week, you know, to check the stock. This brings me to today's topic...

 

I teamed up with wonderfully talented Mrs. Stanford of Mrs. Stanford's Class and am participating in a July "ABCs of Teaching" photo of the day challenge. Today our challenge was L for "list." Check out the list I complied.

 

 

Do any of these things sound familiar? My sweet husband...bless his heart  (that's Texan for "poor, poor, poor, poor him,) he has all of these memorized, including the look on my face when I spot one of these things five aisles away!

 

See the other photo challenges and what other teacher's lists are...just search for #abcsofteaching on Instagram, it's never too late to join in on the fun, just start with the current day.

 

What are your "go-to's" when back-to-school shopping?

 

Happy Hunting!

 

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Laura Williams

 

 

Howdy, friends!

 

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

 

Target Dollar Spot has your back to school baskets, stickers, pocket charts, dry erase boards, and so much more...I know most of you will not finish reading this as you are jumping in your car and headed to your neighborhood Target! (I do not blame you!)

 

For the rest of you...I'll tell you about how I use my favorite Dollar Spot finds...

 

I am always a fan of the storage options that the Target Dollar Spot offers, each year I add a few containers to my colorful collection. (My colorful storage baskets are the most complimented items in my classroom.)

 

The 8x11 baskets shown above are the perfect size for collecting papers, storing extra paper for writing centers, holding literary and mathematics center materials, or anything else you can think of. You can color code the baskets for the specific centers that they correspond with too!  

 

I love using the small stickers to place in student agendas to indicate to parents that their student had a great day at school! If there is no sticker in their agenda, I will write a note to their behavior that was an issue throughout the day.

 

Happy Shopping!

 

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Laura Williams

Howdy, friends.

I wanted to update you on my interactive notebooks. One of my favorite tips to offer teachers, especially new teachers, is how to make a cover last on a composition notebook! Throughout the years, my practice has been improved. I used to have the students glue the covers on the front or tape them with packing tape. The method I lay out below is much easier and holds up better!

All you need is...patience and... (It is actually a pretty quick process!)
-Students' composition notebooks
-Half-page cover that students have colored and made their own (this builds ownership)
-1 foam brush (any size works)
-1 container of Mod Podge glue (make sure it is one that dries clear)

Using Mod Podge on the notebook covers helps maintain the durability of notebooks

Step 1: First, dip the foam brush in the glue, be generous. Brush the glue in the middle of the notebook where the cover will be placed.
Step 2: Next, place the student's cover on top of the glue and hold in place with your hand.
Step 3: Then, while holding one half of the cover page, glue the bottom with vertical strokes. Be generous and pull the brush across hard to eliminate "bubbling." Then, glue the other half of the cover page with vertical strokes.
Step 4: Finally, paint a frame around the perimeter of the cover to seal the edges to the notebook. Lay out on a flat surface and allow to dry.

Note: I create my own notebook covers. (Two fit on an 8x11 landscape paper.) I use an outline font and black line clipart so the students can color in the letters and pictures. These are great to give to the students in the first few days of school as you are putting away supplies!

Happy Gluing!

Laura

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Laura Williams

Names Chart

Howdy, friends.

It is the second day of kindergarten in Room 109. The students are remembering to push in their chairs and use their walking feet. Hooray!

Today, we focused on our names as we continue some basic "Getting to Know You" activities. Our sweet librarian came in to save the day, since I still have a small voice, fighting a cold, and read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The kids really enjoyed the story and the librarian does such a great job reading it with expression and gestures. During the story, they learned the word "dreadful!" I forget how almost everything we do is new and exciting to them!

We created a name chart and compared each others' names. They found this activity to be pretty interesting, it also helps me continue assessing them in their counting skills. The chart took awhile to make, but I did a few names at each sitting so by the end of the day we were finished. We made some basic generalizations about our names because everything is a learning experience even these fun activities!

Many procedural routines were reviewed and practiced today with specific feedback: lining up and exiting the building during a fire drill, pushing in chairs, and rules for playing a language building exercise I play with my kids. (I will have to feature that on the blog sometime. The students I have had in all grades love it!)

ENGAGE: BrainPop Jr.

In the afternoon, we reviewed what the study of science is and watched a BrainPop Jr. video, "Making Observations." It was great to engage the students more into the depth of what scientists do. The video used a lot of academic vocabulary and previewed the science tools that we would be talking about in the "explain" part of our lesson.

EXPLORE/EXPLAIN: Tool or Toy? Sort and Science Tools Tree Map

After the video, we explored the topic with toys and tools. We also played a game with our sorting cards. (These sorting cards come from the wonderful Kindergarten Kindergarten.)  Each student received a card. They had to come up to the front and tell their peers what was on their card, if they thought is was a tool or toy, and why it is a tool or toy. The students really took off during this activity! They were engaged and everyone was using the sentence stems. The words they expressed were pretty amazing. This is the first time they are speaking in an academic content area. Here are a few rationales that were memorable...goggles are for protection, a doll is something you play with, a stuffed animal is for cuddling, a balance is used to see if something is lighter, "the pinchers help you pick up things". The "pinchers" are tweezers! For the record, there was not one item that was mislabeled by these kindergarteners! Is that not amazing?!

Science Tool Charts

Then, we created a Tree Map to organize our tools into four categories. I had the science tool sorting cards printed (these came from our StemScopes subscription) but wasn't too sure how I wanted to use them in the classroom. I got to thinking, it would be cool to put them into a Thinking Map. I played around with the cutout pieces and after two rough drafts came up with the Tree Map featured in the photograph above. Fortunately, I have enough brain power fighting the common cold to think through this stuff!

My kindergarteners are amazing, did I mention that yet? They knew what the word "collect" meant. I am really going to have to challenge them with higher order thinking skills and academic vocabulary. This is something I naturally do, but the "big words" I am used to using with kindergarteners are not "big enough. For instance, I was going to use observe as a word to put into our Cognitive Content Dictionary, but that's out of the picture. I wish kindergartens could take a STAAR test?! Okay, be careful what you wish for! Right?!

The science tools chart was very easy for them. They actually helped me categorize the science tools using these four verbs: collect, observe, measure, record. I look at this chart and think to myself, "This would have been a cool chart in second grade and here my kindergarteners are doing this." This speaks volumes to the Pre-Kindergarten teachers and families! I am very impressed.

That's enough bragging on the new bunch of buckaroos. They are students with great potential and I am eager to continue creating a positive classroom culture that will allow them to grow in their intellect.

Thanks to my faithful readers. To any kindergarten teachers that haven't covered science tools yet, I would highly recommend these two charting activities. I did not do either of these last year, I took a different approach. I think these help them start thinking like scientists quicker and will allow me to use the process skills in a most efficient way.

Happy Observing!

Laura

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Laura Williams

Howdy, friends.

Happy First Day of School to most of my friends! Happy Second Week of School to my other friends! I started my new school year with 13 buckaroos. Parents filled the hallways at our elementary school and new shoes worn by eager students squeaked on the tile floor due to an early morning downpour.

Despite the rainy morning, my kindergarten students were ready to listen and learn. We quickly ate breakfast. After opening 50 breakfast items, we cleaned up in time for our Good Morning Song, sung by none other than me.

What I am failing to mention is that I have sick since last Friday with a very sore throat and head cold. I slept 16 hours yesterday in preparation for today! I am so glad that I did!

As we gathered on our colorful rug, we discussed feelings. Each child had the opportunity to select from "excited," "okay," and "nervous." As you can tell by our data, most of the classroom was feeling pretty good about our day. (At the end of the day, we revisited this graph.)

We followed our graphing activity by a tour of the school and got to meet our principals. Then, I read "The Kissing Hand," to the kindergarteners. (I have never read this story to my class before! Shh! Don't tell anyone!)

The kids liked the story and they learned what a raccoon is and the palm of their hand. One student knew this animal was raccoon! We have no schema of raccoons here. I was about 22 before I saw my first one!

The students got to create a hand puppet of Chester, the raccoon. They loved this activity. Out of all of the things we did today, this was their favorite. (I have never made a puppet with my class before! Shh! Don't tell anyone!...it seems like this is a year of "firsts" for me as a teacher--perhaps my lucky 7!)

We shared a meal in the cafeteria together. One student said, "This food is great!" That is encouraging news! After lunch we finished our puppets and cleaned up our areas in time for Physical Education.  We had an inclement weather day due to the rain so the students were inside for P.E., which did not seem to bother them since they were reviewing rules, etc.

We came back to the classroom and created a circle map. One student knew exactly what we were creating. He said, "You are going to write words in the circle!" Yeah, buddy, that's exactly what we are going to do! Hooray for your Pre-K teacher!

As you can see by the predictions we collected today, I have a lot of work to do with my little scientists! I can't wait! (I integrated a Texas English Language Proficiency Standards-ELPS- into this lesson with 1.A Use prior knowledge and experiences to understand meanings in English.)


We then began our "Graph of the Week" today with the question, "How do you get to school?" We practiced our friends' names by asking them, "Name, how do you get to school?" The students responded with the sentence stem, "I get to school by..." The kids understood quickly how to complete their thoughts using the sentence stem. This is very encouraging! (This is just one way that I emphasize the Texas ELPS- 2E- Use visual, contextual, and linguistic support to enhance and confirm understanding of increasingly complex and elaborate spoken language.) Today, we just built our graph by collecting data from each student.










After our math session, we went back to our graph we started this morning about how we felt on the first day of school. Students were able to vote on how they are feeling now that they have been in school for one day. As you can see, the data shows that most of the students are very excited about their new year. This is also a good formative assessment to let me see which students may need additional support in their transition to kindergarten. I was also able to formatively assess their counting skills as we counted our data.

 I am going to get some sleep now and recover from a full day of kindergarten!

Happy Sleepin'!

Laura

P.S. The best news of the day--not one kindergartener cried! WOO HOO! (This is another first)

 

 

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Laura Williams

Photograph Courtesy of School District

Howdy, friends!

I hope everyone had a good week! I had a busy fun-filled week. I am so happy to be back with my colleagues and have been fortunate enough to make some new friends (shout out the newbies at my campus- Ms. G, Mrs. L, & Mrs. R!)

This week, I had the honor of listening to our new superintendent of schools, who was selected this earlier this spring, address the instructional staff. He was filled with energy and excitement wishing us all back to a new school year. For many of us, this was the first time we heard him speak in person. He is often being interviewed on the news. So...the photograph with tons of people was just one of the convocations that was held on Wednesday. We are a BIG district! You will see me, stunning brunette in the millionth row.

As you may have read in a previous post, I was extremely busy with this doing staff development for my colleagues. I was able to meet great kindergarten and fourth grade teachers as I gave a math training. Then, I was welcomed at my campus and had the pleasure of presenting with several master teachers to our colleagues back at our campus. We led a training of the use of foldables in the classroom. I hope to write more about this soon! Stay tuned.

I was also able to squeeze in my classroom preparation time (mostly after trainings 'til the janitors kicked me out! I started with a clean slate (see photos on the left side) and ta-da, after one week of preparation, my room turned into a colorful classroom! It's amazing what a little color can do...and in just a little more than one day....some eager new kindergarteners will add even more color to the classroom! I was able to meet about half of them at our Meet and Greet day on Friday. The kiddos I met are great and so are their families. I am looking forward to a great new school year. Take a peek around my classroom...

 

Each year, I change the style in my classroom. I do this for my sanity. I do not like looking at the same things year after year. I use many of the same things, I just organize them in a different way. I usually make a few trips to Hobby Lobby, Michael's Arts and Crafts Store, Dollar Tree, and Target to buy some items to make my room unique and organized (well, just a little bit more organized.) That is my continuous goal: being more organized. (If my husband is reading this, he is nodding along. He might hear this a few times each week.)

 

For the past three years, I have been very committed to making an eye-catching word wall. Most classroom have a focal point, where your eye goes as soon as you walk into the room. My focal point is always my word wall. I will be creating a post soon to show my word walls from past years so you can see the transformation. Stay tuned!

 

Here's to you, teacher friend! May your year bring you and your students much fruitfulness and lots of color!

Happy Teachin'!

Laura

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Laura Williams

Howdy, friends.

Since I have been providing teachers with resources on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT), I have encountered many friends who have no idea how a basic program that rewards buyers works on the site. (I didn't really know myself until I was on the opposite side of the store front.)

TpT announced today that there will be a One Day Boost Sale on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, to help teachers have one last chance at a great deal as we all are back to school already or very soon.

As you click on your favorite items and add them to your carts and wishlists, I wanted to advise you of a program that TpT uses to help support their buyers and sellers: TpT Credits. Please continue reading to become informed about this program. If you do this before the sale, you will be able to have some credits to put towards your purchases on the day of the sale.

If you click on dropdown menu "My TpT." (It is located to the left of the Log Out button.) As you hover over "My TpT" the dropdown menu will appear on your screen. Directly underneath "My Account," you will see the "My TpT Credits" link. Click on it and you will see a screen that looks similar to the photograph of it I added above.

My TpT Store

Look in the above photograph. Do you see the green link, "Provide Feedback?" If you click on it, it will take you to your purchases. Click on the thumbs up icon to provide feedback on your paid purchases. This allows you to earn the TpT Credits.

Happy Providing Feedback and "Wishlisting" Before the Sale!

Laura

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Laura Williams