Teachers Pay Teachers - Resource Round-Up! Behavior Management

TeachersPayTeachers - Resource Round-Up!  Behavior Management...

The Resource Round-Up! is my go-to spot for weekly freebies and the best-of TeachersPayTeachers.  

Today I'm front and center.  (Cheers and confetti!)

Here's the scoop: If you want the whole kit 'n kaboodle, pop over to the TeachersPayTeachers Weekly Newsletter, Vol 575, Pre-K - 5.

After many years of teaching, one thing makes me wince more than anything else--a teacher who yells, screams, berates, nags, threatens, squints, mocks, pleas, frightens, embarrasses, mutters, grumbles, drones, shrugs, rants, curses...and later on, cries.

The fact is, very few teachers are born-naturals when it comes to classroom management.  And there are no instant fixes.

Behavior management is like a language that you can learn to speak fluently.

Step-by-step, you learn a few words.  Simple words like...

• Please -- as in, Would you please show me your very best silly-face...and now please show me your I-love-to-learn-face?
• Thank you -- Thank you for sharing your unique perspective!
• Beautiful -- You're so focused; beautiful!
• Watch -- Watch how I (or a child) stand in line, with my shoulders back, chest out, head straight, eyes ahead, arms down, no touching, legs together, ready to move.
• Why? -- Why is it important to be respectful?  What would happen if we weren't kind and polite?

After that, you master the basic management routines, and -- over time -- you find personal tricks that work well for you.

If you want to take the trip toward mastery, and you really should — sooner rather than later — this creative and comprehensive guide will help you.  You’ll find hundreds of tools and tips for a calm and confident—and happy—classroom. 

The Ultimate Guide to Behavior Management includes School Rules, Bathroom Rules, Behavior Management with Humor, Behavior Modification Game Charts, Brag Tags, and Behavior Management Callbacks.

The centerpiece is Behavior Management with Humor:

Compiled by a long-term teacher, this resource will help you feel CALM and CONFIDENT--and ready to laugh--starting on your first day of school.

Behavior Management with Humor explores...

•  Behavior Management 101: Strategies that Work

•  How to Teach Rules so they "Stick“

•  How to Cultivate Respect and Rapport

•  How to Control your Class Firmly but Graciously

•  The All-Important “Stop Signal”

•  Behavior Mod Charts

•  Behavior Management Clip Chart

•  How to Add Humor into your Day

•  A Full Day of Humor and Good Behavior, Step-by-Step

•  What to Say and Do, from the Moment Kids Arrive till Dismissal, for the Best Behavior

•  Humor in Reading, Writing, Math, Music, and Dance

•  Make it Fun in the Lunchroom, Auditorium, School Yard, Parties, and More

•  Funny Things to Say All Day

•  Songs that Get Kids to Move, Smile and Behave

•  Callbacks for Easy, Fun Management

•  Brain Breaks to Calm or Energize Kids

•  Printable Resources: Awards, Hats, Masks, Glasses, Bracelets, Brag Tags, Pointers, and More!

•  “Reboot Box” for Time-Out

•  Zen Zone for Calming

•  Behavior Management Posters

•  Student Activities and Printables for Bulletin Board Displays

•  Deal-Breakers – Behavior Management to Avoid

•  “Tips from the Trenches” for Behavior Management with Humor

Here are some SUPER-COOL BRAG TAGS, awards, or prizes.  You can see them as the first brick, in an awesome tower of respect and rapport that you'll build in your classroom.

Enjoy your FREEBIE Brag Tags!

So, exactly how do you get kids to behave, calm down, clean up, transition, time out, or stand and stretch?  There's no short answer, but it’s all made easier with this Counting Song MP3—a soothing voice counting the numbers 1 – 20 over relaxing music with a soft beat.

This “magic timer” counts like a heartbeat, one beat per second. You can slow your heart rate by breathing deeply and matching your pulse to the beat of the songs.  It’s a great behavior management tool to help kids calm their minds and focus on the task at hand.  If you want an extended countdown, you can play it again. 

Enjoy your FREEBIE Counting Song MP3!

It's amazing how a very small change in your approach to behavior management can have a huge impact on your classroom culture and in your life.

The best gift you can give yourself, or another teacher, is the expertise to create a great classroom culture.

As always, I'm wishing you all the best!

Substitute Teacher Survival Guide

Substitute Teacher Survival Guide?  Of course, you want to THRIVE, not just survive!

Subbing is one of the hardest jobs on Earth.  Just ask the guy in the Kindergarten Cop movie.  Yeah, the Terminator gets chewed up by 5-year-olds. 

That won't happen to you!  Right?

You'll be prepared.  You'll go in knowing...

...exactly what to bring, do, and say when you walk into the classroom.  

If you present a calm and confident front, even if you don't always feel it inside, it's a major win.  A simple shift in your voice -- ever-so-slightly slower and lower-pitched -- can work wonders.  

You'll learn to be firm; give specific, clear instructions for every action.   And, maybe just as important, be kind.   

You'll know, that one of the best “rewards” is to say, “Thank you for helping.”  

...and that a simple paper award can be as good as gold! 

These Brag Tags are stylish, fun, easy, and effective, behavior management tools—

that kids will love!  ENJOY!

Here are my Deal Breakers, my "Dastardly Don'ts" when it comes to behavior management.  Once you go there it's hard -- though still possible -- to recover.

National Substitute Educators Day is the third Friday in November, capping off American Education Week.

But we regular teachers have the inside scoop.  We appreciate our subs EVERY SINGLE DAY!

And oh, boy, do we celebrate really great subs--and the happy kids and tidy classrooms they leave behind.

Whether you're a sub or a regular teacher, this may be just what you're looking for:

Substitute Teacher Guide is more than a Survival Kit. It's everything you need to be a successful sub; with tons of tips, printables, teacher scripts, and lessons in every curriculum area. 

You’ll get expert advice on subbing; from job interviews to really cool lessons, mastering technology to behavior management, so you’ll be calm and confident in the classroom.

NOT JUST FOR SUBS!

This Kit is also perfect for...

Regular teachers--as a refresher course for yourself, or to set up a comprehensive sub binder for the substitute teacher on days you are absent. The seasonal crafts will perk up every month.  And the generic lessons will last you a full year. 

As always, I'll be thinking of you -- my peeps -- and wishing you all the best!

Ten Tips for a Substitute Teacher

How to Rock Your Observation Lesson

Observation lessons are coming around again.

The honeymoon's over.  The grace period's up--you know, those first few weeks of school when a teacher teaches rules and routines.

Well, now you're expected to have those rules in place, and so much more.  The newest teaching methods, the educational shifts, all absorbed and neatly under your belt.   

What does every teacher want?  

Whether you're a new teacher, or even a long-term teacher... 

...Of all the hundreds of teachers I've known over the years, one thing is universal. 

Every day that you teach—and especially when your supervisor walks through the door with a clipboard or laptop in hand—you want to feel calm and confident in your classroom.  

You want a Perfect Lesson Plan—and you want it to run smoothly.  Period!

I've created this resource to make every lesson, and especially your observation lesson, much easier.  The Perfect Lesson includes checklists, charts, cheat-sheets, tips, class posters, lesson plans and lesson plan templates for teachers in K – 5.

It will help you navigate through the modern mini-lesson, and master every detail—from lesson planning to presentation. You’ll find expert advice on the learning target, small group work, differentiation, share strategies, behavior management, and using technology in a lesson.

Whether you’re a new teacher eager to put it all together or a seasoned pro looking to keep up with changing times, The Perfect Lesson will show you the way.  

This resource includes:

 

And a detailed look at each part of a lesson:

The Perfect Lesson is a recipe, soup to nuts, a step-by-step guide.  It's as if you had a mentor teacher whispering in your ear, "Do this--No, not that!"

If you teach 5 lessons a day over 180 days of a school year, that’s 900 lessons—much less daunting once you have a plan and a routine!  

I'm here to remind you to relax, absorb the material, and remember, awareness is the first step toward mastery.  And, in time, you'll find that you really can rock your observation lesson.

As always, I'll be wishing you all the best!

Kindergarten Teacher Help - Right Now!

Do you need Kindergarten Teacher Help - right now?

Back to School is over.  The first days of kindergarten have passed--too fast.  But it's NEVER TOO LATE to grab the reins, start over again and put your best foot forward.  

Maybe you started teaching after the school year started.

Or, like me in my first year of teaching, you were shuttled to a new grade after the first month--because of too many no-shows in your class.

Or--like legions of newbies--your kids behaved fine for the first few days (MOST kids do!), and then spiraled quickly out of control.

Would you like a mentor?  Someone who's been around the block dozens of times and can show you how to set up your classroom, your academic, and behavior routines?

A mentor who can sit on your shoulder (so to speak), and whisper in your ear, "Do this!" or "No--Not that!"

I'm here to tell you, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!

You can always take back the reins.  You can set up effective routines and behavior management AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR.  All you need to do is to present new cues, and your kids will respond.

You simply have to make a start.  Even a small shift on your part can have a huge impact on your classroom.  Add a few changes every day, and the benefits will snowball.

If you need help with your kindergarten class, please look over this Kindergarten Teacher Guide. 

You’ll find teacher scripts, lessons, posters, printables and tips...charts, photos, AND how to teach school rules and bathroom rules—compiled by a long-term kindergarten teacher.

Want a bigger package?  Please take a look at the Creative Kindergarten Ultra-Bundle.

With preparation, you can have that calm and confident first day of kindergarten you've imagined--AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR!

I'll be thinking of you and wishing you all the best,

First Days of Kindergarten: 7 Big Tips

Are you a new kindergarten teacher?  Here are 7 tips to prepare for your first day of kindergarten.

If your have time and insight, you’ll see there are hundreds of things to prepare.   In my experience, this is the bare minimum that must get done before the first day of school:

1)    Clean the desks and chairs and arrange them in clusters within view of the meeting area.  You want to make a good first impression that kindergarten will be pleasant and organized.

2)    Place a high-interest book on every desk for the kids to sit and read first thing.  This will buy time to ensure everyone is settled, and to take attendance.  Place an extra book basket on each cluster of desks.

3)    Have a list of the class names to check off as kids arrive, and write name tags beforehand, if possible.  Write kids' first and last names as well as your class on the tags.

4)    Place name tags out on the desks before the children arrive.  Place them boy and then girl; and if you know certain kids will need extra attention, place them up front, closer to the meeting area.  Have extra name tags for new admits.

 5)    Prepare paper for children to write on, 30 pencils and 12 boxes of crayons in case they don’t bring their own.  These will be used a bit later on the first day.

6)    Prepare to talk about rules: classroom, bathroom, lunchroom and line-up.  It helps to have visual posters about each of these.  

Maybe the most important rule is to always show kindness and respect.  That's the glue that holds the world together, and you can tell the kids that kindergarten will be a "kinder-garten!"

If you'd like this Let's Build a "Kinder" Garten poster, it's here and it's free.

7)    Have a fun book to read to the class, and questions for discussion.  Also, a few short songs to teach, and extra activities ready to go, in case you have extra time to fill.  And, of course, a super-kid award to send your kids home with a smile.

Here are some tips for those first few minutes when you meet your kindergarten kids:

1)       Smile!  Yes, smile.  Not a fake beauty pageant kind, but a warm, genuine smile that comes from your deepest core.  The place that remembers what it’s like to be 5, and scared, shy and nervous.

2)       Greet each parent at the door, if that’s possible.  Say your name, and give a warm handshake.  Make them feel like they're joining your family.  They are!

3)       Ask the child, “Who are you?”  Then find the name on your clipboard sheet.  Ask the parents to check the spelling and correct it.  Ask if they prefer a nickname, and possibly if the child speaks English.

4)       Ask the parent to come in and check the posters on the wall, and then help their child find their seat (I have placed the name tags out on each desk: boy, then girl), and to read a book.  I have one book on each desk, and a basket of extra high-interest books in the center of each table.

5)       Needless to say: NO cutting, gluing, toys, or even coloring—nuthin’ honey, till you’ve talked about rules!

6)       I hang 3 posters for the parents.  The first tells when and where the dismissal is—for today and tomorrow.

7)       The second poster asks parents to help seat their child, put on their name tag, and have them read a book till we’re ready.  And meanwhile, they can place on their child’s desk ONLY these supplies, in order from largest on the bottom—if they have them—4 folders, 3 marble notebooks, a pencil case with 5 sharp pencils, a crayon box and 1 large eraser.  This way I can see who still needs to bring supplies.  The second poster also directs parents to place any extra personal supplies (extra pencils, crayons, and sharpener) in the child’s book bag.  

 8)   The third poster requests—if they can—to please help put the shared class supplies into the right bin in the rear of the room.

9)   I have baskets, tubs and even large clean garbage bags (for all the paper towel rolls), one for each type of supply that parents send, such as markers, post-its, glue, and tissues.

10)   When all the kids have trickled in, give parents a friendly, “2 minutes, and we’ll ask you to go” heads up. 

11)   Meanwhile, take care of those last few things that MUST be done.  Make sure every child has a name tag, and take last minute attendance.  The school office may ask for a list of how many kids have showed up, as well as the names of your “no-shows.” 

12)   If a parent has a letter for you or money (for Scholastic News or the like), place it in a basket under your desk for safe-keeping.

13)   You can thank the parents for helping, then say, “It’s time to say good-bye, so we can begin!”  Remind parents to pick up their child, where and when.

14)   Usually, a principal will allow parents to stay for the first few minutes of kindergarten.  If not, please ask your principal if you could have a teacher aide help for those first few minutes.  If no one is helping, you can lead the kids straight into the room; have them wait at the meeting area.  Call each child in turn, and show them where you’ve placed their name tag.  Have each child in turn sit, put on their name tag and read a book till everyone is accounted for. 

The first day of kindergarten will be memorable.  Most important is safety.  You want to set a tone of calm and orderliness.  

Equally important is setting a tone of expectation, that kindergarten will be fun and wonderful.

Are you a new kindergarten teacher?   Welcome to the club!   I’ve helped many teachers settle into kindergarten, and it would be my pleasure to help you, too.  

For more essentials to prepare, you might like this First Days of Kindergarten Teacher’s Kit.  It includes all you need—before, during and after, that crucial first day.   

You’ll find teacher scripts, lessons, posters, printables and tips...charts, photos, AND how to teach school rules and bathroom rules—compiled by a long-term kindergarten teacher.

Want a bigger package?  Please take a look at the Creative Kindergarten Ultra-Bundle.

With preparation, you can have that calm and confident first day of kindergarten you've imagined!

I'll be thinking of you and wishing you all the best,

Kindergarten Teachers Sale

Kindergarten teachers - it's a back to school sale:

Not just any ol' sale -- a MASSIVE sale. 
If you're a new kindergarten teacher, please consider this:

The Kindergarten Creative ULTRA-Bundle will be deeply discounted -- but for one day ONLY.

Would you love to be CALM and CONFIDENT on your first days of school—and all year?  The Kindergarten Kit includes a step-by-step guide for setting up your class, with teacher scripts, lessons, posters, printables and tips. 

For over twenty years, I've helped kindergarten teachers set up their classes, and now it's my pleasure to help you!

You'll absolutely ROCK your observation lessons with this Teacher Evaluation Guide. The Perfect Lesson Plan includes checklists, charts, cheat-sheets, tips, scripts, posters, printables, lesson plans and lesson plan templates for expert Danielson teacher evaluations.

Does the very THOUGHT of wild-child behavior make you weak in the knees?  You'll find that behavior management is suddenly easier, with a creative approach.   

At every step, I start with the essential skills, for no-stress Behavior Management 101. Then I show you how to infuse these with respectful fun, so they come alive in your classroom.  It's the "ahhh" method.

 

And, for the days you're absent, NO WORRIES!  This Substitute Kit will make it effortless to set up set up a comprehensive sub binder, with generic lessons that will last you an entire year.

The sub kit also works as a refresher course for yourself: what to say and do during the entire school day, and during special events such as trips, parties, and assembly shows.

The Kindergarten Creative ULTRA-Bundle includes ALL of this: 

...AND this:

...A MEGA Bundle of creative Kindergarten Resources that you will use all year.

If you've been sitting on the fence, now's the time to jump in. 

This gigantonormous treasure chest would be a booster shot to your teaching life at any time of the year, but please don't wait.  

Wouldn't you like that leg-up -- like, ASAP?  Like, via instant brain-chip implant?  (Sorry, not available!)

The final straw: The Kindergarten Ultra is an Ultra Bargain -- it's  nearly 50% off -- but only today.  

In fact, the price will never be this low again, as the introductory prices will go up after the Back to School.  So please take a look, and see if the bundle -- or any part of it -- is what you need.

As always, I'm wishing you a fabulous new school year, full of delightful surprises, revelations, and wonders!

All About ME - Cute Printable

All About Me!

Kids--and grown-ups--can't get enough of it!

Here's a cute new All About Me printable that kids will ooh and ahh over:

...for kids to draw in, and label things they love.

Of course, you'll differentiate!  Advanced kids can write sentences for each picture.  Lower-functioning or artistically-inclined kids can simply color designs or use color-blends throughout. 

Kids will draw or write about their favorite...

food, clothes, animals, sports, houses, places, books, movies, pets, colors, toys, etc.

Perfect for:

Back to School Unit

     Getting to know your students

Teaching parts of the body

Teaching about categories such as food, colors, animals, toys, books, places, and pets

Teaching how to label pictures using sounds you know and reference sources such as a word wall, picture dictionaries, or the computer

Want more cute borders?  There are 5 of 'em, and also a no-border option.

Enjoy ME!!!

And if you'd like another unbearably cute ice-breaker, try this unforgettable Start of the Year Craft Box:

As always, I'm wishing you a wonderful back to school -- and -- enough "All About ME" time to keep your own life in balance!