I am determined to enjoy the last few weeks of summer vacation (and I think I’m doing a pretty great job enjoying them!) but I’m also getting excited thinking about my new class & the start of a new school year.

Easing my way into back to school planning, I stumbled on some great quotes for teachers that I wanted to keep in mind as this back to school season gets underway. They are definitely motivating me to start things off on a positive note!

If you or some of your teacher friends are in need of some inspiration check out this tear sheet. You can post it around your campus to spread the positive feelings around your school or just in your classroom. Just snip on the solid lines before posting & you’re ready to spread some teacher happiness!

Click here to download this freebie!

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The end of July always has me feeling a bit anxious about all of the work ahead of me to start a new school while simultaneously trying to squeeze as much relaxation from summer break as possible. I don’t think I’m the only teacher who feels unsettled at this time of year (at least I hope I’m not alone!).

Instead of stewing about my worries, I decided to re-watch one of my favorite TED Talks- Rita Pierson talking about relationships. I think it is impossible to watch Dr. Pierson speak and not feel inspired and ready to jump into any new challenge.

If you haven’t seen it, stop & watch it now!

Now don’t you feel better? I also found this amazing sketch note from Sylvia Duckworth with all of Dr. Pierson’s main points:

If you’re not already following Sylvia on Twitter you are missing out! She has created many inspiring sketch notes for teachers that you should check out. One of my favorite parts of Dr. Pierson’s talk is the mantra that she gave to her students. Talk about having a growth mindset! Last year my kids would recite our class agreements together each morning. I’m thinking about introducing a first grade version of Dr. Pierson’s statement instead.

At the end of the yr many teachers countdown the days for school to end. LET’S DO THE OPPOSITE #CountdownToGreatness pic.twitter.com/O5rmPHdFBV

— Kara Welty (@kara_welty) July 26, 2015

A few days ago I stumbled across this amazing tweet from Kara Welty. Even though I’m having some back to school anxiety I really am still very excited to meet my new class. But I’ve never thought about officially counting down with excitement to the first day of school as opposed to my usual panicky, “I have how many days left to do all this work?!” countdown.

I love this idea and I have already been working to shift my mindset about back to school countdowns. I wanted to leave you with one more amazing quote from Dr. Pierson. This one is getting printed out and glued into the front of my plan book!

 Image Credits: Shutterstock.com/Sunny Studio, Rudchenko Liliia, Mark Herreid

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I have officially made it through the first week of school! My class is adorable and I can already tell that it’s going to be one of those special years. That doesn’t mean that I am not completely exhausted though! I have lots of fun back to school goodies I plan to share with you but for right now I wanted to get these cute bag tags up in case you haven’t had your first day yet.

Click the image to download your free bag tags!

I always love reading The Kissing Hand near the end of the first day of school. Many of the kids will have read it at home that morning or the night before with their parents and it’s a sweet way to connect with your new kiddos. This year after reading it I looked out to a whole carpet full of first graders holding “kisses” on their palms firmly to their cheeks- it doesn’t get much cuter than that!

After reading, we made Julie Lee’s fun Chester the Raccoon crafts. This project is the perfect first day craft. It’s simple but turns out adorable and makes everyone feel successful. While we were busy crafting I had each child come and hold a stuffed animal version of Chester for a cute photo. When I recover from my week one exhaustion I’ll post some pictures of how cute our little Chesters turned out.  Click the image below to check out Julie’s craft:

To make your own bags of kisses you’ll need regular sandwich size ziplock bags, chocolate kisses, & enough tags printed out for your class. I put 5 kissed into each bag and then just stapled the tag to the front. I left a blank spot near the bottom for you to sign your name. Easy & cute! I hope your back to school season is going smoothly! I’ll have more cute back to school freebies when my nap is over

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Meeting a new group of parents at the start of the school year always makes me more nervous than meeting my new students. Keep reading to find some easy ways to reach out to the new families in your class.

Luckily, first graders just have a way of putting me at ease, for which I am very grateful! It doesn’t always feel that way with their parents, though.

The good news is that 99.9% of the parents I have gotten to know over the years have been lovely and down to earth. There is that teeny tiny group who will keep you on your toes all year but the majority will be wonderful! Along those lines, I want to share with you the best advice I’ve ever been given about building relationships with parents. It is a total game changer. I can honestly tell a difference between the years I’ve followed this advice and the years I’ve told myself I was too busy for it.

I’m talking about first day of school as soon as possible. The best case scenario would be the teacher initiating this contact rather than responding to a message from a parent. It is definitely one more thing to take on during an already crazy busy time but it is so worth it! I promise!

Your main goal with this first contact is to introduce yourself & build rapport. I try to keep things friendly and casual. I want parents to feel comfortable chatting with me and to let them know right away to call me by my first name and not Miss Happy Teacher!

Reaching out to parents early also lets you share about the first days of school. I find that parents are usually very curious about what happens after they drop their babies off with a new teacher. Being proactive and answering those questions before they are even asked goes a long way in reassuring parents about their child’s new classroom.

It also gives you a chance to let parents know that you are really getting to know their child as an individual and to share something positive about their child. Parents are more likely to trust and support you in any difficult situations that might come up during the year if you already have established a positive connection with them before any challenging conversations arise.

Phone Call

This is definitely the most time consuming way to make that first contact but it is also the most powerful way. Before calling, I think about our first day and then each child individually. When I get nervous I tend to ramble so I try to plan out a few things to say to each family before I start dialing. Here’s an idea for what you might say to start your call, “Hi (parent name) this is (your name), (child’s name)’s teacher. I just wanted to let you know what a great first day (child’s name) had and how much I enjoyed meeting him/her.” From there you can chat about class activities and answer any questions the parents might have.

Email

While making phone calls is always my first choice it just isn’t possible every year. Emailing is the next best thing. I like to send a short message similar to what I would say over the phone but I also attach a photo from our first day for the parents. This is a great ice breaker because who doesn’t love seeing a part of their child’s first day at school? I love seeing all of the fun first day photo op ideas on Pinterest and trying something new each year. Here are some of the absolute cutest ideas I have seen! Click below to visit my board full of first day photo ideas. It makes it hard to pick just one!

 Note Home

At my school, we don’t have a Meet the Teacher or Open House event before the first day of school. Because parents can sometimes feel anxious about the first day I like to send home an informational packet with their child at the end of the day. I include a letter describing the day’s activities, information about any activities coming up that first week, and a questionnaire for parents to complete about their child. I have found some really great letters & surveys that will help as you create your own packet. Be sure to check them all out on The First Grade Parade, A Special Sparkle, First Grade Blue Skies, and First Grade Factory. It’s also nice to have something the parents will see before you call or email later that afternoon. That way they will be ready to ask questions.

Website

I love my Shutterfly classroom website almost as much as this baby loves Katy Perry… which if you’ve seen this whole video is saying something! This will be my fourth year using Shutterfly and I can’t imagine running my classroom without it! It’s free, password protected, & really easy to share photos & sign up sheets with parents. It is a huge time saver. And Shutterfly is not paying me to say any of this! You can see a sample site here. Be sure to give out information about your new site in your first day of school packet so parents will know where to look right away.

First Day Favors

Sending cheerful & happy students out the door on the first day of school does a lot to ease any worries parents might have had during the school day. And sending a little treat or prize home with your new students is one way to almost always guarantee that you will have some excited kids when the bell rings. Check out all of the fun ideas found on Pinterest for first day favors below.

photo credits: Teaching Times 2, Unknown, Doodlebugs, First Grade and Fancy Free, The Bubbly Blonde, Kindergarten Squared, Me, The Curriculum Corner, Michaela Peterson

(please let me know if you would rather not have your idea featured)

 Just be careful searching favors on Pinterest….. you might get sucked in for hours!

I wish you good luck in your new school year and I hope that you will be able to develop positive relationships with your students and their families. Remember, get in touch on the first day for maximum impact!

image credits: KG Fonts, giphy.com, BuzzFeed, MaxyM/shutterstock, punphoto/shutterstock, Balkonsky/shutterstock

The post The Easiest Way to Bond with Student Families at Back to School appeared first on Happy Teacher, Happy Kids.

Brown Bear Cupcakes from Cakes by Becky

These gorgeous cupcakes would be amazing as a first day of school treat or as a treat at the end of a Brown Bear unit! The kids would love them and so would their teacher! I am just sad that I don’t live near the amazing Becky because I would be ordering some right now.

Brown Bear Painted Paper Collages from Little Running Teacher

I love doing painted paper projects with kids because they always end up with a great final project. Head over to the Little Running Teacher to see step by step directions for these Brown Bear inspired collages. They would make a gorgeous back to school bulletin board.

 Brown Bear Sequencing Necklaces from Peace, Love, and Kinder

I love doing wearable crafts with kids and I’m glad that first graders are not too cool for them yet… hopefully I don’t ever move to a grade where they roll their eyes at that stuff! This Brown Bear sequencing activity is too cute! I love the bear faces and how fun to have all the animals inside ready to help with retelling. Be sure to visit Peace, Love and Kinder to see all of the fun bear themed activities she has created.

 Brown Bear Retelling Puppet from Mrs. Ricca’s Kindergarten

What a fun paper bag puppet! This is such a great back to school activity to practice cutting, gluing, and coloring with new kindergartners. Be sure to visit Mrs. Ricca’s blog for lots of adorable activities to have Color Days with your class as well as a free download to make your own puppets. Super cute!

Brown Bear Magnetic Story Props from Doodle Bugs Teaching

These magnets would be awesome in a retelling center for kids to get their hot little hands on. They could also work as a fun file folder activity. Doodle Bugs Teaching has shared a bunch of great Brown Bear freebies so click on over!

Free Brown Bear M&M Math & Handwriting Practice from Me

Click the picture above for some fun & easy to prep Brown Bear activities that I made last year. I think that even my first graders will allow some Brown Bear nostalgia if there are M&M’s involved! I also want to share this little animal math game that is from my Color Animal Back to School Unit over on TPT. Click below to get another freebie!

Here are some more fun activities from my unit that will coordinate perfectly with your Brown Bear, Brown Bear back to school plans!

First up, play dough  mats!

Language Arts Printables

No Prep Math Games for Each Color Animal

The unit also includes handwriting practice booklets, getting to know you animal cards, first day of school treat bag tags, pencil flags, templates for animal crafts & even more printables! Click below to check it out on TPT:

image credits: giphy, KG Fonts,  all other images belong to the linked blogger or website owner, please let me know if you would like your photo/link removed from this list

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I am so not ready to believe it’s time for back to school shopping but I can’t resist the Target dollar spot. I found the cutest crayon erasers there and had to scoop them up. I knew they would be the perfect little first day of school prize for my new class. You know, the new class that I feel I should be meeting in about 3 more months instead of next month, of course, but this way at least one thing is ready! Click the photo below to download the labels I used. You’ll need to print them out on Avery 5160 labels.

Font Credit: Kimberly Geswein

The post First Day of School Treats for Students – Let’s Have a Bright Year! appeared first on Happy Teacher, Happy Kids.

This school  year will be my 10th year teaching! Ten years blows my mind because I can still tell you the names of all the kids in the class I student taught. It’s strange realizing that you’re not the total newbie on campus anymore.

Reflecting on my 9 years of teaching leaves me with some complicated feelings. I’m proud of myself for hanging in there, amazed that I still haven’t figured out all the things that I thought I would surely know at this point, peaceful & calm about a new year starting (which is a definite improvement from Brand New Teacher Me’s summer stress levels), & excited to keep trying new ideas & to meet a new crew of cute kiddos!

I was so nervous about everything the summer before my first year began. I spent so much time in the library taking notes from copies of Young Children & The Reading Teacher. At home I used my slow dial up internet to stalk Kim Jordano, Nellie Edge, & Mrs. Flanagan at Little Giraffes. I’m so grateful to these amazing ladies who shared so much on their websites. This was the “Before Pinterest Era” and finding new teaching ideas was a very slow process compared to today. I can’t imagine planning without Pinterest now. It makes me feel like poor LC below just thinking about it!

I’ve been thinking about the advice I would have given to myself that summer and I want to share it with any readers who are getting ready this summer to teach their first class. Here it comes!

1. Set a reasonable time to leave school each day & stick to it!

There is always more work you could stay & do at school. It’s not going anywhere. Establishing boundaries for your personal life can help you manage stress & be well rested for the next day with your class.

#2 Get serious about germ prevention!

Make it as easy as possible for your students to frequently wash their hands. Check to see if they can reach the sink & pick up a stepping stool if they need a boost. The soap dispenser in my first classroom was completely out of reach of any 6 year old so for about 4 months they were just rinsing their hands with water until I noticed what was happening.  Gross memories!

#3 Ask to observe your more experienced colleagues teaching in their own classrooms.

I learned more from watching my grade level team members in action than in any professional development. I was lucky to join a strong & welcoming kindergarten team and these informal observations made a huge difference in my teaching.

#4 On Sunday, plan all of your after-school activities for the week & write them into your plan book.

Force yourself to get organized & schedule things like workouts, grocery shopping, meal prep, laundry, etc. Writing these  in my plan book helped me focus on doing things that would alleviate stress & just make my days go smoother. I have so many memories of coming home exhausted to find no clean clothes for the next morning let alone anything to eat for dinner. It’s simple but planning these more mundane things will help you when there is so much going on at school. It gives me a sense of being in control & on top of things which is reassuring when things at school get crazier.

#5 Stock an emergency drawer in your desk.

You will spend so much time in your classroom that it will start to feel like your second home. Keeping some essentials on hand at school will save you in all those little kerfuffles that can pop up. Here’s what I have stashed in mine: dental floss, hair ties, cough drops, deodorant, slippers, gloves, scarf, socks, flip flops, nail clippers, batteries, lip gloss, compact, extra birthday cards & thank you notes, gum, & snacks. I also keep an extra coat in my classroom for those days when the weather changes dramatically.

#6 Document ALL parent & administrator contact.

I have to be honest and admit that I still struggle with this one. It is a tedious job but an essential one. Get a simple notebook at one of the back to school sales coming up & keep it with your plan book. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. Jot down the date, who you had contact with, & a few lines to remind you of the most important points. Angela Watson has a great freebie with a template you can use.

#7 Prep emergency sub plans now so you are ready for any unexpected illness during the year.

This is one of those things that you will be so grateful for during the year. Most likely, as a new teacher, you’re going to get sick. During my first year I ended up with all kinds of weird illnesses (highlights include slap cheek, double pink eye, & scarlet fever!) and there is nothing worse than trying to write sub plans while you are feeling so unwell. It’s so much nicer to send an email that directs your sub to your emergency plans and then go back to sleep!

#8 Practice some positive phrases to use in difficult situations with parents and/or administrators.

There will inevitably be some tense conversations during your first year of teaching and beyond. Do everything you can to stay calm, to listen more than you speak, & to show empathy for the person you are talking with. I used to feel like I had to have an instant answer or solution to share in these moments and I often felt like a failure because I didn’t know what to say when I was caught off guard. Now I try to respond by saying something like this, “Thank you for letting me know about this. I’ll think about it some more and get back to you soon.” This type of statement gives everyone time to simmer down and reflect on what the next steps should be. I also highly recommend downloading Aspire to Inspire’s wonderful freebie, “Dealing with Difficult Parents: Unexpected On-The-Job Training” It has a wealth of great tips!

#9 Do at least one thing with your class each week that reminds you of why you became a teacher in the first place.

I love to sing & play the piano so teaching my first graders to sing songs like The Rainbow Connection, Inch by Inch, & A You’re Adorable makes me smile & feel more connected to my class. I also love to get down on the floor with my kids to do art projects. We really enjoyed working on coloring in Jenny’s awesome math collaborative posters together this year. We also had a Frozen singalong during our last week of school. It was so much fun! During the year I always try to read some of my childhood favorites like Noisy Nora, Pinkerton, Pippi Longstocking, George & Martha, and Lyle Crocodile. Finding a way to share the things that truly put a smile on your face with your class will help you feel less stressed and more cheerful. There’s always a way to work these types of activities in & you will feel so much more energized to keep going throughout the year.

#10 Keep a journal for all of the hilarious & cute comments you will get from students.

You might think you’ll always remember these moments but they do start to blur pretty quickly. One of my favorite student stories is from an awesome little girl who was the talk of  our kindergarten all day because her pet dog had just, in her words, “laid puppies”. We heard names, vital statistics, every imaginable detail about these new pups. A few mothers got in touch with our little story teller’s mom after school because they were hoping to adopt puppies only to find out that not only were there no puppies there also wasn’t even a pet dog! Got to love her imagination! My journal has several pages for this one student alone & it always makes me smile to remember her that year. Reading your journal can also be really powerful when you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out about teaching. It’s nice to have some reminders of the funny times right at your fingertips.

#11 Don’t drive yourself crazy with an elaborate classroom theme.

Your students will still learn and have a great year even if you don’t decorate your classroom with a fun theme. I love my classroom filled with rainbows & bumblebees but I’ve had 9 years to gradually make fun purchases & fancy things up.  I always joke that my classroom theme for my first few years was “school” followed by “learning” with maybe a dash of “tidiness”. Seriously though, save your money! It’s much more cost effective to check out garage sales, retiring teachers’ classrooms, Craig’s List, Ebay, etc for those fun classroom extras along the way.

#12 Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.

I love this quote! I know that it’s way too easy to get caught up in comparing your classroom to other classrooms you see at your campus or online and  that usually leads to feeling  inadequate about yourself as a teacher. This is something that I still struggle with at times & I think most teachers do to a certain extent. I’m trying to have this be my mantra though and hopefully you can remind yourself as well, especially as a first year teacher. I wish you luck in your first year of teaching! Be kind to yourself & remember to have fun with your students! Please feel free to comment or email me with any questions you have. I would love to try to help out!

image & font credits: Vorobyeva.Shutterstock.com, Woaiss/Shutterstock.com, Iravgustin/Shutterstock.com, Kimberly Geswein Fonts, Giphy.com

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David Ezra Stein’s Interrupting Chicken has become one of my must reads for back to school. The kids enjoy the easy to relate to story and quirky illustrations and it is also a great way to start a friendly conversation about interrupting.  I saw a wonderful idea on Kim Adsit’s blog 2 years ago that has really been helpful to me in cutting down on chattiness & focusing on being good listeners in my students.

Check out her post (it’s full of great ideas!) and look for the section about Target Behaviors.

Click the pictures below for some fun freebies I made to go with this story as well as to get  your very own interrupting chickens to use & hopefully curb this annoying behavior!

This is my old version from my classroom, I like to call it the “single classroom fair use not kosher for distribution version”,  but I just wanted to share it so you could get an idea of how I set it up in my room.

This system has really helped me not lose my mind with all of the unrelated, blurted out (& occasionally hilarious!) comments from little friends. After the first month or so of school I didn’t need to keep the chickens on display & we had (mostly) no interruptions! So thank you to Kim Adsit for sharing this idea! I hope it is helpful for you too! Check out my Interrupting Chicken pinterest board for more ideas:

The post Interrupting Chicken appeared first on Happy Teacher, Happy Kids.

Click below for this freebie:

I also made some super simple handwriting pages to go with. Click below:

Check out my back to school unit for more color animal activities:

The post Free Brown Bear Activities for Back to School in Kindergarten & First Grade appeared first on Happy Teacher, Happy Kids.

Here are some more fun cookie math activities for back to school. Be sure to check out my free cookie reading comprehension activities as well! Click the image above to download the games. Happy Back to School!

photo credit: veganbaking.net   cc

The post Free Cookie Jar Math for Kindergarten and First Grade appeared first on Happy Teacher, Happy Kids.