Cramming It All In {w/ iTeachSTEM}

Teachers are experts at fitting a TON of content into every little minute of the day. We have to be. With growing class sizes, challenging standards, and increasing demands on our time, it's necessary to be a master of manipulating time. Cramming learning into every possible activity.

With that being said, I will admit. I struggle BIG TIME with this. I have sooooooooo many awesome ideas. I have sooooooooooo little time to teach each class. This leads to soooooooooooo much rushing throughout the day. My poor fifth graders hear me say, "We have so much to do and not enough time to do it!" almost every single day.

So what can a teacher do?
How can we compete with the increasing demands on our time without giving up what really matters? Teaching our students. Not just the content standards, but how to be responsible. Kind. Courageous. Honest. Caring. Adventurous. Trusting. Wise. Careful. The list really goes on and on and on.

I've found that the best way to squeeze more time out of the day is to be sure to set up specific routines early in the year. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I swear that as a new teacher ten years ago I had no CLUE how important this was. I actually assumed my 10-year-old students would kind of figure it out. HA!

Over the years I have tried so many strategies. And let's face it - there is NOT a one size fits all answer. As a fifth grade teacher who is responsible for instructing four class periods each day as well as lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, etc. I have had to be creative with my time. Here are three ways I have found to help "cram it all in" each day.

I know that a lot of teachers swear by "morning work" and I can totally see how this would be an awesome use of time. However, at my school students are provided with breakfast to eat in the classroom each morning and some students don't arrive until a few minutes before the bell rings. Also, since I only have my homeroom class for those 15-20 minutes, my other three classes would miss out on that morning work time - especially since I would want to use class time to review what had been done.

Since my schedule runs more like a middle school, with students rotating every 70 minutes, I find that doing a quick bell-ringer type activity works much better. Students are trained to answer various types of questions on their white boards (quickly) and flash their answers on my signal. This is a great way to start class since it gives students a moment to get organized and join in as soon as they are ready. It also allows me to assess their understanding of the subject matter before jumping into the lesson. (I kinda love that one student also wrote "Mrs. Coker is awesome" on her board.)

This year, a new law was passed in Tennessee. Students MUST be given a certain number of minutes of physical activity per day. Recess and PE are great, but we needed to add a bit more into each day. As a teacher who already struggles to "fit it all in", I wasn't too sure how I would be able to include more free movement each day. Don't get me wrong, I know the importance of physical activity and even agree with the idea of adding an extra recess each day. But HOW could I give up precious instructional time without falling behind quickly?

I decided to do some brain breaks throughout my lessons - especially on days when they are more "lecture intensive" and students are required to listen and take notes for the majority of the class. And you know what? I haven't been running out of time! Students seem to be better able to focus after a quick break. I still get through my lessons. And I am in compliance with the new law. Win-win-win!

If you teach older students like I do, you're probably thinking that so many of those cute little brain breaks all over Pinterest just wouldn't get your kiddos up and excited. Yeah. You're right. I tried a few and they flopped. Mostly my students wanted a chance to talk, walk about, giggle a bit, and stretch. But if I just gave them "free time" I would likely never get them refocused. So I use a lot of science "rap" songs from YouTube during my lessons. Students are allowed to dance, sing, or tap out a beat while the song is playing. BUT, when it finishes, they are responsible for answering some questions related to the content of the song. I love this compromise. If you teach science, feel free to check out this Pinterest board where I collect my favorite science (and a few math) songs.

Some days I just don't have a good song, so I grab my stack of brain break cards and challenge the students to something silly like writing their names on the air using the end of their nose. Not only does this get the kids laughing and relaxed, but it's so much fun watching them. (Teachers need a quick brain break too!)

If you're interested, check out my Brain Breaks for Bigger Kids on TpT. Or click on the picture above.

I used to dread "the timer" as a kid. My parents would set the kitchen timer when I refused to finish my dinner. (Sweet and sour chicken - the worst!) I would watch the timer count down while I tried to swallow one bite at a time. Somehow I would manage to get finished eating before the timer rang.

Now I LOVE my timer. I use it as much for me as for the kids. Let's face it. I get so caught up in an activity that I tend to lose complete track of time. I have been known to forget to take my students to lunch on occasion. Yikes! It's also a great way to teach students to budget their time wisely. As a teacher in the upper grades, I am stuck preparing students for those dreaded end-of-the-year standardized tests. Those tests are timed. And I'm not allowed to tell them to hurry up during the tests. So if I train them to be aware of the time and how much is remaining, I believe they will be better prepared for a timed assessment.

One of my teaching partners ordered this timer for everyone on our team a couple years ago, and I ADORE it. It's simple to use and very visual for kids. I display it on my document camera when I give my students a set amount of time to complete a task or exam.

Students have a very visual cue as to how much time is remaining. I still remind them when time is almost up, but this allows them to be a bit more independent. And saves me rushing students to lunch ten minutes late just because I was having too much fun discussing the process of photosynthesis.

Purchase one of these timers on Amazon.com here:

We have a saying at our school:
"Every second, every minute, every hour of every day for every Pirate."
How do YOU make every bit of the school day count for YOUR students?

What I Wish I Had My First Year Teaching {Amna from Teach Two Reach}

How technology and retail items have changed in such a short amount of time. When I started teaching 10 years ago...I WISH I had so much of the stuff that I started to accumulate as years went on but those things just weren't that well known or didn't exist back then. So now looking back, I would have loved to have the following things my first year teaching. 

Book Bags and Whisper Phones

This is a two for one type of deal for me. How my Silent Reading time would have been really silent had I made use of book bags and whisper phones.

I made a bunch of whisper phone about 5 years back using PVC pipe and duct tape. Pinterest will give you tons of DIY ways or you can read one of my very first blog posts on my personal blog HERE for how I made mine. 

I also went to the Target Dollar Spot and got a class set of Dr. Seuss themed bags.  I attached each one to a Command hook and students would go once a week to the class library - pick some books they wanted for the week and put them in their bag. When it was Read to Self time during our rotations, they would get their book bags, grab a whisper phone, and get to work. They love the novelty of the whisper phone and so it motivated them to keep quiet. 

The TARGET DOLLAR SPOT.

Speaking of the book bags I got from Target, I SOOOO wish the Target Dollar Spot existed all those years back. That place is a gold mine but also a money trap! I have to stop myself from going there all the time because otherwise it becomes very expensive. I got all my paper bins, supply caddies, and buckets from the Dollar Spot and they've made my room colorful while providing all the storage I need. 

A Glue Gun

Some schools may not allow this, but after years of frustration of posters and other things falling down from the walls when it got humid, I finally started using the glue gun to hang everything. I would put painter's tape on the back of all my items, put the glue on the tape and then stick it to the wall. That stuff lasted all year! I also used the glue gun to layer different colored borders onto the butcher paper for my bulletin boards. 

These are simple things that made my life a whole lot easier I had known when I first started. I hope you've been getting tons of ideas during this blog series. Don't forget to come back every day this month to gather even more ideas!

What I Wish I Had My First Year Teaching {with A Love of Teaching}

Thinking back to my first year teaching, there are several things I wish I had known about and had. Sometimes the little things can make large tasks seem simple or more enjoyable. Here are 3 of my favorite things as a teacher. I wish I had known about these during that first year trying to survive as a new teacher!

#1 Flair Pens

I never realized I was a pen addict, but in my 15 years of teaching, somehow I have become one. A flair pen addict that is. Not just any pen – must.be.a.flair.pen. (Or, Paper Mate Ink Joy Gel Pens will do, too!) 

How in the world did I ever live without this beautiful, colorful, rainbow of happiness? Okay maybe that's a little much, but these do make me happy!

During my first year teaching, I was happy to have a red ball point pen to check papers with. I had no idea that Paper Mate Flair Pens even existed.

Flair pens are perfect for grading, taking notes, writing in my planner or just doodling. I seriously can’t get enough of them. Another teacher recently introduced me to Paper Mate Ink Joy Gel Pens, and I ended up ordering a pack of fourteen that same night on Amazon.  

A few years ago, I decided to organize my cooking utensils, so I purchased one of those Pampered Chef black spinning organizers for my kitchen counter. Standing in my kitchen one day, it occurred to me that this thing would make the perfect pen organizer. Since I spend more time in my classroom than I do in the kitchen, I dumped all my cooking utensils back in the drawer and hauled it to school. Not only does it organize my pens but it’s perfect for highlighters, sharpies, scissors, white-out – you name it! There’s room for everything in that thing!

This summer while shopping at Target for the one-hundredth time, I ran across this Yoobi pen bag and had to have it! I love how it organizes my pens, and it’s so handy to throw in my bag to take back and forth to school.

 
#2 Erin Condren Planner

I love my Erin Condren Planner. It took me a few years to bite the bullet and purchase one of these babies, but after using it for a year – I was hooked! Not only do I love how beautifully designed it is, but I also love how I can use my flair pens while writing in it. I love all the stickers and accessories that you can purchase for it.

I may have I have sunk a small fortune in Erin Condren supplies over the past few years. My planner goes everywhere with me. It keeps me organized in my personal life and in my school life. I really could have used one of these during my first year as a teacher!

#3 Google Drive

I’m a technology facilitator at my school, so Google Drive is a huge part of my everyday life and has been a game changer in my teaching style!

Every student at my school has a Google account, and almost every assignment involves using Google Drive with students. I love how students don’t have to worry about saving their work - that can be a nightmare! I also love the sharing feature of Google Drive. I can edit and grade assignments right from my couch at home. Plus, there are so many possibilities for students to create and share awesome projects that they can work on from anywhere! I also love how I can organize my files and access them at school or at home. It would have been so nice to have had Google Drive as a first-year teacher.

What is one thing you wish you had known about and had during your first year as a new teacher? Tell us in the comments! 

What I Wish I Had My First Year Teaching {Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten}

Teachers spend an average of about $500 out of their own pockets every year on supplies for their classroom.  If you're like me you are probably one of those teachers bringing that average up, because unfortunately there are just so many things you need to do your job well that your school may refuse or not be able to provide for you.  My first year teaching was probably the worst in the spending department because 

1. I was starting with NOTHING 

(I mean literally, not even a single book in my new classroom, and curriculum from the 70s)

2. My teaching salary left much to be desired...

It is so hard to know what you need that first year, so after a few years in the classroom (and thousands of dollars later..) I bring you the top 5 things I wish I had my first year teaching.

Labeling is so crucial for my OCD organization needs but it can take FOR-EV-ER.  Not to mention relabeling every time a new student is added, transferred, or moves. So having a label maker really helps speed up the process.  This is my favorite label maker, the DYMO Letra Tag Plus.  I'm pretty sure I snagged it at Target, because lets be honest that's where 90% of the items in my classroom are from ;)

I type in the name once and print it as many times as I need in various sizes.  I like to use these to label cubbies, folders, hanging files, binders, and tons more.  If you already have a label maker you know it is so worth the $20 ish dollar price tag.

Do you love to stick things up on the white board as much as I do? Then stock up on magnet tape! 

Seriously it's a strange addiction of mine.  I have found tons and tons of uses for this stuff. Cups with math manipulatives, rulers, popsicle sticks for making shapes, markers and more.

Magnet tape on clothespins is one of my favorite ideas I've had. I usually have a few of these handy for all kinds of random uses. Like directions, work samples, the dreaded no name papers, and lost articles of clothing...you may laugh but 5 year olds just canNOT keep track of mittens to save their life and I've been known to have a stray sock hanging from my board from time to time.

I love using it to keep post its stuck up on the board because I use them all the time to write notes, my thoughts while reading, kids thoughts while listening to a story, notes about behavior, observations for assessment, a reminder from the office that just HAD to call in the middle of share time, and so much more.

So I have a confession to make...I HATE putting up bulletin boards. Seriously, I think it's because it takes me forever trying to get every piece perfect and then the staples don't go in right, everything starts falling, so I have to restaple and it becomes a mess. Until I found the best stapler in the world! *cue angels singing*

The paper pro stapler is a lifesaver to say the least.  My students are not allowed to touch this little piece of heaven on my desk. Not only is it great for bulletin boards, but it is amazing for stapling little paper books together, and I may have even used it to staple things to the wall a time or two...(don't tell my custodian!)

I can't believe I even survived 2 years teaching before purchasing this next item, a Scotch laminator. For real, this baby has come to my rescue so many times because when you hear the dreaded words "the laminator is broken" or "no more lamination for the rest of the year" panic ensues. Especially if you are on your only prep for 2 days, the kids will be back from music in 10 minutes and you HAVE to get this center game made for your red math group!

Trust me on this one, you will get more use out of this baby than you even know.  You may even start laminating things at home and people will think you're nuts but it will make you smile :)

And the last thing I wish I had my first year teaching was Teachers Pay Teachers. And I mean as a BUYER not a seller people (those first years I didn't have a minute to spare, so goodness knows what kind of crazy things I would have been creating).

But remember how I said my first classroom had no books and curriculum from the 70s? TpT would have been an amazing resource  to go to to find printable books, centers, activities, and games to engage my kiddos. Instead I spent a million hours online searching for every last idea I could find. Then another million hours creating games and centers from construction paper, die cut machines, markers, etc.

So if you are just starting out in the classroom, I'm sure your shopping list is 10 miles long, but these are my favorite long term big purchases that really would have made my life so much easier the first year, but also every year after!

Back to School Bash!

I hope you are all getting your school year off to a great start! Here at the Elementary Entourage we want to share our favorite lessons, tips, ideas and freebies for back to school to help you during this crazy time of year.  Stop by each of our members blogs to check out what they have to share with you this week!

Then make sure you are following each of us on Instagram because we have a big surprise for you coming this weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

My Lesson Planning Style {Tickled Pink in Primary}

I'm hope you have gotten a lot of ideas so far of how to organize your weekly, monthly, and yearly lessons. I liked to do my lesson planning in the middle of the week for the following week. This gave me a few days to make copies, laminate, and prepare for the week ahead, without having to come in on the weekend. I used to get to school about 1 hour early, use my prep period to work, not talk :) and was able to leave about 15-20 minutes after school ended. Don't get me wrong, I socialized with colleagues, but I also tried to use my time wisely. Being organized and prepared will save you hours of time at school. 

My last district had all the grade level teachers form committees to work on a curriculum map so every school was teaching the same thing at the same time. This uniformity in your corporation helps students that move around in the district. Here's a peek into how we set our Kindergarten curriculum. It was a lot work to get to this point, but now that it done, it is SO helpful! We have the time frame, skills, vocabulary, mini-lessons, mentor text, standards, extra resources, etc. already listed for us. How amazing is that?!?

Below are more detailed lessons that I would create for myself. I could probably just teach off of the curriculum maps, but I like to have it all spelled out and in 1 spot. 

At the beginning of the school year, I teach 1 nursery rhyme a week. That is something that I add in that is not in the curriculum maps, but they are just too fun to not teach. I do a variety of activities during the week to practice the nursery rhyme, sight words, sequencing, retelling, comprehension, etc. You can find these activities for 10 popular nursery rhymes in my Nursery Rhyme Bundle. 

One thing that saves me a ton of time is having my literacy and math centers all planned out for each month. I use similar games, so I can quickly change out a center for the new skill, and the students will already know the game format and directions. Creating and preparing centers can be very time consuming. I have bundled all of my literary centers into one bundle here and all of my math centers into another bundle here. 

 

I hope you have a great school year and that we have helped you find ways to save time and energy when lesson planning.