Show and Tell

In the beginning of the year we do sharing in our classroom.  Each child is assigned a day that he/she will share.  In the morning they bring in the sharing and hide it in this big tub and it comes out when it is sharing time.  I have them start by saying, "Hi, my name is ________, and this is my sharing."  Then they tell us a couple things about it and take three questions or comments from the audience. 

Whole Brain Teaching

Whole Brain Teaching is new for me this year and I LOVE IT!  The kids have picked up on it so fast and I can't say enough about how wonderful it works for these little ones.  I even hear the kids telling each other, "Rule  #3, keep your hands and your feet to yourself!"   These rules are posted at the front of the room and we chant them each day with a movement we made up for each one.  There is a lot more to Whole Brain Teaching and you can easily access information for FREE.  To see it in action in a real classroom setting, view a couple videos on www.youtube.com  (I just typed in Whole Brain Teaching) or here is their main free website:  http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/.  I recommend watching the videos first and then adjusting it so that it is comfortable for you.  I changed the rules a bit to fit with what works in my class.  It is a great management program!

Weekly tubs

Staying organized is a must when teaching TK!!  We use tubs for everything.  These are our weekly tubs and we put our prep in them as we go.  That way we can quickly grab what we need for the next day and put things in them as they are prepped.  Things that are prepped more than a week in advance are put in a larger box and can be pulled out when needed.  We also have tubs for each of our parent/teacher led centers with materials needed for each center.  Independent centers have trays or small individual tubs for students. 

Free Choice Chart

This is our free choice chart that we use each day and it is color coded (as everything is in our room).  Since most of my TK kids do not recognize his/her name in the beginning of the year, pictures for everything is a must.  These pictures were cut down and then I used a square of adhesive velcro on each one.  The picture on the bottom is how the cards are in the beginning of the day and the one on top is how it looks while the kids are at free choice.  I allow the kids to change activities if they want to- they just need to move their card to an activity that has an open velcro square.  I try and change up the choices as much as possible, but the playhouse, train table and blocks area are always a favorite!

Ouchies

It seems like the smallest of scrapes requires band aids for TK students.  Minimize interruptions and make life easier by making a simple Ouch box where kids can get their own band aids.

Lost and Found

Love those kiddos and they always want to help, but it can get hectic when 30 kids are handing you little tiny things they have found on the ground throughout the day.  Solution?  Lost and Found tub. 

Snack

The kids bring a snack each day and we call it "The Snack Shack".  I put 2 tubs and a smaller clear tub out each morning.  The kids are to put their snack in the tub each morning.  They also are to put their water bottle in the clear tub.  That way they snack is already sorted even before I have opened the door.  I have girls put in one tub and boys in the other and this makes it easier for parents to find their child's snack at pickup.  My aide then takes the tubs out right before snack time and lays them out for the kids.  They find grab their snack bag outside and when they are done they put the snack back in the tub.  

Hula Hoop Space

Using a hula hoop to create a space for the kids to build on the carpet has been a wonderful addition to  my class this year.  I have 33 four-year olds and this makes it easy to define each child's working space.