Wahoo!  It's Friday peeps!  I'm linking up once again with DoodleBugs Teaching for Five for Friday.



 As we all know, there is no tired like teacher tired.  This was my first week back and holy moly....my feet are aching, my back is aching and I could sleep anytime, anywhere. But...it was a great week and I'm really enjoying my new class of "firsties." Here's a snapshot of our week:


        I used this packet from A Grace Filled Classroom throughout the week for early finishers.  It worked out really well at keeping the kiddos engaged and it was also a great informal assessment.









    I LOVE reading this book at the beginning of the year as a precursor to formulating our classroom rules. The repeated quote "What if everybody did that?" is such a great reminder.  A few times this week if I needed to correct a behavior I said that exact quote "What if everybody did that?" It made a nice connection to the story and helped the kiddos to think about their behavior too.

    After talking about why we have rule and listing and posting our classroom rules, I introduced my card system that I use for behavior management.




There were quite a few ooh's and ahhh's when I introduced the reward coupons!



We also did some fun activities with Babbling Abby's Fun with Firstie's Back to School product too!



We made this fun backpack craftivity!


   We talked about what we thought a first grader needs to be successful.  I brought in a backpack with a few things in it and we talked about whether the things inside would make good tools/supplies to help us be successful in first grade.  We brainstormed a list to add to our backpacks which are now hanging proudly in the hall!


We also made adorable lunch paper bag books this week.  These are by Alissa Mannine-Telisak


I found this for free while searching for back to school activities!

      Have you ever had one of those years?  You know the one I'm talking about- where the kids are not actually misbehaving but they are soooo loud. I did the songs, the clapping patterns, the chimes, the lights off, and stood in front of the room with my hand in the air for hours way too long.  Nothing seemed to quiet the kiddos I had this past year year down.  Until I tried "quiet critters."  I found the idea on Pinterest, rushed to Michael's to use my 15% teacher discount and set to work.


These were super easy to make and the kids love them! Cut out a heart shape out of colored foam for the feet, glue a large pom-pom to the feet, add wiggle eyes (I like the colored ones) and a pipe cleaner for the antennae.  That's it!  Whenever I see a student working quietly I give them a "quiet critter."  They try to keep collecting them throughout the day.  I'm lazy and don't want to keep making more so I collect them at the end of the day.  They love to line their workspace with them! 


For years I have used a classroom management system that has worked wonders for me. We formulate our classroom rules together, I write them on chart paper and the students sign it.  Each student gets a pocket with 4 cards (pink, orange, yellow, and green.)  I purchased this one from Lakeshore Learning but you could easily use any type of pocket chart or even a calendar chart.  I have also seen teachers use a large tri-fold piece of poster board and hot glue library pockets on for each student.



 Each student starts each day with their card on pink since I am "tickled pink" with their behavior. If they break a classroom rule, they turn their card to orange and in the process of doing so, they tell me (usually privately) what mistake they made and how they can make a better choice the next time.  If they break a classroom rule again, or need another reminder, they turn their card to yellow, have a 5 minute break and tell me how they could make a better choice.  If their card goes to green, they know that results in an email, note, or phone call home.  I also log behavior each day for my own records.  If their card stays on pink for the day they get a hole punch on it.  Nothing fancy, just an ordinary hole lunch.  After 15 hole punches, they may either choose a prize from our classroom prize box or they may choose a reward coupon.  I don't know what it is about them but the kiddos love reward coupons.  I store them in the same pocket chart as their cards for bribery easy reference. I have also seen some teachers store them in slotted clear bins. Without fail, someone chooses "have lunch with the teacher" all the time.  Although I miss eating with my colleagues on those days, nothing beats how thrilled they are to have a little one on one time with their teacher.  The truth is, I learn a lot about them too!  It's our special time.  I have the reward coupons for sale in my store if you are interested.





Brag tags are available in my store. I have Brag Tags for birthdays, losing a tooth, general achievements, for all of the reward coupons, and more.





To stay organized and to make the tags easily accessible, I store them  and some extra reward coupons, in clear plastic sleeves.  They are actually intended for scrapbooking.  They are by Becky Higgins and they are part of her Project Life album refill kits. They are pretty inexpensive and you can buy them individually or in a pack.

      Have you ever had one of those years?  You know the type I'm talking about.  The class that no matter how many interventions you try, no matter how many clapping patterns, cute songs you sing, or how many times you ring the chime or shut off the lights they just keep talking. And talking. And talking.  While you are talking with them about listening while you are talking they are....you guessed it....talking.  I feel like I have exhausted every strategy I know to alleviate the excessive talking and loud chitter-chatter.  Now, please don't get me wrong.  I love that they have personality and in no way do I expect or even want a silent classroom but it would be nice to be able to open our classroom door once in awhile.  It would be nice to do a read aloud without 15 interruptions.  Let's just say my class this year has a lot of personality.  I've had to pull out all the stops.  I have 17 years of teaching under my belt but I'm always learning new tricks and a few I've learned this year have really helped with classroom control.





     Another idea that I found on Pinterest was for behavior reward coupons. I do have a classroom prize box but I wanted some other options that wouldn't put a significant dent in my wallet.  I decided to make and try out reward coupons.  Let me tell you....this has rocked our world!  The kiddos love this!  They can choose a reward coupon for having 15 punches on their pink cards (see my tickled pink post ) in lieu of a prize from the prize box or I can reward them to a students.  I have given out reward coupons for hard work, showing responsibility, acts of kindess, and a myriad of other positive behaviors I may see in our classroom.  Lately, more students are choosing the reward coupon instead of the prizes!  The most popular ones are: Be the teacher's assistant for the day (the kiddos love being called Mr. or Mrs.), bring a stuffed animal into school, and have lunch with the teacher.  The reward coupons that I use in my classroom are free in my Teacher's Pay Teacher's Store.  Just click on the picture below.