End the Chaos and 'ZEN' The End of Your Day!

Does the end of the day chaos leave you with a giant case of the grumpies? Have you ever had an amazing day with your kids only to have it ruined by the madness that ensues during pack-up? Do you ever feel like you become a Miss Viola Swamp because you’re just trying to survive and get these kids out while they’re each still in one piece? There was a time where I felt this way too. It was awful. I would dread the end of the day and totally lose control of my kids. I am here to tell you how I’ve created Zen in my classroom at the end of each and every day!

When it is time to get ready to pack up the very first thing we do at the end of every day is Magic Scrap. We do this every single day, all year long, and it never gets old.

You might have heard of a version of Magic Scrap somewhere else, but this is what I do. As the day is drawing to a close I simply say, "I have a magic scrap in mind," The kids hear this signal and begin frantically cleaning ev-er-y-THING. They know that the magic scrap can be anything in the classroom. It doesn't have to be a scrap, it could be a glue stick with the lid off, a chair that's out of place, or Goldfish crackers crumbs. They clean faster than lightning and it takes 2 to 3 minutes and the classroom is spotless.  Someone may have found the Magic Scrap I was thinking of in the first 5 seconds, but I don’t announce that it has been found until the room is clean. Once the room is clean I say… “The Magic Scrap has been found”. At that point, the kids know that they have 5 seconds to be in their seats. I tell them that if they're not in their seats after 5 seconds, they can't win the magic scrap. I don't know if I would hold true to that, but I've never had to, because they're always all in their seats at the end of 5 seconds. Teacher win!

Now is the fun part, I announce the winner by saying, "Oh, Florencia," and then they would all repeat. Next I say, "You found the magic scrap." and again they repeat. Sometimes we'll do it in an opera voice, or a little mousy voice, or a big deep voice, whatever just to keep it fun. Now we’ve just taken 3 minutes and our classroom is spotless and the kids are settled in their seats.

Kids have been sitting still for a good portion of the day, and expecting them to sit still for 5 to 10 minutes longer and do nothing, is a really unrealistic expectation. So next, I have a student pass out a half sheet of blank paper.  If kids would like to, they can doodle or color. They know that this is not the time to make their best masterpiece, but of course they can take it home if they would like. Some kids choose to put their heads down and rest or take out a book and that’s totally fine too. The point is that every kid has something to do while they are waiting for their turn to pack up or for others   to finish packing up.  For the end of the day to go smoothly you need to have a clear set of routines that you have practiced and perfected together. Brooke from Teach Outside the Box reminded me at the beginning of the year, “When it comes to teaching procedures, assume they know nothing”. We need to teacher them the tiniest of details.

While the rest of the class is keeping busy on their art: 1.     A table excuser go around and they do a double knock on one table at a time. 2.     When that table it excused they follow the path around the perimeter of our classroom (tiny detail>>) They cannot weave or go between desks or tables). Following that path, they first stop and get their coat and backpack. 3.     Next they continue around the path and stop at the cubbies. (tiny ,but very important detail>>) They do not pack up at their cubby. They must grab their mail and take it back to their seat to put in their backpack. If everyone stops and to pack-up at their cubby it will take much longer and cause a traffic jam. These are the details they need to be aware of and practice.  4.     Once the first table has cleared out of the coat area the table excuser may excuse the next table (tiny detail>>) They are in charge of avoiding traffic jams and keeping things flowing) 5.     After packing up at their seat they place their backpack beside them and work on their art piece. 6.     Each table continues the pack-up process while I complete all the important tasks that can ordinarily be overwhelming among all the end of the day chaos that now no longer exists! All of these routines along with our clean classroom allow me to focus on checking in with kids at the end of the day, getting any last minute transportation notes in order, filling out behavior forms if I need to and I’m sure I’m missing a zillion and one other tasks that we’re responsible for.

The last piece is to make it fun. These are our end of the day challenges. They are fun and silly and we love them.  You can click any of the pictures or grab them HERE! We don’t have a challenge everyday, but the kids always beg to have one. Challenges have three main rules you always have the goal of being the quietest and the quickest and you must always be safe. Before ever beginning pack-up I let them know if we will have a pack-up challenge for the day and what that challenge is.  I watch for a single students or a table team that works really hard to complete the challenge whiIe packing up quickly, safely and quietly.  When we are all lined up I announce the winner(s) of the challenge, and then they get some sort of reward. That reward doesn't have to be a treat. Sometimes I'll do the little erasers that you get in the dollar spot at Target. Other times it will be something as simple as the winner getting to leave the line first to walk out to recess.

Some of my kids favorites are “Smile-a-thon”, “Zombie”, “Criss Cross” and “Buddy-Pack”, but as I’m sure you can imagine that one is a bit less quiet.

It feels good to end each day feeling like the teacher I always want to be. I haven't seen that grouchy end of the day teacher in a long time and I never want to. Most importantly, my kids are leaving with smiles on their faces and they're excited to come back the next day. That alone can tell us we’re doing something right.

I hope these tisp will he you find “Zen” at the end of your day!

Teaching with a Growth Mindset

I have a confession.

 I've been a bad teacher. 

You know all those memes and teacher letters that confess all of the work teachers do all summer long? The ones that try to enlighten those who don't know about all the professional development and preparation for next year? 

Ya, well, I haven't done a D@#$ thing. Unless you consider laying by the pool work. I mean I really do work up a good sweat filling my cart at Home Goods and all those late nights I have spent reading do leave me feeling pretty exhausted. 

August is approaching quickly though so I have been getting back to it. I hope that even with a giant to-do list looming in the back of your mind you have found lots and lots of time to recharge and refresh. I know I most definitely needed it and I truly feel like I am going to

 head back in September at my best. 

Our school was one of the first schools to become a PBIS school in the district. We certainly don't have it all figured out, but things run like a pretty well oiled machine. With things running so smoothly we felt good about taking on something new for next year. Our principal introduced us to the theory of Growth Mindset. I immediately fell in love. 

I think what I loved most about Growth Mindset is that it was a "duh" for me. Almost like something I've always known, but just needed it to be brought to the forefront. If you are new to Growth Mindset here is a little synopsis. 

Check out this video for some inspiration: 

I wanted to be completely prepared not only to teach my students about Growth Mindset, but also to support them in actively using a Growth Mindset for life. Growth Mindset is not just something you can teach about a few times and expect a complete mindset shift. Since learning about Growth Mindset I make an effort to encourage it at home with my son, Conner. It's not difficult, but it does take conscious effort on my part. 

The best news is that I have seen signs of Growth Mindset with Conner already. Little things he says like "Mom, look at this picture I made. I worked really hard to make it right." and while making a robot, "This is NOT working. I need to try something else." He was trying to make a robot body for himself out of paper and every time he tried to put it on it would rip. In the past I've seen him give up and I would quickly reassure and help him. This time he decided to try something else all on his own, going out into the garage to find the perfect box. 

To teach about Growth Mindset in the classroom I have designed 5 interactive and engaging lessons. 

I begin teaching about Growth Mindset right away. The lessons are perfect for back to school. 

Lesson 1: Growth vs. Fixed Mindset

Lesson 2: The Brain is Like a Muscle

Lesson 3: Speaking with a Growth Mindset

Lesson 4: Famous Growth Mind-Setters

Lesson 5: Praise vs. Constructive Criticism

Through role-play, interactive charts, real-life scenarios, collaboration, and more students will learn:

-What Growth Mindset is

-How to think with a Growth Mindset

-How the brain really works

-What teachers with a Growth Mindset say and do to help student brains grow

AND SO MUCH MORE! 

After all 5 lessons you will have charts and posters hung up throughout your room as a reminder to continue to encourage and use a Growth Mindset all year long! 

Check it out in my TpT store HERE-- I will have it 50% for the first day, but if you happen to miss it add it to your wishlist for the BIG SALE coming up this weekend. I am not about overpaying, can you tell? 

Happy Teaching, FRIENDS! 

Monday Made it: Sit Spots for $5

Linking up for Monday Made it this morning... 

I am sure you have seen this Pinteresting product floating around!

From what I gather these things are absolutely amazing. Truly they are not priced terribly either so if you have 35 kids and can spare $70 you should definitely stop reading this post and go buy some! Haha. Just click here to visit their site. You can also click the pin below to read a great post by Teacher to the Core.

Now I have wayyyy too many kids each year and move ins and outs like nobody's biz so I created my own. At the dollar tree they have all sorts of placemats. You could even use those little foam colored pieces that come like 20 in a pack and make them for less than 5 bucks. And if they are ruined at the end of the year no big woop, am I right!? I had to buy 8 placemats to be safe. 

To get started I used a pen, scissors,  placemats, 

and the lid to an oatmeal container. 

 Step 1: Use the round object to draw circles on the backside of each placemat. 

Sit Spots has all sorts of different shapes and colors. 

If you want to make your own unique shapes you could trace anything. 

So if your classroom theme is ocean you could find a cutesy whale shape to trace. 

 Step 2: Cut them out. 

 Step 3: I created these sticky labels with numbers. 

You can download the template here. I used Avery labels 5160. 

Click here for the editable Word version and here for the PDF

Step 4:

I had some velcro too so I put a little piece on the back of each. 

Now I can stick them to the carpet or linoleum floor. 

Once each is placed where I want it I can move each circle as frequently as I want. 

So if student #24 won't stop talking to student #25 no worries.

 I will just swap student #15 and #24. Problema solved!

 Here is my little model. 

These are set up on my living room floor since it is mid-July 

and I am so not ready to start going back yet!

I also made these cutesy little pencil cans. 

Target has these little chalkboard cans in the dollar spot. 

If you don't have chalkboard markers you MUST pick some up! 

There are some crazy amazing Monday Made It's this week. I already added 5 gazzilion to my to do list! Go check em' out. 

Easy peasy lemon squeazy: Class DOJO intro...

For the last few years I have done a classroom clip chart.
It has worked really well for me and I have been able to integrate with other
 little incentives I am doing along the way.
You know, the ones that only work for a short amount of time,
 but they do the trick when you are beyond ready for Christmas Break!!
It's time to start something new and fresh this year though. 

I have been thinking about switching over to Class DOJO for a while,
but have not had the time to sit down and really dive into it all.
If haven't heard of it it's basically an online behavior tracking and incentive system. kids earn points for positive behaviors and lose them for negatives.
So almost like a clip chart but the tracking is done for you and kids can see their data too and set goals. They can even create their own avatars and brag about what a fantastic day they had by showing mom and dad at home.

I searched blogs a little and found a few explanations, but I am so a "need a visual kinda girl".
Thank goodness for summer time and I am pretty sure I should get 500 hours of professional development for all the pinteresting, book reading, blog stocking that I do. :P

I am so excited to try this and I know if I am stoked about it my kids will be too! So here it is, my little tour of Class DOJO

While playing around I chose to add a behavior for one of our class rules.
When you notice a need set a goal with your class and add to the behaviors.
You can then reward students when they demonstrate this behavior. 

I downloaded the app to my phone so that it will be easy to add points as I need to.
The reports are going to make report cards, goals setting and parent conferences much easier too. 

I will be back with updates after it is all up and running!