Winter Math Fun!

Let's talk math...

Math in my classroom looks like this:

First, we do a whole class mini-lesson. It takes 15-20 minutes or so.

Next, we complete an exit ticket based on that day's mini-lesson skill. It takes 4-5 minutes tops.

Then, I briefly (like 5 minutes) explain the math centers. I do not have to do a lot of explaining this time of year because the centers are all familiar. I just change the skill/ difficulty, but the activities are always the same. 

After that, they work in centers for about 12 minutes.

Finally, we finish up & meet back on the carpet for a quick closing. 

We don't have as much time this year for math, but we make every minute count!! 

Here is a peek at this week's fun!

My kiddos have been having a blast with these math centers....

(click the pic to see more)

Here are a few pics of our fun! 

Mitten 3 digit Addition

I decided to make the 3 digit addition mitten game into an add the room...my kiddos needed to move around this week!

This is one of the Mitten dice games that my kiddos LOVE to play!

This is a roll & dot...another of their faves! :)

There are more math centers in this packet, but we can't use all of them in one week. It usually takes 2 weeks for us to use all of them! 

My school uses IXL math.

My kiddos LOVE it & it makes it really easy for me to have a pre-planned center where I choose the activity for them to focus on! 

If you got this far you may want to snag this little freebie!! 

Click the pic to get the freebie! 

Leave me some comment love, please! 

Shout Outs...Holla

Hello friends!

Today was exceptionally sweet! Here's why...

So~ we have been talking about being safe, showing kindness, making good choices, etc...

Today I introduced the SHOUT OUT! 

This went over like gang busters...

Here's how it works:

Step 1- Notice someone showing kindness, helping out others, making good choices, being responsible, being respectful, and so forth. 

Step 2- Fill out a shout out form & place it in the shout out container.

Step 3- Mrs. Elliott chooses random shout out's at the end of the day & reads them in front of the.entire.class!! 

<<HOLLA>>

My container was FULL today! 

My sweet friend, Kim made these shout out forms & they worked like a charm.

Here is a shout out for a student that was reading & being quiet. Doesn't seem like a big deal but for this student it was HUGE.

 Here is a sweet one where a student noticed another student helping to pick up crayons that someone else had dropped. 

I could've posted so many more! They were super into noticing positivity. It changed the whole mood in my classroom & they were so happy to write the shout outs. 

It was too cute! 

You definitely do NOT have to be a Conscious Discipline classroom to implement this. If you want to add some positive reinforcement and compassion to your class this would do the trick! 

Just because you stuck around this long here is a freebie from my sweet friend Kim of the shout out forms that you are more than welcome to use in your class!

Enjoy! 

Reflections...

Hello friends!

As you know, I have been implementing Conscious Discipline this week. Like any new program, it will take time to get everyone on board & in the routine. It is a new way of thinking for the me & for the kiddos. Here are some things that I am noticing...

1. My kiddos had no idea how to shake hands & maintain eye contact until we practiced it a bazillion times in our morning meetings this week. :)
2. I have had to adjust the way that I speak & respond to students...I am definitely more aware of the things that I say to them. No more, "I like the way Bob is sitting on the carpet"...
3. My kiddos are more aware of the way that they speak to each other. I hear MUCH more courteous language. Instead of "Get out of my way" it's more like "Can you move, please?" (baby steps)
4. I am thrilled to NOT have a clip chart or card system to mess with. I thought that this would be a difficult transition, but it has been much easier than I thought.
5. I have more kiddos buying into the program than I initially thought I would. Yay! 

That being said, here is one of my new favorite things that I have implemented in my classroom this week.

Remember these?

Well, I introduced them to the kiddos by telling them that I had a special treasure that I have to protect. I asked them if they would help me protect the treasure that is in my bucket. I went around the circle & had them make a commitment to protect the treasure inside. After everyone committed, I opened the bucket & showed them & gave them their own special heart. 

To begin our morning meeting I have them hold their hearts in their hands, give it a hug, & warm it up by holding it against their own heart. After that, they come to me one by one. I say to them "NAME, I am going to keep your heart safe today" & they respond "Thank you, Mrs. Elliott. I am going to help you keep my heart safe today." Then we high five & they take their seat around the meeting circle. 

There are some that think that it is silly, but I make them do it & reiterate that it is my job to keep them safe. 

**I know that it is helping us to build a tighter classroom family & I like the fact that I know I have touched base with each student in a positive way to start our day.**

Keeping Safe!

Hello friends!

Today was day 2 of Conscious Discipline for me & the kiddos. Today the morning meeting went a little smoother...that progress, right?! 

Anyway~ let's get to it...

So, yesterday the kiddos & I made this anchor chart by having them brainstorm ways that we can be safe. 

We read & re-read the chart at several points throughout the day.

Today, after reviewing the chart, cutie girl student raises her hand and says, "Mrs. Elliott, you DO know that there are more ways than that to stay safe, right?" 

Of course, that jump started a big discussion of other ideas to stay safe. 

BUT, we had NOWHERE to write them on our chart. 

OH NO!!

  What ever shall we do??? 

I had them talk to their partners of ways that we could add the new ideas to our chart.

Here is what they came up with...

Ick...sorry for the blur! :(

They cut out hearts...yes I threw in a little symmetry lesson. Ha! 

Then they wrote their ideas on the hearts.

Did I mention that they are brilliant?! :)

After they had all of their ideas ready each student took a turn reading & explaining their heart idea. 

Then, and this is a biggie, I let them pull the tape off of the dispenser & hang them all.by.themselves.

Who knew that using the tape would be such a major bonus?!?!

Here is a close up of some of their hearts...

"Do not be selfish"

"Be kind to friends" & "Do your best"

I was pretty impressed with how invested they were in this heart/ safety activity. 

They even asked if they could take some of the hearts home to hang around their house....whoa!

 Here is one of the brain breaks that we did today.

It tied in perfectly with our "learning to greet each other" activity that we do during morning meeting. 

They were so funny doing these silly handshakes! 

In other news...some of you have been emailing me asking what my daily schedule looks like so I snapped this pic on my way out of the door this afternoon. 

Social Studies changes to Science every other week. 

Have a great Tuesday!! 

Day One of Conscious Discipline

Hello friends!

Well, today was day 1 of implementing Conscious Discipline for me & my kiddos. 

I started the day with the morning meeting where I taught them that my job is to keep them safe & their job is to help me. 

We learned how to greet each other with a handshake, eye contact, & kind words. I was surprised at how self conscious this made some of them. They looked visibly uncomfortable making eye contact & greeting their friends. I think this is a good thing as I work to make them feel safe & secure with themselves, their friends, & the environment. 

After the greeting time, I taught them a destressing, breathing technique that they could do if they start to feel stressed. They LOVED this. I still need to figure out how to teach them how to know when they need to use this. 

At the end of the meeting we reviewed all the new information & did a class cheer.

I am hoping that this ritual will allow them to have a smooth, positive jump start to their day.

Later in the day...we revisited what it means to be safe & ways that we can be safe at school. We made this anchor chart to support our ideas. 

After reading & re-reading the chart a bajillion times, we watched this on BrainpopJr.

We talked about what to do in different bullying-type scenarios. 

They really got into this...

I won't say that today was perfect, but it was a start. I still had a couple of students that have behavior challenges that just didn't get on board with the rest of us today. I am just going to keep plugging along & see what happens. 

How was your first day back?! 

Deep Breaths!

Hello friends! 

I mentioned in my last post that starting tomorrow my school is making the shift to Conscious Discipline.

So I've been reading this

and this

to try and understand what changes I will be making in my classroom in the new year!

I love what I have learned so far & I will say that I am very optimistic about what this program can do for me & my little cuties. I am already doing some of the components so I am hoping that the rest will come somewhat easy (can things go easy? ha!)

Conscious Discipline is all about students feeling safe. This doesn't seem like a huge thing- but, when you are a child coming from a home that is unsafe, it is EXTREMELY important that there is somewhere that you can feel safe. I teach a population that is high poverty & their home lives are scary & sad. So it is super important to their well being, learning, self image, confidence, etc... that they feel safe when they are with me at school. 

Anyhow~

Here is what I am planning to do to jump start this new journey...

I have been talking a LOT with my friend Heather! She is super helpful & knows SOOOOO much. She has been using CD in her classroom forever! She has tons of great info/ advice & I am so thankful that we are friends!!! 

Following her advice I made this:

Each student has a puffy heart with his/her name on it. 

Everyday as part of our morning ritual they will bring me their heart & we will have a little dialog about being safe & keeping our hearts safe. It is MY job to keep them safe & it is their job to help me. They bring the heart to me & after our little dialog the heart will go in the heart bucket so that they will be safe all day long. I am going to make an anchor chart supporting this about ways that we can be safe. (I'll post those pics after we make it)

I'll check back in tomorrow & let you know how things go for us! 

Have a great first day back for those of you that start tomorrow!! :)