Happy Sunday to you all! As I read through some of my comments, I thought I should give a little update. My posts tend to be so long-winded (see number 5 in this post) , I honestly can’t believe I forgot to give certain details!
1. Listening and Speaking – I use the Dr. Jean claps and cheers after each child has shared. We use the cheers at other times, too, but it is absolutely mandatory after each child shares. Believe you me, they remind me if, heaven forbid, I accidentally forget! The kids just love it! Fran over at Kindergarten Crayons just posted about this! I had all the cheers typed out and stapled inside my Sharing Folder but you can go HERE to print off a set of already made cards from Dr. Jean’s website. TOO CUTE! She suggested putting them on a ring but I may keep them in a “card style” fashion and let the student sharing “pick a card” to see what cheer we’ll give them. LOVE IT! I already printed my set and now I just need to laminate them! 🙂 I love new stuff that was old stuff but then it’s new again because of all of my blog stalking!
2. Sight Words – our District had a team of teachers come up with these words over a long period of time. They used every popular list or program out there and compiled it into what I now have. They tried to make it fit in with our Houghton Mifflin curriculum, as well. I just received an email that they are changing the order that we’ll be teaching them in. Plus, our kids will be assessed on different lists during District testing. So I have a lot of work ahead of me . . . Don’t you just love change?? NOT!!! (This is coming from a girl who has taught in the same grade going on 15 years now.)
I meant to include one more resource. I took all of those words from all of those lists and alphabetized them so that students can use it as a tool when they are writing. I have a copy in their writing and homework folders, plus I made a poster for our classroom which hangs up by our writing center.
You can download your copy HERE. I had to play around with the margins to make everything fit and then my Mac and I kind of got into an argument (which almost never happens – I was quite shocked) and I ended up having to trick my Mac by saying that I was putting this document on legal sized paper. You do not need to print it on legal sized paper. Just print it on letter and you’re good to go.
Okay, I think that’s all I needed to update. I am off to church where I will try to focus on the sermon and not think about how I am going to have to fix all of my sight word stuff. 🙂
Have a happy day!
Thanks so much for the link the the Dr. Jean songs. I have given you a shout out on my blog!
You see, this is one of the reasons why even though I have virtually no colleagues I still love my job. I don't have to deal with people switching these things that are already perfectly good and making lots of work for me for no real reason. Good luck and thanks for sharing! =)