It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Back to School Time!!

....At least that is what the media is telling us. Here in upstate New York, we have another five weeks before we go back to school, but everywhere around us, we are surrounded by Back to School sales and advertisements that have been going on since the Fourth of July weekend. Surprisingly this does not bother me at all! I LOVE it! Today I found myself wandering through Wal-Mart and Target (I am still too upset with Staples over the Teacher discounts) staring at the school supplies.  Now to people who are not teachers, you are probably thinking that I need to get a life, but this is such a great time of year to buy!  It is almost better than black Friday!!! I try to purchase an entire stock pile of glue sticks and crayons that will get us through the year after our school supply has run out. It is just incredible what you can buy now!!

This week on my "To Do" List is to send out letters to my students and their parents, including a supply list so families can take advantage of all the sales too! I would love to hear what is on your school supply list that you send home to your incoming students? We are no longer able to ask for items considered to be toiletries, such as tissues or baby wipes (cleaning tables, hands, etc.) because we don't have a MSDS for it.

Are you allowed to ask for supplies? If so, what do you ask for?

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Morning Meeting

I just read a great book by Roxann Kriete, called, The Morning Meeting Book. Now I always have a daily circle time in my kindergarten classroom, but this is differnt. Our school also participated for several years in a K-2 Morning Program that was held in the cafeteria (I LOVED this program!) Anyway, the book by Roxanne Kriete discusses the importance of holding a morning meeting in your classroom daily that encompasses the four components:

• Greeting
• Sharing
• Group activity
• Morning Message

This is not circle time. It is a special time of day (15-20 minutes) where students build a sense of community and learn that they are important and appreciated in the classroom.  It is a great opporunity to teach social skills.  As a co-teaching classroom, I am thrilled with this idea.  At first I was reluctant, thinking, there was no way I could fit this in because my schedule is so tight. After taking more time to read the book and reflect on the benefits.

I would love to hear from anyone who has read this book and/or who has implemented a program such as this.  Thanks!

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The Versatile Blogger Award - Thank you

Many thanks to Perrine Curry from Modern Kindergarten for sending this award to me. She has an awesome blog that should definitely be checked out!

I am just getting back from vacation and have been away from my blog for some time.  I will have to finish the rest of this post in the next couple of days after I catch my breath from unpacking and getting back into the swing of teaching summer school. Thanks again, Perrine!

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A Blog Award

Many thanks to Jess from Blood to Books and to Ann Green from Mrs. Green's Kindergarten Korner for passing a blog award on to me. They both have great blogs that should be checked out!

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