Parents' Night Preparation

Parents' Night went pretty well this year.  I told my partner teacher, "I'm pretty average in terms of my nerves."  And the only real complaints I got were not my department (more of a cafeteria lunch issue).  The night itself was not the noteworthy part of my day.

It was about an hour before dinner.  Most of us stay at school to finish preparing and order takeout.  I realized I needed a note about needed supplies so I was printing out a packet of pre-made notes I bought from Teachers Pay Teachers (I'll find a link later).  My former partner teacher, who I rarely see now since we're on different floors, came in to the computer room and asked if there were any copies that came through.

I sifted through my pile of little kid looking pages, {"I lost a tooth today"} and see my old "Parents of Successful Fourth Graders" note.  I hand it to him and turn a few more pages.  {School Spirit Week is this week}.  Then I see my "Suggested Materials for Fourth Grade" note.  I repeated this process, pulling out page after old fourth grade page until I got to the end.  All the templates I made and used to use, but with his name on them.

Yes, there was a twinge of jealousy.  But I felt proud, too.  I Emailed him those pages when he was hired 3 years ago, and he still finds them useful.  And I feel lucky, because my new partner teacher Emailed me her Parent's Night forms, so it's not like I was really put out in that regard.  I received the same help I gave out 3 years ago.

I know that with my TPT store, the same thing happens every day.  Items I made are being used by other teachers while this year I won't be able to use any of it with my first graders.  But getting a "Product Sold" Email and transaction receipt is a very different feeling to physically handing over one page at a time.

It was weird.  But not bad.  It was actually kind of okay.

I think that whole, "You'll adjust" promise everyone made me might be coming true.

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Teaching First Grade: My First Two Weeks

Well, it's official.  I've been a first grade teacher for two weeks now.  Forget the room setup and preparation, I've met, been in charge of, and taught 19 little first graders.  Here are my initial thoughts!

1.  My grade level partner is wonderful.  She's a wonderful teacher and a wonderful colleague.  She's been sending me her lesson plans, shows me where to find materials for the coming week, and even made me the occasional copies.  Her SMART goal will be to collaborate with me on a weekly basis (which obviously helps me more than her).  I owe her so much!

2.  First graders need to be told, "We do not store Jitter Juice in our desks."  {Little darling:  I'm saving it for later.  Me:  Um...where are you storing it?}

3.  My first two weeks had its ups and downs.  But guess what?  Last year I'd taught the same grade level for 9 years and I had good days and not so good days.  So when I'm having a tough time, I take a deep breath and give myself permission to have a bad day.  It's normal.  It's part of life and it's part of any job.  "As long as the kids are safe and leave with a smile on their face.  That's all that matters today," was my mantra for the beginning.  And when my colleagues asked me at the end of day 1 how it went I half joked, "I can't say there weren't tears.  But they weren't MY tears."

The fact that I've had good days already have given me hope that I CAN do this.  I think, "It's going to get easier."  I think, "If this bad thing that is happening right now is the worst thing that happens this year, it'll still be a pretty good year!"  Of course things change and evolve.  Expectations will increase, work will get harder for the kids, tests will be analyzed, report card time will steal my prep time.  But I'll be more savvy than I was on the first day.

4.  First grade teachers tiptoe in their lines.  {Little darling:  Mrs. Thomas, why do you walk so fast?}

5.  I think I am going to like the grading to preparation ratio change.  I'm not sure, but I think that compared to fourth grade, I spend less time grading.  Conversely, I spend more time preparing materials.  Now, part of this change might be because I'm new to the grade level, but I don't think so.  Even if I do all the same activities next year and have materials already cut, laminated, and assembled, there is still the task of setting things up for each day.  Things that I took for granted that fourth graders could count, distribute among their group mates, or staple on their own.  So time will tell.  But if I'm right, I am enjoying the materials more than the paperwork.  I'm getting into a groove with being active after school.

6.  Going to bed earlier has been the smartest thing I've done this month.  I get to school earlier because there are new routines I have to get used to.  Eventually I'll write a morning message, (in slower, neater writing than I dashed off for fourth graders) get the main ideas on the board, draw in the times on my clocks, copy the lunch menu from the calendar and make my copies the day before.  But I'm not quite there yet.  At least I'm efficient in the morning because I have my To Do list typed and posted for myself. 

7.  First graders need their desks bleached.  Every.  Day.

8.  First graders know more routines than I expected.  Of course there are lots of routines I took for granted in fourth grade that take longer and need more reminders, modeling, and "never mind, I'll do it for now" in first grade.  But they can find their hook and put away their bags with no problem.  They put their folders in their mailboxes.  They can clear away their crayons as fast as a fourth grader.  They even worked nearly silently on a pretest for ten whole minutes!!  Most routines they learned in kindergarten, they can still do.  I even had one first grader who could help me look at names and put the right paper into the right mailbox (as long as I was there helping).

9.  First graders can sit with a book.  This was all new territory for me.  When I saw my library of books sorted by genre, and then a second library of leveled books, and the third library of leveled books that correspond to the Journeys texts, I was confused.  "They can't read those books by genre; are they all for read alouds?" I asked my grade level partner.  She told me that they look at the pictures and "tell themselves a story about them."  "Do they write the story?"  I asked dubiously.  She looked at me with that amused, aren't you lost sort of look.  I didn't think so.

I looked at the Daily 5 briefly and saw that there are 3 ways to enjoy a book: sound out the words, use the pictures to tell a story, and retell a story that you've heard.  I modeled each strategy.  I started the kids at 2 minutes and increased by 1 minute per day to build stamina to 5 minutes (that seemed to be their limit for now).  I modeled sitting with my book for those 4 days, and on the fifth I took pictures of kids demonstrating good reading behaviors.  And it actually worked.  They are doing it.  Some day soon I'll be taking reading groups and actually start teaching these little ones how to read stories.  Wow.

10.  Fake it till you make it is still a viable strategy.  The first day I smiled even though I felt like a substitute teacher.  I was in a foreign place, with kids I didn't know.  REALLY didn't know.  Didn't understand.  So uncomfortable.  I was sweating (not just because it was 90 degrees) as we transitioned from the safety of the desks to the carpet not knowing if they would just start wondering.  I patted one of my little darlings on the back as he screamed and cried for the first 3 hours of class and told him he was safe here and I was going to help him.  I was shaky as we head to the hallway, feeling exposed.  What if they weren't quiet?  What if they didn't stay in line and my colleagues saw I was not in control?  My stomach was tight as we went to dismissal.  What if they ran for their parents instead of safe where I could see them?  What if their parents asked me point blank, "Couldn't you handle fourth grade?  Why are you teaching first now?"

The kids didn't know I was worried about control.  As far as they know, I'm the grown up; of COURSE I have control.  My colleagues in the hall complimented us on our lines.  The music teacher told me, "You look like you've been doing this forever."  The reading teacher told me, "The kids were really tuned in to you when you were giving directions!"  The kindergarten teacher told me, "Parents told me what a great first day their kid had.  They're really happy in your class."

I can do this.  I teach first.

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First Few Days of School: Implementation (Little Kid Fun)

My mantra on the first day of school was the same this year as it was my first year.  "Fake it Till You Make It."  I needed the kids to think I was in control, but also that school is fun.  I figured the first day would probably be THE hardest, and it should get better from there; I just needed to make it until the end of the day. 

Between my TPT purchases and tips from my grade level partner, I tried to make the first few days as fun as I could (for them, at least).  If I had to leave fourth to teach first the consolation prize was going to be that I'd get to make some little kids smile.  So here is what I chose to implement.

After they found their coat hooks and desks, Pledge of Allegience, and some seat work (courtesy of my grade level partner) we had Morning Meeting, just as all classes at my school is required to do.  And I got to use my homemade pointers!

I drew heavily from Abbey Mullin's Fun with Firsties Back to School Unit. I had heard of Jitter Juice from my grade level partner, but I did the right thing and bought the whole packet.  I was proud of my first ever first grade chart, but for copyright reasons I can't post it (here's the top line only).  It's an adjustment making u's that way, but that's how we do it in Fundations!


We went on to make the sweet, fruity drink and it was a big hit!


We also read The Night Before First Grade.  They sure do love stories!  I felt at ease reading (I can read upside down so there were no arguments over being unable to see the pictures).

We also played with Magic Playdough (once again, my husband helped me prepare).  The recipe and poem was free from A Cupcake for the Teacher (I've used several of her items this week). Having them keep it in the bag was a wise idea; they loved it just as much and no one's hands got stained.


One of the stories that the kids liked was No, David.  We also did a craft that I found for free!  (It's by Angie Neal).  Although I'm sure a craft like this would be a piece of cake for a veteran, it was a real challenge for me to manage.  So many kids needed so much help with the writing.  Not what I was used to after teaching fourth grade.  I just kept telling myself, "Just do the best you can.  Smile.  They'll be okay if they have to wait a minute.  One kid at a time.  You can do this.  You can do this."  At least I enjoy crafts!  I'll get the hang of it eventually.

 
The display sure was cute.  Getting them to stop whacking the pictures was not so fun.  We did a lot of practicing (going to back to our desks to walk over quietly and sitting).

We also made a list of rules.  It's not pretty, but I'm happy with the content.  In fourth grade I used 2 headings:  Stay Safe and Learn.  The social aspect came under the umbrella of feeling safe.  I figured in first grade that was too much of a reach for them so I separated it out.

The only thing I'm not happy about is that it seems way too text heavy for first grade.  But how do I make it age appropriate?  Add pictures?  And how does that work when involving kids in the rule making process?  I could have printed out illustrated rules ahead of time but they wouldn't have "owned" them then.  Does anyone have tips for me to improve my chart?

Another book that was a big hit was Pete the Cat, Rocking in My School Shoes.  I tried doing a writing prompt.  They needed a lot more support than a chart.  I'm tempted to buy or make one for next year, but I know Pete the Cat is copyrighted so if I make it I can't sell it.




In order to get kids used to where things are in the classroom, we did a scavenger hunt.  I used to do something sort of similar, sort of in reverse in fourth grade (they would go around with a clipboard and describe an object they found in each area).  For the scavenger hunt they each got a square, and had to put a sticky note where they found the picture.  Many got confused and tried to put the card near the object instead. So it didn't go perfectly, but it at least got them up and moving with purpose.  I will have to revisit this sort of activity next time.


We talked about expectations for listening.  I drew inspiration from Erica Bohrer.  I made her mini poster into a full sized chart.  Although I'm far from a Whole Brain Teaching guru, I like the "Class, Yes" attention getter.  And with first graders, I figured they would need a lot of practice getting settled and listening.

When I visited one of the kindergarten classes in May, the teacher asked them to get into listening mode.  They walked to the rug quietly, sat with their hands folded, and closed their eyes.  The other class did not practice this.  So I thought this would be a happy medium.  I let them fold their hands one of two ways (crossed or as pictured) whatever is comfortable for them. 

The first few days weeks were a blur.  But most of the kids seemed happy.  They had no idea how scared I was.  And every day I stayed late getting ready for the next day, went home and got ready for the next day, arrived early to get ready for the day.  I was taking it one day at a time.  It was not easy, but the kids didn't know it.  They were excited to see what came next!

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