Behavior Chart

At WPS we use the STARS Behavior Management System. S.T.A.R.S. stands for Safety, Trust, Attitude, Responsibility and Self-Control. We teach our students what each of these things mean and how learning responsibility and self-control will benefit them and our school. We talk about how important attitude is to success and why everyone must be able to trust everyone else to do the right thing; and that safety is very important to all of us. We have expectations for behavior in every spot in the school and we tell children what we expect to see. We are teaching them skills that we believe will benefit them not only at WPS but throughout their entire life. It's a big job but we do our best to break it down to a few critical teaching points and we try to help students become more and more successful in their S.T.A.R.S. behavior. We are trying to create a consistent expectation in our public areas.

In our classroom we begin each day on "Green". Everyday deserves a new start. Heavens knows I make enough mistakes so I certainly benefit from a fresh start each day and so does your child.
After a few reminders about behavior expectations, students may have to move their clothespin clip with their name down to orange. Again, EVERYONE makes mistakes. I do not expect total and complete silence but I do expect students to listen whilst I am teaching. Not only for their sakes but for those around them. Still, moving to orange really shouldn't be that big of a deal.

If the behavior continues their clip is moved to red. They have been warned repeatedly, they have had time to think but they are still doing something that they have been asked not to do. There are many reasons children get to red and they need our help finding alternatives. They need us to sit with them and discuss the problem. They need us to help brainstorm other, less disruptive methods. And they need us to help role play what they will do in the future so they don't get on red again. Frankly, most students get red because they are talking too often and at inappropriate times. That's a hard skill to learn but you and I have learned it and your child will as well. Once a child goes to a level, they may not go back up to green. There have been many opportunities prior to having moved a clip, therefore it should come as no surprise that they have a consequence. We all start fresh tomorrow.

There are a few instances when a child will not be warned and will immediately be sent to the office. One of those instances is when they willfully hurt another student. Everyone deserves to feel and be safe and there is nothing that will get you into trouble sooner than hurting someone. I encourage our students to use their words and talk through their feelings. I also keep my eyes open for children who look as though they are becoming frustrated and intervene when it appears that someone may be about to make a poor or hurtful choice.

Conversely, if your child exhibits behavior that is especially touching, thoughtful or kind, they can be rewarded with a Gold Star. A Gold Star means that your child has gone beyond expectations for a First Grader and deserves that recognition.

Remember, I expect mistakes to occur. That tells me your child is taking risks and trying out new behaviors. In my eyes, that's a GOOD thing!

S.T.A.R. folder

If I told you that the reason the S.T.A.R. folder did not get out last week was because I couldn't decide on an acronym, you'd laugh at me... but sadly, that's the truth. Last night I actually spent some time thinking about what message I wanted to send via my folder name and S.T.A.R. was easily decided on. S.T.A.R. stands for Skills to Teach Academic Responsibility. It's important to me that kids take responsibility for their learning. (It's an ongoing theme.. you'll hear lots more about that throughout the year.) But, Stuff To Always Remember pretty much means the same thing. Which ever way you remember it, I'll still have sent my not-so subliminal message!

When you open the folder up in front of you, the left hand pocket has a little sticker that says "LEFT at home". Any papers that come home on this side should not remain in the folder. Please take them out, look them over and decide if you should recycle or save them. (Just don't leave them in the folder. Thanks!)

The pencil pouch is an ideal place to send money for lunches, Santa Shoppe, the Book Fair, etc. It is also the first place I look in the morning so if you have important information that you want me to get right away, just put it in this pouch and I will see it. I do a more thorough look through the folder when I put more paperwork in it at the end of the day, but it's much later by then. If you'd like me to know about a change in the way your child will get home, put it in the pouch. If your child will be leaving early, send a note in the pouch. If your child was absent, or you'd like a conference, put it in the pouch...

Behind the pouch is the Behavior Calendar.

It is important that you check it each night and initial the box to indicate that you've seen it. A green means your child did great and that deserves praise so heap it on! An orange means that your child needed to be reminded more than a few times but eventually changed whatever behavior was getting negative attention. Mistakes are to be expected so don't worry unduly about an orange. A red box means that your child repeatedly did something and they need your help. A red is a good time to sit with your child and find out what the problem is. It's an opportunity to brainstorm alternative responses. It's a perfect time to talk about your expectations of what your child should be doing whilst they are in class. In my experience, a child goes to red because they don't know what else to do. Let's help your child find new and better ways to act so they can show how AWE-SOME they really are. And AWESOME anyone is, if they get a gold. A gold means that your child has gone far beyond what is normally expected of a first grader through being selfless and kind. A gold is a huge WHOOO-HOOO!

The gold page behind the Behavior Chart is a short explanation of the S.T.A.R. folder. Some parents are familiar with organizational folders... others aren't. This post expands upon that information sheet. This page will be changed out later.

I thought carefully about who you might need to get in touch with and I included them on the Contacts page. I detest when I am trying to reach someone but I don't have internet access. Let the "Contacts" page help you. If you think I should include someone else, just let me know.

The Class List comes in handy most often around Christmas and Valentine's Day, but it is always nice to know if you are bringing something as a special event. We have 21 students in our class-- most are boys.

The looseleaf paper is for those times when you need to write a quick note and can't find a scrap of paper anywhere. It's right there.... and we have more to replace it so don't worry!

Behind that is the homework pouch. It will mostly hold spelling activities (when we get our textbooks) and a reading book. That's what I assign for homework in general, but I also send home math games to play, math fact practice sometimes and other random work that the students may be having difficulty with and could use more practice on. PISD requires 20 minutes of homework every night at this level. It's IMPORTANT to me that the time be spent READING.

The right hand pocket of the folder is for paperwork that must be looked at, usually signed and returned immediately. Please be sure that after you look at and initial the behavior calendar, that you turn to the back to see if anything needs to be signed and returned.

Some parents will notice that a few things in their folders have been re-used. One of the things that you may know about me is that I am "GREEN". I detest filling landfills with perfectly good material, so I re-use what I can, recycle what I can and try to reduce waste. This is also the first year that I have received plastic folders in the school supplies. That means I have, in the past, purchased everything for the folders. It adds up to about $5.00 a person. That doesn't seem like much until you realize that I have 21 students.... I like to reuse what I can-- for MANY reasons. :)

Yikes! This was long (and detailed) but at least I don't have to make you sit on a small, hard chair and drone on endlessly about this during our Orientation Night!

Have a good night and give your wee ones a hug from me!

Magic Playdough

I was so excited for today to come, that I could hardly sleep last night! But before I went to sleep, I made the Magic playdough and put it in the refrigerator as the recipe stated. This morning I got up VERY early and portioned it out. You see, the playdough is white and if it turns color, that means that student will have a GREAT year.... EVERYONE's playdough turned a color. Some were green and some were blue. I had to try it too... mine turned green-- my favorite color!!! We're all going to have a great year... but really, I knew that already.

I gotta tell you though, that was some slimy, messy playdough! I spent all of my conference period and some of math cleaning up the tables. It was all worth it, though, watching the kids get so excited when their playdough turned color. How cool is this stuff! I had never heard of it before... All the same, I'll have to think long and hard about doing it again next year--- it was a M.E.S.S.! Here's some of those happy faces... and their slimy hands!

Thanks "Fun in First" for the recipe and the cute poem that got the kids SOOOO excited!

Magic Playdoh,
Oh so white,
I make this wish with all my might.
If another color does appear,
We’re sure to have a
GREAT school year!

4 More Things Done....

The countdown began a few weeks ago and today is "2 days before school begins"...

Eeeekkkkkk!!!!!!!

Yes, I am panicking.

I woke up early again this morning, but like I told my friend, Molly, "early is good". It means I am adjusting to getting up and getting to work... ON TIME. (And that's good, too.) This summer I would get up early but I could never get anywhere before 10:30 at the earliest. That's just crazy! I did have five boys to feed and clean up after so maybe it was reasonable (?), I don't know. I DO know that I am loving getting to school early and getting things done. But today I awoke ready to get some things done around the house. Trust me... it needed to be done!

I also had things I wanted to get done at school. But I had a birthday party for my nephew, too. (I bet you can see where this post is going already. Authors call it "foreshadowing".) So I finished up more housework than I thought I would actually be happy to do and started to clean the aquarium.

HOLY CATFISH, Batman! That aquarium was D.I.R.T.Y! So, it took awhile for me to clean it up and then take it to school. Yay! The aquarium is set up! That's always a biggie for me and while I was at school--- Yes, I know it's Sunday but what are ya gonna do? This stuff has to get done!-- I labeled the book boxes and put a few books in each box. That's when I looked up at the clock and realized that I had two minutes to get to my nephew's party. (NOT gonna happen.) That's also when I realized that it does not say "Word Wall" above my word wall... SERIOUSLY? How could I have forgotten that? I am SO not going to be ready for Tuesday morning....

At my parent's house, (late, but no one was surprised) I put together my parent communication binder so THAT is ready to go on Tuesday and I wrote my "Welcome to First Grade" letter thanking the parents that attended our Meet The Teacher Night last Thursday. Yes, that was just a few short days ago when I actually thought I would be ready for Tuesday... How does this happen? Or not happen, as the case may be? {sigh}

Now, I have to decide if I want to make my cute door decoration or if I should curl up, forget that I am a teacher for a few hours, and read Janet Evanovich.... Who knows what Stephanie Plum is up to in Twelve Sharp!


DON'T TELL ME!

A New Year

Believe it or not, summer is over and it's time for a new school year to start. This year, I am going back to my "roots". When I first started teaching 20 years ago,(REALLY??) I started in First Grade. When I moved to central Texas, I, again, started in First Grade. Well, after a few years in second grade (and the library), I'm back in First Grade.

I'm excited to begin a new year. I've had a wonderful summer with my family but I'm ready to be back in the classroom. Of course, setting up a classroom can be some seriously hard work. Especially when changing rooms! It's been a busy two weeks and all I can really think about is that I am happy I have two more days before the students come because my To Do list is getting longer instead of shorter! Here's what a classroom looks like when a teacher first enters for the new school year...

Everything is stacked up against the walls. It's time to take it all down and set it into place. Well, at least a place you think it might work in at first. There's a lot of moving around to be honest.













After working for a day or so, it looks like this:

You're feeling good because things are starting to come together. You're envisioning what you want your classroom to look like and sound like with little ones in there happily at work learning and having a good time.




Then it starts to look A LOT worse because you start dragging things out of closets and boxes that you used to store and move things in! This is when you want to throw up your hands and go to work at the local 7-11, but eventually you get to this:

You know it'll get better the more you work (and throw things out).





It's time to sit down and plan your first few days. What will the students do when they come in? What activities do you want to kick off the year with? What routines do you want to start right away? And that's when you realize that your cute room doesn't work AT ALL and you have to get back in there and move things around to create an even better room that functions efficiently... AND, if your lucky, you'll have lesson plans as well....

and another list of more stuff to do. TOO MUCH more to do.

But it'll all get done. And what doesn't get done? Well, somehow things work out and you discover that what doesn't get done really didn't NEED to get done after all.

That's amazing... just like teaching!