WoooooHooooo!!! What a GREAT first day! We accomplished soooooo much! Today's focus was on learning and practicing our classroom procedures. We will work on all of them throughout the week. They did GREAT!!!
A couple of things to discuss at home tonight:
1. Transitioning from one place or subject to another with our feet and not our mouths. We can get a lot more done if we just get where we need to be without the side conversations. Friendly reminders from home would help a lot too. Thanks.
2. Water Bottles. Some kids came without one today. Thank goodness we are in an air conditioned school!!! I don't allow water fountain drinks due to classroom disruptions. Water bottles are the only way to go. Please send one tomorrow with your kiddo. Water is now being offered in the lunchroom with lunches. Cool!!!
3. Some kids are still missing a few school supplies. Please ask your child if that is them. Hopefully we can get everyone labeled and squared away by tomorrow. Thanks!
4. Did your kiddo already pay for their planner. We had two that still need to . They know who they are. Please pay the $5 tomorrow at the office. Thanks.
5. Tuesday folders came home today with a TON of paperwork. Please take the time to look through them and fill them out. Some require a discussion and signature from your child as well. The stapled packet and the information form need to be brought back tomorrow as well as the Tuesday folder they are in with a date and signature.
6. Has your child turned in their first day information form that I mailed out before school with my letter? I send home 4 copies today. Please return tomorrow if this went home with your kiddo. Thanks!
Today was a practice day for our classroom economy behavior management system. I did not issue fines for poor choices today. That being said, the real deal starts tomorrow. There was a lot of shouting out, talking at inappropriate times, and having to have directions repeated due to lack of listening. We talked many times throughout the day about how it will cost them $20 from their fake money wallet tomorrow. I told them that I have to start out catching every little thing to set the tone. Otherwise, it will be a long year. They usually catch on in a couple of days. No worries, they will figure it all out. New expectations and procedures always take time to get used to. I have nothing but faith that we will get it down very soon.
This morning I posed the question...what kind of teacher do you want this year? It was great to see how thoughtful and excited this group is. Then, I switched gears and asked what kind of students they thought that I wanted? Again, great answers. To cement the idea, we made a classroom fruit salad. One at a time I added in a different type of fruit. Grapes resembled all the kind kids in our room. Strawberries symbolized all the hard workers. Then came the blueberries for all the kind words we would hear and use in the classroom. Kiwis went in next to resemble the happiness we could see and feel in the room. Finally, raspberries. They resembled all the positive character traits that would be displayed in the classroom, like trustworthiness, responsibility, and respect. THEN....I said, oops I forgot one more ingredient. I then pulled out a completely rotten banana and started to peel it to add in our salad. NOOOOOOOOO!, said the kids! They quickly discovered that it only takes one rotten banana to ruin a beautiful fruit salad. The lesson: it only takes one disruption to create a bump in a lesson. They got it, and we all had a yummy treat! Ask your kiddo if they can remember a time today that they were a rotten banana. Discuss why and what we could do to work on it. If you have this discussion, write the word banana in the planner for an extra $20 cash bonus.
Speaking of planners, daily your child will fill out theirs with me on the carpet. They are to highlight any homework they are bringing home. Tonight's homework is to complete 3 bucket filler slips. They need to write a nice compliment or note to three people in this classroom or school. Please have them share them with you. Homework is always due the next day by the start of class, but extra time will always be given if needed. That being said, missing or unfinished homework does have a $20 fine. Daily, they need to obtain your signature on the bottom of their planner where it says parent messages. They earn $20 for this if they have it at the end of our morning meeting. If they do not have it, they owe me $20. Lots of ways to earn cash to buy into fun events down the road!!! We will talk more about this at open house.
Well, I think that about covers our first day. I am so thankful for all the warm wishes I have gotten from many of you. I know I am new to Arrowhead, and with that comes different people, procedures, expectations, and a lot of grace on everyone's part. I am learning in some areas just as much as the kiddos. Thanks for your patience and understanding. We have Art tomorrow morning. Have a wonderful first night! I sure loved getting to know each and every kiddo today! They are already so unique and special to me!
Respectfully,
Ms. Erickson
