Weekend Warriors: July Teaching Tips

Weekend Warrior time!

Do you remember what this is all about? Well, I hope so! We are back again this month!

Really, as teachers I think we are all weekend warriors.... right? {but hopefully, not every weekend!}

Today I am going with teaching tips....

I am going to start by saying this is nothing terribly earth shattering or crazy, but something that I think makes a HUGE difference in my classroom.

I learned this from my master teacher a million years ago.....

When you start a new school year make it a point to contact each and every parent in your classroom for a POSITIVE message or note.

Okay...so like I said... this may not rock your world. But let me tell you... it helps. It helps to start off on the right foot.

Now back when this trick was first suggested to me....there wasn't email {yep..I'm that old} but I still did it.

Now, I find it easy to send a short personal message about something good the kid did in class, how they followed the rules, helped a friend, etc etc....

The kids LOVE it and often will say, "My mommy told me you emailed her!"

And then in the future when you have to email or call someone for a not so good thing it isn't your first point of contact with them. Right? And even though you may have introduced yourself on the first day, sent a newsletter out.... the personal connection on a positive note that you make early on can save you later.

And for the kids that are ALWAYS good and sometimes they don't get special recognition...what a nice treat for them, too!

I work in a school where the parents are highly active and this little gem of a trick helps me build relationships and trust more quickly. 

And if I can do it with 29 kiddos... you can do it too!

My second trick is one I shared last year.... another important one in kindergarten...walking quietly in the hall!!

Or maybe not even "quietly" maybe just "walking in the hall and not being that loud and obnoxious!"

The FULL POST IS HERE from last summer....and it includes a mini FREEBIE to create that little Wonderful Walkers kit above..... and explains it all a bit more in depth.

On the other side it has this poem:

I'm choosing someone in my head.
To see if you face straight ahead.
Are your hands down by your side?
Do you walk with a quiet stride?
Is your voice off as you walk,
Not a bit of any talk?"


This is has helped me to curb the volume a tad.

Another way to to do that is by using a little something called, "Catch your bubble."

When you are walking your class you can ask them to "Catch a bubble" and they can't let it out until you get to your destination.

We all inhale and grab that bubble.....then as we walk they literally want to keep that bubble in their mouth.

Try it!!

3 comments

  1. Yes! You are so right... making those positive phone calls can make or break a relationship with a parent. I work at a very low income school with very little parent contact. Unfortunately, I make tons of negative phone calls each week, but because of this, I also try to make even more positive. It's amazing how hard the kids will work for a simple phone call home to mom :)

    Katie
    Dirty Hands & Lesson Plans

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  2. These are super ideas you've shared Christy! I love the wonderful walkers poem! I will try that one out next year.
    Jeannine
    Creative Lesson Cafe

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