THE BEST FIRST DAY EVER!

Today was our first day of school and it couldn’t have gone any better! It was a great first day!  The kids came in excited.  Our day flowed.  We played games. We sang.  We danced.  We got to know each other a little better.  It was just a great day!

One of the first routines that we learn is how to take the lunch count.  The wall space in my classroom is precious real estate, so as much as possible, I try to incorporate things we don’t need to look at all day digitally.

Each kiddo has an apple with their name on it.  Our cafeteria makes two main dishes daily from which students have to choose.  If they brought in a lunchbox, their apple is moved to the first sticky note.  Each afternoon, I google…..Google is a verb, right?…. an image that resembles what will be served the following day and label it on the second and third sticky note.  As students unpack, they go to the board and indicate their choice for the day.  They start the day with a quick touch of technology and then move to their desks for skills practice, reading, and reflecting.

As they’re completing morning work, I document it in an excel spreadsheet and send it off to the cafeteria.

I really dislike the “training” part of the school year, simply because I get tired of the sound of my own voice! EEKKK! It’s like…do this, don’t do that, walk this way….don’t touch that!  Quiet, please! Classity, class….yessity, yes! Blah, blah, blah…..

I know its necessary, I just hate having to talk so much, lol! Its just so much easier once routines are established.  We do take lots of time to practice and model and reflect on our classroom procedures during these first few important weeks, so that we can rock and roll full speed ahead once they’ve been learned.

Speaking of procedures! I introduced Read to Self today and we practiced building our stamina! Can you say….*LOVE*! I am pumped to be implementing Daily 5 this year and am already amazed at the amount of work and time its saving me! Praise.The.Lord!!!! I just wanted to cry watching my little inspirations sit quietly with their book boxes! Amazing!

Lesson plans are complete and on display.  If we don’t get to all of it, its fine.  What’s most important this week is that we establish routines and work to become a school family.  Standards will be covered to the depth and rigor required of mastery for students, but we can’t do that until we establish the baseline of caring for each other. As Heather would say, you can’t reach their heads until you’ve touched their hearts!

One of the last, and most important goodies that I prepped to begin the year was my dismissal chart.  Usually, I’ve laminated and written on some commercially made poster, but not this year! One of my fab coworkers made this little cutie and I just couldn’t resist! I’ve been trying to encourage her to get in touch with her inner/creative techy, heheeheee! Soooo, being that she created something she was very proud of, I couldn’t resist using it too!  Didn’t she do a good job?

Well, friends, after the excitement of the first day…we came home and CRASHED.HARD!!! Got in from work around 6, crashed on the sofa until around 8:30…had dinner at 9 and now, I’m up with 2nd day jitters blogging away, lol!

This girlie is gonna head to bed and rest up for a fantastic, day 2.   Enjoy the beginning of your school year and I’ll chat with ya soon! I’m so excited about my 22 newest little inspirations!

When a 6 year old asks you on the very first day of school if you would like for her to add more detail to her picture, you KNOW it’s going to be a great year!