High Frequency/Sight Word practice

We practice  High Frequency Words (HFW) sight words daily, throughout the entire day!  I know how important they are for my kiddies, especially when it comes to fluency.  When students can read the sight words with automaticity, they can focus on decoding and comprehension.  Here are some activities we love using to reinforce them during […]

Working on my classroom transformation

I was fortunate to get hired in a new district the day school started.  So I had 4 days to get my room together.  Lots of late nights, caffeine, and lunch breaks to keep me going.  Couldn’t have done it without my boyfriend and family. Future library, computer, listening center, and word wall Future writing […]

Table Points and Classroom Management

Classroom management is THE most important thing in my classroom.  One management tool I use is for group management.  Over the years, I’ve used a few different table point systems and this is by far my favorite and most effective.  I have 5 table groups and my kiddos are grouped heterogenous.  Some years I have […]

I've been back at school for over a week…sneak peek!

I’m teaching a 1/2 combo this year so these were our first day photo props…glasses and all! I’m color-coding everything, first graders are green and second are blue.  Watching little ones do jumping jacks is quite a sight to see, cracks me up year after year! Yikes…a before photo of my room! New book bins […]

Handwriting without Tears

Our district introduced us to Handwriting Without Tears back in 2005, and I fell in love with it instantly after attending a Professional Development class.  I was so impressed with the neatness of the student writing that I was hooked!  It was something I needed in my classroom.   We were lucky enough to purchase the chalkboards for […]

Teacher Week ’13: Let’s Talk About Me Monday

Yay!!! It’s Teacher Week ’13 at Blog Hoppin’ and my fellow Blog Hoppin’ authors are excited to share another week of FUN with you… best part is, you get to join us by linking up each day!! Here’s this week’s schedule: So let’s get started!!! {10 things about Kristen} 1. I’ve wanted to be a teacher […]

Some of my "Back to School" finds so far!

You’re probably a lot like me. Obsessed with the dollar bins at Target, the stationary section at Michael’s, and the organization section at Big Lots. Here are some of my fave finds so far! Loving all the decorative tape I saw at Target. Great to line containers, book shelves, and bulletin boards. But I’m most […]

Technology in your class!

I’m a tech-junkie. I’m always finding ways to incorporate it into lessons. It’s engaging and my kiddos love it. It’s a huge part of our world and our students need to be tech-savvy in order to be successful. I ensure my students work on the computer daily, whether it be using our Scott Foresman math […]