Sharing Kindergarten

SDE’s GA K Teacher Conference Questions Answered

by 15 Comments

The past few days have been amazing… fantastic… and so meaningful!
I got to attend and present at the SDE GA K Teacher’s Conference. 
CrAzY!
Here are a few pictures I snagged when I wasn’t working and answering questions
and chatting with you guys!
I met up with Kim Adist again on Tuesday and Deedee Wills and Debbie Clement on Monday.

I also took a pic of my presenting table and all the crap stuff I brought with me.
{I personally think it all my treasures, but hubs looks at it all like “What in the world do you need all that for???}

I did take a quick selfie because I wanted to show you guys that I am a real person.
This shot was me just minutes before my first session.
I had some great questions from the sessions I promised to answer publicly and I promise to add them to all future presentations as well to help all those teachers out there.
1. What is your schedule?
This is about what it is. I just changed my calendar and phonics times for EIP help on Monday. I prefer to do calendar in the afternoon when I don’t have my aid in the room, but I want my kids to get every ounce of help they can with EIP so I made this swap to give my kids more small group phonics instruction that they need. 

I teach guided reading during the daily 5 time.

My daily 5 time also has a choice board and I don’t tell my students where to go or when they go.
I just guide them to make good choices to help them become better readers.
Again, it is THEIR job to become a better reader. It my job to guide them.

Centers are free choice with both work and play centers mixed in.
Center time is ALL review skills.
I use this as practice time and a great chance to assess my kids.
I also remediate a lot during this time with the students who need it.
My students do get to play and they NEED it. They DESERVE it. AND they LEARN through it. 
2. Where do you store your stuff? {And I do have a LOT of stuff!}
Hubs doesn’t “allow” any of my school bins at home, so all my stuff has to stay at school. 
{I mean, he asked me nicely to leave it all at school so I said okay.}
Here is how I store my stuff.
All my letter files are in expandable files. Each letter has its own file. I keep all those letter games, activities, and worksheets in that file. And, of course, they are in the filing cabinet in ABC Order.
 My Math units are also in expandable files BUT they are stored by skill. This file is my3D shape file. It has books, games, sorts, and other materials in it for just that skill. 
{I have a 2D shape file that is separate. Even though it is still a shape, it is a different skill level. Lots of my kids know their flat shapes, but not their solid shapes.}
This works for me since I build on math based on their skills and abilities. I also like this method because I can easily pull to review and remediate this way for individual students in seconds
My word family files are stored by the family. Here is my -op file opened up. I have the books, activities in baggies in the front and the sheets in the back. I also store these in ABC order, but I store all my -a families in one section, -e, -i , -o , and -u families based on their vowel. Once I use that family up, I put them in the back of that section. I also pay attention to what my students need. If I see they need to cover the -all family earlier than I planned because they keep writing it bal, mal, wal, I pull that file and use it, then return it to the end to remind myself that I have taught it this year. 
{This might sound dumb, but sometimes the years run together and I don’t want to flip through all my lesson plans to double check if I taught it out of order.}
I store all my unit or themes in plastic tubs. I label the outside of the bins with a sign and I also place them in order by when I teach them. They are organized from August-May in order. 
In my bins, I have science and social studies units and all the related activities that go with it IN THAT BIN. When I create a math game that is spaced themed,  I put it in the space bin NOT the math bin.
{Also crazy, but August is on the bottom since they strip the floors over the summer and remove those bins and place them in my classroom anyways. Since I put August down there on that flooring, either the janitors or I put those bins in my room where I need them to start the year. Double Score Mary!}
3. How do you get along with your assistants?
I have taught with 4 different assistants in 4 years. I thought it was 3, but then I remembered I missed one! Is this because I am difficult to work with or demanding. YES {Just kidding! But I am sure I am actually a little of both often enough.}
I had the same assistant for years and year and I love her to pieces to this day. Then I got another assistant that I loved, then for the past two years I have been blessed with assistants with teaching degrees that are working to get their foot in the door of teaching. I get to work with them with the upfront intent of them leaving me to get a teaching job asap. I have and continue to help them with letters of recommendations, interview preps, and teaching tips. I encourage them to look and try for teaching jobs as they come open, even though that means they might leave me. I feel this is another way of teaching… I am just teaching teachers instead of students. The long term goal is for my current assistant to be employed as a teacher soon! And I pray it is at my school along side me like my assistant last year is now. 
Working with me is probably more of the challenge I swear…
but since you guys asked…
this is what I recommend for working with an aid.
-Get to know them and their priorities. Sick kids and such are their priority like yours are. Families come first. If you value theirs, they will value yours.
-Be a team. Who cares who does exactly what as long as everyone is working and helping the common good. For example, if you like to make copies but don’t like to laminate {gasp- who hates lamination!!!!} let me know and we will make it work. If you are a horrible cutter, tell me before I find out… it is cool. I will let you from the beginning that I am gonna lay stuff all over your desk all the time. Sorry- I don’t mean to do it, but I totally do! We will work with your strengths and your enjoyment. It is YOUR room together, not just yours.
-Be willing to do any and every job you give them. If you won’t do it, don’t ask them to do it.
– Give them a list of jobs that always need to be done to fill in times when you are busy, in a meeting, or aren’t there to ask. Sharpen pencils, sort papers, clean tables… you can never do those things enough.
-Give them a special job that ONLY they can do. My assistant is the only one who plays reading comprehnsion games with the kids. The data is more accurate that way and they kids associate her with that activity and think she created it for them. They love her for it and run to that table each time. 
-Give your aid actual teaching jobs that they control. Let me have a story time, small pull out group for phonics, art activity during centers, or even one on one job during calendar with a kid who doesn’t pay attention. No one wants to prep art at a desk and take care of potty accidents all day. Plus, that is boring and not a good use of an extra body in the room. 
-Remember to thank them and praise them often. Often I get thanked and given appreciation from the PTO and such even though my assistant works just as hard if not harder than I do. If I tell her how great she is and how much I enjoy her, maybe she will feel appreciated to. Also, when they do something I know they don’t love or they do something I know is just to help me, I try to remember to show how grateful I am. 
-Say you are sorry when you mess up or when you have a bad day. 
And I know what you guys really want… the computer sheets!!!

This was a FB Freebie that I changed… Sorry!

LIKE that page and in the tabs, you will see a Fan Only Freebie Pic.
You will get a download with all the pages I made for Christmas WITH directions.
https://www.facebook.com/SharingKindergarten
You can click here or the picture above to get this computer sheet freebie pack.
Any other questions I need to answer from the SDE Conference or in general??? 

Related Posts

Comments

  3. Debbie Clement says

    Mary. Where do I begin to thank you? I am so incredibly grateful for all of your support and insight. I can use all the direction and tutoring in the world. Your patience and kindness was so superlative, I have no words. Please know that I will always be grateful for your suggestions and help!

    Continue taking the world by storm. You are a ball of energy and talent. There are amazing opportunities ahead for you! Take good care of yourself in the process of juggling your many responsibilities. Sending you lots of hugs.

    In gratitude.
    Debbie Clement
    RainbowsWithinReach

    Reply

    • Mary Amoson says

      I promise I am going on 8 hours of sleep in 48 hours… I worked as fast as I could. I insist to be a mommy first since that is my most important job… I am sure you understand.
      Grab the freebie and enjoy!

      Reply

  7. dglennon says

    Is there anyway you could not link it to facebook for your computer sheet? My school will not allow us to go to Facebook….any suggestions wanted to use this for computer lab today?

    Reply

    • Mary Amoson says

      I am only going to offer it on my FB page. BUT… all you do it grab it on the FB page and save it to your computer or email it to your school account. Then you have it at school where you can't get to FB. (I can't get to FB at school either!)

      Reply

    • Mary Amoson says

      I updated the post to reflect it.
      I maxed out my google doc space and had to delete! To reset everything takes a few hours… so I am going to change the freebie to something different when I have time.
      Plus, so many people complained about the freebie being on FB only, I am hesitant to do it again.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *