TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR!

You know how much kids love to look at themselves in a mirror. Each day put a positive word or note on your classroom mirror to remind the children how special they are!

Star Student
Tape a sheet of paper to the top of a mirror. (Only tape the top.) Tell the children that your favorite student is in the mirror. Let them take turns lifting the paper to see their teacher's "favorite child."

*If a student is upset or sad ask them to look in the mirror. You might be surprised how they will smile and change their attitude!


Happy Birthday to Me
When washing their hands, remind the children to sing "Happy Birthday" to themselves twice as they look in the mirror. (That will make sure all the germs are washed away.)

Tell the Mirror
When a child says something unkind to a friend tell them to go look in a mirror and say that to themselves. How did it make them feel?

Looking through My Magic Mirror
(Tune: “Go in and out My Window”)
I’m looking through my mirror.
I’m looking through my mirror.
I’m looking through my mirror,
And I see my friend (child’s name).

*Take an old picture frame and spray paint it gold or silver. Glue on fake “jewels." Hold it in front of your face as you sing the song. Pass it to different children as you use their name in the song.




Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up.

COLOR YOUR DAY HAPPY!

I found this old blog with some ideas that might be new to you.

Did you know that you could buy washable "Window Markers" and "Chalk Markers" that will work on windows and mirrors. (I actually found these on Amazon.)  They would be great to put on a Christmas "wish list"!


As a teacher, here are some uses for the markers in your classroom:

Reading
Write letters, words, numerals, shapes, or anything you want to reinforce on windows or mirrors.
*Let children wear sunglasses and identify the information with a pointer.

Writing
Let children practice writing letters, numerals, spelling words, etc. on classroom windows.
* How about rainbow writing? Make giant letters, shapes, words, etc. on windows. Children can take the markers and trace around the figures with different colors.

Reward
Use these as a reward or when children finish their work early.

Reminders
Use the classroom mirror as a message board to write words of encouragement, reminders, or to celebrate accomplishments.

Special Days
Let children decorate classroom windows for holidays, seasons, themes, or other special events.

Brainstorm!
Write a word or theme and invite children to add their own thoughts to the window.

Sign In
Children can write their name or a special message when they come to school each morning.

Graffiti
What an open-ended art center this could be throughout the year!

Mirror! Mirror!
Write a sight word or vocabulary word on the mirror each day.

Write a positive thought on the mirror.

Let children decorate the mirror on their birthday.

LETTER WAND AND MAGIC MIRROR

You can make a letter wand from a butterfly net that you purchase at a dollar store.  Remove the netting and add a little magic with some ribbon.  Sing this song to the tune of “Muffin Man.”

Do you see the letter __?

The letter ___?  The letter___?

Do you see the letter __ somewhere in the room?

(One child takes the letter wand and frames the letter as she sings.)

Yes, I see the letter ___, the letter ____, the letter ____.

Yes, I see the letter ____ in our room.

*Adapt this song for colors, shapes, numerals, or words.

A long time ago there was a popular children’s television show called “The Romper Room.”  At the end of each program the teacher would take a mirror without the glass and say:

"Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, have all my friends had fun at play?”

She would then call out the names of several children.  However, there are many of us who listened every day for her to say our name.  And she never did!!!!  Here’s your chance!  Take the letter wand in front of a mirror and you can say your name. 

Seriously, I was thinking you could use the letter wand in a similar way at the end of the school day to recall what the children learned.

“Romper, bomper, stomper, boo.  Tell me, tell me, tell me, do.

Magic Mirror, what do you say?  What have my friends learned today?”

You could then pass the mirror to each child to say what they learned.

AACCHHOO AND KKEERRCCHHOO!

Teaching children how to cover their sneezes and reminding them to wash their hands are two effective ways to keep them healthy during this flu season.
Put some baby powder in your hand and then pretend to sneeze on it. As the powder flies around make the connection to what happens when they don’t cover their sneezes.


The Sneeze Song
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
When I have to cough or sneeze
This is what I do. (Point finger.)
I hold my elbow to my mouth (Hold up elbow in front of face.)
And into it kerchoo! (Pretend to sneeze in elbow.)
KKEERRCCHHOO! (Say this line as you dramatically pretend
to sneeze in your elbow.)

Give children a paper plate and ask them to make it look like their face. Remind them to look in a mirror to check out their eye color. When they’ve finished let them glue a tissue to their nose. Then they can trace around their hand and cut it out to glue on top.
Hint! This makes a cute bulletin board.

Washing Hands
Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.



Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!


Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.

COVER YOUR SNEEZE, PLEASE!

Teaching children how to cover their sneezes and reminding them to wash their hands are two effective ways to keep them healthy during this flu season.

Put some baby powder in your hand and then pretend to sneeze on it. As the powder flies around make the connection to what happens when they don’t cover their sneezes.


The Sneeze Song
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
When I have to cough or sneeze
This is what I do. (Point finger.)
I hold my elbow to my mouth (Hold up elbow in front of face.)
And into it kerchoo! (Pretend to sneeze in elbow.)
KKEERRCCHHOO! (Say this line as you dramatically pretend
to sneeze in your elbow.)


Give children a paper plate and ask them to make it look like their face. Remind them to look in a mirror to check out their eye color. When they’ve finished let them glue a tissue to their nose. Then they can trace around their hand and cut it out to glue on top.
Hint! This makes a cute bulletin board.

Washing Hands
Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!


Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.

                         

DESIGN ON A DIME

As I was looking through old blogs I found some super simple and inexpensive ideas to add a little BLING to your school.

Mirror, Mirror!
You know how much kids love to look at themselves in a mirror. Each day put a positive word or note on your classroom mirror to remind the children how special they are!

Hint!  Write a different positive character trait on the mirror each week.

What a clever idea to use a real picture frame to display children’s artwork!




Or how about displaying children's artwork or writing using pants hangers?

I loved this idea from KIRPC Head Start in Indiana. The teacher said she bought sheets, tied the ends with ribbons, and then hung them on hooks around the smart board. Taaa daaa!



Chalk Board Table
Is this cool or what? Ms. Smalls found an old table they were going to throw away. She painted the top with chalkboard paint and let the children write special messages, draw pictures, write sight words, etc. on it. The kids LOVED it!

How about addition facts on the stairs? The science vocabulary leads to the upper grades. Letters, numbers, shapes and so many skills could “step up” learning.

GERMS! GERMS! GO AWAY!

Teaching children how to cover their sneezes and reminding them to wash their hands are two effective ways to keep them healthy during this flu season.

Put some baby powder in your hand and then pretend to sneeze on it. As the powder flies around make the connection to what happens when they don’t cover their sneezes.

The Sneeze Song
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
When I have to cough or sneeze
This is what I do. (Point finger.)
I hold my elbow to my mouth (Hold up elbow in front of face.)
And into it kerchoo! (Pretend to sneeze in elbow.)
KKEERRCCHHOO! (Say this line as you dramatically pretend
to sneeze in your elbow.)

Give children a paper plate and ask them to make it look like their face. Remind them to look in a mirror to check out their eye color. When they’ve finished let them glue a tissue to their nose. Then they can trace around their hand and cut it out to glue on top.
Hint! This makes a cute bulletin board. 
                              




Washing Hands
Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.

                                 

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!

Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.


Potty, Flush, and Wash (Cindy and Tracy)
Several years ago at a workshop two teachers taught us this song to the tune of “London Bridge.”
Potty, flush, and wash your hands,
Wash your hands, wash your hands.
Potty, flush and wash your hands
Everytime!

WASH YOUR HANDS

Washing hands can be an effective way to keep you and your children healthy. It might be wise at the beginning of the year to have a discussion about WHEN you should wash your hands. (You have to remember that children come from different homes with different expectation.)

Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!

Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.

Scrub a Dub
(Tune: "Yellow Bird")
Scrub a dub, rub, rub, a scrub a dub.
Scrub a dub, rub, rub, a scrub a dub.
Germs go down the drain,
And that’s not a shame.
Wash the dirt away,
Get hands clean today.
Soap them up real good,
Rinse them like you should.
And healthy you’ll be!


Potty, Flush, and Wash (Cindy and Tracy)
Several years ago at a workshop two teachers taught us this song to the tune of “London Bridge.”
Potty, flush, and wash your hands,
Wash your hands, wash your hands.
Potty, flush and wash your hands
Everytime!

BACK TO SCHOOL "UNDER CONSTRUCTION"

Ready or not, the school bell will be ringing soon! 

If you’re starting to worry about getting your room decorated for the first day of school have I got a great idea for you!!!! Wrap yellow caution tape around your door and post a sign that says “Under Construction.” Explain to the parents that you are trying to develop a classroom community and you want your students to decorate their own learning environment. Invite parents to come back at the end of the week to see what their children have created!

Hint!!! Clare Ashford has a great idea to take “under construction” one step further.
“Before Meet the Teacher night (before school starts), I wrap all my bookcases, computers, etc. in butcher paper and then put an ‘under construction’ sign on them. It serves 2 purposes. 1- that way kids don't get into things while I'm busy talking to people! and 2- we ‘unwrap’ the items together as a class when we're ready to use whatever it is. It is very helpful and makes for an organized start to the year!”


Here are some crafts your students can make to decorate the classroom.

Welcome to the Neighborhood
Make a house from construction paper for each child. Fold the paper in half vertically. Open. Fold in the top corners to the middle. Fold up the bottom. Let children write their name on the front of the house. They can open the house and draw their family. You could also ask child to bring in a photograph of their family. Add some trees and a school and you have a great bulletin board.

Class Quilt
Use group art to create a visual representation of the “community” in your classroom. Give each child a 9” square and have them decorate it with pictures of themselves, drawings of their families or favorite things, collage materials, etc. Punch holes in the corner of each square and tie together with yarn to make a quilt to display in the classroom or hallway.

Friendship Chain
Give each child a strip of construction paper to decorate with their name, symbols of favorite things, or designs. Staple the strips together to make a chain. Remind the children that your classroom is just like that chain. Everyone must work together to keep it connected and strong. Drape the chain over the doorway.

Display Pocket
Make a display pocket for each child from a file folder. Cut a 1 ¼” border around the top half of the file folder. Let children decorate it with their name and pictures. Laminate. Fold in half and staple to a bulletin board or tape to a cubby. Children can display their own work by slipping drawings, stories, etc. in the pocket.  

Hint! You can also use a clear sheet protector to display children’s work.    
 

Banners, Pennants, and Name Plates
Use construction to let children create banners or pennants that reflect them. They might include hobbies, favorite foods, pets, family members, goals, etc.

Fit Like a Puzzle
Take a large sheet of poster board and cut it into puzzle shapes. (You will need one puzzle piece for each child in the room. Mark the back of the piece with an “X” so they will know which side to decorate.) After the children have decorated their piece, challenge them to put their pieces together to make a puzzle. Glue pieces to another sheet of poster board to create a picture puzzle for your classroom.

Mirror, Mirror!
You know how much kids love to look at themselves in a mirror. Each day put a positive word or note on your classroom mirror to remind the children how special they are!

P.S.  LOOK AT THIS COOL IDEA FOR DISPLAYING CHILDREN'S ARTWORK OR WRITING USING A  PANTS HANGER.

PRIME TIME CIRCLE TIME

Here's a link to the video I did yesterday on PRIME TIME Circle time:

Prime Time Circle Time with Dr. Jean

I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t “talk the talk unless you’ve walked the walk.” I admit I have never done circle time online so I shouldn’t even be doing this video and blog. However, when a teacher reached out to me I felt I needed to help and share what I could. I think we are all treading and learning and growing in an unknown territory right now. Although I can’t help you with the technical end, I can give you some songs and ideas for the content of your circle time. Let’s hold hands and figure this out!

I asked my friend Cheri Winton Bromley for some input on Prime Time Circle Time. She had some brilliant advice (as usual) and said, “Remember Romper Room and the magic mirror?” Some of you might be too young to remember this television show where the host would look in the mirror and say:

"Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, have all my friends had fun at play?"

  
(I glued fake jewels to an old picture frame to make my magic mirror.)

Then she’d call out different children’s names and say, “I see George and I see Monica and I see…” I was always waiting and hoping she’d say my name, but she never did.

*USE YOUR STUDENTS’ NAMES.

The Romper Room lady and Mr. Rogers were masters at engaging an audience they couldn’t actually see or hear. Yet, remember how Mr. Rogers would ask a question and then pause as if listening to the children.

*ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN PAUSE AS IF LISTENING.

Mr. Rogers also talked very slowly. Without a physical presence it might take your students a little longer to process the verbal information.

*TALK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY. DON’T BE IN A HURRY!

Remember the real reason you are doing this. It’s not about “teaching” them; it’s about touching their hearts and helping them connect with their classroom family.

*MAKE THEM FEEL SECURE, LOVED.

*Nothing succeeds like success. What did your children enjoy most in the classroom? Remember their favorite songs, cheers, and stories and repeat those.

*GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT!


TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CIRCLE TIME

Quit while you are ahead! Don’t make circle time too long! Start slow and you can add more activities as you go along.

Follow a basic routine. Doing similar activities every day will make children feel secure. Include brain breaks so they can get up and wiggle. For example:

     Piddle Time
     Attention Grabber and Welcome (sitting)
     Good Morning Song (standing)
     Active Learning - Alphabet song or math song (standing)
     Let’s Learn! (sitting)
          Engage them with a finger play
          Share a morning message, read a book, or do a short lesson
     Sing and Dance (standing)
          “Tooty Ta” or “The Cool Bear Hunt” or other favorite song
     Cheer - Words of encouragement - Challenge for the day (sitting)
     Good –bye song


PIDDLE TIME
 
One of my first supervisors suggested we start each morning with “piddle time.” What is “piddle time”? It’s a few minutes at the beginning of the lesson where children can chat and settle down. One teacher said she left the mute button off at first because the children were so excited just to see their friends and talk.

Note! I think whether you turn the “mute” on or off will depend on the size of your group and the chatter you are comfortable with.

ATTENTION GRABBER AND WELCOME (sitting)

Use a song to capture their attention. I love this one that Elizabeth Hofmaster shared with me several years ago. It goes to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

If you know your teacher loves you blow her a kiss.
If you know your teacher loves you blow her a kiss.
If you know your teacher loves you and she would really likes to hug you...
If you know your teacher loves you blow her a kiss.

Here’s another attention grabber that I’ve used for years. It goes to the tune of “Skip to My Lou.”

I like you, there’s no doubt about it. (Point to self and then a friend.)
I like you, there’s no doubt about it.
I like you, there’s no doubt about it.
You are my good friend. (Point to friend and then self.)

You like me, there’s no doubt about it. (Point to a friend and then self.)
You like me, there’s no doubt about it.
You like me, there’s no doubt about it.
You are my good friend.

Welcome them with a name song.

Hello Song (Tune: “Good Night, Ladies”)
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello (child’s name).
I'm so glad to see you!

Continue singing all the children’s names in your classroom.

Little Red Box
Cover a small box with red paper. Write children’s names on sentence strips and glue their picture by their name. Pull one name at a time out of the red box and sing this song to the tune of “Polly Wolly Doodle.”
I wish I had a little red box
To put my child’s name in.
I’d take him/her out and go hug, hug, hug (hug self)
And put him/her back again.
…Continue singing each child’s name.


GOOD MORNING SONG (standing)
 
Have children stand and sing a song like “Rise and Shine.”
 
Rise and shine and welcome to school today.
Rise and shine and welcome to school today.
Rise and shine and welcome to school today .
We’re so glad you’re here!


Hint!  Insert “online school,” “Zoom school,” your grade level or school’s name as you sing,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyAD2OoFuoY


ACTIVE LEARNING! (standing)

Literacy – Review sounds with an alphabet song.  Sing the traditional ABC’s with different voices. For example: monster style, mouse, with a cold, opera, etc.

Kick Box the ABC’s

 
Happy Birthday Letters

Karate Writing

 
Math – Sing calendar songs or counting songs.

Macarena Count to 100

 
Country Countdown


 



LET’S LEARN! (sitting)
 
Get children seated by singing this song to “Shortnin’ Bread.”

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.
Everybody have a seat on the floor.
Not on the ceiling, not on the door.
Everybody have a seat on the floor.
 
Focus their attention with a finger play.

Open, shut them. (Open and close fists.) 
Open, shut them. 
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (Clap 3 times.) 
Open, shut them. (Open and close fists.) 
Open, shut them. 
Put them in your lap, lap, lap. (Put hands in your lap.) 
Open shut them...


Read a morning message from a class mascot (stuffed animal or puppet).

Read a book (Just for pleasure or to prompt a lesson.)


SING AND DANCE (standing)
 
Do a favorite song such as “Tooty Ta” or “The Cool Bear Hunt.”


CHEER and CHALLENGE 
How about a few cheers and a word of encouragement? I love this mantra:
     Teacher: Friends, what are you?
     Children: I am kind. (Touch heart.)
     I am smart. (Kiss brain.)
     I am important. (Hug self.)

Give them a special challenge for the day. It might be to teach their parents a song or finger play. They could look for shapes around the house. Or, maybe ask them to draw a picture or make a card and send it to someone they love.


GOOD-BYE SONG
 
Thank the children for joining you and say, “I hope you’ll come back and see me tomorrow.”

Sing this good-bye song to the tune of “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain”
It is time to say “good-bye” to all my friends.
It is time to say “good-bye” to all my friends.
It is time to say “good-bye,”
give a smile and wink your eye.
It is time to say “good-bye” to all my friends.
Good-bye, friends. Yee haw!


TECH SUPPORT
Someone said that Kennesaw State University had some great tips for remote teaching and learning.
info@ksuiteach.org

Are there other sites that you have found that have been helpful to you?

#12-BACK TO SCHOOL FOR YOUR BEST YEAR EVER! Design on a Dime

As I was looking through old blogs I found some super simple and inexpensive ideas to add a little BLING to your school.

Mirror, Mirror!
You know how much kids love to look at themselves in a mirror. Each day put a positive word or note on your classroom mirror to remind the children how special they are!

What a clever idea to use a real picture frame to display children’s artwork!




Or how about displaying children's artwork or writing using pants hangers?




I loved this idea from KIRPC Head Start in Indiana. The teacher said she bought sheets, tied the ends with ribbons, and then hung them on hooks around the smart board. Taaa daaa!

Chalk Board Table
Is this cool or what? Ms. Smalls found an old table they were going to throw away. She painted the top with chalkboard paint and let the children write special messages, draw pictures, write sight words, etc. on it. The kids LOVED it!

How about addition facts on the stairs? The science vocabulary leads to the upper grades. Letters, numbers, shapes and so many skills could “step up” learning.

Display Pocket
Make a display pocket for each child from a file folder. Cut a 1 ¼” border around the top half of the file folder. Let children decorate it with their name and pictures. Laminate. Fold in half and staple to a bulletin board or tape to a cubby. Children can display their own work by slipping drawings, stories, etc. in the pocket.

Hint! You can also use a clear sheet protector to display children’s work.