Rough start

This has been a trying beginning of the year. Common Core is kicking our butt!! We are doing our best, but it sure is a lot of work!! This past week is the first week I wasn't doing school work every night until bed time! I was able to plan a whole unit out in daily plans for Science and Math, so I got a little break ;).

I've had 3 days of training on Orton Gillingham. I love it! I am starting it this week in my class and I have already started it with Emma. It is a great way to teach phonics, reading, writing....
This year's kiddos need this bad! The spelling is some of the worst I 've seen at 4th grade level. I'm going to try and help that this year! :)

One of the tools needed for Orton Gillingham is a dry erase board. I went to Lowes and bought a sheet of it (paneling section). I had them cut it into smaller pieces (they cut for free since it is for education!). I was able to get 32 12x12 boards for only about $12!

Well, I'm off to teach another day!

Toy Jail

This is our daughter's Toy Jail. (My husband made it!) Anything she leaves laying around for too long without cleaning up gets put in the jail. If she wants it out, she has to pick a chore card and complete the chore to release the toy. It works great so far! We just started it last week. She actually likes to do some of the chores. This morning she did more than she had to because she was having fun! lol
The chore cards are: help load/unload the dishwasher, help clean the bathroom, vacuum/ sweep, help with laundry, pull weeds, and a get out free card.

Fab Four

These are for the Fab Four...I couldn't find a Penguin or a Snake so I changed two of the animals.
Predicting Penguin, Clarifying Cow, Questiong Queen Bee, Summarizing Seal. They are so cute! I got them at a place called Under Five that recently opened in Winston-Salem. I saw them online but didn't know where to look as far as stores go. I came across these by accident today. It was pouring down rain when we came out of Michaels. I didn't want to go out in it to the truck. The umbrellas were in the truck. So we ran to the store next door to look around and to buy an umbrella. My daughter found these and by the time we were done in the store we didn't need the umbrella anymore! :)

Where are you?

I saw this on Pinterest. It is a great way to know where your students are when they leave the room. With so many places to be and different kids in and out and can be a lot to keep up with. Our school does interventions and it was hard to keep track of who went on which days. This will make it easier!

The students numbers are on magnets on the top. All I have to do is add my titles to this. I want to put: speech, interventions, office, bathroom, (and I am still thinking on the last two). Keep this near the door. :)

Summer's coming to an end

Only 13 more days until back to work! This summer sure went fast! I will take pictures of my classroom and add some ideas to my blog when I visit again. Hope everyone has enjoyed thier summers and are getting ready to go back. I still have much to do!

Haven't made anything to share lately. I have been working at my daughter's daycare as a sub some days. I have had several meetings at school to set the year's calendar, make master schedule, and discuss PBIS and changes made for this year. I am on our School Improvement Team this year so I share in some big responsibilites. I am glad I am though. :)

Might head into school one day this week or next so I can laminate all my posters I made and hang them.

Dear Students

Dear Students,
Always Remember:
1. You are important.
2. You are special.
3. I believe in you.
4. I care about you.
5. You are listened to.
6. Your opinion matters.
7. You are a winner.
8. I will help you succeed.
Love, Mrs. Hofer

Desk poster

NO ONE will prevent me from teaching, and NO ONE will prevent others from learning, in my classroom. Appropriate behavior will be expected from each student!

Class Rules

I love this list of CLASS RULES! It is hanging on the front of my desk. These are not my actual class rules, but I do expect them to follow these too! :)  (the numbers all are 1. on this post for some reason)

 Class Rules 

1. You are here to learn, not socialize, eat and/or sleep.  

This classroom is not a cafeteria or a slumber party!  

1. Pack your bag!  

You must bring your notebook,  pencils, agenda, and your homework to class everyday.

1. Homework is not an option!  

If you do not turn in your work, your grade in class will not be pretty.

1. Goldfish do not make good role models.   

Goldfish have very short memory and thus are not considered to be intelligent creatures.  Remember what is said in class and don’t forget to do what we talked about in class.

1. Be like a tree!  

They never get out of their seat and they are great listeners.

1. Be cool, stay in school!  Being absent does not excuse you from any work.

1. No pass, no potty!  

You must have a bathroom pass in order to use the restroom.  

1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  

Sing it loud and sing it proud for that is the motto that you  

will be living by.  Respect for people and property.

     

Never have dice on the floor again!

I found these containers at Wal Mart for pretty cheap! The top container is a snack container that I will use to put dice in when children are playing a game. No more dice all over the floor and across the room! They just shake the container for their roll. (another idea found on pinterest)

The bottom container I will use for my coupons kids can earn. I don't want to do a treatbox this year. Instead there will be coupons of different things the kids can choose from such as lunch buddy, lunch with teacher, shoes off, etc. (you can find this idea on pinterest as well to ge more details). I wanted to share the container that will work great for this idea.
Here are the coupons you can make:

picture frames

My daughter is almost 5 (September) and we started making these as gifts. She paints and does the writing. All I do is hot glue the little character on. We didn't put the pictures in yet....  one is for her Gramma's birthday (I can't post yet because it is a surprise) and this one was for Father's Day.

Questions to ask (reading)

Great Reading anchor chart I came across and just had to recreate.

Retell poster

Sometimes children include too many details when asked to retell a story. I hope this poster will help in that area! :)

When to change paragraphs

Kids have a hard time knowing when to change paragraphs, so that is something I wanted to work on this year in writing.

Hall Pass

This is the hall pass I made. You hook the clothespins for different destinations and they just clip it to their clothes. No gross, wet bathroom passes! And if they are clipped to them they won't leave them places! :)

New to blogging

So, it is summer and I am using this time to make things for the upcoming school year. Pinterest has become such an excellent resource for me! Thanks to all who post their great ideas! 
I am new at blogging, so I am going to see if I can figure out how to post pictures of what I've made to share with you.

My name is Tina Hofer. I am currently a 4th grade teacher at Hurley Elementary in Salisbury, NC. I decided I wanted to start a blog to share ideas with fellow teachers. If you are like me you are always looking for new and great ideas to do in your classroom!