Day 4 Taming the Wild...Freebies!

I totally missed out yesterday because I was so sick! I couldn't believe I wasn't feeling well so soon into the school year! Oh well, at least I am feeling a little better today. For teacher week day 4 we are suppose to talk about taming the wild aka classroom management! 

The first thing I have to say about management is that you have to have structure and teach your students routines. If you take the time to do this now, at the beginning of the year then you won't have nearly as many behavior problems. I posted a couple of days ago a good list of routines to remember to go over with your students and how to explicitly teach them. 

Click here to check out the post and get the freebies!

One of my favorite routines to teach is "standing in line!" I have my students repeat a cute jingle after me to get themselves ready to leave the classroom. 

Click the picture to get your free copy!

For the first time last year I had some type of behavior management system in place in my classroom. In years past I wasn't quite ready to tackle that and keep up with it all. For table groups I used the BRAVO board. Each table got points all week and the table with the most points at the end of the week got to pick out of the treasure box! You can see my BRAVO board in this picture: 

As a building last year we decided we were all going to use clip charts...which I LOVED! The kids were accountable for their own behavior and they were able to see how they were doing all day long. At the end of each day the students colored on a calendar in their homework folder where they ended up. At the end of the month they had to have so many "good days" to get an extra recess, movie time, etc. We made the number of days they had to get more and more throughout the year. You can see the clip chart I created in this picture: 

Click here to download my free behavior clip chart!

Also something else that I have to say has definitely helped with behavior is being ORGANIZED! I always make sure I have everything ready for the kids, therefore they don't have very much down time throughout the day. This limits behavior problems and makes our day run smoother! 

Day 2: Classroom Digs

Well as you know from yesterdays post, I am not in a classroom this year. I am still working on my office...it is a little crazy right now. (we are still living with parents, we move on Aug. 28!!!!) I wanted to share with you what my classroom looked like last year because I LOVED it!

It started like this...

Click on the picture to see how it turned out!! 

Since I don't have my own classroom this year I wanted to share with you what I would have done if I had a classroom. 

Theme: Dr. Seuss!!

I have had the same theme (bugs/bright colors) for the 3 years I have been teaching. I would have been time to switch it up! Here are some of my favorite Pinterest projects I would have/will do someday for my next future classroom: (p.s. I have a secret board of all my next classroom ideas on Pinterest...shhhh)

Make sure to link up at Blog Hoppin' to check out some other GREAT classroom digs! 

Let's Talk About Me...Meet the Teacher

 I am going on my third year of marriage to my best friend, Brad. We started dating in high school and have been together ever since...it will be 10 years in November!! Time flies when you are having fun! Here are some pictures from our wedding and honeymoon to Hawaii:

We  loved Hawaii so much we went back the year after we got married!! 

 Someone else who is very important to the both of us is our little baby Bentley!! He is now seven years old and he is our world! 

 Someone who is  very, very special to me is my mommy! She is one of my best friends!

 As you know this year I will not be teaching in a classroom, which I am excited and sad about. I will be the elementary math instructional facilitator. So instead of organizing my classroom, I am organizing my office. I don't have pictures quite yet, but I will post them when I get everything cute and complete. 

One thing I love about the school district I work for is that it has such a community feel. Since I have been there I have created great friendships! I love how everyone knows everyone, it just makes life easier! I also am very grateful for all the opportunities I have been given. Here is a picture of some of my crazy co-workers who I now call my friends! 

Here are some fun facts about me:

1. I am the oldest sibling, I have a younger brother

2. I went to college where both of my parents did

3. I have broken my left arm twice

4. I have had twenty teeth pulled (I have a small mouth)

5. I love to walk

6. I love reality t.v.

7. I can't have dairy products

8. I love crafting/decorating

9. I love the snow and winter (cute boots duh!)

10. I have wanted to be a teacher since 2nd grade! 

Click up over at Blog Hoppin for Teacher Week 2013! 

What will the weather be? (instagram)

That is totally the truth here in Kansas.....today and tomorrow 80....tomorrow night 30, possible snow!! What in the world! Well since the weather is crazzzzy we are taking advantage of it during our weather unit!

We are using some of the activities from Hope's weather unit, which I love! We were talking about meteorologists and weather tools this week. We started off by reading the following book:

We talked about some words that describe a meteorologists and I made this cute anchor chart:

We used this anchor chart to write a little nonfiction piece about meteorologist  My kids are getting pretty goo at this! We have written several whole group and they practice during writing in D5. 

Today we made wind vanes... the kids thought this was the coolest thing! 

Tomorrow we will test them out! Hopefully the wind will be in full force! 

I will also be linking up with Rachelle, Natalie, and Jessica! 

Find me at Kelley Cirrito! 

Happy Tuesday! 

New Year's Linky Party

Good morning! I was trying to sleep in because I haven't been sleeping very good, which always seems to happen when I am not active all day. So during summer, spring, and winter break it seems my sleeping habits aren't very good. Oh and the hubby got up at 7:00 because he went to bed at like 6:00 last night! Poor thing as been working long hours.

Today I am linking up with one of my favorite bloggy friends Miss Jen over at Teacher's Cauldron. There are so many great Linky Party's going on and I love the New Year's ones because I think reflection is a great way to become a better person and teacher!

Click here to link up!

P.S. I still can't figure out how to post a picture with a link...help anyone?

On to my resolutions:

Personal: I want to say go to the gym, since I never had a gym membership but it is more than just that. I want to learn how to cook healthy meals as well. Here is my current eating habits when we have school:

Chewy bar in the morning

Protein bar for lunch

and usually cereal or I will fix something if the hubby is hungry!

I know not healthy at all! I will hopefully be working on that. I also want to maybe start sitting in the teacher's lounge to eat. We have last lunch and there is usually no one in there but a new paras so I have been grabbing my protein bar on the go in my room. 

Blog: I want to continue to blog about exciting and new ideas. Some of you commented yesterday that you are interested in the curriculum I have been writing this year. I also want to post and sell the Daily 5 and Cafe launching guided I created this year. I think it is important not to get caught up in the numbers but to really send time reflecting on your teaching and to make positive connections with all your bloggy friends! 

Whew! I have some work to do! 

Enjoy your Sunday! 

Professional Growth Linky Party!

I am linky up with some of the most fabulous bloggers in the land! They are some of the best of the best and I know I totally look up to them all!

Click here to link up!

I was totally planning on linking up with Hope last night but I was just too tired! So today I am linking up with Amanda at One Extra Degree! Today the topic is professional growth!! Oooo such a big topic! 

First I want to start off with, I am a current graduate with my masters in Curriculum Leadership from:

I really enjoyed my last two classes because I was able to make and apply things I had been learning into my classroom! (Finished in December!)

I think my ultimate goal is to be an instructional coach or do something with curriculum development! I really enjoy creating curriculum and working with other teachers to do the same. This year I have completely create our reading curriculum from scratch...aligned with the common core! I put everything I use for the week, including common assessments in a binder so I have it all for next year ! (I will write a post about this later)

This is what it looks like for January! I know it is blurry...I couldn't figure out a good way to save as a picture! 

I looove creating curriculum, but I don't think I am quite ready to leave the classroom and do it full time! I have only been teaching for 3 years and it has been amazing....with of course its ups and downs. I plan on continuing to learn and grow as a teacher and then one day take the next step into curriculum. 

A topic in the classroom I plan on pursuing more is reading! I love reading and guided reading and everything about reading! This is something I plan on reading and experimenting with more in my classroom. This year I am currently using:

Fountas and Pinnell's intervention kit in my classroom! I am totally impressed with the program and what it has provided for my struggling readers!! I plan on continuing to learn more about guided reading and how I can improve my own instruction! 

Lastly I also plan on.... drum roll please.....

seeing Rachelle in two weeks at a conference in Wichita ! I am totally excited to learn from her and see how I can implement her ideas into my classroom! 

If you live in Kansas click here to learn more about the conference!! 

Have a super Saturday! 

-Kelley

2012's Blog Best and Brightest

I am linky up with Christina over at Bunting, Books, and Brainbridge! She is having a great linky party to look back on this past year of blogging and teaching!

First I wanted to share some of the favorite blog friends that I just can't live without! I know I haven't been blogging that much due to getting my masters, but I could always count on these girls to pick me up when I needed it! 

Also thank you to all my bloggy friends and followers! I have truly loved getting to know all of you! 
Here are some of my most looked at posts from last year...
The first is one just from the other day! My Grinch Day Activities! 
Click here to view!
Another was my adjective freebie post! 
Click here to view and get the freebie!
Last but not least is my Rainy Day Math Center freebie post! 
Click here to view the post and get the freebie!
I think we all like a great freebie! 
I also wanted to share my newest adventure which is TpT! I had a lot of people tell me I needed to open a store, but I just didn't have them time with school and finishing my masters. Now that I am done with my masters I took the plunge and created a store! 
I am currently featuring my new Arctic Math Centers and a New Years Activity Unit! 

Check out my store here!

Thanks to everyone for making this year a great one!! 

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Summer Shopping!

One of my favorite bloggy friends, Kristen is having a summer shopping linky party!! And you all know how much I LOVE to shop!! I have to admit I haven't done too much shopping for my classroom yet, most of that comes in July! I have bought one, quite large item that I wanted to share!

A rolling whiteboard for my classroom!! I won't say how much it was, but I will say that I used my hard earned money from being on our Building Leadership Team!! ;)

It has soo many drawers I have no idea what I am going to put in them all. You can kind of see in the background my school stuff everywhere!! When I need a break from my masters homework I go down and work on stuff. By the looks of things you can tell I haven't gotten much done!!

If you want to link up with Kristen click here!! 

P.S. My chair is almost all done!! I can't wait to show everyone the finished product!! 

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Monday Made It!

I am linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics. I haven't gotten very far with my list of things to do but I have started a few things!

The first item I have been working on is my CAFE board. I loved Kristen's CRAFT board and I wanted to make sure it had bright colors. I got these letters from Michael's!

I think that they turned out really good. I am probably going to still use Kristen's headers and lined paper. You can get them on her blog here:Ladybug Teacher's Files!

The second item I have been working on is a super cute chair! I am going to use it for author celebrations. The kids will get to sit in it while they read their story! I am not done yet but here is what I have so far:

I still need to add some more coats and jazzy it up more!! I am excited to see it all done!! I will have to share the finished project later!


[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Lemonade Math Center FREEBIE!!

I am starting to think about what centers I need to make for next year. I only started doing math centers after winter break....so I have lots of centers to make or buy to get through the beginning part of the year. I saw these really cute lemonade kiddos on scrappingdoodles and I knew I had to make centers out of them. I made centers that are like my Rainy Day Math Centers. I found it easier if the kids have seen the centers before...then I am not running around the room showing them how to play. I plan on mixing these centers with some money, telling time, and place value games I already have in my room!

Click hereto download! 

 Tomorrow I will staying in my p.j.s and working on my homework for my masters classes!!! I am not looking forward to it!! I will also be sharing pictures of the great items I found today out shopping with my mom on Friday! 

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]