Positively Learning: WBT Success & TBT Freebie!

Happy Throwback Thursday!

Today was Day 9 with students!

At our school, students come for two weeks of "summer school" before the full school days began. For the past two weeks (including this week, TGIF tomorrow!), students have attended from 7:40-12:15 and then teachers stay the full day for PD. It's a time to learn procedures and we also build in character education lessons.

Special education services and enrichment classes don't officially start until full days (next Monday!), so we have been supporting general education classrooms...resetting behavior, bathroom breaks, etc. It's been wonderful because I'm supporting the two classrooms I "push in" to and these two weeks have provided plenty of opportunities to learn more about the students I'll be working closely with. Although I'm thankful for these "non-pressure" days, I'm also itching to get started!

Today was the first day I pulled a small group to establish routines. I also started WBT today! My students are already familiar with the scoreboard (a huge hit with the first-grade crowd, I didn't realize it was WBT!) and today we reviewed the five rules. They ♥ it!!! I just wasn't sure how it was going to go down, but it was AWESOME! We did it in both classrooms and everyone responded enthusiastically :) For some freebie scoreboards (holiday theme & more), please click on the WBT label on the right.

Tomorrow I will add "Class, Yes" and Mirror. Then we will be good to go for Monday (I hope!).

P.S. - my fabulous co-teacher also incorporated the scoreboard, complete with cheers and the mighty groan. How cool is that?

Now it's time for Throwback Thursday! Here's a post I wrote during Back to School 2012...there's also a freebie. Enjoy!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Flipbook Freebie!

If you are reading this, thank you! I've had a hard time dragging myself away from the big TPT sale...so I appreciate you're here! :)

I'm super-excited to be sharing this freebie with you - it's one of my all-time favorite teaching tools!

I have had great success using word families with my reluctant and/or struggling readers. Recognizing patterns in words, plus the success of "instant" reading, helps create a positive reading experience for so many students I work with.

♥ the lightbulb moment!!

As a result, I created this file of 38 short vowel word family "flipbooks" for my students to use at school and home:

Simply print on assorted colored paper, cut along the lines, layer, & staple! I printed the file two times and filled a small basket in my library with these books! I also tucked a set of the books (copied on white paper) into a binder so I can easily send home a copy throughout the school year.

I made the page format easy-to-cut because I know I wouldn't have time to cut around any extra edges

(not lazy, just incredibly busy, ha!):