- Alex Funk
My first year of teaching was absolutely magical. It is so amazing to be living my absolute dream life. Here are some of my absolute must-have's teaching last year.
ONLINE
-Remind (best app to interact with parents. I recommend getting parents to sign up the first day of school).
-art hub
-Look up Wild Kratt’s on youtube. They have amazing episodes that are super informative. I love to plug it into view pure while my students eat lunch.
-GFletchy (3 Act problems are an awesome way to start math on Mondays to get critical thinking going)
-Prodigy Math
-Teach Your Monster to Read
TPT Faves
Interactive math tools (for math journal)
Interactive Notebook (math journal)
Interactive Notebook 2 (math journal)
Flip It(math game)
Digraph Mini Booklets (I loved doing these weekly with the jolly phonics)
October Listening Mats (great for first report card to get listening and understanding marks)
FREE TPT Faves
Back to School Letter(great for intro to parents)
Reading Inventory (great to do on first day with students)
SUPPLIES
-Sharpies (I go through a ton)
-pens
-writing portfolio folder
-math journal (I tend to prefer blank to allow for room with the interactive journal)
-writing notebooks
-Ikea Tolsby frames are great for centres
-magnets with student names on them (great for bathroom. Kids can drag their magnet to the bathroom slot, and back)
-Notebook for yourself (really helps having a place for staff meeting notes, lists, and everything that just doesn’t work in a planner)
ORGANIZATION
-If you are creating a memory book for students, organize files by name and just put student work in the named files throughout the year. Makes end of year so much easier when putting them together)
-I set my students up with jobs and it was the best thing ever. I just cycle through the class list and they do everything for me (attendance, weather, calendar, sweeping, etc)
-Use already prepped back to school stuff. It is completely overwhelming the first week, and having stuff that is already prepped makes it so much easier.
-Have a birthday tradition…your kids will love it!
BOOKS TO READ
OTHER
-I love having the kids vote for a VIP (Very Important Person). They have the opportunity to use special markers, sticky notes, and anything else I put in their tub.
-I love to have a form of morning meeting each day. Sometimes it’s writing an answer to a questions, sometimes it’s sitting and chatting, and sometimes I put cards and jenga out. Putting games out is great for building the social relationships and cultivating appropriate communication and problem solving skills
-yoga pretzel cards (great for brain breaks, gym, or just a moment of mindfulness)
-Take a ton of photos, you will thank yourself for it later
-Set a time where you absolutely have to leave each day. There will always be something else to do, and if you don’t set a time, you will be at the school forever.