Looking to Kick Your Classroom Management Up a Notch? BRAG TAGS!

I have always focused on the positive side of classroom management - EARN EARN EARN - No taking things away from kiddos, especially if they have already earned it! I also have always tried to give specific feedback, whether it is constructive or just plain old supportive. This is where Brag Tags come in.

I have a dog chain for each student. I print an array of Brag Tags, most of them freebies on TPT, that way I always have them handy. I see a lot of teachers organize them. I did not. I had a big old bin of them to grab from. Nothing fancy. But they were all pre-cut and hole punched each summer so they were ready for the school year.

When kids do amazing things. Or show improvement. Or follow directions. Whatever. I give them a Brag Tag. The front of the Brag Tag is related to the thing they did (ie: 100% on a test, helped a friend, etc.) and the bag is a personalized message from their teacher, explaining why I appreciate them and what they did. 

Now, depending on the class, I might leave the Brag Tag on the student desk and have them add it to their necklace when they have free time. Or I might add it to the necklaces myself and the kids will check them.

The necklaces don't go home. They stay in the room. But kids can wear them every day and just hang them back up at the end of the day. They can take them home at the end of the school year.

This is pretty close to free classroom management. The dog tags and chains were a few bucks on Amazon, but the Brag Tags were freebies I prepped for the year. It's motivating. The feedback to kids is useful. And best of all? The bulletin board does not need to change!!! WIN - WIN - WIN!

Class Shirts - Perfect for Field Trips, School Activities, and More!

Check out Whitney Daniels Designs NOW!

I have used that company for my class shirt designing needs for...forever! (Ten years +)

We start by having every child use a fine tip Sharpie tow rite their name and draw a picture of themselves, neck up. (Great for talking about details that make you unique, like glasses, curly hair, dimples, etc.) We also vote on a color shirt as a class. One year I made it a surprise.

Typically, I send the order form from the website to the families, and most families spend the $7-8 on a shirt for their child. Some buy for themselves, too! If anyone does not send the money back in for whatever reason, I pay for that child. I also buy 1-2 extra shirts every year in case a new student moves into our class or someone loses their shirt. (We order these mid-way through the year because it takes time for the order to come in. Also, most of our field trips and special days are near the end of the school year and we want to wear them for those days - it's fun and it helps me to easily spot all of my students because we are dressed alike!

This is definitely a keepsake that I love. A tradition that I would hope that my children's teachers do as well because it's so special!

Easy Spring Craft Alert!

If you're looking for a fun way to occupy those kiddos, look no further!

I happen to have an extensive craft supply closet. Like, too much. So, I am always looking for ways to get rid of stuff. And not throw it away but actually use it.

We used some craft paper, cut it in the shape of a rabbit head, cut a hole out for our little faces, colored the pink part of the ears, and had a BALL gluing white cotton balls all over it!

All in all, it was about 20 minutes of craft, 20 minutes of running around as a rabbit. 

That's not bad, in my book!

Make Your Own Slime: The Easiest Recipe Ever!

I have always been afraid of slime.

As a teacher. As a parent. As a person.

Sure, it looks like a lot of fun, but using borax? It just didn't sound great. 

And the mess? Um, no, thank you.

Anyway, my little one wanted to use the Elmer's glitter glue I had laying around in our craft bin, so I googled some ways to use it and the easiest slime recipe ever came up. I thought, why not?

Here it is:

6 ounces Elmer's glitter glue

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons contact lens solution

(You may need to add more contact lens solution if your slime turns out a bit sticky, like we did. We just added a little more and stirred until it was not...well...ooey and gooey and messy.)

Click here for thorough directions and experiment activity pages!

This is right after mixing the ingredients. The moment when I was panicking because it was a huge mess. A few minutes later, as we mixed and kneaded and it was not becoming the mess-free slime I wanted, I brought my kiddo in the bathroom to wash her hands and hopefully forget this slime mess.

When we came back from the bathroom, with clean hands, the slime had been sitting for a few minutes and seemed less, goopy? So, I added a bit more contact lens solution and we got back in there mixing. It worked! It got to the point where we could play with it and just peel it off our fingers without a goopy mess!

The look of success!

And pretending to eat slime even though I asked her not to.

So, good luck, if you try it! It really is easy!

Click here for thorough directions and experiment activity pages!