Delving Deep Into Our Essential Agreement

Once the students created our Essential Agreement, we began to delve deeper into what each rule meant.  We read a book to accompany each of the rules, brainstormed how to follow the rules and then had the students come up with poses for pictures to create a podcast to put on our website for their parents to see.  Below is each rule in our Essential Agreement and the pictures the students came up with. 

We agree to: 

1. Respect others.

  helping a friend                     playing nicely

2. Listen to the teacher.

Listening on the carpet

3. Keep our hands and feet to ourselves.

turn pages                                       shake hands

4. Walk!

walk in the classroom

5. Follow directions.

put things away

School Rules and Essential Agreements

This week, we focused on practicing routines and setting expectations for behavior throughout the school. We did two different activities to get the students thinking about rules.

Conveyor Belt – The students wrote or drew ideas for rules to follow in the hallway, lunchroom, gym, and library. A piece of chart paper with the name of the setting was in the middle of every table, and, every few minutes, the students rotated to a new table to think about a new setting. At the end of the activity, we discussed all of the different rules they came up with for each location.

Bottoms-Up – Each table had a large piece of chart paper divided into sections. First, students brainstormed and wrote or drew ideas for our class rules in their individual section. Next, the students discussed their ideas and chose the one they thought was the most important. Finally, they wrote or drew (or I scribed) this idea in the middle section of the paper. We used these ideas to create our Essential Agreement!

Essential Agreement  –  Together, we combined, condensed, and reworded the students’ ideas to create our Essential Agreement.  All the students “signed” the Essential Agreement to show that they agree to abide by our rules. 

Now, the behavior clip chart will be really effective because students have clear expectations for their behavior and understand that, if these expectations are not met, they will receive a consequence. The kids started earning links on their compliment chain for principled behavior, too!

Pick up a FREE copy of this behavior chart here. 

How do you establish your class rules at the beginning of the school year?

Classroom Favorites

Because Megan and I plan everything together, I decided I would highlight just a couple of things in my classroom that she didn't make mention of.  

  

     

Table Caddies - I have these caddies at each of my tables so that my students can begin learning to SHARE.  I bought them in the dollar spot at target and then glued on polka dot ribbon and a number.  I have the students bring in an emptied and cleaned frosting container so I can have more divisions to help the students stay organized.

Manipulatives - I thought all you organization buffs would enjoy my manipulative shelf.  I have taken pictures of the manipulatives that are in each bin so that the students know exactly where to find what they need, and more importantly, they know exactly where to put them away.  

Chicka Chicka Tree -  My Chicka Chicka tree is one of my favorite spots in my classroom.  Within the first week of school I pull a picture of a child out of a hat and have a different child tell me who is in the picture.  They then have to tell me the letter that is at the beginning of that child's name.  I then hang the picture with the child's first letter of their name climbing up the tree.  This activity is such a fun way for the students to get to know one another.

Brain Beads - We found this idea on Pinterest.  I laminated circles and placed hooks at the top of the circles.  I then numbered the circles so that each child has their own.  The students will each get their own bracelet to add charms (pony beads) to throughout the year, and they will be on display for all to see.  Some examples of charm worthy achievements are: letter sounds, letter names, counting to 100, tying shoes, etc.  

Wall of Work - I really hate stapling up all my students work, especially behind those computers!  So, I laminated circles and hot glued a clothes pin to each.  Now, I just have to clip their work up!  Way easier.  

School's in! Classroom tour & two freebies!

Yesterday was our first full day with our kindergarteners! We began to introduce words like “Principled” and “Respect” and made our first Essential Agreement for recess rules. Here is a slideshow of pictures from my classroom. Let me know if you want more information about anything you see!

A few things you will notice:

Behavior Board: To the right of my Promethean board lives all of our behavior management tools.

            -Compliment Chain: Students will set goals and earn links on the Compliment Chain for principled behavior. Once they reach their goal, they will receive a reward that they have also decided.

-Essential Agreement: We will come up with our Essential Agreement (class rules) together by the end of next week. Creating it together will give the students a sense of ownership over the rules and hold them accountable for following them.

-Voice Scale: Also, adapted from Pinterest, the voice scale shows students the volume they should be using at different times.

-Table Points: Each table, represented by a red, yellow, green, or blue clothespin, can earn points for working quietly, cleaning up quickly, etc. Once they earn ten points, we get to have a lunch bunch together!

-Behavior Continuum: All students begin the day at “Principled.” They have an opportunity to move up to “Awesome Attitude” or “IB All-Star” for positive behavior. They can earn reward tickets for reaching blue or purple. If a student demonstrates negative behavior, they will move down to “Reflecting” or “Teacher’s Choice.” However, students always have an opportunity to move back to “Principled” upon improving their behavior. You can grab a FREE copy of the behavior continuum and reward tickets here. I fill out a behavior record sheet if students end their day on a color other than green so I have data to support future instructional decisions. Here’s that freebie!

IB Bulletin Board: At the top, you will see a timeline of the six transdisciplinary themes we will be teaching this year.  We will take pictures and display them under the name of each theme throughout each six week unit. On the left and right sides of the board are the IB attitudes. As we teach each attitude, we will take pictures of the students modeling them and post them as a reminder. In the middle is all the information about our unit – the theme, descriptor, central idea, and key concepts. The bottom will be our Wonder Wall. I will be putting the students’ faces on the black circles. Whenever they wonder about something, they will write it down in their speech bubble.

Dismissal Organization: I found this idea on Pinterest! The students’ names are on clothespins can be moved to show how they are getting home each day! It worked great on Friday, since I dismiss the kids as I stand right in front of it, to be sure they are all being sent home the right way! I used to just use a list, but the clothespins make it easy to move children around since how they are getting home tends to change on a day-to-day basis.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and that you find the freebies useful! Happy Saturday!

-Megan

Hello!

Hi All,

We are two kindergarten teachers beginning a new educational journey together in an IB candidate school, and we thought there was no better way to document it than beginning a blog.   Therefore, Kinder Culture was created!  This year we will begin teaching the Common Core Kindergarten standards while integrating the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program into our instruction.

If you don’t know much about IB, visit http://www.ibo.org/.  This program emphasizes international mindedness and citizenship.  It gives students the opportunity to explore not only their own cultures, but also other cultures of kids all over the world.

We plan on documenting what it takes to integrate internationalism into a kindergarten classroom.  We will post different lessons, bulletin boards, and fun activities we come up with that will help our students become global citizens.

We hope you enjoy following our journey!  We know we will enjoy sharing it with you.

-Chelsea & Megan