How Do Communicate Your Behavior Plan to a Sub?

Hi everyone!  I wanted to share with you my Jungle Themed Behavior Management System that I just added to my store!  I had a clip chart posted awhile ago and jungle sticker charts. I have now redone everything and merged it into one convenient package!

I did this to of course help a classroom teacher BUT to also help make behavior systems clear and easy for substitutes and parents. Consistency is so important so when a substitute enters your room they have clear understanding of your behavior system. As a former sub, I found myself having a more successful day if I was familiar with the classroom's behavior system.

Here is what you can expect from this product:

Parent Letter

It is important that parents understand the behavior system you have put in place. The parent letter clearly states the expected behavior in your classroom and will help parents to be a part as well. A colored and black and white version are available.

Behavior Expectations

I created this sheet to hang beside your hanging behavior chart to give examples of what each color behavior looks like. I left it blank so that when you introduce this to your students, you can work together (if you chose so) to decide what behavior looks like for each color. I would laminate this and use a dry erase marker should you need to make adjustments. 

Hanging Behavior Chart

The color behavior chart gets printed, laminated, and hung in a location in the classroom that will work best for you and your students. Use clothes pins or magnets with names or numbers on it for each student. Clips get moved throughout the day based on student behavior. I don't like to call out negative behavior and make a scene putting someone on yellow or red. A quick and quiet discussion with the student should suffice. Do call out positive behavior (and explain why) so that students can see examples of positive behavior. It is up to you to establish precisely what is grounds for movement (up or down). It would be great to leave this for subs as well. 

Monthly Behavior Calendar

The behavior calendar gets sent home for each student. At the end of the day, have students (or yourself) do a quick mark on the appropriate day to show parents the color that their child ended on. Send home any behavior notices as well. Some teachers like to have parents initial each day, week, or month. This is up to you. The behavior notices should work just fine. You can also establish a reward system should you chose. Students can be rewarded for staying on green or higher for the week or the whole month or for having a certain percentage of the month filled with positive behavior. Again, it is what works best for your class!

Behavior Notices

These notices are for students who end their day on yellow, red, blue, or purple. You can use all of them or only the colors you see fit. I print these out on colored paper to make more stick out more in folders. These notices make students accountable for their actions that led them to end their day on yellow or red. They must show their parents, reflect on their choices, and have their parents sign. The notices that are sent home for blue and purple are to celebrate positive behavior and to let parents share in the excitement. There's never enough room on the monthly calendar to write explanations so these are quite useful. They are also useful should a sub be in your room and move a child's clip. This will hopefully eliminate the day after messages you may receive regarding a sub moving their child's clip. 

Sticker Charts

Some teachers don't like sticker charts so don't feel like you HAVE to use these. I, however, find they work very well for my students. You can either implement these for all students or students that might need an extra push in the right direction. I won't bore you with the numerous ways on how to use a sticker chart because I am sure you already know!  Just be sure that your are consistent with the expectations you set as well as any rewards. Once you get off track, the sticker chart becomes meaningless. Again, please leave any explanation for subs!  Sticker charts are available in color and black and white versions. I like to use the black and white ones and print them on colored paper!

For the Subs Sheets

I mentioned substitutes and informing them of your behavior system several times in this post. I did so be a use as a former sub, I know how difficult it is t keep up with all the different behavior systems. Let's face it, even if there is a school wide behavior system in place, it tends to be interpreted in different ways. Having a substitute in your room throws off students as it is. Letting your sub understand your behavior system allows for them AND your students to maintain a sense of constituency. Hopefully this leads to a better day for all!  I left it blank so that you may specifically explain how behavior is managed in your classroom. There is also a copy of the colored chart that was sent home to parents by here is one with explanations that parents received and a blank one so that you can write exactly what you would classify as an example for each colored behavior. I have included a "From the Sub" sheet so they can clearly communicate any necessary information back to you. I know I was always super grateful when things were clearly laid out for me!

I hope this has been a great overview of this product.  I am SUPER excited about this!  Anyone who gets this and uses it, PLEASE let me know if it helped!  I would have loved this as a sub!  Look for different themed versions of this as well!

A Torn Mama

Ugh. I hate not blogging. I really do. I have been so focused on my kids and my new found love of working out/eating healthy that this has gone south. Not that I don't think about it because I do. A lot. I have so many fabulous ideas in my head and written down. There is just zero time to physically sit at the computer and work on it.

Last night, I sat down to get five minutes in. As soon as I turned on the computer my 4 1/2 year old was next to me insisting him playing in Lego land was seriously more important than anything I had to do.  I decided I needed to have a chat with him because this summer I really want to dedicate at least 30 mins during the day to my blog and TPT stuff. After all, this is a business and I really want it to grow. He got mad and left me when I tried to explain to him that all the fun things he wants to do cost money and that mommy needs to do work on the computer to earn it. I felt defeated after that conversation. However, this morning I was running early (shocking lol) so I turned the computer on. Sure enough he came over and asked if I was working because he reallyyyyy needed to go on. I told him I was setting it up so when I was done showering, I could work. He nodded and said if it was so we could do fun things this summer. I said yes and smiled. He then asked if he could play while I was showering. I agreed and he was great about getting off when I was done. 

The mom guilt kicks in a lot for me. I feel like I should be grateful that I even get to squeeze in 30 minutes in the morning to work out. How dare I ask for 30 more minutes. I know that sounds ridiculous but that is how my mom brain thinks!  And then if I do get that time I see them playing and feel super guilty that I'm not playing with them. I feel that way when I get home from work and try to straighten up and make dinner. I think all of us mommies struggle with that!  Anywho, I love my little nuggets and I know to be the best mommy I can be I need to keep healthy and take time to do work I love!  Look for tomorrow's post on my awesome new behavior management packet!

Successful Monday Meals

Hey everyone!  As some of you know, I have been doing the 21 Day Fix program since December.  I LOVE how I look and feel now!  It's a fabulous lifestyle change.  With that, I have been inspired to cook!  I don't enjoy cooking but I always want to make sure my family gets a healthy meal.  I wanted to share with you what I had today.  It was all stuff I was able to have using this program too which is fabulous!

Morning

This morning I had my chocolate Shakeology with peanut butter on my way to work.  Nothing too fancy about that but I realized it would have been the only meal I didn't talk about today haha.  I also got my 30 minute workout in too :)

Lunch

It's hard to hold off until lunch but we've been busy at work and I haven't had time to think about it.  I decided a little over a week ago I was tired of the same lunch salad I had eaten since December.  Not that there was anything wrong with it.  It's a great way to get your veggies in and not hard to make!  I was just...bored!  Last week I tried making food butttt I'm lazy and it was too much cooking/prepping for lunch.  I found this recipe and decided that it looked diffrent enough from what I was eating and to give it a try.  I nixed the quinoa and opted for grilled chicken (rubbed with basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and a bit of salt).  I also didn't use the dressings suggested.  I used my usual balsamic.  Can I just say this was easy and SO YUMMY!  I'm so excited to give this a shot this week!  Oh, and I also had a yogurt and baby carrots.  But that's boring lol.  I should also state that I made individual servings based on 21 Day Fix containers and not the amount the recipe said.  What you see here is 1 green, 1 red, 1 purple, and 1 orange container.  Adding my yogurt and carrots would be another green and red container.

Dinner

Holding off until dinner is SO HARD.  I try to make an early dinner not only because of my but my kids associate me with eating as soon as they see me (3:30PM)!  I kept all of us busy by enjoying the beautiful day.  We played outside, planted flowers, and went for a 20 minute walk.  Me pushing a heavy, uncooperative double stroller up hills qualifies as workout #2.  Okay so by now we are STARVING! I followed this recipe (that I had been looking forward to since I decided to make it yesterday).  The only thing I changed was I added some of that yummy grilled chicken from lunch (I cooked a bunch last night) and opted for whole grain penne.  Containers were hard for me to think of on this one.  I portioned out from the pot 2 yellows and 1 blue for sure.  As for anything else, I think I probably got in 1 red and 1/2 green.  Added bonus to making this...my house smelled yummyyy.

T.V. Snack

I love to snack while I watch T.V.  I highly doubt I am alone.  I also know that my snack choices are not NEARLY as poor as most Americans.  However, I still feel guilty.  I've been trying super hard lately so I reverted back to my quick but yummy apple snack.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and slice 1 apple (that serves as 1 purple container for you Fixers).  Put into a baking dish.  Sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon to taste.  Toss to coat.  Pop in oven for about 15 minutes or until the reach your desired consistency.  Again, THE HOUSE SMELLS GREAT!  Move over Yankee Candle lol.

Something I didn't mention is that I drink A LOT of water.  I fill up two huge water bottle and bring them to work.  I make sure I drink them throughout the day.  I also use them at home to keep me in check.  This post might seem random but this blog is about the life of a BUSY MAMA.  And this busy mama likes healthy, yummy, QUICK meals.  Did you try any of these out?  Do you have anything you think I should try?  Let me know!

Five for Friday...WOW It's been awhile!

Apologies for not doing this in so long!  What a year my family has had.  The never ending sicknesses have taken over my household and my life.  I have soooo many ideas and things floating around in my head but I never get to it!  Here's to me getting back into the swing of things! Thanks  Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting this linky party!

Part of why I haven't done this in awhile is because I haven't had much to report on work wise.  We finished up the last intervention cycle on April 10th.  The following week was April vacation (my Disney experience will be blogged shortly).  Now we have spent the past two weeks doing extra assessments on our kids, reviewing data, meeting together and with teachers, planning groups, and prepping for our groups.  There was a paper/book explosion on my table this week haha.

 

My little nugget was feeding Paw Patrol lol.  I love that he's so caring.  He is OBSESSED with Paw Patrol.  I guess it's a good thing we're doing a Paw Patrol themed party for his 2nd birthday soon!

 

My healthy eating continues as do my daily 21 Day Fix workouts!  I will be posting info on two awesome coaches should anyone want to join us on this journey!  The bottom picture is the lunch I made for several days this week.  I was soooo tired of salad!  I found some different salad recipes that I may try soon.  I miss the super easy prep of my old salad lunch.  It's hard actually cooking stuff to bring to lunch.  I found myself scrambling one minute to get the eggs done one morning. 

I picked up EDUCLIPS new "Carnival" clip art.  I couldn't resist!  I love when clip art inspires me.  I wish I had more time to sit and actually work on stuff.  Hoping I will FINALLY land myself a full time position for the fall and I can treat myself to a laptop.  I'm hoping to do some carnival theme comprehension passages with questions and story element graphic organizer!

I have been working on a digital scrapbook for my mom since we came back a few weeks ago.  I fully intended on it being a Mother's Day gift buttttt I never have time to work on it.  I'm sad that by the time I order it, it won't be ready in time.  But that's okay because she will love it anyways!

Vowel Digraph Dino Trivia Game

*sigh* I know I've been MIA for quite some time now.  Truth is, LIFE IS TOUGH AND SO BUSY!  I think about this site and my products EVERY DAY and I never get any down time to do it.  That's not true, I do get down time but I choose to use that precious 30 minutes to workout :/  

We spent most of February sick.  That was AWFUL.  We had been doing so well for a few weeks after the Christmas fiasco.  The only good thing was that after Christmas, my son's inhaler was upped and I actually noticed a huge difference in February when he got sick.  I guess that's a positive?

Anywho, I'm trying to brush that aside and enjoy the fact that in just a few short weeks I will be hanging with MICKEY MOUSE!  Wahoo!!!  In the meantime, here's a super fun vowel digraph review game!

I wanted to make a fun but super simple vowel digraph review game to use with 1st and 2nd graders.  I came up with this idea and it's a hit!  I designed it to be easily set up in a pocket chart (that's what I have in my itty bitty space).  I work with only small groups (6 at the most) so I either have them do games individually or in pairs.  Students decide which vowel digraph they want to answer a question about and for how many points. 

You can play a few different ways:


• Students receive points for correct answers and are not penalized for incorrect responses.  No one can “steal” a question.  If a response is incorrect, it is returned to the board without discussion.
•   Students receive points for correct answers and are penalized (you can decide how much) for incorrect responses.  If an incorrect response is given, the next player (going right) has an opportunity to respond.  It can continue on until the original “owner” of the question is reached.
•   Choose one of the two ways above.  Make spelling the word a requirement (or a bonus worth perhaps 100 extra points).  This depends on the level of your students.
 
Of course, whoever has the most points in the end is the winner!

I'm looking forward to making more simple games such as this as well as a multisyllable vowel digraph packet!

 

Yay! Five for Friday!

Haven't done this in awhile!  So glad it's back!  Taking advantage of my little one napping while Daddy and the big one are out! Thanks  Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting this linky party!

 

Happy Birthday to my big boy!  Sunday was my oldest's 4th birthday.  FOURTH BIRTHDAY.  I have a four year old!  That's bananas!  He had a great weekend.  These are the cupcakes I made for him to take to school.  I definitely felt like such a mommy doing that haha.  

 

I read "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" by Laura Numeroff to my kindergarteners and first graders this week.  They loved it!  I'm sure most of you know her books are great to talk about sequencing.  We of course did that as well as talked about the story elements.  I made a few quick activities to go along with it as well.  For kindergarten, we practiced our color words.  We then used our color words in our writing prompt.  Mine have a very difficult time writing their own name let alone a sentence, so I made a tracing activity.  They did have to write their own color word in the prompt.  I was proud of them!  For first grade, I wanted them to describe what kind of cupcake they would give the cat.  We talked about sentence structure and rereading what we write to make sure it makes sense.  Look for this little bundle in my store soon...FOR FREE :)  Also, I will so be doing "If You Give a Dog a Donut" too!

 

My 4th graders have been working on their oral language skills.  As a quick activity, we look at a picture one day and discuss it.  The next, they write a sentence or two about the picture.  The third day, they share their sentences.  I stepped it up a notch and introduced them to this awesome wordless book called "Journey" by Aaron Becker.  I created this little booklet so they can write their own story for the pages.  Can't wait for everyone to share them!  This will also be up for free in my store soon!

I've been trying out the containers that came with my 21-Day Fix challenge pack.  I LOVE the workouts and have been seeing some great results.  I feel so happy and healthy!  Here are some of the meals I've been testing out!

The boys are doing well.  My little one insists on bothering me during workouts lol.  He even tries it with me.  They're also working on sharing.  It's becoming increasingly harder now that the little one is getting bigger.  He often takes the big ones stuff and when a fit beings he is the one hitting and literally banging his head against my older son's head.  *sigh*  Any suggestions lol?

Have a great week everyone!  I have so many things I'm trying to work on!  I will have those freebies up ASAP!

Happy New Year! Frog Hop Phoneme Segmentation

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! First off, my apologies for being MIA this past month.  My children have been super sick the entire month.  Well, for like two years.  I need new doctors for them :(  They just don't listen to me.  I brought them both there in November and they kept brushing it off.  They continued to be sick and of course, it turned into a pneumonia for BOTH of them Christmas week.  UGH!  Despite all of that, we still had a nice Christmas.  It was really nice being forced to just stay home and play for days :)  Santa brought the boys a wagon.  I thought the big slide that the Easter Bunny brought was the best gift ever.  I think this was a winner too!  So glad we didn't get the kids a lot and really tried to stick with things they'd like.  This wagon is amazing.  It's been a Disney ride, a car, it's sailed the Never Seas, been a restaurant, a pet store...so many things!

On a happier note, I have FINALLY posted my Frog Hop Phoneme Segmentation to my store!  I can't believe I never did!  DUH on my end!

I posted about this awhile ago, but forgot to post the product!  I made this to think of another way to get my kindergartners and first graders to practice phoneme segmentation.  They were getting bored with sitting at the table and doing it that way.  They always seem to have ants in their pants so I wanted to get them up and moving.  It was a hit!

First thing to do is print off either B&W version or the colored version.  I printed mine in B&W but on green paper.  I also laminated it since they will be stepped on.

You can either do this with your students or set up as a center.  They can pick a card (or you).  Cards are 2-5 phonemes and there are several for each.

 
They will say what the picture is.  Then, the student will hop out the phonemes.  They can keep the cards to tally up at the end or can play for fun.  If you want your students to practice blending phonemes, then YOU pick the card, DON'T show them, and say all of the phonemes. The students need to repeat the phonemes by hopping and then blend the word together.  It's so simple but fun!

I have some more things in the works.  Looking forward to some cute stuff for February.  I'm also interested in knowing what you guys would like to see me create.  Let me know!