just kidding

Sometimes I get these ideas in my head where I just need to do something right then and there.  This will occasionally happen with blogging.  Sometimes I just want to do it, but only right away.  If I don't do it right away, it will never happen.

So, I've tried to do this blog thing 13 times over now.  But, something happened in my classroom today and I'm thinking I want to start documenting my thoughts on it.

Here's what happened, I recently visited a classroom teacher on a Math visit and she had this rainbow colored chart in room with clothespins all up and down the side of it.  Now, being a part of the teaching community I was quickly able to decipher just what was going on.  It was a behavior tracking chart, and better yet, a self-monitoring behavior chart.

I did a little bit of sleuth work on Google/Pinterest and found it!  Here's the e-book link if you'd like to read more: http://www.newmanagement.com/ebooks/pdf/clip_chart_ebook.pdf

Anyway, I thought about implementing into my daily routine and just decided to start it today.  And here's the run-down of what happened:
No one had to be "clipped down" past the "Ready to Learn" section, which is pretty stinking awesome.  Now, I realize that it's the first day of our little honeymoon of behavior monitoring, so the glamour of fancy new chart hasn't worn off just yet.
However, there was a moment today when I told a student he had to "clip down" because he didn't follow my directions.  He "clipped down" from "Great Job" to "Good Day" and was just devastated that he had to do that.  I supposed the physical act of moving down was kind of a bummer for him, but he was still in the positive portion of the chart.  Hmmm....this was interesting to me because this particular kiddo has such a hard time getting motivated and getting any work done at all.  And granted, it's the first day, but I'm hoping he becomes motivated by this.


Here's a picture of what it looks like:

 
I'm hoping I can blog daily about the progress my class is making with this self-monitoring behavior system.

That's all for now.  Happy Tuesday!

a do-over...

bye-bye preschool blog.

hello a whole blog for my whole life.

thank you nwc.

find me back over at this blog:
http://elizabeth-becker.blogspot.com/

and yep, i posted for the first time in over 2 years last night.  meh.
there's a 9th time for everything right?
ha.

update

hello my faithful followers....follower? :)

i realize i pumped all of you full of promises of a weekly blog and then turned around and crushed them. sorry. i'm just not cut out for things like this. i will keep blogging, don't worry. it just won't be as often as you or i would like.

anyway, i wanted to let you guys know that i will have a job next year. based on budget issues and the fact that the state of iowa hasn't made up their minds about preschool, i most likely won't be teaching preschool. i know, sad. so sad. at first i was rather excited about the thought of teaching older kids, but then, i started to think about how much i would miss preschool. it's fun, really, it is. i would miss the freedom that comes with it and the flexibility.

so, here's hoping i won't have to move! enjoy the month of may!

found out on monday afternoon that my position is being cut for next year due to all of the crazy budget issues of iowa.

not fun.

there is a possibility i may get re-hired back as a regular classroom teacher, but it will all be based on seniority, and there are many people ahead of me being cut as well.

i appreciate your prayers in this. thanks.

snow.snow.snow.snow.snow.bleh.

we now have 4 snow days under our belt this year so far. you have to love snow days, they are bittersweet. they are great now, until it's the end of may and you have to make them up. bleh.

well, here's to being safe at home the past two and a half days. am i dying to get out of here? not really. there are so many things that need to be done around the house.

and yea, there are plenty of things that need to be done at school too. however, i can't wear sweatpants to school. they should change that someday soon.

word on the street is the groundhog didn't see his shadow and we will have an early spring. every year i chuckle at the thought of americans relying on this day and its outcome. what a silly tradition.

and that's what makes america the crazy awesome place that it is.

funk

Have you ever seen that episode of Glee when they are all in a funk? I'm pretty sure I'm living out that episode this week. Except not as much singing, not as much high school, and not as much teen angst.

We are going through a funk in preschool this week. We can't seem to sit still, listen, or stop our annoying habits for 2 seconds! guh.

Normally this happens in March when we are really itching to get outside and be crazy, not in the middle of January. Oy!

Or it could be because they know second semester conferences are just around the corner and they really want to test my patience levels.

Or it could be because I'm in a funk. A funk with a side of swollen glands and a sore throat. ick.

Sometimes life hands you lemons. Which isn't very much fun, because I'm not the biggest fan of lemons.

flat tire. sore throat. crazy, chew on everything puppy. whiny students. some people have all the luck. restless nights. conferences getting close. unprepared. bitterness. snow. snow. snow.

When life hands you lemons, accept them, get over it, and move on. It's the only way to get out of the funk.

I hope I can follow my own advice. Maybe I just need a vacation. Or maybe summer. Summer vacation? problem solved.

color your blues away...

It's been a rough week in Miss Becker's class, without a doubt. So what do you do?

Color it out.

I can remember when I was in college and we would often take time out of our busy (what? really? is that what we thought in college?) lives and simply color. Talk about taking the stress right out. I had at least 3 coloring books in college. They are now in my art center at preschool.

Anyway, the age-old remedy is still working its charm. I think I've colored at least 10 pictures. I definitely feel better. Maybe it really is from throwing my worries to the wind and coloring. Or maybe it's because I know that I shouldn't let things like that get to me. I know who I am as a teacher and how I am with my students. I might be a young, fresh teacher, but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I have been well trained, well prepared, and I am supported by my staff and principal. That's all I need to know.

Preschool life has settled back into normal, at least for now.

When in doubt, color it out.