Circus Style

Head on over to my new site to view this post in full...it's a cutie!!

http://mrsstoweskindercottage.blogspot.com.au/



Kinder Clown!!



Cheers

Mrs Stowe :)

New Address Remember...

Just a reminder that I am no longer adding to this blog as I have moved to a new address.  The link below will help you find me quickly this time but don't forget I'd love to know you are following me. 

Mrs Stowe's Kinder Cottage at http://mrsstoweskindercottage.blogspot.com.au/

With thanks

Mrs Stowe :)

Mrs Stowe from Mrs Stowe's KInder Cottage

Same Blog new address…

Dear Friends
 

I am moving my blog to a new ULR because I didn’t realise it was wise to have a matching ULR and Blog title…or at the very least a link.  Mine were world’s apart so I have started again at the matching blog address.
 

A Special Place in My Heart
 

Thank you to my few lovely Followers.  I really hope that you follow me as I really am excited that you chose to follow me and I will always know that you were the first followers.  I’m not sure how to transfer you over to the new blog so it’s all up to you to hit follow me at the new site.

Here is the link,
 

 Mrs Stowe’s Kinder Cottage
 

Now don't be shocked my new blog looks almost exactly the same but here’s hoping it’s bigger and better than before!
 

With thanks
Mrs Stowe

Class Yes - Whole Brain Teaching

What it looks like in Kindergarten…

The Whole Brain Teaching approach is really fun and extremely successful too.  It just makes sense to teach this way.  Common, give it a go.  It’s FREE.  I read about it, watched several You Tube clips and videos about how to implement it but to be honest I completely underestimated its value until I tried it.

More hours in a day!


I decided to try the ‘Class…Yes’ attention gaining strategy last November and really have not looked back.  It is an attention gaining strategy and I was certain that I didn’t need it.  I have great classroom management and thought this was for someone who needed help in this area.
 
How wrong was I…It is brilliant!!!!!!

Yes, it is an attention gaining strategy but more importantly it gets rid of your waffle.  Your kind well intended words or in my case, fun nonsense and useless words, that probably only served to teach the children to tune out to what I was really wanting them to hear. 

Have you ever thought that in having fun this way you might actually be teaching the Little Learners that sometimes the things that you say are not really important.  Now if they think that what your saying might not necessarily be really important then this is like teaching them to give you some of their attention while they decide if it is important or not.  We don’t want the kids to decide this.  We want them to hear and learn from all we say and we want everyone's full attention.

How it works?

First you say, “Class” and the Little Learner’s respond, “Yes”. Plain and simple. You will need to explain to them that when you say ‘class’ you want them to respond ‘yes’ then it’s a good idea to practise it a few times and praise them for their efforts.  Tell them that they must also look to you as they say ‘yes’.  Have a play with this response as a practise time.  You are now ready to implement it.

Raising the bar a little…

Tell the Little Learners that they are so clever that they can now try the advanced level of “Class Yes”.  This motivates them even further.

Now you can vary your class delivery.  Try a high voice/low voice variation. 

Next try saying “Classity class” and they should copy you responding “Yessity Yes”  You can try absolutely anything you can think of. 

Have a go at these,

“Class” “ Yes”

“Classity Class” “Yessity Yes”

“Class, class, class”  “Yes, yes yes”

“Oh class”  “Oh Yes”

Now I realise that this sounds fine and dandy but you want to know why you should do this instead of the usual approaches such as clapping rhythm patterns, good old chants,  “1,2,3, eyes on me” Or “Boys and girls”or lots of positive talk etc.

Well…

I promise that when you introduce this in the fun way outlined briefly above the Little Learners will all, and I mean every single one of them, have their eyes on you ready for your next words - even little Jonny who usually has to be singled out to everyone that you are waiting for him.  Suddenly you have absolute silence in the shortest time, full attention and icing on the cake…expectation that the next words you utter are going to be really important for them.  It’s all up to you at this point. Don't waste the moment, or weaken the opportunity by filling  it with waffle, here’s where you launch straight into your lesson content.

Warning!!

The absolute attention will shock you.  You will realise that you do waffle.  You will gain time in the day and your Little Learners will be super focused.
Give it a go…you have absolutely nothing to lose!

Want to know more? For more information or perhaps a video example of this approach head to wholebrainteaching.com And have a look at some of my other WBT posts. 
Super Improvers Wall
More Super Improvers Wall
The Scoreboard

They work amazingly well together.

Bye for Now
Mrs Stowe

PS. Something for my to do list… Or should I write something else for my To Do list.  Here are my shelves.  Believe it or not, this is on a very tidy day.  There is some structure but they sure need some TLC.

Now that  shared this area with you I feel a strong sense of accountability and will sort it out, relabel and share the results with you soon.

Super Improvers Wall Levels–WBT

Finally I remembered to photograph my Super Improver Levels!

 

I didn’t create the gorgeous level graphics that you see on the right in the photo above but thanks to a Tara West freebie on TpT we have them beautifully prepared for us to use.

Thanks Tara – very cute

I personalised the premade levels after printing them by adding the gingham paper backing boarders.
 
I LOVE gingham!!

Luckily I was able to match a gingham backing paper, from my craft supplies, to each level card before I laminated them.  Happy days - the final product looks effective and as I mentioned in a previous post, the Little Learners LOVE the Super Improver Wall.

You may also like to check out my previous post about how this system works. 
Check it out here… Super Improver Wall.

The photo below shows the angle that the Little Learners view the Levels. 

Kind of looks like a colourful ladder don’t you think?

If you’d like to know more about the Super Improvers Wall visit wholebrainteaching.com 
- it’s fabulous.

Hugs
Mrs Stowe

New Labels, New Labels…

Well here are my new labels!

Remember the old ones?

I am really happy with my new ‘neat’ tub labels.  The Little Learners were hilarious when I replaced them. They were giving me loads of verbal encouragement…

“Good Job Mrs Stowe”
"Neat cutting” 
“They are beautiful Mrs Stowe”

and my personal favourite…

"Just imagine how good you’ll be next time!  Look what you can do when you try!”

Sadly, I still can’t upload them away as my first freebie because the font I used is one registered to my school.  Oops!  Lesson learned just in time.
(A trap for Newbies like me) 

Please let me know if you’d like a copy of my labels (in the comment area below) and I’ll change the font to a freebie font that I can share with you.

Hugs
Mrs Stowe

Freebie Large Tub labels

The time has come to start renovating my classroom.  I am going to take a long hard look at labelling and see what I can do.  Fingers crossed…here we go!

Functioning but not very cute tub labels.

(Hope you notice the watermark on the photo.  Completely unnecessary but I had to include it as I ‘just’ learned to do it – JOY!)

Can’t wait to get to school tomorrow, print and attach my brand new Tub labels!!

I followed Mel’s (Frog Spot blog) tutorial to the letter and present to you below my first ever…

FREEBIE

Oh Sad…I just realised that the font I used may be a problem. I have tried to download a different free font from TpT but I keep getting a message saying that it does not appear to be a valid font.  I am now at a loss about what to do and rather than post something with a font that I may not be able to use, I will seek an answer tomorrow!

So…

Please check in again tomorrow!

Mrs Stowe

kindergarten, a hive of activity

1st week back after holidays and time for a quick craft activity just for fun.

The Little Learners enjoyed making their own cute little bee using coloured pencils, crepe paper, cellophane and pipe cleaners.

The Yellow Stripes 
Instead of making crepe paper balls and pasting them on to form the yellow stripes the little learners wrapped the end of a pencil with a one crepe paper square then dripped it into paste and pushed it onto he bees body. The picture doesn’t show the intricacy and fine motor skill required to do this but eventually everyone mastered this skill. 

Alliteration
Naming the bees was fun too as each Little Learner had to use alliteration in the names.  We had Happy Honey, Buzz Bertie, Super Stingy just to name a few.

The Hive
Naturally the Bees needed a hive and when it was finished the bees were pinned all around and a big sign, “Kindergarten is a hive of activity.” hung at the top.

Next week we begin our Australian Animals Unit.
 Looking forward to the fun times ahead!

Mrs Stowe

Make over…any ideas welcome

Just a quick blog tonight…I've been programming!!

I have this cute little well used old, and i mean old but not old enough to be worth anything of antique standards, wooden dollhouse in my classroom.

I’m not sure how to dress it up and I just know one of you will have the perfect idea so

PLEASE HELP!

I really will appreciate any ideas and when I have finished the make-over I will post the new look…I promise.

With thanks

   Mrs Stowe

 

PS  I’m so excited as I am using a new blog writer Windows Live Writer for the first time and my smiley comes out like a real smiley

(You know what they say…small things amuse small minds…I’m amused)

Classroom Noise Visual Display

My Little Learner's respond quickly to this simple Classroom Noise Visual Display.  They often remind me to set the display for the lesson!  I think it gives them comfort or maybe they just like to 'dob' on peer violators!!!



Kinder Cottage Visual Noise Level  Display



This Visual sits at the front of the classroom to the right of my Smart Board. 

Easy visual access for all.  

I Blu Tacked 3 brightly coloured, purchased, call outs to the chalkboard. The Little Learners and I agreed on the noise level labels as a class and I wrote them in semi permanent chalk pen. We chose a Tigger mascot magnet to be the pointer and added the title,

"Tigger is happy...".

Kinder Cottage Noise Level Visual Display

Following teacher instruction... I set the level of acceptable noise allowed for task completion.  I say,

" Tigger is happy when you work silently. "

I place the Tigger magnet on the matching callout.  During the lesson if necessary I say,

" Oops!  Tigger is not happy."

...Alternatively, I say,

"Tigger is bouncing on ..."  This triggers the Little Learners look to the board and see where he is bouncing.  Sometimes I add, "Tell your neighbour that Tigger is bouncing on ...whisper voices" Then the kids start working.  However, if someone breaks the set noise level, the Little Learners very indignantly remind the 'rule breaker', often pointing to the display board as a cue.  It's great...the children participate in the classroom behavioural management!

Simple but effective!

Mrs Stowe :-)