Spotlight on Kendall Square

Here's a sneak peek into a day I spent at Kendall Square last month!!

Beautiful Thematic Curriculum Wall!!  This is changed each month according to the season!

Maria (pre-K teacher) used the Mystery Basket to help introduce the new theme of the month!

Inside the basket, an item that correlates to the theme is hidden inside.  She gives a clue, "una pista" and the children try to guess what it is. (In Spanish of course.)

This day, she hid a spray bottle of water inside since they were doing a unit on "Seco y Mojado."  Everyone got a turn to be sprayed (if they wanted to.)  

Maria and Claudia's "CAVE" in their dramatic area.  They covered the kitchen and shelves with butcher paper to create this little place to escape and play!!

Solamente 3 ninos pueden jugar adentro!!!  :-)  

Cynthia's Pegajoso Project

Pendulum Painting with Cynthia (Preschool teacher)

Cynthia said that she uses this triangle to help with transitions and it works really well for her!!  The children know that when she plays it, that it's time for circle!!

M and M and Skittle painting!!

M & M painting

Skittle painting!!

Cynthia's Portfolio Checklist for each child!!

Marlene & Lorna's "El Universo"

What a great way to welcome a new teacher to the school!!!

Each month, toddler teachers Madelyn y  Alejandra make a new interactive game on the door for the toddlers to play with.  In February, they used a file folder to make a shapes matching game with velcro!!  The children love it!

They practice shapes and colors and matching!!

Alejandra y Madelyn did a great activity with jello!!

The children couldn't get enough of this sensory experience!!!

Check out their storage closet!!!

This is a great way to store the construction paper!!  

I love this idea to store their tissue paper!!

Here's a great way to have the children do their "attendance" when coming into school.  

Here's another great way to write down the Anecdotas that some of the teachers in Kendall Sq. are using!!  They write it down and put it in the basket.  There are lots of different kinds of systems out there!!

Here's a great fine motor activity that Karen did with her kids!!

The children were busy making necklaces and bracelets in Spanish!!  I loved hearing all of the children speaking in full sentences en espanol!!  

Be Inspired!!

Jacie

Staying Organized!!

Probably some of my most popular posts are all about staying and keeping organized in the classroom. Here are some great tips that I have just GOT to share with you!!!

INJURY REPORTS TIPS AND TRICKS:

We know that whenever a child has an injury in school and we do any simple first aid, (applying ice, putting on a bandaid, or even just some extra TLC for a "boo boo") we are required to fill out an Injury Report.  Here are some tips to make the process easier!!

• Keep a file of some blank copies of the injury reports in your classroom so that they are easily accessible to fill out when the injury occurs.
• Fill out the top section where it has the name of the school and address  IN ADVANCE and make copies of it so that you don't have to write it in every time.
• After the form is filled out, we need to keep a signed copy in the child's file and write it in the CENTRAL LOG BOOK in the OFFICE!!  The parent also needs to retain a copy.  I LOVE how the teachers in Brighton do this.  The teacher fills out the form and makes a copy of it right away. (SEE IMAGE ABOVE.)  That way the parent only needs to sign one copy and they don't need to wait for a copy to be made.  
• Make sure that you only do First Aid to the child if your First Aid Certification is on file and up to date.  You have 6 months from your hire date to complete your certification.  
• If there has been an injury at school where the child had to go to the hospital or ER, then the completed report needs to be sent to EEC.
• Anytime a child has an injury to the head (visible or not), the director should call the parent to notify them so there are no surprises at pick up time.  

Portfolio Organizational Tips

Alicia and Karina in Brighton are using this accordion file to store the children's samples for the portfolios on a monthly basis.  

They have said it helps them a lot to save time with organizing the children's art work.  

Maru in Brighton uses these boxes to help her organize the labels and artwork samples of the children in her Pre-K class.  

She has one shelf dedicated to all of her portfolio work!!

Secia and Marisol have been using these boxes to help them organize everything for the week.

Materials for the upcoming week.  

Projects that they need to finish.

Circle time box.

Portfolio papers.

Materials they need for the week.

Katie and Britni make photocopies of their portfolio labels and do them all at once.

They also label each label with what project it was, i.e. "France Flag"

Or "Chinese Character Name" 

Communication with Parents

Morgan in Porter Square uses this calendar dry erase board that is hung up right near the entrance of the school for the parents to have a quick visual reminder of all of the "goings on" in the school.  She dresses it up with thematic decorations too!!  The parents can easily see what's going on that day. 

Myrna in the South End always prints photos to create a Memories of Last Month bulletin board.  The parents can take a look at all of the wonderful activities that kept the children engaged and busy all month long!!

  Morgan also has a Memories of Last Month wall by the front door of her school in Porter Square.  She uses this photo frame to put pictures of the children engaged in activities so the parents can take a look at what was going on in the classrooms in the previous month. It's a great way for prospective parents to get a quick look into the cool activities that you do too!!

GLOVES AND TISSUES

We are always looking for gloves and tissues in the classrooms, right?  Here's a great way to always know where they are in your room!!  Use thumb tacks to hang the boxes up on the wall like Eliana does in Porter Square!!

You have to push the thumb tack pin from the inside of the box, but then it's very easily accesible to the children and the parents too!

This works for tissue boxes too!!

I know where the tissues are!!

Be Inspired!!

Jacie