A Differentiated Kindergarten

I ran across this amazing site through a recommendation by a network teacher .  The site is full of ideas for hands on differentiation in class.  I cannot wait to try out these cd math facts!

Kinder Kidlets

Topic: Behavior Management

Oh the interesting topic of behavior management is always a favorite of educators.  There are so many systems and theories.  How do you choose and where do you start?  Do you create a new system each year?  Does your system change throughout the year?  This is my first year teaching and I found that I started with a typical red, yellow, green system.  Needless to say, I did not like that and did away with it soon after starting.  However, it was a great starting point.  I wanted a positive spin on behavior management.  I want the children to feel good about themselves.  I understand the classroom consists of mistaken behavior, but I still want a positive classroom of trust and respect.  So, where did I go next?  To a clip system that consisted of 8 colors.  The children fluidly move up and down in the system.  They were working towards earning things.  These clips are tied to consequences and rewards.  The children earn tickets to spend at the treasure box.  Again, I am at the drawing board looking for ways to make a system even more efficient.  In my Kouture classroom, I dream of a classroom management that is secondary to the learning environment.  I wonder if that is even possible in kindergarten.

In my scouring high and low, I ran across Mrs. Mindy's Kindergarten Kidlets.

Mrs. Mindy provides an awesome alternative to the clip system.  She uses a ticket type of system.  I have not seen this use efficiently in a kinder classroom so this was an exciting find.  She has fun ideas for activities and she has pictures of her classroom.  I love being able to explore her classroom from other part of the country!

PreKinders

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PreKinders is a site I ran across when looking at early kinder assessment.  The site is actually geared toward a pre-k population, however, it provides some helpful information for kindergarten as well.  The author offers some great themed units full of differentiated instruction.  The rhyme unit had several activities on interacting with rhyme words, introducing rhyme words, books with rhyme and games to play with rhyme.  I love the differentiated instruction and varied ways to reach all of the children.

Sweet Tea's Classroom

Sweet Tea's Classroom consists of many activities for children ranging from k-3.  This site has ideas for crafts and writing.  Most of this site consists of activities for holidays and special days to be celebrated throughout the school year.  If you are in need of a craft for a special day at school, this is the site to check out!

Writing in Kindergarten

I was recently looking for a way to take my kindergarten class to a new level of writing.  Up to this point, a large majority of their writing is spent on what I have given them to write.  They practice tracing it and then write independently.  However, I was looking for a way for them to express their own thoughts.  I ran across a great site!

Miss Kindergarten provides and excellent sight full of ideas for writing.  She posts some amazing ideas about new centers and new products to benefit the classroom.  Her site is full of ideas that you can get from her TpT store.  Some of the activities are even free!  I have loved perusing her site and I am excited to get some things ready for next year.

Can't wait for my classroom to be one more set to Kouture!