My students are always engaged when they have activities involving mini erasers. They are inexpensive and available in a wide variety of shapes and styles. Thanks to the dollar section at Target, I knew I needed a new way to organize and store allllllll of the mini erasers i own! 

The snack containers from the Dollar Tree offer the perfect storage solution. I sort my mini erasers by season. The photo case containers from Michaels will hold 23 of the snack containers! This allows for maximum storage, ideal for shelves in a classroom. I can fit 6 of the photo containers on one of my shelves! This storage hack is a game changer for my classroom organization. 

These editable labels fit on the lid of the Dollar Tree snack containers. After printing the labels, laminate the whole page. Then, cut them out on the black lines. Lastly, use double sided tape to attach the labels to the inside of the lid of the container. I found the students are not touching the labels and they last longer. Some of the titles this product includes are General, Back to School, Holidays, and one for each of the seasons. There are also labels with blank titles for you to create your own. 

I cannot tell you how much this has already positively affected my classroom use of the mini erasers. These labels and containers have added an essential layer of organization to the classroom. Now my students and I can spend more time using them in our learning activities! 

Teaching a Hybrid Classroom is something most of us did not learn how to do in college. We are used to coming up with creative ways to keep tons of moving parts organized and running smoothly. Hybrid teaching has become a lot of those moving parts! Many teachers have wondered how to keep it all organized and how to have the same learning outcome for the students learning in the classroom and at home. Here are 5 tips to help you start organizing your Hybrid Classroom! 

Use Laundry Baskets As Lockers!

In hybrid classrooms, lockers and cubbies are no longer in use. Plastic laundry baskets make the perfect personal, easy-to-clean solution. These baskets are from the Dollar Tree. They are tied to each student’s desk using Zip Ties. These baskets are the perfect size to hold backpacks and water bottles! They’re also very easy to sanitize and keep clean between student use. 

Use Book Bins for School Supplies!

When a student’s workspace stays organized, it sets them up for success. To maintain an organized and clean workspace, each student was assigned a classroom number and a book bin with their number on it. These book bins are from Lakeshore and Amazon, the Numbers are from Michael’s and the Clear Adhesive Pockets are from Target. To maintain cleanliness, these Supply Book Bins should be placed at the students’ desk each morning BY THE TEACHER. This will limit the amount of contact on school supplies used by the students. 

Print Workbook Pages!

A charged device, masks, packed lunch, water bottle… There is so much for students and families to remember when learning in a hybrid classroom. One week they’re learning at home and the next they could be learning in the classroom. Only to be back at home the following week. By printing out workbook pages, students do not have to bring as much material back and forth. This all guarantees that all students will have their learning materials with them at all times. 

Use One Slideshow Per Day!

In a Hybrid Classroom, time savers are essential. One of the best tips I use daily is having one slideshow for the entire day. These slides engage the students to help create a classroom community, build routine and consistency for both learning platforms. Also within the Slideshow are links to the day’s lessons. When the lessons are linked to one place, the classroom day can flow smoothly and seamlessly. Time will not be wasted looking for the slides needed. I have included slides for countless things for Morning Meeting and other whole group lessons.

You can purchase these slides by clicking the image below!!

Get Yourself A Swivel Chair!

Last but not least is having a swivel chair! This swivel chair is a MUST in my hybrid classroom. With this swivel chair, I’m able to rotate quickly between in-person and virtual students! The kids also love it because I can push off and make my “grand entrance” to begin lessons or approach them when they have questions. 

Teachers need to lean on each other for support and assistance. This is new territory for all, so I hope that you found something that you can use in your classroom! 

Choice Boards allow for effective classroom management while developing the skills children need to be successful in and out of the classroom. These Choice Board templates offer differentiation and teacher choice for what best fits their classroom. Examples of these Choice Boards and ways to use them in the classroom are below! 

Choice Boards in the Classroom 

One way to differentiate student choice is to offer fewer choices at first. If you have a student who likes to choose the same center, then this method might be for you! After printing the Choice Board PDF place the choice boards in a dry erase sleeve. Your student can use a dry erase marker to circle their choice for the day.  The dollar store is a great place to find these sleeves. You can also find them here. 

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This option is great if you don’t want to print multiple boards. All you need to print and laminate are the center picture options and board you’d like to use for your student. By placing the center picture options with velcro, your student can choose which station they would like to go to by removing the other card. You have the ability to have up to nine rotations with these choice boards.

The Choice Board to the right is one of the versions that was created to help with students traveling from one station to another or to conserve desk space.

Another way to organize your student’s choice board is with a laminated file folder. Simply print out the choice board you’d like to use with the My Choices PDF. Then glue the My Choices pages to the inside of the folder and the Choice Board PDF to the outside. After you laminate the folder, add velcro to the inside and outside of the laminated folder. On the inside of the file folder, you can have all of the choices your student can choose from. They put their center choices on the front of the file folder. This is what they can carry with them from one center to the next. 

Daily Reports 

Students write their choices on their checklist and this checklist is sent home everyday. You can also keep a copy of these for your records. This allows you to track when your student goes to each center. 

There is also a “Look at Me” certificate that students can earn as well! This could be earned if the student completes their centers and uphold classroom expectations. Simply staple the certificate to their “Today I Chose…” checklist. 

Hopefully these Choice Board Templates are the solution you were hoping for in having differentiated and effective classroom management during centers! I’ve had lots of success with Choice Boards in my classroom and I’m hoping the same happens for you too! 

Who’s ready to talk about conferences?! I am not expert on conferences, at all, but I have a couple tips and a couple of ideas of things I have done that have worked for me. I will also share some FREE resources I have for you!!!!

My Conferences Info:

–We do conferences for 20-25 minutes, with 5 minutes in between
–We always do conferences in November and we only do them once a year.
–The only other time we formally meet with parents is during IEP meetings.
–This year my conferences are virtual for the first time
–I have 3 years of pre-k special ed conferences 

Tips:

— The most important thing this year, since everything has been so crazy and so difficult for a lot of people, I feel like we need to focus the conference on supporting the families and the students. In my classroom we’re going to focus on how we can support families at home. We will ask what they need from us. Instead of “this is your child’s reading level” and “they need to get up to this reading level” and “your child isn’t doing their homework” we are going to try to keep it as as supportive as possible. 
–This year I am using Sign Up Genius for parents to sign up for conferences. It is the best thing I ever did. Typically, at our back to school night we have parents sign up on a piece of paper and then whoever is not there, or if there’s conflicts, we have to figure it out after via email. It’s always a hassle. So, this year we did a Sign Up Genius because we didn’t have an in-person back to school night. On the Sign Up Genius, once a parent signs up for a time slot another parent can’t steal that slot. It’s not like a Google Doc where someone can steal someone’s slot. We just emailed families that didn’t sign up right away with a reminder. I was able to make a free account on Sign Up Genius and it was super easy to figure out. If I didn’t know what to do for a step of setup, I just googled it but definitely recommend sign up genius
–Have notes planned ahead of time. I have a freebie in my TPT store that is a compilation of conference note pages I have used over the past 3 years. Editable conference materials freebie. Prep notes ahead of time so that you are ready with what you want to say.
–Send home a questionnaire ahead of time so you know what the parents want to talk about ahead of time. This will give you time to prepare to answer their questions and concerns. I have a questionnaire included in that conferences freebie. You might want to do this virtually. You can always drag this PowerPoint into Google and save it as a Google slides.
–Outside of my room I always had water bottles with a cute sign that said, “families like you are REFRESHING” (free in my google drive folder). I also had helping hands. I would put possible donation items on hands cut-outs. I had a sign with them that said, “please lend a helping hand”. This is also free in my google drive folder.
–During conferences ask parents what supports they might need at home as far as physical materials as well. Do they need a token board, sticker chart, social story, first/then board, visual schedule, etc.
–Always give families something to walk away with. I created a “How to help at home” handout that I would give to my Pre-K families. This is also a freebie in my google drive folder.

Product in my TPT store for conferences:

In my TPT store I have a conferences pack that I would use during conferences. This includes a schedule, reminders for families, a sign for your door and a sign in. The pack comes in bright colors to grab your attention! You can check out this resource by clicking on the product cover below.

FREEBIE in my TPT store for Conferences: 

Click on the product cover below to view the FREEBIE I referenced above.

FREEBIES in my Google Drive Folder for Conferences: 

1. Water bottle sign
2. Helping Hands sign
3. How to Help at Home handout
4. Editable presentation to present during conferences

FREE Editable Presentation for Conferences

–I will be using this during conferences. Since my conferences are virtual, I will be presenting this during our google meet. It is mostly to keep myself and my co-teacher on track. It will also serve as a good visual for parents. The slides will be general information that we want to share with all parents. I will not be making a separate one for each student. We have notes in a document that have specific student information. I have also included my presentation that I will be using for conferences in the folder as a reference. I include this resource in google slides format, PNGs and PowerPoint.

How to I Gain Access to the FREEBIE Google Drive Folder?

Sign up using this link: CLICK HERE

Once you sign up using the link above, save the link to the google drive folder that you get in your inbox so you don’t have to keep signing up.

**Check your spam or trash folder if you don’t get the link in your inbox**

I hope this was all helpful! If you use any of the above tips or resources PLEASE share with me or tag me using @engagingearlylearners

Fall is here and so are so many awesome Fall resources! I have compiled all of the Fall resources from my store along with a Fall FREEBIE for you, which just so happens to be one of my favorite FREEBIES!!

Life Cycle Activities 

The apple and pumpkin life cycle activities resources are PERFECT for this time of year. If your class discusses life cycles often, you might also want to consider the bundle of life cycle activities in my store!

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Fall Matching Worksheets

These were my FAVORITE seat work activities in my preschool classroom. If your morning routine is missing academics and structure, these are the perfect solution. Students come complete these independently or with minimal support since there are 2 different levels in the pack. These are also part of a larger bundle, if you would prefer to have them all year round.

Fall Number Matching Activity

Centers or independent work, these matching cards are perfect for counting practice! Students can count and match in all of the seasons as well if you grab the bundle of number matching cards!

Last but not least, a FREEBIE for you!

My preschoolers LOVED exploring pumpkins, so I created a worksheet to help them reflect on their findings. This year I have also added a digital option to the freebie! I hope you enjoy this resource as much as I did!! 

If you have any trouble downloading the freebie don’t hesitate to email me at engagingearlylearners@gmail.com or reach out to me on Instagram!