It's the hardest kids that need the most love

We've all had those difficult kids.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  

These kids take ALL of your energy EVERY day.  

They make it hard for learning to take place uninterrupted in your classroom. 

We've all had kids like this- sometimes more than one in a class.  I've got 3 this year but one is ESPECIALLY hard.

I'm not complaining.  Really, I'm not.

In my classroom we start each day fresh.  I greet each child with a smile and a sunny hello as they walk in my door.

I think that makes a difference.

As draining as those hard kids are, they deserve the very best that I can give them.

They deserve to be loved too.

Did you notice the beautiful picture at the top of this post?

Well, it was painted for me by the very child that is my hardest this year.

He said, and I quote..."It's for you Mrs. Irick!  See all the love in it?!"

As exasperating and exhausting as this kid is, he feels loved by me!

Job well done!

I've got his painting hanging in my house.  

It reminds me every day that the hardest ones need the most love.

Leave a Comment About Me, Classroom Management

Fun End of the Year Activity That Keeps Kids Active During the Long Summer Break

As the school year draws to an end,  I'm always looking for fun activities to do with my class.  

Here is a really cute project made by my good friend Tracy Geisinger.  

She has created these fun and engaging  Summer Fun Count-Down Rings.  

These rings are filled with fun and creative tasks for kids to do during the summer. 

I love these activities because they get kids outside doing something, or they involve creative endeavors like drawing,  building or making something.   I've just shared a small sampling of the activities you get.  There are also blank rings to write your own ideas.  You could add some academic tasks or visits to your local parks or museums.  Put a date on one and meet your kids somewhere for a picnic or afternoon of reading your favorite books.  Be creative and personalize these.

Parents will love these because it battles the inevitable "I'm bored" phenomenon that happens.  (There is nothing more frustrating to hear as a parent.)  I include a ring with a beach day where I invite all my kids to meet me at the beach (with their families of course) and we spend the day frolicking in the waves and building sand castles.

I made these with my class last year and parents told me they had so much fun completing the tasks over the summer with their kids.  The activities got the whole family engaged in the fun.

These are super easy to prep and kids love making them. 

They really are perfect for those last few days of school.

Click on any of the photos 

or click here

to get your own copy.

Happy end of the school year!

Leave a Comment End of the Year, Fun Stuff, Holidays

Building Letter/Sound Fluency

As you know by now, I'm teaching EAK- Early Admission Kindergarten to the kiddos in my district that turn 5 between December and March.  We are working very hard on learning our letters and sounds and believe it or not, a handful of my little ones are just beginning to decode simple CVC words!

Kindergarten is such an exciting grade.  I LOVE teaching kids how to read and write!

Here is a fun game that I play with my small groups to help everyone learn their letters and sounds.

You can play it multiple ways, depending on what skills your kids need.  Usually we do it looking for the names of the letters, but sometimes we will play it saying the letter's sound.  By mixing it up, it keeps it new and exciting- AND- versatile!

Just click here or on either of the photos to grab your FREE copy of this game.

There will be a big Teacher Appreciation Sale on TpT this week so stop by and grab the things on your wish list.  All of my items will be 20% off along with the TpT additional 10% discount.  Use the promo code: CELEBRATE to get all your discounts!

Thanks for stopping by!

Leave a Comment Back to School, Common Core, Fun Stuff, Literacy Actvities