In Transition 678: Shout Outs for Link~Up Host Blogs

Hello, and welcome to my blog.

I'm thrilled you stopped by.

Today I'm linking up with several blogs.

Let me just say I'm so thankful for the linky parties hosted by some of my favorite blogs. They have not only been so much fun, they've provided me the opportunity to meet other teacher bloggers and learn so many new and crafty ideas.

Shout Outs to: The Teaching Tribune, 4th Grade Frolics, and today i {heart} recess.

And, shouts outs to all of you that have linked up to these blogs and shared your ideas and stories with all of us.

(Applause, Applause)

Let's begin.

First, I'm going to link up The Teaching Tribune for

This worksheet is more for middle school or the intermediate level.

Last year I created an "All About Me" profile sheet and I had it on every desk when the students walked in on the first day of school. While I greeted new students and prepared all the paper work required for the first day of school, the students got busy from the first minute they entered my classroom.

It is customary for middle school teachers to go over all their rules and policies on that first day. I don't. I know that sounds wrong, but this is how I see it.

The kids hear a long and detailed speech from 6 different teachers on the first day of school. The next day, we have do it all over again because half our class got a schedule change and now the new students have to hear it and the remaining studetns have to hear it again as if it were the first time. So, I wait until the second or even third day. I make sure the students have meaningful activities that may require art skills and/or opportunities to write about themselves. These activities immediately become part of my class decoration.

When I actually make my speech, the kids are ready to hear it and they don't tune me out.

I'm sure this method may not work for everyone. It works for me because I have returning students that know the drill. They are all too happy to help me out with the new students until we have a formal discussion on our class culture.

This coming August I will need to create something new, I won't be using this profile because obviously the returning students will have already seen this one. I'll be pick it up again next year or the following. (I better get busy, August is right around the corner.)