Win a $10 TPT Gift Card!!! TPT Teacher Appreciation Sale is May 3rd - 4th!!

If you’re like me then you have been waiting...waiting...waiting...for TpT’s sitewide Teacher Appreciation sale!  My wishlist is quickly filling up my shopping basket.  

I currently have 13 items in my cart and I'm not even close to being done shopping. 

You can save too! Remember to use code: CELEBRATE as your promo code, you can take 10% off the original price of each item from May 3rd - May 4th!! If a teacher is also throwing a sale, you can get up to 28% off! How's that for teacher appreciation? 

You can save even more than 28%!!

I get credit just by leaving feedback!? YES! YES! YES!

Every 100 Credits is worth $5 that you can apply towards future TpT purchases. Remember to leave thoughtful and honest feedback. No need to be lengthy, unless you really have "free" time to spare, or have a helpful suggestion and/or praise to share! As a fellow teacher, you know we always like a little recognition from time to time for our hard work. 

Now for the $10 gift card giveaway! ;)  TWO lucky winners will each receive a code to use on his/her TPT purchase. The gift card code is worth $10. To enter for a chance to receive one gift card please:

1. Leave a comment and follow this blog (sign the comment with your TPT name). 

2. Go to my TPT store and download a free product.

3. Leave feedback.

I'll verify the TPT name and choose 2 winners to receive the $10 gift card (one per winner). 

Winners will be selected by midnight May 3rd EST.

First Week Survival - CHECK!

Last week was my school district's first week back at school. We started on Monday...yeah - I know. Schools typically start on a Thursday to ease students (and parents) back into the school frame of mind, but not mine. :/ We only had ONE minimum day too. So, all my whining stems from an interesting start of the year. On top of our full work week, I'm teaching kindergarten this year after having taught first for three years and fourth for two years. I'm a bit rusty with kindergarten and I decided to start a blog to document my wonderful trials and tribulations no matter how "sucky".

I must admit, my classroom management skills were HORRIBLE this week as I was trying to reason with my kinders like I did with my fourth graders last year. HA! Those of you more seasoned teachers understand how well that went for me. o.O I tried narrating (aka LEMOVing, aka "Teach Like a Champion") my kinders too. I could have commented and complimented until I turned blue in the face for all my "littles" cared.  By the end of the week, I caved...and brought in treats. Wait!! Wait!! Before you lecture me about intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic...please tell me HOW to explain THAT to my kinder class. The treats worked mildly well. My few already defiant kiddos returned back to their independent (not following class expectations) behaviors 30 seconds after receiving praise and a treat for finally listening.

Sigh...I'd love to hear from other kinder classes on his/her classroom management plan this year. Tell me what's working for you to keep them seated and (fairly) quiet during rug time and independent desk work time.

Cheers,
Keen4Kinder