I'm Alive! I Survived the First Week!

Oh boy. What a week! My kindergarteners are HILARIOUS and I love them already!! We had a BLAST the first week. Lots of crafts, setting expectations, and FUN. We go outside A LOT. We even eat out there. I am blown away by how amazing this group has been for me. Their response to WBT has been STELLAR. I am still learning some of the more advanced WBT techniques, but I kinda have to make it up as I go. I am sticking with it this year for sure, though. (If you don't know anything about WBT, click here. You will thank me later.)

I just want to say that I am so amazed by how resilient these kids are. Never once did a child complain about wearing their masks. And yes, of course, I have to remind them not to chew on them, use them as slingshots, or twirl them around their fingers, but overall, pretty impressed with their ability to keep them on their faces. 

My Mini Morning Bins came in SUPER handy this week. They LOVED them and it kept my early arrival kiddos busy while my later arrival kiddos worked on their Name Morning Work (FREE in my shop). I even had kids ask if they could play with them during "Fun Free Time". We don't go to school on Fridays, so we can't do my traditional Fun Friday reward day, so I am using "Fun Free Time" for 20 minutes at the end of each day as their extra reward for being so wonderful. It keeps them focused and I can use it as leverage if they start behaving like banshees. (Not that this group would EVER act like that!)

We did a fun self-portrait craft that is proudly displayed in our hallway. This is one of my favorite crafts we do just because they are so darn funny! And cute -- and it brightens our hallway. I don't really have a template for this one. I just cut a little head out for them and gave them some strips of paper for hair. 

I was able to get some downtime to relax this weekend and finished up my AlphaDoodle font. There are 26 doodles, one for each (beginning) letter of the alphabet. This font has SO MANY USES! Insert them into name activities, sight word activities, and of course, beginning sound activities. I can't wait to start creating with it. Check it out in my TpT shop! This is going to be a growing collection, which means any future Doodle Fonts will be added to it. It is also a part of my Growing Bundle. 

I have some other phonics fonts in the works that will include long vowel, digraph and beginning blend images. Look for that to be out mid-September. I also have some REALLY adorable Halloween/Fall images in the works for my "OctobaDoodles" font. I can't wait to get that one out. Something about the start of school makes me IMMEDIATELY go into fall mode. I just love it! 

Overall, a VERY successful and FUN week. I can't wait to go back for more this week!