Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Tuesday Tip Guest Post: Mrs. Bruhn and A Better Way to Table Label

Just like in my teaching, I sometimes get sick of hearing my own voice.  I thought that I'd ask some of my favorite teachers to be guest contributors on my Tuesday Tips.  Here's a great idea from my good friend and teacher-neighbor, Mrs. Bruhn.

 Hello!  My name is Mrs. Bruhn and I’m so very lucky that I get to teach next door to the fabulous Mrs. Wettersten!  I’m always popping over to see what suggestions or ideas I can steal, I mean borrow from her.   I was also very honored when she asked me to be a guest blogger.  Me?  Really?  Wow!  So, now that I’ve survived my first week back with my new kindergarten friends and the highest humidity (with no AC at school) of the summer, I’m happy to share a Tuesday Tip with you.  

 It involves labeling your tables.  Now, I’m not talking about the student nameplates, but instead calling a certain table to complete a task.  For example, "Table One, would you please line up at the door?(And because we have new kinder friends, I would also need to ask table one to go back and push in their chairs…but that’s a totally different post.)   In the past, I have written the words on a cutout and covered it with contact paper to keep it safely on the table.  The problem was that it just wasn’t convenient to change.   I would end up needing to change the words, but not having the time to make a new cutout, find contact paper, cut the contact paper, chisel the old contact paper off the table, and finally, make the switch.   

This year I decided while sliding the student’s nameplates into the clear sleeves (which are so worthwhile), why in the world didn’t I just add one extra nameplate and sleeve to the head of the table?  That is just what I did.  I laminated the blank nameplate, added an extra clear sleeve to the head of the table, used my vis-à-vis to add “1” (because we have to start somewhere, right?) and slid it in.  Now, I can easily slide it out, wipe it off, and later add color words and sight words into the mix.  What are you waiting for?  Give it a try!

~Mrs. Bruhn

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