Gave it a Whirl Wednesday: Classroom Management

Friends~I love a good classroom management tip!  I am always looking for ways to keep order in my classroom while adding to the learning.  It is the little things that we do as teachers that seem to make the biggest difference. 

With the new Read to Achieve drive in North Carolina,  we are being asked to assess more than ever.  I am finding myself testing reading every 2 weeks for my struggling readers and sometimes more.  I also am asked to read with each child for fluency (3 times) with verbal retellings and also a running record 3 times a year.  I am super pleased with how my students are doing but it is taking tons of instructional time:(  

Honestly, I am just trying hard to squeeze the teaching in and get the testing done as soon as possible.  With this being said, my students are working in centers a ton right now.  I use my NO BUG Zone like crazy.  I am probably going to have to buy new bulbs.  It works something like this.  

Teacher sees cute bug lamp at IKEA.  Teacher buys lamp and makes a poster that says NO BUG Zone for her classroom.  When the light is on students know that they can only interrupt if there is an emergency. 

Just click below to head to my blog post to learn more and to download a FREE poster for your room!
(Plus you just might find another fun freebie too!)

I did run across something that I just might have to order!

A light up hedgehog! 

I found this little guy at Target!

(If you didn't know, I have 2 pet hedgehogs! My whole family is a bit hog crazy!)

I actually wrote a hedgehog children's book for Kindle!

You can check it out by clicking below!

I am linking up for: 

Gave it a Whirl Wednesday!  

I love trying new Ideas and you are going to love the one I found!

While I was blog hopping last weekend through the Bright Ideas Blog Hop, I found an awesome post from Dragonflies in First.  Traci takes her kiddos on a vacation when she tests or works with small groups.  Her kiddos get to wear leis while they work with her.  I love that she has found away to take some of the anxiety of testing away by making the student feel special.  It is also a great signal to the other students that they need to do some problem solving before they interrupt. 

You have to check out her post! 

 Click the image below. 

I am so excited to try this out in my classroom.  I have a few leis left over from a beach party so I am starting with those but I found some super cute ones at Oriental Trading.

Check them out below.

I figure that I can just tell my kiddos that we are in the Tropical NO BUG Zone!

While you are at it,  you can bring back the Bright Ideas Blog Hop by clicking the image below. 

Just scroll to the bottom to see all the bloggers and their ideas.  I am telling you...it is a gold mind!

OOPS!  One more idea.  I have head of teachers wearing $ Store crowns while they work with students.  I love this idea too but I am always afraid I will head home or shopping and forget that it is on!