Today was our 5th day of first grade, and our best yet! Although I at times have felt like a fish out of water due to my newness to the campus, I have been bound and determined to make a consistent clear operation within my classroom regardless of how I am feeling on the inside.
Today’s classroom success is due to having systems in place that foster effective productivity.
Let’s check out the basics…
Exhibit A
Schedule and Jobs:
Lord knows these are more for me than the kids but having these two systems in place and fully operational has made a world of difference.
Here are my students in their very first rotation of “real” math tubs!!! Such a proud teacher!
These two boys are playing The Subitize Tree on my iPad
Here’s an easy and free center for working on tally marks! Numbers and popsicle sticks!

You are simply awesome!!! I so would love to come and observe in your classroom one day now that I am in first!
My firsties have loved your Morning Work pages!!! Thanks for making my transition to 1st grade so much easier!
Katie
This is incredible… As always, I am so impressed by your classroom and the way your systems work! Your students are very lucky!
http://www.thetallytales.com
I'm so happy the classroom jobs work for you!! 😉 I like the student number system… it helps with organization, plus I can reuse the number labels from year to year!
❤Teri
A Cupcake for the Teacher
It's amazing what your firsties can accomplish in just a few short days! I love how they are tracking their stamina! Such a wonderful idea! Your math tubs turned out so adorable and it looks like the kids are loving them!
ThePolishedTeacher
Where did you find those spinners?!?!
I would love to do math tubs but worried about the time to fit it all in. Would love to know how you manage it. Do you have a math program you teach as well or do you do all of your math through math tubs? How long does it take you to teach how to do each tub? Do you do a math lesson over the skills that are in each tub before they do the tubs?
First Grade Shenanigans
I think Dawn read my mind. I was wondering those same questions. [email protected]
I will take notes and pictures and post about my daily math schedule! 🙂
Love this post. I'm off to put these in my cart. I love my class dojo in place and my math and reading centers with the colored leis/necklaces I've been using.
http://www.missnelsonsgotthecamera.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-i-use-dojo-in-classroom-plus-freebie.html
great post!! Thanks so much for sharing all our awesome organization and math center ideas! I love how hands-on everything is!
-Caitlin
Table Talk with C & C
I just found your blog and I am really excited! You have such great ideas! Thanks for sharing the things going on in your classroom!
Bethany
Ship Shape First Grade
Regan… it's all fabulous… however I am kinda sort obsessed with your My Data & Learning Portfolio! Awesome!:D
Your schedule cards just reminded me that I need to put mine up! 🙂 Thanks!
The system that I absolutely LOVE having in place is my BUILD math workshop. It's perfect for how I want my classroom to run. We started today and my kiddos are already doing amazing!
Mrs. Thompson
Adventures in Teaching (A First Grade Blog)
My TpT Store
Yay, so happy the schedule cards are working for you!! Thanks for the shout out dear! Mine are definitely more for me than the kids. They see it and keep me in line.;) Your kids are rocking that stamina graphing!!
❤ -Stephanie
Falling Into First
You always have so many great things going on! Good luck with your new school and data tracking system.
Chrissy
First Grade Found Me
Your math tubs look great! I was going to start planning for next week's math and I think I will use some of these for our first week of "real" math!
Thanks for sharing!
Annie
Three Cheers for First Grade!
Whoa momma! You have accomplished so much!! I love the data binders and think this is what I'm looking for to track their progress. Right now I have so much "new" thrown at me with new admin, curriculum in reading, math, lesson plans, etc. that I can't imagine throwing something else new into the mix just yet. I saved this to my wish list thought so I can revisit this for the later half of the year. It's great that it is align to the common core! You're schedule looks wonderful!! I had a similar schedule last year and for the past 5 years and loved it! This year everything is flip flopped and it's been hard finding the time and staying on track! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful resources! You are an amazing teacher!
Rambling About Reading
Hi Reagan,
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Have a great day
Love it! I am excited to start my Math tubs next week! I just got done organizing my groups tonight because I have several on IEP's. I don't believe I have your BTS Math tub activities…and I NEED them! 😉
Megan
Mrs. Wheeler’s First Grade
Mrs. Wheeler TpT
We just had day two of school and I am sooooo ready for routines to be in place!!!! Thanks for aNOTHer great post, Reagan!
Reagan, I visit your site EVERY day to help me get my system workable! Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas, TPT items, etc. BTW, I noticed that you do have a projector but no smartboard. I don't either but…I have a SmartSlate. They are really not expensive but since it is a SMART product I can use all the SMARTboard products, Smart Exchange, etc. It has been wonderful!!! The only difference is that it is not possible to manipulate the board–just the slate!
booky4first.blogspot
We love crawling inside your brain Reagan! Love it! We forget that we are getting kinders again and have to retrain over and over and over!
We are tightening up our math this year so love these ideas. Fabulous as always Reagan!
~Christy & Tammy
Fluttering Through First Grade
Free blue prints
-:we are happy to read your post , its a very nice and more informative…
Please take the time to read this. It might help you begin to look through a different lens.
Good luck and have a fun year with the children.
http://www.ednewscolorado.org/news/top_news/eliminating-candy-bribery-in-schools
This might be helpful also. She is an amazing woman and doing a lot for child hunger and health. Her name is Bettina Siegle
http://www.thelunchtray.com/
are your building teen number cards available individually? I like the idea of the students building the teen numbers with unifix cubes after picking a card. I would love to utilize those in my classroom please let me know where I can find them 🙂