Thanks for dropping by. The Teacher's Lounge, formerly known as the Visitor's Corner, is a place where you can let it all hang out. I hope you'll use this space to ask questions, share ideas, and offer opinions. Please don't be a wallflower. You'll learn more if you contribute, and so will I.

Please know that I sincerely welcome parent input. I want to know what parents are thinking, and I want parents to know where teachers are coming from. Kids are our common cause and we'll serve them best if we listen to and help each other.

So ... if you want to weigh in on an issue or have a concern, just hit the Contact link and tell me what's on your mind. I will be happy to publish your name and city, or you can have that information withheld. You tell me what you want done, and that's the way it will be. This is YOUR Teacher's Lounge, and YOU are the principal!

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I didn't receive any "appropriate for everybody" questions over the summer, but Kentucky, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin teachers shared some great suggestions that I want to pass on to you.

Math Game: THE BUCK STOPS HERE!

This game is best when played in groups of 2-4 kids.

Materials:

• A pair of dice
• Container with at least 100 pennies
• Container with 300 or more dimes
• One one-dollar bill

(The money can be play money, but the kids enjoy the real stuff more — and of course either way they have to put the money back in the containers once the game is over.)

Directions:
Kids take turns throwing the dice, and remove that number of pennies from the pot. (If they roll an 8, they take eight pennies. When they have ten pennies, they exchange them for a dime. The first player to get ten dimes, exchanges it for the dollar bill (temporarily), and wins the game.

Of course nickels and quarters can be used also, if and when the kids master the "ten dimes equal a dollar" concept.

Book Suggestions

Albert's Bad Word by Audrey and Don Wood is delightful book for toddlers through 3rd grade. It stands tall on its own, but it could also be used in conjunction with questionable books such as Walter the Farting Dog.

Spazeheadz by Jon Scieszka is the story of three aliens who decide to invade Earth by assuming the persona of two fifth-grade students and the class hamster. Their mission: to convince 3,400,001 kids to be SPHDZ.

Changing Books in Chair Bags

This is one of those, "Duh, why didn't I think of that?" ideas. A Wisconsin teacher sets aside five to seven minutes (NO LONGER) right after the opening bell each day for kids to replace the reading materials in their chair bags. If a child says later in the day that he has read everything in his bag — too bad, how sad. He can select "new" material the follow morning at the designated time.

BUMP!

Although this game was suggested for practicing spelling words, I think it might better for small groups practicing vocabulary words and math facts.

What You Do:

1. Cut 30-40 3 x 5 cards.
2. Write a word from the weekly spelling list on each card, including some review words. On five separate cards, write the word "BUMP".
3. Place all cards in the brown paper bag and shake it to shuffle. Players sit in a circle around a table or on the floor. The first player reaches into the bag (without peeking!) and pulls a card. The player reads the card, covers it and spells it out loud. If she spells it correctly, she keeps the card. If she spells it incorrectly, the card goes back in the bag. Pass the bag to the next player who repeats the process.
4. Once a player has one or more cards and then pulls a BUMP card, all of her cards (including the BUMP card) go back in the bag. If she doesn't have any cards and pulls a BUMP card, she simply puts the BUMP card back in the bag.
5. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. When time is up, the player with the most cards wins!

That's it for this month, friends. Be sure to send in your questions AND your helpful tips. We're all in this thing together, and we can all learn from one another.

Hugs —
Jacquie