Glue Sponges! Such a Life/Sanity Saver

So I have a big love-hate relationship with glue sticks. This year I started collecting the glue caps in a container on my desk and the kids would just come grab one if they ever needed one. Well this year (well let's be honest, every year) we go through glue sticks like water. I have no idea what happens to them. Mr. Greg understands my love-hate relationship and posted a great blog post and video on how to make glue sponges. I was skeptical when I first read about them, I wasn't sure exactly how they could be used in my class. BUT I was at my whits end the other day and just decided to jump in feet first and go for it, and man am I happy I did! The kids love em and they work wonderfully! I've saved the glue sticks for the really big projects, but I think we won't need to use them nearly as often. THANK YOU MR. GREG! Glue Sponges by Mr. Greg

Organizing Never Ends

Well I've finally been able to take pictures of all of the organizing I've been doing in class. Also my idea for the cubbies did not work out the way I was hoping so I used the drawers for something else.

 Here are my small group tubs. As I said before, I laminated the little cards with the group name on it so I can change the kids in the group whenever I want or need. They are on a shelf by my table so I or my volunteers can just pull the tub and read with the kids on the list. I put games in the tubs as well. I also put some kids together so we know who to pull to read with together.

Here is what I ended up doing with the cubbies. I got these baskets at the dollar store and now they just keep all their things from their cubby in the basket. I'm debating getting rid of my tables like Mr. Greg from The Kindergarten Smorgasbord and if I do that I would loose their chair pockets but they could just put everything from those into the baskets in their cubbies. I'm thinking it can work! I'm going to see if the school has another big grey rug that I could put down and use my extra carpet squares and/or write to local stores and see if they would be able to donate any bath rugs to my classroom. The worse they can say is no.


So I got these drawers and I had to use them for something. So since I have been doing everything by a monthly theme thanks to Deedee Wills and Elizabeth Hall, I had to put all the amazing-ness somewhere where it would fit better. So these drawers worked out really well and the longer ones I got for the cubbies ended up working to store some writing, science, and math materials.



I'm hoping to make a list of ideas and to get better at these. As I always tell my students, the more you practice the better you get.