Try 3 Before Me {Free Printable!}

So, school starts on Monday and I'm ready to hit the ground running for the 2nd year in the principal's office!

As a former classroom teacher (who is always a teacher at heart!), I would ask my students to ask three friends before coming to me for assistance.  Now that I am wiser... fine, older too... I see that I missed a huge opportunity by asking them to check with 3 before me.  I wasn't helping my students become THINKERS... I was enabling them to rely on others for information that they should be able to gather on their own.  This is definitely one of those things that I would do differently now if I were back in the classroom!

I had this very conversation with a colleague today and this sign was born!  I have printed (on bright blue paper) and laminated a copy for each member of my staff and have asked them to display this in their rooms as we encourage our students to display tenacity to solve problems!  This sign gives students options and teaches strategies for continuing on when stuck and encourages independence.

Enjoy a free copy on TpT and have a great school year!

Oh... and don't miss my newest product on TpT either!

This set of 40 png files are the perfect pick-me-ups, messages of inspiration, and reminders to educators just how important our job is.  I print these every few weeks and put them in my teachers' mailboxes.  You can also attach the image files in an e-mail or insert into a document- which I sometimes do too for staff meetings!

Happy 2017-18 school year... may it be the best one yet!

Feedback for Teachers {Administrator FREEBIE!}

How is it that summer is more than HALF over?!

I'm getting prepped and ready to start my 2nd year in the Principal's Office and, though there are going to be a few changes, one thing will stay the same: providing loads of feedback to my teachers.

When I was in the classroom, I loved craved feedback from my principal.  What was I doing right?  What needed work?  What did she/he notice that I did not?  How can I be the best that I can be in the classroom?  I have had principals who were good at this, and some that didn't spend enough time in the classroom or who didn't know how to help me become my best teacher me.

I try to be in classrooms as often as possible.  I visit every classroom every day after the morning announcements and I pop in and out throughout the day.  Sometimes I just stand outside of classroom doors and listen (how creepy does that sound?!) or just peek into doorways.

One of the things that I do is provide my teachers FAST FEEDBACK every few weeks.  I sit down in the room for about 10 minutes, tally positive and negative oral feedback, jot down feedback, and ask questions.  When I leave the room, I drop the form off on the teacher's desk.  I don't require meetings afterwards, but we usually end up having informal conversation at some point.

I believe my staff has enjoyed the feedback this year.  I love that I see these papers hanging in their rooms.  I love that, as the year went on, things I jotted down on these forms I could see action on in subsequent visits (stalkings outside the door).

How would you like to be able to provide quick an easy feedback to your teachers?

Here is an example of what this form might look like after a classroom visit.  Bonus points if you get the name on the teacher line!

You can click HERE to download this for free at my TpT store.

If you are in the market for other "Principal/Administrator" stuff... I also have some morale boosters on TpT.  We used each of these items with huge success in my building this year.  It was fun to see the competitive side of my teachers when we did the monthly match-ups (that's the one with the Santa on the cover- it's a bundle with activities for different holidays)!

And this one is actually FREE!  A printable award you can give to teachers.  I give one a month at our end of the month student awards assembly!

Ok!  Enjoy the rest of your summer... it's going quickly!

Decorating the Teachers' Lounge!

Even though I'm in a new role as an administrator, I'm still an elementary educator at heart.

So... my teachers' lounge is now fully decorated!

I posted info about the evaluation system we use... complete with a heading made from the sticky letters at Target!

Target Dollar Spot pocket chart (left over from the good old days when they were actually a dollar!).  This is where we'll display building and subject area goals that we will write at our back to school PD.

A Happy Birthday bulletin board and positive quotes downloaded for free at TpT!  Thanks Rebecca Anderton!

Found these sooooo cute decorations on clearance at... drumroll please... TARGET!

And then put up this interactive "Teacher Talk" display.  Each week I'll post up a new question.  Staff members can use the sticky notes to write an answer and stick it on the laminated Astro Brights!  I'm really excited about this and hope my staff will find it fun too.  I think it will be a great way for everyone to learn a little more about each other... especially for new staff members!  We have quite a few this year, including me!

I can do all things with Command Hooks and binder clips!

You can find "Teacher Talk" on TpT too if you want to spice up your lounge and build some community in your building!

Food for the Teachers' Souls

Well.  It's been too long.

I've been so busy (in the best possible way) learning the ropes of my new job as an elementary principal!

I've got my office set up...

I've been meeting with teachers... who have all been amazing and so willing to work on stuff for next year even though school hasn't even been out for a month yet!, working on scheduling, and... since I don't really know everything that I have to do, I've been working on little things that I want to make sure I do and worry I won't have time to do once the real work starts!

That includes LOTS of professional reading.

One thing I want to make sure I do is keep my staff feeling good.  I read a great book called If You Don't Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students.  Such a good read and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I'm already doing some of those things!

This inspired me to create a set of food themed morale boosters so I can feed my teachers' souls!

You can snag it for 20% off right now on TpT as I'm having a sale until the end of the day tomorrow (6/30).  It features 14 different food themed treats.  Just print the large sign and place with the treats in the lounge or print the small signs and slip goodies into mailboxes!

Here's one of my favorite of the food signs.

This is great for administrators or even teachers who want to work together to surprise the staff throughout the year with reminders that they are appreciated!

If you're an administrator, how do you feed your teachers' souls?  If you're a teacher... what is something you'd love your administrator to do to let you know you're appreciated?

I'd love to hear from you!