Teachers in Tiaras

This idea won first place in our giveaway contest by Sara G, a Kindergarten teacher. Check out her blog here!

One of my favorite and easiest things I do is change my table names constantly to go with what we’re learning. Some teachers tend to number their tables and not change it up, but I’ll do colors, shapes, money (penny, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar), animals, modes of transportation, etc. It keeps the kids on their toes and sometimes I’ll make sure I make a table something that one or more of the kids at that table need help working on and seeing all the time (rectangle/square and nickel/dime differential is usually a common one). It’s also good for vocabulary. For example, in November I use words and have pilgrim, cornucopia, Mayflower, etc. and March brings along leprechaun, shamrock, bagpipe, and more. It’s a good way to expose the kids to more vocabulary that maybe you don’t always have time to teach.

Check out another idea submitted by Sara that goes great with this:

For Kindergarten, we have tables and chairs, not desks so to make it easier to switch up seats in an instant, I put names on the back of chairs. I buy the little shaped post-its and tape them on the back with their name. Then if Johnny can’t sit by Joey, boom. Swap one of them with Timmy and continue teaching. No need to take off table tags. 

I love this idea! It makes it so easy to change up the seating whenever discipline problems or group dynamics are poor. Thanks, Sara!