Just thought I'd do a quick update of what's new in my classroom. My New Year's Resolution was to try to get my kiddies writing more - they're pretty good at writing but they just didn't love it - so I had a mooch on pinterest (if you don't follow me on there you can find me here) and settled on a writing table. I already have a numeracy table and a role play area in my classroom so squeezing in a writing table took a bit of a classroom reshuffle, but it's in and it works and me and the kiddies are enamored with our gorgeous writing area!!
I downloaded the writing center starter kit (that's on my wall) from A cupcake for the Teacher on TpT which you can get from here. My kiddies love looking at this for ideas! It's so useful!
On the table are a variety of different writing tools and equipment to excite the kids - I have racing car pens that they are obsessed with, finger spaces, nice smelly pencils and stamps so they can play teacher. I also put on some clipboards for kiddies who don't like sitting at the table and writing.
These are my drawers that I picked up in the sale for £12! Each drawer is differentiated (I have 4 ability groups) and contains activities and resources that are tailored for each group, as you can see in the drawer below the lower ability children still struggle with blending and segmenting so there is a game for them to practise using their sounds, the pencils and felt tips are chunkier, there is play-doh for them to build and refine their fine motor skills and there are magnetic letters for reluctant writers.
I also asked the children to bring in photographs of things they would like to write about - so children have their own little folder of things they would like to write about, some brought in photographs of their family, their pets or their holidays.
The orange folder is my Things to Write about Pack which you can buy from my store here and they love using this to write about different topics.
My children are literally begging me to write at the moment! They access the writing table when they have finished their work, during guided reading or during our 10 minute write in the afternoon. If you don't have a writing table in your class, I highly recommend it - I cannot stop my children from writing at the moment! Hurrah!
Finally - I leave you with a couple of 'new' products in my TpT store - I made these ages and ages ago but forgot to put them on my store! Just click the picture and it will take you to the link.
Have a good weekend!
Dani x
