Dollar Store Haul & 123 Magic

So I am still out of work healing from my wrist surgery. I am, however, getting back into the school mindset. I went to a brand new Dollar Tree today and I feel like I hit the teacher stuff lottery!

First, they have lots of books with reproducibles that I just couldn't pass up. I may use them, I may not, but they looked pretty solid to me, and I can use them for homework or morning work.

I love window clings for my classroom door window. The striped one is a window cling BORDER! So excited.

I finally bought my taplight for guided reading and being invisible during small groups. I also bought a big pack of pencil sharpeners, always a necessity.

These games are super cute, they're puzzles for counting, ABC's and addition.

At home I've been encountering the Terrifying Three's with my daughter! So I went out and did some research, and bought the book 1-2-3 Magic, by Dr. Thomas Phelan. I read the whole thing in 1 day and immediately was able to put it to work. My daughter is definitely an immediate cooperator and buys into things we try pretty easily, and it is working SO well. For at least the first 2 days I've done it. I think I'm going to look into the 123 Magic for Classrooms book he has written as well. I feel like I got control back of my house using it, so hopefully it can be a success in the classroom as well.

I have started charting my daughters behavior, since there were some parts of our day that were absolutely horrible, namely bedtime and getting out of the house. I made her a sticker chart for going out of the house and she has totally bought into it.

She loves to put the sticker on herself. (Today was nice and warm, so she didn't need her hat and I didn't get a chance to put the car sticker on, but she cooperated!) I also love this because it is helping her learn the days of the week.

I also made her a bedtime checklist that she can follow with pictures. She's doing great with that as well. We're working hard to get her to sleep in her bed by herself, so I've been weaning her off of cuddling with Mommy, even though that absolutely wrecks my heart. :( I hate not snuggling with her as she drifts off to sleep but I know I have to!

This is what has been going on with me lately...trying to be Mommy of the Year! :)