Drumroll please…. Here are our TOP TEN HeidiSongs blog posts of 2017! I made a list, checked it twice, and these posts include classroom management, curriculum plans, STEM project ideas, freebies, and more! So take a moment to skim through the list and see if you missed anything, or perhaps take some time to reread a few now that you are probably on vacation! Feel free to leave some comments and share your thoughts. What would you like me to write more about in 2018? I can’t wait to find out! 
TOP TEN BLOG POSTS OF 2017!
ONE: Dealing with Defiance in the Classroom
Have you ever had a child simply say (or shout!) “NO!” right in your face? Or completely ignore your instructions? What should you do? What CAN you do? Here is my take on the subject, after 27 years of teaching.
Click here: Dealing with Defiance in the Classroom
TWO: Teaching Your Class to Line Up Quietly
Does lining your class up and walking them to lunch or anywhere make you want to pull your hair out (or at least cringe?) Been there, done that! (And I am not ashamed to admit it!) I’m a real teacher with real problems, and each class responds differently. But here is how I solved just the LINING UP problem in the most difficult class I ever had.
Click here: Teaching Your Class to Line Up Quietly
NEW TEACHERS, LISTEN UP!: if any teacher tells you that they never have classroom management problems, they are not being completely truthful. Although some people seem to have “a knack” for it, the way we get good at this is by trial and error- lots of it!
THREE: What I Learned About Kindergarten By Teaching Second Grade
I never expected to become a better Kindergarten teacher by teaching older children, but I learned SO much! It was at times difficult, at times wonderful, but at first I felt like a fish out of water. However, it was a valuable experience no matter what, and I truly believe that it has made me a much better educator over all! Find out what I took away from the experience here.
Click here: What I Learned About Kindergarten By Teaching Second Grade
FOUR: A Yearly Plan for Teaching Science and Social Studies in Kindergarten
Here I share an addition to my free Kindergarten and TK Pacing Guides/ Curriculum Maps, since the science and social studies sections on them were fairly inadequate. Basically, as I solidified what I needed to teach in first and second grade, I began to separate in my mind what I did differently in Kindergarten. By the way, you can find my free First and Second Grade Pacing Guides (AKA Curriculum Maps) right here.
Click here: A Yearly Plan for Teaching Science and Social Studies in Kindergarten
FIVE: A Fun Pumpkin Bridge STEM Project
I have been having a blast creating some fun little STEM projects that even my little TKs can do all by themselves, and this is one of them! We have also re-done a few of them with our second grade STEM buddies, but I am finding that my little ones seem to do more problem solving on their own than with an older helper. So check out this post, and then stay tuned for lots more ideas! And come see my STEM presentations at either the California Kindergarten Association Conference in Santa Clara, CA on January 13th, or on February 9-10th in Pasadena, CA at the Southern California Kindergarten Conference! It looks like I will not be presenting again in Las Vegas at the I Teach K Conference this year, so that’s out. Too bad, but hey- I get the summer off! (Can you see me doing the happy dance?) LOL!
Click here: A Fun Pumpkin Bridge STEM Project
SIX: Gingerbread Man Time – Freebies!
This post has links to ALL of the Gingerbread Man freebies me and my trusty assistant, Sarah, could find on my WHOLE blog, dating all the way back to 2008! (Yes, I’ve been blogging WEEKLY since 2008! I can hardly believe it!) If you’re as addicted to “All Things Gingerbread” as I am, you’ll want to check this out and see if you’ve missed anything.
Click here: Gingerbread Man Time!!! (FREEBIES!)
And by the way, if you missed the absolutely AMAZING Gingerbread Playhouse that one of my volunteer moms made for me in my classroom, here it is below. And NO- you cannot have her! LOL!
SEVEN: Heidi is Moving to Transitional Kindergarten Next Year!
YES! It was BIG NEWS, and apparently, lots of people decided to read it- hooray!!! And I don’t mind telling you that I’m in LOVE with the grade level, actually! My class is an absolute dream, the parents are wonderfully supportive, my administrators are fantastic, and I love my teammates! I feel soooo blessed that even though I could retire next year with 28 years of teaching behind me, I just really don’t want to! THAT’s how I really feel!
Click here: Heidi is Moving to Transitional Kindergarten Next Year!
EIGHT: TK Lesson Plans, Week Three: What’s Working?
I reported on the first four weeks of TK, and week three was popular! I think it is because I explained how I taught the letter A using the Handwriting Without Tears sticks and some salt writing boxes that I made myself. You can also see some videos of how I did this on Instagram within the post as well!
Click here: TK Lesson Plans, Week Three: What’s Working?
NINE: Shark Teeth Subtraction Freebie
Shark Teeth Addition is SO much fun- why not Shark Teeth Subtraction??? So we just decided to run with it and you can find it at the post below, complete with a free download, and then a link to purchase the rest of the worksheek set, should you so choose.
Click here: Shark Teeth SUBTRACTION!!! (FREEBIE!)
TEN: Classroom Inspiration Post by Heidi’s Teacher Daughter
I was so happy to see this guest blog post by my daughter Kim come up as one of the top ten! I’m such a proud mama! Take a look at how beautifully she designed her TK classroom for streamlined instruction. She did an awesome job!
Click here: Classroom Inspiration; (Guest Post by Heidi’s Teacher Daughter!)
I hope you’ve enjoyed this round up of my top ten blog posts of 2017! What did you like the best? Are there any we missed? What would you like to see more or less of in 2018? Happy New Year!
-Heidi
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