I’ve been asked a couple of questions about me, where I teach, how long I’ve been teaching–things like that…so hopefully, here are some answers for you! 
Kristen Poindexter
www.kpoindexter.wordpress.com and www.poindexterpress.blogspot.com
Experience
Kindergarten Educator (2001-present)
MSD Washington Township, Spring MIll Teacher of the Year (2008), Golden Apple Award Winner (2008), Outstanding First Year Teacher (2001)
Spring Mill (2006-present), Greenbriar (2000-2006), and Nora Elementary (2001-2004) Schools
• Implemented the use of technology in my classroom, accessing an iPod, Laptop computer, internet sites, digital camera, a classroom blog, individual student response remotes, and the visual presenter
• Submitted a grant proposal to township foundation asking for funds to plant a Monarch butterfly garden in our Nature Center and stock with Monarch caterpillars in the Spring
• Designed Kindergarten Science Stretch Days to allow students to explore science concepts
• Planned Kindergarten Math and Literacy Nights
• Submitted several other grants through Donors Choose and received: Wisconsin Fast Plants, materials to build greenhouses, Monarch Butterfly big book and classroom set of trade books, composting materials and bins
Title 1 Assistant (2000-2001)
MSD Washington Township
Greenbriar Elementary School
• Taught small groups of children grades 1-5, reading and math skills on a daily basis
• Designed and implemented special themed days for my Title 1 students including Dr. Seuss Day, NCTM Math Carnival Day, Valentine’s Day Math Stations
• Attended NCTM and ICTM conferences and presented information to the Title 1 staff in the township
Education
Ball State University (1996-2000)
Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Kindergarten
Dean’s List 1999 & 2000
Leadership
• Technology Committee Chair Person (2008 )
• Led presentation for Township Kindergarten teachers showing relationship between Kindergarten Core Standards and the township Daily Guide to Mathematics Instruction (2008 )
• Teachers Treasures Liaison, a store that allows teachers to “shop” for free classroom materials (2001-present)
• Served on school BBSD committee, planning professional in-service days for staff members (2008 )
Professional Development
* Attended NSTA Conference March 2009 in New Orleans, LA
* Presented at ICE (Indiana Computer Educators) Showcase Success
* Will present at ISRA in March 2010
* Hope to present at NSTA in 2010 (Philadelphia, PA)
• Attended China Connection workshop (2008 )
• Participated in Township Math Academy and used knowledge gained to strengthen math curriculum and focus on math standards
• Joined first township Technology Academy and learned how to use all of the new software on Macintosh computers (2002)
• Attended Township Science Academy sponsored by Purdue University and integrated the 5E model into all of my science lessons and curriculum
• Attended 2nd year of Science Academy and returned to facilitate for new members as well as to continue to develop my own curriculum (2008 )
• Attended HASTI conference (Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc.) (2008 )
• Participated in Science on a Shoestring Workshop (2008 )
During 2008 Professional Growth Cycle, developed a unit format to record all Kindergarten Science Lessons using the Inquiry Model and presented a completed book to my Kindergarten colleagues, principal, and ESL teacher
I am a veteran teacher and I am impressed by your fresh approach to many of the sames things I have done for years! Go for it, Kristen! You’ve got it go’in on!
Anita,
Thanks for you kind words! I have wanted to be a teacher as long as I can remember–you can ask my younger brother and sister about the long hours they had to play school with me as kids!
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
I’m really enjoying your website. This is my 14th year teaching (most in Kindergarten) and I’m always on the lookout for new ideas!
I also have received things from donors choose. Aren’t they great!
I”m hosting a mascot exchange and have one slot left. Interested? Email me if you are. ajbmhb1@netzero.net
We’d love to have you.
Amy
Kristen I love your website! I first heard about it on the kinderkorner webring. You inspired me to create my own blog and I added you as one of my links. You have great ideas!
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
I wanted to let you know that I tuned in for the first time — we’ll use part of the “What would you do with $100?” money for the monarchs…
I have taught for 29 years…27 in kindergarten. Many concepts have made their way full circle since I first started teaching. I enjoy your website and ideas so much – I am always looking for new stations and ways to energize the kids and me!! Thanks!
Hi Kristen! I recently discovered your site. I have been teaching kindergarten for 16 years and always love new things to spice up my literacy/math stations. I am interested in the Teachers Treasures store that is mentioned in your leadership section. Can you explain this to me, what it entails. Please take your time on responding to this. Life is very busy!!
Hi Kristen! Just wondering what the Teachers Treasures store is all about. With budget cuts in our district (and probably MANY others) we are looking for ways to stretch a dollar. The Teacher Treasures sounds like an interesting idea! Can you fill me in with the details?
Thanks!!
Hi Tiffany,
Teachers Treasures is a non-profit organization that was set up here in Indy to help teachers not spend so much out of pocket. Items and/or cash are donated to TT and they in turn have set up shop in an old grocery store and pass the items along to teachers in the surrounding areas. There are things as big as furniture and as small as staples and everything in between. There are many organizations set up like this all across the country, so if you google “free materials for teachers” or “free supplies for teachers” some thing would come up. I have a web site some where on my blog that listed more of them–I’ll have to search for that and get back to you.
Kristen
You have a great site! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kristen,
I have come across your blogs and have been following it regularly and intriguingly. At the end of this past school year, due to budget cuts, I found that after teaching middle school computers for 6 years that I would be re-assigned to Kindergarten next year (actually Junior Kindergarten). I’m beyond shock by now and am VERY excited about the change. I like the way you have your class structured and will probably be buying some of your packages as I start to look more closely at the curriculum. I wanted to write you and see what pieces of information you can offer me… It’s going to be such a different world. If e-mail would be better, that’s fine with me. I would really appreciate any insight that you can offer.
Thanks!
Heather
Hi Heather,
I remember my first year, I was so overwhelmed, but there were a few things that helped me! First, the teacher next door to me was my mentor and I could go to her (and still can!) with any questions–find someone who you can bounce ideas off of and ask questions of. Second, I am a long term planner, and I need to know where I’m going with things–each month, I sit down and write down all the holidays/seasons that might happen during that month, and all the things I want to get accomplished–they are all usually focused around some Science theme; just make a list at this point. Then, I plug in all those things into my lesson plans and my plans are done for the month. If you want to see what I do the first couple of days/weeks, check out the August 2008 archives of my blog. You also have to make sure you write down convocations, special programs, field trips, etc and don’t forget to include things like your Scholastic News/Weekly Reader/Time for Kids, any mini-books, worksheets, activities you want to include.
My advice to you is to take it one day at a time!
I also make a listing for the entire school year–even if that’s just a calendar with all the dates of things that will cause a “blip” in my schedule, holidays that will happen, seasonal changes, so you can already have that in mind when you start to plan.
Borrow whatever you can from other teachers, don’t re-invent the wheel, I don’t!! Anything with shapes, colors, the kids names, learning to use classroom materials properly, and establishing procedures/routines is what I would concentrate on those first few weeks!
Good Luck and contact me anytime!
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
Have a few ?’s about your day and ways of teaching.
Do you teach a letter of the week?
What do you do with your predictable charts? Does this take a week and do you have the students write their sentence and illustrate it or what do you have them do?
What do your literacy centers look like? How often do you change them? Do they go along with your read aloud for the week?
Thinking about purchasing your math centers for the year-how long do you keep these centers and how do you manage them?
Did you have a predictable chart for Mouse Paint?
What were your activities for all subj. areas with this book? Know what you did for science but didn’t post the rest.
Hope you can help and think you have some great ideas!!!Thanks so….much.
Carrie
I love your home work packet. would it be possible to send me privately the rest or a few morw? thank you in advance. fran in nc fw278@aol.com