I admit… I have school on the brain right now. It’s near the end of July, and I can’t think about anything else. I’m reading different blogs about setting up classrooms and ideas for what to do during the first days of school. I’m wandering through stores looking at all the school supplies.

I think as teachers, we are wired this way. It’s a natural high of excitement. But I also think it’s a way for teachers to freshly evaluate their game plan for beginning the school year. It’s a new year, a new group of students, and sometimes (as in my case) a completely new school. I just spent 6 weeks teaching in a Learning Loss Prevention program with our local YMCA and school district. I wasn’t sure if I would end up loving this program, primarily because I teach 5th grade and I was working with rising 1st graders. But I loved it! They were so excited about learning and had fun with (almost) everything that we did. I was reminded, thought, of the one behavior management system trend that I do not like. The ever famous clip chart!

 Yep, I’m one of the few that will not use such a chart for many reasons. We used a clip chart this summer because that’s what the kids were used to. But I know that I wasn’t consistent with moving kids like I needed to be. We used it as a “clip up” for those students who were doing the right thing when others maybe were not. But I know we singled out a few when more could have also clipped up.

Here's why I don't like them...

1. I personally can’t keep up with all the clips for all the students in a fair way that still allows me to teach.

2. If consistency is the name of the behavior management game, what is consistent in a system that gives the same consequence/reward for everyone, even if it’s not the best for that child? If Student A responds well to verbal praise and public recognition, but Student B would rather a quiet and personal thumbs up or a sticker at the end of the day, then a “cookie-cutter” clip chart isn’t the best way. It works the same way with consequences. Not all consequences work for all students. You have to find what works best.

3. I find that if I’m really trying to be consistent with moving clips up and down, my focus is taken off my lessons. That can’t happen.

4. Kids have melt downs. Yep. Ask them to move their clips down, and they cry. Freak out. Shut down. Problem just became bigger and more complex.

So… what do I do? I think I’m still in search for the “perfect” idea, but I’ll share my tidbits of advice.

1. I first have to understand that my students are kids. They need redirection. They need to learn from their mistakes. So, I don’t pounce on them for minor infractions. We talk A LOT about what community in the classroom is supposed to look like, celebrate successes when I see students doing positive things, and talk about things that need to change. Just like a family.

2. Class meetings are essential. It doesn’t matter what you call them – Town Hall Meetings, Pow-Wows, Chit-Chats… The important thing is that you have them. This is where students should feel safe to share. We talk about anything from what we did to make the previous day successful, character values, problem solving (this is where behavior training comes in).

3. I like to find picture books that address issues we are having in class. By using a picture book, I can talk about an issue without referring directly to the issue. It’s a more passive way. Generic setting and characters from a story. This way, students feel free to discuss the problem/situation in a story without pointing out or embarrassing each other. We still get to talk about it.

4. I hold individual student meetings to discuss problems that aren’t being solved. These would be those classroom issues that students need a little more nudging and consequences from me to be resolved. If a student is unable to correct a problem after my own attempts at giving warnings and redirection, I tell them that I will meet with them at recess. Then I continue with my lesson. The student knows that we’ll continue this conversation at recess (or when I can get a minute away from teaching). They key here is training the students to know that I will not continue having a conversation/argument in class at that moment. They have to trust me, knowing that they will have a chance to be heard. That is the secret to classroom management. If students know they will be heard and treated fairly, they will comply.

5. I generally leave consequences up to the individual student and situation. Not all punishments fit the crime, and it’s my duty to find what works. This becomes a discussion during our class meeting; what does fair mean? As I’m having a meeting with a student, we discuss possible consequences, and I let the student choose what they think will be best. This is all part of Love and Logic thinking (https://www.loveandlogic.com/educators/what-is-love-and-logic-for-teachers).

6. If my students need a visual reminder, I will put a student list on a clipboard. If they need a warning, they can place a checkmark by their name. We just rotate the clipboard as needed. I’ve also had a 3 ring binder called “The Book.” I know. Original. It works for 5th graders, though. If they’ve had way too many warnings, I may have the student sign the book. Along with their signature, they have to write a couple sentences about what’s going on. This gives me written documentation for administration purposes or a parent conference.

The key is, keep things simple. Don’t let student behaviors take away from the important learning in your classroom.

If you’re interested, here’s a freebie form you can use for having students think about their choices.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what works for you in your classroom!
- Martha from "The Owl Spot"

Christmas in July Sale

 Stop by Simone's Math Resources on July 13 and 14 for a great sale.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Simone

There will be four super deals listed in the featured items section. These bundles will be on sale for 50% off of their original value.

The rest of the store will be on sale for 20% off.

This is a great time to stock up for the upcoming school year.

How to Make a Teacher Desk Organizer

Okay, so for those of you who read my blog, you know I really can't resist trying these really crafty teacher ideas.  I may be late to the party, but I saw a few of the desk organizers made out of the small gray plastic toolboxes and thought they would be awesome!  I am toying with ditching a traditional desk this year, and was wondering where I would store all that junk that gets lost in a desk.  Also, my home "office" is a kitchen nook, and you don't even want to know how junked up the counters and drawers get.  I thought this desk organizer might be the answer to my prayers.

How To
First, take a trip to the hardware store.  You need the toolkit and spray paint made for plastic.  Although the paint said no sanding, I still sanded just in case.  Couldn't hurt, right?

Tip:  If you are not a good painter or are new to spray painting, spray painting outside in the wind is
NOT a good idea.  Don't be so anxious to get it done that you have to buy twice the amount of paint!

I decided I wanted to paint my drawers as well, but that is completely not necessary.  It does make some of the drawers stick a bit, but with use the paint on the tracks will wear off.

Allow the paint to dry completely.  Again, patience.  Wait!

Once the paint dries, you just assemble it.  Since I painted my drawers, I Mod Podged my labels on.  If you leave the drawers clear, then you can attach the labels inside the drawers.

Once you have your labels on, you are all set.  Now you get to the fun part - cleaning up your clutter!  (Okay, for me, there is just this great sense of relief when I clear up a bunch of clutter that has been bugging me.  Anyone else?)  It is just amazing how much you can fit in these!  They do make other sizes of the toolboxes as well, but I
felt like this one would be enough.  If I taught primary, I might want more drawers - I don't use a lot of stickers and things on a regular basis.

If you like my labels, I made them with Cherry Workshop's Summer Backgrounds Stained Glass Digital Paper and KB3's AlphaBasicSans font.  Both can be found on TeachersPayTeachers.

What is your best classroom organization tip?

Amy

4 Shortcuts for Creating and Formatting Graphic Organizers

I am a table girl. I use them all of the time to create graphic organizers for my class. I like how they provide a framework and direction for the students. After students add information to a graphic organizer, the ideas are sorted and grouped in a way that help students develop generalizations for our units of study, review key concepts, and visualize a big picture.

I use MS Word (I know-- I am in the minority) to build all of my graphic organizers. Since many schools use Word as the primary way to publish documents in the classroom, I thought it might be worth sharing some of my formatting strategies. These are good technology tips for both teachers and students.



The best tip I can give people using MS Word is to turn the formatting button on. This shows all of the background strokes you use while creating a document. None of the background symbols appear when printing, but it allows you to see where you have pressed buttons and what types of spacing you have. If your students have all kinds of funky formatting happening in their school documents, turn the formatting button ON to see all of the times they pressed ENTER!



Next, insert a basic table with the needed numbers of rows and columns. Don't worry if you want to add or delete rows and columns later; it is easy to do. Once you have a basic table in the Word document, you are ready to customize. Most of the functions you will use will be accessed under the LAYOUT tab. This tab is only visible when you have clicked your cursor inside a cell (one of the boxes) on the table.

1. Making the Table Larger

• To make the table cells (boxes) larger, hover the cursor over the bottom line. When it changes to two parallel lines with an up and down arrow, left click, hold, and drag down. 
• To move any of the gridlines within the table, hover over the lines you would like to move, wait for the parallel icon with up down arrows to appear, left click, hold, and drag. 

2. Making the Rows and Columns Equal Sizes

• To distribute rows evenly, highlight all of the rows you would like to be the same height. Select distribute rows in the LAYOUT tab. To distribute columns evenly, highlight all of the columns you would like to be the same width. Select distribute columns. This is where the formatting function comes in handy. There will be a small circle inside each cell. You can see if you have grabbed the cells you need by making sure the little circles in the appropriate boxes are highlighted. 

3. Adding Rows and Columns

• To insert additional rows or columns, click your cursor in the cell next to where you want to add the row or column. Choose insert above, below, right, or left depending on what you need. 

4. Adding and Formatting Text

• To add text, click in the cell where you need the text. Type your words (I like to add all words first then work on the formatting). 
• To change the font, make the size, bigger, center, etc. use the buttons in the HOME tab you use when formatting regular documents. 
• To change the text direction, highlight the text you want to flip and click the text direction button. Click multiple times until the text is turned the direction you need.

• To align the text within the cell, click the text symbols that show different line spacing within a box right next to the text direction button. 

Spend some time clicking around in the LAYOUT tab of your document. You can merge and split cells, turn gridlines on and off, and add background colors to each cell, row, or column. You can also click outside of your table and insert clipart pictures. Right click on the picture and choose wrap text/in front of text. After that, you can drag your picture anywhere on your page.

For a printable version of these table tips with step by step instructions and screen shots, visit Creating a Graphic Organizer to download. I also have free printable directions for formatting MS Word essay documents available for free at my TeachersPayTeachers store.

Happy Creating!
Caitlin
TheRoomMom

Summer Reading Reminders

In recent weeks, I have been reading many posts about getting students interested in reading over the summer. This is a hot topic for me because I am always pushing more reading for pleasure with students. My own children have already made two trips to the bookstore since we finished school, and we may have to go again today. My son finished reading all three books in the Land of Stories series by Colfer, and my daughter read the first Emily Windsnap by Kessler and is looking for the sequel.

I think many of us employ the same tricks to keep children reading during non-school months. Here are three suggestions I have to keep reading alive. What are ways you encourage reading during June, July, and August?

• Generate a large list to send with your students over the summer. My school has required summer reading, and each grade level has an approved list of books. The list for my grade level is multiple pages, sorted by genre, and includes a wide variety of reading levels. I also add an asterisk to my favorite books, so students have a place to start if the list seems overwhelming. Recommending specific books is often more successful than saying, "Go read something."

• If your school has required summer reading, keep any related assignments light. I ask students to keep a chart with the title and author and also complete a brief comprehension bookmark with notes while reading (pictured at the top). No big book reports. If assignments related to summer reading are too long, students treat reading like a chore rather than a treat. If you need help creating a summer reading assignment and book list for students, THIS ONE can help you get started.

• Get involved in a reading incentive program. Our local library has a summer reading challenge. Students complete a chart based on minutes read. Local businesses and organizations donate free coupons, so students can earn tickets to a minor league baseball game, free frozen yogurt, complimentary karate class at a local karate school, etc. Barnes and Noble has a similar reading program. Children complete a reading journal as they finish reading books. When the journal is complete, bring it to a local Barnes and Noble to redeem for a free book. Our librarian sent a copy of the reading journal home with each student in the final take home packet of the year.

If you are looking for summer reading ideas for upper elementary students, here are a few books on my list:

• The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm
• Savvy by Ingrid Law
• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
• Under the Egg by Laura Max Fitzgerald
• Graceful by Wendy Mass
• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
• Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
• Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Happy Reading and Happy Summer!

Caitlin (TheRoomMom)

Those Last Few Weeks...

Teachers, are you trying to survive those last few weeks of school?  Do your students think that learning is 'over' because the test is done?  Are you looking for ideas to improve behavior and keep students engaged?  You've come to the right place.  Here are 4 tips for ending the year like a boss!

• Just. Keep. Teaching.—The best way to keep your students on task and out of trouble is to run your classroom like you always have.  Stick with your schedule and make sure that the lesson content is keeping your kiddos challenged.  Remember, if you’re a 4^th grade teacher, you have a room full of almost 5^th graders.  Don’t be afraid to introduce more difficult concepts.  Consider looking at next year’s standards for your subject.  When I told my students we were going to do 6^th grade science stuff so they would be ahead next year, they instantly perked up. 

•  Build Units Around Student Interests—Nothing gives students more buy-in than letting them choose what will be taught.  After our state science test we had a class discussion about what we learned in science this year and made a list of things we still wanted to learn about.  I built units around a few of those topics and my students couldn’t be happier. 

• Start Fun Friday Afternoons—Make a list of a few fun activities and post it in the room.  These can be academic or creative thinking activities.  For example, you could include a reader’s theater day, owl pellet lab, math-a-thon (online math games), gooey science lab, poetry slam, geography-a-thon (online geography games), and a Greek mythology art project.  Tell students they must earn X points as a class to earn a Fun Friday reward and give points throughout the week.  If they reach the point goal (and they will), choose an activity and enjoy!

• Teach  Essential Skills—Use these last few weeks to teach something that may have been pushed to the side earlier in the year.  For example, teach cursive, creative writing, or geography.  Oh, and math facts.  Don’t let students leave your grade without knowing their math facts!  Seriously.  You can set them up for success in the next grade if you give them time to master this before the end of the year. 

Summer is almost here.  Finish strong.  I have faith in you.  You can do it!  


--The Pensive Sloth

'Twas the Night Before Testing...Student Treat Idea

The day before the big test, I gather my students on the rug give them a pep talk.  Not a "you better do this" kind of pep talk, but an "I'm proud of you, you've worked hard, you've got this" kind of pep talk.  I don't want them stressed.  I want them confident in their abilities and relaxed.  I tell them that they have important homework tonight--to go outside and play, eat dinner, and get some rest.  At the end of our chat, I give each kiddo a treat.  This year, I placed a small plastic diamond in each of their hands and told each one to "Shine bright like a diamond."  They laughed because it's cheesy, I know, but they loved it and were so excited when they got THEIR diamond.  It was a fun, and hopefully memorable, experience letting them know that I believe in them and know they will do their best. 

NOTE:  Ring Pops work well for this, but in Texas we aren't allowed to give out candy during the school day, which is why I chose the plastic diamonds instead.  They sell the little gems at Party City as a table decoration for wedding showers.  I bought the jumbo bag that probably has 300 or so diamonds, so I'm set for the next several years!

Looking for simple ideas to help your students succeed on your state reading test?  Click HERE to read my top 11 reading test-prep tips. 

Thanks for stopping by!

--The Pensive Sloth
pensivesloth@gmail.com