tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90349465270030794182024-03-13T06:07:01.917-07:00Second Grade SavvyKim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-20462739660333992162013-08-25T08:02:00.001-07:002013-08-25T08:02:51.332-07:00And so it begins....<p>Well, I survived Meet the Teacher. Don't ask me to pick any of my students out of a lineup...there were way too many in way too short of a time. I have a full load...23 students. But I'm excited about the year. <br>
My team is fantastic. Full of ideas and all willing to do whatever it takes to have a successful year for our kids. <br>
My room is done. Bright color was pretty much my only theme. But I'm happy with it.<br>
So excuse my short post but I'm gonna enjoy my last day of freedom! More to come.</p>
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My Word Wall is done...complete with student names, because although that technically is NOT vocabulary, they love seeing their names on the wall, even for a week or so. My ribbon thing worked well even though I did not have clothespins....I improvised with paper clips. And yes, I forgot to take pictures! <br />
I told you in my previous post how I would be using my word wall and the why. Now I will address what I plan to do for spelling....because if you know anything about 2nd graders, you know that spelling is usually NOT a strong point. In a world of text spelling, phonetic spelling, and people who plain out do not care about spelling, I want my 2nd graders to be able to spell well and communicate their ideas. Let's face it, when you come across someone who cannot spell, their ideas, no matter how brilliant they appear on paper, just do not come across. (Or is that just me?) <br />
SO, with that in mind, I have a plan for their spelling. Our district had adopted a Language Arts program a few years ago, that I was NOT happy with. For one thing, the patterns they taught and the order in which they taught them made absolutely NO sense. Not to mention when we lined up the patterns taught with the ones required by our TEKS, there were several that were below 2nd grade level (that they spent too much time on ) and some that were never addressed (that we were still responsible for). SO we sought out several different options. Last year, I piloted Words Their Way in my classroom. I loved it. The kids loved it. The parents loved it......AND the kids learned to spell from it. So, winner, winner, chicken dinner! We decided this year we were ditching the one that went with our adoption and going full force with Words Their Way. It makes sense....its hands on....its progressive! <br />
So, our kids will be doing word sorts in class and at home with their homework. Yes, we will be giving spelling test on Fridays. AND we will include words that have the same pattern but were not on our 'list'. The point being we want the kids to realize you can spell rhyming words with the same pattern by changing the initial sounds. We also will be keeping a personal word wall for those words we constantly spell wrong. This may be different for each student.Some need sight words on there, some will not. I also have lists of words in my room in related categories. (Baseball, School, Home, October, etc.) in addition to having commonly used sight words available for the kids to use at any time. I am including my Personal Word Wall here....I print them off and glue them on the inside and outside of a file folder. The kids love it because they can use one of my 'fancy pens' to add words to their word wall, but are expected to spell it correctly afterwards. <br />
Happy Spelling! <br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-7888025183591851102013-08-11T08:45:00.001-07:002013-08-11T09:34:15.359-07:00Colorful Vocabulary<p>Every year I drive myself CRAZY trying to figure out the best way to expand my students vocabulary. I have a variety of students every year from an array of different backgrounds, cultures and home situations. My ESL students naturally use different vocabulary, as most are taught textbook formal English by their English speaking parent. I have several students who have been read to, traveled and exposed to a variety of experiences that naturally grew their vocabulary. Then I have a handful who grew up as latch key kids, had a tv as a babysitter and probably were not given many experiences or even opportunity to engage in picking up vocabulary from interactions with their parents. ( Put down the phone people, and start TALKING to your kids rather than texting them!)<br>
Anywho, THOSE are the babies I worry about the most. So, every year I struggle to find a quick, efficient, and useful way to put vocabulary in front of them without bombarding them with useless words or just having a word wall that is nothing more than a pretty wall space taker upper.<br>
I've tried everything...personal word walls, differentiated word walls, sight word only word walls, you name it, in my over a decade of teaching, I've probably tried it. <br>
This year, I sat down and asked myself what the PURPOSE of my word wall is going to be. After much conversation, debate and arguing with myself (it's okay, no need to call the local mental hospital, I won the argument!) I decided that the purpose of my word wall this year is going to be to give them new vocabulary rather than a source of sight words or correctly spelled words. (I'll address those two matters in upcoming blog posts.) Nope, this year I'm strictly using it for vocabulary. Let me explain my thinking.<br>
Let me start off by saying I hate standardized tests....but after I burst my bubble and sink back into reality, I realize although no one loves them, it's the world we live in and it's a necessary evil. With that established, we all know that there are items on those tests that we KNOW our kids know the answer to, but they didn't understand what the test writers were asking because the vocabulary tripped them up. One of the biggest complaints I've heard voiced K-5 is that we use different vocabulary for the same things. We used to call nouns "naming words" in lower grades. After much conversation, we decided to be on the same page and use the same terminology. One problem solved. <br>
Another issue is that word walls become cluttered....sight words , math vocabulary, LA vocabulary, science vocabulary, social studies vocabulary, grammar terms, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So what do you put up? Do you have five different word walls? Do you keep the same words up all year or cycle them through? <br>
I'm not pretending to have the be all, end all answers. But I'll let you know my plan and what works for me. First of all, the first part of my plan I stole, er , I mean was inspired by a post on Pinterest. This word wall used ribbon and clothespins.(See picture) Words are able to be added easily and alphabetized ( my inner OCD child is so happy!) without major problems. So, I put up my letters and ribbon. (And had a math lesson for the lady at Jo Anna who swore she sold me a spool of 9ft of ribbon and was proven wrong when I measured and added it for her! Ha!) <br>
Next, I had to decide what words to use and how to distinguish them. Have I mentioned how much my inner OCD child LOVE, LOVE, LOVEs color coding? Well, she does. She's crazy like that! So, naturally, I conclude the only way to shut her up is to color code the words by subject. <br>
But what is going to constitute a word to be word wall worthy? Well, since my purpose is meaning rather than spelling, it will be words they need to learn to use in context. (Again, don't freak out, I've got the spelling issue covered in upcoming posts). So, my words will be color coded by subject and only be used for meaning, not spelling. <br>
How many is too many? Well, that's where the ribbon idea is genius. When the words get to the end of their rope, I mean ribbon, then the first up goes into a binder....a binder of Colorful Vocabulary that is put in alphabetical order. The definition is put on the back so a variety of games (again, an upcoming post) can be played to reinforce the word. This keeps the amount of words to a manageable number but also takes care of the "out of sight, out of mind" problem. <br>
So, what's your plan for your word wall???<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhon9JWycVKvllKni2uT1hToJO_mHX4wpCobVTN7Qk6_nYItS-xHvSpI3DyRrgL4laHBcVySXZNZ0PUA6LEaz6mrrRkaPk2P16KrANU2gP6tz8M7cZgZyJudKk4ek3OHxmIXAhAp8KfX26H/s1600/IMAG0669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhon9JWycVKvllKni2uT1hToJO_mHX4wpCobVTN7Qk6_nYItS-xHvSpI3DyRrgL4laHBcVySXZNZ0PUA6LEaz6mrrRkaPk2P16KrANU2gP6tz8M7cZgZyJudKk4ek3OHxmIXAhAp8KfX26H/s640/IMAG0669.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-65303312882863330482013-08-04T22:14:00.000-07:002013-08-04T22:22:38.871-07:00The Only Profession...Well, as a few people pointed out to me, its been a while since I posted anything. Almost a year, to be exact.<br />
Sometimes life throws us changes unexpectedly...some we are prepared to deal with, others catch us totally off guard. Last year was definitely one of those years that caught me off guard. I guess I owe my blogging audience a bit of an explanation, so here is last year in a nutshell:<br />
*My youngest son shipped off to Marine Corps bootcamp and I ended up spending oodles of my spare time engrossed in all things Marine Corps. I got very involved in some Marine MoM groups and ended up blogging and writing for a few of their websites.<br />
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*Schoolwise, it was a tough year with a very challenging class, very demanding parents and me feeling at times I was losing my sanity. Some years are just like that.<br />
*I unexpectedly lost my dad and spent the better part of my second semester trying to wrap my head around that new reality. Nothing can prepare you for it, and no matter how much you try to keep your school and personal life separate, there are things that change us so profoundly that it touches all aspects of our lives.<br />
*After a failed three year relationship and breakup, I finally met my soulmate and, as of last week, I married my best friend. I also gained a "bonus daughter" (I hate the term stepdaughter) who is 9 years old and reminding me how much energy it takes to be a parent!<br />
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So, with all that said, I had pretty much decided the blog could go by the wayside. That is until I received the sweetest email from a new teacher asking me to consider blogging again because she used some of my ideas and advice. I am aware enough of the education blogging world to know I am a very small fish in a big pond, but if this last year has taught me anything, it has taught me that God puts people in our paths for very real, very necessary reasons. I learned this through several students I had last year, my son becoming<br />
a United States Marine and allowing me exposure to that very different world, the passing of my dad in a way that I feel could not have been orchestrated by happenstance or coincidence but was truly a showing of God's grace, and the fulfillment of my heart and family by bringing the most amazing man and bonus daughter into my life. And so, I am committed to take up my school blog again. Bear with me....and take away from it what you will.<br />
And for that sweet girl who sent me the email that brought this full circle for me, Thank you. As one of my favorite teacher<br />
friends used to point out to me, teaching is the ONLY profession that you get a fresh start every year.For that, I am grateful.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-23891817290764599392012-08-15T09:52:00.001-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.122-07:00ProgressWell, thanks to the baby boy shipping off to Marine Corps boot camp, I have THROWN myself into my job and my room is almost ready to go. Just a few finishing touches....but it's coming along.<br />
Here's what I've done so far:<br />
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<br />Finally finished the hall bulletin board. Went with an Olympic theme...yes, I know Olympics are over, but it went well with my giant flag,which I LOVE!<br />
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This one is a little hard to see, but I moved my banner from the top of the window to the middle. It was driving me crazy..and I planned on curtains, but am told the fire marshal says that's a no-no. I'm such a rule follower. UGH!</div>
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I improvised to block out the light in the window and door at the back of my room AND make it useful. This is where I display my monthly helpers and birthdays. Its not my fave, but it'll do.</div>
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I'm utilizing every inch of space I can! I SO wanted a Boggle board, but didn't have the space. So I'm using my magnetic letters (which I have TON OF) and my file cabinet to make a magnetic boggle board. I can change it weekly and although this is a small one, I'm starting them off easy and looking to expand the Boggle board to full size when they get the hang of it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d1gCTkcsre1E10ffXfzDb0KhUEUIYHoTuO69dJ2W-Mkh8dvkspsTPIOla8tD8_pr7rzjYmCHstmoujn7NPQPFAEA4e5YXcqmK1tlca-YIE88ImUhxD4y4Ft9hcPQHOQLRtLj4rzerm1Q/s1600/DSC01511%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d1gCTkcsre1E10ffXfzDb0KhUEUIYHoTuO69dJ2W-Mkh8dvkspsTPIOla8tD8_pr7rzjYmCHstmoujn7NPQPFAEA4e5YXcqmK1tlca-YIE88ImUhxD4y4Ft9hcPQHOQLRtLj4rzerm1Q/s320/DSC01511%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks to PINTEREST, I found these cute birthday balloons which I attached to birthday pencils, and this cute little "Birthday Book" where the kids will write about what they want for their birthday. I ran the balloons off on colored cardstock...love the different colors!<br />
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We start Monday...and I'm still working, but am pretty comfortable with my room's status!! Ready to get the year started!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-71052916212529067332012-08-11T08:52:00.001-07:002012-08-15T15:48:14.441-07:00My 2nd Graders go to College!Yep, you read the title correctly. My 2nd graders go to COLLEGE!!! <br />
Some pretty prestigious colleges at that: Texas A&M (Gig'Em Aggies), Texas Tech (Guns up!)<br />
University of Texas (Hook 'Em Horns!) and TCU (Fear the Frog!)---and our first year even Baylor (Go bears!).<br />
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That's how smart they are..<br />
All because of their 2nd grade teachers!<br />
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Okay, let me explain. They don't really GO to college. That's what we call our focused groups<br />
What? Need me to explain further? Okay.....<br />
<br />
A few years ago, I was sittng in a workshop with other 2nd grade teachers and we were discussing HOW ON EARTH we were going to fit in all the things we were required to do with our new Language Arts adoption....Mc-Graw Hill Texas Treasures.<br />
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There simply WASN'T enough time in the day......everything was specialized......3 different spelling lists, 3 leveled books, 3 different stories a week. It was all TOO much! My class was all over the spectrum......low babies who barely knew the letters in their names to PACE kiddos who could read anything I stuck in front of them and everything in between! There was only ONE me and I had no idea how I was going to give them ALL my best when I am only one person!<br />
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Luckily I wasn't the only one in the district stressing about that. It lead to a very in-depth discussion and one lady told us what they did at their school and how it had served ALL the kids and improved their reading (and their scores)....but more importantly their learning!<br />
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So, I took the idea she gave me back to my (at the time different) principal and she basically told me if I believed it was going to work and help the kids to GO FOR IT! So, We came up with 'colleges'.<br />
We each named our group after our Alma Mater.....luckily none of us went to the same college, and used testing data to divide the kids into 4(or 5 our first year) groups. That first year we had 2 'high' groups- they are the kids that can read fluently, they worked on expanding vocabulary, improving their writing and higher order thinking skills. We had an 'average' group- they worked on comprehension and some fluency as well as vocabulary. We had a "below average" group- they could decode, but needed extensive work on fluency and comprehenshion. And then we had my low baby group- we worked on decoding, accuracy and fluency. <br />
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Splitting the kids this way allowed us to tailor everything for them.....spelling lists, the pace we taught the stories and concepts, station work, EVERYTHING was targeted for just them. The kids loved it. The parents loved it. We loved it.<br />
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Last year, we got a new principal. I wasn't sure she'd love it....but she did. Our groups are very fluid...if a kid does alot of improving, he/she may 'transfer' to a different college. If they are struggling, they may do the same! We saw some really positive things come out of it. Noteably:<br />
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*The high kids were no longer the 'shining stars' in the classroom. There was an entire class of them, which prodded them to work harder, smarter and have higher quality work so they could stand out of the crowd.Many of them weren't used to this, and it greatly improved their effort ,they stretched themselves in learning. and some of them learned the hard lesson of "you can't win all the time."<br />
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\*The low babies began to participate in class. It was a safe environment. There was no Einstein to compete with...no one to outshine them....they were all in the same boat. They began to get comfortable and take chances. They supported each other. No one was 'stupid' for not knowing an answer. Their confidence increased greatly and they grew leaps and bounds.<br />
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*The average babies grew HUGELY. They were no longer falling between the cracks....low babies were not getting all the attention and the geniuses were out of their loop so they had no one to 'carry them' on their portion of the work.<br />
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It was a win/win situation for all of us.<br />
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The downsides were:<br />
* The low baby teacher (me) had a LOT of documentation to do. However, it was easier to do the documentation because I found an easier system and could do it for everyone!<br />
*You're letting go some of your babies......which means you have to have total trust, confidence and participation from all of your team members for this to work. It's hard letting go. It's hard not knowing what your babies are doing. But this lead us to in-depth discussions as a team about where each kiddo was. It also gave us the benefit of having more than one teacher able to give input about where we saw a kid being and what they were struggling (or excelling) in! <br />
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Thankfully, it went over so well, our principal is COUNTING on us doing it again! I'm excited because now in year 3 I think we are 'tweaking' what we can do with these kids and I expect the huge growth to continue!<br />
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So, our 2nd graders will be college bound again this year!!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-33011354148044549882012-08-10T09:07:00.000-07:002012-08-15T15:49:07.173-07:00Birthdays- 2nd Grade Style!I LOVE birthdays!<br />
Not mine, that just means it's another year I'm going to have to lie about my age!<br />
But in school, I LIVED for birthdays!<br />Mine was always one of the first since I'm a September birthday, so I couldn't WAIT for school to start as a kid.<br />
However, when I was in school, teachers stopped making a big deal about birthdays in about the 2nd grade.<br />
Major let-down.<br />
I was DONE with school after that.<br />
Not really, but it was sad!<br />
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So, I love to celebrate birthdays in my class!<br />
Kids are allowed to bring treats for the class....which they LOVE to do.<br />
But this year, I think I'm going to do things a little bit different!<br />
First of all, when it's their birthday, their morning work will be a little different.<br />
They will get a fun "Birthday" book color page to do instead of the regular morning work!<br />
The Birthday book will then be put in the writing center for students to 'sign' and say a nice word or two about the birthday boy or girl!<br />
It will be their keepsake at the end of the day to take home.<br />
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Secondly, they get to sit in the "rolly chair" for the day.<br />
BIG deal in my class!<br />They love the rolly chair!<br />
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Next, they will get a Birthday pencil, and a "Pick a recess equipment" tag to use whenever they wish.<br />
(Not just the day of their birthday)<br />
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And finally, we will sing the Birthday Chant (Marine Corps Drill Instructor Style ) to them<br />
Saw this on pinterest....can't take credit for it....<br />
But in true Marine Corps cadence style, I changed the ending......<br />
Here's mine....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIOImmQaLmQk7ubQGILB6mRDbuRRTM65D5fzR7PPSQuqR1Y2dbs7yWoUZkSPfqjXTqlYdaqIY_0pleZ_dJ23ZndBtTtKJZ1Yl7C2fnCNyCQtePpsRpcLrCy32nbxS7Piewdlh44ITzqx9/s1600/Birthday+Chant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIOImmQaLmQk7ubQGILB6mRDbuRRTM65D5fzR7PPSQuqR1Y2dbs7yWoUZkSPfqjXTqlYdaqIY_0pleZ_dJ23ZndBtTtKJZ1Yl7C2fnCNyCQtePpsRpcLrCy32nbxS7Piewdlh44ITzqx9/s320/Birthday+Chant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'll throw this little gem on my not-as-smart-as-yours-board and we'll chant away while marching in place for full effect! <strike>Then I'll tell them all to drop and give me 20!</strike><br />
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And for the final touch, I'll take their birthday picture and give them that as a keepsake too!<br /><br />I've seen TONS of ideas of what other people do for birthdays! I think this is gonna work for me this year!<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-84307525066703036872012-08-09T14:44:00.001-07:002012-08-09T14:44:29.873-07:00It's WHAT day???Okay, I feel like I just woke up from a fog!<br />I realized that next week is my LAST full week off (although it's not technically a full week off because I have a team leader meeting on Thursday)....so we're getting down to the count, folks!<br />
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Good news is that since the baby boy shipped off to boot camp (and I got my scripted phone call at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday morning) I have been up to school every day and making huge progress.<br />
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Bad news is I'm not sure how I'm going to pull off a school year without getting to work around 9:30 and taking a nap at 2:00! Looks like I'm going to have to readjust my schedule!!!<br />
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Here's what I've done so far.....<br />
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Ok, I caved.....I did!</div>
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I wasn't going to use this board as a word wall this year....but I'm out of cute ideas for displaying work and out of room for a word wall anywhere else So, I combined my newly made Cowboy ABCs and word wall! It'll look better once I have some actual words on it!</div>
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This is where I'm going to be displaying my anchor posters! I reused some yellow material I had and made the 'fence' border myself. <br />
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This is my sink area.....consider this the 'before' picture as now I have cleared it of all clutter and rearranged the stuff on top of the cabinets to look a bit better!<br />
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My bookshelves and 'reading center'. I got bulbs for my lamps and when they are turned on, it looks quite 'homey'. I intend on taking the kids pics the first day and putting them on the bulletin board with the "Good Readers" to complete this bulletin board.<br />
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My desk and 'teacher table' area Notice the colored cowboy hats on top of my cabinet? I got them for a dollar at Dollar Tree! Lots of colors! LOVE em!<br />
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My "not as smart as your board" and meeting area! <br />
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Our grade level bulletin board in the hall I plan on putting some catchy title....which I'm sure will come to me and somehow relate to our theme of " _______ kids: The next BIG thing"<br />
I'm thinking of something like " Dream BIG!!" and die-cutting little stars where they write their 'dream' for the year on it and putting it in our 'blue' area of our flag!!! <br />
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Another Dollar Tree find.....I'm going with a Red, White and Blue theme....can you tell I had a kid ship off to boot camp on the brain when I was shopping???<br />
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Found these sticker letters at Dollar Tree also.......love the saying, " Wish it, Dream it, Do it"<br />
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Well, I'm tired and it's WAY past nap time......the school schedule is gonna KILL me!!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-87460337731781290152012-08-04T07:56:00.000-07:002012-08-04T07:56:09.205-07:00August CurrentlyWOW! I cannot believe it's already AUGUST! The summer has flown by and it's time to kick back into school mode! I'm linking up with Farley at <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Oh Boy! 4th Grade</a> for her August Currently!<br />
Here's mine:<br />
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My 3 B2S "Must Haves" are 1. Lamps!- I posted a few days ago about a workshop I went to where I learned the only thing that decreases (dissolves is the word they used) melatonin in the brain is LIGHT! And I HATE overhead lights! SO, it looks like I need to go lamp shopping!<br />
2. Curtains! My room sticks out of the footprint of the building so my windows have nothing shading them from the blinding morning sun! And my poor babies that sit by my window are blinded if I don't have curtains.....so, when I'm out grabbing lamps this week, I need to pick up some cheap-o curtains!!!<br />
3. Shelves and organizers- I have 2 small bookshselves from Ikea....now I would like about 3 more and some organizers for my books for those shelves!!! <br />
Did I mention I needed to win the lottery????<br />
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Farley's Rules are:<br />
1. Rule of 3----look at the 2 blogs in front of yours and the 1 behind yours and comment!!! Spreads the love!<br />
2. On the B2S, you can promote your TPT products, just promote someone else's too!<br />
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That's it!!<br />Fun fun fun!!!<br />
Okay, gotta break down and have that cake and Diet Coke! I mean, it's DIET coke.....it'll cancel all the calories out right???<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-15928170142031409332012-08-01T21:21:00.001-07:002012-08-01T21:21:55.929-07:00Displaying student workYay! Today I went up to school and my carpets were DONE!!! Which meant I got to move my desks around and arrange my room! Until I get that done, it feels like I can do NOTHING!<br />
<br />
SO, I got a LOT accomplished today....and may go back tomorrow and do more!!!<br />
<br />
One of the things I did was tear down the ratty old number line (I'm looking to purchase a new one) that was under my whiteboard, and sat and thought and thought and thought about how to use that space!<br />
<br />
THEN I remembered seeing several ideas of how other teachers display student work in their classroom. I NEVER have enough wallspace, so I thought the best use of this space would be to display student work.<br />
<br />
I'm already planning on having 23ish kids. Maybe 24. At least until our numbers solidify and we get to hire a 5th teacher......SO, I figured I may as well go ahead and count on it!<br />
<br />
I had several ideas about how to display work....and all of them would have required me purchasing stuff....which I am trying to avoid right now. Did I mention I'm a teacher and I'm broke all the time?!?<br />
<br />
I figure if I can use what I have, then why buy something?<br />
So, what do I have??? TONS of construction paper....almost every color. <br />
I thought about using different colors....but I want to stick with my cowboy theme....and the bulletin board on that wall uses cow hide print and red. SO, I went with red.<br />
I put up 24 pieces of red construction paper, used brown construction paper to haphazardly cut strips to make "frames". Then I made some badges on my handy dandy computer and put student numbers in them and then printed them, laminated them and put them up!<br />Its a lot of red.....and I'm debating if its TOO much red, but as I sat and stared at the complete project, it kinda grew on me........what do you think???<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOmyglAjPnXuMOXPn01N1Kc7PC1Yct0HcTXmWMnMLEy7LBjtGqUGNBqTqRE-ur0Jdz39Bp8jdVolLRd9ajjNyp4hgbScjj5ysc6XrAi-Xac403u31F8NtjGh7FtQITi_cRfymLzipC4v8/s1600/frame+worthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOmyglAjPnXuMOXPn01N1Kc7PC1Yct0HcTXmWMnMLEy7LBjtGqUGNBqTqRE-ur0Jdz39Bp8jdVolLRd9ajjNyp4hgbScjj5ysc6XrAi-Xac403u31F8NtjGh7FtQITi_cRfymLzipC4v8/s320/frame+worthy.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-88546361857750233862012-07-31T19:11:00.000-07:002012-08-01T06:59:11.893-07:00Brain overload!!!!I know, I know....I was supposed to post more on my student binders.....well, I'm saving that for another day because I am EXCITED about what I learned today.<br />
<br />
Let me explain:<br />
<br />
I get voluntold a lot......you know, "VOLUNTOLD".....as in Boss Lady walks in and says, " I need someone to do this train-the-trainer on technology.....any takers??" and everyone looks at me and she says " Thanks, Kim." even though I never volunteer.....that's voluntold....when you're TOLD you volunteer for something!!! <br />
<br />
Anywho, I get voluntold a lot....and I got voluntold to do this summer train-the-trainer class.....for those of you who's district doesn't have that, we are a BIG district, so they get 1 or 2 representatives for each campus, train us on what they want the entire staff trained on....and then we go back and train our campuses. Can't complain....starts me back in school mode AND they pay me for it, so I guess I'm a lucky duck!!!<br />
<br />
Okay...now to the excited part.....the training today was on technology ( I know....either you love it or you don't...and I'm a geek, I LOVE it)...but that's not what I'm excited about....that's old hat....been using it for years! There is a website/application/program (whatever you want to call it) called <a href="http://www.pd360.com/pd360.cfm#" target="_blank">PD 360</a>. I know a lot of schools use it because it talks about common core a lot and Texas doesn't DO common core....well, we do, we just don't call it that!<br />
<br />
Gosh at the squirrels......<br />
<br />
Anywho....we were on PD360 today and did a PLC (Professional Learning Community) demonstration on how we could use that technology......that part is not important....we got to choose the subject. And I chose (along with about 45% of the group )Brain Research by David Sousa.<br />
If you've never heard of him (okay, his name SOUNDED familiar, but wasn't ringing all the bells)...he's like the brain guru often cited by Marcia Tate and Eric Jensen (SURELY you've heard of them). <br />
<br />
Well, THIS is what I learned <strike>(or got reminded of the fact that I was supposed to already know this, I mean, I'm a teacher for crying out loud!)</strike> :<br />
* Your brain makes melatonin which is the chemical that makes you sleep (or not if you lack it). The ONLY thing that gets rid of melatonin is .........<br />
LIGHT. Yep, light.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Not Diet Coke</span>. <strong><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Not chocolate</span></em></strong>. (Although that secret is safe with me because I swear the combination of chocolate and Diet Coke are melatonin dissolvers!) <br />
<br />
I HATE the flourescent overhead lights of school. Its not appealing. It does something to my body chemistry. It puts me in a foul mood....so often I will open all the shades and turn off the overhead lights. According to this, <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">I'm</span></em></strong> not a boring teacher putting my kiddos to sleep....its the stinkin' melatonin!!! SO.....I'm gonna have to go lamp shopping....because I still can't deal with overhead lights!!!<br />
<br />
*You should never teach two simliar concepts the same day (or sometimes even the same week depending on how complex it is). The example he used was .....latitude and longitude. Yeppers.<br />
Tons of generations damaged by <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>yours truly</strong></span>. They will now grow up with their little dendrites not having solidified the mastery of latitude and longitude...thanks to <strong>me</strong>! Who knew!?! <br />
According to Sousa, you should wait until you feel that they have mastery (or at least a true understanding) of the first concept before you introduce a similiar concept and you should NOT draw on their knowledge of the first concept to teach the 2nd one.....save that for the culminating activity because.....<br />
<br />
*Your brain saves things based on their similiarities....and retrieves it by differences. Yep. That's why great culminating activities are Venn Diagrams.....to show both similiarities and differences!!! <br />
<br />
* Your brain can only hold so much info at once.....and according to the theory of Primacy-Recency, you will remember the first and the last thing (or your kiddos will) of the thing being taught.<br />
The longer the lesson length, the greater the downtime (where your brain goes all fuzzy and you start thinking of what you're going to do this weekend, and what you need to pick up from Wal Mart, and what color you should pick the next time you go for a mani-pedi) Kids ( and probably adults too) learn best (and most) when lessons are kept to 20 minutes. <br />
During a 20 minute lesson, there is only about 2-3 minutes of downtime. <br />
During a 80 minute lesson, there is 30 minutes of downtime. That's a lot of color picking and Wal Mart list making!!! <br />
So, in short, you get more bang for your buck by chunking your lessons into mini-lessons. Keeping them short...and making them ACTIVE. <br />
Also, you get more bang for your buck when you incorporate music and art.<br />
<br />
SEE??<br />
The learning gods have smiled on me and blessed my idea of incorporating the Daily 5, brain breaks, mini-lessons, math workshops AND my craftivity!!!! OH happy day!<br />
<br />
okay.....I know......these people (Jensen, Tate, Sousa, the Two Sisters) had this stuff figured out way before me.....but I'm excited in implementing it and seeing things click with my kids faster..even though I may slow down the pace a bit because I'm going for quality of things I get to stick rather than quantity of things I throw at them and half of them are lost!!! <br />
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Off to eat my fruit, drink my water, and have a brain break myself!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-34257397274746503762012-07-31T14:28:00.000-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.125-07:00Student Binders- Intro and Home/School connection sectionIt's the one thing I have to RETHINK every year. <br />
If it's not done right, it drives me BONKERS!!!<br />
And I've YET to find a perfect system......<br />
I'm talking about ways to help students organize their work.<br />
<br />
I've tried different things.<br />
I've tried hanging files...and letting the kids file their own work.....NOT a great idea.There are not a lot of 2nd graders that have promising secretarial skills....I know..I've tried to use them!<br />
I've tried regular folders with brads....2nd graders aren't the best at working the brads...plus they tend to break after a while and upside down/backwards paper drives me INSANE!<br />
I've tried pocketed folders.....turns into a hot mess with my little messy marvins.<br />
<br />
This year, I elected to put poly binders (the floppy kind) on the supply list instead of the traditional braded folders.<br />
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3rd grade used them last year and LOVED them.<br />
I'm hoping to have the same result.<br />
This is going to be their ONE and only folder...( I hope)!!!<br />
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I've been reading about different 'binders' teachers use for their students......and settled on this--my version of the STAR binder. (Students Taking Academic Responsibility). I've seen several people use this (or some form of this but maybe a different acronym)<br />
<br />
I'm having different sections in their binders to take the place of different folders:<br />
*Home/School Connection<br />
*Language Arts<br />
*Math<br />
*Integrated<br />
*Homework<br />
<br />
Each section is separated by a different colored cover page (for lack of a better word) that is tabbed so they can find it easily.<br />
The first section, Home/School connection is going to contain the STAR binder contract:<br />
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This serves two purposes: first, it holds the kids accountable for their binder and puts some 'ownership' of it by having them sign a contract AND<br />
second, it lets the parents know my expectation so when they email or call me with an excuse of how little Phillip Johnny Bob forgot his STAR binder today, but it wasn't really his fault because mom forgot to put it in his backpack for him, I can refer to this little gem and tell them how it is so sad that little PJB isn't living up to his end of the agreement of responsibility for his STAR binder......maybe in subtler terms...but you get the gist!!!<br />
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The next thing in the STAR binder will be the divider page for the Home/School Connection, which looks like this:<br />
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I ran these on bright colored cardstock (this one is bright yellow) so we could distinguish them easily. We bought tabs to put on them and will label the tabs with printable labels. </div>
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Next, we put in the Communication log. This has two parts. Let me explain: Last year we had ready made (bought) planners with a section for the students to write in daily, and (if need be) for the teacher to write, the parent to inital and even a spot for the students to write their spelling words in.<br />
This year, out of responsibility to spending our budgets wisely, we elected in K-2 to NOT purchase the planners (they were quite costly) and find other means to communicate. (Kinder never used them, some firsties did, and second was using them but I had this in mind!) <br />
I still want a way to communicate with parents if I need to AND do want the parents to check their binder daily....so my dilemma was do I make something like the planner...and expect the kids to write every day, or not?<br />
THEN , my bff (who is also 1st grade team leader at my school.....SHOUT OUT JJ!!!) told me that the PTA committee had talked of finding some way to inform the parents frequently (weekly, bi-weekly or every six weeks....its still in the works) what the kids were studying so when asked the age-old question "What did you do at school today?" the response won't be " NOTHING". <br />
THAT got me to thinking....what if we had the kids write in the communication piece a little objective or area of study we are doing....then we would have " TABLE TALK" subjects the parents can bring up with the kiddos (i.e " So, I saw in your STAR binder this week you were learning about freshwater and saltwater fish.....what did you learn about them?") For those involved parents it gives them specifics to ask about and feel like they are connected with their school life!<br />
SO, this communication log has a double sided page per week. One side for the students to write on (their learning goals/areas of focus/ what we're doing that interests them) and the other side for the parents and/or teachers to write.<br />
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The next thing I include in this section will be some ready-made excuses for :<br />
*PE/Recess - if they miss one, they WILL miss the other..and more than 3 days requires a doctor's note.<br />
*Change in Transportation- we go through this EVERY year...if they change the way they go home, it is school policy they MUST let us know....and EVERY year I have parents "just tell the kid" to change the way they go home, then we have the " Oh, you WILL get on the bus" conversation because your mom didn't tell me you were going home with so-and-so.....<br />
*Absence excuses- these are for the 'missed a day' absences, not " went to the doctor/dentist" occasions. <br />
I will include several of these in their STAR binder so they only need to fill it out and send it in....and there is my documentation for any of those occasions!!<br />
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This is the Home/School connection part of our student binders. Tomorrow we'll talk about the other sections in our STAR binders<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-62206083087283732852012-07-24T08:59:00.001-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.133-07:00Student Recognition2nd graders LOVE attention! Most of them, anyway! <br />
I've found over the years that if I can give them recognition on a routine basis, the better they respond!<br />
A couple of years ago, I started recognizing a student a week as our " Star Student".<br />
The kids ate it up!<br />
Last year I read what several teachers did with their "Star Students" and I went a little on the overboard side. The kids loved it...the parents loved it....it got a little wearing on me!<br />
SO, this year I am trying to find a happy medium.<br />
I've already told you about these cutesy little Stars I'm going to use instead of the good ol' standby<br />
Student of the Week poster I used last year.<br />
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We like to have a grade level ceremony every Friday afternoon where each teacher "Recognizes" a "Star of the week". </div>
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There is clapping.</div>
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There is fanfare.</div>
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There is cheering!</div>
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It's a lot of fun! </div>
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They will be given one of those stars and this paper which will explain to the parents what fanfare will take place during the week. (I've adjusted it a bit to 'tone it down' from last year and hopefully take some of it off of me!)</div>
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There are also other student recognitions I am doing:</div>
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*Knocked my socks off- I mentioned before I got this idea from Denise at Sunny Days in Second Grade- she has cutesy little tags to attach to dollar store socks...I made my own. I'm going to give one a week to a student (Who is NOT my star that week) that has done a really good job of improving or just did something fantastic.</div>
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*Desk Fairy- I'm a neat fanatic....well, okay, don't look at my teacher desk and think that, but the kids desks being a hot mess just drives me UP the wall!! So, I <strike>tip over their desks when they're messy so they have to clean them up </strike> encourage them at every opportunity to keep their desk clean and organized. The Desk Fairy is a trick a LOT of teachers use to do this....and I love it! I found this little poem at Mrs McCumbee's blog ....and although she calls hers "The Queen of Clean" , I'm sticking with the Desk Fairy. </div>
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I'm not yet sure what 'treat' I am going to attach to it...I have several students with SEVERE food allergies, so I am hesitant to do something food-related. It may end up being a "Pick a piece of Recess Equipment" tag or "Free Computer Time" tag....will figure that out in the next few weeks.</div>
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At the end of the year last year, I bought some cute awards from Erin Stephan on TPT. I ran each one off on different colored cardstock and we had a little 'ceremony' to give them out. My students absolutely LOVED it. They would try to guess WHO got each award before I called out the name....and it was funny to me how they categorized each other ("He's a great artist", "She is always smiling", etc). So, this year, I think I am going to do this every 6 weeks. <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-Awards-for-End-of-the-Year" target="_blank">Here</a> is the link if you are interested in the awards.</div>
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I think this is plenty for me as far as student recognition goes, but I am always opened to new ideas. So, how do YOU recognize your students?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-49150874284019607662012-07-18T12:22:00.001-07:002012-08-15T15:59:58.823-07:00Dead AirWe've all had it happen.<br />
The lesson that SHOULD have taken you 30 minutes to teach only took 20. You have 10 minutes to kill before you line your little darlings up to march them to specials (and then there is a Diet Coke calling your name from the teachers lounge!)<br />
But you can't let them sit there and twiddle their thumbs for 10 minutes....you can't let them ' talk amongst themselves' because then in 3 seconds it will sound like a riot is being held in your room.<br />
SO, what do you do?? You have to fill, what is known in the radio world as "Dead Air", and although we as teachers don't get fined for it like radio stations do, the consequences can be just as painful if we don't come up with something creative to fill it.<br />
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I don't know about you, but when I was in school "Dead Air" was filled with impromptu games of " 7 Up" and "Hangman". While these were 'fun' they were not necessarily educational, and with the pressures to <strike>cram every bit of information possible into their brains</strike>, help students succeed, I like to fill every minute with something USEFUL.<br />
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I found these VERY useful! They are from Jodi at <a href="http://fun-in-first.blogspot.com/2012/03/5-minute-time-fillers.html" target="_blank">Fun in First</a>. (A freebie from her!!) and my class LOVED them last year!<br />
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Here are some other suggestions I've tried:</div>
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* A spelling game on the whiteboard (not as smart as your board) from <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/" target="_blank">Spelling City.com </a></div>
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* Read an interactive book from <a href="http://www.tumblebooks.com/" target="_blank">Tumblebooks</a>- </div>
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*Try a riddle from <a href="http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/sub-fillers.htm" target="_blank">this website</a> (time fillers for subs)- <br />
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*Online Mad Libs from <a href="http://www.eduplace.com/tales/" target="_blank">Wacky Web Tales</a>- this was a FAVORITE of my class last year and a wonderful parts of speech review!!! <br />
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* An activity from <a href="http://www.brainpopjr.com/" target="_blank">BrainPop Jr</a>. - another big favorite of my class last year!<br />
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I'm sure I'll put all of these to good use this year as well! (And probably add to them!) So, what kinds of things do YOU do to fill in dead air time???<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-13595332237002651812012-07-17T06:53:00.003-07:002012-08-15T15:58:22.472-07:00Word WorkSorry I've been out of the picture for a while! Things have been CUH-RAY-ZEE lately! My son is getting ready to ship out to Camp Pendleton, California in 3 weeks (sniff, sniff).SO, mom is making sure she gets all the time she can with her future jarhead before he leaves! PLUS he is turning 18 this week! (WHERE did the time go?) <br />
On top of that a NASTY stomach bug has been going around the house lately. I haven't gotten it full-blown, but I had enough of it to appreciate NOT getting it!<br />
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In the meantime, I made 'cards' for my first Unit's spelling words for the Word Work center of my Daily 5. Feel free to grab them up if you are doing McGraw Hill Texas Treasures. <br />
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I think the one thing I am going to do differently is this year, I am going to make the words cumulative each week. Meaning, I am not going to take last week's spelling pattern out of that center when new words are introduced because I want them to continue to work with them and KNOW them rather than just memorize them for a weekly spelling test.<br />
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I will use a variety of materials in my Word Work center:<br />
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Including....using letter tiles</div>
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marbles, rocks, and beans.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiGcdDmw4IcWAxoDrGCcPOMZvRWUXNxJlQumW65DA6j_k-D9jfHBtV2KZ7YCue2fD6IopLaNB7Gq3YFS3Rp_ZztunmL6GVwOvtGzhsqEF4yK3J648CTumOTMhbpp0P0oFPANHao24WhaE/s1600/rainbow+spelling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiGcdDmw4IcWAxoDrGCcPOMZvRWUXNxJlQumW65DA6j_k-D9jfHBtV2KZ7YCue2fD6IopLaNB7Gq3YFS3Rp_ZztunmL6GVwOvtGzhsqEF4yK3J648CTumOTMhbpp0P0oFPANHao24WhaE/s1600/rainbow+spelling.jpg" /></a></div>
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Rainbow spelling with markers (including SMELLY markers)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3p93zvedXfMcWjgMu5cNA5bQQk_LD7JdRGSVn6YxED2c5PO7CbQeh4WQ9q6qn_eAaftSl88wcna0EwmkZZN0Os52TKjfw0lIoD2tsld3UJO5yU0mRVFrCvNMuqauP_T0Rc7R1wVeZptg/s1600/stick+spelling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3p93zvedXfMcWjgMu5cNA5bQQk_LD7JdRGSVn6YxED2c5PO7CbQeh4WQ9q6qn_eAaftSl88wcna0EwmkZZN0Os52TKjfw0lIoD2tsld3UJO5yU0mRVFrCvNMuqauP_T0Rc7R1wVeZptg/s1600/stick+spelling.jpg" /></a></div>
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Using craft sticks, pipe cleaners and any other materials I can get my hands on for word work manipulatives!</div>
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I'm also <strike>hoarding </strike>gathering up more materials to stick in my Word Work center. </div>
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What kinds of things do you use for Word Work??</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-69182753866858204542012-07-11T20:23:00.002-07:002012-08-15T15:58:22.473-07:00Word WallsThis is a subject that I have spent WAAAAAY too much time thinking about. I've tried different things. I've tried different locations......I have even tried NOT having one (that lasted a week).<br />
It has uses (if you SHOW the kids how to use it.....and hold them to it!)<br />
I'm talking about word walls.<br />
I have a bulletin board I COULD use for it.<br />
That is, if I didn't mind climbing over 7 computers to post words on it.<br />
( I do, by the way, mind that!)<br />
My acrobatic skills are not what they used to be.....and principals tend to go into spasms when they walk in my room and I am perched and climbing like a howler monkey! <br />
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THEN, <br />
I saw THIS.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UjLUv9__velfGMQqQUScciNw2WJd3UBStFgM9K-ZwJyi__fAKAMhnk1SOQdJQEqvaIWaT45EoF36Z1xl2fEIbYh5AYVyBXmBJ8N0DGhQskOYHHPg10EzCjobawCr-2KL7lqjUKURONWF/s1600/thematic+word+walls" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UjLUv9__velfGMQqQUScciNw2WJd3UBStFgM9K-ZwJyi__fAKAMhnk1SOQdJQEqvaIWaT45EoF36Z1xl2fEIbYh5AYVyBXmBJ8N0DGhQskOYHHPg10EzCjobawCr-2KL7lqjUKURONWF/s320/thematic+word+walls" width="320" /></a></div>
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On pinterest, which took me to a blog called <a href="http://kindergartensmiles.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-words.html" target="_blank">Kindergarten Smiles</a>.</div>
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I liked the way she categorized the words. I could do that! I liked the way the folders were accessible to students when they needed them, but not taking up precious wall space. I could do that too!</div>
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I am considering making a 2nd grade version of this. I am also debating making a word wall to use with my interactive "not as smart as yours" board. </div>
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See? </div>
I told you I was spending WAY too much time on this!<br />
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So, how do you use word walls in your classroom??? How often do you change them? Add to them? </div>
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How do you categorize them?!?</div>
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This thinking is giving me a headache. I think I am gonna go grab a Diet Coke and a few Oreos (the diet coke will cancel out the oreo calories, right!?!) and take a brain break!!! </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-4564564730288896492012-07-10T09:58:00.002-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.128-07:00If I Get Hit By A Bus....One of my former principals used to love to say, " If I get hit by a bus, the person replacing me should be able to come in and pick up where I left off." One of THE hardest jobs on the planet is a substitute teacher. I know. I've done it. <br />
You come in to someone else's routines and rules.<br />
You come in to a sometimes not-so-willing audience.<br />
You are often time given busy work to dole out and its not the most engaging work in the world!<br />
This is the time everything will go wrong.....fire drill, kid throwing up, quiet kid turns into class clown, new student enrolls....you name it...Murphy's law is in full effect when you are the sub!<br />
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My hat goes off to them! I have been BLESSED with some REALLY good subs! I've also had a few who left me scratching my head wondering why they bothered to show up!!! <br />
I TRY not to be absent...but, hey, life happens!<br />And when it does, I want to be prepared.....and make it as easy for the person filling my shoes as I can!<br />
So, I have a sub binder. It is the go-to resource for any sub I have. Now, I will say that my sub plans are usually VERY detailed...but the more information you can leave them on your students and routines, the easier it will be. This is the sub binder from last year....there will naturally be some changes, but this will give you an idea of what I put in it! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxA2cA8wfkKWamx8VUl-mrbc3AR_yn1l6JKoLL1Ae3OpfG02-v9gItqwBK2PxBlL9ReDpW9J-JBgADmgvbEL_fKs453iM3J-H61jA_lHoLEGQrfYiBoc5IcUKfum2NYeLdKpMFtcPmfcT/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxA2cA8wfkKWamx8VUl-mrbc3AR_yn1l6JKoLL1Ae3OpfG02-v9gItqwBK2PxBlL9ReDpW9J-JBgADmgvbEL_fKs453iM3J-H61jA_lHoLEGQrfYiBoc5IcUKfum2NYeLdKpMFtcPmfcT/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhUCv2hstBsjgabIx-gQAL-hBepSKHKCI-PkZfxOWS3jnE8Tq6v7gUyHRLyzL898uB5OIyTiu5oVNPgEGqgHwzZv4ChdONmInA_SqF2jyJX9Er1oUXdVKNveVzoD_Zz9bgT7F6iwpuv0v/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhUCv2hstBsjgabIx-gQAL-hBepSKHKCI-PkZfxOWS3jnE8Tq6v7gUyHRLyzL898uB5OIyTiu5oVNPgEGqgHwzZv4ChdONmInA_SqF2jyJX9Er1oUXdVKNveVzoD_Zz9bgT7F6iwpuv0v/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngm0Br9vWYxfJnCKrqtpW0W4TcQE6OD2AVtsyM-SoKCauOCzvUDyPDc0BLYyhYVq7WyRqOH_fpSkPlL5Fo2tv6pyAY1afChn5EMtFQNWlZfD8H4-8ezUuaoKwoo6xsIhQYiWa8fvePHY0/s1600/Slide3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngm0Br9vWYxfJnCKrqtpW0W4TcQE6OD2AVtsyM-SoKCauOCzvUDyPDc0BLYyhYVq7WyRqOH_fpSkPlL5Fo2tv6pyAY1afChn5EMtFQNWlZfD8H4-8ezUuaoKwoo6xsIhQYiWa8fvePHY0/s320/Slide3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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How do you prepare for subs?<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-56865677136592215492012-07-09T03:07:00.000-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.132-07:00Teacher Binder- Part 2This is part 2 of what's in my Teacher Binder.<br />
I put more thought into this tool than anything else (besides lesson plans) I use because it is SO important. One of the main things I try to teach ALL my kiddos is the importance (and effectiveness) of being organized. Of course, it's not a "Do as I say, not as I do" thing....I try to show them also and this binder is my main source of organization!! <br />
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So, let's pick up where we left off:<br />
<u><strong>4. Lesson Plans</strong></u>- Our district has a curriculum department that has planned each aspect of our curriculum to make sure:<br />
* Everyone is on the same page<br />
* All the TEKS are met<br />
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Their planner is a 'guideline' and we are free to supplement with anything that meets our kids needs AND is curriculum appropriate.<br />
SO, I DO supplement....big time!<br />
But, our team meets once (sometimes more than once) a week to go over the lesson plans, and throw out ideas of what we are going to do. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my team! These ladies are opened to trying to new things and have some of the BEST ideas!! <br />
Anyway, our lesson plans are kept online (for the boss lady to look at when she needs/ wants to/ needs some reading material for her spare time) but I always print a copy off and keep in my teacher binder incase of memory loss, computer crash, substitute or whathave you!<br />
Here is a sample of our template this year (going with our grade level theme)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QmsyRse6CUKStaWLN92cZsFNxnE-ApwbIWWFOeRSnE_7hRySn2KyNEuj11XP8MqZKS3lOKii28XT0yXzh4hPMxs8mAAYlN8zjfoG3c8I2eMxH4qwX21HWbEn_hO5dzFDMQE4Wa_MFylL/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QmsyRse6CUKStaWLN92cZsFNxnE-ApwbIWWFOeRSnE_7hRySn2KyNEuj11XP8MqZKS3lOKii28XT0yXzh4hPMxs8mAAYlN8zjfoG3c8I2eMxH4qwX21HWbEn_hO5dzFDMQE4Wa_MFylL/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNzXN2GwRJuQpR12ohvUwbdd3hLwy5NdYk8X8KcZa_akj6dlL-fcYbRUXKLN7hqFhZab0bcnBPwsCRk17I3N584avGhl-E0DWWs7uzYotPHB-qDPx7SWHtjNy9sWCDKrgQZSmMMBdOS5q/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNzXN2GwRJuQpR12ohvUwbdd3hLwy5NdYk8X8KcZa_akj6dlL-fcYbRUXKLN7hqFhZab0bcnBPwsCRk17I3N584avGhl-E0DWWs7uzYotPHB-qDPx7SWHtjNy9sWCDKrgQZSmMMBdOS5q/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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5. <strong><u>IEP goals and Accommodations</u></strong>- Each year, I have more and more students that are classified as SpEd. My oldest son has Down Syndrome and graduated High School in June along with my youngest son.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsoe4TM1x3DhyphenhyphenVBTEdZ58__W0b-LAfNl-UvYq_6jSutABfm_WzctA0FLjEsYwIMKdoNg1ZGBSafVQwgOeZwaGZD3w9Wl5JBkGmpHMTLfdkhfoZMyU0Fb4c-ZcoUs_x2pBn1zTaJs-bSC8/s1600/Cody+and+Jesse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsoe4TM1x3DhyphenhyphenVBTEdZ58__W0b-LAfNl-UvYq_6jSutABfm_WzctA0FLjEsYwIMKdoNg1ZGBSafVQwgOeZwaGZD3w9Wl5JBkGmpHMTLfdkhfoZMyU0Fb4c-ZcoUs_x2pBn1zTaJs-bSC8/s320/Cody+and+Jesse.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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The one thing that lead to him being successful in school, the one thing that made a HUGE difference in how he felt about school and him feeling accepted is all the WONDERFUL teachers he had that, when mainstreamed, made him feel like "just one of the other kiddos". They followed all of his accomodations, but did so without any big deal!! Cody loved school and I am SO grateful to all of the teachers he had!! I want to make sure that I give my best to all my students, but also that if I have a student with accomodations that I follow them to the letter to give them the absolute BEST opportunity to succeed. But if you are like me, it is sometimes a juggling act to figure out who gets what and am I following ALL of them??? </div>
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By law, we are given a full copy of each SpEd students' IEP. I three hole punch them and keep them in a section of this binder for quick reference. But I needed something to tell me WHAT I am supposed to be doing for my kiddos at a glance without me having to shuffle through a gazillion pages of each IEP. </div>
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So I use a seating chart that I color code with the most common accomodations...and a small writing space for anything 'special'. (I make sure a copy of this is in the sub binder because of a fiasco I had with a SpEd student and a sub years ago---I'll save that for another post). Here is an example of my seating chart and what it looks like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kXijgmyRKfN5WiiGJSpIHPVtqeCjOnNVgQkYtHHKGRy0yWRvXll4BaYlYvkQed7NDwVEJbz5TL_E3aYWmnaaWEQ6vpK7f_Pc9f1rU__wrg9mjR5OiZ7ULMtrIhoVerWpBhwUpFYBSV5b/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kXijgmyRKfN5WiiGJSpIHPVtqeCjOnNVgQkYtHHKGRy0yWRvXll4BaYlYvkQed7NDwVEJbz5TL_E3aYWmnaaWEQ6vpK7f_Pc9f1rU__wrg9mjR5OiZ7ULMtrIhoVerWpBhwUpFYBSV5b/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDibDpqLhiTv5DRs2pUq3vOElT0qtWepZemaQBKwnK19NRSLlysKwIiEEY52WLv7uJoiwOXDp2lbT5Tqp98h0kjM-58ziIVE8rpIFC6uf89kz5qAnWezUTE48PwHqqlaF2C6V4q5T3xrO/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDibDpqLhiTv5DRs2pUq3vOElT0qtWepZemaQBKwnK19NRSLlysKwIiEEY52WLv7uJoiwOXDp2lbT5Tqp98h0kjM-58ziIVE8rpIFC6uf89kz5qAnWezUTE48PwHqqlaF2C6V4q5T3xrO/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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6. <strong><u>Daily 5 Section</u></strong>- This is the section I keep all my 'stuff' for the daily 5. The first thing I keep in this section is my Check-in Calendar. This way I know who I need to conference with and when! This is my September calendar:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu5-wunsYZ_Dwzq0IhNAO4_O-YhfK-MdWY0D7F5C9ce9woa4aFUBoAicDhWPDedF-qJvX5tCSrJ8WGTdwkcJNfdVO4ykRPm78K-JtjjIpzuM1uyia0NhVJOgsRKhj1J4gkrj3hCDnDWKr/s1600/Check+in+calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu5-wunsYZ_Dwzq0IhNAO4_O-YhfK-MdWY0D7F5C9ce9woa4aFUBoAicDhWPDedF-qJvX5tCSrJ8WGTdwkcJNfdVO4ykRPm78K-JtjjIpzuM1uyia0NhVJOgsRKhj1J4gkrj3hCDnDWKr/s320/Check+in+calendar.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The next subsection of this is the Conference sheets- <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeo2bt80EwrZc4TzRdd6Wb2pQcpmyRgQdTB5lTGpuHoXjLbXKVvhVpS_iHJp8_LAPCjeDH6Q4MNVjSjQUBgyU4He71QtqjkStN4jC9NA7_lXUb2is2whxHYnYzU92TeAgA8zyOTqQSkB7/s1600/Conferencing+sheet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeo2bt80EwrZc4TzRdd6Wb2pQcpmyRgQdTB5lTGpuHoXjLbXKVvhVpS_iHJp8_LAPCjeDH6Q4MNVjSjQUBgyU4He71QtqjkStN4jC9NA7_lXUb2is2whxHYnYzU92TeAgA8zyOTqQSkB7/s320/Conferencing+sheet.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
And then the Strategy Group Sheets-<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmzgAlfc7wwy9ykSlzEiLlAtik8ZEDiqV6jT7b0rh-8pS6zNPNLwKsP2iMqjq65fo-1Xh5Ye0WUNkt1XiViU7ijdlq4BWppCcTUB8iDBtKkx3nmgr8QSAdL845nqRf2ejDwyLeeBXPQjS/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmzgAlfc7wwy9ykSlzEiLlAtik8ZEDiqV6jT7b0rh-8pS6zNPNLwKsP2iMqjq65fo-1Xh5Ye0WUNkt1XiViU7ijdlq4BWppCcTUB8iDBtKkx3nmgr8QSAdL845nqRf2ejDwyLeeBXPQjS/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Anything else Daily 5 related will also go in this part of my binder. <br />
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7. <strong><u>Calendar</u></strong>- Our office manager puts out a monthly calendar wth all important school related functions filled in (field trips, assemblies, etc). I keep a copy of it in my teacher binder so if I have a meeting/conference with a parent, I can schedule around all the other 'stuff' I sometimes forget about until I look at my calendar!!</div>
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8. <strong><u>Committee/ Team notes</u></strong>- This last section is reserved for any team planning notes I have or notes from our Leadership Team meetings. We have several committes and 'teams' we are on and I find it more convenient to keep everything in one place!</div>
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Well, that is a look at my binder! How do you keep your things organized??</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-4861299612026462502012-07-07T22:33:00.000-07:002012-08-15T15:46:22.130-07:00New Blog Design and Teacher Binder- Part 1<em><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">Did you notice?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">I decided to change up my blog template AND I created a blog button! Yay me! We won't talk about how long it took me....but it's a fresh change and I am LOVING it! Thanks to the FREE, (my favorite price) templates at <a href="http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/" target="_blank">The Cutest Blog on the Block</a>, I customized it my little ol' self! </span></em><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;"><em>Okay...enough about that....here's my original post</em>:</span><br />
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It's my right hand man.<br />
It's my go-to-guy.<br />
It's my brain most of the time!!!<br />
I'm talking about my Teacher Binder.<br />
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I am a binder person.<br />
I know....some of you prefer files or something else....I've tried other methods, and ALWAYS ,,ALWAYS, ALWAYS go back to my binder system!!! <br />
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It's my quick reference for....<br />
*Emergency Numbers<br />
*Parent Contact<br />
*Testing data<br />
*IEP goals<br />
*Lesson plans<br />
*Calendars<br />
*Anything else I can think of!!!<br />
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This is such an important tool, I am going to be posting info on this in several parts! TODAY is the first part.<br />
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I purchase a BIG binder (I bought <strike>purple</strike> eggplant for my whole team),<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiolXBn6nhefssEo94FgwkoCeMtrCAY1OM5O_7u6Tjx46Ug0fFW5cxkFBblBBSE5jQvoj0Cmj0jGGhmCAHjw22U3vveh21ABo_0s1GFYFz63hT4o9z2ZQ0RITfjboMEeEOgFo1MtpUHvyG/s1600/purple+binder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiolXBn6nhefssEo94FgwkoCeMtrCAY1OM5O_7u6Tjx46Ug0fFW5cxkFBblBBSE5jQvoj0Cmj0jGGhmCAHjw22U3vveh21ABo_0s1GFYFz63hT4o9z2ZQ0RITfjboMEeEOgFo1MtpUHvyG/s1600/purple+binder.jpg" /></a></div>
tabs,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1bSbGm-gFU_Xy3iEzFRt0CTv4rD5kcU7GEPrSNIEiqoG6WQ6mHeL9Q50lblNSpf6LvQpaP9dMKAdn02S8lvNeLKyu-W4LKa8J3EF1Da7XwSsqrRfrMBC2tr04VCotlhYgMBu0SerZzTB/s1600/wipe+off+divider+tabs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1bSbGm-gFU_Xy3iEzFRt0CTv4rD5kcU7GEPrSNIEiqoG6WQ6mHeL9Q50lblNSpf6LvQpaP9dMKAdn02S8lvNeLKyu-W4LKa8J3EF1Da7XwSsqrRfrMBC2tr04VCotlhYgMBu0SerZzTB/s1600/wipe+off+divider+tabs.jpg" /></a></div>
(Love these because you can write on them with sharpie!)<br />
and sheet protectors and pockets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-0atD5iR6jDuL9IE9TCIcya6Ytlou7TLU0KEpebc6UER5Fum9LXcqjr7ocpjbC1RzvlnqI9n2sdeD663Vxtq_mJD1MSHXAOzgPLuo6Lu0Q8vLSuTZpRlvVc2B1rN389Y6VBudRHLOmsE/s1600/sheet+protectors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-0atD5iR6jDuL9IE9TCIcya6Ytlou7TLU0KEpebc6UER5Fum9LXcqjr7ocpjbC1RzvlnqI9n2sdeD663Vxtq_mJD1MSHXAOzgPLuo6Lu0Q8vLSuTZpRlvVc2B1rN389Y6VBudRHLOmsE/s1600/sheet+protectors.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyztNfzpSOBcRldRy3vND77pjofA5ITfS3KsTiLbi7e1nj1AQA6dc-hcW8q9yq4pteYD_aW71PAMWDN0vnqDrDKN7l62Dz_h9Zo1HzJtjKFU1oJbWRs_i-90PFP1Qq5BJnF_kD56dzay97/s1600/pockets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyztNfzpSOBcRldRy3vND77pjofA5ITfS3KsTiLbi7e1nj1AQA6dc-hcW8q9yq4pteYD_aW71PAMWDN0vnqDrDKN7l62Dz_h9Zo1HzJtjKFU1oJbWRs_i-90PFP1Qq5BJnF_kD56dzay97/s1600/pockets.jpg" /></a></div>
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I start out by deciding what sections I want. Here is what I am doing this year:<br />
1. <strong><u>Emergency contacts</u></strong>- this is where I keep the sheet I have the parents fill out on Parent Orientation Night. It tells me everything I need to know in a pinch. Here is the paper:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fj2-3VqESCGq8eodJzMHMoNwoE3ePLxHQfpzc7D5yEhkjYB9RhVpa0yN1nLReY5qWuTqJTtE4c9tXck3SIx__L_Mr5HO5QXMJ5c1__CdYFkMUXnrk6levbbgYPhMnMfVOTXM2iS3gmnA/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fj2-3VqESCGq8eodJzMHMoNwoE3ePLxHQfpzc7D5yEhkjYB9RhVpa0yN1nLReY5qWuTqJTtE4c9tXck3SIx__L_Mr5HO5QXMJ5c1__CdYFkMUXnrk6levbbgYPhMnMfVOTXM2iS3gmnA/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6LH_Qf4Cy-_6hudV-a-NEufz6pcjabQAf7rRe-c1G5Uh9x9xUz-SXp7zprhahl736euoJEsrdYzidMscnFYJHurnIcdSk59Y4AtOQmWNPAbtSjArvDx09fxOY4-qn0HeVQr01R_AyzVu/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6LH_Qf4Cy-_6hudV-a-NEufz6pcjabQAf7rRe-c1G5Uh9x9xUz-SXp7zprhahl736euoJEsrdYzidMscnFYJHurnIcdSk59Y4AtOQmWNPAbtSjArvDx09fxOY4-qn0HeVQr01R_AyzVu/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I got the idea for this last year, when I <strike>was blog stalking </strike>happened upon Mrs. Carroll at <a href="http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The First Grade Parade</a>...and she had her info sheet listed as a freebie!! I took some of the questions from hers and tweaked them to fit my needs, added my own fonts and clipart...and this is what I came up with!</div>
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I run these front/back on two different colors (one for boys, one for girls, just because I LOVE color coding) and I print a label with the student's names AND STUDENT NUMBER for the first blank at the top of the paper.This way, once the parents fill them out for me (legibly, I hope!) I can take them up, put them in number order and that section is alphabetized and color coded by boy/girl so I can quickly find what I need on each child!!!</div>
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2.<u><strong>Parent Communication</strong></u>- This is where I am keeping my Parent Communication Log. (My principal stated when she walks in our classroom this is the ONE thing she wants to be able to access rather than lesson plans...because of COURSE we are teaching our district curriculum!) I also bought one of those dividers that serve as a pocket (See above). This is where I will keep all the notes from home! </div>
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(Incase you missed it, my Parent Communication Log is two posts ago!) </div>
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3. <strong><u>Awards and Checklists</u></strong>- We give several awards in our school, grade level and in my classroom.I've already talked about the Postive Referrals. (I keep a sheet protector in this section with extra postive referral forms) In our grade level, each week, teachers choose a "Star of the Week". (I'll post more on this in the future)We have a grade level meeting and make a big deal about it.....they <strike>get</strike> got a poster(that is SOOOO last year) to take home on Friday and bring back Monday.THIS year....they will get these little gems to take home...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLMRHT2EWBqAWRj1DUBXcgWjR9fcxt4lj7gJM1dj2Lp6CYTj0b02QGjVeTe0InOkyIUmFpJcwMjhk9tosCUCXAZcMO2t1vQcDM3dbIJdWGz4K9Q6xxI3wB5ligcMKB8tJKU0j7NDSqL1g/s1600/Star+of+the+week+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLMRHT2EWBqAWRj1DUBXcgWjR9fcxt4lj7gJM1dj2Lp6CYTj0b02QGjVeTe0InOkyIUmFpJcwMjhk9tosCUCXAZcMO2t1vQcDM3dbIJdWGz4K9Q6xxI3wB5ligcMKB8tJKU0j7NDSqL1g/s1600/Star+of+the+week+cards.jpg" /></a>CUTE!!! I found them at Really Good Stuff.</div>
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They are about 8 bucks for 24....and SO worth it because if I DO go with my Red White and Blue theme, they will fit in perfectly!! CLick <a href="http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/product/all+about+me+star+cards.do#" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the link to the product page. </div>
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We post them in the hall and they have special 'events' they get to have each day that week. This year, I am contemplating going with a Red, White and Blue theme in our hallway..(THIS is the picture from <a href="http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/search/label/patriotic" target="_blank">Clutter Free Classroom</a> that inspired me)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy2idtGyDiaHEJMfi68-tEe-Fh89qF_1Ev4VvXzIaK43IXZsp210gICNcnR8Vc9WYtTwylu0uUj5ZEOYo7LUutsFlwsYnzXF8SPBgePMumqlSvXsQE0O6IgQ4Po6ciFkceKueRB2a52pU/s1600/patriotic+classroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy2idtGyDiaHEJMfi68-tEe-Fh89qF_1Ev4VvXzIaK43IXZsp210gICNcnR8Vc9WYtTwylu0uUj5ZEOYo7LUutsFlwsYnzXF8SPBgePMumqlSvXsQE0O6IgQ4Po6ciFkceKueRB2a52pU/s320/patriotic+classroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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..making our bulletin board a GIANT American flag (like the picture only making the stripes run horizontal rather than vertical) and putting stars all over our walls down the hallway. I've been so consumed with my classroom theme,I haven't given much thought to our hallway/grade level theme (and no, I don't like them to be the same because I would get sick of them very QUICKLY!) and with this year being an election year, Olympics and all, I am thinking the American theme will be cute..but that will all be worked out on another post..after July 23rd when I can get into my building.</div>
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ANYWHO, In my classroom, I also give a clean desk award (weekly) which consists of a certificate and usually a pencil or something.... and a CUTE idea I got from Denise at <a href="http://sunnydaysinsecondgrade.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Sunny Days in Second Grade</a> but, basically you go to the dollar store (love me some dollar store!) and buy cheap kid socks (designed are the preference)....but any will do! Then you print these cutesy little tags (she has some but I made my own to fit my theme) and attach them to the socks and give it out as an award weekly to a student who has done something outstanding! THANK YOU DENISE!!! I love this idea and am SO excited about using it!</div>
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Here are my tags: ( I plan to keep them in a cute boot planter I found at some dollar store--picture to come later)In my class, the day they wear their 'special socks' they can take their shoes off in class...which is a BIG deal in my classroom!!! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITy3TVxzldkqrurEQMCNlKgdIMYrfgDxTUoIGmNlBscDg15vU2kL8rCtQwPBcyCp7aYsW8kmWeXE9_eE0Jnq3HBI_9738Sbm2H9RBzklwlSqsY3_PfeOvdWLTHpc8Z2b2oUnf7AQA7g1L/s1600/Socks+off+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITy3TVxzldkqrurEQMCNlKgdIMYrfgDxTUoIGmNlBscDg15vU2kL8rCtQwPBcyCp7aYsW8kmWeXE9_eE0Jnq3HBI_9738Sbm2H9RBzklwlSqsY3_PfeOvdWLTHpc8Z2b2oUnf7AQA7g1L/s320/Socks+off+award.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, to keep up with who has had what award, in my teacher binder, I keep a checklist. Here is my template. Feel free to grab up! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhid7MIzWLB43dd6iL-sFR5ruX3ZDAgzYF07bwiBlMBTURl73139oFTdu7cSJmMMLjRJkoXTsQLWwJfPL9lijL0rzSyL5bevSeFkmlREpLRolpVeKqEi7cyKV9FqWfW2ucySoFUexonQn9t/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhid7MIzWLB43dd6iL-sFR5ruX3ZDAgzYF07bwiBlMBTURl73139oFTdu7cSJmMMLjRJkoXTsQLWwJfPL9lijL0rzSyL5bevSeFkmlREpLRolpVeKqEi7cyKV9FqWfW2ucySoFUexonQn9t/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I will date when each child has won an award so I don't get into that all-too-easy habit of picking the same ones over and over and forgetting someone!!! </div>
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Well, this post is long enough for now...and I may have overwhelmed everyone...so I will post more of what is in my teacher binder later...because there is a LOT more! </div>
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(If you need pdf or powerpoint form of any of my documents, email me and I will send it to you!)</div>
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Time to go grab some food!</div>
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,<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-52813777491331109342012-07-07T08:08:00.001-07:002012-08-15T15:58:22.473-07:00Daily 5 chapter 3Okay.....I admit it!<br />
I've gotten pretty behind on my Daily 5 book study!<br />
So, today I am catching up with everyone else and putting my two cents in on Chapter 3, "<u>What's the Difference? Key materials, concepts and routines for launching the Daily 5".</u><br />
I TOTALLY plan to implement this system from day ONE!!<br />
The sisters talk about......<br />
* A gathering place- I have ALWAYS had a gathering place in my classroom. At first, I called it 'the carpet' as in " Class, come to the carpet please." and out of habit, I did that after the renovation,to which one of my little darlings pointed out, " Ms. Skipper, the carpet is EVERYWHERE".....so I had to rename it (and even harder, had to RETRAIN myself to call it something different)....so now it's our "Meeting Spot". No matter how many times I rearrange my room, I always make sure that spot is in the same place...accessible to everything I will need .<br />
<br />
*Good fit books- I previously posted my poster (made to fit my theme) and plan on doing the 'shoe lesson' (complete with cowboy boots).... just like the sisters talked about! They are GENIUS for coming up with this concept because I always had those little darlings that walk around with <u>Harry Potter</u> while they can't even decode <u>See Spot Run</u> simply because they want to 'save face' in front of their friends. This lesson lets everyone know that just like shoes, we all have our own needs/preferences/styles of books and its NOT okay to comment negatively on someone else's choice!<br />
<br />
'*Anchor charts- While just a few of these will be pre-made, most of these will be created with students and then (due to lack of wallspace) will be 'shrunk' into a regular page size (and cutesied up) and put in my anchor chart holder (aka a towel holder) which I got the idea off of Pinterest....(sorry, but the pinterest link to the original source doesn't work, but here is the picture)<br />
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*Practice and using the correct/ incorrect models- I can only IMAGINE how many incorrect example givers I will have to choose from!!!<br />
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*Calm signals and check in- I have been on the lookout for cheap chimes.....and found this....<br />
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for $11!!!! That's cheaper than what I found at Wal-Mart and Target.......if you want the link, click<br />
<a href="http://www.adoremusbooks.com/woodenxylophoneschyllingwx.aspx?zmam=46742494&zmas=1&zmac=46&zmap=22357" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
<br />
Happy shopping!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-4032672231176219432012-07-06T10:10:00.002-07:002012-07-06T10:10:29.686-07:00Parent ContactIt's the one thing, that as a teacher, can truly effect your reputation in the community. It can make you be known as "That teacher who never calls" or "That teacher who calls over EVERY little thing".<br />
There is a fine line you walk when handling it....I'm talking about parent communication.<br />
<br />
Thanks to technology, we have several means of communication- phone, email, websites, good ol' fashioned notes, and in person! <br />
We've all had those unplanned, <strike>tried to hide from you but dang you saw me</strike>, spontaneous parent conferences in the cereal aisle of the local grocery store. I've been cornered by parents at church, at football games, at the movies......<br />
<br />
But how do you maintain a healthy parent/school line of communication without being that teacher who calls to the point that the parents are looking at the caller id before they pick up your call (or not!)<br />
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Not every parent WANTS to be involved. Not every parent WILL. But we have to give them the opportunity from day one, and the continued chance to jump in there at any point in the year in hopes that they do what is best for their child (like WE'RE trying to do!!)<br />
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One of the things my new principal really pushes (and excels at) is parent communication. She finds every opportunity to involve parents in what is going on in their child's day in hopes of strengthening that home-school connection. She has teachers fill out "Positive Referrals" on students and every morning on the announcements, she reads their name out over the television and invites them to come to her office to 'celebrate' their referral. The referral can be for anything....academic, behavior, etc. The student gets to select a 'prize from the principal' and she calls the parent to let them know what their child did worthy of an office celebration. The kids LOVE it! The parents LOVE it!<br />
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She requires teachers to make 3 positive contacts a week. At first, admittedly, I was hesitant......wasn't quite sure how that would be received. I have to say, it went over very well!!! Parents loved it....especially the ones who were always expecting the bad calls and were surprised it was a good phone call!! They began to look forward to it. <br />
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This year, she wants us to document our parent contact. Not to make sure everyone is doing it...that's not her style....if she needs to call someone out, she WILL! But she wants it so if we have a parent with an issue and they say " I never heard anything from the teacher" she has the documentation to back up how that wasn't true!!! So, I created this document and am going to run it front and back, and put in my teacher binder (which I will post more on later) . Feel free to grab if you want!<br /><br />How do you document parent contact? <br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-58762530205842058692012-07-05T07:14:00.003-07:002012-07-05T07:14:39.129-07:00Meet the Teacher NightIt is probably THE most dreaded night of the year. Moreso than Parent Orientation Night ( I think some of you call this Parent Information Night) . Moreso than Open House. It's "Meet The Teacher" night. <br />
<br />
Now, I probably shouldn't do TOO much complaining here. For one thing, in our district, each school sets their own timeline and 'rules' for Meet The Teacher. Our principal is electing to keep it low-key.....THANK YOU!!! Ours is only an hour..(some schools in our district have a 3 hour window)which has its good points and bad points. But then again, that hour is WHIRLWIND!!! This is how ours goes:<br />
<br />
Usually (or at least in the past) we do not get our class list until Wednesday or Thursday of the teacher workweek back because of all the 'new' kids that register that week and the 'switching around' of kiddos to keep our classes balanced.(We start the Monday before the kids). On Thursday afternoon, we are asked to call and personally contact each student to:<br />
1) let them know we are their teacher and <br />
2) personally invite them to Meet The Teacher so they can, well, meet us and see their classroom which we have been feverishly trying to put together in between trainings and inservices and professional developments!! <br />
<br />
THIS is the first part of this routine I hate....the phone calls. I am not much of a phone person...unless I can text. Part of that is because of a near-fatal case of spinal meningitis as a child, and numerous ear infections, I have difficulty hearing. I'm not deaf. But there are certain situations that make me realize how much I depend on lip-reading rather than hearing someone. The main situation that makes that astoundingly clear is talking on the phone. Our phones have volume control....and mine is ALL the way up. Still, this is particularly difficult to understand some people....especially some of our sweet little ESL parents, on the phone. <br />
<br />
Now, I have had some HILARIOUS (and not so funny) conversations with parents at this time. I had a parent pick up the phone last year while I went into my usual dialogue....something like this:<br />
"Hello? Mrs. Bob? This is Ms. Skipper with ____ Elementary. I am calling to let you know that I am SO excited that little Phillip Johnny is going to be in my class this year! I also wanted to let you know that from 3-4 tomorrow afternoon, you and little Phillip Johnny can come up to the school, see his classroom, meet me and bring his school supplies up if you'd like."<br />
<br />
(At this point I wait for a response) ...that is my USUAL routine.<br />
However, last year with a particular parent, once I explained who I was, she began HUMMING. as in singing to herself without words<br />
. And about halfway through my spiel, I had to stop.<br />
I wasn't sure if she was being rude (Did she NOT want me as a teacher?) or if something was wrong (was she being held hostage and trying to get a message to me.....yeah, my mind went there!) or WHAT was wrong. <br />
So, I stopped in the middle of my script and said, " Um, Mrs. Bob? Are you OKAY?"<br />
She immediately gasped and began laughing hysterically while trying to explain that she thought I was a recording because of the school phone service...and with 3 kids she gets SO many recorded calls from the different schools that she thought I was one of them. <br />
She was mortified....I thought it was hilarious!! <br />
I have had parents make statements before like " Oh, darn....we wanted Mrs. So and So" (dagger to the heart)<br />
or " Well, you REALLY have your work cut out for you" (thanks for the heads up) <br />
or " Hope you're better than Mrs. So and So from last year" (um....okay? I'm not bashing a colleague over the phone OR in person....sorry!) <br />
I've also had some SWEET comments...but for some reason its the ones that make you feel bad that sometimes stick with you!<br />
ANYWAY, the phone calls are the first thing I hate about MTT night. <br />
<br />
Second is the double edged sword....the time. It's in the afternoon....usually 3-4 on the Friday before school begins on a Monday. While it is nice to only have parents and students there for an hour, its also very CHAOTIC. <br />
They line up outside our school early....like they are trying to get into a rock concert or something.Then when they 'release the hounds'....it's every man for himself. <br />
CROWDS of people come in....parents, siblings, your student, sometimes grandparents.....it's a LOT of people.<br />
Half of the time I am trying to figure out which kid is my student and trying to put a face with a name, and HOPE I can remember it all the while parents are trying to tell me EVERY important detail they think I need to know about their little darling!!! (Like I will remember!!) <br />
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Our school also offers prepackaged supplies.Another double edged sword. It's a great thing because all the supplies are uniformed.....everyone has the same thing....that is, everyone who BUYS it. But because of the cost, many people have elected to buy their own supplies and bring them.....which leads to someone buying things NOT on the list.....which, as a teacher IRKS me!!! Then the fight is on about why little Suzie has her GINORMOUS box of 300 crayons while everyone else has 24...and of course, little Suzie doesn't want to share!! This year, we made GREAT effort to reduce our school supply list and make it even more affordable! And because of that, I am going to stick to my guns and have the rule of " you get what everyone else gets or keep it at home". (I know, mean, but cuts down on the arguements!) <br />
I got our list down to a mere $30, which I think is VERY reasonable!!! This year, we are doing binders instead of folders. I'm hoping this helps my little darlings with their organization skills....since that is something that drives me NUTS!!! I'll post more on our binders later!! <br />
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Because of the choas that ensues with so many people coming in so quickly and me trying to remember exactly what they told me about if they brought supplies or not, how they go home, if they are buying lunch and put money in their account and what allergies or special notes I need to know immediately.....I created this little gem! I run it front and back and it is my 'go to' list that first day!! Our Parent Information Night is the 2nd night of school, so at that time I have the parents fill out an emergency form for me!!! But THIS lets me know what I need to know quickly for the first day! I also got the WONDERFUL idea from a teacher blog last year (or maybe it was pinterest)....I honestly do NOT remember the source, but thank you whoever you are....of going to get big brown grocery bags (begging the local Tom Thumb!) and writing each student's name on it. Having them put their supplies in it, and stapling it up and putting it at the back of the room so I can sort it out later when they are gone!!! I LOVE that idea!!! Then I don't have to spend a ton of time having my students go through their things, put things in different spots in the classroom while their siblings destroy my room!!! <br />
Here is my freebie! Feel free to grab!( I didn't make it pdf because most of you will need to 'tweak' it, I assume! FYI: Pasar is our after school daycare hosted on campus.) If you need the powerpoint version of it, email me and I will get it to you!<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-8399479350666369642012-07-03T07:18:00.001-07:002012-07-03T07:18:18.297-07:00CurrentlyIt's okay!<br />
Simmer down!!<br />
I won't be posting tomorrow.....AND this is a linky to Farley's "Currently" ( Farley as in <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Oh Boy 4th Grade</a> Farley!) and so, it's the rules I can post twice today......RIGHT? <br />
Right!<br />
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Here's my Currently for July!<br />
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I'm listening to my youtube playlist and thinking I REALLY need to update it. I have several....one for school and several for me AT school when no kids are in earshot!! <br />
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I'm LOVING the new material I bought yesterday at JoAnn's and now am hoping I can talk my mom into sewing some really simple (as in so simple I don't posess the skils to do it) curtains for my classroom!!<br />
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I still am in SHOCK that it' JULY!!! SERIOUSLY!! WHERE did June go people???<br />
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I'm thinking if I won the lottery, I'd still keep my job (just hire a sub for those days I can't make it because I'm in need of a mental health break and a secretary to do my paperwork and a craft consultant to do the cutesy crafts with my class....) and I'd have the cutest stinkin' room in 2nd grade!! But the lottery gods have not shined on me yet!<br />
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I SO need to go to the gym! But WOW...do people live there? Because my gym is CROWDED no matter WHAT time of the day or night I go! Like the comedian Kevin Hart says, " YOU WON! GO home! I need to get my flabby body in shape!"<br />
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My reads..... Gooney Bird Greene....love her! She makes it okay to dress in a tutu, tiara and long gloves for school! PLUS it gives some great writing tips hidden subtly in the chapters!! My kids LOVE this character!<br />
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE Marcia Tate. I got the pleasure of going to one of her workshops a few years ago!!She's awesome if you ever get the chance to see her in person...and her books are GREAT!! So many of her methods work well with my ADD kids, autistic kiddos and the ones that are neither but would require a spot(or ten) of super glue to stay seated all day!!! <br />
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AND since I am SUCH a rule follower , I am SO gonna follow Farley's Rule of 3.....I pinky promise, cross my heart!!!!! Click <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to link up!!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-17773567247894474342012-07-03T04:51:00.003-07:002012-07-03T04:51:49.074-07:00Interactive Word SortsWOW!! July <strong><em><u>ALREADY??? </u></em></strong>Where did June go? And if you're like me, you're already panicking because JULY means that AUGUST is next and that means time for school is getting closer....and I have SO much to do!<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago, I helped teach a technology course for teachers in my district. The course was about our "not as smart as yours" boards. One of the things I shared with that class is a tip I am going to share with you today. <br />
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My tip today is about word sorts!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE word sorts!! My kids love word sorts! I make sure I have a word sort out weekly. Its not a required station, but one almost all of my kids will make sure they do! <br />
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Last year, I had a student that didn't speak. I know....teacher's dream, right? Not so much... Because the rest of the class made up for him. When I say he didn't speak, I mean EVER....at school. He talked at home. He talked in other social situations. School.....total silence. <br />
<br />
We tried to encourage him to whisper. I couldn't even hear his whispers. I tried reading lips....he didnt move his mouth so there was no reading lips. The SLP said we needed to require him to talk to do things because he COULD. SO, if he wanted to go to the bathroom, he had to ask. I got a barely audible whisperette......that's a micro-whisper if you're interested. <br />
<br />
THEN I found this little gem. I don't know how I came across it....I am sure it was by accident. But boy, am I glad I did!Something about this appealed to him SO much, it made him talk. This is an interactive word sort. NOW, before you ooh and ahh, let me tell you the upsides and downsides to this. <br />
<strong><u>Upsides:</u></strong> <br />
YOU can customize it to sort up to 4 categories.<br />
YOU create the words.<br />
YOU create the categories.<br />
YOU can change the colors of backgrounds and fonts.<br />
YOU can give them a check button complete with a postive message when they succeed and an encouraging note when they aren't correct on something.<br />
YOU can reset the word sort and let them try again.<br />
It works with a projector/computer setup or a smart board (or a "not as smart as yours" board)<br />
<br />
Now, for the downsides:<br />
You <strong><u><em>can</em></u></strong> save it.. (at least that's what they claim)..but I have tried and tried and cried and grabbed all my techy friends to watch me do this step by step, but I can't get it to reopen after it's saved. Which means.....it's a one-day only word sort. I know,.......tears....sigh.<br />
I've followed their directions....maybe its my school software....but I tried it at home too....nope. Nada.<br />
Sorry...if you get it to work, please don't tell me unless you have a magic solution that will make it work.....or if you plan to send Channing Tatum to give me tech support....sigh!<br />
<br />
Here is the link:<br />
<a href="http://www.spunkyenglish.com/MagnetMaker/sortMaker.php">http://www.spunkyenglish.com/MagnetMaker/sortMaker.php</a><br />
<br />
It also has a scrambled sentence maker:<br />
<a href="http://www.spunkyenglish.com/MagnetMaker/index.html">http://www.spunkyenglish.com/MagnetMaker/index.html</a><br />
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Enjoy!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034946527003079418.post-33509421241349895162012-07-01T23:27:00.000-07:002012-07-01T23:36:21.245-07:00Classroom ManagementIf you're like me, you have used a TON of different methods for classroom management. Part of it depends on your teaching style, part of it on the type of class you have, part of it on what the administrators want!! I feel like my classroom management tools have run the gamut!!!<br />
Let's see, to recap a few, I've had....<br />
<strong><u>TURN YOUR CARD--</u></strong> this came in various forms...depending on my classroom theme for the year. The idea was everyone started out on 'green' and upon commiting an infraction, were 'warned' and turned their card to yellow, then after pushing the limit, went to 'red'. ( <strong><u>DISCLAIMER</u></strong>:Now, let me say up front, I am NOT knocking anyone's classroom management....as teachers we do what we have to sometimes to survive. I am only speaking of how it related to <em>MY</em> style and <em>MY</em> classroom!) I found this only worked with those kiddos who wanted to please me.....once a kid turned their card, they felt they had nothing to lose!! I tried the "you can earn your way back to green", but honestly, it just didn't work for me or my class.<br />
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<strong><u>POSITIVE BEHAVIOR</u></strong>--a few years ago, our principal at the time bought into this whole heartedly. There were committees formed, school wide rules written up, inservices given. And you-know-who was roped into being on that committee...more like 'voluntold'. Now, let me say it wasn't ALL bad....there were some positive changes to come out of it for our school. But I in NO way think that only rewarding positive behavior and ignoring the negative gets results you want. There are kids (we all have them) that thrive on negative attention. They seek it out.....they shun anything postive!!! If you pick this kid out to use as a 'good example' ...ie " I LOVE the way Phillip Johnny Bob is lining up!!" then little Phillip Johnny Bob is going to make SURE while he has everyone's attention he does something to show you JUST how in control he really is and bring on the negative.If you ignore the negative, it will escalate until it gets worse and you are unable to ignore it and THERE goes the postive aspect of this model!!! Right down the drain! At one time, we were in such an 'extreme' version of this method at our school, there were NO consequences. <br />
YEP<br />
NONE.....<br />
NADA....<br />
ZILCH!!!<br />
It was a nightmare. Honestly!<br />
Now, I will say there are some people who take a negative approach to everything....I'm speaking of adults here. They find a kid in their class that gets on their nerves, and they have NOTHING positive to say about that kid! As a teacher, that breaks my heart. <br />
NONE of us know what that kid is going through. I have had children act out only to find out later (usually through accident) that CPS was involved in the home, or this child's family had just become homeless, or this little baby had been through something HORRIFIC!!! The first time that happened to me, it totally changed my perspective. I was their safety. I was the only person and school was the only place they felt they had ANY control over their environment and what was happening to them, so OF COURSE they are going to use that control!!! To this day, I cringe when I hear another teacher talk about a kid in a negative fashion....makes me want to ask them " WHY are you still teaching?"<br />
Anyway, all that to say that while I feel the positive behavior model had its good points, I found plenty that DIDN'T work with it!!!<br />
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<strong><u>Love and Logic</u></strong>- When I first got wind of this YEARS ago, I thought Jim Fay was a genius. THEN I had a student (we'll call him <strike>Satan </strike>Steve) that would have sent Jim Fay himself crying and screaming from the room!!! There were small aspects of love and logic I agree with.....natural consequences....yes! Holding kids accountable....yes! But I have to admit that the 'let them sweat it out by not telling them the consequence right away' was an EPIC FAILURE with Steve. He didn't care. He didn't care if you told him his consequence 5 seconds or 5 months from now....he wasn't a worrier and he was gonna make darn sure you knew it! There wasn't a consequence he cared about. His homelife was horrible. His school life was horrible....seriously, what could you do to this kid? Practice.....nope. He was dig his heels in and show you who was in control. Steve put me on the verge of retirement VERY early in my career. Love and logic had met its match that year. Another one bites the dust!!<br />
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<strong><u>ADVERTISED ACCOUNTABILITY</u></strong>- we all do it.....you put up some cute little bulletin board....goes great with your theme, you are so proud of it. You introduce it the first week and put it into use....and from that day on, anytime a kid messes up and turns a card, or a color. or drops a pin, or whathave you, it's up there for ALL the world to see. Other kids and teacher and administrators that walk in your room can tell you just who is having a bad day.....( and on occasion which of your little toots is absent because its 10:00 and his card is still on green!!) I know the arguments with this...its a visual reminder. Its up there to give the kid something to focus on...to know how their day went. Really....let's think about this for a second!! <br />
Little PJB (that's Phillip Johnny Bob...not Peanut Butter and Jelly) had a ROTTEN morning at home. Mom overslept, he left his backpack in dad's car, mom forgot to go to the grocery store and he had no breakfast, arrived at school too late for breakfast and when he asked the cafeteria manager screamed at him. Comes to your class, you've already started the lesson, his hair is a hot mess, his clothes are dishsheveled, he feels like everyone is looking at him and laughing on the inside, so he acts out. You warn him.<br />
He does it again because NOW he has your attention and this is the only thing in his world this morning he has ANY control over. Card turned, pin dropped, name up, clothespin moved...whatever.<br />
He's ready to unleash all his frustration out on <strong><em><u>you</u></em></strong>. Heck, mom can't get out of bed on time, go to the grocery store, make sure his clothes are clean.....do you think she cares that he was talking over you?? <br />
Nope. And honestly, this kid has been in Rottenville since the minute he woke himself up this morning. Do you REALLY think he needs a visual reminder of how rotten his day has been?? Nope. <br />
BUT little Paula Perfect gets to go home and contribute to the dinnertable conversation by giving mom and dad a run-down on who was on RED and who was on YELLOW and how they are ALWAYS in trouble.....and Mrs. Perfect will happen to let you know she doesn't want Paula in a class again next year with PJB because he's been labeled a 'bad kid' based on their dinnertable conversations and they don't want Paula having to put up with that! PUHLEEZE!!!<br />
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I'm guilty....as guilty as anyone! I've had the bulletin boards....the names on the board...the clothespins! I've displayed it for ALL the world to see and KNOW who my "bad kids" were. <br />
Now don't get me wrong.....kids need accountability. Parents need communication. Even the ones who will never look at it and don't care what little PJB does at school because at least THEY aren't having to deal with him! And sometimes, you need that documentation, so you can spot patterns, get them help or services when needed, find something that works.....<br />
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THAT is why when I saw this I thought these people were ROCK STARS!!! I found it on pinterest. <br />
I read their blog. It made sense!!! WHY hadn't I thought of this???<br />
This year, my classroom management is totally inspired by Katie and Steve at <a href="http://twocandoit.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-09-15T17:51:00-07:00&max-results=7&start=56&by-date=false" target="_blank">Two Can Do It</a> !!!<br />
They use something called "The LOOK BOOK and REMINDER BINDER".<br />
It has everything I want. It has accountabiliy....Reminder binder has consequences for negative behavior.<br />
It has praise....Look Book has rewards for positive behavior.<br />
It has documentation....you have a page to show daily where each child was!<br />
It has communication.....when a child signs the Look book, (or the Reminder Binder) they have a sticker to put in their communication journal to show that!<br />
It's PRIVATE. YEP....THATS the part that got me!!! <br />
When you have a conference with Mrs. Perfect, you can simply CLOSE the binder so when she comes in your room she has NO idea that little PJB has had a HORRIBLE day and had 2 consequences, but then pulled it together and got one REWARD. She doesn't know this because its not a bulletin board or poster or wall for her to see and little Paula has forgotten who had to sign the reminder binder because she was so focused on her learning she didn't keep track and its not up there for all the world to see!!<br />
Genius, huh?<br />
Here are my templates. Quite simple, really! I will insert kids names into the template when I get my new class list and run them front/back and put them in a 3 ring binder. At the end of the day, I turn the page and there is tomorrow's template.!! I date it at the top so I have behavior documentation each day. If I need to conference with a parent, this is great documentation , especially if my concern is behaviors!!! <br />
I also ran a template of stickers that say " I signed the LookBook! Ask me about my great choices!" or " I had to sign the Reminder Binder. Let's talk about what I can do differently."(sorry, I didn't load them here...they aren't cooperating...maybe in another post)<br />
Now, in my class, a kid can do BOTH. If they pull it together, they can actually start earning rewards. I'm going to make is so the first 'look book' can null their level of 'Reminder Binder" and put them on the road to positive!!! We'll see how this works. I also may change up the rewards/consquences.....those are adjustments you make when you see the mix of your class, but this gives you an idea!!!<br />
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Now, I have to say that I may 'tweak' this after I'm done reading a book (I was TOTALLY inspired by Heather at <a href="http://heathersfirstgradeheart.blogspot.com/search/label/Conscious%20Discipline" target="_blank">Heather's He</a>art....thank you!) to read "Conscious Discipline"....I'm on the 2nd chapter, but I am REALLY trying to absorb this because it is making sense and it is absolutely going to change some of MY behaviors...but I think this system (Look book/Reminder Binder) will work with that!!! <br />
So, what do YOU do for classroom management? Are you trying something new this year? <br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o567/kskippe/signature-1.jpg</div>Kim Skipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16668860851400808338noreply@blogger.com5