Tag Archives : #classroommanagement


August 2019 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s August Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully those of you who are back to school this month are off to a great beginning with the best classes
ever. 
 We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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 Is Summer Vacation Over Already?
Someone posted on Facebook that August is like Sunday for teachers! We’re elated when the weekend comes around, and love Saturday, it’s one of our fun days, but then the dreaded Sunday comes, you have to correct papers, do lesson plans, and go to bed at a reasonable hour, you know the routine.  Then there’s the month of August, it just seems to zooooom by and before you know it your summer vacation is like a dream gone by.  But you do Love teaching, it’s your calling. Read on for some first day teaching tips.
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How Morning Meeting Can Become a Sacred Space
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

 Adding new practices to make Morning Meeting a peaceful and calm transition to your teaching and learning day.

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 5 Meaningful No-Prep Activities for the First Week of School
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

If you’re frantically planning for your first day or week of school, here are five tried & true activities (not busy work!) to keep your students engaged while you get to observe and learn more about them. And be sure to download all the FREEBIES!

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 Developing Powerful, Enthusiastic Readers

 Every teacher wants a classroom filled with powerful and enthusiastic readers. This is a terrific goal for the new school year…and it can be accomplished with
this design.
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 Free Video to Teach Prepositional Phrases
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Here’s a FREE video to teach prepositional phrases.

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 Developing and Writing Effective Lesson Plans for Math
By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

 We often hear of research based strategies and how to use them in our classrooms. Having worked at two colleges in the past ten years, I have discovered that some who are doing this research have never been in a classroom or taught anyone under the age of 18! (Sad but True) 

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  Using Math Centers in the Upper Elementary Classroom
By Kris McWilliams of Mistakes Allow Things to Happen

 Thinking about adding Math Centers to your classroom math block? This article will help you take steps to implement a plan in an upper elementary school classroom.

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 Ease New School Year Teacher Anxiety
 By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Tips to ease Teachers’ back to school anxiety.

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 Math Games: Observing Your Students Makes Back-to-School a Breeze!
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 Want to know an easy peasy way to really get to know your kiddos at the beginning of the year? Play some math games with them and sit back and watch. This is one teacher’s approach to collecting student data.

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Recommended Reading Board
By Erik Arndt of Insights to English

Create a wall display of books (or better yet: series of books) that your students should consider reading. Make sure to have a variety of formats and genres so that there’s something for everyone!
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 This is the Time to Start Your Year Off Right With an Amazing Close Reading Lesson
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

 This is the time to start your year off right with an amazing close reading
lesson. As the school year starts, this is the best time to start with
close reading.

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Be sure to click the links and mosey on over to all the fabulous blog posts submitted by our members. Lots of tips on back to school activities, mathematics, reading and so much more.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


We Teach So Hard Episode 7: Organization Intervention

The dust has settled and the new school year has begun. Your desk is piled with papers and the name tags on your students’ desks have begun to peel. How do you maintain your classroom organization when you’re drowning in a tidal wave of paper work, reports, data folders, assessments and ungraded papers? Join us as we discuss organizational tricks…like hosting an after school bonfire to manage your paper work…Anyone have the marshmallows?…. JUST KIDDING! Kind of. 

Be sure to take a listen to our latest podcast on iTunes by clicking this link

If you like what you hear, be sure to visit us in our WE TEACH SO HARD facebook group. We’re starting a new book study that we’re REALLY excited about. Visit our Facebook page by clicking this link

OR visit us at the links below!
Kathie  @ www.triedandtrueteachingtools.com/ 
Deann  @ socrateslantern.com/ 
Tracy   @ mossyoakmusings.blogspot.com/ 
Retta   @ rainbowcitylearning.blogspot.com/


Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 – 9/13/17

Every week I put together a list of 5 great products from members of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative (TBOTEMC) with the requirement that each product must be less than $5.  With a variety of subjects and a wide range of grades, there just might be something that you can use, so continue to read below and see!


In addition, if you’re a seller on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) that would like to join the Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 team, click here to get more information about joining TBOTEMC.  Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, as I’d be happy to help in any way possible.

By A Teacher’s Teacher 

ELA/Writing; Grades 7-10

This three-passage text set is accompanied by an informational prompt regarding the topic of skydiving. It’s a perfect assignment to engage typically apathetic students, as well as those students who are typically successful in your classroom, while still relying on the skills of using the information in the text set.  Modeled after AIR Testing, which is used in numerous states across the country, it would also fit well into a PARCC simulation. The text set, itself, is 5 pages long.

  

By Learning Harbor Resources for Teachers

Math; Grade 3

Are you looking for PowerPoint interactive activities to use with 1 to 1 computer time, blended lessons, and more? Do you need a fun and engaging way for your students to practice multiplication? This Scarecrow themed Interactive Self-Correcting PowerPoint Slide Show with sound may be just what you need. This interactive PowerPoint activity addresses CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.B.5 Multiply and divide within 100.  See more details on the product’s page to learn about this great affordable item!

By 2livNlearn

Classroom Management; All Grades

Group your students quickly and easily with these cards! There are a myriad of cards to choose from which can be used in multiple ways. Group in pairs or up to eight students at a time. Included are: Groups of two 21 pairs, Opposites groups of two 18 pairs, Groups of two 10 pairs, Groups of two 14 pairs, Groups of three 6 sets, Groups of four 4 sets and Groups of eight 40 sets.  That makes a total of 320 different cards!  Never have to worry about “randomly” grouping again!

Reading/Social Studies; Grades 3-5

Have students learn about September 11th with this informational text passage while also practicing their reading comprehension skills.  Included in this product are the following: An Informational Text Passage entitled “The Attacks of September 11th,” A reading comprehension Assessment, Student Answer Sheet, Foldable for recording short response, Teacher Answer Key. and Foldable Directions (easy as could be! … no-prep required).  See the full description on the item’s page for a sample video about this terrific product!

By El Jaguar

Spanish; Not Grade Specific

This wonderful “El Grito “Cultural unit is the perfect way to celebrate Sept 16. Mexican Independence Day in your classroom.  The unit addresses the history of the Father Hidalgo in Dolores and his legendary “Grito de Dolores” that started the Mexican Revolution. The unit also describes in detail the reenactment ceremonies done on Sept 15 every year in the Zocalo of Mexico by the President of Mexico. It is a fun unit with wonderful Word Searches both in Spanish and English to reinforce the reading and cognates. Finally a fun coloring activity can be used for Elementary students. You can do it as a class reading and then little ones can just have fun coloring the Sugar Skull on a bed of Roses and doing the English Word Search.  See the item’s page for a full description of what is included for a great price!

As always, I encourage comments below and any ideas or suggestions by tweeting me @ATeachersTeach or contacting me via e-mail.

A Teacher’s Teacher

My TpT Store


Don’t Let the Pencil Craze Get to You!

TeacherCrossEyeTeacherPencilStationCRT

Are pencils driving you crazy?


Students not having a pencil?


Losing them? Breaking the tip?

The pencil craze got to me too!  It doesn’t need to!  During my student teaching we had cups with pencils at each group that we sharpened every morning and ensured there were plenty in each cup, which was great!  That was in first grade. Over the years, I became use to about 2-3 students per class not having a pencil, therefore, I always purchased a box or two at a time and handed pencils out to those students.   This year was a little different for me and the pencil craze got me!  So many lost pencils, broken pencil tips, or students just didn’t have a pencil.

I felt pencil crazed!  A solution must be found!!!

After much thought I came up with my “Pencil Station”!

Read All About My Pencil Station at MMooreEducationalResources.com! 

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Best Wishes,  Ms Moore

 

Visit & Follow me….

www.MMooreEducationalResources.com

Find my TpT Resources:

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Moore-Resources

Find me on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/mooreeducresour/

Find me on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mooreeducationalresources/

 

 


Behavior Modification Techniques that Work

Deann Marin at The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs 

 

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Offering for Educators, Comprehensive Teaching Aides. If you’d like to see what else I have to offer please visit my store

 

Management of a classroom is challenging, whether you teach special education or regular education, there are always a few children that are problematic to say the least. It is not always necessary to set up a behavior modification plan for the entire class. For some children, it is enough to give them a look, a tap on the shoulder, or just say something to them quietly. For others it is not so easy.

Behavior Modification Forms 8x8 Cover

Please visit Socrates Lantern’s Tpt Store to view this item

I’ve found that a little humor, warmth, caring, understanding, and empathy for everyone in the class goes a long way. If they see you treating everyone with respect and kindness, it will rub off on them. They need to know that you’re human too and when they realize that you care about them, they are yours for the rest of the year. This will alleviate many of your discipline problems.At the beginning of the year, it is important  to be firm, not too friendly, and no smiles. Keeping a straight face was always difficult for me. But, I kid you not, this works, especially later in the year when a child or the class becomes hard to handle, you can say, “Remember how I was at the beginning of the year, do you want me to be like that again?” They usually say NO!!!!

Decide what you want to accomplish for the year and set up the rules, you can do it with them, or ahead of time.  Make the rules positive rather than negative. This is the type of behavior that I expect from my 6th graders. I have a poster with the following:

  • Raise your hand.
  • Listen when someone is speaking.
  • Finish class work and homework.
  • Pay attention in class.
  • Speak quietly in group.
  • When you enter the room take your seat.
  • Respect all adults and classmates (this includes other teachers, staff, principal, etc.).
  • Respect personal property and property of others.
  • Gets along with others.
  • Walks quietly in line when going to and from the cafeteria, other classes and activities.
  • Don’t pay attention to inappropriate behavior of others.

Of course, consequences for ones actions must be spelled out clearly. I use the three strikes and you’re out rule. This applies to everything, from homework to disruptive behavior. They get 3 chances, by the fourth one, they are out. Out means that the student/students will bring a note home letting their parents know that I will be keeping them for a detention.

The child will be required to write his/her name, I will write my name and their parent will sign the form. If it is not brought back, the parent will get a call while the child is present. If this fails, there is a school detention that is longer than mine. No one likes having a school detention.

Usually when someone is kept after school, they must read or do some type of work, ie:  write a short paper about what happened and why they are here. You could include, what they did and how they could have handled the situation better. If they were disrespectful, they might write a letter of apology and deliver it to the person. I have made a problem solving sheet for them to fill out, this has proven to be quite effective for most kids. What I like about keeping them after school, is that it gives me a chance to talk to them and find out what issues they might be dealing with. This is effective because, if the teacher has a good rapport with the student, they want to talk about what’s going on.  On a side note, homeroom period was utilized not  only for

homework help, but time for me to sit and talk with each child. They all loved having their own time to speak with me. It helped to make them feel important.

Unfortunately, there are those students that need more than this. You might try separating them from their classmates, if this is ineffective, you need to figure out what else you can do. An individual conference might help. You can set up goals with them and find out what they want to achieve for the rest of year. That way they have input and feel they have some control over their destiny. They sign the paper, I sign the paper, you can have the principal sign, as well as anyone else that is involved, and their parents. The child brings it back to school and you keep it on file. Of course, this is only between you and the student. If this doesn’t help, you may need to set up a PPT to discuss what else can be done.

If  the class trusts you and knows that you care about them, they will want to help to stop disruptive behavior. You will have them eating from the palm of your hands, so to speak. and effective learning will occur. Most kids want to learn and don’t like it when a student acts out or interrupts and they will let him/her know. The best thing they can do is ignore what is happening, they shouldn’t laugh or respond in any way. They can be rewarded for doing this. 

You could also reward good behavior either weekly or monthly. Friday afternoon could be game day they could play Yahtzee, Multiplication War Card Games, Bingo, chess, checkers, educational computer games, etc.  Since I work with another teacher, we put those who have earned rewards into one room to play games, use the computers, or watch a movie, we give out candy, or popcorn, etc. While those who have homework to finish, or have been disruptive, have to go to the quiet room. It doesn’t take long for them to realize that inappropriate behavior gets them nowhere.

If you are working in a self contained Special Education program, or you have students that are mainstreamed, this is a horse of a different color. You need to set up specific goals, behaviors and consequences for their actions. A time out area, someplace in your room, or if you have an assistant, he/she could take the child to a predetermined area and stay with them until they are ready to come back to the classroom.

You might want to set up whole class rewards such as beads, tokens, smiley faces, check marks, stars, etc. Appropriate behavior is awarded while negative behavior is ignored. In the past, when I taught children with severe psychological problems, each child had a sheet on their desk, I would come by every 15 or 20 minutes and give them a star for good behavior. For example:

  • Stays on task.
  • Completes task
  • Does not talk out
  • Gets along with others
  • Respectful

They need to get a certain amount of stars to earn a reward which is given out at the end of the day. Make sure you’ve set up about 1/2 hour for them to enjoy their earnings: ie, extra computer time, play games like cards or board games, play with toys, candy and gum also work. You should discuss this with the class ahead of time to see what they would like.

If you don’t want to do this daily, you could do it weekly. Decide how many points they need to earn and on Friday afternoon, those who earned enough could play games, or watch a movie.  You might also want to use this monthly. Another thing that I did was purchase inexpensive toys, pencils,notebooks, etc. from the dollar store. Let them know how many points they need to get the object that they want. They really liked this.

No matter what grade you teach, everyone likes to hear encouraging words. Make sure you say something positive to the class as a whole or call a child over to your desk and let them know how proud of them you are for work they have done, or for finally understanding how to do a math problem, use your discretion. You might say, “I loved the way you stayed on task and got your work done,” You really helped Mary, that was so nice of you, or I noticed that you had some trouble with English, how can I help you?”  Taking a little time for that personal touch goes a long way and will truly make your life easier in the end.

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https://wwwhttp://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/free-resources/behavior-management/individual-plans .teachervision.com/classroom-discipline/resource/6283.html

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