Flipcharts
- The more visuals the better
Put directions first/on top.
Not too much text because students will try to write any text they see
No more than 3 colors.
Studying for better Memory Retention
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1Bj5rK/:1d4+$axTr:EsHfIt6./faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/June.Foley/studying_for_better_retention_an.htm/
Three memory processes
1. Encoding
Three memory processes
1. Encoding
- Activities that increase encoding include talking about the topic, rephrasing in your own words and thinking of examples.
- Have to passively read over your notes many many times to get the same learning as you get in a few times of re-writing and re-organizing notes, making a concept map, or an outline.
Levels of Engagement
- On Task - Student is compliant
- Interested - Student is focused on material
- Interactive - student is involved in class. Manipulatives or hands-on materials are used
- Challenged - lesson invited students to reflect in more than just a recall manner
- Transformed - student is inspired by the learning experience. this does not occur in one lesson but may occur over a unit, semester, or course. often it takes months for transformation to occur and reveal itself.
Questions?
Send students on a treasure hunt toward the right answer!
Assessment
Formative- NEVER ask "Does anyone have any questions?" THEY NEVER WILL
Make CLEAR EXPECTATIONS about each assessment you give.
Give clear feedback- Write the STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES that the assessment shows of each student. Can do a plus delta.
TURN ALL ASSESSMENT INTO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS IF YOU CAN.
Make CLEAR EXPECTATIONS about each assessment you give.
- Let them know when they can work with others
- talking during?
- what is being tested
- open note?
- grading on it
- make up options
- purpose of it
Give clear feedback- Write the STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES that the assessment shows of each student. Can do a plus delta.
TURN ALL ASSESSMENT INTO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS IF YOU CAN.
Building Self-Confidence
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1Bn5JE/:1PMyZQ2NY:d3j6$fFj/www.myrkothum.com/how-to-build-self-confidence/
- Get Competent
Get competent at something you like, anything you have a real passion for. It helps if it’s also interesting for other people, since then you could get their appreciation on top. Essentially you will be self-confident when you are competent in your field and subsequently have successes. Those accomplishments are one of the main sources to naturally build up self-confidence. So one of the best ways to build self-confidence is to put your mind into a topic that you really like and get good at it. You will have fun while doing it and you will be proud of yourself. Feeling really proud of yourself is the best indicator that you are on the right track. Because only you know your own standards and when you fulfill them, you get this feeling of sincere proud. That gives you self-confidence.Of course this self-confidence will first be attached to the topic and not yet on a general level. Don’t make the mistake of becoming a geek who thinks this one topic he mastered is all there is. But use this good feeling that comes from being competent as a model to broaden your self-confidence to other areas of your life. - Challenge Yourself
To be really proud of yourself and build self-confidence you need to challenge yourself from time to time. That means to get out of the comfort-zone. The comfort-zone is a dangerous thing. It’s the big enemy of any accomplishment and eventually leads to underachievement and failure. The comfort-zone starts feeling easy and comforting, and usually when we are somewhat satisfied with the status-quo. But it doesn’t last long and soon complacency creeps in. Then follows boredom and then frustration and unhappiness with yourself, which lowers self-confidence. Avoid the comfort-zone by challenging yourself to higher standards. Don’t live by standards of other people, you are the only one that knows what is good enough for you. Take the risks involved to get to the next level by trusting that if you give all you can only something good can be the result. Again, if you are really proud of yourself you know you are on the right track.To challenge yourself, start by setting goals for what you really would like to have. - Confront Your Fears
Fear is the great enemy of self-confidence. It is the main reason why we are undermining and sabotaging our very best intentions. Confronting fears means also having and developing courage. Taking courage to look at your fears builds that courage-muscle. Fear is showing in different manifestations, not necessarily in a dramatic way. Often it we see it in our own rationalizations, when we talk us out of what is good for us. Another way fear shows its ugly face is by procrastination. “I do it later” or “I have no time” or “I just have to finish watching this funny Video first”… instead doing what is best for us. Confronting fears has a tremendous power to build up self-confidence. For me it often helps to produce more clarity, especially to break phases of procrastination. Setting a clear goal for myself and then setting focus on that task alone breaks the habit of procrastination out of fear of failure. - Train Your Mind
Being good at something makes us self-confident. What could be better than being good with your own mind. Being intelligent, being knowledgeable, being able to understand things easily all improves self-confidence regarding your own mind. Needless to say, a strong mind is a great requisite for success.
How to do it? Read! Read books or hear audiobooks about topics you are interested, good literature or blogs about Personal Development ;-) Corny but it’s true: play games like chess or learn the guitar. Learn meditation. Above all, follow your purpose and your heart, this will challenge your mind for sure. - Use Your Physical Body
The way you use your body speaks loud and clear. Body language is a strong communicator of your state of self-confidence. Is your posture straight and tall? Are you holding you head up? Are you using the space around you? Are you smiling? Are you comfortable?
But it also works the other way around. If you want to feel more self-confidence use your physical body to influence your mind! Set up a friendly smile. Stand tall. Be energetic. Make eye contact. Speak clearly. - Focus on What’s Right
Focus on what you do good and on what you want. Mostly unconsciously it happens that we have negative thoughts about ourself or the situation we find ourselves in. Instead focus on your past successes, your personal strengths, focus on what is right, instead of the negative in your life and then build on that. It shows what you can do, instead of what you can’t. Focus on opportunities instead of problems. It’s encouraging and creates a path for your self-confidence to thrive. One way is again to have clear written goals which will focus your attention on that what you want. - Know Yourself: Build Self-Awareness
To know yourself means building your self-awareness and creating more inner space. The very best way to know yourself is self-reflection. Give yourself time to discover your motives, fears, change limiting beliefs. Start a personal journal. It helps you to get competence in a very important area: yourself. In other words, you feel more in control of yourself: more conscious of what is happening inside you and you can choose consciously how to respond in any given situation. You know you can trust yourself, you are in control, and that is part of being self-confident. Knowing yourself, in the way I see it, includes staying 100% true to yourself. You do not compromise on your inner values. You will stay true to what you know to be right. This is building character and having integrity. To have Self-Confidence on the outside, we need integrity on the inside. Remain true to yourself.
Convergent vs. Divergent Thinking
Convergent = taking all info and finding correct answer
Divergent = creative thinking basically
FUN ACTIVITY FOR GETTING KIDS TO THINK DIVERGENTLY
Have students list all the uses of objects
Divergent = creative thinking basically
FUN ACTIVITY FOR GETTING KIDS TO THINK DIVERGENTLY
Have students list all the uses of objects
Lesson Not Working?
Just stop!
Regroup.
Ask the kids how you/they/we should fix it!
What would add to the lesson?
Regroup.
Ask the kids how you/they/we should fix it!
What would add to the lesson?
Thoughts for First Meetings with Students
Tell students that I (you) don't know EVERYTHING.
You don't have EVERYTHING MEMORIZED.
I am here to get the answers out of you! You should be able to figure things out on your own eventually.
You don't have EVERYTHING MEMORIZED.
I am here to get the answers out of you! You should be able to figure things out on your own eventually.
Coop Problem Solving
Steps of Cooperative Problem Solving
Even if your students record the answers on a worksheet, the answers are not a true assessment of their skills. You still need to assign independent math problems on a regular basis. Doing so holds students accountable, not only for completing the work, but for learning the skill.
- Teacher Presents the Problem - Display a math problem on the board, hand out a worksheet, or ask students to turn to a problem in the math book. Read the problem aloud or ask them to read it silently. You’ll find free Daily Math Puzzler worksheets on my Problem Solving page that would work well for this activity.
- Students Work Alone - Ask students to work the problem alone, preferably on dry-erase boards so they can easily erase their work and try different strategies. They turn their boards face down when they have a preliminary answer or you tell them that time is up.
- Students Work Together - Students compare and discuss answers with a partner or with a team. I generally prefer partner work in math, but if the problem is really challenging, I allow the entire team to talk it over and work it out together. If students realize that their answer was wrong, they may change it, but they must show the work to go with their new solution. They don't all have to agree, but each person should be prepared to explain his or her answer.
- Class Discusses Solutions - Reveal the answer to the class and call on students to share how they solved the problem. Instead of focusing on a single "right" way, challenge your class to come up with as many ways to solve it as possible. Allow different students to hold up their dry erase boards or place them under a document camera as they explain their solutions. If students are required to record an answer in a journal or on a worksheet, allow time to do this now, without talking to anyone.
Even if your students record the answers on a worksheet, the answers are not a true assessment of their skills. You still need to assign independent math problems on a regular basis. Doing so holds students accountable, not only for completing the work, but for learning the skill.
Brains
Studies suggest that students should learn about their brains early on. Learning about their brains will let them know that they can train it and they are not just "stuck with what they got"Brainology makes this happen by teaching students how the brain functions, learns, and remembers, and how it changes in a physical way when we exercise it.
http://www.mindsetworks.com/brainology/
http://www.mindsetworks.com/brainology/
Universal Design for Learning
Design your lessons ahead of time for EVERYONE. Don't add in a "handicap ramp" later.
More planning up front, but less changing later.
3 principles
Assessment Clicker 5 (look this up)
More planning up front, but less changing later.
3 principles
Assessment Clicker 5 (look this up)
- presentation
- engagement
- assessment
Performance Assessment
Purpose: learn, integrate AND use informationRubrics
- make sure the criteria is mutually exclusive. So if they get one thing right they should not automatically get another thing right and vise versa.
- Basic = student has learned SOMETHING. Not a 0!
- Formative- they can learn new things and add to a final product as they go
- Summative- at the end of unit they are asked to combine all knowledge at once and use it
- Students need to know the point of assessment and understand how to do it for themselves
- And assessing each other
- Show students how to answer first
- Give good and legible examples, clearly written, with accurate spelling and grammar but just LACKING things
FORMative assessment inFORMs the teacher!SUMMAtive as
"Big 5" of NCLB
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocab
Co
Types of Assessment
Report
Support
Teach- reflecting after assessments.
- shows students a goal that is pre-determined and how they relate to meeting it
Support
- Does your assessment/feedback support them moving toward a goal? Or does it just lower their confidence?
Teach- reflecting after assessments.
Checklists
Reading- we want students to think about their reading, think about themselves as readers and how to get better
- Why am I reading?
- what's my goal?
- is there problem?
- does this make sense?
- can I fix the problem?
- Do I remember all the vocabulary I learned?
- Do I understand the big picture?
- Do I know how this relates to what we learned last?
ONE determination of Independence
Students that are independent assess themselves!
If students give wrong answers
Say that they are "ahead" or thinking about the past. They are thinking but not where we are, say "I will give you time to catch up, listen to the next person I call on"
Judgements that students make are from schema
Reliable Assessment
One way to make sure that your assessments are reliable...
...think about how to makes sure that you can grade all students the same.
List things that you do NOT want them to do so that you can control some of the outcome but not give rules for their creativity.
...think about how to makes sure that you can grade all students the same.
List things that you do NOT want them to do so that you can control some of the outcome but not give rules for their creativity.
PLAN ASSESSMENT TO CREATE INTEREST AND GET INTERESTED
Affirmative Statements
Instead of commands, talk out things with students.
"DO not stand against the walls!" is less than "Why should you not stand against the wall?"
"DO not stand against the walls!" is less than "Why should you not stand against the wall?"
Working Memory
Anyone's working memory cannot handle/remember 10 digits said to them in sequence.
Kids even can only remember 6/7 tidbits of info. at once and then re-say/explain it.
For example: if get 294859329 it is hard to remember, but 123 456 789 u can remember cuz that is a sequence you are familiar with.
So for students, when they read a line in a book and they automatically know all the words then it goes past working memory and straight to long term memory.
Kids even can only remember 6/7 tidbits of info. at once and then re-say/explain it.
For example: if get 294859329 it is hard to remember, but 123 456 789 u can remember cuz that is a sequence you are familiar with.
So for students, when they read a line in a book and they automatically know all the words then it goes past working memory and straight to long term memory.
Using Academic Language
Use specific vocabulary: vocal that tells students the actions they should be taking.
However, you cannot just tell a group of 3rd graders to synthesize the info in 3 articles. They will not completely understand the word synthesize.
We need to scaffold action vocabulary.
Best way: model the actions that you want students to use/do. Also, reward the use of the correct vocabulary during class discussions.
Science: explain, analyze, investigate, manipulate, experiment.
Math: explain, analyze, use manipulatives, experiment with numbers
As we can see, the same action words can be used in different subjects but mean different things in the new context. Make sure you specifiy the differences between the different subjects!
However, you cannot just tell a group of 3rd graders to synthesize the info in 3 articles. They will not completely understand the word synthesize.
We need to scaffold action vocabulary.
Best way: model the actions that you want students to use/do. Also, reward the use of the correct vocabulary during class discussions.
Science: explain, analyze, investigate, manipulate, experiment.
Math: explain, analyze, use manipulatives, experiment with numbers
As we can see, the same action words can be used in different subjects but mean different things in the new context. Make sure you specifiy the differences between the different subjects!
Stereotype Threat
Students doing actions different so they do NOT end up being stereotyped. They think that when they are being graded that teachers are being biased. Students do not want to be judged based on the stereotypes of their culture/race/ethnicity.
Students Write Questions for You
Have students write down possible test questions as a way to help them remember the information they just read or learned about!
You can use these later as exit cards, actual test questions, or for Jeopardy.
You can use these later as exit cards, actual test questions, or for Jeopardy.
Grading
I have had students ask me to look at their answers to see if they are okay. BAD IDEA! You should not grade student work until you have read all responses. You might realize later that a majority of students do not understand a question or are giving answers that you do not like. I have taken off points for answer and then later realized that almost all of my students are giving similar answers, so it is my instruction that needs to altered first.
Also, do not say that something "looks good" when a student asks you to look at it, you might look at the answer later compared to other students answers and realize that it was not actually "good".
Also, do not say that something "looks good" when a student asks you to look at it, you might look at the answer later compared to other students answers and realize that it was not actually "good".
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/25FnVU/www.psychologytoday.com/print/51019/
Something to Think about When Grouping Students
7. Two Narcissists are Better than One, or More
For many years psychologists have explored whether narcissism and creativity are linked, and some studies have suggested that the self-obsessed may, in fact, be more creative than the rest of us. But 2011 research from Cornell University argues otherwise.
Two hundred and forty-four students completed a test that measures narcissism (with questions such as, "I enjoy being the center of attentiom"). Participants then paired up and "pitched" movie ideas to one another, with one playing the role of pitcher and the other evaluator. Narcissistic participants' pitches were consistently rated as especially cre­ative by evaluators, but when independent evaluators--unaware of which participants were self-obsessed--reviewed transcripts of the pitches, the narcissists' pitches were not rated as more creative. This result suggests that charisma influences how egotists' ideas are received, but the ideas themselves are no more creative than average.
Researchers then paired 292 undergrads (all of whom completed the narcissism test) into 73 four-person groups. The groups were given the task of proposing creative ways for a company to improve its performance. The experimenters found that having two narcissists in a group produced more creative results than a group with none, because their competitiveness sparked more brainstorming. But when more than two narcissists were in a group, the opposite happened: hypercompetitiveness undermined the group's productivity.
For many years psychologists have explored whether narcissism and creativity are linked, and some studies have suggested that the self-obsessed may, in fact, be more creative than the rest of us. But 2011 research from Cornell University argues otherwise.
Two hundred and forty-four students completed a test that measures narcissism (with questions such as, "I enjoy being the center of attentiom"). Participants then paired up and "pitched" movie ideas to one another, with one playing the role of pitcher and the other evaluator. Narcissistic participants' pitches were consistently rated as especially cre­ative by evaluators, but when independent evaluators--unaware of which participants were self-obsessed--reviewed transcripts of the pitches, the narcissists' pitches were not rated as more creative. This result suggests that charisma influences how egotists' ideas are received, but the ideas themselves are no more creative than average.
Researchers then paired 292 undergrads (all of whom completed the narcissism test) into 73 four-person groups. The groups were given the task of proposing creative ways for a company to improve its performance. The experimenters found that having two narcissists in a group produced more creative results than a group with none, because their competitiveness sparked more brainstorming. But when more than two narcissists were in a group, the opposite happened: hypercompetitiveness undermined the group's productivity.
Things to Group
Have a bag of things, they all choose something out of it
Group them but the things do not give away how the things are grouped.
Could group using Cards for instance. But students do not know how they are being grouped, suit, color, or number?
Group them but the things do not give away how the things are grouped.
Could group using Cards for instance. But students do not know how they are being grouped, suit, color, or number?
How To Describe Things to Students
6. Never Underestimate the Power of Metaphor
Though we seldom realize it, metaphors influence our thinking every day in what we read and hear from a multitude of sources. In a 2011 study, Researchers from Stanford University demonstrated how influential metaphors can be through a series of five experiments designed to tease apart the "why" and "when" of a metaphor's power. First, the researchers asked 482 students to read one of two reports about crime in the City of Addison. Later, they had to suggest solutions for the problem. In the first report, crime was described as a "wild beast preying on the city" and "lurking in neighborhoods".
After reading these words, 75% of the students put forward solutions that involved enforcement or punishment, such as building more jails or even calling in the military for help. Only 25% suggested social reforms such as fixing the economy, improving education or providing better health care. The second report was exactly the same, except it described crime as a "virus infecting the city" and "plaguing" communities. After reading this version, only 56% opted for great law enforcement, while 44% suggested social reforms.
Interestingly, very few of the participants realized how affected they were by the differing crime metaphors. When researchers asked the participants to identify which parts of the text had most influenced their decisions, the vast majority pointed to the crime statistics, not the language. Only 3% identified the metaphors as culprits. The researchers confirmed their results with more experiments that used the same reports without the vivid words. Even though they described crime as a beast or virus only once, they found the same trend as before.
Though we seldom realize it, metaphors influence our thinking every day in what we read and hear from a multitude of sources. In a 2011 study, Researchers from Stanford University demonstrated how influential metaphors can be through a series of five experiments designed to tease apart the "why" and "when" of a metaphor's power. First, the researchers asked 482 students to read one of two reports about crime in the City of Addison. Later, they had to suggest solutions for the problem. In the first report, crime was described as a "wild beast preying on the city" and "lurking in neighborhoods".
After reading these words, 75% of the students put forward solutions that involved enforcement or punishment, such as building more jails or even calling in the military for help. Only 25% suggested social reforms such as fixing the economy, improving education or providing better health care. The second report was exactly the same, except it described crime as a "virus infecting the city" and "plaguing" communities. After reading this version, only 56% opted for great law enforcement, while 44% suggested social reforms.
Interestingly, very few of the participants realized how affected they were by the differing crime metaphors. When researchers asked the participants to identify which parts of the text had most influenced their decisions, the vast majority pointed to the crime statistics, not the language. Only 3% identified the metaphors as culprits. The researchers confirmed their results with more experiments that used the same reports without the vivid words. Even though they described crime as a beast or virus only once, they found the same trend as before.
For the Artists
Getting Groups to Listen to Each Other
Tell students that you will choose one person from each group to share a thought from the group that they liked.
Anecdotal Notes
Create a way to wrangle them together!
Ideas
Ideas
- Get a clipboard and have the seating arrangement on it. Keep little post-its, write on them, stick on chart so can gather later.
- Check-list: have students names and things that they do commonly and check off when do it and add time! Left room, distracted, doesn't raise hand, talking etc.
- Create a little binder that you can easily get through.
- Pay attention to how they work independently. How long do they take to start working, how long do they take on each math problem, how interested are they during this lesson?
- They may look like they are are doing or are NOT doing what they need to be doing but then look at their work to check on your notes and assumptions.
Wonder Wall
Have students run their own wonder wall.
Keep Post It notes everywhere and when they go off on a reasonable tangent, or not reasonable, get them to write it up on the wall.
Other students can answer it
Teacher can find books for them to get answers out of
Students can put up website suggestions.
This way they will feel like they are slightly in control of their own learning.
If I want ideas for topics for objectives I can go to the wall and use the things they are intereste
Use of Timeline
Students do not have a good sense of time.
Show them timeline's and put the current time on there, something that happened recently but not too long ago.
Show them their birthdays on the timeline.
Show them their parents birthdays.
Show them books on this timeline.
Add some picture, maybe choose a place that they all know and show what it used to look like over time.
Show them timeline's and put the current time on there, something that happened recently but not too long ago.
Show them their birthdays on the timeline.
Show them their parents birthdays.
Show them books on this timeline.
Add some picture, maybe choose a place that they all know and show what it used to look like over time.
"Tell your partner something that we did/talked about on ______day."
Assertive Discipline- Showing whole class who is being disciplined. Calling out kids.
Why we have the numbering kids system. They get checks or something and they are there until the end of the day! There is no getting checks erased.
Be Proactive instead of Reactive
Before you think they will be bad tell them how to be good
Puzzle Piece Mat
Tell them to choose a piece and sit their and stay on your piece
If you have the ones with the letters you can bring out the letters, give them one and say find your piece and put in the letter and sit there.
If you have the ones with the letters you can bring out the letters, give them one and say find your piece and put in the letter and sit there.
Stretching Time
If they need wiggle time
Good morning wiggle time.PLAY A SONG!
The math arm raising thing!
Give them the matchbox to re-arrange
A little work-out time. (run there and then back, jumping jacks)
Good morning wiggle time.PLAY A SONG!
The math arm raising thing!
Give them the matchbox to re-arrange
A little work-out time. (run there and then back, jumping jacks)
Charades Symbols for Things
Come up with symbols for everything you want them to do
- Push in your chair
- Quiet
- Reading time
- I want to say something
- Bathroom
- They stole my idea (a comprehension question)
- Thirsty
- Its Learning Time!
Trick Equity Sticks!
Do some kind of labeling system on your sticks to know which kid you are choosing. Like little jewels on the sticks of kids you do or do not want to call on for certain things.
Rules, Rewards, Punishments
Behavior Modification Model
- teacher is an outside force that controls behavior
- reinforcement and punishment both positive and negative
- isolation, proximity, and other physical interventions
If have Moving clips or Colors etc.
If students try to talk to you out of getting a bad clip move you should DO IT ANYWAY and then give the opportunity to be good the REST OF THE TIME to go back to what they want.
NEVER RESPOND TO BACK TALK!
Don't be a full and get into an argument with a student, you will look like a fool!
Give them one chance to apologize or fix their behavior and then react, silently, with your discipline policy.
Confronting/Contracting
Social Reality Model
- give and take between students and teachers
- teacher models what is expected
- questions lead to changes (Should we have _____ out right now?) (Do not have a conversation!!! Just cut them off! Just do the hand chop thing)
- teacher and student work together to create a community
- consensus building- you live up to your end of the deal
Relationships and Listening
Model for students how to deal with hurt feelings.
Talk it out!
They should know what is right!
Talk it out!
They should know what is right!
Low Groups
It is okay to give them something different to do for class work
Maybe give them group work if they do not do well with worksheets.
Give them a group question to work with.
Maybe give them group work if they do not do well with worksheets.
Give them a group question to work with.
Find out who they respect most, what adult, and get their information
What would ____ think about your behavior?
Send that person great things about the(ir) child!
Send that person great things about the(ir) child!
10% of students need individual interventions such as directives, contracts, etc.
3-5 % need special education services or medical interventions
GOTTA SPOON FEED THEM A LITTLE. LIST DIRECTIONS!!!!
Transitions
- take time to prepare self and students for transitions. (set timers!)
- practice transitions by role playing with the students (can you show me a ____? Show us how its done! If do it wrong, send them back, other group shows them)
- Discuss specific expectations of behavior
- Discuss consequences and incentives (it has to be cool to listen to you and a pain in the neck to not!)
- Praise students as much as possible, especially during transitions.
- Frequently revisit expectations as students transition. (Every time transitions say your expectations "lets line up and do this this and this)
- Never stop praising students for compliant behaviors. (DON'T FORGET TO PRAISE STUDENTS THAT DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT ALL THE TIME!)
- You do not want students who are good to not see the good in being good!
Successful Classroom Design
- easy teacher mobility
- physical proximity to every student quickly
- moment by moment accountability of students to teachers.
- whenever we sit, make sure you can always scan the room
- give yourself a reminder, always can the room even when working with groups, let students know (the ones you are not working with) are doing what you like or do not.
- few barriers (all things need to be up against the walls for this reason)
- longitudinal and lateral walkways. get to them in both ways
- opening in the middle, or near a power source, a place for large group gatherings
- desk arrangements allow for indiv work and for grouping students in a variety of configurations
- 3 - 4 ft. from the boards to the first student
- SUGGESTION use electrical tape to set up guidelines, let them know where to sit and where not to sit. Could do x marks for seats. Do not want to mask teaching time with these transitions.
- teacher desks off to side
- compact!
Rules/Routines
Got to wear them down!
They will hold out for forever and we have to hold out for forever and a day.
Do not let them beat you down. They can beat you, and so let them beat you by being good.
Set up jobs perhaps. And then set up a reward system where you are against the students. If they behave they can win. ASK them what they want to win.
Set up jars. Start with small jars and small scoops. Graduate to bigger jars and bigger scoops. The visual is important.
THEY LIKE TO WIN, SET IT UP SO THEIR WINNING IS GOOD FOR YOU!
They will hold out for forever and we have to hold out for forever and a day.
Do not let them beat you down. They can beat you, and so let them beat you by being good.
Set up jobs perhaps. And then set up a reward system where you are against the students. If they behave they can win. ASK them what they want to win.
Set up jars. Start with small jars and small scoops. Graduate to bigger jars and bigger scoops. The visual is important.
THEY LIKE TO WIN, SET IT UP SO THEIR WINNING IS GOOD FOR YOU!
WASTING TIME: do not let them waste time. They will try to manipulate you out of doing work by asking questions that are not on topic and try to talk your ear off during independent work time. Have some system that lets them see how much time they waste and make them pay it back somehow... You nee to first give them free time in order to take it away though. So if you have the system where they have x rules for the xth grade they are in, one will need to be that they have extra time for something each day. For example, music time in the morning to warm up, music time at the end of the day, any free time at all during some part of the day. HOWEVER, you do not want to punish everyone for the things that a few students are doing! So maybe you should take notes about who is being disruptive and who is on task. This is where the clipboard with the seating chart will come in handy. Tell everyone that they have x minutes to do ___ and then put up a timer, who ever is not ready in time does not get a check on their spot on the clipboard
Proximity
Proximity is Accountability, Distance is Safety.
- students need to be accountable for themselves.
- if students are around each other they will help each other and be accountable as a team
- if you are near children they will be more on task
- if you are distant from a student they feel safe because they are not being watched and it is safe to be off task.
- the GREEN ZONE- 3 ft and to you is where students will listen to you.
- the YELLOW ZONE is 3ft- 6 ft. and this where students start to get bad...
- the RED ZONE is about 6 ft. and beyond. Where they get squirrely. They will try to get here and get away from you. In this zone, the time it takes you to get to them, is enough time for them to stop what they are doing and deny it.
Self-Assessment!
This is very important. This could be an exit card.
They should tell the teacher about themselves and think about what they need to improve
This is a chart. Each number is a
- Mastery Objective for the Day...
- Did I meet the mastery objective? (what struggles or successes did you have today)
- Effort... (How hard did I try to master the objective today?) (1-5 scale)
- Time
- Work Understanding
- Organization
- Advocating
- Assessment (How was my learning assessed today?)
- Teacher/peer input (What feedback can I use to improve my learning?)
- Reflection...(Look back at your grade or reflect on your feedback. What do I need to improve on and what am I doing well on?)
- Homework
PLAYING SCHOOL
WE DO NOT WANT STUDENTS TO PLAY SCHOOL, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE JUST FINDING THE ANSWER THAT THE TEACHERS WANT. DO NOT WANT THIS!
ELL Students
- They feel better when there is not a right or wrong answer, they are not afraid to be wrong and so they will be more verbal
- Make lists of nouns, verbs etc. Maybe read a story and have them find all of the nouns etc. they can find or maybe you help them make this list and then go over using those words
- Use Interest Inventory to make sure you include personal experiences AND FOR ALL STUDENTS, SHOWS WHAT SPECIFIC VOCABULARY THEY HAVE
- Act it out, theater, open mike. They can take on different parts of this and so they get excited.
RESEARCH FINDING: GIRLS DO AS WELL AS BOYS IN MATH WHEN THEY GET ENOUGH TIME TO DO ALL THEY NEED TO DO FOR A PROBLEM
Calling on Students
There are a lot of ways that we can call on students that are random
- Calling stick
- count off and call all of the #__
- Give color index cards and call a color
- Ask who is an only child? And they get to talk
- Who likes this? They get called on.
- Use the question of the day, everyone who said this answer lets hear from you. Maybe cater the question of the day to a lesson that will come about later.
Assessment
Find out where students are,
how they are getting there,
and where you want to go because of these things.
how they are getting there,
and where you want to go because of these things.
- Idea from class- give a web and a concept on it and ask them to write all they know. Simple pre-assessment.
Ask 3 before me.
Good for ELL students too.
Tell 3 of your favorite facts from today
Have students think of or write down their 3 favorite things they LEARNED from each day and they have to tell a person or 3 different and tell those people to tell three different people.
Objectives
- Use objectives to show what the children can do after a lesson or activity.
- Go over them!
- SWBAT ____ name what they will be able to do.
- So ask right away "who knows __________" and then cater it to the objectives.
Responsibilities
Depending on the grade, students will have certain responsibilities AND benefits, they should go over them and recognize them.
Clarifying Questions
When go through directions make sure they understand!
When teach something new or new vocab. too.
Ask a question, "Do you understand? Clap once or Green card up".
When teach something new or new vocab. too.
Ask a question, "Do you understand? Clap once or Green card up".
Think and Talk
Studies show that giving students time to think first results in more answers and "better" answers.
This also gives students that need longer to think a chance to come up with a full answer.
This also gives students that need longer to think a chance to come up with a full answer.
When Students Give an Answer
- EXPLAIN why it is good.
- What strategy did they use?
- What skill did they use?
- Did they check their work?
- Did they point out key words?
- Did they write in a complete sentence?
Extra Work
Students should ALWAYS have something to do to increase brain power!
Always have extra work in EVERY subject! Make a packet for them,
Always have extra work in EVERY subject! Make a packet for them,
The News
- Kids will find out things from the news
- They may start to view the world as more violent than it actually is
- Talk about it; ask questions to find out what children already know, get them to share feelings, fears, concerns etc.
- Make sure they understand what happened and why
- Letting children read printed news can be better, photo's can be less emotional than videos and you can choose parts of the stories they read if needed
- Remind them that more good things happen everyday than bad, they just don't make the news
(Include links to news sites for kids here)
Ideas for School Newspaper
- Restaurant reviews! Set up rubrics! Keep flyers, menus, receipts etc., take pictures of food and the restaurant.
Emotional IQ
- Children need to learn empathy and body language
- Games: acting like the 7 dwarfs while doing tasks; listen to songs and match feelings with them, act out a play of some kind with no words, only expressions and body movements, act out scene with puppets and have children condole the puppets ove
Organization for Kids
- Checklists! Check their checklists!
- Choose the right tools for the kid, not everything will work for every kid
- Use monthly calendars, personal ones and whole class ones, track backwards with large assignments and break them up into smaller 'to-do's'
Motivation for Kids
- Link interests to academics, find connections
- give kids some control and choices, let them organize themselves for completing thing and schools assignment topics
- Earning badges?
- Add a bead book marks, every book read earns a new cool bead!
Boys vs. Girls
Memorization
- Learning new words
- Put words into songs, definitions and spelling even
- Type up lists with silly fonts (make all pre/suffixes in own font)
Helping Others
Volunteer = be healthier
allforgood.org
thevolunteerfamily.org
allforgood.org
thevolunteerfamily.org
1-Minute Tidy
- STICK TO THE TIMER. If time runs out and they are not done then they have something to work for.
- Explain beforehand who has what jobs during cleanup.
- Give treats sometimes, but NOT ALL the time.
Responsive Classroom
...a way of teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community...
1. Guiding Principles
1. Guiding Principles
- Social Curriculum = academic curriculum, = importance
- Process and content go hand in hand, how is as important as what they learn
- The greatest cognitive growth (changes in thinking) occurs through social interaction
- Academic and Social Success = need of social skills = cooperation, assertion , responsibility, empathy, and self-control
- Know the children - individually, culturally and, developmentally
- Know their families too and work with them
- Know your co-workers and work together to create a better community for students
- Morning Meeting: gather as whole class, greet one another, share and, warm up for the day
- Rule Creation: help STUDENTS create rules that allow everyone to meet their own learning goals
- Interactive Modeling: teach children to notice and internalize expected behaviors through a unique modeling technique
- Positive Teacher Language: use words and tone to promote children's active learning and self-discipline
- Logical Consequences: responding to misbehavior in a way that allows children to fix and learn from their mistakes while preserving their dignity
- Guided Discovery: introducing materials using a format that encourages creativity and responsibility
- Academic Choice: increasing student motivation by differentiating instruction and allowing students teacher-structured choices in their work
- Classroom Organization: setting up the room in ways that encourage independence, cooperation, and productivity
- Working with Families: hear insights and explain teaching approaches
- Collaborative Problem Solving: using conferencing, role playing, and other strategies to engage students in problem-solving
5 Ways to Build Self-Confidence
- Get them to try something new! Write down ideas and then actually DO it!
- Let them take the lead, make decisions, accomplish tasks etc.
- Let them use simple tools, let them build things on their own and TRUST them
- Resume! Make a list of accomplishments and skill and talents. Update it often!
- Teach them a new trick/skill. (magic trick, hoola hooping?...)
I notice that students are always waiting for the next instruction. They need more ideas early about what is coming next. Tell them how the whole day is going, put a GIANT clock on the screen or use a timer, once that clock or timer gets to or goes off then they know what to do next, line up quietly etc. Get jobs for the classroom and really use them, the line leader knows that at 12:29 they line up for class. There can be something that tells everyone the time or someone to handle the timer. There are so many things they can do and so they feel respinsible all day. BUT MAKE SURE THAT WITH THAT RESPONSIBILITY COMES MORE BENEFITS! During free time they can do more things etc. More comprimises, they can even come up with own ideas for classwork or activities.
One job would be to hand out awards (falcon feathers etc.), if you know that you have a classmate that is watching you, it is stressful, and I dont have the time or the desire unfortunately.
One job would be to hand out awards (falcon feathers etc.), if you know that you have a classmate that is watching you, it is stressful, and I dont have the time or the desire unfortunately.
Staying on Track and Getting Done in Time
- Make a play list, they are done by the end of the song
- Morning Poster with things they can mentally check list. The more fun things cannot happen until the list is all checked off. (Give someone the task of checking it off at their own Discretion!)
- To Do Lists. Maybe use the laminated left over to put a check list on each kids desk and they use a dry eraser to write on it....? I can write on it for them! To remind them of things to do or that they owe me, don't have to yell and what not all the time. Tape one clear thing down and on 3 sides and then slide the other clear list in and out so they can see it but don't always rub it off!
Chair Pockets
Long piece of fabric, sew one side down, then the other side the opposite way and it goes on the back of a chair and it has a pocket!
Transitions
- Reading- EVERYTHING OFF OF YOUR DESK
- Everything else- EVERYTHING OFF OF YOUR DESK EXCEPT WHAT NEED.
- PRACTICE!- kids need to be shown how to do it first and then practice until they get it. A great time to go over it is in the beginning when it is okay to "waste" time. And especially make them do it over and over again so that they are late for lunch if need be.
- There are time for noise and time for no noise at all! Teach them the difference well and make it so there is a signal for both!
PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR PAPER!
If students do not put their name on their paper than I get the credit, or I throw it out there and whom ever catches it and puts their name on it first gets the credit!
OR throw it away?
OR throw it away?
Name Sticks
Put them back in so the students do not start to not pay attention because they know that their name will not be called again.
Ask who knows the right answer first. Then pick a stick and those first kids can help if need be.
OR I can only pull certain students that are being good to do the not fun things.
AND anyone that is talking during all of this, transition and such, I will note them and call on them first because they MUST know the answer!
Ask who knows the right answer first. Then pick a stick and those first kids can help if need be.
OR I can only pull certain students that are being good to do the not fun things.
AND anyone that is talking during all of this, transition and such, I will note them and call on them first because they MUST know the answer!
Shut them up with a picture!
Start lessons/activities with some image that gets them to get quiet because they want to know what that is all about! (Or a
Giving Directions
- Policy, do it right the first time or do it again
- Give out JUST directions, nothing else on it, maybe in cool font to get attention, put the key aspects in cool fonts maybe?
- Tell them to read it, you will pick someone at random, they will come up and demonstrate what to do to the class.
- Stick in the middle of the directions extra credit, 'Put a star at the bottom of your paper for extra credit'
"I don't know how to do it"
- Tell them to ask you a specific question
- "Do you want to figure out how to do it during recess/free time?"
- "I recognize your issues but I know what you can and cannot do"
- Make them all say that they can do it, or individuals
Back to School Night
Have students write letters to parents. If the Parents do not come then write back for them?
Introducing New Concepts
- Ask students what they sound like? Do you hear another work in the new concept?
- Give personal examples related to the new concept