Best back to school tip!

Hey, hey friends!! Thank for stopping by the blog!! Christina from Hanging Around in Primary and I are jointly hosting a Back to School tips linky!! We would LoVe if you would join us big and little fish bloggers. :)

My best back to school tip is have your classroom management system ready to go!! Know it like the back of your hand!! Be ready to answer parent questions about it and know your expectations of students (and consequences) right away. (Be ready to BE CONSISTENT!!)

I use a few different classroom management strategies in my classroom, and to tell you the truth the strategies aren't always the same....you have to mold and shape your management routine to each class, as you get to know them. BUT...I do consistently use the following:

Whole Class: 

We are a TCIT school. (TCIT stands for Teacher-Child Interaction Training.) TCIT is ALL about positive redirection and praise. You can read more about that here. TCIT doesn't require any materials printed or displayed in the classroom, but it does take some getting used to and training yourself to say the right things.

The other whole class management method I use is behavior bingo. It goes like this. I have hundreds chart and two buckets filled with the numbers 1-100. If the class is "caught being good" OR someone in class does something nice/respectful for someone else, or someone is caught bucket filling I will pick numbers out of the first bucket. I color that number in on the hundreds chart and put those numbers in the second bucket. (When there is a bingo I move all the numbers back to the first bucket.) Before we get a bingo, my class votes on their prize. I choose FREE prizes  mostly, hat day...eat lunch in the classroom...etc. I need to apologize for the pic below...from my old classroom in my old school, three years ago!! Another back to school tip:Take pictures!! #oops #wheresmycamerawhenineedit

I have a much more detailed post about behavior bingo HERE. Want a behavior bingo board FrEeBiE?? Click below. (If you know me, you know I am OBSESSED with birds...so of course I had  to put a little bird on it. :) )

Individual Management: 

I know some people won't agree with me...but I am a firm believer in the clip chart, and that is because I only use it in a positive way. In my classroom it is way more about the clipping up (WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE GLITTER CLIP PEOPLE!!!) than it is about the clipping down. If a student does need to clip down, I NEVER point it out to the whole class, sure a few kids might look over at the chart later and notice Bobby moved his clip down, but there is no public shaming. Also, I make sure to LAY THE PRAISE ON THICK the next day for a student who might have clipped down the day before...you cannot believe their giddiness when they make it off the chart the next day and I end up wearing their clip. There are TONS of clip charts available on TpT and online. Below is the one I use...#birdobsession

So...in the end...my tip is have your classroom management plan mapped out WAY before those first little faces walk in your door for Open House. If you are a new teacher, talk to your mentor teacher and see what works best for them...clip chart, class dojo, principal's office (hope not, haha!) use what is best for you!! AND...be sure to link up with us!! I can't wait to read your tips!

Thanks for stopping by,

An InLinkz Link-up

Back to School linky-Assessment

Greetings!

I am back for week two of this amanzing Back 2 School Linky party hosted by Mrs. D's Corner and Miss V's Busy Bees. 

Assessment. A pretty big buzz word in education today. However, I am not going to delve into the topic of standardized testing!! (As we say up north, Uffda.) I want to talk about the ways I quickly assess students in my classroom. Those of you that want to use buzz words: formative assessments. (There are a LOT of buzz words in education!!) 

There are many ways to do a "quick check" on student understanding. Below I will share a couple of ways I assess my students, one of them being a hands-on game that my students LOVE.ADORE.ASKTOPLAYEVERYDAY. 

One of the best ways to get an instant check on my students and how they are doing is through the use of individual whiteboards. I have a set of these in my classroom, but I also have them on my small group table......like stuck on the table!! They are the BEST small group resource ever! (Check out a previous post on these whiteboards HERE.) My kiddos think they are cool and these little stick on whiteboards have eliminated the, "Oh wait, I will be right back, I forgot a whiteboard." Also, I keep a basket of whiteboard markers at my small group table so no one can forget their marker, head to their desk to go get one, get distracted by Johnny who is playing a game with dice, etc....(You know exactly what I am talking about right??) You can order these sticker boards for yourself HERE.

Like I said, I also use the traditional individual whiteboards. These are great to use during whole group time. Here are two ways I use them:

1. During whole group math: We often start our math time with a quick review of what we learned the day before. The kiddos copy down a problem onto their board and "hug it" to their chest when they are done. Then, when I say "Show me your amazing work!" They hold it up in the air. The reason I have them hug it before showing me is it gives other kids a little extra time to work, AND it almost completely stops copying. 

2. During whole group reading: I most often use the mini whiteboards during phonics and spelling reviews. For example, if our sound of the week is "ch" I will have the kids write some words that include that sound. (Same with spelling, we review our words.)

The kiddos DO get sick of taking tests....and more tests....and still MORE tests. I mean, can you blame them? Like I said above, individual whiteboards are a great way to quickly assess students, BUT they will get bored of it if you use them too often. I was thinking about this one night (because a teacher's brain NEVER stops thinking of school!) and decided to create a review game for my students to use in math the next day. We were learning about grams and kilograms and my littles needed to be able to determine which unit (g or kg) they would use to measure an object. What popped out of my brain was "This or That?". In this game, students each get a "g" and "kg" circle (pictured below). We glue (or tape) these onto popsicle sticks, and when I say an object, "fridge" the students show me either g or kg. (After naming a few objects, I know INSTANTLY who gets it, and who needs a review in small group.) The kiddos LOVE this....they kind of feel like it is a game show. 

I have two versions of this game in my TpT store....so far. :) You can get my grams or kilograms version FREE! I also have an inches or feet version. Click on the pictures below!

Thanks for stopping by!

Back to School Linky-Behavior Management, new clip chart & a Freebie!!

Greetings!! 

I have definitely been outta the blogging world for TOO LONG. BUT....I was busy interviewing, cleaning up the flooded basement, and MOST importantly...taking care of my cutie patootie. He is cruising around furniture now and ON THE GO. I am exhausted, but it is so much fun!


AND....new school! I am ELATED to have accepted a teaching position so close to my hometown...about 20 minutes away!  SO..new school means new classroom!! It is a nice room and my super OCD is kicking in mind is going a million miles an hour with ideas of how to manage and set it up.

 Luckily, Mrs. D, over at Mrs. D's Corner, and Mrs. V over at Mrs. V's Busy Bees are hosting a ten week (yes I said 10 people!!) linky party. 

Each week focuses on a different part of our wonderful career we call teaching.

Alright...let's get down to the nitty gritty:

Strong behavior management is ESSENTIAL in order for your students to learn and feel safe inside your little space. (Maybe yours is a big space!) I have tried several different things over the years....I mean I used a music box as a management tool with one class!! (A story for a different time!) and have finally settled into a few behavior management strategies that work best in my classroom. Let's get started.

My teaching life changed as I know it the instant I learned about the clip chart. I mean the MINUTE. I switched to it mid year as soon as I figured out how to implement it. I have never turned back. #bestbehaviortooleverIswear  

The past three school years I have used a very basic version that I crafted one late Saturday night in the teacher's lounge. (Like I said...I wanted it the minute I found out about it!) Here is my "basic" version.

Stanley makes his debut on the blog. :)

What I LOVE about the clip chart is it doesn't just call out negative behaviors like some other color change systems do, but it also calls attention to positive behaviors! Quick explanation: All students start (I mean they put on their marvelous name marker...or a clothespin...yup that will be your big purchase for this system!!) on Green-Ready to Learn each morning. (Clean slate for all every day!!) If they make good choices they clip up. Bad choices=clip down. I have a symbol I do with my kids to tell them to clip up or down, that way it is private and doesn't disrupt the rest of the class. The "clip" action is two fingers making scissors motion and then I either point up or down. The kids love this little "secret" language we speak! :) In most clip charts there are 7 sections. Clicking HERE will take you to the official clip chart website where you can download a free booklet on how it works!

Blue-Outstanding-This kiddo had a GREAT day and they get a marker dot. (Some teachers use stickers...I just could NOT get them to stick!) Once they get 5 dots, it is off to the next color clip for them!! I do ROY G BIV. Once they have made it through the rainbow, we get a glitter clip. Then, we are back at a red clip, but I have a bin in my cupboard labeled "Design Clips". The kiddos choose something red and I hot glue it to their new, fashionable, envious clip. (Seriously...this is HUGE to my 2nd graders!)

Pink-Great Job-They have made great choices...great day!

Purple-Good Job-It was a pretty good day. :)

Green-Ready to Learn-Our starting point for the day. Even if a kiddo ended up on Red, they get a fresh start. Phew!

Yellow-Think About It-This is just a warning section. They can still clip up from this place!

Orange-Teacher's Choice-a consequence that fits the crime...just be sure to be consistent. If always making bad choices Johnny has to write an apology letter to the Spanish teacher for stealing her puppet (true story) then so does little Miss Jane, even though it is her first offense. If  a student clips down to Orange, they do not get to clip up from there.

Red-Parent Contact...just what it says. That kiddo had a tough day! If a student clips down to red, they cannot clip up.

This year I have developed OCD a love for all things bird and chevron, so I created my own, new clip chart. (Bye bye basic.) Check it out here, or by clicking on the picture below. 

I use the clip chart as an individual management tool. This next tip is a whole class motivator!

Behavior BINGO. Yes..you heard me right. I play an ongoing bingo game with my class depending on whole group behavior. My class is playing bingo to win a prize we voted on earlier. (Usually gum day, hat day, eat lunch in classroom, etc.) Here is how it works:

It is basically a 100's chart. I print out a second copy of the chart, cut it up, laminate it and put it into one of my cute little buckets. (I have two buckets. One holds the numbers we have not pulled out and colored in yet, the other one holds the used numbers.)

So the picture above isn't GREAT...but there is my bingo board in the lower left side, with one of my buckets visible. If my class has made a great choice (walking quietly in the hallway, working hard during Daily 5, etc...) I will say, "Wow! We have had a great morning. I am going to pull five (up to you!) bingo chips!" I will then take out 5, color those squares in, and then put those five tiles into the "used numbers" bucket. 

We get the prize when we have a row filled. (That takes ten numbers in a row, so you will only need to think of a few prizes for the year! LOVE it.)

Click HERE or on the pic below to download a FREE copy of the Behavior Bingo chart.

I hope these tips can help you in your classroom this year!! 

Do you have any tried and true behavior management methods? Leave me a comment if you do!! 

Stay tuned for next week's Back 2 School post! 

Thanks for stopping by,