Made It Monday

July Blogging Challenge -Day 28

I am easing my way into back to school mode!  Here is a little something I made with my new washi tape.  I am not really a crafty person and I've never made a truly themed classroom, but I really like the "comic book/superhero" theme and I am going to try and do it a little bit in my room.  So here are two of my first little touches. 

I LOVE my pencil sharpener and my kids do too.  The point it makes on pencils have my kids spoiled so much that when theirs gets the tiniest bit dull they want to resharpen.  This year I am going to make sharpening pencils a reward.  Each day the can will start off filled with sharp pencils.  Whenever a student wants/needs to sharpen, they are going to take a sharp pencil out and put their dull pencil in.  At the end of class, I will draw a name of a student who has followed the rules and participated all class to sharpen all of the dulls from that class period.  Not sure exactly how I will do the drawing part, maybe give kids tickets when they are caught doing good, or maybe I will make laminated cards with their names on them and if they break a rule or don't do homework or something I take the card away.  Actually I'd rather reward good behavior than punish bad behavior so I think I'll go with the ticket idea.  Maybe combine the both and if they are caught being good I put their laminated card in the jar!  Okay, yeah that works!

SLANT vs SWAG

Help!  I have tried using SLANT before...but kids hate it,they don't buy into it and I never follow through.  However I like the idea of it.

So On Pinterest I found this gem: (just the Show your Swag part)

I instantly loved it.  I really think the kids will buy into it.  My only problem is I'm not crazy about the G: Give Snaps/Claps.

So I was wondering if I could get some good suggestions on the G line!?  The only thing I can come up with and actually like is Give respect to all.

Minds On Math: Chapter 4 "Community"

It has taken me a while to even begin this post for a few reasons.  Chapter 4 is about the importance of developing a certain culture in your classroom.   It is the culture that I have always envisioned as how my classroom would work.  However, it has not always turned out that way.  The picture above is from one of those days last year where I left school on top of the world.  My students were 100% engaged, my room was filled with a community of learners that were focused on solving a math problem. The time flew by, excellent math discussion took place -BETWEEN STUDENTS, etc.   So why couldn't I have that more often?  Why couldn't that be everyday?  

After reading the first 3 chapters I can tell you one thing about this day...they had a really good task, it was on that half sheet of paper and their group was to find the cost of taking a trip from NY to LA.  That was all the info I gave them, they had to think of and account for everything they would have to pay for in order to take that trip. 

OK, so back to chapter 4.  Hoffer explains that there are three key elements to building a community of learners.

1. Intention-having a vision and expectations for your classroom
2. Interdependence-Basically teaching kids how to work together, creating tasks that require group work, not just tasks that could be done solo and throw them into groups just to make groups.
3. Homeostasis-this section talks about classroom management stuff, hold everyone accountable, give authentic consequences, immediate feedback, self monitoring, etc.  

There are some really great suggestions in each of these three sections. 

One of my biggest takeaways is the idea of presenting my expectations in the form of norms (pg. 53) I loved her chart, and I'm thinking that if I present this to students I can have them create the "rules" of class together, something I've never done.  Actually by posting the Norms of the class, somewhat eliminate a need for a list of rules, the rules become -you're either supporting the norms or your not.  Actually the more I look over her chart the more I love it!  

I have to say I am so glad that I am reading this book now, over summer break, it is really giving me direction and focus for my plans for the coming school year!

Section 1 Successful Discipline Rests with You-Reflection

1. I do agree that every teacher has discipline problems, it is the way that they react to these problems that determines the success of their classrooms.
The implication of this belief for me, means that I must be proactive and think through how I will handle situations, not try to create a room that has NO situations or problems.  Previously I just thought that if I made my plan and communicated my expectations that I would have no trouble at all. Big mistake!

2. Honestly, it has been so long since I was a student and I have blocked out a lot of my memory from my younger years that this is hard for me to do.  I would love to be able to visit some other teachers, and Im going to try to do that this year.
Last year my math coach suggested that I take an extreme approach and write all of the students name on a white board and if they so much as said one word I was to give them a check that was detention, then 2 checks for 2 detentions and 3 checks sent to the office, etc. It did get them under control, but what it really did was just train them to watch for when I picked up the marker. I hated it and so did they.

3. I think I can provide them with structure and boundaries as well as freedom and choices by including them from the beginning in making the rules and procedures of the class. 
Since I plan on running my class very differently (flipped and lots of collaberation) I will make the activities that first week all about making and possibly filming the rules and procedures.

Actually, I absolutly love the idea of filming them teach and model the rules! There is no question that I am going to do that! Ok now off to start working on those activities!