The Bathroom!
You know how when the word
"bathroom" is mentioned, everyone all of a sudden has to go? This
tip solves that problem. When the kids need to be excused, they cross their fingers in the
air. All the teacher needs to do is nod their head and the child gets up without
disrupting the story or lesson. Another idea is to use the ASL sign for
restroom. It is the letter "T" (make a fist and stick the thumb up between the
first two fingers) and shake it back and forth.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
Originals
Storing Posters
To avoid congestion when passing out something
that everyone might need, split up the item into different parts of the room.
For instance, if you need everyone to grab a clipboard, put them in three
different places around the room.
Cindy Walker ~
Stuart, FL
To help students keep paper organized, each student is given a pocket folder.
On the inside left pocket the words "TO DO" are written in marker, on the right
side pocket, "DONE". Students place any worksheet that needs to be completed on
the TO DO side. When the worksheet is complete and has been checked over by the
student, they place the paper on the DONE side. I then collect folders at the
end of the class period and do not have to sort out the incomplete work. It also
makes it easier to transport papers home for grading.
Nancy Tillman ~
Valdosta, Georgia
Computer Labels
I really like to find ways to use the computer to make special items for my
students. I use custom created labels for many different uses. For example, I
make pencil reward toppers. I print phrases such as, "100 on Math
Test", "Happy Birthday", and "Awesome Reader". I
fold them in half around the pencil to make a flag. This turns an ordinary
yellow pencil into an extra special pencil. I also make grade scales on labels
and students stick them in their folders or notebooks to use all year. I make
book labels that say, "Please return this book to Mrs. C", or
"This book was donated by Susie Smith". For the first day of school, I
make stickers that say, "Welcome to the Third Grade!"
Marty Crutcher ~
Erwin, Tennessee
Your librarian can supply you with
adhesive pockets that can be placed on a bulletin board for a student helper
chart. I provide enough "jobs" so that at least half of my students
have a task each week. I place the students' names and a sticker face on the end
of unlined note cards. Two student cards are then placed in each pocket, one
behind the other, so the name and the sticker face are peeking out. I rotate the
jobs at the end of each week. The job title plus a brief description of the
responsibilities it entails are labeled on each pocket along with a computer
generated picture. Some examples I use are: "Watch Dog" (this student
reminds me when it is time for lunch or gym), "Zoo Keeper" (cares for
our class bunny), "Platoon Leader" (calls students to line up and
oversees class behavior as they pass through the halls), "Secretary"
(records the lunch count and files reading reports), "Messenger"
(delivers notes and takes the lunch count to the office),
"Distributor" (passes out papers and/or assigns people to help) and
the favorite job,"Teacher's Pet." The ""pet" for the
week may work or read in the hall with a friend of his/her choice and has lunch
in the room with me on Friday. At our lunch together, we talk about the
student's interests and activities. When lunch is finished, I provide my
"pet" with an ice cream treat or his/her selection from the candy box
in the teacher's lounge. The pet may then choose to have an inside recess, use
my computer or go outside with friends. I have gained much insight through these
lunches and the students really look forward to their turn as my
"pet."
Suzy Fittro ~
Sturgis, MI
Have trouble getting students to write
names on their papers? I have found an easy way to remedy this is to have
children raise their pencil in the air when they have written their names. When
all pencils are in the air, directions can begin with all papers properly
labeled!
Christi Stapleton ~ Gate City, VA
Teaching Recipes
As a way of keeping track of all the great ideas I see and read about, I have a
recipe box labeled with the different aspects of teaching. The
labels
include bulletin boards, management, organization, educational
web
sites, etc. Whenever I have or find a good idea, I write it on an
index
card and file it in the appropriate place. I am accumulating quite
a few great ideas.
Tara Bigner ~ Cincinnati, Ohio
Leave a special treat
for your sub in your sub folder or with your plans. Some ideas are aspirin packet,
bath cube or bubbles, candy bar, or fifty cents for a coke.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
If you know
what the background color is going to be on your bulletin boards, cover them
starting with June on the bottom and add each month on top, so when you are done
with one month, just tear off the background and the next month is already
there.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
When passing out papers, always set
extras aside for absent students. At the end of the day, paper clip them together
and place in a folder. When the student returns to school, all you have to do is
hand them the stack. It's a great time saver.
Jennifer Cotterill ~
Orlando, Florida
Staple those bulletin board items at an
angle so the staple isn't in all the way and can be easily removed without tearing your
bulletin board pieces. To do this, hold the stapler with one edge
lifted and one touching the board while stapling.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
When children raise their hands, have
them use a number code. One finger up means "I have to go to the restroom." Two
fingers up means,"I need to sharpen my pencil." Three fingers up means, "I
need help." You will be surprised at how much easier your day will go.
Amy Parker ~
Childersburg, Alabama
Change the terminology
from "substitute or sub" to "Visiting Instructor" or "V.I.P. -
Visiting Instructional Personnel". The students seem to relate the term
"sub" to free day. hopefully, this will catch on for the whole school.
Diana Brown ~
Clermont, FL
I always call my "sub" a
"Guest Teacher"!!! The kids think she is something special then :-)
Gail Beck ~
Augusta/ME
Do you have students who
take medication at school? One of my students used to take half a pill after lunch.
He would put it inside a mini marshmallow and just swallow it.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
Have packets of
information that you need to give new students prepared ahead of time, so when a new
student walks in the door in the middle of a lesson, you don't have to go searching
through piles. Also, have whatever you may need for them precut and ready, such as a
nametag, discipline chart, or whatever else you have kids' names written on.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
Each week I have a Student of the Week. This student brings pictures to display in a space
of honor board. This child gets special privileges during that week. The culminating
activity is having lunch with the teacher. I take a picnic basket that includes fluted
glasses, an electric candle, artificial flowers, tablecloth and cloth napkins with napkin
rings. We have our lunch together at the children's lunch table. They feel VERY special.
Amy Parker ~
Childersburg, Alabama
I provide pencils for the students while they are in LEAP, our
pull-out gifted program. To make sure that all of the pencils remain in this room, I flag
them with red book binding tape and tell the kids that the flag is there to remind them
that the pencil is a LEAP pencil and needs to stay here! Many times, a student has
returned a pencil with the red tape on it and has commented on the fact that the flag
reminded him or her of where the pencil belonged.
Joan H. Franze ~ Leola, Pennsylvania
Here's something I do in my classroom, and the kids love it.
Whenever my students catch a mistake I have written on the chalkboard, they get a cut
card. The card allows them to cut in line. When they want to use it, they cut and then
hand the card to me. Believe me, they do catch my mistakes. Sometimes I purposely make
mistakes in grammar and spelling.
Elaine Kelley ~Navarre, Florida
At the beginning
of the year, allow every student to create a "Victory Dance". Then, whenever you are playing games,
allow the winners to "Victory Dance" for two minutes. I also allow
students who are happy with their performance on a test one minute of "Victory
Dance". Allowing students to "Victory Dance" instead of giving material
prizes teaches them to internalize winning. They learn to win for the joy of
winning; to reward themselves with happiness instead of something external.
Tami Baldinelli ~
Starke, FL
A great hall pass is an old video
cassette box (from the video store). You can slip a piece of paper in the box with
different information for the students to review (multiplication facts, music theory,
spelling words, etc.)
Julianne Loree ~
Martin County, FL
When a student answers a question
correctly, a great way to reinforce the student is for everyone to give him/her a silent
cheer!
Julianne Loree ~
Martin County, FL
Always gets double prints when getting film
developed. This way you can send the second print home with the kids or use it in a
classroom book.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
A good way to keep track of who has a
library book at home is to make a small cut out of a book with a little magnetic tape on
the back for each student. Hang them up on a section of the chalkboard or filing
cabinet. When the student returns the book, they remove their name from the wall.
The day before library day, I send home a little reminder to those who need one.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
If you need to counsel a student, or question them about
something unrelated to class work, its always better to ask to speak to them in the hall.
Keeping private matters private, demonstrates your respect for them and lessons the
likelihood that they will feel they need to save face in front of their friends.
Jennifer Sparano ~Bronx, NY
Document everything! We hear this all the time. The
easiest way to document everything is to purchase an extra lesson plan book. These can be
purchased at your local teacher's store for about $5.00. Date the pages, fill in your
school calendar, and any personal dates to remember. You can also add your students
birthdays, faculty meeting dates, and any other important information. Whenever you
conference with a parent, student, other teacher, administrator, etc. always have this
book and document the what, where, when, why of the conversation. This can also be used
when you go to any meeting, and even with conferences with your own children.
Jeanette Phillips ~
Palm City, FL
A great way to erase those white boards is with a roll
of paper towels. Use the whole roll on its side and when it gets dirty, rip the
sheet off.
Chris Minch ~ Port St. Lucie, FL
I take a box of baby wipes with me on the
playground. As the children are lined up to return to the classroom, I hand them
a baby wipe to wash their hands and face; this saves time in washing hands and
faces after recess when we return to the classroom for snack.
Miss Jodi
Absent Students
When a student is absent we put a We Missed You, Here's What You Missed! folder
on his/her desk. These are fun to make. Decorate a file folder with the words
and stickers. The student who sits next to the absent person is in charge of
filling the folder with whatever is passed out during the day.
Connie Bourgeau ~ Naples, Florida
I am an educational assistant and when my teacher gives me
copies of a certain worksheet to make, I write on the back of the sheet "MASTER
COPY"; that indicates to me that I should not put that in the stack of copied
papers; I also keep a folder with me entitled "Master Copies" so I can keep them
separate.
Miss Jodi
Problem with the pencil sharpener?
Have a flower pot on your desk filled with lots of sharpened pencils, next to it
have a pot that says broken pencils. If a student's pencil breaks they simply
walk up and exchange pencils. This will reduce the noise and distraction of
everyone sharpening at once. Once a week go through and sharpen the broken
pencils!
Shannon ~ Illinois
Magic Piece! This will keep your
floor looking great! Go around the room and find one piece of trash on the
floor. Tell the students you have a magic piece, the students then pick up the
garbage on the floor and you watch to see who picks up the magic piece. This
person can then receive some type of reward and the classroom floor is clean!
Shannon ~ Illinois
Calling on students fairly has always been a concern of mine, so I start out
the year by labeling popsicle sticks with each child's name and putting them
in a cup. This way I can mix up the names, and they never know who is going
to be called on (so everyone is looking for the answer or solving math
problems, etc).
Another wonderful addition to the above is to have everyone write the answer
on their markerboard, show you the answers all at once and then draw a name
out of the cup...if the student has the correct answer, then we all give them
a cheer, or a treat or whatever the case might be! This way you know
everyone has made an attempt at answering the question.
L Swafford ~ Mayo, FL
To help cut down on
wasted time in the morning, assign pencil duty to two students who sharpen the
pencils at the end of the day and put on the student's desks. This way every
student will have a sharpened pencil right when they come into the classroom.
Maddie Thompson ~ Phoenix, Arizona
I have
each student bring in an old sock as their "eraser" for their white board. They
store their sock in their math kit. I have them bring it home half way through
the year to be washed and brought back in.
Connie Semler
Never lose your master again! Draw a line across the master with a yellow
highlighter. It doesn't show on the copier and the students will know to return
it if it accidentally gets passed out to them.
Trudee K. ~ St. Paul, MN
I Am Special!
At the end of each class my students repeat after me: