Words of Wisdom

“However, on better days, days when I had designed lessons that channeled rather than suppressed their fitful energy, or when I found some way to coax them to share their real stories—I  glimpsed the classroom life that was meant to be.”

P 22 Bill Bigelow The New Teacher Book

Really Good Stuff

For those who don't already know about it, reallygoodstuff.com really does have just that: really good stuff for teachers.

Organization tips from the pros.

Another idea I plan on stealing from my masterful co-teachers: make-up work folders.  After doing attendance the teachers or the students put "green folders" on the desks of the students who are absent.  Throughout the day missed work is placed in the green folders for the absent students.  It's waiting on their desk when they return!  Tip: pick up folders and other supplies at Staples during the summer for huge discounts!

How is it that we don't know about these things!

Studyjams.com!  Sing-along songs, videos, lessons, and more by scholastic for math and science by subject.  GOLD MINE!

Words of wisdom

Words of wisdom from my co-teachers: "You cannot make a child behave, you can only make him or her want to behave."

AND

"You get what you notice, so point out the positive."  Live by these words.  I've seen the truth in them.  We caught ourselves dwelling on the negatives of our very challenging class last week, made an adjustment to notice the positive and it's been a much better week!  It really does work!

Glogster! So cool!

Glogster is a great resource for so many things: class posters, webquests, student projects, etc.  Check out this Iditarod Webquest on Glogster for inspiration!

Try it, it will change your world!

Cartooning!

Ok, so it sounds silly, doubt it all you want, but please try it.  I had my doubts, too.  As I said before one of the books I am currently reading is called Make it Visual in the Classroom.  This book has really changed the way I think about thinking and learning.  It has also supplied me with the most valuable tool I've found yet--cartooning as an anticipatory set and as a teaching tool.  It's so simple.  It feels awkward at first, but my co-teachers and I were blown away by the attentiveness it supplies.  I had the rapt attention of an entire class of nearly 60 students.  You could've heard a pin drop.  All it takes: a clean sheet of white printer paper divided into eight sections, select a story in your life that illustrates and creates background and meaning for the lesson you are about to teach.  (I.e. I told a story about a time when someone broke into my car and I got angry for a lesson on anger management, and a story about going to the zoo and noticing that things come in groups--legs on animals--for a lesson on multiplication).  It takes just a few minutes and gives meaningful background to the lesson, creating a framework for students to begin thinking about the topic.  The illustrations should be simple and quick, they just need to show the idea.  Even better, the kids can learn this process.  I've also begun to use it with students that have a hard time visualizing themselves behaving appropriately (below).