2013-2014 Desk Set-up

This year my setup is similar to the one I had last year. Just some minor tweaking; I went with a maze feel.  Students still have cups on their desk. I added a few items.  I am not self-contained this year and no longer teach ELA so the dictionary and thesaurus are gone.  

The cups contains:

Two pencils

One eraser

One highlighter

One dry erase marker

One assessment stick (The assessment stick allows me to keep track of students that are comprehending lesson and those that are not.  Students place assessment sticker on their desk with red side facing up, as students begin to show comprehension with independent practice, responses, quiz, or assessment they are able to turn stick to green).

Students also have calculators on their desk, accountable talk, and self-monitoring and self-questioning guide (you do not see the self-monitoring/questioning as I added them to to the setup after picture was taken). 

I have everything students need to be successful in the classroom within reach.  Instruction time will not be lost distributing material or having them go through their backpacks. #winning

Inside each desk is a dry erase board for our paperless days!!!!  

When students first come to class they also have their Bell Ringer Sheet.  This sheet has a box for Monday-Friday. The Bell Ringer monitor picks up the sheet after review of each bell ringer.  Before I leave for the day I place them on their desk. When I come in the following morning I display the Bell Ringer on the SmartBoard.  Students are ready to work upon entering the classroom! 

Higher Order Thinking Activities

This year I am implementing a lot of higher order thinking activities this year with my students.  Every morning before each lesson I ask myself the following:

What should students know?

What are students able to do now?

How will I measure success?

How will I monitor progress?

It is imperative that for students to understand their thought process and successfully solve math problems that I allow/create opportunities in which students are not just trying to answer correctly but are able to identify what is not correct about a problem and determine what went wrong and how could it be resolved.   Below was a lesson regarding Common Core State Standard 5.NBT.5: students’ ability to multiply multi-digit whole numbers. In this lesson students had the option to determine and explain the errors made by Brian or Jermaine using a foldable or a Venn Diagram.  Some students made the choice to identify the errors of both Brain and Jermaine. 
RESPONSES BELOW:

x

DATA, DATA, DATA, Yeah I am on the DATA BANDWAGON!

Yes, I know we have so much data coming at us we just want to run for the hills. Been there and done that;  almost threw up my flag and surrendered. Woe is me. LOL. Notice I said “almost.”  For the 2013-2014 school year I implemented data usage in my professional development goals.  The implementation of data in my classroom setting and lesson planning is proving to be successfu;l  therefore, establishing itself as beneficial. WHO DAT! 

Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating, and Implementing DATA in my classroom has allowed me to create productive and accurate RTI (Responsive to Intervention) groups, target the specific needs of my students, and has also created an intrinsic motivation for my students in the classroom.  Students are taking more initiative in their academic improvement, monitoring their own performance and assisting their peers in achieving success. WOO! HOO!  Data consist of classroom assessments and achievement series test regarding specific Common Core State Standards. Every two weeks I update our data wall in the classroom with the class averages and percentage of students that are performing 80% or higher.  The picture above is data that was previously displayed in the classroom on our Common Core Data Bulletin Board; it is now displayed outside the classroom. At the end of the 2^nd Nine Weeks students will compare and contrast data of the first nine weeks to that of the second nine weeks.  I draw a sad face on the data chart when the data in red is larger than the green or is of a high percentage.  Students know that red should always be a small bar and green should always be the highest. If you are in need of the spreadsheet I use I will gladly email it to you!

In Their Face! :)

As soon as my students walk in my door they see the business. What’s the business? The business is everything that is vital for them to be successful.  In the above picture students see the following:

BLOOMS:  My students know that the lower level of blooms is their foundation.  In others words, remembering and understanding is all good, however what makes a foundation become a home is when we can add walls, widows, a roof, door, etc., with the ability to apply, evaluate, and create.  Enough said. You can have all the knowledge in the world but if you do not know how to apply it tough luck. #yeahisaidit

Self-Questioning & Self-Monitoring: These questions serve as a guide for not only my students but for myself as well. Yes, I said myself. There have been times when I had to restructure a lesson because it was not flowing as I intended.  Hey, stuff happens.  These questions play an essential role in my students learning and their success in the classroom. I just recently made them in to cards and have placed them on each desk in the classroom so it really is in their face. No excuses. 

Self­questioning

Is my solution strategy working?

Is there another strategy I can try?

Does my answer make sense?

Self­monitoring

Have I seen a problem like this before?

Could I draw a diagram to helpsolve it?

Am I checking my work?

Target:  In my class I set clear targets regarding the desired outcomes from each lesson.  Targets are set at 80% or higher.  Yes, not all students can perform at that level however if they aim for it they will get close and deliver their best. 

Grading Scale: When I grade papers I do not put a letter grade, I simply write the percentage.  Often students see a “C” and think they are fine.  I explain to my students that 75% is a "C" but it is also one point from a “D.”  In other words, they should not feel safe with a "C.”  In my class we set a goal of 80% or higher. No excuses. 

State Testing:  I display state testing categories and their meaning so that students are aware of what their score says about them.  Yes, THEM.  I also connect this to BLOOMs by explaining to my students that the difference between that Unsat, Approaching Basic, Basic, Mastery, and Advanced is if they are implementing BLOOMS at all and the level of which they are implementing BLOOMS. 

Interactive Bulletin Board

Ahhh, the task of putting up a Bulletin Board.   First let me admit, I have never been that teacher that was beaming with joy when it was my turn to put up a bulletin board; NEVER.  LOL! I say this with love.  However, this year I was excited. I have no clue where this excitement came from, but hey who am I to knock it!  Wait, maybe it came from the fact that I put more thought in it and that it would be educational for both teachers and students.  Okay, moving on.  I decided to do an Interactive Bulletin Board involving fractions.  Why?  Well, with the implementation of Common Core fractions are a major component for 5^th grade; fractions are 50% of the iLEAP.  Fractions are also part of the 3^rd and 4^th grade curriculum.  The bulletin board required students to interpret and analyze, you know that thing they hate to do sometimes, “think.” LOL!  It was a success, teachers loved it and so did the students.  I was pleased to watch them discuss the content of the board with their peers and with other educators. I enjoyed and valued their questions and feedback; it put thinking on their brain as soon as then entered the H-WING!  I purchased the material from School Aides and used a white background so that I could write on it with different colors.

My Apologies :(

Okay, Boo! I get the tomato. I sincerely apologize for not posting since Huck was a pup.  I have been working REALLY, REALLY hard.  This summer I asked myself what I envisioned for myself, my students and my co-workers this school year.  SUCCESS is what it was.  I have been really pushing my students and myself as well as helping co-workers when I identify the need.  Sometimes it is not about waiting for someone to ask, but seeing and doing.  What’s new?  I am going to post all day to show you! I hope the information I share can benefit you or someone you know. XOXOXO. I LOVE TEACHING

Organization & Classroom Management

I cannot stress this enough-> Regardless of how good of a teacher you may be, if you are not organized and managing your classroom, your good teaching will not show.   I was so over students losing pencils, erasers, highlighters, dry erase markers, slowness with getting dictionaries, etc.  I stayed after work to correct this situation.  In each cup I gave the students two sharpened pencils, an eraser, one highlighter, a dry erase marker, their assessment guide and our class pledge.  That was the best decision I could have made to improve the structure of my classroom environment.  I also placed a thesaurus and a dictionary on their desk with their calculator.  Everything they could possible need was within their reach. GLORY!   I informed students the next day that I expected their desk to be organized like mine.  I explained to them that everything that was in that cup was done on my time and with my dime, losing them would have consequences. Enough said.  Let’s just say class ran smoothly. I have a perfect 4 in Compass in the area of management.  #boom  Pictures below…..

Making Learning Fun!! Geometry Lesson!

I love to have fun and I am so thankful that I love my job.  Learning should be fun.  However, there is no denying that some things are just sucky and boring to teach. Yeah I said it.  Judge Me. LOL!  However, that is why when an opportunity presents itself to be fun, we must seize it. During a geometry lesson in which I was teaching my students lines of symmetry, how to distinguish quadrilaterals, and understanding what it means to be congruent and similar I incorporated Little Debbie snacks.   For students to be able to eat their snack they had to correctly stand when I called out certain characteristics that their Little Debbie had.  Also they had to compare and contrast (incorporating their ELA knowledge) their Little Debbie to that of their elbow partner.  This was so fun. Students even stepped it up a notch and transformed their shape to that of something else and explained how it was now different and now had more similarities to their elbow partners.  Students did a wonderful job explaining the angles and degrees of their Little Debbie (identifying it as acute, obtuse, or right/less than 90 degrees or more etc).  It they identified it as being a quadrilateral, they were able to explain why, and if not etc. This lesson also builds their constructed response skills.  I want my students to speak their knowledge.  Ex. Versus saying a rectangle and a square are the same because they have four corners, they could identify that they both have 90 degree angles.  Please see pictures below

Schools Out for the Summer/The End of 2012-2013

WoooooooooooooooooooooHooooooooooooo! *singing* “schools out for the summer” #boom

Okay, I know it has been a minute since I have blogged and I want to apologize.  Hopefully when my life comes to a calm and I am able to establish a steady routine (repeated discipline) I will be able to blog at least every two weeks. I am projecting this to be a reality by September.  I have so many new ideas and concepts to share with you all.  I did look at my stats and views and must say I am impressed.  Thanks for sharing my blog with others and coming back to view.  You are appreciated! Again if there is any material on my blog that you need please feel free to email me, I am here to help. 

As you all know this past school year I was moved from my special education classroom to a regular education classroom.  I am pleased to report that it was a success and a wonderful experience.  I witnessed a major transformation in my students in both academics and behavior; despite the trials and tribulations we experience as educators, situations like this make it all worth it.  Knowing you made a positive impact and influence on a young mind is priceless.  I salute all my fellow educators! Remember, my fellow educators that our real boss=students.  I hope the implementation of Compass and Common Core did not discourage you or make you feel worthless or unappreciated; if it did I send you hugs and advise you to look at your students and their achievements.  My students did great or their state test.  I had students who had a history of USAT, receive Basic, students who would only get Mastery in ELA & Math, receive it in Science as well or Social Studies, and even go from a Basic in Science to an Advance.  Also, watching previous Mastery students get an Advance was tear jerking. Needless to say my students did better than their predecessors despite being an entire nine weeks behind and encountering a series of transitions. *Pops Collar* J   I only had one UNSAT in Math!!!!!  My tigers rocked that test and showed out in the content of fractions! I myself also grew and learned so much from this experience.  UNPLEASANT CIRCUMSTANCE PORTENDS GREAT GOOD.  I never thought I would say this, but I am so grateful to have taught such wonderful, dynamic students.  I sacrificed a lot of myself and had many long nights, but it was worth it.  This was indeed a year to remember!!!! One more thing before I go-> I was awarded for all my hard work.  I do not care what anyone says, it does feel good to be valued.  

Twitter in the Classroom....

I use twitter in my classroom as a tool to make learning fun and enhance thinking and comprehension! Let’s face it, technology is a huge part of our society and is the focal point of communication among school age children.  With that being said it is imperative that we incorporate their lifestyle in the classroom as much as possible.  I have my students as my followers and trending consist of topics related to content of lesson.  I start the tweets then my students tweet a response. I will share with you pictures from an ELA lesson that I did on “Writing Wednesday” to re-teach and reinforce main ideas and qualities of a good paragraph.  I also use this as a strategy in the area of reading comprehension.  Ex.  I will ask my students to tweet what they think the character would tweet based off the character's actions, emotions, and motives.  Also students can tweet a prediction. Comprehension of conflict & resolution and cause/effect can be enhanced with this tool as well.  I will tweet the conflict and students tweet possible resolutions.  Later we return to the activity to confirm or adjust our possible resolutions (predictions). 

Redirecting Students Choosing Poor Behavior Without Interrupting Instructional Time & Praising Students That Are On Task!

An effective way to redirect your students when they choose to make poor decisions during instruction time:

                

A colleague shared a strategy that she learned in a professional development workshop that allowed teachers to redirect students without having to say a word.  The strategy involved using a stop sign card that instructed the student to do just that, STOP, and advise them to make a better choice. Being that I am big on not placing focus solely on students who make bad choices and display poor behavior I created a card that praises those students who initially choose positive behavior.  I have included a picture of the cards I use in my classroom.  This has proven to be a great asset.  Students value receiving a green card from me, and seem disappointed when they get a red one.  When I give them a red card students do seem to redirect themselves more. They are also advised they have to keep the card on their desk; students immediately redirect themselves to have the card removed by me and to hopefully receive a green card.  This also eliminates having to interrupt instructional time to redirect or discipline a student.  I simply place the card on their desk and continue the flow of my lesson. Hope this can help someone out there in the universe! 

Why I love Teaching ! PART II

Oh the joy of seeing your students use your teacher taught strategies! VICTORY!

When teaching I implement BLOOMS!  I teach my students the importance of not only remembering and understanding at the moment, but to apply their knowledge and evaluate and analyze material and their responses!

A Fun Creative Way for Students to Assess Themselves and Their Peers!

I found this great tool to assist my students in assessing themselves on pinterest.  I have this assessment chart displayed on a bulletin board in my classroom. I also created a miniature version and provided one to each of my students.  During or after a lesson my students discuss what they assessed themselves as and why; they also receive feedback from peers (do they agree disagree and why, and they offer suggestions and encouragement to their classmate).  This tool has been really fundamental in getting my students involved in the improvement of their learning and providing a format for them to monitor their learning progress as well.  

Bulletin Board Display of Self Assessment!

 Miniature Self Assessment copy for Students! 

Organization is Key

It really is. This right here -------------------> ORGANIZATION, is fundamental to being successful in the classroom.  I remember when I first started my journey to becoming a teacher I would sit in class and also in professional development and morph into a scene from “Peanuts.”  I literally would be like Charlie Brown hearing the “WAH wa Wah,” when instructors would get on their organization in the classroom soapbox.  I completely comprehend why they continued to get on this soapbox now that I am a teacher; organization really is key.  As teachers there is so much we do daily that if you are not organized it is easy to fall behind and interrupt classroom structure.  Recently I was wondering if I would ever have a weekend to myself. Grant it, I am off on Saturdays & Sundays therefore I am not getting paid.  However, I find myself working six to eight hours each day.  I made a promise to find a way to free my weekend of planning, so right before Christmas break I went to bed many nights after 12am creating my lesson plans for the first two weeks in January.  I also printed out material, purchased material, etc, that my students an I would need for each day.  I am the teacher who leaves with the janitors so I deserve my weekends to myself! 

                              

                       I keep material for the current week in the file organizer pocket chart below.

    

I keep material for the following week in the folders below.

Great Idea While Students Wait for the Morning Bell!

Standardized test….let’s face it, they suck.  However, there is no denying that standardized test is a major part of education.   So we have to learn to love it and embrace it.  When students finish their breakfast they wait outside their classroom for the morning bell.  I decided to utilize this as an opportunity to provide extra support for students in the area of their iLEAP as well as decrease noise in the hallways.  To provide extra support for my students and prepare them for their iLEAP test I place material related to specific GLEs that my students will be tested on outside in a bin.  This has been a great strategy; my students are engaged prior to class, they are confident about their iLEAP, and they are quiet in the hallways.   After the morning bell my students come into class and complete their material, then assess each other’s work; once completed we go over content as a whole class.

Why Not Get Smart!

Why Not Get Smart? I think every teacher has had an experience in which they ask a student why they did something that now has the student in an unfortunate situation, and that student responds, "Such and such told me to do it," or "So and so did it."  I advise my students that versus choosing to mimic poor behavior they should choose to mimic positive behavior.  After we say our class pledge in the morning we do jumping jacks to warm up in the morning and say "Why Not Get Smart?!" I mean Why not? :) We are all lifelong learners.  It is with great hope that other educators can get smart from my blog and even share ideas with me so I can get smart! Happy Teaching!


Ms. Ebony, M.A.T.

Establishing Targets for Lessons

It's imperative that students not only comprehend curriculum, but know why it's vital they do so.  At the beginning of the school year I displayed the comprehensive curriculum on the SmartBoard.  I informed my students that material teachers teach them adheres to the curriculum established by their state.  In essence the content they must learn is the same as every other student in their grade.  I display GLEs that will be covered on the whiteboard and go over them with my students daily; students are aware that GLE stands for Grade Level Expectation.  This method I implement with my students has been fundamental in changing their attitude towards their academics.  Many of my students now strive to master their GLEs.  Another method I use to increase students desire to achieve is setting targets.  My students are aware that 75% represents a grade of "C."  They are also aware that a 75% is one point from a 74%, which represents a grade of "D."  Targets are set by identifying skills my students should have acquired by the end of the lesson/unit; target should be reached with 80% or above accuracy; "C+" or higher. 

Below is a picture of the bull's-eye target I use in the classroom to display targets for each

subject.  

Desk Setup!

Yes, I finally found a desk setup that I love.  Luckily for me my students love it as well. The last week of September I was moved from teaching special education to regular education; my student count went from five to twenty-five.  It has been a learning experience; at least now I know I can teach both successfully.