Teaching Students to have a Growth Mindset

Ever since I read the book Mindset by Carol Dweck a few years ago, the whole idea of a growth mindset has really stuck with me.  I highly recommend reading it if you haven't yet!  After reading the book, I've tried to make little changes in the way I praise and talk to my students.  For example, instead of saying, "You're great at ___!," I try to highlight effort and hard work.  Instead of talking about strengths, I try to talk about how persevering and effort is what leads to success and learning.  But until this year, I hadn't explicitly taught this kind of thing to my students.

I absolutely love using Quantum Learning in my classroom, and this year I decided to introduce my students to the Eight Keys of Excellence.  One of my favorite keys is Failure Leads to Success, and I decided that this key was the perfect way to finally teach my students about a growth mindset.  We started by watching this amazing video from Kahn Academy about how we are all born to learn:

Then, our class had a conversation about how this video connected to the Failure Leads to Success key.  The video shows a baby learning to walk, and we talked about what would happen if every time a baby fell, he or she decided to give up.  We talked about all of the times we've said, "I'm not good at ____," or "I can't ___," or "___ just isn't my thing."  Then, we made this anchor chart to help us re-frame our thinking and create a "Failure Leads to Success Mindset."

Last, we read one of my all-time favorite picture books, Salt in his Shoes.  I had the kids listen for times that Michael Jordan showed a "Failure Leads to Success Mindset" in the story, and to give me a thumbs up when they heard an example.  All in all, it went great.  I loved explicitly teaching my kids how to re-frame their thinking and inner conversations, and I have already loved referring back to the lesson with my kids when they start to get frustrated and give up.  My students even remind me that "failure leads to success" when I make a mistake during teaching!  Awesome. :)

Current Classroom Management Win: SLANT

My giveaway for the Haiku Sprint Duffle ends tomorrow--what are you waiting for??  Go enter--it's as easy as leaving a comment.

I love being part of my school's PBIS universal/tier 1 team.  Developing school-wide behavior goals, implementing action plans, and planning celebrations for when we meet those goals is something I really enjoy doing.  Back in March, we tried a new goal that was hands-down my favorite to date.  One thing that several of us on the PBIS team had noticed we were struggling with was attention and eye contact during instruction.  Ever since hearing about it during my Quantum Learning training a few years ago, I've practiced SLANT with my kids:

S: Sit Up

L: Lean Forward

A: Ask Questions

N: Nod your Head

T: Track the Speaker

Every fall, I teach my kids what it means to "SLANT" during instruction and turn and talks.  We practice nodding (appropriately...), sitting so that our body sends a message to the speaker that we are listening, and holding eye contact with the speaker.  When we're learning the skill, I will walk around the whole room talking, encouraging the kids to turn in their chair and follow me with their eyes.  This is my favorite element of SLANT--while I know that eye contact expectations differ across cultures, I let the kids know that in our classroom, eyes on the speaker sends the message that we are engaged, listening, and interested.  

Anyways, back to our PBIS team.  After talking about our attention struggles, we decided to set SLANT as our school-wide goal for March.  Every day for three weeks, classrooms worked to earn a letter to spell the word SLANT, with the end goal being to earn enough letters to participate in our school community celebration.  I loved this goal SO MUCH!  We were already practicing SLANT, but this goal lit a fire under my kids to send the speaker--whether it's me or a student--that they are ready to listen and learn.  Loved the difference I saw in my class, especially during the "Spring Slump" that happens so often in classrooms come March!

What are some of your slam dunk management strategies this year?

Teaching Perseverance

I have a poster up in my room that says, "It's okay not to know.  It's NOT okay not to try."  This week, I felt like maybe I need to put that quote on the desk of half my students--maybe even all of them.  Or maybe wear it around my neck on a giant sandwich board.  Do you ever find yourself working with a group of students in math or reading or whatever, asking them to do a task, and finding yourself ready to shake them because all you're getting is blank, helpless stares?  Yup, that was me this week.  I promise to always, always be honest and never sugar coat on this blog, so here it goes:

I pretty much LOST IT some of my kids this week.

*sad face*

We started a math intervention block where we break off across the grade level into ability groups for a half hour of intervention/enrichment, and I work with one of the most struggling groups.  Some days it can be a real challenge.  Tuesday was one of those days.  We have been working on finding factors of a number for about two weeks (maybe even more), and as a warm up, I asked my group to create a "factor rainbow" for the number 30 on their white boards.  My group got the factor pair of 1 and 30 down on their boards...then stopped.  Many of them knew 2 would be a factor because 30 was even...but then just gave up.  If it wasn't on their multiplication charts, they couldn't figure it out.  I prompted them to think about some of the strategies we've used (arrays, skip counting, drawing groups...), but still...crickets.  

Finally, my patience ran out.  I let them know in a Viola Swamp-ish way that I was NOT impressed with their efforts.  I found myself saying over and over, "It's okay if you don't know the answer.  It's NOT okay if you sit there, waiting for the answer to appear in your head, and not doing anything about it."  I was so frustrated that they were just sitting there HELPLESS!

Yikes.  Luckily I had my PLC right after the math group and had a chance to regroup and reflect a bit before our regular math class.  I know in my heart that teaching grit and perseverance to my kids is as important as any of my content, so I decided to start my shared math lesson by revisiting our math class norms:

Specifically, that second one and the word "PERSEVERE."  I use this word all the time with my kids, but I hit it super hard that day.  We gave examples of what it means to give up when a math problem is tricky and what it means to persevere.  I stressed that persevering doesn't mean always arriving at the right answer--it means working hard and using every tool in your box without giving up.  It means asking questions and taking risks to TRY SOMETHING.  It means refusing to shut down and quit.  We modeled the body language that goes with giving up and the body language that goes with persevering.  

My regular math lesson called for a partner problem-solving activity--the perfect opportunity to practice perseverance (and of course our ongoing goal of teamwork!).  I challenged them to work with their partners and persevere through the activity.  I was so pumped to see an immediate difference in the kids and their approach to the concepts.  This just reiterated to me the importance of taking time to teach those things we expect.  If I expect my kids to be able to persevere, I need to teach them how to do that.  They may never have had a chance to develop that "grit" at home; maybe they have become so used to shutting down that it's their default when things get hard.  I am doing them a disservice if I allow that to continue...

...but I'm also doing them a disservice if I just get upset and frustrated when they do shut down.  Like I did this week.  I decided to make a new affirmation for my classroom:

Edit: I realized after the fact that this poster is spelled wrong!  Whoops, teacher brain!  Oh well, if my kids notice I will give them a prize for spotting the teacher's mistake... ;)

This is our new classroom motto as of this week.  It goes for me, too--when teaching gets tough, I WILL PERSEVERE!  I've been referring to it every day and continuing to talk about perseverance.  One morning during our classroom community time (aka the 5 minutes before we immediately switch to groups) I had the kids visualize running down the street towards a destination and being faced with a giant brick wall--I asked the kids, what would you do?  They answered, climb it, jump over it, break it down, bulldoze it over!  We talked about what that wall might be in math or reading and what tools they have to help them bust them down.  It was some powerful talk!

After talking about perseverance the last few days, I really can say I've noticed a difference in my class!  I've noticed a couple of the kids giving themselves some awesome positive self-talk, like on girl saying, "Okay, I'm not going to quit!" when we were working in a math group.  Other teachers on the team have also commented that the kids have been talking about perseverance and saying similar things.  YES!  Amazing what taking the time to step back, explain, model, and teach my expectations can accomplish.  If they can carry this one thing with them into next year and outside my classroom, the ability to persevere in the face of obstacles, I will be able to rest more easily at night.

How do you teach your kids to persevere?

Management Monday: Routines I Teach the First Weeks

Back to school today!  Today and tomorrow we have Institute Days, with the official back to school day for kids being Wednesday.  Tonight, though, is our Back to School Picnic and Meet the Teacher night.  Translation: This is going to be a long day.  Anyways, it's also my last post in my Management Monday summer series.  Let's be real, who can keep up with regular weekly posts once the school year starts?  Anyways, onto something I've been thinking a lot about this week--classroom routines!

We all know that routines are the lifeblood of any successfully running classroom.  I have written already this summer about some of the routines I teach, including Morning, Restroom, and End of the Day.  The thing is, though, that in order to have a successfully running classroom, you need a routine for almost EVERYTHING.  More importantly, they have to be routines that work well for you and for your students.   You may even have to adjust or completely revamp routines part way through the year if it becomes clear that they are not working as well for this group as they did for last year's group.  Instead of detailing every single other routine I have in place (because who has time for that???), here's a no-frills list of routines I make a special point to teach right off the bat!

• Morning Routine: Waiting in a line outside the door until I am ready to shake their hand in the doorway, unpacking procedure, carpet gathering, and opening tradition (music)
• Transitioning from carpet to desks
• Distributing and using dry erase boards, markers, and felt erasers appropriately and efficiently (I like to explain what "efficiently" means early on in the year, and I use the word frequently when I am explaining expectations.)
• Using the restroom: How to signal to the teacher to ask to go, pass procedures, and sign out
• Pencil Sharpening: When it's okay, how to ask, what to do if a pencil breaks mid-lesson
• Getting a drink: Again, how to signal, how to sign out, etc.
• Transitioning between classrooms for math: Materials to bring, where to line up, when it's okay to go, how to walk to math
• Guided Reading expectations, including transitions and what to bring to the table.  (Read my detailed post on this here)
• Transition to lunch time: room is clean, chairs are pushed in, where to line up
• Lunch time expected behaviors
• Transition after lunch: I make the kiddos line up outside the classroom door until they hear our quiet music come on in the room, the signal that they may silently enter the room, hang up their coats, and join me in our afternoon yoga.  (This one may deserve its own post!  Maybe next week...)
• Walking in a line in the hallway
• Using shared materials, and how they should look once they're put away (ahem, dry erase marker caps ON please...)
• Taking books from the classroom library: When this is allowed, how to check them out (I personally do not have kids sign out books), where to keep them (My rule is book boxes only, not in desks)
• What is expected during classroom discussions, including Turn and Talk
• What to say if you don't know or didn't hear the question

Phew!  That is a long list!  I'm sure there are many that I'm forgetting too! 

What other routines do you teach in your classroom?

Management Monday: End of the Day Routine

Happy Monday!  T minus 1 week until back to school for teachers in my district!  Eep!  I have a couple more Management Monday posts to share with you to help you get ready for back to school!  Since there was no real interest in a link up, I'm just going to keep this a regular post.  One routine I really struggled with my first year was our end of the day/clean up routine.  It was pretty much a free for all, the kids screwed around, and the floor never got clean.  Basically, my worst nightmare!  Here's what works for me now:

The last 10 or so minutes of the day, I go over homework assignments on our homework board.  My kiddos fill out their assignment notebooks and color a square in their behavior calendars (thanks Clutter-Free Classroom!) to reflect where they ended the day on our clip chart.  Once I've read all the assignments and answered questions, I put on our closing song.  I've written before about how I use "anchor songs" throughout the day at key moments.  Linking a song to our closing routine and cleanup helps the kids remember the routine and stay focused on what they need to do.  I usually pick a fun, upbeat song for closing.  Our favorites last year were "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus and "Who Says" by Selena Gomez.

After the kids have filled our their assignment books and colored their calendars, they raise their hand.  I grab a self-inking stamp (or one of my little helpers chooses one for me :), and walk around the room to check the planners of the kids with raised hands, stamping them when they are correctly filled out.  If they are not correct, I simply point to the HW board and say, "Not complete," before moving on to the next kid.  

Self-Inking Stamps from Lakeshore Learning

Once the kids have a stamp, they are to clean the floor.  And let me clarify--I mean CLEAN THE FLOOR.  I am super picky about a clean floor, and I train the kids early on in what I expect.  A few of the kids have special jobs like cleaning the library, putting book boxes away, or organizing the supply bins, but everyone else just gets on their hands and knees, picks up scraps, etc.  I used to think I had to yell and scream at the kids to get them to clean, but I realized that if you really train them, it's easy.  Sometimes I will challenge each kid to pick up 30 scraps--they will actually get super into it.  Okay, enough about my nazi-like floor expectations.

During this time, I will call out one table team number at a time to go to the coat rack and get their coats and backpacks.  This helps prevent a pile up and a shoving match--learned that one the hard way!  Once all teams have gotten coats and backpacks, I will turn the music up really loud as a signal that we are almost out of time, then gradually fade it out.  By the time the music has faded, kids are to be packed, ready, and sitting on top of their desks.  (Sometimes I will add a 20 second count down in there if they need more time.)  Sometimes I will have an entire team "clip up" for being cleaned up and ready to go on time.  Next, I will have my two "floor inspectors" (a classroom job) check the floor for scraps under each table and give them an "Okay!" or a "No Way!"  All teams must be cleared by the floor inspectors. :)

End of the Day Award--I tweaked these to make them "Super Star Awards" last year, but don't have the updated version on this computer.  You get the idea though!  I just print them on card stock, cut them out, and hand them out to kids at the end of the day.

LAST, we do our end of the day awards--a favorite classroom tradition.  Any student who has their clip on Outstanding, the top level of the clip chart, gets their name announced.  We all cheer and applaud, and they earn a "Superstar Award" and a PBIS ticket.   Once we are done and the bell is about to ring, I say, "Bring it in!" and we gather as a class for a closing "huddle."  I started this tradition when I had a sports theme one year, and just love it.  We all put our hands in the middle, and I say, "Team (my last name) on 3.  1, 2, 3!"  and the class raises their hands and shouts, "Team (my last name)!"  Just a fun little community building tradition.  I always have the class line up in number order by the door, then I walk them downstairs and to the outside door, giving them each a high-five on the way out.

That's a wrap!  Tell me about your End of the Day Routine--what works?

Management Monday Linky: Acknowledgements + a Vlog! :)

Don't forget to link your Management Monday posts at the bottom!

I've mentioned a few times that I teach using Quantum Learning, a philosophy similar to Whole Brain but with a few more components.  One of the tenants of Quantum is "Acknowledge Every Effort."  This is one of those little things that makes a huge difference in the classroom.  We all know that it's important to acknowledge good behavior, correct answers, and student sharers.  However, one of the things it's easy to forget is that really every student needs acknowledgement throughout the day.  I try to make a point to make acknowledgements a part of my classroom culture.  Many of these ideas I borrowed from my Quantum Learning training or other teachers I've observed using Quantum.

Here are some examples:

• Quick Acknowledgments: When students raise their hands to share answers ANYTIME during the day, I try to have the class acknowledge super quickly.  We usually do three snaps, but snaps get repetitive so some alternatives are three claps, two claps one snap, two stomps one clap, etc.  Basically any variation of snaps, claps, and stomps does the trick!  I know, you are probably thinking, "Seriously, you do that after EVERY time a student shares?"  Honestly, I try to, and I think it's worth it.  It only takes a second, and I can truly feel the difference in my classroom environment when we do the acknowledgments versus when we don't.  They become so embedded in the classroom culture that kids will start giving "snaps" without prompting.
• Partner Acknowledgments: After working with a partner or doing a Turn and Talk, I try to have the students thank their partner with a quick acknowledgment.  Often this will just be a high 10 or a fist pound, but another favorite is to turn and give a "YES!"--basically holding their fist in front of their face, pulling it down, and saying "Yes!"  
• Full Class Acknowledgements: During my transitions, I try to pair a classroom community acknowledgment with a quick stretch break at times.  For example, if we are sitting at the carpet and getting ready to move to desks, I might say, "Get in 5 high-5s on your way to your seat!"
• Special Acknowledgments: These are my favorites and are borrowed STRAIGHT from my Quantum training.  When a student needs an extra special acknowledgment, we use one of our "Whooshes."  Yes, "Whooshes." :)  These are silly gesture acknowledgments that are written on the popsicle sticks seen above.  I realized I'd probably never be able to describe exactly what these are, so I decided to add a little vlog into this post!  Check out the video below to see some of my favorite Whooshes!

Gosh, I am so lame.  Please don't unfollow me because of that... ;)

(I should also add that I have started "wooshing" people outside of school who have no idea what I'm doing...it gets strange...)

Anyways, that's a wrap for Management Monday!  Please share your ideas for acknowledgments in the comments or link up with your own Management Monday post!

Management Monday: The Clip Chart! (+ my first linky!)

After writing Management Monday posts the past couple of weeks, Carrie at Being Ladylike suggested I make the series into a weekly linky party.  I am new to the link up game, but I figured I'll give it a shot!  If you are interested in sharing your management ideas, I hope you will link your posts below!

First, I have to say that I in NO WAY take credit for the clip chart.  It was not my idea, and I got my start with it thanks to many other teacher bloggers, especially Raye at The Caffeinated Teacher who assured me it was a great system for big kiddos as well as little kiddos.  Many of the ideas you will read about in this post are based on the ideas of Rick Morris, whose description of the clip chart and whose ebook describing its implementation totally got me on board with the whole system.   I've written about it in the past here and here, but with school ready to start up in a few weeks, I figured it was worth describing again!  Like I said, while most of these ideas are not my own--I'm sharing them here because they have worked so well in my classroom, and I want to spread the word! 

First Day Introduction
On the first day of school, I introduce the clip chart with a super positive spin.  I describe to students how every day when we enter the classroom, we are "Ready to Learn."  Each day is a fresh start; we are all beginning in the same place.  I tell them that it's completely up to them where they end the day.  We all make choices during every day that determine what kind of day we will have.  We also all make mistakes.  I ask the kids if they've ever made a mistake that they wish they hadn't.  I ask them if they think their whole day should be ruined because of one mistake.  They always say "No!"--that's the beauty of the clip chart.  I tell them that their day is NEVER ruined!  Even if they make a mistake, they can make a different choice and move on with their day!  I "challenge" the students to set a goal for where they would like to see their clip at the end of the day.  I have them visualize moving it up to their goal color.  Then, I have them think or talk to a neighbor about what choices they will make to move their clip there.  It's super positive and gets the kids excited about the clip chart.  I also have the kids come up and place their clip on green to give them ownership over it.

Day to Day Management

During the school day, I tell students "Clip Up" or "Clip Down" based on their behavior.  I often use a hand gesture that I read about in the clip chart ebook linked to above--a scissors motion with my index and midle finger, followed by a thumb up or down indicating the direction the kiddo needs to move his or her clip.  I try to make sure I am clipping up A LOT, especially at the beginning of the year.  Like any management system, the kids need to buy into it, and feeling successful is a huge part of it.  

I also let kids continue "clipping up" even after they make it to pink (the top level)--they can move to the very top of the chart, followed by moving "off the chart."  This is a personal favorite of mine; the kids bring their clip to me and I clip it onto my shirt.  They love it!

What Makes it Special

At the end of the day, we celebrate studetns who have made it to "Outstanding," aka the top of the chart.  These studetns get a PBIS ticket, a "Super Star" award, and a sticker on their clip.  When clips have 5 stickers on them, they get swapped out for a special colored clip starting with red, the bottom color on the chart and moving all the way up through all the colors, then silver, gold, and "jeweled." :)

Why I Will Never Use Another System
One of the initial reasons I was reluctant to use the Clip Chart was because I wasn't sure I wanted behavior management to be something so visible to the whole class.  I always thought I preferred checks on a clip board to something public like a Clip Chart, and I used that system my first two years teaching.  Here's the thing about that--it didn't work for me.  Here's why I use the clip chart now and will never go back:

• I would hesitate to give strikes and end up giving a lot of second chances--strikes were something that my kids couldn't earn away, so if a kid was one who tended to shut down, I wouldn't want to give one!  With the Clip Chart, I don't hesitate to say, "Clip Down," because nothing is "permanent"!  The kids can clip right back up!  No day is ever ruined in the kids' eyes.
• The Clip Chart focuses on the positive.  I love how I can have the kids "Clip Up" all day long--there is always another level to move to!
• Everyone starts on green.  I love that kids have somewhere to move UP, not just DOWN each day.  
• I REMEMBER TO USE IT.  No, "Where's my clip board?" or, "Did I already give you a warning?"  I don't do "warnings" with the clip chart--the first clip down is the "warning."  Makes it easier for the kids to remember where they stand, and for me as well!
• I worried about the "public" aspect of the clip chart, but in my experience it is motivating for the kids!  They love being able to get up in front of the class and move their clip up!
• It is virtually "prizeless."  That is, I don't need to worry about a treasure box!  I do an *occasional* raffle with our PBIS tickets or our Boggle word slips, but I spend waaaaay less money on prizes now with the clip chart than I have with past systems (sticker charts, classroom economy, etc).  Besides saving me money, more importantly, no treasure box means the kids are striving for improvement because THEY WANT TO!  Internal motivation, BAM!  Love it!

Okay, I think that sums it up!  Tell me about your behavior management system or share your classroom management ideas by linking up below!

Management Monday: Restroom Routines in the Classroom

This week's tips for classroom management are all about the restroom!  This is another system that it took me a couple years to perfect, and of course it's one of those that may totally need to be revamped based on the group of kids you have.   I have always preferred individual restroom visits as opposed to a group restroom break because I think they take up less instructional time overall.  This post kind of spiralled out of control, but the more I wrote, the more I realized there are so many pieces to the routines!  Here are some things I consider:

When do I let them use the restroom?
I try to plan out in advance appropriate times when I will let me students use the restroom.  I understand that sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go, but I feel like in my experience most kids can get into a pretty good routine of when they go.  I think it's super important to have an idea in your head of when you will and will not allow your students to leave the classroom and miss out on that sacred learning time.  Otherwise, when a student asks to leave, you might puzzle over it for a second, make a snap decision, and then change your mind later and not let another student go during that same subject.  With my 5th graders especially, being "fair" was an incredibly important part of earning their trust, so I really tried to be consistent.  Here are my typical rules

• Times you MAY use the restroom: First thing in the morning when you get in/during announcements, during any transition time, during read aloud, during writing time (after the Writing Workshop mini-lesson), before and after lunch, before and after specials, during math ONLY if you are working independently (ex. guided math time but not working with the teacher)
• Times you MAY NEVER use the restroom: During guided reading (even if you are not in a group!), during guided math groups, during ANY full group instruction (Writing Workshop mini-lesson, Math shared lesson, Science/SS lesson, etc.), during Intervention Block

How many times will I let them go?

Obviously some students have special needs when it comes to this type of thing, but I try very hard to stick to letting students go once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  They are also allowed to go at lunch time, so combined I feel that is PLENTY of opportunities.  Setting this expectation up front helps keep those few squirrly rascals from abusing restroom breaks!

How will they let me know when they need to go?

My pet peeve is students raising their hand when I'm teaching a lesson, me calling on them thinking they have a question, and them saying, "Can I use the restroom?"  UGH.  Lesson derailed, and my answer would of course be no in that situation anyways!  Instead, I use hand signals for both Restroom and Drink.

Hand Symbols and other reminder signs are posted in my room

Students know to hold up 1 finger when they need to use the restroom and 2 fingers when they would like to get a drink.  That way, no matter what I am doing, I can glance over, make eye contact, and simply nod my head yes or shake my head no.  Students know that if I say "no," it's either because someone is already there or it's not an appropriate time (i.e. NOT because I simply don't like them and want to say no...), and that they can ask again in a few minutes.  This way, even during a guided math group, I can send a student to the restroom from across the room without breaking my teaching stride.  Alternatively, you can teach kids the sign language signs for "toilet" and "water" which are super simple.  Many teachers in my building use these.

How many students will I allow at a time?  How will I enforce this?

I allow one boy and one girl to be out of the room at a time--period.  However, since I am constantly being pulled in 1000 different directions during the day, I can almost NEVER remember who is gone--even if I literally JUST gave them permission.  It's almost sad, really.  Early onset, school-induced dementia?  Tell me I'm not the only one!  Anyways, last year I tried something new to keep this straight, and I will NEVER go back!  Instead of restroom "passes" that the kids carry with them to the restroom (and that inevitably become a disgusting, germy mess--gross.), I have restroom beanie babies.

The elephant is for boys and the pig is for girls.  They live on a counter or file cabinet all day, and when a student goes to the restroom, they grab the beanie baby and place it on their desk.  That way, with a quick glance I know which student is gone.  Also, I know whether or not to allow a student to go. Ex. If Sally raises one finger, I glance over to the counter, see that the pink pig is not in its home, point to the empty space, and shake my head "No."  Sally knows that this means another girl is in the restroom, and that she needs to wait until the pig is back to ask again.  Most kids know to check the beanie baby home before they even ask to use the restroom, knowing only to ask when they are available.  Next year I will model and practice this piece of the system a little more!  I absolutely LOVE this routine, and I will never go back to another pass system.

Will I have students sign out?  How will I enforce this?

I keep my sign out sheets on a clipboard right outside my door.  I have used a desk for this in the past, and last year I switched midway through to an extra book shelf (we stored our LRC "return" and "renew" bins on the shelf too).  I copy a huge stack of sheets at the beginning of the year, clip a ton on at a time, and tie a pen to the clipboard with yarn or string.  I also keep a small digital clock out there because students cannot see our classroom clock from the room.  (This also solves the problem for needy students who may still struggle with telling time.  Of course I want them to learn, but I also want them to sign out correctly!)  I also keep a little paper tray next to the clip board for the filled sheets to be placed in.  

Classroom Sign Out

In the past, I really struggled with enforcing this procedure.  I'd get super frustrated when  the students wouldn't sign out or wouldn't sign out correctly.  I'd complain about it.  "Why can't they just do it right???"  Then I realized that, like EVERYTHING else in the classroom, instead of blaming the students, I needed to reflect on what I needed to do differently.  First, I needed to set my expectations more clearly.  I explain to the students on the first day why signing out is so important--if we have a fire or code red or tornado drill, I need to be able to check the sheet and know who is out of the room.  Knowing why they do something is really important, especially for older kids.  

Sign Out Sheets

Then, I model EXPLICITLY what I expect.  I have students model for the class the correct and incorrect ways to ask to use the restroom and sign out.  I make sheets for the kids to practice signing out on.  Seems like overkill, but it ALWAYS helps!  I also periodically glance at the sheets to check that students are signing out correctly.  If they're not, they get to practice signing in and out correctly at lunch for 5 minutes.  That usually does the trick!  It may seem like a lot of work for something little, but like I said, with my memory, there is no way I will remember which kid is in the restroom if we have a fire or lock down unless I have it written down.  Better safe than sorry, right?

Phew!  I think that covers everything!  It seems like so much information about something so small, but I really truly believe that getting little procedures and routines like this running smoothly can make all the difference from a management standpoint in the classroom!  Getting this procedure running like a well-oiled machine gives us the time and energy to focus on what matters--the teaching!!!

Tell me about your classroom restroom routines!

Management Monday: Morning Check-In

I'm excited to start a new weekly series though as the weeks of summer wind down (hold me) and school gets closer and closer.  I have talked before about how one of my biggest struggles during my first year of teaching was both Classroom and Behavior Management.  Since then, however, I feel like those became two of my strongest areas as a teacher.  Probably mostly because I HAD to learn these things in order to survive as a teacher!

Anyways, for the rest of summer, I'm going to blog about one aspect or technique I use as part of my classroom or behavior management.  Hoping you will share your ideas in the comments!

Today I want to talk about my Morning Check-In routine.  I have tweaked this over the years, and I liked last year's system.  Every morning, my kids know that they are allowed to enter the room when I am standing at the door ready to greet them.  It drives me crazy hearing, "Can we come in????" or even worse have students wandering around the room when I'm not there.  Knowing that I will be by the door to welcome them in solves this problem!  My kids line up single file outside the door as they come.  The first thing they do is visit our Check In poster (see below), find their clothes pin on the "Home" side, and move it to the "School" side.

Sorry I had to cut off the picture, but the student names were visible on the poster

Next, I shake their hands, smile, and say, "Good morning!"  I've talked about before how this is an important part of my classroom environment and relationship building--the kids make a personal connection with me before they enter the room, and I try my best to let them know I'm glad they're here!  I also teach some basic social skills during this time--handshake, make eye contact, smile, etc.  It's always crazy to me how the kiddos need reminders to make eye contact!

After the kids are all in, I leave the doorway and begin our opening traditions with the class (more on those in another post), but I still try to get in a handshake with any kids who arrive late.  Then, during the morning announcements, I check the Check In chart to see which clips are still on Home, make sure those kids aren't in the room, and use that to take attendance.  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

Do Teacher Prep programs really prepare you to teach?

Or, What I wish my ed program had taught me...

I loved so many things about college, but some of the things I loved most (besides weekend extracurriculars...) were my elementary ed classes.  I attended a tiny liberal arts school with a reputation for high standards in central Illinois, and my el ed program had a total of 12 people in it.  We got super close during out methods classes junior year, got each other through student teaching senior year, and graduated ready and excited to teach and inspire the youth of America.  But were we really ready?

My and my El Ed BFF from college--we both graduated with teaching jobs.
Look how unsuspecting and naive we are here...

I love teaching, but the truth is that I almost didn't survive my first year.  I had an amazingly successful student teaching experience, taking control of the classroom early on in the semester and learning to plan and implement engaging, hands-on lessons.  I totally killed it in student teaching.  When I graduated with a contract to teach 5th grade in the suburbs back home, I was confident--I totally knew I was ready for this.  Then...I actually started teaching.  By the second day, I realized that not only was I not ready, but I had NO idea what I was doing or how to manage a class of unruly fifth graders.

I was so excited to set up this first classroom!

Before I knew what was happening to me, I was knee deep in the trenches of classroom reality, including dealing with extreme behavior disorders, learning disabilities, students performing grossly below grade level, and students living in poverty.  Oh, and did I mention that my undergrad experience failed to prepare me to to teach basic things like guided reading or writing workshop not to mention interventions for needy students?  I could go on and on with a list of the things I didn't know how to do, but it would be an entire post on its own.

From my blog my first year...

So there I was, having aced college and finished student teaching with glowing recommendations from my cooperating teacher and university supervisor, and I was completely failing.  I felt so defeated--not only did I not know how to teach the content in the way my district expected me to, but I just plain could NOT manage my class.  I began to think that maybe I wasn't so good at this after all.

My blog looked very different back then :)

Thankfully, I did survive that first year, learned A TON about content, management, and teaching in general, and came out the other side ready to take on a second year.  It's been three years since I finished that wretched first year, but my mind traveled back to it when I got a call from a reporter at the Washington Post Monday asking to interview me for an article about teacher preparation programs and whether or not they do a good job preparing teachers for the field.  You can read the article including my comments here.  The most frightening part of the article in my opinion is the study shared by the National Council on Teacher Quality that ranked teacher education programs in the United States--no only did no college in the US receive the top 4-star rating, the majority of programs received a rating of "mediocre" or below.  Over 100 schools even received NO STARS.  (Check out the study for yourself here.)

While this study should probably be taken with a grain of salt because students and professors were not interviewed as part of it, my own experiences would definitely support the claim that teacher preparation programs do not truly prepare you for the realities of the job.  I came out of my prestigious university knowing how to teach the content areas, but there were so many holes--so many things I didn't know.  I look back on my first year and feel bad for those students--while I CERTAINLY did the best I could, I didn't do as good of a job with them as I would have if I'd met them last year.

The interview got me thinking a lot about the things I wish I'd learned in college.  Here's my short list:

• How to teach literacy using a reading series as a starting point--My liberal arts school was all about literature circles, novel studies, text sets, and interdisciplinary units.  Those are all beautiful and wonderful things, but they are not the reality in many districts that require use of a reading series.  I wish I'd learned how to navigate a series and supplement it with other high quality texts.
• How to teach guided math--Many districts have been moving towards guided math in recent years, including mine.  I didn't graduate too terrible long ago, so I don't think it's unreasonable to say it would have been awesome to learn a little about guided math structures in undergrad.  This has been a tricky one to learn on the fly!
• Different ways of structuring guided reading time--This was one of my biggest challenges early on my first year.  Like I said, we didn't learn much about guided reading itself in college, but we DEFINITELY didn't learn what to do with the rest of the class when you are doing groups.  I wish I'd learned about Debbie Diller, Daily 5, and Reading Workshop in college so I'd have been able to choose one that worked great for me and hit the ground running my first year.  It took until Thanksgiving for me to have a real Daily 5 structure in place!
• Formal and Informal Assessment--I could have used a whole class on this.  Enough said.
• MANAGEMENT!!!--I cannot say enough how important it is for new teachers to learn different philosophies and strategies for management.  Many universities don't teach too much about management at all, so all new teachers have to go off of is instinct and whatever systems their cooperating teacher used during student teaching.  I wish I'd have had a whole class in management where we could explore many different systems and philosophies.

So much of teaching just needs to be learned on the job through experience, but I really feel like university programs could do a far better job of preparing young teachers.  I'm sure nothing could really have prepared me for the zoo I walked into my first year, but I wonder if I'd have had a few less tears if I'd learned a few of these things in undergrad!!

What do you wish you'd learned in college before you started teaching?

Affirmations in the Classroom

Last summer I wrote apost about affirmation posters in my classroom, and shared these pictures:

Teacher Mom is also an artist and calligrapher--you can tell which posters she made!

I got the idea for these posters from Quantum Learning--here's an excerpt from the post in which I originally shared these pictures:

One small piece of Quantum is the affirmation posters that were all over the room.  Quantum research says that even when kids are just looking around the room, their brains are constantly taking in and processing information on the subconscious level.  They suggest putting posters with positive, first-person affirmations on your walls. From the Quantum website: "These supportive and inspiring posters can set the tone for a classroom and help create an environment of trust and safety – the kind of place where students learn best. In a students’ study areas they’re a good reminder of the things they need to remember about themselves."    

Last year I had these affirmations up all over my classroom, and while I pointed them out from time to time, I mostly counted on the students' absorbing their messages by "osmosis." :)  This year I decided to try a different approach.  After seeing this picture on the Clutter-Free Classroom blog...

...I decided that an "accent space" like this would be a PERFECT spot to display my affirmation posters.  Besides creating a designated space in the room for these signs, another thing I did differently was display just one poster to start out with.

Since school has started, I have referred to the message on this poster literally every day.  We have talked about what it means, about what "best effort" looks like, and about how it feels to take pride in your work.  I point it out and have the kids read it with me before we start a task or assignment, and display it on the board along with a morning message every day.  They have it memorized, have internalized it, and I hope that they will carry it with them always.  Friday I was laminating construction paper folders the kids had decorated to keep their Word Work activities in throughout the week, and came across this folder:

Yup, this girl has gotten the message.  Mission accomplished.  I plan to add another poster in a couple of weeks, and continue to do so throughout the year.  Hopefully by June these kiddos will have a bunch of positive phrases to carry around with them in their pockets and to remember every day. :)

How do you inspire positive thinking in your students?  Besides the affirmation posters, another thing I do is have the kids write "Bring it on!" at the top of every test.  :)

Using Music in the Classroom

Do you use music in your classroom?  I've always liked the idea of music in the classroom, but in the past two years, I have embraced it so much that if I forget my ipod at home, I don't know what to do!!  I learned a bunch of tips and tricks about how and when to use music in the classroom when I attended a five day training in Quantum Learning in 2011, and continue to work on how to use it effectively.

 At my school, we are lucky enough to have speakers in the ceiling that I can connect my ipod or computer to with a simple aux cable, so it's super easy to use music.  Before this, thoguh, I used a set of iHome speakers and my ipod.  I have several "school friendly" playlists that I cycle through during the day...

Here's a rundown of music in my day...

Our Playlists

1. Begin each day with an anchor song:  An anchor song is a song that you "anchor" to a specific task or instruction.  At the beginning of the day, the kids know that the music means unpack and turn in your homework as fast as you can, grab your book box, and be at the carpet with me by the time the song ends.  Last year, we used the song "Dynamite" by Tai Cruz.  This year we are using "Walking on Sunshine."  I kept the same song all last year to encourage routine, but by spring I was completely sick of it...I haven't decided yet if I am going to stick with "Walking on Sunshine" or change it up...maybe second trimester.

What it looks like in my room: I turn on the song in the morning after I have greeted each student at the door with a smile and a handshake (a critical part of my relationship building--read more on that here).  I then stand at the front of the room clapping my hands to the beat.  Once students are unpacked and ready to go, they come up and join me, clapping along.  Midway through the song, I increase the clapping, clapping on the off-beats as well.  The kids have to watch to keep up with the beat.  This is their signal to "Hurry up!!" and get to the carpet.  I've trained them to listen for a certain point in the song that means it's almost over, which is their last warning to hurry up and get to the carpet, at which point I increase the clapping to even faster.  When the song is about to end, we hold our hands open and do a big clap together, saying "Whoooa!" (a Quantum thing), and start our day.

Why I love it: Routine, routine, routine.  And classroom community--we start our day as a group, on the same page, with energy.  It sets a positive tone in the classroom and starts our day on a happy, upbeat note. The kids are all included and part of something special that is unique to our classroom.  Also, it energizes those kiddos who come in sleepwalking. ;)

2. Transition Music: Just like I anchored a song to our morning routine, I anchor a couple of songs to transitions throughout the day.  I keep all of these "anchor songs" in a separate playlist so that I can find them on my ipod quickly and easily when the time comes.

"Anchors" Playlist

What it looks like in my room: I have a song linked to "Get ready for math," which is my students' signal to pack up and leave for math if they switch classrooms, and a signal to the students' that come to my classroom for math that it's okay to come in the classroom and get started on their Math Message.  (Current song: "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac)  We also have a lunch transition song, which signals the students that it's time to get lunch bags and line up, as well as time to come into the room after lunch.  (Current song: "Hey Soul Sister" by Train)  In the afternoon, the kids listen for "Firework" by Katy Perry as a signal that it's time to line up and go to specials.

Why I love it: Again, ROUTINE!!!  My kids know what's coming next by the music!  Also, when they're lining up for specials, for example, they are usually quietly singing "Firework" instead of talking to neighbors.  :)  Not only is it adorable, but it keeps them from being crazy and is another special community thing in our classroom.

3. Clean Up Song:  When it is time to clean up at the end of the day, I play my last anchor song that signals the kids to CLEAN ALL OF THE THINGS!  I am a stickler for a clean room--I believe that the kids need to take ownership for the cleanliness of the classroom and understand that it is THEIR job to keep the room clean, NOT the janitor's job.  Clean up is really the ONLY time they are allowed to frantically run around the room, and somehow linking a song to it reminds them that they are actually supposed to be cleaning during this time.  Our current song is "Who Says" by Selena Gomez, and they know that by the end of the song they are supposed to be sitting on their desks, packed up, ready to go, with a clean floor beneath them.

What it looks like in my room: After we have written homework in our assignment notebooks, I turn on the music and go around from table to table checking that homework has been recorded correctly and stamping assignment notebooks.  Until they receive a stamp, the kids must stay seated.  I turn on the music at this time, and when the kids have a stamp, they may begin their cleanup.  THEY MAY NOT GO NEAR THE COAT HOOKS.  Seriously.  After my first disasterous year teaching, I realized that nothing creates chaos like letting every kid run and get their backpack at once.  The kids are to be CLEANING during this time.  After everyone has been stamped, I will turn the volume down for a second to get their attention, and call one table group to get backpacks.  I then turn it back up, and a minute or two later repeat this to call another table.  This keeps the kids cleaning and keeps the coat rack from getting overcrowded.  It also saves my vocie, as I've trained them to listen for the quieting and for their table to be called.

Why I love it: Routine.  Seeing a pattern?  Also, it gets our floor clean, gets the kids packed up, and gets us out the door quickly and efficiently.  I no longer have to scream at kids to get the scraps off the floor or to stop shoving over by the coats.  Also, like I said earlier, the kids get into it and sing as they clean.  It's adorable and a fun end to our day.  I find that if our day ends on a sour note, it puts me in a bad mood ALL AFTERNOON LONG.  I am never in a bad mood listening to Selena Gomez. :)

4. Classical Music during Writing & Testing:  This is hardly a new idea.  Everyone has heard about studies done using classical music and learning.  Who knows if they're true, but I figure it can't hurt.  The kids typically love the classical music during writing time (I call it our "quiet writing music"), and last year I started playing it during tests too.  I try to get the kids to have a positive attitude about testing--I've trained them to cheer when I say, "It's time for our test!"  :)  I know, I'm a manipulative teacher...but I think it really helps them!  I talk about tests as an opportunity to show what you know, as a "moment to shine."  Having the quiet music playing keeps the atmosphere calm and positive during testing.

How it looks in my classroom: Simple--I just turn my ipod to a playlist of Beethoven and Mozart and keep it playing REALLY QUIETLY.  Easy enough.

Why I love it: Like I said, it keeps things light and positive, and if there's any real possibility of a "Mozart Effect," I'm willing to try anything!!!

"School: Classical" playlist

5. Music during work time: If kids are working on something like a math worksheet or other quiet activity that doesn't involve reading or writing, I will play my "relaxing" music playlist--a collection of chill, relaxed songs with lyrics.  I keep writing/reading music classical because I find the lyrics distracting, but during a social studies activity, I find that the kids can focus just fine with the relaxing music and that they really like it.

How it looks in my classroom:  When it is time to begin work, I will turn my ipod to this playlist and keep it pretty soft.  I'll let the kids know that they should ALWAYS be able to hear the music, and if they ever can't, it's because they are too noisy!  It's a good way to help them self-monitor.

Why I love it: The atmosphere it creates in the room is WONDERFUL.  Anytime people come into my room at this time, they always comment that they love the mood.  I find that creating a positive, calm atmosphere in the classroom has a billion positive effects on the kids' learning.  THat's why I also try to keep the lights dim and the colors soothing. Every little bit helps!!

"School: Relaxed" playlist

6. Upbeat music during "fun time":  Every once in awhile, I'll decide our class needs a fun movement break and we'll get up a play a game that involves a little bit of noise and moving around.  During this time, I'll reach for my "School: Upbeat" playlist of fun, mostly-current music and put it on in the background.

How it looks in my classroom: Similarly to the relaxing music, I use this music as a way to help the class monitor their noise level, teaching them that they should be able to hear the music at all times.  When I need to get the kids' attention again, I turn the music UP a ton, then slowly fade it out.  By the time it's faded, their conversations are over and their eyes are on me.  I learned this trick at Quantum training, and it makes PERFECT sense.  If the kids are noisy, it's hard to notice fading music, but the loud blast and quick fade out is tough to miss!

Why I love it: Fun music reminds the kids that school and learning can be fun.  It gets us all in a positive mood!  Also, I love being able to get their attention again without raising my voice.  Amazing.

"School: Upbeat" playlist

Well, that's about it--I hope you got some good ideas on how to use music in your classroom!  I will NEVER go back to a silent classroom again!

How do you use music in your classroom?  Favorite classroom songs?

Random Classroom Updates: Clip Charts & Test Anxiety

After trying at least 5 different behavior management systems in my first two years, this year I have finally found one I love.  Friends, 2011-2012 has been the year of the Clip Chart for me!  I talked about how much I love the clip chart and how I use it in this post, but I wanted to update today on one little thing: clip colors.  All of my kiddos started the year with a plain clip with their number on it.  At the end of the day, every student that reached Outstanding (the highest level) receives an MVP award and a sticker on their clip.  Since I have a sports theme in my classroom, the stickers are all different sports balls.  Once they have earned 5 stickers on their clip, they get a brand new clip.  First is a red clip, then orange, yellow, and so on. The colors go in order of the colors on the clip chart.  I didn't explain any of this to the kids at the beginning of the year, just told them to "pay attention to your clips--things might start happening to them as you do outstanding work."  

Anyways, there were a lot of whispers between the kiddos when one student filled their pink clip for the first time--pink is the highest level of the clip chart.  What would happen?  I surprised them all when the next day it was replaced with a silver clip.  After silver comes gold, and, finally, the ultimate highest level: the jeweled clip.  I used regular markers to color all of the clothes pins in the regular colors, but used silver and gold paint pens.  (Silver and gold sharpies would work too.)  For the jeweled clips, I flipped their gold clip over so the stickers were on the back and hot-glued a row of rhine stones to it.  I decided to make jeweled the highest level--kids don't change clips anymore once they've reached it.  I think that's perfectly okay because the kids that reach jeweled early don't need that extra motivation/incentive to behave.  I love the system and it is so easy.  I add the stickers after school in about 1 minute, and earlier in the year I had a few of my students stay after school to color a whole bunch of clips.  Now when someone needs a new clip, I just grab one out of that bin and add their number to it.  The only thing that takes a few minutes is the gluing on the jewels, but it's worth it IMHO. :)

Also, this year I've really been trying to help alleviate test anxiety in my kiddos.  In keeping with our sports theme, I've started telling the kids that tests are like a "big game" that they are ready for after all the practices we've put in.  I tell them that tests are their "opportunity to SHINE," like the super bowl or stanley cup playoffs.  I've taught them all year that we should approach any challenge with a "bring it on" attitude. In fact, before a challenging thing, I will say to them, "And what do we say to a challenge?"  The kids respond by shouting, "BRING IT ON!"  Back to tests: I've had the kids write "Bring it on!" at the top of their test papers all year.  No, it's not going to work a miracle.  But if it helps one student do their best, I'd say it's worth doing!

Classroom Odds & Ends

After the past few weeks of minimal blogging, I've accumulated a bunch of random pictures on my computer desktop just waiting to be blogged.  Does that happen to anyone else??  I decided to just combine a handful of miscellaneous school pictures to do an Odds & Ends classroom update.  :)

New Computers!!!
First...we got new teacher computers today!  Hooray!  You guys, I cannot tell you how excited I am about this.  Our old school laptops were so old and junky.  They desperately needed an update!  Not only did we get brand new laptops, but they are tablet computers!  How cool is that?  Basically what that means is the screen can swivel around.  We can hold the computer in tablet form and write on it with the attached stylus.  I can see absolutely no reason for ever using this feature in my daily life, but in the classroom I know it's going to be awesome.  For example, I can project worksheets I've created and fill in the answers using my stylus.  For math notes, instead of writing on the board or overhead, I can just write them in a blank word document and project on the screen.  I'm pretty pumped.  And who doesn't love a brand new (pretty) computer??

I love you, Clip Chart.
Also, I must update on my clip chart.  This summer I decided I was ready to try a new behavior plan after using sticker charts and play money the past two years.  Mrs. Sunny at The Caffeinated Teacher sold me on the clip chart system that so many bloggers have mentioned.  (I absolutely cannot take credit for this system.  Learn more about it here.)  I have to admit, when I was planning it out this summer I was still a bit hesitant.  Would my 5th graders really buy into the whole thing?  Especially if there weren't any prizes involved?  Would it be a management nightmare to have students constantly getting up and moving their clips?  Well, I am pleased to report that it is going wonderfully and I am SOLD.

What I Love About It:

• Every day is a fresh start for the kids
• Kids can choose to turn their day around ANY TIME.  No day is ever "ruined."
• I don't have to worry about moving clips down the way I did with giving strikes and checks--I used to hold back if I felt like the student maybe didn't MEAN to do something...but now it's no big deal, because they can earn their way back up.
• Emphasis on student choice
• Goal Setting: Where do you want your clip to be at the end of the day?
• Trinket-free motivation

Okay, I'll admit I still do a weekly prize raffle using our school PBIS tickets, but the clip chart is absolutely trinket free.  Every day, any kids who are on outstanding earn an MVP Award.  I must give total credit for this idea to Mrs. Sunny who gives Rockstar Awards.  I present these little awards at the end of the day, and all the kids clap for our MVPs.  I wasn't really sure how into them they really were until last week I caught one of my "tough" boys showing it off to his friends from another class during dismissal.  The other boy remarked how cool it was!  WIN.  I know they also love showing them to their parents.

After earning an "outstanding," I also stick a little sticker on their clip.  Continuing with our ever-present sports theme, of course the stickers are sports-related too!  Once a clip is "full" (5 stickers), the clip is replaced with a new COLORED clip.  First it's a red clip, the bottom color on the chart.  Then orange, etc.  When a kiddo gets a new colored clip, I make sure to recognize them in front of the class and make a big deal out of it.  Let me tell you, I never expected 5th graders to care so much about an orange clothes pin.  LOVE IT.

Guided Reading

I'm not sure how guided reading works in your classroom, but in the past year or so our literacy specialists have told us to change our structure a little bit.  Instead of popcorn reading or checking in with the group after every page or so, we now set a purpose for reading, then have studetns read in their heads for about 12 minutes (the bulk of the guided reading time) while we listen to students read, cnference, and take running records.  We only come back together as a group for the last 5 minutes or so.  This works pretty well, but every day without fail some students will finish the "assignment" WAY quicker than others.  One of our coaches suggested I try typing up some suggestions of ways to interact with the text after reading the assigned selection and tape them to my guided reading tables.  I just set this up Friday after school, but I love it already!  It's great having the visual, and it's super easy for me to redirect forgetful students just by tapping it, even if I'm busy doing a running record on a different student.  

Closer View:

Little Smile

I loved this short note I got from a parent written on their kiddo's weekly progress report:

Thank you for all of your love to my son. :)

To the parent: It's my pleasure. :)