Routine, Routine, Routine (Managing Secondary Students)

The biggest question I get from teachers is how I manage my classroom. And the answer is routine, routine, routine! To kick off the new school year, I want to blog about how you can implement structure in your classroom, without the kids realizing routine class really is every day.

The basics:
I teach five class periods, 42 minutes in length, with average class sizes between 25-28. My largest was 34.

The setup:
Ninety percent of every single class is this setup. This would obviously exclude testing days, research/library days, etc.

• Think Now Warm-up (10 minutes)
• Lesson (30 minutes)
• Closing Out (2-3 minutes)

Think Now:
Every day, as the students walk in, they have three minutes to get their binders. (Students must have a 3-ring binder. I teach in a Title I school, so that means I buy some myself). My mainstream kids are allowed to house their binders in my room and respond to the Think Now that is either projected or written on the board.

They respond on a sheet of paper that I prepare. It looks like this:

Sometimes the Think Now is a pop quiz--write your name on the top and number 1-5 (they know at this point they are being assessed).

Sometimes it is just a review from yesterday--in 3 lines, tell me what you learned about the Bill of Rights. Close your eyes, what does war look like? Sound like? What do you hear? Sometimes it is a survey type question: What would you like your teacher to know?

At the end of three minutes, the Think Nows are collected and put on my desk. They are added to the class points (see previous blog post). OK, this is NOT the end of the Warm-up. EVERY SINGLE DAY, I then say, 'get out your binders, open to the first blank lined sheet and head it: Date and Subject (EX: January 10th, World War II).' And we DISCUSS the Think Now. EVERY DAY!

As the year progresses, because we do this every day, students will start to facilitate this part. WOW--will they surprise you!

Lesson:
Next we segue into the lesson. This is where you need to get creative. Change this up each day.

Here are some ideas I use to keep the class engaged in the learning:

1. Read a passage together as a class then use Play-Doh to recreate a scene in group.

2. Play detective with blacklight flashlights (see earlier blog about this fun lesson).
3. Read a passage and create a newscast about the event in groups.
4. Use significant image charts (freebie rubric in my store).
5. Take a pretest, trade and grade and then play Let's Make a Deal.
6. Read silently and answer guided questions.

7. Create a puppet show.
8. Hold gallery walks in the hall/classroom in groups.

9. Make posters in groups.
10. Hold a research scavenger hunt using iPads.
11. Create graphic organizers.

12. Analyze pictures in PowerPoint.
13. Play BINGO.
14. Recreate a scene from a passage as a play or song.

Closing Out:
Students will close out class by stating the objectives. Please see my previous post on writing objectives on how I handle this in the room.

Sometimes I have an exit question and if all the students in the class were excellent that day (no tardies, etc), they get to roll the big dice and add those points to their class total.

Happy teaching friends!

Playing Detective: Engaging Your Students

I was snooping through IG looking for ideas when I saw Kayla Collins @teachlikeyoumeanit using black light (UV) flashlights for a math lesson. I do not teach math, but the wheels started spinning about how I could utilize in my high school Social Studies room.

FIRST, the resources you need: I used a highlighter, yellow Astrobrights paper and the flashlights.

Yellow Astrobrights paper and highlighter...

Without the flashlight...

So much easier to see with the flashlight!

Here are the flashlights I use:

Really fair price, but fair warning: Each take 3 AAA batteries!

NEXT, the lesson: Today, I used these for WWI and WWII, and I wrote (with the highlighter) events from each on the yellow paper, which was divided into 4 sections. I laminated the paper and cut them into the 4 sections. I did 12 for each -- so I had a total of 24 cards. Before class started, I hid the cards around the room.

DURING CLASS: So, I had 5 flashlight people, 2 people at the chart paper (1 labeled WWI and 1 labeled WWII) and the rest of the kids searching for the cards. ALL the kids were involved and invested and RUNNING around the room! The 2 kids at the charts were responsible for being the final say before the card was hung.

After all cards were found and they decided where they thought they went, I stopped the time. 

AFTER THE GAME: I had the students get out their notebooks and we went through the cards on the chart. They took notes as we discovered whether they were placed on the right chart. To make it more interesting, I timed the kids and told them they were competing against the other classes. So, I placed the classes times and correctness on the board and covered it, so the other classes could see who did the best!

Seeing if their time was better!

My kids absolutely LOVED this lesson. I wanted to take the time and explain it on my blog because I know your kids would love it too!

Happy teaching, friends
Erin

Writing Objectives: A New Spin

How many of you are writing your objectives on the board like a good little compliant teacher? ME, I was!

SWBAT ** insert something that sounds amazing, but has ZERO meaning to your kiddos.

Yet, every time I asked them what they learned that day, all they could do was regurgitate what I had written. I decided I wanted to make my daily objectives meaningful and purposeful.

So, my team and I made a change. We called it the WHAT, WHY and HOW board.

Everyday, with three minutes left to class, we go to our W, W, H board. I, of course, tie it into my point system.

I'll say, "OK, time to close out class. Let's talk about what we did today."

Example:

• We identify which behavioral objective(s) we used that day to understand WHAT we did in class.
• Then, we fill in the blank: To deepen our understanding of ___________________________, to understand WHY we learned what we did.
• I fill in the HOW every morning (day's agenda).

Wanna try this new technique? Follow these easy steps!

#1 Find a place in your room for the WHAT, WHY, and HOW board. Here's mine!

#2 Begin by closing out class and modeling for students how to do this. I teach 9th grade and it takes at least half the year to catch on. They struggle with figuring which behavioral objective fits. But that's ok! They're thinking about WHAT they've done in class. This is really important to their learning. 

#3 Don't be afraid! I have NEVER had an administrator give me any push back on this. They are just as blindly compliant when looking for your objectives during an observation. I always discuss this classroom technique with them and have ALWAYS received positive feedback. 

This works for all classes and content areas. Some examples:

ELA: 

We COMPARED the main characters in Great Gatsby to better understand character development.

We READ Hatchet out loud in class and DISCUSSED some quotes to better understand the themes of the novel. 

Math:

We APPLIED associated and commutative properties to better understand algebraic expressions. 

History: 

We PRESENTED a group project about Enlightenment thinkers to deepen our understanding of

the transformation Europe was going though in the 18th century.

We TRANSLATED the Bill of Rights to better understand how the Constitution remains a living document. 

Biology: 

We EXPLAINED and DEFINED metabolism and homeostasis to deepen our understanding of fundamental biological processes.

Below is a video of my class in action closing out class with out What, Why and How board. 

#4 LAST but not least, grab my freebie here.

Noise Level

Ahhhh! You have a class that will NOT SHUT UP!

We have all been there. I do not care how great your life is at school. You have one class that you just want to rip your hair out. And the thing is, a lot of times, they are not awful behavior issues. BUT, their talking is a disruption and you need to take control.

Changed their seats? Tried.
Gave them a quiz? Tried.
Yelled! Yep, tried.
Screamed? Ugh, yes.

I made these Noise Level posters (which are NOT mine; we have all seen them). I just adapted them for my class. I went over the expectations with them about these noise levels. I repeat them ALL. THE. TIME.

- Are you at a Noise Level Zero right now?
- If your neighbor is not at a noise level zero, kindly let them.
- Let's get at a Noise Level zero, please, for 5 points.
- There's a speaker. What noise level are we to be at? (Plus 5!!)

The best part. I had an elective teacher say to me, "What's this Noise Level thing? They say it in my class all the time?" *** happy teacher dance.

I turn on the switch any time they are to STOP talking.

I have even had students remind me... "Turn off the switch now, Ms. Provance!" Every time the switch is ON, they are awarded points for their quiet time! ( bought it at Walgreens... 5 bucks).

Is it perfect, friends? hahahaha. NO. Has it helped, YES!!!

Happy teaching!

P.S. Posters and fonts for $1.25 in my store.

Love
Erin

Classroom Behavior System

OK! My page is still under construction. I really wanted to blog about my behavior/management system! Enjoy, friends; happy teaching!

Fair warnings and caveats. This system will cost you money. I don't know how much your sanity is worth, but, it is worth it to me. I spend about 20 bucks a month and my class sizes average 27. Next, this works best with middle school and underclass high schoolers. Lastly, I have created an elaborate system over 10 years! Start small and build up. 

1. Create a space in your room for your points to be displayed and name your system.

Mine is called Think Now! competition. I have it tied to my Think Nows (warm-ups). You will add the points of each class to this space at the end of every day. 

Mine!

2. There are three ways kids can get points for the class: 

Option A: Doing classroom jobs (attendance taker, greeter at the door, taking the points). START off SLOW, if you do not have classroom jobs already and BUILD UP as you go. On the first day, just have someone take the points. Ask for a volunteer to tally up points and give them a sticky note.

Getting the sticky note to tally points during class

Option B: Completing a Think Now! ( my version of a warm-up). You come into class and get a warm-up (or the greeter passes them out). When the late bell rings, you have 3 minutes to complete your warm-up and someone will collect and put on my desk. I will tell the point taker how many points to add. Were they quiet? Was everyone on time? Did everyone write? "25 points for the Think Now!" "Now, get out your binders and open to page...." Seamless.

Grabbing the basket to collect warm-ups

Option C: The last way to get points (and THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT) is the one that builds a community of learners and friends. Award points throughout the class when you hear things that are AMAZING!

Student:
*Sneeze* Bless You - POINT!
I have a pencil you can borrow - POINT!
Can I pass out the papers for you, Miss - 3 POINTS!
I'd like to add on- 10 points!
Oh, this one time in 5th grade, I read a book about that - CONNECTION PLUS 5!

Teacher:
Who can tell the class for 3 points what you learned about Senators?
Wow! What an amazing explanation - 2 more points!
Don't say shut up - Minus 2 points
You were late, next time you will lose your class 10 points. 
Someone re-state the directions to the class for 3 points.
Who can close out class by telling us what you did today for 5 points? (I'll blog about this later).
Thank you for using accountable talk - 3 points!

All this time, the kid taking points has been tallying.
 

DO NOT PUT UP THE POINTS UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY. Students should not know how many the other classes got, they have a "funny" way of getting a couple more than the one before them. ;0)

I learned this the hard way. lol. 

I average 60 points per class. 

3. VERY IMPORTANT! Your first competition should have a quick turnaround!

Mine are usually every 2 weeks BUT the first one needs to be quick. Kids need instant gratification for stuff like this. Start on a Tuesday and have that one end Friday. Bring in all the treats and keep them out so everyone can see.

Choose two!

Choose two:

Homework passes
Donuts
Huggies
Candy
Chips

Essentially, friends, give a kid a sticky note. Find, search for kids doing good things, pass points out like water (they are fake, remember) and watch kids pick up on those good behaviors. Yes, do they care only about the chips at first. But, keep this up, be consistent and WATCH how they change. How they start sharing out of habit. Saying kind things. Self governing for the better of the group. Wanting to be part of something bigger than themselves.