Teacher Management Tip #1: Classroom Jobs

Preface:

This is my 3rd year in a row teaching a 5th/6th grade combination class. For those of you who wonder what a combination class is... I have the same twenty-four 6th graders and ten 5th graders all day in my class. I teach them all the curricular areas, and it is expected that each grade is taught its grade specific standards.

Therefore, I must absolutely have specified routines and practices in place that help me maintain an organized classroom, or I would be drowning each day in papers, emails and teacher responsibilities. Once I start falling behind and slack off holding my students accountable, I take the chance of losing the respect of my students and their families. I need both in order to be an effective teacher.

So, in my 18th year of teaching, I find that the following areas are important to

maintaining an effective classroom environment.

1. Delegating classroom tasks to students that don't involve the behavior and grades of fellow students.
2. Informing students and parents of assignment and test dates and providing timely feedback.
3. Holding students accountable for ALL work assigned, but modifying for special circumstances.
4. Preparing for the next day, before leaving at the end of the day.
5. Planning out the year completely.

I will address each of these in 5 different posts.

Delegating Classroom Tasks to all Students

I know this may seem counter intuitive to many Type A teachers out there, but teachers should not do it all because as an "in control" teacher you are robbing yourself and your class of your energy. Students are very capable of assisting you in keeping the classroom running smoothly, and it helps build classroom community by delegating classroom responsibilities. It initially takes patience at the beginning of the year to train your students, but after that, it is smooth sailing.  I get so accustomed to students knowing how to do their classroom jobs by the end of the year, that I get annoyed the 1st few weeks of school because I am having to do so much myself. Plus, training your class how to run your class, makes your life easier in the event you have a substitute teacher in your room for the day.

This is how I handle classroom jobs. 

1. I have 34 students.

2. I have 17 classroom jobs.
If I had 32 students, I would have 16 jobs. I sometimes combine 2 jobs into one, so that my job list is always half the amount of students in my class. If I have an odd # of students, one of my jobs is going to be something I could do myself if that student was absent... like classroom ambassador.

3. For one month, 17 of my students are First Responders, meaning, they have a classroom job. The other 17 students are their subs, the Back Up. If someone is absent, the Back Up has that job for the day. 

4. At the end of the month, the Back Ups become First Responders and the First Responders become the Back Ups. 

5. I only spend 15 minutes every 2 months selecting jobs with the students.

For the first fourteen years of my career, I switched jobs every one to two weeks, just like most teachers. I found selecting jobs that frequently, to be time consuming (in the selecting and training the new team) and not all students had a job. Now everyone has job in my class.
6. Students select jobs based on the hierarchy of points earned on ClassDojo for the month. Therefore, students with the most points usually get the jobs that have the most built in fringe benefits, and these students are usually the most responsible.
7. All students earn a point each day on ClassDojo for completing their classroom job, in which the statistician awards each day.

Download this template 
here for Free at my TPT store

Fringe Benefits

Each of my classroom jobs has a built-in Fringe Benefit. 

Example:

I have a Security Officer whose job it is to open the classroom before we enter the class and hang my keys on the specified hook. Also the security officer needs to stand by the door until the last person exits the room, making sure that the keys are in his/her before closing the door and finally delivering the keys to me. This person also has to make sure the door is locked, which means he/she will be the last to exit (I really need this job, as I forget where my keys are all day).

BUT, wherever we go, I always wait for my security officer and classroom porters to line up before moving the next location. The Fringe Benefit for these jobs is the privilege to line up anywhere in line. These students may choose to go the front of the line or in the middle of the line with a friend. Still, in 6th grade, students love to be first in line, so this privilege is coveted!

Don't do the following, it may bring you drama:

1. Don't have other students deduct points for negative behavior. This will not build community; instead it creates animosity amongst students and will possibly irritate parents. I have seen this happen in other classrooms. So my statistician is only responsible for giving points to students under my direction.

2. Don't have students grade other student's work (unless you are trading and grading). 

I know this seems like a good idea, until it goes wrong. Therefore, my administrative assistants only check in work, they do not grade work.

Knowing what to grade and how to grade is a Jedi Master skill. 

That will be my next post.

Until then, delegate, it builds character, for you and your students.

Word Work with the Icons of Depth and Complexity

Preface:

Becoming comfortable with the Icons of Depth and Complexity has taken time. Yet, every year, I always find a way to incorporate the icons into something new and find that using the icons helps me to develop lessons and activities that are meaningful and effective. So if you are still struggling, stick with it, because it will "click." Using the icons with inductive reasoning to introduce new families of Greek and Latin Roots vocabulary was definitely an "Aha" moment in my teaching career (see a sample lesson here on my blog). My students love being introduced to new words using this strategy.

I use the word lists and assessments from the book below, primarily because it saves me the hassle to organize the basic essentials to carry out a unit. While these books (she has a few) are organized and provide a few good resources per word list/root family, any teacher would need to supplement this book with practice activities. Therefore I created some graphic organizers, available at my TPT store here, to help students practice using the words and build an understanding of the root word meaning.

Learning Works Greek and Latin Roots - Grade Level 4 to 8 Paperback – April, 2004 by Trisha Callella

My Graphic Organizers on TPT

How I use the 

Icons of Depth and Complexity 

within our Daily 5 Routine

As part of our Daily 5 Word Work, students have choices to study and practice their words using the Icons of Depth and Complexity. Our typical word list consists of about 10 words each, with a review of 2 sets of words each cycle. Therefore some weeks there are 20 words, with 10 being review.

During Word Work, students need to choose words from our word list(s) to study and practice using an assortment of activities, some using the Icons of Depth and Complexity.  They understand that their goal is to perform proficient on the vocabulary assessment, therefore they need to select words for each activity with which they need practice. As part of Daily 5's philosophy, students work independently toward personalized goals, and self selecting words from a specified list, helps them to build intrinsic motivation.

#1 Student Sample: Comic Strip Language of the Discipline

After completing the initial Inductive Reasoning Vocab Lesson, I usually have students select 2 - 4 words to incorporate into a comic strip.

For this list, our Greek/Latin Root was "spec." 

This student selected respect, inspect and spectacles from the word list. This activity solely focuses on the Language of the Discipline Icon, a great place to start within the hierarchy of icons.

Later on in the week, if a student chose to complete another comic strip during Daily 5, I would require that student to use other words besides the 3 selected here. 

#2 Student Sample: Big Idea Word Sort

Another activity I use is the Big Idea Word Sort.  Students look for patterns with the list words and sort the words based on the patterns. A word may be used more than once if it follows the rule or pattern the student selected.

#3 Student Sample: Word Detective Unanswered Questions

This is a spin off of "I have/Who has," which is already provided in the book I use for my actual word lists (see above). Here the students select a word from the word list and write a series of clues for other students to use as a study resource.  After students create their clues, these can be compiled as another Word Work activity.

#4 Teacher Sample: Details Study

In this activity, students select one word and identify several components within the detail petals. Here is a sample I generated.

#5 Teacher Sample: Patterns with Prefixes and Suffixes

With this organizer, students start with a word on the word list. Then they find words that relate to that word, changing the prefix or suffix, but keeping within the original meaning of the word. Students can generate these words by adding the suffix or prefix and then checking a resource to make sure the word they created is an actual word. Here I have a sample I generated.

#6 Student Sample: Multiple Perspectives Conversations

With this activity, students select one vocabulary word. Then, they create two sentences using the word from the perspective of 2 characters, disciplinarians or people.  Here my student chose the word "abduct."  

While I find it convenient to use the printed organizer I created (here), all of these can be generated by a student themselves!

Results:

Each time I test students using the summative assessment provided in the book, as a whole, the majority of my students score with 80%-100% accuracy, with a few students scoring within the 60%-70% accuracy. More authentically, throughout the year, students are able to identify meanings of words based on their acquired knowledge of learned Greek and Latin Roots.  

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

End of Year Activities

Really, what do you do those last few weeks of school, after testing is done, Open House is closed and grades have been turned in.  You can only watch so many movies...

Here are some ideas you may have heard, but I have added some important details that may help STRETCH out those old ideas. 

Autograph Book Part 1: 2 Hours

*Make an autograph book, but you need to make it super involved.  Have kids make collage covers to their autograph books with clippings from old magazines. Make sure they spell their name on it with cut out magazine letters across the top. 

Autograph Book Party Part 2: 45 minutes

*After autograph books are made, organize an Autograph Party with the other teachers in your grade level.  Bring all the kids outside or wherever you go for this kind of noise, and have go at it... kids can sign each other books to their hearts content.
*As teachers, we always sign each student's autograph book during the party with a stamp or sticker and our name... it's perfect.  The kids love picking out the stamp or sticker we put in their book next to our name. 

Application to the Next Grade: 2-3 Hours, maybe 4.

*Have students fill out an application to enter the next grade. This takes my kids at least and hour to fill out, and then if you have them complete the essay, another hour. Then you can have the students peer edit and have a final rewrite. 
I have one at my TPT for purchase here (use for any grade), but this is something anyone can create! Plus it's great to send home with report cards as part of the self reflection process. You could even have the kids read them out loud to the class! 

What to Expect next year letter, 1 Hour, maybe 2.

*Have your students write a letter to next year's class about what to expect in your class.  There are many of these available for free here on TPT. Our class has made these in the past, some years we have posted it to a board and it was up for all to see at Back to School night and the first day of school! One less board to do before parents come to check you out! This year, I made a Flip Chart available for purchase, because that's my thing right now, flip charts. You can purchase it here on my TPT (use for any grade).

Play Rehearsal: HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS

For the last 3 weeks of school we spend at least 2 hours a day with singing, line practice and stage rehearsal.  It is BRILLIANT!  I don't know what we do if we didn't have a purpose those last few weeks.  If you don't know about Bad Wolf Press, you know now. Those plays are great.  I have done: 

"Pirates from Grammar Island"

"13 Colonies"

"Theseus and the Minotaur"

It is worth the $40.00, without a doubt!

And don't worry if you don't have time or the will for some big production with fancy costumes.  I have done them without costumes and just some silly props I made. I have always done them on stage, but have seen them done in classroom.  The publisher gives very good advice on how to produce the play for all levels of experience and places to perform. If you do any of the above 3 plays, I would happily give advice. In fact, the company, if they still do it, will have a conference call with you if needed!

Pirates from Grammar Island

13 Colonies

Father's Day Magazine: 3 Hours or more

I bought this magazine on TPT last year, and it totally was $$ well spent.

It kept my kids occupied and also served a magnificent purpose, Father's Day gift!

Multicultural Week: HOURS and HOURS and HOURS

This is not my idea, but I love it and we do it at our school.

1. Each classroom selects a country of focus.

2. The classroom creates a informational presentation about that country.

Here is mine from last year on Spain and another on India.

This is just the way I approached it, some teachers have students put on a play or sing a song or learn a dance too!

3. On an assigned week, students travel to other classrooms (as a whole group with the teacher) and watch each other's presentations. 

4. As they exit the classroom, they get their passports stamped!  We bought some off of eBay here.

5. We made our own passports, but you can download some for free here on TPT.

Multicultural Prezi Presentation

ABC Book of...: At least 3 hours if not more.

Download this ABC Book Template for Free on TPT. This can be used for a multitude of activities. This year I had my students select a grade level subject or topic within the subject. Then students found a word for each letter and defined it using their text book ONLY. Finally, they illustrated the word. I made it worth 20 points towards the subject of the book. I found that students who needed a boost in math, created an ABCs of 5th Grade Math, and likewise for other subjects.  This activity really made them search out words from their text. It was secretly awesome, because students thought it would be so easy, but they really had to dig to find terminology to fit each letter. When they couldn't find a word to fit the letter at the beginning of the word, I allowed the students to find a word that had the letter within the word.

Part 2 of ABC Book: Hours of engagement are endless

After students completed a quality ABC from their grade level topic, I allowed them to create an ABC on any topic they wanted. This allowed all my budding artists to really focus on their art and personal interests.

Hopefully some of these ideas inspire you and help keep you and class busy until Summer starts!

Daily 5 Check In Organizer

I am still working on establishing an effective Daily 5 program in my class, and when I began this journey, I initially searched for a way to organize the program digitally using my SmartBoard. I was inspired by this Daily 5 Check In, but it is geared toward a primary class. I teach 5th and 6th grade and needed more spaces and a different rotation set up.   I created this organizer on Notebook to help my students select their rotation schedule for the day and to keep track of time and the current rotation schedule. You can download this template at my TPT store (FREE Here). We currently implement a Daily 3 schedule in my class, but I have provided a Daily 5 organizer as well.

Here is a video on how I use the file for my Daily 3 Check In.

Here a screen shot of the Check In slide. 

I have used smiley faces instead of student pictures.

Included in the Notebook file is the rotation chart I prepare for my students. I make changes to this page each week and print up that page from the Notebook file for the students to use each week as they rotate through the stations.

This is a screen shot of the rotation choices slide.

I hope this helps some of you to get going with your Daily 5 program!

Greek Vases Art Project

This is an easy and inexpensive art project for your students to create while studying Ancient Greece and Rome, and it looks great on the wall.  I have been doing this for years. I just recently suped up the process to create a product the kids are really proud of to display.

1. Using tan 12x18inch construction paper, I have students trace and cut a vase from some templates I had prepared on tag board (too big to share).

2. I have the students select a picture from this book. There are many other choices out there, but I really like this one. Each student will need a personal copy of their selection.

3. Then have the students trace around the image with a regular, old school pencil (not mechanical), the darker, the better.

4. Afterwards, flip over the picture and center it on the vase. Rub the back of the black line master with a pencil. You may want to use tape to keep the picture in place.

5. Magically, the pencil lead will transfer onto the construction paper, providing a guideline for the students to trace with a black marker or Sharpie.

6. Afterwards, I have the students complete the same process with greek designs and borders around the neck and base of the vase. I found some on the web, just do a search of "Ancient Greek Borders."

7. Then have the students trace the designs with a thin black Sharpie. After they have finalized their design, they need to fill in the vase with a thick Sharpie.

8. Laminate for a final touch to replicate glazing!

Daily 5 Audio QR Book Reviews

I crawled out from under a rock about 4 months ago and discovered Daily 5.

I am still figuring it all out and am looking forward to attending the OC conference in August 2015. In the meantime, I have been experimenting with Daily 5 choices.

One choice the students enjoy in particular while they "Work on Writing" is the 
Audio QR Book Review.

Our school utilizes the Accelerated Reading Program.  All of our students have differentiated goals based on their reading ability.  To start off this activity, I ask students to select a book they have tested on AR with 80%-100% accuracy. 

Using their book of choice, which is a major component advocated by the "2 Sisters," the students complete a Book Review using a template.  
Mine is available for purchase on TPT here, but you may want to create one that meets the specific needs of your reading program.

Afterwards, I ask students to read their completed book review to a classmate who in return offers suggestions and constructive criticism. Students make changes accordingly.

Then students access the Audio QR Generator.  Currently I am using Vacaroo.

Powered by Vocaroo

First, the students record their Book Review by selecting "Click to Start."
When finished select "Click to Stop."
Students can "Listen" and "Retry" if modifications are needed. This is an excellent way for students to self assess their fluency.

Once students are pleased with their recording, they then select:

Then Vacaroo will prompt the student to select a way to share their recording.  The students should select QR Code in the bottom right hand corner.

From there, the website will generate a QR code. 

Print the QR code.

Our librarian has agreed to allow our students to put the QR code in the corresponding library books.  

Students can then scan the QR codes when selecting the book in the library.

This has proven to be a very successful way for students to self reflect, work on writing, practice reading fluency and utilize technology during Daily 5!

KWL with a Twist

I currently teach a 5th and 6th grade self contained combination class; I have both 5th and 6th graders in my class all day everyday, and I provide them instruction in all subject areas.  

I am surprised when other "people" are surprised that I have combo class.  
"What is that?" 
"They can do that?"

Yes "they" can.

Because I have 2 separate curriculums to cover in a year, I have to work smarter. I simply cannot be the sole source of information for my students to learn from, because there is not enough time in the day for me to cover every topic in depth for both grades.  Therefore, I definitely have to become the teacher facilitator, such as in a flipped classroom (which I have not established at this point).

One way I have been approaching social studies content with my 6th graders, is by using Inductive Reasoning teaching strategies. Hilda Taba, a 1960s educational researcher, advocated for this type of teaching, which encourages students to think more efficiently.
I have blogged about the Inductive Reasoning strategies I have used in the past here. This particular lesson may not be completely inductive, but as it progresses, it vacillates between deductive and inductive reasoning.

1. To begin with, I listed all the vocabulary terms from our social studies chapter on Ancient Greece in a notebook file. I set each word to be infinitely cloned, so that the words could be used more than once in the activity.  I then created a table with preset labeled categories.  If I were truly using Hilda Taba's model of Inductive Reasoning, I would not generate the category labels. But because these terms were mostly unknown to my students, I provided the labeled categories.  Here is the notebook file at my TPT if you would like to try this activity for yourself!

FREEBIE

2. Working in collaborative groups, I then asked the students to place each word in a category. This provided the opportunity for students to share their prior knowledge of any of the terms listed. This would be similar to the "K" the "What we Know" in a traditional KWL chart. I instructed the students to make a best guess when deciding on an unknown word, but to place unknown words using scholarly guesses.  Here is a student generated sample:

3. As we progressed through the chapter by means of videos, activities or independent work, I asked that the students rearrange the words to the correct categories as they learned the meaning of the terms. I continued to allow them to collaborate, as this provided meaningful opportunities for scholarly discussions. This would be "L" the "What we Learned" in the KWL chart.

4. The "W" the "What we Want to know" in the KWL, is evident in the culminating activity for this unit.  My students have been creating a year long project, writing a research based narrative from the perspective of a citizen in each ancient society we study.  Each essay has specific requirements, but the students are able to focus on details they find interesting.

5. As students progressed through the chapter, they wanted to make new categories and add other terminology they deemed important.  This would be where the lesson teetered on the inductive reasoning edge.  When the students want to categorize terms and ideas based on personal criteria, the concept becomes intrinsically motivating.

Introducing a new chapter this way did not require ANY direction from me.  The students were engaged and focused and were having scholarly discussions.  Some students shared their knowledge about Greek mythology having read the Percy Jackson series. It is actually the most engaged my students have ever been with a textbook introductory lesson.

Even this amazing Mr. Nicky video was a learning opportunity, and it almost mentions every word in the sorting activity! My kids LOVE this song.  So do I!

The Woes of Student Multimedia Presentations

Why do my students love the  

so much?

I'll tell ya why, it's the same reason they love to have a million different types of font in their multimedia presentations.  

They want to drive me insane.

Oh, and it's not just the kids who love the Fancy Font. Full grown adults like to snaz up their .ppts with them too, maybe even with several different variations for our viewing pleasure.

It's an absolute crime that Powerpoint allows for words to drop from the PowerPoint heavens, one letter at time, in Edwardian Script ITC. A crime against teacher sanity. 

Ridiculous.  How is it in 2015, training professionals are still creating animated PowerPoint presentations with mind numbing animations? I'm going to reach a bit and claim that we, as a sophisticated group of teachers, are no longer impressed with the Fancy Font or the animated clip art from the Microsoft Gallery.  It's painful to watch and stop making us do it!

Therefore, we have the NO FANCY FONT rule in my classroom. As a result, I am attempting to establish a set of guidelines to help my students create multimedia products that are effective AND aesthetically appealing.  Not just fancy.

I created this infographic at piktochart.com (for free) to hopefully help give my class some guidelines for classroom multimedia presentations that aren't cluttered with ridiculous fonts, clip art or animations.




I tirelessly combed the internet for a definitive source on providing students with guidelines for multimedia presentations. But in the end, I had to do it myself. Like most things.


I just had to "Git 'er done," as we sophisticates like to say.

IMS Bove

Memorizing the Gettysburg Address

Again, my students have inspired me. 
My heart swells. 
My 6th grade students memorized the Gettysburg Address, 

and so did I.

Well, I did, but I messed up on about 8 words (out of 271). Also, I needed a kick start at two points during my recitation, which my students carefully recorded when I allowed them to assess my recitation. 

But enough about me, all 13 of my 6th grade students recited the Gettysburg Address from memory after studying it for 3 weeks, all with 95%-98% accuracy. I have a 5th/6th combination class, my 5th graders memorized the Preamble. In fact our entire 5th grade team of 90 students memorized the Preamble with 99%-100% accuracy (see my blog here about the Preamble).  But even more amazing our 6th grade team of 76 students attempted the feat of memorizing the Gettysburg Address.  Most of them accomplishing the task with only a handful of students who fell short of the goal.

When we first set forth on this task, I felt trepidatious.  I was asking my students to attempt a feat I myself had not attained. Therefore, I made a promise that I would memorize and recite the address as well.

Before starting, in collaborative groups, students completed a self guided close reading using the Icons of Depth and Complexity. Directions on how to complete this lesson is available on my blog, and the templates are available for free at my TPT store: IMS Bove.

FREE!

I gave my students time to work on memorizing their passages during Daily 5 each day and provided self assessment close worksheets for morning work. 
This bundle is available at my TPT store.

Another GREAT resource is the Gettysburg Address available for free download, a song we listened to several times, by the Bonus Point Band. Here is their free audio download of the song. Also here is the free download of their video.

Their Youtube video is available here:

I am so proud of my students, and I am inspired.

IMS Bove

  

Close Reading with Icons of Depth and Complexity: Simplified

(I am updating this strategy with a new post here, but wanted to leave these directions for those of you who are just starting out and want to use this strategy in it's simplest form). Here are the amped up directions for those interested in using this strategy with a little more meat.

Close Reading is all the rage these days. 

It's getting a lot of paparazzi attention in teaching circles.  
Or am I just late to the party?

Anyways, I am currently working on helping my 5th Graders memorize the Preamble (to the United States Constitution) and my 6th graders memorize "The Gettysburg Address."

We started with close reading strategies using a frame organizer incorporating the Icons of Depth and Complexity. If you aren't familiar with the Icons, it isn't necessary to "know" them to use this lesson. 

Download the frames here for Free from my IMS Bove TPT Store. 

Click on the picture below.

                   

1. To begin with, I had previously exposed both speeches to my class by watching informational videos on Brainpop.com and listening to the songs mentioned in my blog on this page.
2. Then I passed out the frame and asked students to highlight any unfamiliar words in the passage.

3. Afterwards, I asked them to record up to 4 of the highlighted words in the Language of the Discipline Section.
4. Then they looked up the meaning of the words. We used iPads, but be careful of the word "propositioned" in the Gettysburg Address.  

5. We then shared out our new vocabulary and discussed words that may have had multiple meanings.

6. Next the students read the passage again, this time recording any Unanswered Questions they may have encountered while reading. 

7. Afterwards, they researched the Details for the answers of least 4 questions.

8. Finally, we read the article again looking for he Big Idea of the passage. After a discussion, students recorded their ideas.

STUDENT SAMPLES

I have to say, I felt like both of these Close Reads were successful in helping the students understand the meaning of the passages, making them more comprehensible for memorization.

IMS Bove