Back to School Weekly Linky: Week 2!

We're BACK!! Time for Week 2 of the Back 2 School Weekly Linky with Stephanie & myself. 

This week, we're talking ALL about assessment! We're giving ideas, tips, strategies, success stories, and other sorts of information. SO read on below and then check out the links in the link up to see other's tips!

When it comes to assessment, I'm a big time newbie. I didn't know much about it, nor did I learn a lot in college about it… kind of just a "teach yourself" sort of topic, in my opinion.

This past year, I did a LOT of observing as a form of assessment. I liked to walk around with my students working and get down on their level to see what they were thinking. I asked them questions to gauge their understanding, to gauge their thinking, and so forth.

I also relied a lot on Bloom's Taxonomy when trying to make my assessments up. We would do a LOT of explaining, which fell under the evaluation part in Bloom's. Also, we did a lot of labeling, arranging, and identifying (from the first two levels of Bloom's). 

In terms of testing, I made a lot of my own assessments up to meet the needs of my students. They did a lot of remembering and recalling information, especially in mathematics.

But, a lot of my science assessments took the form of projects to show what they've learned. 

My absolute FAVORITE project I assigned, by far, was the Animal Habitat Diorama. This project required students to create a diorama about an animal, uncommon animals to be specific. You typically see animal projects about dogs, cats, lions, tigers, etc. BUT, this project held animals such as ducks, quails, zebra, prairie dogs, komodo dragons, gorillas, anteaters, buffalos, and so on! My kiddos LOVED it.

But, I had to find a way to assess their work (and man, did they do some awesome work!!). So, I turned to a rubric. Rubrics are easy for me to create because you identify your category/area, assign the points, and then leave comments to support your stance on the points!

Students can easily understand the rubrics, as well, and if not, they can hand it to you, ask questions, and you can easily explain.

I also really enjoy doing portfolios. When it comes to writing, it's easy for my students to look back at their work using their portfolios. Portfolios help my students participate in self-directed learning, assessing, and they are able to hold themselves to goals, as well! Portfolios allow for students to hold themselves accountable for their work, as well.

When it comes to portfolios, I used two specific types - documentation portfolios to show my students' growth over time and process portfolios to show my students' work over time as they started with the brainstorming, to rough drafts, to final drafts. My students this past year thoroughly enjoyed being able to look through their portfolios to see how they have grown, and I enjoyed looking through them for this reason, as well!

In our class, we used MANY more assessment strategies than just the two I identified, but those were our two major assessments. Other assessments we used on an "every once in a while" basis were:

-checklists

-conferences (especially with reading)

-end of the year tests

-oral fluency assessments

-fluency tests

-performance assessments (especially with mathematics)

-projects

-standardized tests (agh…)

What types of assessments do you utilize most?? Write up a post and link up below! I'd love to hear all about it. If you don't have a blog, feel fee to leave a comment so we can discuss it!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Back to School Weekly Linky: Week 1!

Welcome!!! It's FINALLY here - the weekly Back to School linky that Mrs. D's Corner and I are collaborating with - a labor of love :)

So, what is the B2S Weekly Linky all about?? Well, I'll tell ya!

This linky is a linky that is dedicated to getting you as educators, parents, and administrators ready for BACK TO SCHOOL!! As a group, we will share tips, stories, advice, and other such information on ten different topics, each week being a different topic. 

Topics might be about behavior management, your schedules, online tools that you love, and so on.

Check out the schedule below to see each week's topic.

{Fonts by Kimberly Geswein Fonts}

So, let's begin with Week 1's topic!

Behavior management is a struggle for many teachers, especially new teachers like myself. I have taught myself that I don't need to be my students' friend, but rather, someone they can talk to but still look up to. 

So, I make sure that my behavior management techniques employ the positive reinforcement rather than negative.

For example, this past year, we used three separate things in my classroom.

First, we used our star chart.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but you'll get what it is after I explain it!

I purchased gold star stickers and a blue incentive chart from the teacher store. The students' names are written down the side and then the dates that we are in class are written across the top.

As you can see, the school I was at used the "behavior chart" with green, yellow, orange, and red cards. If a student made it through the day on green (with lots of other positive reinforcement, many ended up staying at green ALL day), they received a star.

At the end of the quarter, I counted up how many stars student MISSED. They were allowed up to 5 "no greens" and then they were out of the running for a Target gift card. I did this for 2 quarters and saw the behavior improve tremendously.

I will DEFINITELY use the Star Chart in the future, but in a different context. Next time, I will be using a personal, smaller star chart that I created. I think I will also do the chart monthly instead of quarterly and will also give a LOT of responsibility to the students by having them hold on to their own star charts!

Want a little freebie star chart to implement in your classroom this upcoming school year? Hang tight and check out the bottom of the post for a mini-freebie from the larger pack :)

Another positive reinforcement I used in the classroom to help behavior was the Homework Club created by Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics.

The idea behind the club was that if you did your homework, you stayed in. If after the month ended you were still in, you received some sort of prize. It could be take your shoes off for the day, write in a pen for the day, homework passes, sit at a different table during lunch for the week, or anything else - prizes were things that did NOT cost me any money. So, it worked out well.

Their enthusiasm for the homework club impressed me and I had a few still not turn in homework… but a majority turned it in daily!

Finally, we used my fantastic system known as Party Puffs.

Others may know it as a marble jar or star jar. But, I found these BRIGHT, fun puffs at Hobby Lobby two years ago and thought of the name party puffs… why? Well, after the jar is completely full, the class gets to have a party!

How did they earn puffs? If they received a compliment from another teacher, parent, etc., they get 1 puff. If they received a complement from the principal, vice principal, or anyone else that holds an upper position, they got 22 party puffs (1 for each student in the class). They knew, though, that if behavior went downhill, I had the authority to remove the puffs and start over.

That crushed them so they ALWAYS did their best to make sure they didn't have to lose them, and instead, they were probably the BEST class when walking through hallways, when someone came into the classroom, etc. I was impressed with how well they acted and couldn't have been happier with the outcome of our party puff jar.

As of right now, I'm not in the classroom as a full time teacher next year. But, when I do go back, I plan to employ a few other techniques… one being a classroom economy system. This will help with the bathroom trips, daily jobs, and the overall behavior in and outside of the classroom.

My good friend Corinna who blogs over at Surfin' Through Second has a great product called Beach Bucks Classroom Money System.

I'll be using it to help my students not only practice their math skills, but also their social studies/economy skills... AND we'll be working on behavior at the same time! Amazing.

Oh yeah, that freebie! Are you still interested? Click on the photo below to be taken to GoogleDocs to download the Star Chart freebie :) 

So, what kinds of behavior management techniques, stories, advice, or other tips do you have for others? Link up below to let us know!

An InLinkz Link-up

It's Finally Here!

It's here, it's here!! The Teacher Smart magazine is finally here!

You may be wondering whaaaat? What's that?! Well, it's a FANTASTIC magazine for the Back to School season. It is a compilation of must-have items for B2S that has been put together by some AMAZING teacher bloggers.

The credits really go to April from A Modern Teacher & Melanie from Schoolgirl Style for putting it together, but there are a bundle of other great bloggers that helped by providing their must haves for the school year... including me!

Check it out below by scrolling through with the arrows or click on the cover itself (not the arrow) to be taken to full screen!!

BUT WAIT: Once you click through, also remember to click on specific items that may be of interest to you! Each item leads to a link specifically for that product so that you may purchase it :) cool, huh?!

Also, each blogger's picture is hyperlinked.. feel free to go find some new bloggers you might want to follow! I know there are some fantastic, fantastic teachers in this magazine and you would LOVE to follow them all. They all have great ideas and are as sweet as can be ;)

Oh, and here's the cover should you want to pin this fantastic resource! I know I sure did simply so I could remember the fantastic items that are included :)

Have a good day y'all!

PS. My classroom is coming along nicely! I cannot wait to show y'all the befores & afters :)

WHOA! Swamped.

Good golly, Molly! I have been on the move NONSTOP for the last week! While I was in North Carolina, I didn't blog one bit! But, I spent time with lover boy aka Cody! It was really, really good to see him. November 2nd cannot come fast enough :) We stayed at a fantastic Bed & Breakfast. The place was absolutely GORGEOUS and we really had great weather (except for the picture below.. in the morning, it was cloudy but by noon, sunny & hot). This trip couldn't have been better!

Oh, hi boyfriend!

Front view of the house.

View from the side.

Carriage house and pool house - we stayed in the pool house (there on the left)!

Little gazebo/tent thing out back - it was lit up at night.. sooo pretty!

The pool, which we could see from our window :)

Back of the house.

I would ABSOLUTELY stay there again... but I'd love to try out a different room... maybe in the main house! :)

I started my Master's program on Tuesday! It's INCREDIBLY overwhelming and I am already ready for the semester to be over.... is that bad to say?? There's just so much work for these 4 classes and it's all online... with a new system... and I'm constantly tired/lazy so I've got to pump myself up and get myself back in the groove of school without procrastinating. I've gotten bad with that word...

Those calendars are just a GLIMPSE into my life for the next three months. That's all the school work I have. That doesn't include volunteering I'm going to do throughout the week or the sub jobs I'll get.... UH, can you say busy!?

Over this weekend, I've got tonight to do some work (boo), tomorrow to do some more work (boo), and Sunday to hang out with family that's coming in town! But, tomorrow I'm also going out for a friend's 21st! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTIN! Cannot wait to see my girls and have a good night out with the 4 of us :)

I also subbed today - where? High school art. WHAT!? It was rough, but I remember being in high school and the feelings these kids have (moody, tired, want to talk to my friends, etc etc etc). So, I totally understood where they were coming from but I still had to have them do work. Sorry kiddos! I have never had so much exposure to design elements, design balance, or how to make a ceramic pot. We watched videos all day... not exactly my cup of tea, but hey - you gotta do what you gotta do.

I'm going to learn how to sew so I can make these. Just sayin'. They're hot/cold rice packs. How cute would these be to give as gifts for Christmas to students or to families? I love them. And I love heating pads - perfect for your hands on a cold fall or winter night at those football games!

{SOURCE}

Alright... that's all I've got. If you've read along until here... yay for you! You'll wanna come back next week for a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY. I can't tell you what it is just yet... but I'll be giving away something(s) amazing after I've given you my take on it/them. I just have to find time to get it/them outta the box & use it/them. WOOHOO!

Have a good weekend, y'all!

Monday Made It & Live Laugh Craft Series!

Hi y'all! Linking up with Tara @ 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It linky!

This week, I was inspired by a pin I have seen floating around Pinterest.

Source: Technology Rocks. Seriously.

So I chose to create my own variation of this sign, but not on paper.

MATERIALS:
12x18 wooden board (mine is from Michaels)
Black acrylic paint
White cardstock
Cricut (or any cutting machine)
5 colors of scrapbook paper
Mod Podge or Xyron sticker maker

I actually turned the "Before you speak" into stickers with my Xyron sticker maker, but then I chose to do the rest in Mod Podge. I've never actually used Mod Podge for a full out project before, so it was a different kind of experience! In the end, it was a super easy project and I plan to put it up by my desk in my classroom. I can see little imperfections throughout the board, BUT I think it gives it character because it's not perfect :)

It's also time to start our Live Laugh Craft series party with my BPIC, Monique @ Uniquely Monique! She's hosting this great linky and I know it'll keep me in shape with my crafting! This time around, it's a planner creation party! Of course, you can go out and purchase your own planners and make it quick, but is it personable? Not always! So, I decided to create my own planner (and some of you have seen it floating around on my TPT store!) but to add more pages to it to fit my current needs. So, below is a description of my planner and some pictures of it! :)


I chose to make my cover with something beachy because I'm a beach baby. Always have been, always will be!

Next are my pages. I left them blank from numbers so that I could reuse this design year after year if I so choose! This is a similar format for all months, I just wanted to show you August! There's really not much going on because school doesn't start for me until September 4th!

Here's a daily view of what's going on for the last week of August! Im going to North Carolina to see babe and I CANNOT wait!!

Finally, I've got two different pages - one is a to do list page and one is a notes page. I'll print out a to-do list and a notes page for each month and use them as necessary. As you can see, I've got a few things on my to-do list... I should probably get on it!!

So, that's my mini planner made to my own personality! I love the color coral, so that's the reasoning for the outline. You can make your planner the way you want... but go check out Moe & her co-host's planner ideas by clicking on the picture above!! :) Next week, they've decided that we are making our own DIY headbands - perfect for fall & Pinterest utilization!

QUESTION: I have 150 craft sticks sitting in my other room. I want to do something with them, but I honestly have NO idea what to do! Any ideas or thoughts? They will be greatly appreciated!

Have a good day, y'all!