This document walks you and your class through the steps of creating a classroom charter or mission statement which is good for emotional and personal safety and helps to maximize learning in the classroom. The students and the teacher create the Charter by soliciting and discussing ideas. Classroom rules may be chosen by the teacher or class by looking at the classroom charter. The charter and rules may be displayed on posters for the classroom. This product is provided in both Word and pdf forms. It is in Word doc form in case you would like to edit it for your own preferences. related term: mission statement

My name is Kaleigh Richards, I am an Upper Elementary Teacher at a Montessori charter school in Reno, Nevada. I have been teaching at this level/in this school for 5 years. I teach 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. I have 34 students. Our school is tuition-free for all students in elementary and middle school. We are a Montesso

Even in middle school, classroom jobs play an important role in building a sense of community. I am a big advocate of including my students in as many

I've never been able to find a job board that worked for me. The cute ones are too much work for me to un-stick and move and re-stick on t...

These are the top 10 best 5th grade classroom transformations. They are easy to implement, rigorous, and fun for fifth graders!

In April, Herve Tullet came to make giant workshop in 3 Princeton Schools (Princeton junior School, Princeton Charter School & Princeton Day School). From these workshops of the three schools Herve Tullet created a series of Artworks, hanged and exhibited at the Princeton Art Council from May 18th to May 23rd in presence of the …

Learn how to play the Kaboom game in your classroom to make practicing math facts, sight words, and more a blast for your students!

Classroom looping is a seldom used practice of staying with the same group of kids for 2 or more years. This post explores its benefits and downfalls.

Classroom routines and procedures are for ALL students. They can be especially effective at the middle school and high school level to help with classroom culture and management. If students know what to expect and they come to anticipate your high-interest lesson, your management issues will definitely decrease. Here are 5 classroom routines and procedures

Hi friends! I have been working hard all day on this blog post and I hope it helps you in your support of GT kiddos in your classroom! As the GT teacher for my grade level, I'm expected to take 18 hours of training on supporting GT kiddos, and I just finished last weekend. It was, truly, an amazing training. It was LONG but I learned SO much. I even posted a few things on Instagram as I heard them! The trainings were led by Dr. Joyce Juntune and she is a stinking genius.Many of the things were things I knew, but needed affirmation. Some of them were things I was hearing for the first time. But it was all powerful! As I've spent the last few weeks processing what I learned, I have tried to put lots of new things into practice. Some of them can be very difficult, as each district has their own (or none at all) program for students identified as Gifted-Talented. But I hope I can give you some ideas that can work in any classroom, in any district! We all hear this often...and I think we believe it's true. It's just so easy to forget. When they're constantly saying "I'm done" it's so easy to hand them more of the same type of work. I have tried to be extra aware of this in the past few weeks, especially when I think about how fragile some of our kiddos are. We never want them to feel like they are being punished for being smart. Because the truth (I believe) is that when they start to see this, they will just start to play not as smart! They will easily make the connection...when I finish my work quickly and do great on things, I will get more work. So...in my experience, they will start making mistakes...start trying to act like they DON'T know. Just to avoid more work. This is important to remember, and I don't believe it's true of every GT student. But for some it's incredibly true. As teachers, this means that they won't do things to please us. Their major motivation is learning...that's why they come to school. Not to please teachers, or make friends, or even get good grades. Their goal is to learn new things about things that matter to them. We must remember this when they seem hard to motivate. It's possible their lack of engagement is because we haven't found that thing they want to learn more about! :) Kind of along the same lines, some GT kiddos really really struggle with the expectations of school. Of course this is true of LOTS of children...special ed, gen ed, etc. We have to TEACH them how to be kind, how to be respectful, because sometimes they truly don't know. Of course this is true of all children. :) In my experience, GT kiddos need the most help dealing with people or ideas that they think are "dumb." I am constantly reminding them "we can't say that's a stupid idea, It's hurtful." They aren't trying to be hurtful...they just see it as a stupid idea, haha!! So we must teach them how to control their words and their faces! Fortunately, we have reason on our side! Because these little ones have such high IQs and abilities, you can absolutely reason with them when you need something. You can sit them down and ask "what consequences will this have?" And they will listen! If you can reason with them, and help them see why something MATTERS, you will have a lot better luck! :) NOW this next statement...is for EVERY student. EVERY day. in EVERY situation. I believe relationships are one of (if not THE MOST) important factors to student success. If you can get these kiddos on your side, life will be a LOT easier. But you can not win a power struggle with them...you have to show them you care...and THEN you can help them. They must know you care about them, understand them, and appreciate them for all their unique talents and abilities! As you can see, our GT kiddos actually develop differently than other students. It's why we so often hear "they are SO emotional" or even "They have tantrums!" They can't help it...we have to teach them how to MANGE that. I believe all students should have choice as much as possible. But for some, choice can be overwhelming...or even take away from the learning target. But for our GT kiddos, they thrive on choice. I give it as much, and as often as possible. If you're ever unsure of how to support them, ask yourself how to involve inquiry in their learning. They will immediately be engaged because they develop their own questions! It's easy to think about the highest achievers in our class. Their work is the neatest, they probably write the most words, and they get 100 on everything. Of course they need to be served! But our GT kiddos might also look a little different. And they BOTH need our support. This is an example of 2 sweet girls in my GT group. Their work looks COMPLETELY different, but they both show amazing thinking. The top one...I should have prompted her to write more. But the vocabulary usage and thinking is top notch! We do a LOT of reading response with my GT group. Here are some things they have done after reading a book independently (that they chose) but you could also do these with a Guided Reading text and let them choose the product they would make. The top 2 are sequels and the bottom is a power-point presentation about the book. Conferring is another part of my day that allows for easy differentiation. For most my students, I meet with their Guided Reading group 4-5 times a week. But for my GT students, I meet with their groups 1-2 times and confer individually with them. Here's an example of notes I take and a task I gave this little one to work on for the week. Another fun activity that I gave to all of the Enrichment kiddos in 1st grade...they are our "high-flyers" that haven't been identified GT yet. But my GT kiddos participate too! You can click the image to grab your own copy. They chose a word (their name is usually easiest) and added up the sum. It's especially motivating when they can choose their own word. It would be overwhelming for most of my kiddos, but super fun for advanced students! And finally, here are some ideas for changing a "normal" task into something perfect for your GT students. You can also grab that by clicking the image! How do you support GT students in your classroom? Does your district identify them? I want to hear! :)

You just found out you are teaching a split grade class next year. For most teachers the idea of teaching a split is overwhelming. You have twice as many

In the landscape of modern education, having strategies for getting students attention can be as challenging as it is crucial.

Happy December, Y'all! This is Chandra from Teaching with Crayons and Curls! This year my firsties have LOVED LOVED LOVED spending the day with a stuffed animal. Our class uses a classroom economy similar to this one from True Life I'm a Teacher and they use their money to purchase coupons. The 'Furry Friend' (spending a day with a stuffed animal) coupon is one of their favorites, so I knew I had to use this to my advantage! Meet our class Behavior Buddies- Listening Lion, Happy Hippo and Positive Pig! Aren't they adorable!? Students earn these Behavior Buddies when they are showing positive behavior! I usually choose one student per day to spend the day with each stuffed animal. Usually, they are chosen at the end of the day and they get to spend the next school day with that Behavior Buddy. The furry friend stays with them throughout the day in OUR classroom. They don't go to recess, specials, or lunch. Just makes things a little easier (and cleaner!). We've been using them for a few weeks now, and my students have started nominating each other to spend the day with a Behavior Buddy! I mean, how adorable and KIND is that!? It all started with one sweet little firstie saying, "Mrs. Dills, I think Sarah should get Listening Lion because she has been such a great listener today!" Yep, I made a HUGE deal about that! When students earn a Behavior Buddy for showing positive behavior, I also want to make sure that this is communicated to their families! So, I created certificates that the student can bring home to show their family! It's a great way to build that positive school-to-home relationship! I ordered all of my furry friends off Amazon. But, you can grab stuffed animals anywhere! Wal-Mart, Target, and the Dollar Store. There are many different animal options in my pack! Since it's so close to Christmas, I thought it would be fun to introduce holiday themed Behavior Buddies. You can grab this pack for FREE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Just click here or on the image below! I hope these cute little friends help promote positive behavior in YOUR classroom!

CLOTHING PROJECT ACTIVITY students color and design a clothing item and create a description for the item to present to the class as a presentation.

Autonomy: the power to be independent and free; freedom from external control or influence.

In classrooms a generation or two ago, it is unlikely that “emotional intelligence” topped the list of subjects most teachers prioritized for their students. But today, learning how to recognize, express, and explore feelings is a central part of the CEE curriculum as students develop the agility, creativity, and empathy required in the modern world.

Charter Schools and Special Education: What does the law say? Do charter schools have to provide IEPs? What to do if your disabled child has been rejected by a charter school.

Teaching Career Exploration in the classroom is an important part of social-emotional learning and character education. Kids should start thinking about what they want to be when they grow up by considering their interests and strengths, and how they can apply that to a career. #careerexploration

As adult writers, we have a clear idea of how we each personally attack a piece of writing. For me, I know that I tend to spend a lot of time collecting information, using sticky

Two Points: This is MY method, and not necessarily right for you, your teaching or care philosophy, your set-up, or your students. Curriculum participation by my students is VOLUNTARY. I invite them to participate, but if they choose not to, then that is fine. I usually offer them a choice of a few of the activities and let them decide where we start and where we go. An engaged child learns, a dis-engaged child rebels. The 3-year rotating curriculum is theme based. Some times we stick to the plan, but usually I observe what they are interested in learning about, what they are asking questions about, and suggest up to three different themes they can choose from for us to study. I make my own 3-year rotating curriculum for many reasons: Packaged curriculum is often only one year. Since I teach for 3 years, this would be redundant. Most packaged curriculum focuses on skills my students master early. My 2s count to 20, know 11 colors, know most of their phonics, uppercase and lowercase letters, 10 shapes and some of their numbers and I still have 3 years of curriculum to teach them. They often are worksheet intensive. My students usually are cognitively advanced from their fine motor skills. I have 4 year olds that still can't write well. If I had relied on worksheets for the last 2 years, there is no way they would have the skill sets they have. Worksheets are also not considered Developmentally Appropriate Practice [DAP] for children under the age of 8. We use them here for writing practice starting at age 4. [Yes, worksheet-intensive public schools are not using DAP for kindy through 3rd grade!] They can be expensive. If you are purchasing worksheets, why would you spend even $1 a week/$52 a year when you can purchase a 400 page Scholastic preschool workbook from Sam's Club for $8 that covers probably more material, is most likely aligned with the public school expectations, and is colorful. Colored copies are NOT affordable to make from packaged curriculum. Most [ALL!] preschool learning should be interactive. Pinterest is a better source for ideas. My students change every time I do a theme. I have to be able to tweak it to the interests and capabilities of those currently in my care. Plus, I'll find more interesting activities on Pinterest, have an idea for a new game, etc. It's a constant evolution to keep my curriculum relevant to our current group, situation and resources. However, curriculum planning and creation is very time consuming. Even with older curriculum I spend several hours going over it prior to teaching - updating, creating new materials, purchasing and setting new classroom decorations. While I have had my 3 year curriculum, this year I found myself wanting a more specific schedule to focus on specific skill sets for this particular group of children. Most of these skills can be incorporated into our themed curriculum, or they take 5 minute sessions to pop into our day. I have two groups, the younger preschoolers are 2-3 years old and the older ones are 4-5 years old, all at the same developmental and skill set level within their group. This makes it easier, as I can tailor everything to just 2 groups. If I were to have additional levels of children, then it would be tailored to each level. Children here are taught at their developmental level, not age. Asychronastic development is normal, so I may be teaching a child at various levels depending upon the subject matter. For the younger preschoolers, I came up with this structure. For the older pre-k students, I came up with this one. For instance, both of them have Measurement & Comparison on Friday for Reasoning. However, for the younger students, this would be a more/less, longer/shorter, big/little, etc. activity, while the older students would be measuring with rulers, yardsticks, tape measures, measuring cups, unit blocks, foot steps or themed units, and graphing the measurements to compare. Same skill set, differentiated at vastly different levels. Even this needs conditional tweaking. All the pre-k's know how to spell their last names now, so that is no longer a relevant skill activity for music and will be changed out. In another post I'll get into the curriculum components and the importance of each. For instance, how counting on Friday teaches 1-to-1 correspondence and creating method processes for counting groups of objects. CLICK PICTURES TO VIEW LARGER I use this MS Word template, available for FREE on TPT, for curriculum planning. Often, the daily skill sets above are either already incorporated, or can easily be incorporated, into the theme planning. For an example of a completed curriculum unit, check out our Owls Theme. Each monthly theme is broken down into 4 sub-themes. For instance: SPACE Astronauts & Rockets The Universe Our Solar System Aliens & Robots We also have a musical component, often classical, and an art component, often a master, and Spanish vocabulary component that we incorporate. This planning form may not include all games, file folder games, manipulatives, room-set up, etc. that I utilize. For those of you trained in curriculum creation, I do NOT do a full curriculum development for each activity. With having these children usually from infant to school-age, I keep an internal evaluation of progression and plan out only weekly learning objectives. Since I am creating the activities for my personal use, I do not need to create written procedures and evaluations. My curriculum is stored currently in file folders in a large office bookcase unit. I would like to get it into boxes so that I could have EVERY theme-related item, including dress-up, room set-up, manipulatives, etc. together for an easy pull. File boxes will most likely be the easiest, but they do take up a lot of space. In each file some of the things I probably have: Completed planning sheets All the books I own for that theme Flannel board Sentence and word walls File folder games Samples of previous crafts DVDs CDs Coloring pages Mini-book(s) Build-a-[theme item] game Curriculum creation is one of my great joys. I love the research and compilation, the creativity and excitement of bringing something fun and educational to my students. Learning is rarely linear. Children take developmental leaps, sometimes in odd directions. As a teacher, it is important that I keep each one challenged without pushing or inhibiting their growth, and that takes constant evaluation and a good eye for when those leaps happen so that we can move on to a higher level of instruction. When we do an activity, I constantly question if they WANT to do another round, another activity, and I usually cut them off while they are still engaged. I want them wanting more, and they will usually ask if they can continue. One of the most important desires and abilities I can instill in them is that of self-directed learning. So as they choose to go off with their rulers after we've spent several minutes doing a measuring activity, conferring between themselves as to procedures and what to measure next, I step back and let them. They know I am here as a resource, rather than an intrusive director. It is my job to ensure that when I invite my students to learn, they glow with excitement and anticipation of a fun, interactive, playful time. The results, so far, have been astounding. A few of my complete curriculum units are available through my TPT store. Apples Dental Ice Cream Penguins Rainbows St. Patrick's Day Valentine's Follow Connie -'s board Classroom on Pinterest. Tags: preschool, child care, pre-k, curriculum, development, teaching, education, homeschooling, homeschool, home, school, preschool curriculum development, planning

How familiar are you with the various schooling options? Public school, charter school, homeschool, satellite school, or microschool?

These choice boards you can send home with kindergarteners during a break, holiday or as homework. Includes 6 different free example choice boards.

Election Day is an important day in our government’s history. Finding ways to fit the electoral process into your curriculum can be difficult. Social studies teachers may be apprehensive about how to objectively cover the election since there are so many controversial issues surrounding the 2020 presidential election. Below, you can read about 5 ways ... Read more

Let kids choose where and how they sit.