Classroom Management: Using a WOW Board No comments Classroom Management, student recognition, WOW board Have you heard of the WOW board? This tool is not a brand new idea, but I only started using it last year. And, I intend to keep using it! Using a WOW board is a great (and super easy) way to recognize individual students and reward their choices, achievements, and efforts. It is also a great way to boost self-esteem too. What is it? The board is simply a table that is printed onto poster sized paper. The table is labeled with letters along the bottom, and numbers along the side, creating cells. It is laminated so it can be used again and again. I printed my board using the standard poster size setting on our poster maker. I know that some schools may not have a poster maker, but there is no rule that says your WOW board has to be poster sized! How do you use it? When you see a student making a smart choice, setting a good example, making gains, or whatever you feel should be recognized, they add their name to the board. They can choose any space they want and write their name in the selected space. Many WOW boards have 100 spaces, but I like for it to fill up quickly, so my board has only 25 spaces. Since I use other means of recognizing students, like reward tags, I didn't want a board with 100 spaces. Since the board is laminated, students can use an Expo Vis-a-Vis marker to add their name. This makes it easy to erase and start over when we're ready to do so. What do you do when the board is full? When the board is full of students' names, I choose 5 students to receive a "prize." Really, they get to choose a classroom reward coupon. Prize buckets and I don't get along (#clutter). The classroom rewards cost me nothing and the kids love them. You can find all sorts of classroom reward options on TPT. Then, I erase the board and we start filling it up again and the cycle repeats. How do you choose the winners? I usually just pick five random cells and write them on a sticky note, without looking to see whose names are in those cells. For example, I might write down A3, C4, B5, D2, E1. I call out the cell number and identify the name of the student written in that cell. They're a winner! You could write all your cells (i.e. A1, A2, A3, etc.) on color tiles, small slips of paper, or anything else you can fit into a small bucket. Then, when it is time to choose your winners, you just pull a tile, slip of paper, etc. out of the bucket and match it to the name in that space on your board. Using a Wow board is just another way to recognize your students and motivate them to do their best. If you'd like to give it a try, you can download my free template. If your school doesn't have a poster maker, don't dismiss the idea of using a WOW board. You could easily print this on regular paper and just use a smaller sized version. The kids will still love it! DON'T FORGET IT, PIN IT! Share It:
Are you looking for a way teaching math vocabulary in a more visual and conceptual way? To differentiate for your struggling learners? Every year, it seems we get more and more visual learners coming into our classrooms, learners who benefit from math word walls that show concepts and vocabulary in action. This approach has worked wonders in my classroom and I know it will in yours! Adding a visual math word wall to my classroom completely changed how my students access our math vocabulary and the concepts we learn in class. Our math word walls are covered in examples and visuals that show the math concepts in context along with the vocabulary words we cover in class.
Teaching students rules and procedures is a skill in itself. You have to learn to teach it and then reinforce them while doing it in an engaging way. In this article, I'll give you some ideas of how to teach your students your classroom routines and expectations in a fun and engaging way.
There are times throughout the year when it seems like your classes just aren’t going right. You are working hard on your lessons, thinking of engaging applications, and even trying to add ch…
A simple way to teach your students classroom procedures and expectations at the beginning of the school year
One of the most time-consuming things teachers deal with is student absences! I no longer worry about this because my students completely take care of it!
Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.
Podcasts in the classroom are so fun and engaging! Have you jumped on the podcast train yet?! I have a great system for using podcasts in the classroom...
When I looked at my last post and realized it was Christmas themed, I realized I was long overdo for a blog post. This new year has brought...
Giant friendship bracelet craft. Classroom garlands. Taylor Swift inspired classroom decor.
Kids love to be helpers, so give them some amazing classroom jobs for students that will build responsibility and make your life in the classroom easier.
Quick, casual ways to make sure everybody's on board.
A bright and cheerful bulletin board in the hallway is the perfect way to welcome students back to school! Check out these ideas for inspiration to create your own school and classroom decorations.
As teachers begin planning for back to school, I see an abundance of creative classrooms filling my Instagram and Pinterest feeds. I love seeing how other
teaching ideas, upper elementary classroom ideas, reading ideas,resources for the upper elementary classroom, teaching grammar, graphic organizers
Use these four great classroom time savers to help you stay on track with your schedule, teach more efficiently, and save your sanity.
Find out all the top picks for fun games to play in class. Liven up the classroom with these engaging games and activities.
I posted about these songs about a year ago on my Instagram feed and so many of you asked if I would be putting these in my TPT shop to sell. At the time, we had only written three, and I just didn't feel like that was enough to make a whole resource with. Since then, I have been working on writing new transition songs that are sung to some of our kids' favorite tunes! Singing CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SONGS AND CHANTS during transitions makes moving from one thing or place to another almost seamless. Songs and chants keep students engaged, focused, and excited to learn, which in turn will save valuable instruction time. It also helps eliminate unwanted behaviors by giving your students the structure, consistency, and support they need. Most of the songs included are parodies of popular songs most kids will know. The words have been changed to help students transition in a positive manner. I printed the songs on cardstock and laminated them. I used a binder ring to attach the set together to hang on my board for easy access. There are also three different color options included. :) Let's go through a little breakdown of when and why we sing each of these songs: The Carpet: We sing this when it's time to transition to the carpet. I start they song, they join in. They have to be on the carpet in their assigned spots by the end of the song. Works like a charm every single time! I even added in some little hand motions that end the song with their hands in their laps. All I Do Is Freeze: We mostly use this when students are working in groups or with a partner. Sometimes, I need them to stop what they are doing, so that I can give them a direction or clear something up. It's a great way to get their attention! Clean Up Chant: This one is pretty self-explanatory. I do not instruct them when it's time to clean up; I just start the chant. You may want to add a timer to it afterwards if you need them cleaned up in a certain amount of time. Let's Line Up: Will kids ever get over Frozen? Probably not. If yours are still obsessed, too, they will love this line up chant. It gets them lined up quickly and without distractions, which saves so much time! Back to My Seat: We sing this when we transition from the carpet to their seats. We usually sing it a couple of times to give them plenty of time to make it to their seats. It's a really quick song! Partner Up: This song probably takes the most practice. Anytime you need students to get with their partner, you can sing this song. It also reminds them what to do when they are with their partner. Learning Math is Awesome: Sing this song to signal that it's time to begin math. I can guarantee it will get stuck in your head afterwards. Sorry. We Can't Stop Reading: This song can be used to kick off your reading block each day. It gets them excited about books and where those stories will take them! Quiet Time: I may or may not have sung this one the most. It works so well! I sing it in a calm, quiet voice, in which students will mirror. It immediately calms the room. Sing it a couple of times if needed! See!: I had to incorporate some Taylor Swift in these songs. We want students to be proud to share their thinking and comfortable talking with a partner. We also want their partners to be respectful and value what they are saying. This song is great to sing before students share with a partner or to close out a lesson by sharing what they learned or took away from the lesson. I just added some NEW songs!!! Like It Was: This is another clean up song. You could sing this one at the end of centers. It's really good about reminding students to put everything back in its place. Good For You: This is a song that you can sing as a class to celebrate someone! Maybe someone had a really great idea or accomplished something amazing, you can sing this to pump them up! We're Amazing: I am all about incorporating mindfulness into our day, so I knew I needed to create a song that encompassed that. This is another one that is going to take some practice to get down, but you can always display it as you sing. Some of the songs might take lots of practice to get down! But don't give up! After you sing it over and over, you will eventually get it. You will sing them to the tune of the chorus from the songs. I have added links to the actual songs in the PDFs. You just click the blue arrow at the bottom of the page. Always check these first NOT in the presence of students. I have gone through them to make sure they are safe, but you never know when things can change. A few of these parodies are straight from my students. I asked them what songs they wanted me to write transition songs for, and these are what we came up with. This group in particular had difficulty this year with transitions because they were all best of friends and LOVED to talk, which in turn got them distracted. I LOVED that about them, but we were losing valuable time trying to get refocused. Once I introduced a song or chant for them to do while transitioning, the difference was crazy! It keeps your learning environment positive, too, which is super important. You can check out the resource by clicking HERE or on any of the images in the post. Let me know how your students do with these songs or if you need another song added! I love your feedback! Happy transitioning!
Use these low-prep spontaneous speaking activities in your classroom to allow your students to speak in your French, Spanish, German and English in lessons!
If you're tired of hearing, "I'm not a math person," show students that they are indeed math people! This bulletin board asks, “Which type of math person are you?” Signs shows different types of math people, such as an investigator, questioner, innovator, helper, hard worker, and more! Here's what is in the kit: Letters to spell out, “Which type of math person are you?" Bubbles that say, "(Because we're all math people!)" 16 Signs with types of math people showcasing different strengths This hallway or classroom decoration is easy to create using the included pieces. Just print, cut out the pieces, and hang on a board or wall! Everything prints on regular 8.5 x 11 paper or cardstock. The little posters with types of math people each feature a fun “Dot Dude.” These are included as color versions and black ink only versions (which look great printed on colorful paper.) 16 types of math people are included. These make a great discussion starter about what it means to be “good at math.” Hopefully students will see that we all can bring different strengths and contribute to math in different ways. We also can grow stronger in each area too! This positive message for students is perfect in any math classroom. Dot Dudes clip art and the term “Dot Dudes” are licensed and used with permission from Sarah Pecorino of Sarah Pecorino Illustration. Save when you purchase the big bundle of math bulletin boards! Check out the preview for more details.
Catch your students' attention with our back to school bulletin board ideas. A fun and interactive way to establish a fun and welcoming classroom community.
An Elementary Teaching Blog with tips, ideas and freebies for your classroom. For new teachers and seasoned teachers alike!
The first week of school generally consists of getting to know one another, in addition to discussion and practice of classroom procedures and routines. We also got our creative juices flowing by creating summer reflection writing pieces, squiggle stories, and "All About Me" mini-posters. Students are getting to know one another and me, and we are learning to work together to build a successful and positive classroom environment. On Wednesday, I wrote out six questions, all having to do with how to make our classroom and ourselves function to the highest level, on six pieces of chart paper. Students, in groups of three, spent two minutes at each chart, collaborating and responding to each question on a sticky note. After all groups visited each chart paper station, I hung all of the charts up and we discussed each answer and noticed some very interesting trends. Here's the finished product, which you can click on to enlarge: Inspired by Life in 4B To tie into the previous activity, I was inspired by my wonderful teammates, Mrs. Fadden and Ms. Mattox, to develop at class pledge with my students. We reviewed our responses to the above questions, and then we put all of the ideas together to form a cohesive paragraph that we have all agreed will help us to remember why we are here at school and what our common goal is. Below is the rough draft of our class pledge (which I will type up, make pretty, and have all of my students sign): Since we were able to develop a class goal (to achieve success in third grade), I also had each student determine an individual goal after reading the story Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni. I displayed our "Hopes and Dreams" for third grade near the classroom door, so that we can refer to, and revisit, them throughout the year. Lots of students are interested in learning how to sharpen their cursive skills, multiplication and division skills. I was very impressed by the number of students ready to take on our 40 book challenge! More on that later! Here's our class display of our hopes and dreams for third grade: Lastly, I read a book called Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The premise is that everyone carries an invisible bucket everywhere they go. When your bucket is "filled" you feel happy.When your bucket is "empty" you feel sad or upset. People can fill buckets by lending a helping hand, smiling, being kind, including others in games, and more. People can empty buckets by teasing, being ungrateful, acting disrespectfully, and more. I encourage my students to recognize the actions of bucket-fillers by writing them quick note and sticking it in their bucket display. This helps make everyone feel good. When we feel good, we want others to feel good. Therefore, kindess is passed from person to person. This is our bucket-filling display, complete with ways we can fill buckets and ways we can empty buckets: I look forward to more of these types of meaningful activities that promote teamwork, kindness, and achievement with your child!
Check out these gorgeous Romero Britto inspired art activities...
Explore the perfect blend of pride and aesthetics with our Amazing Work Displays. More than just bulletin boards, these student work displays are intentional spaces crafted to recognize and honor the unique accomplishments and efforts of each student. From eye-catching designs to interactive elements, our collection offers a variety of options to transform your classroom into a dynamic exhibition of student achievement. Make every piece of student work a masterpiece with our Amazing Work Displays. Whether it's showcasing artwork, written assignments, or collaborative projects, these displays contribute to a positive and affirming classroom culture where every student's contribution is valued and celebrated. File Type: PDF Page Count: 2 What's Included: Amazing work coming soon sheets, Large pencil cutout, & binder clip cutouts! Sold as: UPRINT ~ digital PDF and/or PPT file sent to your email Welcome to UPRINT, the printable classroom decor category at Schoolgirl Style. Our UPRINT collection is a treasure trove of creativity, offering educators the power to customize and personalize their learning spaces with ease. Elevate your classroom aesthetics with the convenience of printable decor that brings style, organization, and a touch of magic to every corner of your educational haven. Introducing "Saved by the Pastel," the charming 2024 classroom decor collection by Schoolgirl Style. Inspired by 90's nostalgia of school supplies, pastels, and checkerboards, this collection brings a playful twist to the classroom. Dive into a world adorned with happy smiley faces, iconic apples, pencils, Stanley cups, and delicate pastel bows. Immerse your space in the beauty of gradient pastel rainbows paired with a 90's aesthetic, creating an atmosphere that's both reminiscent of pop culture and fond memories of the bright pastel trend! At Schoolgirl Style, we understand that when it comes to classroom decor, every detail matters. Shop in STYLE with our diverse selection of Classroom Decor, Bulletin Board Borders, Classroom Rugs, Bulletin Board Paper, and Printable Classroom Decor, personally curated by Melanie Ralbusky, Founder and Creative Director. Whether you're in search of Teacher Resources, Seasonal inspiration, or delightful Teacher lifestyle additions, Schoolgirl Style stands as your one stop Teacher Shop.
Long time no see! As I hope you are doing, I’m busy enjoying my summer!I have been relaxed with the pups, gone to the aquarium, shopped with friends, binge watched How to Get Away with Murder (this show is addicting by the way), and gone to several concerts including the Oak Ridge Boys. My new […]
Do you teach science? Today, on the blog, I'm sharing ideas and inspiration for decorating your science classroom.
Because learning is best when it's hands-on.
I know how much you LOVE FREEbies because I love them too! Make sure to share these free deals with all of your family and friends!
First impressions are powerful. Make your first statement to your students a positive one.
These simple and easy bulletin board ideas for your classroom can stay up all year long and help students succeed. Use educational + purposeful decor.
Update your Social Studies classroom decor cheaply and easily with fun and useful decor. Make your classroom fun and inviting for students.
