The ability to ask for and receive your students’ attention is crucial. It’s crucial because it saves precious learning time. It improves listening and performance. It allows you to give instruction anytime you need to and know that it will be heard and understood. ... Read more
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Unwanted talking is near the top of the list of teacher frustrations. In this article, learn the actual strategies to finally get rid of it for good.
Likability is a key principle of SCM—because it makes building rapport effortless. It causes students to want to listen to you, please you, and behave for you. It helps make your consequences matter. Being disliked, on the other hand, makes classroom management far more ... Read more
These are the are nine essential project documents that no self-respecting project should be without when trying to manage a project. I've organised them in order of project lifecycle phase.
Have you ever had a class with so many difficult, disruptive students that you felt that you could barely even teach? What can you do to get past it? In this post, I am going to address this problem with my best advice, and some advice from others as well.
Anger management strategies can be very useful to even young children as they learn to manage their own behaviour. These calming strategy cards can help!
Throughout my years teaching middle school, I have had the experience of seeing many "work refusals". These are the situations when kids, for a variety of reasons, just refuse to start the work you give them. They might shut down and rest their head on their desk or lash out in anger, shouting about
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This spring is presenting new challenges for teachers all across the country. Some of us are getting ready to go back to the classroom for the first time this year. Some of us have been in person all year, but we are about to get new virtual kids. Some of you have been in the ... Read More about Classroom Management and Expectations
Real talk: classroom management has always been my biggest struggle as a teacher. I think that this is true for a lot of teachers. It’s one thing to read about classroom management strategies in a college classroom, but it’s a whole other ballgame when you’re standing in front of a roomful of middle schoolers and you are somehow expected to keep them all in line! I’ve had a few tough groups over my first few years, and I needed something to up my classroom management game. The classroom management strategy I’m going to share with you today has been a total game-changer for me, and I hope it can help you, too! This strategy is called Behavior Bingo. To implement it, you will need a 10×10 chart numbered from 1-100. I used to draw mine out on big chart paper, but I’ve since created this handy printable board so that I don’t have to draw it out each time! You will also need 100 popsicle sticks each labeled with a number from 1-100. I keep these in one of those metal pails from Target, and you will also need another pail for the sticks to go in once you have pulled them. You will need a board and set of numbers for each class you are using this with – I have used it with up to 4 classes at once! I marked each class’s set of sticks with a different color and then discarded them all into the same tub. If you don’t want to buy or have to label all the popsicle sticks, I have also seen teachers use small slips of paper numbered 1-100, or even just a random number generator online! Here are the rules that I use: The object of the game is to get 10 numbers in a row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) and get a bingo. At the start of each class, I write the numbers 1 2 3 on the front whiteboard. During class, I erase a number any time the students are not meeting my expectations, starting with 3, then 2, then 1. At the end of class, however many numbers are left on the board is how many popsicle sticks they get to pull that day. For example, if only the 3 was erased, then they get to pull 2 popsicle sticks. They can earn up to 3 numbers each day. The students pull out the correct number of sticks for that day. I let them take turns. I hold the jar up above their heads so they can’t peek inside. Then I color in the numbers that were pulled on the bingo board. You can certainly adjust these rules to meet your needs. For instance, you could use a smaller or bigger bingo board, depending on how quickly you want them to earn their reward. With the 10×10 board, it usually takes 1-2 months to earn the reward. You could also adjust how many numbers they can earn each day. Another thing you could do is tie the numbers to specific goals. For instance, my students know that at the beginning of class they need to be in their seats with homework out and working on their warmup. If this doesn’t happen, they know I will erase a number. As for the reward, we choose this as a class before beginning the game. I have the students brainstorm ideas (I tell them that they need to be something either relatively inexpensive or free and can only take up about 20-30 minutes of class time) and list them all on the board. Then I have the students vote for their top two choices. Some ideas we have come up with in the past include an ice cream party (I bring the ice cream, they bring the toppings), root beer float party, time outside, free time, board games, donut party, dodgeball, or popcorn and a short movie. I write their choice at the bottom of the bingo board as a reminder of what we are working toward. And that’s it! It’s very easy to keep it running, and it has been very motivating to my students, especially when they are down to only one number left for the day. You can find the printable board that I use in my Teachers Pay Teachers store if you’re interested! Do you have any awesome classroom management strategies? I would love to hear about them in the comments!
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:
How to have a quiet line fun classroom behavior management materials to help you get a talkative class quiet during lineup for fast transitions and also quiet while walking in line that goes along with my brand new blog post: How to Have a Quiet Line Ideas and Activities! Even if you don't get this pack, if you're struggling with how to have a quiet line and/or line up quietly, I shared a lot of tips for how to help in that post! :) These are just materials I showed in my post in case you want them too and already made for you. There are no worksheets or student activities included. This Quiet Line Pack includes the Line Monitor badges in 7 colors and in black and white if you want to color it yourself. It also includes 4 colors of the Pick Your Spot pass in 2 varieties. Kids LOVE getting to be the Line Monitor! It is a favorite classroom job and is so awesome for keeping your line quiet! It is a lot like the Quiet Manager I discuss in my 25 Chatty Class Classroom Management Strategies for Overly Talkative Students blog post! If you love this, you'll definitely love my Chatty Class Classroom Management Tools for Talkative Students pack which has all the Blurt Beans, Blurt Cubes, Blurt Desserts, Students vs. Teacher, Animal Voice Level Chart and Posters, etc. materials in it! For this pack, please READ THE HOW TO HAVE A QUIET LINE BLOG POST BEFORE BUYING this to make sure you want the materials! :) There are no student worksheets or activities in this pack - it is simply the Line Monitor and Pick Your Spot passes for you to print and put on lanyards. I hope you love these!!!!
So, I invented a new game today. It was completely necessary at the moment. It requires zero prep and zero materials (other than a class list). It. Works. Like. Magic! The name of the game is 'Last Kid Standing'. How
Do you need to make some changes to your classroom management? This simple tip allows a little mystery to create classroom management magic.
Classroom/behavior management is one of the most important things to master in your classroom. Having solid behavior management helps maintain a positive classroom environment, while enabling teachers and students to accomplish LEARNING! Here are TEN tips and tricks for behavior management I use in my classroom: Greeting Students at the Door The way you start
If you have an extra-chatty class, check out this post with tips for how to get your students to stop talking in just one week!
Struggling with difficult behaviors? These classroom management strategies will help transform your middle school classroom!
I LOVE my class this year. Diverse. Capable. Sweet. Unique. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Hard-working. Funny. Lovable. These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my first graders. But one more word that also comes to mind is...chatty. Very chatty. We are a 'work in progress' with this. And thank goodness, we are continuing to improve each week. :-) Now, don't get me wrong, I believe a classroom should be FULL of rich, collaborative dialogue. Student discussion is vital, and our little guys need frequent opportunities to engage with peers and share their thoughts. I pride myself on having a dynamic, student-centered classroom that encourages this. To foster this kind of a climate, however, students also need to learn how to be effective listeners and independent workers. There are appropriate and inappropriate times for talking, and to get students to adhere to these boundaries, clear expectations must be set. Here are 12 ideas/strategies to try when working with a chatty class.
Here’s a few classroom procedures that have worked well for me – and a couple awesome ideas I’ve run across since I’ve stepped out of the classroom...
This in-depth, editable IEP Folder Snapshot, otherwise known as an IEP Audit Form. It is perfect for keeping track of what is inside a student's IEP folder, cumulative folder, or audit file, without having to sift through all of the paperwork inside the folder.
Tutorial on how to effectively use Classdojo in your elementary classroom
Rosacea is a common skin disorder that primarily affects the face and neck. These 10 home remedies for rosacea can treat the associated redness and irritation.
Having a classroom management system in middle school is so hard!! A lot of it is too “elementary” for them and they just won’t buy into it! If you want a management system to work for any grade level, there has to be buy in from the students. When I was in college I had a professor who was like Mr. Feeney to me & he told us, “a child will do anything for a Jolly Rancher.” I used this to my advantage & made it into my classroom management system! Jolly Rancher Wars is a weekly challenge where my…
Build student independence with these Must Do May Do Posters! Help your students manage their work, stay organized, and encourage student choice. Students can see the priority level of their work, and manage the order they complete it. A perfect planning tool for elementary kids! These best-selling posters are part of the Must Do May Do Management System. Learn more about it HERE. What's Included: 12 different styles Full page signs Half page signs 3"x3" to fit Target square adhesive pouches Color version of each sign B&W version of each sign Sign Details: Mustard Bottle: Must Do, Mustard Ketchup Bottle: Catch Up, Ketchup Pickle: Pickles, Pick One, You Pick, Teacher's Pick, Relish Mayonnaise Jar: May Do, Mayo, Mayonnaise Ideas for Use: Must Do/May Do Bulletin Board Print, laminate, cut, and add magnets to the back to stick on your board. Write assignments underneath, or place the signs lower on the board and have the actual assignment in a bin under the picture Use the 3x3 to go inside folder pockets for a Must Do side and a May Do side. If your folders have smaller pockets, try printing scaled at 80% to print smaller RELATED MUST DO MAY DO PRODUCTS: Posters Digital Displays Student Checklists Weekly Agenda Student To-Do Lists Don't forget that leaving feedback earns you TpT credits which can be applied to future resources! Let's Connect! Email: [email protected] Instagram: @SublimeLittleScholars Pinterest: Sublime Little Scholars
Classroom rules are the foundation of any successful management system. Are you tired of prize boxes, desk pets, and reward jars...? They are all great, but first we need to teach students the basics of our expectations! With material incentives, you also need to constantly add more and more. Even if you like to make your classroom rules WITH the students at the beginning of the year, you can still use this resource! There are slides for you to write your own rules. I would condense all of student ideas into 3 short rules. The rules posters provided are also very general and are probably things that most students would say! All teachers should have a foundation of simple rules and consequences in their classroom. This system is based on the "three strikes" concept. You can also utilize logical consequences with this resource. Ditch the headache of a long list of classroom rules and use these simple rules that will cover most behavior problems. This resource also includes consequences... yes, consequences! When students break a rule the first time, they receive a warning. Second time, I tell them to take a "reset" which means they can sit in our calm down area for a few minutes (you can also use a logical consequence for this step). Third time, I reach out to parents (if possible <3) or admins. As a teacher, you should not have to handle everything alone! The trick to integrating consequences is to stay calm as the teacher. Show you students that it is OK to make mistakes and do not get emotional. It is also important to have an overall positive attitude as the teacher! This has worked wonderfully in my classroom, and I can't wait to see how it works in yours! ♡ Included in this resource: All designs are simple for a purpose: rules and consequences are serious matters! 4 sets of poster designs (rainbow and kid clipart) Consequences poster Templates of all posters for you to create your own simple rules! Behavior log for you to track student progress Rules Reflection worksheet Behavior Reflection worksheet with options for parent signature ✿ Reach out anytime by emailing me! [email protected] ✿
Pathological demand avoidance is part of the autism spectrum.Parents must learn the right strategies for reducing avoidance behaviors and anxiety in PDA ...
Calling a student out in front of their peers can be unavoidable at times. But this can be tricky when you're dealing with middle and high school students.
In this article, learn about how a sneaky and insidious snake in the grass is keeping you from calmly, decisively, and consistently following your classroom management plan.
When I took this second grade position, I had many things on my to-do list. However, the first item on my list was classroom management ideas. Any teacher would agree that the most important skill in running a class is classroom management. There are so many strategies, but my go-to is Class Dojo! The Benefits
It's more than what it seems.
Looking for a new and engaging classroom management system for your classroom? I love Secret Student because all of my students buy into this system...
Take a closer look at Microsoft To Do and check out some tips on how you can turn it into a powerful task manager.
Rewards and incentives can be a critical component to classroom management success. They are also the perfect tool to help learners to go outside their comfort zones and learn new skills. Simply put, providing rewards and incentives encourage positive behaviors. Sometimes rewards are seen in a negat
10 ways to use Evernote like a pro
It's important to your ability to build rapport and influence that students know you care about them as people. Here is a simple way to do it.
This is one of my favorite ways to transition from one activity to the next or from the carpet to our desks! Students have so much fun picking the word and anxiously waiting for their movement word to be said!!Included: - 4 Code Word sheet options (Black and White, Pastel, Brights, and Boho)- Over 3...
Classroom procedures review can be dull and boring. This post is loaded with fun and engaging games that will make students want to practice the all important classroom procedures. The more they practice them, the more smoothly your classroom will run.
A warning is a courtesy you provide your students. It’s a declaration of free grace you offer by letting them know that you are aware a rule has been broken. But that no real consequence is forthcoming. It’s a consequence only in the sense ... Read more