We've gathered 16 super cool LDS Activity Days ideas just for you! Check out the blog today for some of our favorite ideas for activities with girls ages 8-11.
This free Super Mario Printables pack is awesome for learning fun with kids. Get these 11 activities based on the popular video game.
I love using file folders because they are so easy to store and a great way to practice life skills when you are at a desk. Plus, my students always think they are playing games with file folders too.
Just because you live in a small HDB flat doesn't mean you can't have a cool interior. Here's 17 unique space-saving renovation and design home ideas.
I am so happy to announce the release of my latest pattern the Farrow sweater! I initially designed the sweater for I Like Crochet magazine back in February, and now it is finally available as a single pattern both on Etsy & Ravelry !
How to build an awesome den in the woods with branches, sticks and twigs. Plus den building tips and resources for kids.
This free Super Mario Printables pack is awesome for learning fun with kids. Get these 11 activities based on the popular video game.
Monopoly is a game familiar to everyone around the world but this version has teachers super excited. This version uses Math strategies to take you around the board. This game is aimed at 7+ years…
On A Peach for the Teach on Facebook, I invited people to ask their most challenging behavior questions. We got some great questions, each of which really tied together. Dona asked, I have a student that comes to me from second grade (I teach 1st) for my entire reading block, who likes to shout out talk back and just shuts down when you ask him to do something. He then treats his 2nd teacher with severe disrespect when he goes back to class. Rebecca asked, I have a class of 25 this year. 1 student is below K level (I teach 1st grade), 2 are identified as ADHD, we are working towards another student getting identified as ADHD, and I have 2 students who have really disrespectful attitudes. I have tried talking with parents, I have changed their seating, I have tried encouraging them and pointing out the positive......nothing seems to be working. Ideas? Lindsay asked, I need motivation tips for kids who can do the work but basically refuse to... These are such common issues that teachers face daily. I think they all tie together and have similar interventions, which led me to write this blog post-- How to Help Calling Out and "Class Clown" Behavior. "If you put a kid in the position of choosing between looking bad or looking dumb, he will choose to look bad." - Rick Lavoie, Motivation Breakthrough When a student is performing at a level lower than his peers, he is often aware of that. That could be part of the reason for the acting out. Maybe the child is embarrassed and would rather be seen as a class clown than struggling. It allows the child a sense of control over a situation where he would otherwise feel out of control. Try giving him some control in a positive way. To intervene, start with an informal play meeting. Meet with the student individually when he is calm, to play a preferred, non-academic game at the beginning or end of the day. He may be more likely to open up honestly in that type of setting through informal conversations (e.g., favorite TV shows, games, etc.). Casually ask what he likes and doesn't like about school, and "admit" to him that you always had a hard time with [insert his least preferred subject]. Try not to make it obvious that this is the whole point of your conversation. He might give you some insight into what's causing this. It's also great for establishing rapport, which will help you to get the student on your side. Give him some sort of task with which he can be successful, and give him positive attention for completing it. Avoid patronizing him or making it obviously at a level lower than the other students. Instead, try non-academic leadership positions, like a class helper, teacher's assistant, etc. Maybe give him the opportunity to call on students with questions. "Class, today we are going to try something new." Next, set limits. Start by telling the whole class that today we are going to try something new. Starting today, the teacher will no longer answer any calling out. Explain that we need to practice raising our hands and not calling out. Demonstrate, practice, and ask for volunteers to show you what hand raising looks like. Establish a non-verbal cue (e.g., a cue card with an image of a hand, or simply hold up your hand), and completely ignore calling out. Instruct the class to also ignore calling out. Have students practice calling out while you ignore it. Explain why you're doing this, so the student knows it's not just him being ignored. Ignore the behavior, not the child. You might want to give one verbal cue, such as, "I'd be happy to answer you when you raise your hand." This is your new procedure that will happen every single time a student calls out. You could still say it in a positive tone of voice, but it's all you will say. Give a Little, Get a Little Use positive language to elicit positive language. If a student is using disrespectful language, being threatening will teach the child to talk back with threatening language. Think about your reaction when somebody confronts you with doing something wrong. You initially feel a little attacked, so you want to react. Give the student the opportunity to save face. For example, instead of, "How dare you speak to me that way?" try a, "Whoops, that sounded disrespectful. I know you could ask me using nicer words," and only respond when he uses nicer words. If he doesn't, say, "I'll be over here when you're ready to use nice words to ask me." Dodge the Power Struggle To nip disrespect in the bud, we need to avoid power struggles-- even when a student questions what we're doing. That's the part that really tricks even the most skilled behavior interventionists. We want students to believe in, trust, and respect us. When they question what we're doing, we want to tell them. Please don't. You don't need to justify yourself in this moment. You may be skilled with planned ignoring, but when the child asks, "Why are you ignoring me?" it's too tempting to reply with an explanation, but resist the urge. If you planned and practiced this procedure previously, the child already knows why you're ignoring him. He may try to get you to give him anything other than the ignoring. Stick to the ignoring, and he will eventually try using nice words to get you to reply. It may also be helpful to teach a lesson on the words "disrespect" vs. "respect." Teach the meaning, and explain situations and words that are unacceptable. Teach this with empathy, and practice it. If the child uses negative language in class, prompt with a, "Please use your nice words if you need me to respond to you." Completely ignore anything else. I know that using a firm prompt followed by planned ignoring sometimes feels like you aren't doing anything to stop the behavior, but that's the best thing about it-- doing "nothing" stops the behavior. It completely eliminates the power struggle and argument. The child will be forced to use kind words to get any type of reaction out of you and to gain access to his wants/needs. This also works with whining. I told my little ones that my ears can no longer hear whining, and they all stopped whining. Now if only I could use planned ignoring on messes to make my kitchen clean itself! Words of Caution Sometimes when implementing planned ignoring, the child may initially test the limits and engage in more attention-seeking behavior. This is typical and should pass when he sees that he won't get a reaction. I got a comment on this post that really made me think and add another word of caution about this strategy-- exercise caution when using this for students with bonding and/or attachment needs. We certainly do not want to intensify feelings of abandonment, and we want to be sure that we are responding to their needs. It is vitally important to make sure that we are ignoring the behavior, not the child. Give the child plenty of positive attention for positive behavior. Make giving positive attention during appropriate behavior part of your behavior protocol for this child. When the negative behavior ends and the child begins acting positively, give positive attention. No need for a lecture at that moment. After the Procedure is Learned Once you are sure that the student understands how he will appropriately gain access to wants/needs, you can begin to address the calling out caused by impulsivity and habit. Make a T-chart, and write the positive behavior on the left and negative on the right (e.g., "Called Out" and "Raised My Hand"). Instruct the student to tally when he does each. This alone is often enough to curb the negative behavior. Other times with more severe behavior, it helps if tallies are tied to reinforcement. For example, the student can earn [something preferred] if he has more positive than negative tallies at the end of each block. You could also set goals based on baselines. For example, if the student reduces his calling out by ___% or does not exceed ___% incidents of calling out, he can earn [something preferred]. Class Dojo is another fun way to track this! The teacher can track the behaviors throughout the day, or the students can self-monitor behaviors on their T-Charts and plug them into the Dojo at the end of the day. Establish a procedure that students must earn more green (i.e., "positive") than red (i.e., "needs work"), or a certain percentage of green, in order to earn a reinforcer, positive note home, etc. Another helpful strategy is bonus free time. It's often harder for a student with ADHD and/or behavior needs to attend to instruction for a given length of time, so plan three breaks in the day. I call them "five minute free time" to play with something fun, and I end each of my subjects with it. It gives me five minutes to clean up or correct work, and it gives the students five minutes to regroup. If you're strapped for time, you could have students complete exit tickets, assessments, etc., and give the student with ADHD the special free time. It also gives him something to word toward, as he has to earn the free time. If a student engages in negative behavior or work refusal, I ask if he is earning his free time or if he is to make up his work during free time. Never underestimate the power of a question instead of a demand. A simple, "Are you earning your free time?" is often enough to set the behavior back on track. An additional motivational tool is a task chart where students rank their tasks by preference. They earn little reinforcement for easy/preferred tasks and high reinforcement for non-preferred tasks. You can download that chart for free here. What are some ideas you use in your classroom to help calling out and "class clown" behavior? Do you have any questions about behavior challenges? Please share in the comments below! A Peach for the Teach
Welcome to Montessori Nature! I am delighted that your path led you here. I am committed to supporting the incredible teachers and parents who dedicate their time and effort to shaping the minds of our
I've been working on a few things for Behavior Management so I thought I'd join the party! Check out The Lesson Plan Diva to see others who have linked up! I've seen a lot of clip charts and stop lights in blog land and I have to say that I am not a fan. Don't get me wrong--I think they are pretty, easy to use, and a quick visual for the teacher at the end of the day when getting things ready to go home. BUT I strongly believe that kids should not be publicly embarrassed for their behavior. EVERYONE makes poor choices from time to time. Would you want the entire staff to know when you missed a deadline or made a mistake? I know this is not the intention, but it happens anyway. Instead I use a binder. I wish I had a photo to show but sadly it is locked up at school. In the binder is a chart with student numbers instead of names. When students make poor choices, they are asked to visit the behavior binder where they place a check mark next to their number. There is also a copy of our Quality Student they should quickly review. When sending students to the binder, I make sure to do it privately so the student is not embarrassed. Each Monday we discuss the previous week's data, celebrate if we made a goal, and make new goals for the coming week. The binder is also handy at conference time. As a class, we set goals for the number of checks we will try to stay under per week. Students also may have personal goals for how many checks they will have each week or grading period. Recently I found Homeworkopoly on Ladybug's Teacher Files and decided to teacher-lift it. She uses this for students who consistently complete their homework, but I decided to use it as a behavior incentive. ALOT of people have been posting about doing away with the prize/treasure box and this could work for that too. I included two "prize box" places on the board but you could easily replace them with something else. I am still working on the Chance cards and I also added a spot for "Student-written questions." My plan here is to have students write their own review questions for topics already covered. So my printer is running low on ink and the colors are a bit distorted but this is the basic idea. My plan is to post it on the chalk board and use pictures of the kids faces to make magnetic playing pieces. Students who made it the entire week without any checks in the behavior binder (or who met their personal behavior goal) will get to take a turn on the Behavioropoly Board. Check out Ladybug's Teacher Files to see how she runs the game. ***Update*** Due to a high volume of requests I am no longer sending out my template by email. You can go to my TPT store and download the files for free!
Don't you love simple crafts!? These pipe cleaner butterfly rings are so pretty and they're really easy to make. Pipe cleaner crafts are so much fun, especially when you can make something really awesome in less than 5 minutes using nothing but 2 and a half pipe cleaners! You don't need any glue, and you don't need any fancy supplies. Just pipe cleaners and a pair of scissors. This is such an awesome low mess craft for kids... and tweens, and teens, and adults... it's pretty great for all ages! These pipe cleaner butterflies are Part 2 in our pipe
If you are looking for a super easy, delicious, veggie-packed dinner, Vegan Sheet Pan Fajitas are for you! Just 15 minutes of prep then pop the sheet pan in the oven to roast. Serve the flavor-packed tofu and veggies with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings. The perfect crowd-pleasing easy weeknight dinner, you'll want to add this to your weekly rotation!
Why does everything just taste better in a bowl? That's basically our entire food mantra. These bowls are some of our best - full of flavor, super satisfying, and packed with all the good and healthy things that will make you feel awesome.
Minions are quoted regularly in this house so I thought a Minion craft might get them excited to create. Read on to see how easy it is to make this Minion jump!
These Spinach Quesadillas are gooey, cheesy and incredibly easy to prepare. From stove to table in less than 5 minutes!
A dot-to-dot puzzle is a type of puzzle where an image is revealed by connecting numbered dots in sequence. These puzzles, which can be found in various mediums, help improve hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, number recognition, problem-solving, and concentration, making them both entertaining and educational..
At-home workout with dumbbells to tone and tighten your arms! 6 of the best exercises to sculpt lean muscle in your biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
I had to throw together a Relief Society Activity super fast, and this is what we did. It turned out AWESOME!!! I took my ideas from these two blogs; http://pininspired.blogspot.com/2012/05/walk-day-in-my-shoes-rs-activity.html http://www.somewhatplanned.com/2015/09/lds-church-in-her-shoes-relief-society-night/ This was our fun invitation to get the sisters excited! Our stake at that time was gathering donations for Safety Net so we encouraged the sisters to bring a pair of shoes to donate, and any other donations they had. We received a ton of great donations! The dessert for this event was just WAY to fun! We made high heel cupcakes! I am a huge fan of NOFADE cupcake liners. Totally worth the extra cents. You can find these at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Party stores... I decided to make 2 kinds of cupcakes. Chocolate Oreo and Strawberry Lemonade. So easy. Just make the cake like normal, but add a pudding mix! YUM! Oreo Frosting: 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup butter Pinch of Salt 5 Tbsp of milk 1 tsp vanilla 5 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup Karo corn syrup Cream together shortening and butter. Add pinch of salt and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk. Blend well. And corn syrup last, beating an additional 3-4 minutes. Then add finely crushed oreos. Add to your taste! Spread or pipe onto cupcakes. Strawberry Lemonade Frosting 1 cup real butter 1/2 cup seedless Strawberry Jam (You can use seeds, totally a preference) 3-4 cups powdered sugar Mix all ingredients together until fluffy. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes. Add lemon zest to the top of cupcakes for the lemon flavor! We put them together at the church on the table they would be displayed on, because they are fragile. You don't want to have to move them a bunch. Simply frost a simple edge around a Milano Cookie . Found at most grocery stores. cut your Pirouette Waffers in half but at a 45 degree angle. Simply frost the cupcake to your liking. Then place the Milano cookie in the back at an angle, then put some frosting on the 45 degree angle of the Pirouette Waffer and stick that to the bottom of the Milano cookie. It really is so simple, and so cute, and everyone LOVED them! The night of the event, we set up two rows of chairs in a semi-circle, had a few fun high heels next to the shoe quotes, and then the fun high heel cupcake display. We gathered together, sang "Faith in Every Footstep" I gave a little tiny talk about not judging others, walking a mile in their shoes, "what if her story, were my story." Then everyone came up and shared their own shoe story. (Those that wanted to. Most people did!) Then we ate fruit, and high heel cupcakes!!! I thought it turned out to be a super fun night. Some of the stories brought the spirit, others just made you laugh. Stories of shoe being worn for temple service, river rafting trips, a husband buying them after noticing a wife admiring them... so many fun stories. A fun fun night! Here are some of the printables I made to use that night;
These super fun scooter board activities for kids help promote greater focus and self-regulation while also improving gross motor function and skills!
Fun STEM activity for outdoor play and makes a great science lesson! (Includes a printable rocket template).
Whether you want to build your own shelving or just want a cheap wood working activity, check out these DIY plywood projects for inspiration!
Hola Everyone! A couple of months ago I posted a Woven Bead Planter that I had made using plastic fuse beads. What you might not know is that after I made that first planter and posted it here, I …
This artisan bread is so easy and so delicious! Just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of work are all you need for this easy bread recipe.
There's nothing quite like being in your own home. But sometimes, when there are others around, you just need to find someplace that you can escape to.
If you want to add some extra decoration to your titles and headers, check out these awesome bullet journal banner ideas and tutorials for inspiration! #BuJo #Diary
Here's my favorite quick and easy keto breakfast ideas. They taste great, take 5 minutes to prepare, and will keep you full all morning.
Got fine, thin hair that looks limp and lifeless? We asked a celebrity hairstylist for the best short haircuts to make fine, thin hair seem thicker and fuller.
Decorate your outdoor space with these Awesome Outdoor Decorations for Christmas
I teach reading at an elementary school. I love what I do! I wanted to share some "ways to praise" that we use in my classroom. These ...
How to Build a Huge Chalkboard for CHEAP! This step-by-step tutorial is so great and makes this tutorial work for DIYers of all levels! #diychalkboard #homemadechalkboard #chalkboard
