Chicken scratch while I'm thinking about it

The amount of times  I think about writing or think about what I want to write vs. the times I actually find myself at a computer (the bell just rang for class to start - that's where I am right now) is ridiculous. So, in this moment, I will allow myself 5 minutes of write time to unclutter my brain and share a few things that I've found to be extremely helpful around the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), classroom management, CYA materials, and making sure students are holding themselves and each other accountable. Ok the kids are coming in so I will be right back.

[The next day - 7:10AM]
Right back turned into tomorrow. That's what I mean! Last night when I got home I had to call two students to tell them about a bus change. I'm worried - one student might not be able to make it to his bus stop in the mornings, and that would mean he can't make it to school. I don't know what the parents will do, but they are very worried about letting him walk 15 minutes to the bus stop in the dark alone in the morning, which I totally understand.

So here are cool things
Google Block Poster Maker to make posters without paying for them (makeshift posters)
Curriculumcorner.com
Class bank system
Bluford Series
Tears of a Tiger
LEAP framework (only DPS teachers have to do this as of right now as far as I know, but for any teacher who wants to improve, you should google "DPS Leap Framework" and look at the examples.)

Ok time to make copies.
Peace, Love, Concert tickets

Behavior Management and cool teacher websites

Visit www.classdojo.com for behavior management help (it's free!)
www.remind101.com - - for safe communication between students and teachers
www.flocabulary.com -- for creative lesson supplements

What is Rigor

Ask yourself this when lesson planning:

What Is Rigor?

1. It means your lessons are planned to the second.  Use a timer!

2. It means your activities are rigorous and on grade level.

3. It means your content and language objectives are visible, useable and aligned to the lesson. Students should be writing down the objectives each day in a notebook and can refer back to them when they need to. 

4.  It means you are differentiating the lesson to reach all students in front of you. You must know where students are in relation to the standard.  Objectives should be written using language from Bloom's Taxonomy.

5. It means you are using your assessments to drive your instruction, grouping plans and re-teaching objectives. Do not teach students what they already know or fail to have a plan to be certain every child has mastered today's objectives.  Know how to challenge your students, how to push them beyond proficiency.

6.  It means your lessons are purposeful and meaningful to all students. They understand why today's learning is personally important, useful and relevant. 

7.  It means that students are using the language of the lesson.  There is ample opportunity for student conversation, reading and writing to solidify the concepts and skills.  It means there should be more student talk than teacher talk, it means that students are expected to explain their thinking, it means you don't accept yes/no answers orally or in writing.

 

The kids are here!

The kids have arrived! Because I'm in an international school, I had all of my kids mark where they were born on a map that was projected onto my smartboard. Went through classroom procedures and all that jazz, but the one thing that tripped me up was SCHOOL SUPPLIES! I've never taught somewhere where students bring in supplies! I felt like it was Christmas! More to come!


OH and http://www.blockposters.com/ is the best website EVER for making custom class posters.

Classroom Procedures Prezi

I made a classroom procedures Prezi for my kiddos to start things off. Here y'ar!
http://prezi.com/eq47tegswqu-/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

IT HAS BEGUN!!

Okay UPDATE! So far, the syllabus, which I will be uploading as a word doc so that you can change it in any way that you'd like, is aaalllmost done! I've planned the first 2 weeks, and, if you use Springboard as your curriculum for 6th graders, I'll give you everything I've done. I'll continue building for different grade levels as well. I've sort of found that curriculum building is a tiny obsession of mine. I'll upload pictures of my classroom soon - I'm no interior designer, but I'm pretty in love with my room. Simple, not distracting, and with a HUGGEEE NEW SMARTBOARD that was probably more expensive than a regular house payment. Stay tuned!

It begins

It's 11:27 on on a Monday night. The first day back to school for teachers is tomorrow. And instead of resting up, which any logical human might do, here I am... creating pages for this year's Interactive Student Notebooks. I'm going to upload free pdf documents here for teachers! I'm also going to eventually post the link of my self-paced 6th grade online course which has all of the Common Core Standards and assignments that you might be able to find useful. This is the most boring post ever - mostly because it's really late and I got up semi-early to meet the farrier to get my horses some new dancin' shoes, but also because this girl has limited brainpower and most of the time it hits a peak state in ungodly hours of the night. So, here I am. Annnd here I go. To bed. Goodnight world.