Exit Ticket Board

Been working on my Exit Ticket Board! Here is a picture of it!  It still needs to be laminated before I hang it up.  It's going on my cabinet doors, that's why it's split down the middle.

For those who have never used an Exit Ticket... At the end of the class, I might have the kids work a short problem, put their work on a sticky, and put the sticky on the board before they leave.  I could also ask the students to write a comment about the day's class,  or summaries something, or ...  Exit Tickets are a great way of getting feedback from your students.

I assign each student a number from 1 to 30.  They put this number on everything, and it corresponds to the student number in my grade book.  This makes it simpler to enter grades and easy to see who still hasn't turned in their exit ticket.

I when to HomeDepot and got the paint sample cards to use for the squares.  They had a few paint cards in this flunky leaf shape, then I cut out the smaller ones to add a little more decor.

I must say, I'm really pleased with how it came out!

My Classroom!!!

Here's my room!  I wish I would have taken a few pictures 2 weeks ago when I started.  Actually the bulletin boards have been up for the past 2 years.  I bought fabric.  It last forever.  I actually had this fabric in my last classroom.  I took it down, washed it, and back up it went!

I love lamps!  I no longer get migraines; however, for most people florescent lights tend to make a migraine much more intense.  So I keep the lighting low!  I haven't had anyone complain yet.  I do keep the there are 3 florescent lights over the white board lit.

You may have noticed for the classroom pictures that my room is an odd shape; I have 5 wall!  It's hard to setup for a test but works well with grouping the desk!  

The big TV thing in the corner...

That is a OLD Rear Projection Smartboard.  It was put in the large meeting room when the building was built in 1994, but was never used!  I'd been begging for a smart board for several years; so when they offered, I said YES!  It's HUGE! I didn't realize how much space it was going to take up!


My To Do List!  It keeps getting longer!

A Wonderful Teacher will be Missed!

Today I attended a funeral for an incredible person.  Wendy had been a teacher for 33 years and had fought 3 hard battles against cancer.  When I felt down, she was always in my path; some how knowing the right words to say.  She could inspire her students with the wink of her eye! And she was always volunteering to help or assist anyone in need of her assistance. What an awesome person! Her lessons will live in our hearts forever!

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  
~Henry Brooks Adams

Passing Out Worksheet

My favorite way to pass out worksheets is... Pick 2 students to stand in opposite corners of the room and be the PASSERS (they pass out the worksheet).  (If 2 worksheets then pick 4 students, two students stand together in opposite corners).  Next everyone gets out of their seats and moves to one of the corners.  The students are required to give a complement to the PASSERS to get their worksheet.  If the PASSERS do not think their complement is good enough they can refuse to give them their worksheet.  Then the student moves to the other corner and tries a better complement.

At first my high school students thought this was silly.  But once they were chosen to be the PASSERS and received the complements, they realize how good it makes you feel.

HW Checks

Home Work Checks have always been a struggle for me.  They take too much time.  I can't find the students name on my roll.  The class is going nuts waiting on me to get all the way around the room. I'm constantly getting interupted with questions and getting distracted. Two years ago a teacher next to me showed me what he was doing.  I started using it and wow, it has made a difference.  There is still time I get distracted but I get around the room much faster.

On card stock, I put all the months in that semester.  Each Block is printed on a different color!  At the top is the students name, block, and class number (this helps with alphabetizing). These Monthly HW Sheets are kept in a hanging file that kids have access too.  The students get them when they come in and return them to file when they leave.  The students are responsible for their HW sheet being in my room at all times.  If it is missing at the end of the week, then that student receives 0's for HW that week.  Of course, it does happen by accident that a student is in a hurry and puts in in their backpack.  I do usually give them a chance to find it.

My HW grades go like this: 

• If he Attempted all problems - then get a "smiley face"  on the HW sheet on the correct day!
• If he attempted less than all problems - then I mark a "1/2" on HW sheet on the correct day!
• If he did less than half the problems - then I put a "0" on the HW Sheet on the correct day. 
• If they use a HW Pass - then I write in "HW P" on the correct day and collect 10 Leisure Bucks.
• If they were Absent then I write "A" and the date the assignment is due.

Every Friday I put HW grades in my grade book and call parents.

• "Check" = 10/10
• "1/2" = 5/10 points
• "0" = 0/10 points
• "HW P" = Bye (This grade does not count for or against the student. However, in the long run, I will be dividing by one less HW.  So it will lower their grade a very small amount but not as much as a zero.)

                          

             

Leisure Bucks

Over the past several years I have used "Leisure Bucks" with my high schoolers.  Students are rewarded for all types of positive behaviors, and are able to receive benefits for their "Bucks".

              

How does Jim (a student) receive "Leisure Bucks"?

• Jim can receive "Leisure Bucks" for any positive behavior I see fit or desire to continue.  Some of the positive behaviors that I pass out "Leisure Bucks" for: asking a great question, giving a thoughtful answer or correct answer, "ARKS"-Acts of Random Kindness, helping the teacher, volunteering to go to the board, making a 100 on a quiz/test, and many others!  BUT these are always at my discretion!
• Sometimes I've had a special needs student (Jay) that I'm trying to teach a good behavior.  Maybe Jay is a very shy, quiet student. And the desired behavior is for Jay to Ask or Answer a questions in class.  In the beginning I'd give Jay a "Leisure Buck" any time he did anything that is remotely similar attempting to speak.  Slowly I'd begin to decrease the number of  "Leisure Bucks" given until the behavior becomes easy and comfortable for Jay.  Occasionally I would still reward him a "Leisure Buck" to remind him he's doing great!
• Fire Drill or other drills when we have to stay as a group.  If student makes it to the designated location, they get a Leisure Buck.  It is amazing how they all seem to stay close when a Leisure Buck is offered!

What can Jim (a student) do with all his "Leisure Buck"?

I have several incentives that Jim can choose from:

• Pass to Bathroom or Locker..........(5 Leisure Bucks)
• No Charge for a pass to the Nurse or Guidance.  I have had a student who went to the nurse excessively. In agreement with the Parent, I did put a price of 5 Leisure Bucks for only her.  She did begin to go less to the nurse! But I would never do this without knowledge of the parent.
• New Pencil..........(2 Leisure Bucks)
• 2 sheets of Lined Paper..........(1 Leisure Bucks)
• HomeWork Pass..........(10 Leisure Bucks) 
• These can only be used once a week!
• Answer Check..........(10 Leisure Bucks)
• During a Test/Quiz.  Jim Brings his 10 Leisure Bucks up and asks if he has #10 correct!  I say "YES" or "NO"! But NO OTHER information about the problem is given.  I have no limit on these.  On a multiple choice question, a student asked me if A was correct, then B, and then C until he found the correct answer.
• Candy..........(10 Leisure Bucks)
• Snack Size like given out on Halloween
• They whine and complain about the high price (10) for candy, versus the low price (5 for pens, and I tell them to shop somewhere else. http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/mtc/Portfolios/sabatier/management.html
• Complementary Phone Call Home..........(3 Leisure Bucks)
• I Love this one and the Kids Like this one
• On a day that Jim has had a great day, he gives me his parent's phone number and name and suggested time to call.  I get to let the parent know how great their child is doing in my class. Of course Jim might be using this to get out of trouble at home.
• This allows me to make good phone calls instead of only contacting parents when children are being bad in class or having grade problems.
• Sit in Mrs. Leisure's Chair for a Day..........(10 Leisure Bucks)
• Tissues - 2 pulls..........(2 Leisure Bucks)
• Sit with a Friend..........(5 Leisure Bucks)
• If an issue arrises and Jim needs to return to his normal seat, there are NO REFUNDS!
• Use Headphones/Ipod in class..........(20 Leisure Bucks)
• Dinner with Mrs. Leisure..........(40 Leisure Bucks)
• Only at the end of the year!
• If Jim still has 40 Leisure Bucks at the end of the year, then I will take him to dinner. I bring one of my teens, to keep it from being awkward.
• If there are several students then I have had a pizza party in my classroom after school!  I decorate and have music and we have a blast!

Where do I get my Leisure Bucks? and why call them Leisure Bucks?

• I order them from VistaPrint. 
• I have order a lot of other things from VistaPrint.  I'll do another Post on them later.
• You can name them anything you choose!
• Math Cash, Hawk Bucks (My school is the Hawks)... Leisure is my last name, so it worked well for me!

Introduction

Just getting this Blog started.
I'm excited to begin sharing a lot of my trials and errors in the classroom!
Successful Trials especially, such as:
          Leisure Bucks
          Interactive Notebooks (mine are always being adjusted)
          Absences
          Testing and Grading of the New Core Standards
          My love for my Smart Board
          And Lots More!
See You Tomorrow!