Some school districts have adopted Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures or other approaches. What tips do you have for increasing engagement in the classroom?
I'm always looking for some good brain teasers for students for the transition into math intervention. I came across this link and thought I'd share!
https://www.weareteachers.com/math-brain-teasers-for-kids/
Any other great brain-teasers you use for your students?
As I was reading an educational article recently, I saw this idea, and I loved it! I will definitely implement it at the start of next year:
Have students write down (or tell you if they are little ones) what they want to hear on hard days. Collect those notes and hand them back out to students when you feel like they need to be reminded.
What are some ways you help students persevere on hard days?
This is something I just recently started doing with my third through fifth grade intervention students: when we have an exit ticket, I will leave some highlighters next to the turn in bin. Students highlight their name when they turn in the assignment: green if they feel like they got it; yellow if they feel like they mostly have it; and orange if they are still struggling. This provides them some self advocacy and allows them to share with just me that they may need more help or that they felt great about the assignment!
What are some ways you practice self-assessment with students?
One of the things I've heard so frequently in my teaching career: "Kids love you. How do you do it?"
Students want a relationship with someone. They want to know that the people who they spend all day every day with care about who they are. I read a quote recently that said, "There's nothing to lose by giving a student a second chance. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. There's only the possibility of strengthening a relationship, demonstrating the power of empathy, and instilling a glimmer of hopeful recovery." --Teacher, Justin Tarte
This describes perfectly how I build relationships with students. Do I have high expectations? Yes. But do I also demonstrate that you can make mistakes and learn from them. Giving a student a second chance allows them to be exactly who they are, a child.
What are some ways you build relationships with students throughout the year to build them up?
Getting ready for testing for elementary age students: what are some of your favorite review games?
We love to play Stinky Feet -- I simply use a large chart paper with a foot on it and post it notes. As teams answer questions, they get to pick off one of the post-it notes and see how many points are given or taken. (Not always the best for very competitive groups if they lose points so you can just do various amounts of positive points!)
This blog though makes it more technology-interactive: https://theuniqueclassroom.wordpress.com
🎥 Family Book Trailer Challenge
What it is: Families work together to create a short video trailer for a favorite children’s book.
How to use: Share through Seesaw, Padlet, or Wakelet. Adds media literacy + excitement.
Our families utilized this as an extension after Reading Month in March.
How do you encourage students and their families to continue to celebrate reading - even after Reading Mont has ended?
🌱 "Story Roots" Project
What it is: Families trace a favorite story or folktale from their cultural or linguistic background.
How to use: Students share the origin, language, or meaning behind the story and retell it (via video, audio, drawing, or writing).
Bonus: Builds home-school connections and honors multilingualism.
This is one of the projects our upper elementary students are using with their families.
What unique projects are families in your area doing?
I will be having a student teacher join my classroom in August. What do you wish you knew from your mentor teacher when you student taught?
What are some ways you celebrate the end of the year countdown with your students?
In my school, our kindergarten students have an ABC countdown for the last 26 days of the year. Today was letter B day and we celebrated by reading books, wearing blue, and playing with bubbles!
What are some ideas or lessons you do with students for Earth Day or Arbor Day?
What are some of your favorite dramatic play experiences that you set up for your students?
We had a late Reading Month celebration due to snow and ice storms followed by spring break. Last night we met with families and shared all kinds of fun reading and math alternatives to common board games. Here is the Google file with a few of the FILE FOLDER games we shared! Feel free to share them, print them etc!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vw2EFbC-XW6n4pbOkDU5WyU0Uvu4SCWC?usp=sharing
How did you celebrate reading month with families this year?
One thing that I hear teachers say is that they do not teach to the test. I feel that if the test is assessing the standards, and you are teaching the standards then you should teach to the test. I use the released test to show the students how questions are worded and how to look for patterns in the format. I liken the test as playing a game. The more a person knows the rules of a game, the better they will do. Likewise, the more a student understand the testing structure, the better they will do.
How do you review for state testing on math? For geometry, I print a blank bingo board for each student. Around the board, I write 24 vocabulary terms to put on their boards randomly. To play, I either say a definition or draw a picture of the term. When the students get really good, I invite student callers to the game.
What special things do you do to get ready for state testing? Our younger grades adopt a class. They will make cards for each day of testing and include a small treat like a mint taped to the card.
Celebrating Reading Month with Families! Check out all of the FREE literacy activities at: https://www.ginapepin.com/blank-10-1-1
Did you know that there are FREE early literacy interactive apps available to caregivers, teachers, and families at www.ginapepin.com?
FREE SEL Resources for quick check-in/s and support: https://www.ginapepin.com/_files/ugd/5fe563_dde7da71d3674f06a3764b08ee207c3e.pdf
200 FREE Voices to use with your students, families or friends! Make literacy learning joyful and engaging!
https://www.ginapepin.com/blank-10-1
