Classroom Coupons: An Easy No-Cost Management Tool

Free homework pass. Kids who try hard but forget to bring assignments from time to time really dig this particular coupon. You can even hand them out individually as a group reward that they can redeem whenever they each want or need to.

One more chance coupon. This is basically a get out of jail free card when they would otherwise be completely busted. You’ll need to keep it within the bounds of reason and safety, of course.

Five extra points on a test or quiz grade. Perfect for that tough subject a student is trying so hard to pass.

Drop the lowest grade in a particular subject. If you teach multiple subjects, you can get a serious amount of mileage out of this one.

One more day on a homework assignment. Kids that are involved in a ton of extra curricular activities have a tough time juggling everything sometimes. One of these per quarter isn’t overdoing it by any means, and lets the kids know you’re there for them.

Retake a quiz or test. It’ll have to be a different quiz or test likely, in order to make sure they aren’t just doing it to get a look at the questions in advance.

Work at the teacher’s desk. This will continue to work to a fairly high grade level.

Ask the teacher to do something crazy. Personally, I have this hilarious ape face I make and can (or could – I haven’t tried it recently) recite all fifty states alphabetically in song. Students think it’s hilarious when you have to take a risk, and it makes you more real to them overall. Give it a whirl.

Private lunch in the classroom with a friend. Again, even the high school students like this.

Be up to five minutes late to class with no questions asked. They’ll all need to use this at least once a quarter. As with the rest of these coupon ideas, handing them out sparingly will make them seem more valuable.

Select the music the rest of the class gets to work by. Obviously, you’ll need to set some boundaries for what’s appropriate. Overall though, they want to be able to listen to the music so they’ll pick something within the bounds of acceptable.

Remarkably, even the students who have trouble remembering to tie their shoes will manage to not lose these coupons. What can I say? It’s magic. Do you have another coupon idea? This list is more for intermediate to high school grades, but ideas for younger grades are also appreciated.

Photo Credit: EEE PC

Six Strategies for an Inviting Classroom

While structure and the feeling of a serious learning environment are important, an inviting classroom where students feel secure and welcome is also critical to achieving inclusion for all students. Here are six different strategies for increasing the comfort factor of your classroom.

Lighting.

Yes, you’re going to have the traditional florescent ceiling lights no matter what you do. And yes, they are necessary for consistent illumination of class-wide seat work. But for those special little areas where you gather for story time, small group work, center activities or that special reading niche the students love to go to after they finish assignments, a task light creates not only some extra direct lighting for the task at hand, but some groovy atmosphere as well.

Special seating.

A couch, rocker, hammock, floor cushions, bean bags and stuffed back rests all create a special atmosphere for students of all ages. I’ve seen high school kids get as excited about couch time as primary and intermediate level students. You can still require them to have something to work on in those spots, but make them a special situation. A reward for good behavior, allowable only after completed assignments, or for center time only are all examples of how you can work in special seating in an academically appropriate way.

A therapy animal.

Generally, this is some sort of smaller class pet like a fish in a tank, a rabbit or even a ferret. However, this can turn into a maintenance issue for the teacher, and a logistical issue for room parents as well during school vacations. If you and your room parents are up for that, fine. But if you have a progressive school district and the money to put into some serious formal training of your own personal pet, consider a therapy dog. This requires that as a teacher you want to own your own dog, and have an interest in providing your dog with opportunities both in the classroom and local hospital wards. Personally, I’ve had to provide a successful inclusion experience for a fairly diverse group of students over the years and happen to believe the counselor’s office isn’t the only appropriate place for a therapy animal. Children really do relax when there’s an animal in the room. Reading to a pet is an excellent ESL or special needs education strategy, as I’ve touched on previously.

Snack tins.

These work great for crackers or the occasional candy treat. They are air tight and keep the bugs out in tropical or desert environments. It’s also nice to have a whole grain backup for the kiddos who forget snacks. For some kids, that’s what helps keep the stomach growlies at bay until they get free lunch later in the day. It’s an affordable strategy to implement, and often one your PTA can support you with. Or, if your parents are open to it, add crackers to your classroom restock list.

Unified storage.

One or two cabinets with lockable doors is probably a necessity, especially if you are teaching in a school that is routinely used as a storage shelter or have students with extra special needs where boundaries are concerned. They don’t have to look cold and uninviting. In fact, a coordinating couple of shelved cabinets can signify a place where all the special treasures are kept. It also keeps things visually simple and grounded for autistic or easily distracted children. For any open shelving storage, consider going with matching baskets, clear containers or mesh metal bins to provide a coordinated, organized look. If you can’t do it, then you can’t do it. But if classroom budget and PTA support permit, I encourage you to give it a whirl. Many children are easily distracted by what they perceive as too many options, especially if they haven’t been raised with a great deal of structure on the home front. Having an organized room helps them get into the groove academically.

An idea wall.

You could do this in a number of ways, but one of the coolest and most affordable ways I can think of is by using Idea Paint. The cost is much less than larger white boards, and having a large block of open writing space that’s only for creative brainstorming session that can’t fit on the board is fantastic. I think this is a fantastic way to provide structured learning yet set a subtle backdrop that promotes out of the box thinking. Walking the line between classroom creativity and guided instruction can be tough, especially where the inclusion of special needs students is concerned.

 

These are my top six picks for affordable classroom setup, something I consider a critical and integral component of successful classroom management. Other management articles here at LessonMag.Com include Four Hot Tips for a Smooth Running Classrom, Reviews that Rock, Twenty-five Ways to Say Good Job, Learning Centers for Less, Classroom management Hacks and Low Cost / No Cost Student Rewards. Do you have a unique suggestion for setting up an inviting classroom that promotes creativity as well as structure and academics? How do you allow for the inclusion of students with any type of need?

Photo Credit: Liz Marie

Four Hot Tips for a Smooth Running Classroom

Looking for some simple, affordable ways to make things go more smoothly on the classroom front? Here are four great management hacks to get it done on the cheap and easy. Bonus? They work in classrooms from K – 12, making this one of those classroom tip articles high school teachers can actually benefit from.

Using upside down binder clips for a cheap direction card holder.

These things are good for more than portfolios and snack clips, you know. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to have a free standing set of project instructions, skip the stress of custom cutting a cardboard easel you’ll only have to store later. Use a couple of small binder clips with the handles pulled back to support an index card with the directions written on it.

Rotating student-led group centers.

Need some strategies for getting the job done during paid hours when cum folders and report cards are due? Get together with the other teachers in your grade level or wing and plan a few centers each to host in your respective rooms. Break all of the students from the combined rooms into separate working groups and assign each group a responsible student leader. Make sure the centers you establish are all easily implemented by the students themselves, and establish the rules that they have to pick everything up and reorganize the centers when they rotate to the next one. If you have the right number of centers set up, you can run this program in the mornings or afternoons for several days in a row. One year, it worked out with my colleagues that we got a full five days of half-day center time.

Make them a mix of different fun activities with a range of academic topics. The students don’t get to do this very often, so discipline isn’t a huge issue. This leaves you and your fellow teachers with enough time during the actual school day to get the extra burden of cums and report card data off you plates without donating even more of your valuable time for free. If you run the centers in the afternoon and coordinate certain matching lessons in your individual rooms in the morning, you’ll be able to have at least one of the centers in each room be a station for seat work catch up and jump start time on homework. I’m not advising a full week of half-day play time. You’ll definitely want quality center activities that support your current theme and academic program. Especially if you’re needing administrative support. What I am suggesting is a way to work smarter, not harder. As educators we work hard for our money, and need all the tips we can get to accomplish such a phenomenally enormous job in the short amount of time we are given each school day.

Rubber band balls.

Tired of having loose rubber bands floating around your desk drawer, adding to the chaos? Try making your own rubber band ball, or saving it as a project for that student who is always done early. You’ll be more organized with your desk supplies. Bonus? These things are just plain fun to have around.

DIY folding screen.

A simple folding screen from core doors with locking caster wheels attached can be a huge help in the inclusive classroom.  Need an impromptu learning area when the rotating reading specialist comes? Looking for a divider to reduce visual distractions during reading group time? This is a budget friendly way to get the job done. It’s also great to create a divided learning area for a home school corner, for those who follow that educational path.

Do you have another great classroom tip? We’d love to hear about it. Don’t forget to sound off in the comment section below.

Photo Credits: Tifotter , Gideon Strauss

Reviews that Rock! Great Ideas for Covering Test Content

Tired of the groaning whenever you settle in for a topic review in class? Here are some ideas to use when getting ready for a big test, and also some strategies to keep the material fresh all year long. Bonus? Many of these ideas can be used as team activities, or as sponge activities when it’s time for transition.

Chalkboard Relay.

This is particularly great for math questions. Divide the class into two teams, and have the front person from each team at the board for each question, racing to see who can get the correct answer first. Keep score with tally marks on the chalkboard to see which team finishes in first place. This could also work with spelling word reviews, or reading off definitions to see who can come up with the correct term fastest.

In the Bag.

This was covered in depth in a previous post. Basically, you can save any spelling word cards, study cards from previous class units, etc. For an impromptu review, have one student select a card with a spelling word on it and hold it so the rest of the class can’t see. Then let them call on a student to spell the word correctly and use it in a sentence. The class members swap out once a correct answer is provided.

Topic Riddles.

This is sort of a reverse “Twenty Questions” type of thing. Have several clues for each word, concept or answer. Then ask who / what / where am I based on the answer you need to receive. You could be going for a character in history, a type of biological plan, an astronomical phenomenon, etc.

Lining Up.

This is more of a time to do the review, rather than the activity itself. Each student can line up when they answer the question, or if you are already lined up as a group and they are waiting to get dismissed, let them leave the room if they answer the question and go to the back of the line if they mis it. I like to only send them back one time so it stays fun and keeps things on track time wise.

Roll the Dice.

I saw this my first year teaching at a workshop and it has served me well at multiple grade levels. Basically, you have kids divided into 3-4 teams with a few people (6 or less) in each team. You ask the question and every team confers together for the answer for an allowed amount of time. Then, whatever team’s turn it is waits for you to roll the dice. Each member of the team is assigned a number, so when the number on the dice comes up, they know which team member will need to answer the question. If that person gets it wrong, the question goes to the next team to try to answer it, with the dice getting rolled again. What I like about this is every team has to review the material for each review question, and within each team, every member HAS to be included because they never know who will get called on. Everybody has to stay focused on the activity and material if they want a chance to get points. This is another one of those ideas that can be used from early primary through high school, adult education, or even at the university level if you were so inclined.

Random Trivia.

Quotes from book characters or historical figures, math questions, spelling, riddles, all kinds of ideas would work here. You can use the strategy in a relay, with line up or dismissal transitions.

Review Puzzle as Learning Centers.

This is great for an extra time activity when students are finished with their seatwork. Use the page protector strategy to save on consumable resources.

There you have it. Seven simple ways to provide solid, attention – grabbing content reviews in the classroom. Got a slamming suggestion of your own? Sound off in the comment section and share the love.

 

Photo Credit: Editor B.

Twenty-five Ways to Say Good Job!

Every teacher needs an idea bank of ways to provide positive reinforcement. Looking for a few ideas to keep from sounding repetitive?

 

Here’s a list of twenty-five ways to give verbal praise, many of them useful at all grade levels.

 

1. Rock on!

2. That’s awesome!

3. I can tell you’ve been practicing.

4. That’s very colorful.

5. I like how neatly you’re working.

6. You really followed directions.

7. Way to show what you can do!

8. Bravo!

9. That’s fantastic.

10. Great work.

11. You did that very well.

12. Nicely done.

13. Exciting work, that’s for sure!

14. Look at the detail you put into that project!

15. Wow, you’re fast.

16. Excellent.

17. Incredible job.

18. Good presentation.

19. You’re a rock star.

20. You read that very well.

21. Way to manage your time!

22. You were very responsible with that.

23. You aced that assignment!

24. I can tell how hard you worked on this.

25. Very impressive!

There are many ways to say good job. These are only my top picks. If you have any other great verbal praise phrases, don’t forget to share them with us below. Happy teaching!

Photo Credit: AstroGuyz.Com

Learning Centers for Less

Need some cost conscious ideas for independent, fast working students? Following is a list of my favorite cheapies.

Listening centers.

Whether it’s the old fashioned book and tape set you still have, or an audio book file for an I-pod, listening centers are a powerful supplement to any language program, and fantastic for ESL support.

Deck of cards and a set of math tables.

This is a super cheap center idea that requires two people to play. Basically, both players agree ahead of time whether they are playing an addition, subtraction or multiplication round. One person draws two cards, while the other has the math table with answers. If the card drawer gets the math answer right (checked and verified by both partners), they keep those to cards and start their own pile. If not, the cards go back in the pile at the bottom. Then it’s the next person’s turn. The round progresses until the cards are gone. The person with the most cards in their stack wins. Bonus? This is a great way to use up those old decks of cards that may not be complete. You only need to different value cards with each turn.

Word puzzles in sheet protectors.

These work better if you have the answer key as well. Put the blank puzzle back to back with the answer key and slide them into a sheet protector. Using a dry erase marker and an old clean sock, students can check their own works, clear the boards and try again. Consider having a few out for variety. You could also use math problems as well for extra drill and practice.

Computer with learning games.

Whether it’s online activities, or games from various educational software programs, having a computer available during down time is a great way to supplement your students’ computer lab schedule and provide valuable technical skill enhancement for those who may not have a computer at home. Having a goal of a laptop for day-long use for every student is a lofty goal, but the reality is many schools are far from being able to make this happen. If you have at least one computer with internet access in your room, consider making it available.

Simple crafts.

In my humble opinion, the simpler the better when it comes to setting up a craft center. And while I’m sure there are many out there who would disagree, I think the multi step, paints and brush, huge mess art projects are much better suited to whole group lessons where as a teacher you are more available to provide guidance and structure. Centers are something I like to use as flexible sponge activities, and simple crafts fit the bill. Some ideas? Safety pin bead crafts, friendship bracelets, basic summer camp yarn and stick weavings, etc.

Board games.

Whether it’s a homemade option celebrating the weekly vocabulary words, or a game of Body Boggle, age appropriate board games are a great way to keep children occupied academically in between seatwork assignments and group activities.

Silent reading station.

To make it feel a bit more special than “just read quietly at your desk”, consider letting those done early be able to read silently in a fun seating area like a classroom couch, bean bag or rocking chair. Sometimes, it’s all about switching up the details.

This is obviously not meant to be a fully inclusive list, just a list of the simplest ideas I could think of for shoestring teaching budgets. One thing’s for sure, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more teacher resource books to review and blog about in the upcoming months. Got another great time consuming cheapie? Don’t forget to sound off in the comment section below.

Photo Credit: Liz Marie

Classroom Management Hacks : Six Simple Strategies

Looking for classroom control from day one, but not interested in spending three days custom laminating name cards and pocket charts? Believe me, I hear you. This article provides streamlined management strategies that will still let you have a life. Read on.

Behavior Points.

A simple, budget friendly way to acknowledge group behavior. Here’s what you need: a chalkboard and chalk.

That’s it. If you want, keep track of points using a pencil and a special corner in your plan book in case they accidentally get erased. Use an unobtrusive corner of the chalkboard and draw a chalk cloud with the title “behavior points” inside. At the beginning of the year, you can use a lower number for the class goal and make the goal daily, with a reward of stopping early to play a few minutes of 7-Up, for example.

Later in the year, you can try a higher amount and have the reward take place whenever they accomplish it. Usually, a larger reward is in order for a larger point accomplishment. For example, 150 points might earn them a class movie and popcorn. You can flex the number of points and the goal time depending on your class needs and grade level. I have used this at all grade levels in several different countries. It works every time, and is simple and cost effective to maintain.

The Clean Desk Fairy

Clean desk issues can really slow things down academically. Having an end of the day “desk inspection” where the students do not line up for buses until their desks have been checked for neatness works well for various grade levels. On the days you miss, have the “clean desk fairy” leave a note on the board and a chocolate kiss or new pencil on those desks that are exemplary. Need to pinch pennies? Free paper passes issued from the teacher don’t cost anything, and are just as popular with the students as store-bought treats.

Reinforcement Charts

One of the most cost effective systems I’ve found is to purchase one of those reinforcement charts at the teacher store. You know, the ones with a space for the names down the side, and a full poster board sized grid with quarter inch squares running all the way across. Instead of using stickers, they make rubber stamps that fit into those smaller squares which in the long run is much less expensive. Or, to make it even more affordable, have the students color in a square every time they are caught being good. This enables a daily visual for which students need to be “caught being good”, and the students enjoy competing for the lead position. It reinforces graphing skills as well. If desired, you could do something special with the top behavior student at the end of each quarter. Students at all grade levels love this, and it is the most convenient way I have ever found to keep track of positive behavior.

Need an idea that’s even more extreme? Laminate the chart to the wall and use dry erase markers. It’s an affordable green teaching idea, and you can re-use this chart as many times as you need to with a little DIY white board cleaning solution.

Craft Sticks.

These things really come in handy for classroom management on the cheap. Check out the previous poston craft stick uses in the classroom. In addition to several craft ideas, you’ll also find some great management tips on how to include every student every day, incorporate a dirt cheap running program for PE and streamline your classroom communication in a way that you can use from year to year. Score!

Classroom Study Hall.

If your learning schedule allows it, try incorporating a brief study hall at the end of the day. Students who run into problems during daily independent work time can have one on one time with you. Those finished can assist with room organization, handouts, last minute announcements, etc. Admittedly, this can be tough to pull off without the right schedule. However, I did one year and it was one of the best things I ever tried. The students and I both benefitted tremendously, and the last few minutes of the day turned from chaotic to calm on the very first day we implemented the system. If you are blessed with a supportive administration, see what you can do about convincing the powers that be to allow the last class session of the day to be left to the classroom teachers. Chances are, the specialists will appreciate a chance to get organized for the next day’s room hopping schedule as well.

Daily Helping Hands.

Rather than struggling to develop an elaborate job schedule and chart with a spinning wheel or cards to pull and file, just have a daily helping hand to deal with all jobs. If a particular task is too much for one student, they can select a responsible friend to help them with it. Just go down through your grade book in order and select the next student each day. Simple, easy to maintain, and every student gets to help. This will free up your time (especially if you teach younger grades) to work on other important classroom management issues.

That’s it. Classroom management as cheap and easy as I can make it for you. Got another cheap idea that’s low on effort and high on the get a life scale? Share the love.

Photo Credit: Liz Marie

Low Cost and No Cost Student Rewards

We all know that student rewards are a necessary part of successful classroom management. But how do we keep things rolling smoothly without going broke? Easier said than done, I know.Here are a few things I’ve used over the years, as well as some interesting ideas I’ve run across recently.

Earn a movie.

I usually use the behavior points to let the class earn this as a group, and try to set the activity aside for the end of the day. I either use a video from my own collection, the school library, or ask one of the students to bring in a good one that we vote on ahead of time. This is usually a big reward that doesn’t come along every day. They have to have MAJOR points to earn it. It’s also helpful if you can schedule it on a day when you have lots of admin stuff to do, such as set up for open house, get ready for conferences, calculate mid-quarter reports, update cum files, etc.

Free homework pass.

This works at all except the very young grade levels. You can do up a bunch (4 or 6 to a page) and run them off for the whole year. Just fill in the student name and date, then sign your name.

Free time or recess.

Again, this works for all levels. I prefer ideas that do so, because as someone who has spent most of my career overseas accepting various grade level assignments, I need a professional “bag of tricks” that I don’t have to reinvent every time I move or switch grades.

A structured class game.

Outdoor and inside games apply. Just choose something appropriate to your grade level.

One more chance pass.

Ran across this idea quite recently. It’s similar to the homework pass, but is used for kiddos to get themselves out of a situation caused by a lapse in behavioral judgement. Even the well behaved kids need these from time to time. I love this idea and think it has major potential. Just make up a bunch like you would with the homework passes and have them available for individual rewards.

Take back a bad grade pass.

This was from the same place I saw the one more / second chance pass idea. Usually, I drop the lowest grade for the kids in each subject area at the end of each quarter anyway. But this would be a great replacement idea, so they don’t feel they are entitled to that extra bit of help. Keep some photocopied ahead of time and you’ll be set for the year.

Erasers, pencils, individual candies.

These fall into the low cost rather than the no cost category. I pick them up on super sale or ask the PTO to help me out. It’s really helpful to have them on hand some days, particularly at the beginning of the school year and when you get back after winter break.

A stamp on the good behavior graph.

These are inexpensive charts and your school or PTO should have no problem providing them for you. One chart can get you through an entire quarter, and a miniature rubber stamp that fits in the small squares is WAY less expensive than getting stickers. There is also very little prep to this. You just put each student’s name on their own line of the graph and write the title at the top. . . done. A good place is on the inside of the classroom door.

I hope these ideas are helpful. When I first started teaching, I thought I had to have a reserve bank of reward ideas that was a mile long. That really isn’t necessary. A few for group rewards, a few for individual, some larger, some smaller . . . it will be more than enough to get you through the year smoothly.

Photo Credit: P.P. Digital