Clock Buddies (Updated)

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Here’s a great way to arrange 12 partner options for each student BEFORE you need it! Print this page on a sheet of colored card stock (so it’ll last the entire semester/year). Tell students to make an appointment with 12 different people (one for each hour on the clock). Be sure they both record the appointments on their clocks. Tell students they can only make the appointment if there is an open slot at that hour on both of their clocks. Then when you need to do partner work, you can call out “10 o’clock buddy!” and everyone will know who to go work with.

Click here for the free printable PDF: Clock Buddies PDF

Desks With No Storage? No Problem!

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Sometimes teachers don’t get the desks they’d like. Some teachers prefer tables, others like storage space down the side of the desk, etc. But what happens when you don’t get what you’d like? You just have to make it work. Here’s what one teacher did when she changed schools and ended up with only tables… no storage at all!

Each table has a crate that holds everyone’s folders (color coded by subject). All the supplies (scissors, crayons, etc.) are in different tubs at the back of the room. Backpacks go on chairs, so the kids don’t need cubbies or anything. Things go straight into the backpacks, or they are filed away into these crates. There’s also a crate coordinator, the person at the table who makes sure all the folders are organized and brings the crate to the front and to the table as directed by the teacher.

This teacher told me it’s not ideal obviously, but after practicing routines associated with the crates, it’s a very do-able system now.

Emergency Sub Plans

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Every teacher/class needs emergency sub plans. These are for the day when you’re too sick, stressed, caught off guard to write sub plans… *gasp!* Things you must have in your emergency sub plans:

Substitute Folder Checklist
Use this checklist to prepare a notebook for substitute teachers. It will ensure that
your classroom runs as smoothly as possible in your absence.
____1. Fire Drill Procedures
____2. Evacuation Procedures
____3. Emergency Situation Procedures/Key Codes
____4. School Discipline Plan (including names of teachers the sub can contact if they need help with a student)
____5. Classroom Discipline Plan (including notes about students with unique circumstances, and something to help the teacher gauge how much to use the plan/what warrants certain rewards)
____6. Discipline Forms (referral forms, detention forms)
____7. CURRENT Seating Charts with essential student information included for all classes and students who come in your room (photos if possible)
____8. Emergency Procedures
____9. Daily Schedule (with duty location, parent helpers who come in weekly, special classes, etc.)
____10. Bell Schedule
____11. List of contact people (helpful students, staff members)
____12. Lesson Plans for the week–or–suggested activities to reinforce
concepts and/or skills

Numbers 9 and 12 are the zingers in my opinion. How do you keep updated plans in your sub folder and how can you write a schedule when every day is so different!?

Here are some tips:

A. Use old math assessments (from the previous units or grade). Chances are most kids will have seen them before. When you finish a math unit, stick a class set of the unit test in the folder. Even if you never have to use it when a sub comes, you can use the copies at the end of the year to review for testing.

B. Writing activities. Choose a fun writing activity (that includes an example and good instructions). Leave directions for how to publish the final draft (does it get glued on colored paper? Does it need to be accompanied by a picture?)

C. Just do it. Some teachers put off gathering sub plans and then they regret it. Just do it at the beginning of the year, and then set yourself a reminder (in your planner, Google calendar, whatever) to check it every month. It’s always better to prepare than to repair.

D. Put the sub plans in an obvious place and let your team teacher know where they are also. I put mine in a neon pink binder with huge letters labeling it “Emergency Sub Plans.”

E. Extra milers will prepare plans for each day of the week. Many schools have weekly schedules, where days of the week vary because of fine arts classes, computer lab times or library schedules. Save yourself some time and do it all at the beginning of the year. Again, anything you don’t use during the year can be used for end-of the year review and activities.

Also make sure that your sub plans satisfy the requirements of your school and/or district. Good luck!

Do Your Students Know You’re Proud of Them?

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I saw this cute idea in an elementary school classroom a few months ago. It’s super easy to make, and sends a great message to your kids.

Buy a dollar store picture frame (8″ x 10″ is best)
On a piece of cute, light color paper, write “I am proud because.” Add stickers, etc if you want. Cut the paper to 8″ x 10″ and put it in the frame.
Use a ribbon attached to the hook on the back, attach the frame to your file cabinet or a nail on the wall.
Write with a Visa-Vis pen (or other overhead marker) what makes you proud.
Write a small note in your planner every few days to remind you to update the frame. In addition, you may want to attach a class list to the back of the frame so you can keep track of who you’ve featured on the frame and who you still need to acknowledge.

Ask 3 Before Me!

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Teachers answer questions all day long… and it’s exhausting! I saw this phrase up on a classroom and just HAD to share it! The teacher’s rule is that students must ask 3 other students their question before coming to the teacher with the question. Chances are one of those 3 other students will know the answer and the teacher can keep his/her sanity a little bit longer!

Make Your Own Calendars… helpful website!

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I just found this website that provides downloadable calendar blank templates for Microsoft Word and Excel. You can choose from weekly, monthly calendars and yearly calendars for specific years. To quote the website, “Why spend millions developing what Microsoft has already spent Billions developing?”

“Now Turn To Your Partner And…”

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Many, many activities in today’s classrooms involve partner/group work. But you don’t want kids to work with the same partner/group every time. So you need methods for grouping kids in a variety of ways. Below are a variety of table mats that teachers have used so that they can easily group kids by number, color, letter, etc.

This kindergarten teacher used masking tape to give each student space at the desk (and the tape holds down her partner sheet).

Classroom Journal Tips

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Keeping journals is a great way to help students keep new information recorded and stored in a neat and useful way. Many teachers give their students notebooks for each core subject and expect students to maintain their own journal to use for note taking during lessons and future reference. I love this idea! I’ve done it with my own classes. But if you’re going to do journals, do them the smart way. Here’s what I mean:

1. Choose a specific color for the subject. Get that same color journal for each student. If you can’t find an entire class set of 1 color, try 2 colors that are easy to remember. So when your student says “Wait! Which one is our science journal?” You can tell them what color notebook to look for. Also make sure the notebooks are clearly labeled with the student’s name, classroom number and what subject the journal is for. Tell students at the beginning of the year that the journal is only for that subject, not for drawing, writing notes to a friend, etc.

2. Use the first sheet (front/back) for the table of contents. Each time you have students start a new journal entry/topic, have them add it to the table of contents. Then, when they’re looking for their notes on a certain topic, they’ll be able to fins it easily. This also means your students need to add page numbers as they go. I have conflicting thoughts about writing in all the page numbers in the beginning. PRO- you don’t have to worry about it each time you start a new set of notes. CON- if your kids tear out pages, they can get confused when there’s no page 16.

3. Do projects directly in the journal… or have them glued in when kids finish the project. This way, you can refer back to projects/assignments you’ve done when you need to review for a test, etc.

4. Pockets are awesome. Sometimes you want students to keep a project, but you don’t want it glued down. So pockets do the trick. Fold down one corner of a sheet and staple it to the page behind it. Label the pocket, so kids will know what goes in the pocket. Some teachers like the triangle cut off, but I sometimes just have them staple it down to save time (I walk around with the stapler, since it just seems to work out better when I do it). Make sure you have the folded triangle on the outside, or sometimes things get stick inside the pocket. Cut or staple the triangle piece, it’s up to you…

If you have to combine 2 subjects into one notebook, you’ll have to figure out a way to keep the subjects straight. Some teachers have the kids start one subject on one side, have them flip the book over and start from the back on the second subject. This way, there are 2 front covers and no back cover. My only caution with this is to make sure your kids understand how this flipping ordeal works and that they open to the right part of the book each time you start a lesson.

I also make a sample journal as the students make theirs. This way, I can model exactly how I want theirs to look, and the struggling kids can just copy me each time.

Oooh! One more thought. Sometimes, for really important things, I give students a quarter sheet of colored paper and ask them to write main ideas on it before gluing it to the page. This way, you’ve got the effect of highlighting without the mess of the marker. And everyone’s looks the same. For my 6th grade math journals, I did this with things like formulas. This way, I could always say “the formula you need is on a bright orange square in your journal. Go find it in your notes.”

One teacher I discussed this with keeps lots of extra copies of a hundreds chart handy so she can use them in math journals.