3 Easy Ways to Motivate Students

#1-Let students know that they are valued, appreciated, and that you really do believe in them. Let them know that their effort in trying to tackle the difficult parts of learning is noticed. Let them know that it is human to face hard times in learning and that you are there to support them along the way.

#2- Give students a chance to express themselves. No matter what the form, students want to be able to share their thoughts. A math journal is a good way for students to tell you what they have learned or what questions they have regarding math. Giving students feedback after they have had the chance to express themselves lets them know that what they have to say is important and worth your time to hear (or read).

#3- Let students have fun with learning. This map fell off the wall and without purpose found it's place on the carpeting area floor. During our Halloween party, these boys had a great time traveling across the US. They were playing their own made up game with their own imaginary cars and having the best time ever. The whole time they were learning US geography-very unintentionally. If learning is fun, students will buy in to it, and that is what motivation is all about!

Making the most out of little spaces

Here are some ideas for ways to display classroom things on limited wall space.

Math word wall posted on closet door.

 Text Features. Posted on shades as they were taught in the classroom. 

Classroom news posted on poster-board outside of the classroom door. Lets parents, students and staff know what is going on in the classroom without many words.

Text features work displayed on the wall outside of the classroom. Some even on the lockers, door and behind the door. Although, not the best idea if you are not allowed to post things on the wall with tape (my teacher doesn't seem to mind or care).


Also, center's schedule is posted on the door. Saves room from posting on limited board space or bulletin space.

Recess

STOP TAKING AWAY RECESS AS A PUNISHMENT FOR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR!!!

Thank you.
~friend of children who can't sit still.

Justice

So, I'm in a position right now where my mentor teacher may be moved to another building. If that is the case, I have three options. 1-stay with my mentor teacher,  2-move to another 3rd grade class in my building, or 3-stay with my kids and whatever teacher is placed in the room.

Here's the thing: I'm in a bilingual classroom. The district needs bilingual teachers in another building. My kids need their bilingual teacher. If my MT is taken away, the kids suffer. If both of us are taken away, they suffer even more. If the teacher that replaces my MT isn't an experienced teacher they suffer even more, and that's just not fair!

But, if I stay with my MT then I will be taught how to teach. If I stay with my MT I will get more experience across grade levels. If I stay with my MT then I'll have connections at more than one Detroit school. If I stay with my MT then I will for sure have a solid reference when I am looking for a job.

I can't stop thinking about the kids though. This is an injustice to them. It's not right. It's not right at all. And I have no idea what I should do, if I am given the option. Should I stay with my kids and make sure they are being taught? Or should I stay with my MT and make sure that I have a better chance at getting a job when I need to get one?

I just don't know. Either way I feel like it's lose-lose. LAME.

Books, Journals, Happy Kids

Social Studies, 3rd Grade, Michigan. I am having my students make books about Michigan's First People, the Native Americans. They will make a page of important details about each tribe we read about. They will use the information in their books to do a group presentation for the chapter summative assessment. I told my students that the pictures they draw have to be accurate of the people they are writing about. So far, so good from the looks of things.

 

I also started Math Journals this week. This allows students to write about math. They have to write 3 sentences or questions about what we did in math that day. Above is a copy of my student's work from working with tally marks. I was very surprised by the clarity of his thinking about math. I can tell from this journal that he really understood the lesson. These help me hear my student's thinking about math and I use them to decide if I need to reteach any topic the following day before moving on to a new lesson.

 

My buddy, J, hasn't been doing too well in school. Teachers seem to isolate him as the trouble maker in the class. So far I've only been able to talk with his parents when he has been acting out. This week though I've noticed that he is showing improved behavior. I wrote this note in the morning. I told him that I wanted to give it to him at the end of the day. Throughout the day I would walk by his desk and tell him I really wanted to give him the note. I noticed he would finish his work and wait quietly or follow directions immediately. It was awesome when I gave it to him at the end of the day. He smiled really big and gave me a hug. You know, as a teacher, I have the ability to shape someone's future in a sense. If I can get J to begin to like school and like his teachers and be interested in his learning, I can change this boy's life. He is not hopeless. He has potential. It's my personal goal to get him to realize his potential by the end of this school year. I'm excited to see the progress he'll make.

Teacher=Hoarder

Today after our staff meeting, the gym teacher mentions that she still needs the gym cleared out and people should come down and take a look at what is there. Christina (my fellow intern) and I decide we should go look. We will be teachers next year. We will be starting from scratch. It's a good thing to build up our resources. Down to the basement gym we go.

SCORE!

I have been really missing the individual white-boards that my students had when I was in Australia. It was such a good way for quick formative assessments. Also, white-boards allowed every student to share an answer. Guess what I found in the basement? Heck yes! Mini white-boards. And not only are they mini white-boards, on one side there is handwriting lines. I can use the boards for quick answers in all subject areas, but even in teaching handwriting (if I have 4th grade and under).

And like that wasn't enough to make my day, I found a bunch of math games. But not just ANY math games...I found Challenge 24!!! You probably don't even care, but let me tell you, when I was in elementary school Challenge 24 was the bomb-digity. I am very excited to be able to use this game in my future classrooms.

Overall, I found some things that will be helpful, and probably some things that I'll want to get rid of eventually, but for now, I am an inspiring teacher WITH resources. Believe me, it feels good. ...except for the fact that now I am becoming something that I never was... Here are some pictures of my car:

This is one of the saddest things. My car has always been clean (because I was so traumatized by the abundant storage space that my mom's car has become). And now...now it's full of an aspiring teacher's resources. Someone give me a classroom quick!

On another note, today I was very amused by one of my students. My teacher wrote on the board numbers for fact families (3,9,12; 4, 2, 6; 5, 6, 11....etc.) She asked the students what was in a fact family. One student said three numbers. Good answer. The next student that she called on said commas. Also, good answer. Yes, there are commas in fact families....but actually, wrong answer. Hmm. How can we make that more clear?

I got good Nails and Shoes :)

I teach good social studies. Yea boy! And I make good cookies. Jacqueline wants to be a baker when she grows up, so she would know. She has learned that she wants to work in the food industry (look at those social studies vocab words!)

And, it is imperative that all teachers have good shoes. And good nails. And let me tell you, I've got both!

Christina, the intern in the other 3rd grade classroom, got a bunch of letters from her students as a writing assignment. She was told how pretty and fancy she was and had lots of compliments on her outfits. I'm glad to make it to that stage in the eyes of my students. And I hoped into the good nails category. It's cuz I use Crackle nail polish. Every third grade girl wants it.

My sister Rachel saw my crackle nail polish and asked if it was professional. I told her that I am joining a profession where people wear sweater vests with pumpkins and kittens on them. She didn't ask me about being professional any more after that!