JOIN the PARTY

I was doing my regular blog crawl...via Pinterst and Twitter...and I found the picture above and thought "Aha! There are other Canadian teacher bloggers out there.  I had come across a few like Jen from Runde's room but had not found many others.  If you click on the link above you will go to a great blog called "Madly Learning".  There you can join the linky party for Canadian Teacher Bloggers.  Come join the party!

Welcome Back to School Letter to Families

Yes, I am thinking about "Back to School" already.  In fact, I start thinking about it before the end of school each year.  I have found the more prepared I am ahead of time, the less panicked I feel as the date approaches.  One of the things I like to do each year is get a class list at the end of June and get my school secretary (who is a goddess in my eyes) to print me out mailing labels.  I decided to do this after writing out names and addresses on 30 envelopes!  It just didn't seem like a good use of my time (and I have tendinitis in my writing arm). 

I started out my teaching career (can it really be over 22 years ago?) by sending home a postcard to each student in my upcoming class.  At that time, I really just wanted to say "hi" and I didn't have the year planned out yet.  At this point in my life, I know what we are going to do, and I know what I want to share with the students and families early in the year.  I started writing a Welcome Back to School letter to my students and their families several years ago.  I am loathe to admit that it seems to get longer each year!

This is what my current letter looks like.  I know that 6 pages is long, but I like to use larger font and lots of graphics.  I print it DOUBLE SIDED at school before the end of June so I am not trying to do it at home (too many years of this have used up too much paper and toner!)

In the letter I include:

• an introduction
• a brief outline of what we curriculum topics we will be covering in class this year
• a visual list of "suggested" school supplies (students in my district do not have to purchase items but I have found that most students bring things anyhow, so they might as well have my suggestions)
• an overview of my "mission for the class"
• my behaviour policy
• my district's homework policy and my views on homework
• a closing wishing a great rest of the summer to the students and their families
• a link to my classroom website

I have received really positive feedback from students and parents over the years.  They are often surprised to receive something from me personally and they like the visual layout of the back to school supply list. I try to write something individual to each student on the printed letter.  This might be a comment from their teacher last year "I hear that you are an awesome artist" or it might be something like "I am looking forward to our first field trip to...".  The personal touch I think is nice.
I have found over the years that this letter sets the tone for my interactions with the students and families for the year.  They know a little about me (they can read my bio on my classroom website) and they know we are going to have fun and work hard!
If you would like to download an EDITABLE copy of my letter for this year please visit me at  Welcome Back to School Letter on TPT.
All I have to do now is stuff the pre-addressed envelopes and buy some stamps.  I usually send home this letter the last week of August.  I keep extra copies at school the first week for new students or students who have moved during the summer months!
I hope you are enjoying the rest of your summer, and that my letter might inspire you to try something new this year too!

Daily Math Routine

I do not want to bore my students (or take a lot of time out my math program as I find there are not enough hours in the day to cover the HUNDREDS of expectations in the Ontario curriculum). One day while browsing at the local Chapters bookstore, I found a book called "Daily Math" and had a quick scan through it. The book is made up of practice sheets and each day of the week is devoted to a different strand from the curriculum. Each day (except Friday) has 5 questions. I thought to myself..."Well for less than $15.00 what do I have to lose?"

I don't know about you but my students are also "dawdlers" in the morning. They have nothing to motivate them to get to their desks and get working while waiting for announcements and O'Canada to play. In my school there is usually a lag of about 10 minutes before morning exercises. I really cannot afford to lose the time, nor can I stand trying to corral almost 30 pre-teens every morning.

This lead me to using Daily Math as a morning motivator! Each evening, a student has the job to put out the next days "Daily Math" on the top of each student desk UPSIDE DOWN. They do this only after all the other students have left the room. I usually find that I choose a mathematically strong, motivated student who wants to hand out the papers and I keep an eye open to see if he/she looks at the question...so far none have!

When students arrive in the morning they need to "hustle" to get their "Daily Math" done. They only have until the announcements and O'Canada come on to complete the 5 questions. They may not work with a partner, but I do let them use calculators or manipulatives.

Once they have finished the 5 questions, the students line up in front of my "stool" (really a perch for me during lessons etc.)  I have a clipboard with the answer sheets and a recording sheet on it.  I mark the student work until I have 5 student markers (these are students who scored a perfect mark and have shown their work).  

Each student who becomes a marker gets to take a mini pylon cone from my little stash, and a RED PEN.  (OH YES, they LOVE those red pens let me tell you!)  These students place the cone on their desk and then as the students finish they go to a marker to have their work checked.   Once their work is marked, students hand in their Daily Math and prepare for the day ahead.

This process allows me to finish taking "silent attendance" and to record (on a class list on my clipboard) the marks of the students who have finished. I collect the questions from each student and review each student's work in detail. I make note of students who are struggling, and those who are making common errors.  Sometimes this leads me to an immediate "mini lesson" if the whole class or a large percentage of the students seem to be struggling with a question or concept. Other times, I can teach a small group lesson at my desk to a few students who have the same issues, or I can work with an individual one on one.

Student papers are kept clipped together in another bin behind my desk. Each Friday there are two extra questions for the students to complete. These are called "Brain Stretch" and they are often problem based. I sometimes give the students an extra few minutes to complete the work on Friday.  As part of our Friday routine, the students also get all the work from the week back and they do a self reflection on a sheet I have created for them. They record their mark each day out of /5 at the top of the page, then total the mark out of /25 for the week ( I don't count the brain stretch on Friday as part of the total). I have also taught the students how to convert the mark out of 25 to a percentage.  Below these calculations, they write a reflection on what they did well that week, what they found challenging, and how they are going to address any areas of difficulty.  I ask them to be very SPECIFIC about their plans for improvement (e.g. I am going to use flashcards to practice my multiplication tables, I am going to use the Math Frog website to practice the concept, I am going to use Geometer's Sketchpad to review my geometry concepts, etc.)

This process helps the students set goals for the following week and to reflect back on areas or concepts they are finding challenging.  I also have a"Parent Signature Requested" rubber stamp which I stamp on the reflection sheet. The students must have their parents review their work and return it to me on Monday signed by a parent.

Each student who returns their signed work on Monday gets a ticket for a weekly draw. The draw prizes are classroom privileges such as "swap your desk", "listen to your tunes", "super supplies bin".  I still expect all the students to return their work...but only those who return it on Monday morning get a ticket for the draw.  By the end of the year I had 100% of my class returning their work on Monday morning...I don't think it was because of the draw though...I think they just didn't want to hear me comment about it not being in on time.  I also track everything the students do, and I follow up with both students and parents, so I think that most in my class realized it was just better to have the work in on time.

Summer Project from Pinterest #2

Recently I saw some cute bubble gum containers used as eraser dispensers on Pinterest but I thought to myself...yeah right that won't work.  Well yesterday I was I EFADS (Everything for a Dollar or More) picking up something else, and I saw a little plastic bubble gum machine for $1.25.  I also saw a package of the colourful end of the pencil erasers for $2.  I thought "what the heck?" and bought them.  Brought them home and put the erasers in the bubble gum dispenser and low and behold...it does work!  It's not perfect, you sometimes have to shake the dispenser (and of course the lid came flying off and the erasers flew everywhere....the dogs and my hubby wondered what was going on) to get the erasers to come out, but for $3.25 I am stoked.  It will look really cute with my other new finds (my NO  NAME sign, my teacher organizer) and whatever I decide to do with the really cute mini blackboards I bought yesterday.  I couldn't resist!

Here is the finished product on display in my classroom at the end of August:



In case you didn't notice...

I am obsessed with Pinterest.  I seem to be filling my hours this summer finding new "projects" to do.  P.S. I am almost finished the teacher organizer!  I just added my "Teaching Pin Addict" to my blog.  I love TBA because it introduces me to new people, ideas and projects each and everyday!

My Summer Project #1

Well, I cannot say I am getting bored yet...but I have spent way too much time on Pinterest.  I keep seeing these neat organizers the teachers have made to hold all the little things you find in your desk (e.g. clips, rings, erasers etc.).  I thought to myself "I would LIKE one of those".  I could not find one to purchase at Lowe's or Home Depot (as some teachers mentioned online) BUT I did find one at a local Walmart.  It looks like this, except mine has 38 drawers.  I don't want to post a pic of my finished project until it is actually FINISHED. 

Some Pinners suggested painting their organizer with spray paint to make it look better.   Well let me tell you, I tried a little "painting project" the other night myself.  I was inspired again by Pinterest to make a plaque that you glue clothes pegs to and then write/stencil "NO NAME" on it. You then hang it on the classroom wall to "display" student work handed in with no name.  (Usually I just put it in the "blue filing cabinet" after posting it on the blackboard for half a day).  I was NOT happy with my painting skills so I am NOT going to ruin my organizer by trying to paint it.  If you try it, let me know how it works out.

None of the labels for organizers I could download fit into the drawers of my organizer so I decided to create my own.  They are super simple in design.  I have posted them as a .doc file on my TPT site for FREE if anyone feels like using them. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Organizer-Labels-Small. I only posted the small labels as I have not decided what will go in the large drawers in the bottom yet.  I will have to wait until I am back at school to figure that out.

After making the labels, I affixed them using bright coloured POST-IT page markers (in the pink, orange, purple package) and SCOTCH restickable tabs for mounting.  I got both of these from the local Dollarama for $1.50 a package.  I am glad I decided to use these because now I can switch the labels on the drawers easily just by switching the colour of the post-its in the background.  Note to those who are a little OCD like moi.  Put all the labels in alphabetical order, then decide your colour pattern, then put them in the drawers!

Here is the finished project in my classroom.  I still have lots of extra drawers.  I am sure I will fill them with something!



Not sure what the next project will be but I am sure I will be inspired by something on Pinterest.  Today I found the cutest little blackboards surrounded by a wooden frame with a picture hanger at the back.  They were only $1.25 each at EFADS (Everything for a Dollar or More Store).  I so want to paint them Tiffany blue....