I have posted before about my "Secret Student" before but I am posting about it again to include in in What the Teacher Wants Behavior Management Linky Party! Get over there and get yourself some good ideas! These last few weeks have been hectic and crazy. The kids in my class have been real troopers through it all. We went from three first grades to two first grades after the first two days of school. Yeah, that was interesting to say the least and I think we are all finally getting into the groove of things! We added some more friends, moved some tables around and crammed ourselves in nice and cozy!
I am always looking for ways to bribe promote good behavior. We give Eagle Feathers out at our school and in first grade we keep them in a shoe organizer labeled with their number. They kids had no idea that it was a shoe organizer. As I was helping someone tie their shoes the first day we had the shoe organizer up, I had a student who was absent (when I explained the system) come up and ask where they put their Eagle Feather. I kept saying "In the shoe organizer." They put it in their shoe. It stayed there a good part of the morning until I noticed. We trade our Eagle Feathers in for coupons we got here. The kids love the coupon system.
I also have a "Secret Student." Each morning before the kids come in I fill out one of these by writing a student's name on the line:
Then I stick it in a magnetic container and put it at the top of the board. There is also a little glitter in there for good measure.
At the end of the day, I get it out and pull out the name. If that student had a good day, they get to keep the note to take home to mom and dad. They also get something out of my little prize box. If the student didn't have such a good day, I don't call them out. I just put it in my pocket and explain that whoever it was didn't have a very good day and maybe they will have a better day tomorrow.
The kids LOVE the Secret Student. They always remind me at the end of the day. All I have to say throughout the day is "I need to check on my Secret Student." You can only imagine how that gets pencils moving, lines straighter, voices off....
If you want a free copy of the Star Student cards you can get it here!
Update:
If you need the version with "behaviour" (Aussie, UK, Canada version) click HERE! (Free on TpT)
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Stephany
I began my small groups and literacy stations! They are going very well. I am quite convinced that SLOW and STEADY wins the race.
What I mean by that is... I have been teaching rules and procedures for several weeks now. Some examples are: how to get the tub, where to sit with the tub, how to open the tub, what to do when the teacher is working with a group, and how to put the tub away.
Here are a few photos of students working. The first few photos are of students reading with a partner. I purchased Kim Adsit and Michele Scannell's Powerful Partnership's Reader's Workshop. Click the picture to link to the packet. The students below are reading with their backs against each other.
The pictures below are when the students "take turns reading". I asked my students to "fill their partner's bucket" after they read. If you are not familar with "Bucket Fillers", click the link here. All it means is to give "one nice comment to their partner" before reading to their partner.
In math, students worked with partners to order numbers 0-20. The students in the photo are working as a "team" to complete a task. I was very proud of how well my class worked together. The numbers pictured to the left are included in my BOY and EOY Kindergarten Benchmark Pack.
The student in the picture is working in a math station independently. This activity came from Deanna Jump and Julie Lee's School is Fun Literacy and Math Centers for August and September.
This is another student's finished product! I am so proud of how much effort my students are putting into small groups and stations.
Endless Possibilities,
Stephanie
Well, we are not to 500 yet, but I am posting my On The Back Pack for FREE for ONLY 24 hours. Maybe this will help get us to 500!! Help us out and spread the word!! Click the picture below to link up to the freebie. Remember it is only FREE for 24 hours!! Here you go!!
Have a wonderful Tuesday!!
Spread the word,
Stephanie
