How to Involve Students in Data Tracking

"Because you know I'm all about that data, 'bout that data..."

If you are a teacher or administrator odds are that you spend a considerable amount of time during the school year collecting, analyzing, and utilizing student data. Although it can be a time consuming process, data is an effective practice that is beneficial to use to drive classroom instruction.

Data has not only become a standard component of our education system, utilizing data is also recognized as a best practice.

So then, "If student data is so important why is everyone except students involved in the process?"

While students receive feedback through report cards, standardized tests, or other graded tests and assignments, theses measures are often presented to them in isolation. The students are aware of the importance of these scores, however they are usually unsure how they all connect or how they relate to their learning or their future.

So then how do we involve students in the collection and data analysis process? How do we invest students in their learning by helping them see the connections between their data and their future goals?

The solution to this oversight is The Student Data Binder.

Using The Student Data Binder students set their own measurable goals for the year as a whole along with weekly goals. Students are also able to track math fact fluency, Accelerated Reader goals and points, Fry Words, and reading level. Blank graph sheets are also included to track additional data.

The great thing about data binders is that they allow students to see the link between their scores and what they are learning in the classroom. Students are also able to use their data to set weekly goals and goals for the future.

Data binders are not only a great motivational tool for students, they are also incredibly useful around parent-teacher conference time. Using their data binders students are able to paint an accurate picture for their parents as to where they are academically. Students are also able to communicate the goals that they have set throughout the year as well as their progress toward those goals.

As teachers there are so many classroom responsibilities that are solely on you. However, collecting and analyzing data should not be one of them. Save yourself some time at the beginning of the year by teaching your students how to collect and analyze their own data. You'll be glad you did.

What investment strategies do you use to help students track their learning and set goals throughout the year?

-Carly

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The Curiosity Jar

How do nocturnal animals hunt?

What animal is the smartest?

What would happen if worms didn't decompose dead things?

These are just a few of the questions that my third graders came up with this past year. As a teacher I love it when my students are using their curiosity and asking good questions. 

However, I found myself running into two problems:

1.) I didn't seem to have enough time to throughly answer all of the excellent questions my students were asking.

2.) I found that I needed to do some more research myself before I could give my students the complete and accurate responses that they deserved.

My time-saving solution to this problem was THE CURIOSITY JAR!

Here's how it Works:

When you are in the middle of a lesson and a student has a question that you are not able to answer right away tell the student to put their question in the curiosity jar. The student will silently walk over to the curiosity jar, record their question on a slip of paper, and drop it in the jar. Meanwhile, you are free to continue on with the lesson. 

At a designated time during the week you can go through the questions in the jar with the students once you have had time to sort through them and research answers if needed. 

I have found that the curiosity jar helped me validate the questions that my students were asking while providing me with extra time to research the students' questions and save valuable lesson time. 

All you need is a jar or bowl and small slips of paper. I used an old fish bowl and halved index cards or Post-its. My students loved writing their questions in the jar, and I loved all of the time that was saved. Try the curiosity jar out in your classroom and let me know how it goes.

-Carly

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How to Get Students Invested in Learning Math Facts

"Do we have to do a timed test again today?" 

You hear the grumbles and the sighs as you hand out the papers to each student. While the old school drill and kill method that we grew up with can be effective, it is not usually the most motivating or engaging practice for students.

So what can we do as teachers to encourage our students' math fact fluency?

I have the solution that will turn the grumbles and sighs into smiles and cheers. And the solution to the math fact memorization blues is...

SUPERHERO MATH FACT CLIP CHARTS!

As teachers I'm sure we are all well aware that clip charts are used as an effective classroom management tool for students to visualize their daily behavior based on where their clip is on the chart.

I have taken that same concept and turned it into a way for students to visually track their math fact progress. When students pass a multiplication or division set they clip the clothespin with their name on it to that particular table.

After implementing the clip chart system students would ask me daily, "Are we doing clip ups today?" Clip ups are our daily ritual where I announce which students are clipping up. As I call them up to the front to move their clip, there is much rejoicing as students cheer one another on!

BONUS! You get to stand on the desk as you near the top!

The clip chart method is effective, because students can work at their own pace, and they feel a sense of accomplishment as they visually track their progress. The clip chart system also builds community as students cheer and encourage each other on to the top of the chart.

All of my math fact clip charts are available here.

Try it in your own classroom, and let me know what you think.

-Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!

Five Websites to Make Your Summer Planning More Efficient

It's that time of year again...summer time. Time to rest, relax, and of course plan for next school year. As you begin preparations for next year here are some useful websites that will be beneficial to check out.

Florida Center for Reading Research
Florida Center for Reading Research is based out of Florida State University. This website is beneficial for planning reading instruction. The goal of FCRR is to provide information about research-based practices related to literacy instruction and assessment for students in pre-K through 12th grade. One of my favorite things about the website is that it has free center activities that teachers can download.

Portland Public Schools Writing Resources
Portland Public Schools has created step-by-step lesson plans for writing based on the Lucy Caulkins units of study and aligned to the Common Core. These units for grades K-5 will save you hours of planning time.

Georgia Standards
Georgia Standards provides links to free math resources including curriculum maps, vocabulary lists, and performance task assessments for grades K-5. Also included are math activities, strategies for teaching and learning, and essential questions.

Mastery Connect
Mastery Connect gives you access to free common assessments aligned to the Common Core standards as well as other state standards. There is also a tracker option where you can upload your class list and track student progress.

Teachers Pay Teachers
Of course this list would not be complete without Teachers Pay Teachers. As you plan this summer, be sure to check out the unique products offered by other teachers on TPT.

What are your tips for planning over the summer?

-Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!

Minute to Win It Games

If you are not using Minute to Win It games in your classroom I would encourage you to try them out. The games can be used as brain breaks or rewards that the class can earn. They are also great for end of the year celebrations. I most recently used them as part of my balloon countdown end of the year behavior incentive. The students that earned the reward participated in three games last Friday. You can download the instructions for the games from my TPT store here.

Suck It Up: Students moved Skittles into a bucket using only a straw.

-Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!

Reflective Behavior Plan: Getting Students Thinking About Their Behavior

"Am I loosing my mind?"

That is the question I ask myself daily as the school year draws to a close.  If you're like me, your desk is littered with a plethora of caffeinated beverages from coffee to diet coke. It's really the only way of keeping your brain functioning from minute to minute.

Our students' behaviors are increasing and effort drops off as they begin to realize that the end is in sight. All of the tricks and tools are coming out of the bag as we strive to keep our students learning and engaged.

One tool that I have found particularly effective to keep students motivated is the balloon countdown. You can read about it in my previous blog here.

However, no matter how awesome the behavior plan, there are always one or two students that won't get on board. Right? You talk with them, call for additional parent-teacher conferences, take away privileges, and the behaviors continue to interrupt and distract.

It is for these special friends that I have created The Reflective Behavior Plan. It's FREE at my TPT store here.

The Reflective Behavior Plan is great because it targets specific student behaviors. For some students it's easy to pick out an infinite amount of behaviors to correct. However, I select only 2-3 of the most interruptive and distracting behaviors. Once students have those behaviors under control you can move onto the next goal. Start with some small victories. A big victory in behavior is the result of a collection of small victories.

Example behaviors that I have been working on with my students include using a level 1 or 0 voice in the classroom, keeping hands to themselves, staying in their space, and using respectful words. Throughout the day, students score a 4, 3, 2, or 1 depending on how well they have met the goal.

Each student reflects on his/her score. This means that in the middle and at the end of the day, our special friends, will write about how their day is going and what they need to do to continue having a great day or to turn their day around.

When students earn a certain amount of 4's in the morning and afternoon they get their reward. In order for the plan to be most effective, the goals that students are working towards need to be things that are highly motivating to them so that they want to reach their goals. Rewards can be as simple as 5-10 minutes on the computer or doing a job for the teacher. I've also found that students love to earn a break to play with shaving cream.

With The Reflective Behavior Plan, I love how my students are keeping themselves accountable, and they are so proud when they see on paper how they are meeting their goals.

Try the Reflective Behavior Plan out in your classroom and let me know how it goes.

What are you using effectively to correct behaviors?

-Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!

The Peacemaker Project: Promoting a Peaceful End of the Year

Towards the end of the year, the increase in "tattling" is inevitable. The students are growing restless as the end is near. They've spent the last nine months together and need a break. Kids are getting on each others' nerves now more than ever. The little stuff that didn't bother them at the beginning of the year is now constantly being brought up. "She's looking at me," is the most common complaint followed closely by "He bumped into me." Seriously.

As a way to combat this negativity, I created the THE PEACEMAKER PROJECT. Rather than focus everything negative, I want to redirect students' energy towards the positive aspects of their peers.

To begin the program, I spent a few minutes teaching my students about what it means to be a peacemaker. A peacemaker decides that they care more about a friendship than winning an argument. We watched this Kid President video on things we should say more often. We also discussed strategies which peacemakers use such as ignoring comments and walking away. 

After our discussion, the students and I created a "Be a Peacemaker" bulletin board. Every time a student is seen being a peacemaker, they get specific praise. They also get a small peace sign to decorate and add to the Peacemaker board. As you can see, it's getting pretty full!

Throughout the week, students also can nominate their peers for the Peacemaker of the Week. At the end of each week, we award a winner!

How do you keep the peace at the end of the year?

-Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!