Foolproof Ways to Partner Your Students

I don't know about you, but I have my students work with partners constantly. 

Sometimes partners are assigned strategically, based on data for intentional instruction.

Sometimes, however, I just need my students to find a partner or at least someone to turn and talk to during think-pair-share.

I was tired of my students taking forever to find a partner.
I was tired of my kids working with the same people over and over.
I was tired of saying "make a better choice" or "you aren't allowed to work together."

I have equity sticks and use them often, but the partnerships aren't planned and therefore often aren't great.

Thus, I introduce to you...

The Partner Wheel

I originally heard this idea from Amie Dean, The Behavior Queen. (Side note: SHE'S AMAZING!)

It's perfect for partnering your students. Put students that you don't want working together on the same circle… They will never figure out why they never end up as partners.  LOL! #teacherwin

I've been implementing more whole-brain teaching into my daily routines, so I've been using this partner wheel to determine weekly reading carpet partners. It may not be the prettiest thing, but it serves its purpose! 

Here's another tip: Search "circle segmented into __ parts" on Google images to find a circle that fits your needs. Print one smaller than the other, attach with a brad, and there you have it! 

Other Partnering Ideas 

Want to squeeze in a little more practice? Make your partnering academic! 

A perfect example is using one of my grammar puzzles. Pass out the pieces to your class, and each student has to find his or her match. Ta da, partners!

This works for vocabulary too. Put the word on one index card and the definition on the other. Laminate so you can use them over and over. 

Lastly, there are tons of options for cute partnering cards on Teachers Pay Teachers.

*          *          *          *          *

Which one are you going to try? If you make your own, please send a picture my way on Instagram either @schoolandthecity or @theprimarypeach.

Classroom Management Series: How Class Experts Can Save Time!

Have you ever wished that there were 3 of you in the classroom?  6 of you?  20 of you?  I have.  I have had those lessons where I couldn't even remember the next question I needed to answer.  I finally figured out a solution...Class Experts.

What are Class Experts?

Class experts are students who show great strengths in a topic or skill.  They are the students who can divide easily, read history books, and build Legos with ease.  They are the ones who write beautiful letters, write intriguing stories, read tons of books, and can handle stressful situations.  Most importantly they are the ones who can answer the question, "Can you help your classmate?"  Class experts are the mini yous!  They are the ones who can help the flow and pace of the lesson and save you tons of time!

How to Determine Class Experts

Of course the obvious answer is - from observation, scores, and assignments.  But class experts are more than just "getting- it kids."  The class experts are the ones who have a passion for the topic or skill. They are the ones who are willing to help guide their friends and not do it for them.  And they are the ones who can help share the passion for learning.  Before adding a student as an expert be sure to ask them if they are willing to be the expert.

Keeping Track of Class Experts (FREE Class Expert Form) 

You will need a list for keeping track of the class experts and this list needs to be one that both you and the students can easily access.  This form can easily be created, placed on larger paper, or you can just download my editable form here.  (You can edit these by placing a text box over the space you want labeled or just write your information on the printed form.)

Be sure to post  your classroom expectations for class experts.  Here are my expectations.

1. Ask an expert to help you through a problem, tell you a story, proofread your work, or watch to make sure you are performing a skill correctly.
2. Do not over demand the time of the class expert.  It is important that they get their work done too.
3. Use a class expert during appropriate times.  If the "green light" in not posted, do not interrupt an expert.
4. Don't expect them to do the work for you. This is your chance to get help quickly.
5. Share the knowledge. Pass on the wonderful skills and information you learn.

I hope this simple tip will help you mange your important teaching time.  Want more from the Classroom Management Series?  Just click the titles below.  FREE downloads are available to help guide you through the strategies.

Classroom Management Series: Are Your Students Self-Assessing?

Classroom Management Series: 5 Tips for Managing Writer's Workshop

Happy Teaching,

Jessica

Credits for Class Expert Form: 

KG Primary Penmanship and KG Blank Space Sketch

Digital Papers - JennyL Designs

Pin the image below to save this article for a later date.  

9 Things You Need from the Dollar Spot This Winter

You may think it's a little too early to be talking Christmas, but in my humble opinion, it's totally not too soon! In fact, Target (our favorite store) dropped their holiday merchandise THIS WEEK, so you have to stock up before the Dollar Spot is completely picked over!

Here are 9 things you could grab from the Dollar Spot before you miss your chance! 

First and foremost, you NEED these blank books in your life! My students L-O-V-E them, and so do I. Both of the book sets pictured below are too cute, but I chose to stock up on sets with more neutral covers since I can't do Christmas in my classroom. $3 for 6 blank books is a steal, in my opinion.

Want to help your students write neatly in their blank books? Grab my templates, which are FREE in my store!

I don't know about you, but I use mini erasers for ALL KINDS OF FUN THINGS in math! They are the perfect manipulatives to get your students excited about learning and practicing math. I most recently used fun erasers as a nonstandard unit of measurement. The opportunities are really endless. Snowmen, Christmas trees, penguins, oh my!

The next items can also be used in so many ways in your classroom. I use dominoes in math for fact families, addition, subtraction, and more. I thought the tumbling tower pieces might be good for STEM. If nothing else, they make easy, fun, and cheap games for indoor recess!

Clothespins can be found everywhere in my classroom. Most of my clothespins are boring, but the ones currently for sale in the Dollar Spot are just the opposite!

I found chalkboard clothespins first - how clever! You could use them to label stack of papers... "to grade," "to copy," or even "throw away after the kids go home." (Let's be real.)

Target had some pretty cute mini clothespins in the Dollar Spot too, which I've seen many teachers use for centers activities.

STAMPS! and INK! Just take my paycheck, Target! I bought myself some ink because, well, it was only a dollar, and I'm always needing an ink pad for some reason, so why not? The stamps were super cute, too! On second thought, maybe I should go back and get some...

I definitely did not buy any loud, jingly musical instruments for my classroom, but maybe you want to for yours! For only a dollar, a tambourine, triangle, or jingle stick would make a great gift for your students. If you put on annual performances, STOCK UP!

Because Target always seems to have us teachers in mind, you can find "shatter-resistant" clear ornaments in the Dollar Spot right now. Just look on Pinterest for lots of super cute ideas for ornaments that students can make as gifts for their families.

Do any of you have VIP caddies or VIP supplies as a behavior incentive? The Dollar Spot has plenty of festive pens and pencils to stock up on. I personally was obsessed with my own 6-color pen when I was a kid!

Primary teachers, these last items are for you! These magnetic letters, shapes, and numbers are super cute and would look great on your whiteboard! I came close to buying some for myself although I definitely don't need them.

What do you think? Are you running to Target now, or what?!

Have you seen anything else in the Dollar Spot lately that is perfect for the classroom?

Let me know in a comment below.

Happy holidays, and happy shopping! 

- Kristin from School and the City 

The Secret to Parent Conference Success

Hi this is Jessica Zannini from Notes from the Portable and today I want to tell you about how I was able to increase my classroom community through Student-Led Conferences.

Do the thoughts of upcoming parent conferences fill you with anxiety?  Parent conferences don't have to overwhelm your October schedule!  I am going to let you in on a little secret....have student-led conferences.

I am sure that most of you have had kids waiting in the hallway while you have a parent conference (there are times for those, but not often).  The parent is not really listening to you, because they are worried about what is happening in the hallway, or watching a younger sibling toddle around your classroom.  The kid is panicking thinking of all of the possible things you could be telling their parent(s).  By letting the student lead the conference, the conference becomes more meaningful to all of you!

Here are simple steps to take in letting your students take responsibility for their learning. (Don't forget to download your FREEBIES!) 

1. Start teaching the students how to monitor their own behavior.  Using a weekly self-assessment can help students track and monitor their classroom behaviors.  (Want to learn more?  Read this post Are Your Students Self-Assessing?)
   
2. Collect work samples.  Make it a point to keep examples of student work in a folder. Keep the good and bad samples.  Let the students pick most of the items to put in the folder.  If you start at the beginning of the year, take 1-2 items a week.  If you are starting this the week before conferences, don't fret, just collect what you can.
3. Schedule the conferences well in advance.  Use email, the remind app, or even a good old fashion phone call to remind parents of the upcoming conferences.  Be sure to tell them that the student is leading the conference and should be with them.  In the form you use for sign up, let them know how you will run these student-led conferences and give them an option to set an additional conference or extend the time if they would like to speak with you alone.
4. Practice during class.  Speaking standards are an important part of education. Teach your students how to lead these conferences.
• Model a student-led conference where you are the student and one of your students is the parent.
• Let the students go through their work samples and think about what they want to discuss.
• Let the students practice with a partner.
• Use the weekly assessment or your own weekly documentation system to show growth throughout the first quarter.

More Info on Student-Led Conferences: 

• The great thing about student-led conferences is that you can schedule more than one at a time.  No longer do you have to worry about the times being doubled up and you can easily reschedule missed conferences during the times you have blocked off already.  You can rotate in and out of conferences as needed.  Parents who are early or late can hop right in and not have to stand in the hallway worrying about where and what they must do next.

* This schedule was based on a wonderful school where I had lunches free.  
I also tried to schedule around my family needs too.  

• You know the students who will really need more guidance.  Plan to meet with those students and practice prior to the conference.  Schedule those conferences individually.
• Having the students lead the conferences makes them more authentic.  Parents are interested and engaged.  AND if you have a behavior issue and the discussion is led by the student being honest about what is happening, the issue is typically resolved much quicker (if not immediately).  No longer are you making accusations, the kids are telling what happens.
• You ARE part of the conference.  The difference is that it is no longer your show.  You are a part of the talk, not the only one talking.  If you have more than one conference occurring at one time, treat it as if you are the hostess at a party.  Give everyone the greeting and attention they need and move to the next, then circle back around.  

Click HERE to get your Student-Led Conference FREEBIES.  And if you know others who could use this information, please share it or pass it on!  

I'd love to hear about your student-led conferences experiences.  Please comment below or Keep in Touch by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Notes from the Portable, Teachers Pay Teachers or Twitter

How to Set-Up a Classroom Economy

Hey Friends!

It's Theresa, from True Life I'm a Teacher!

I wanted to share how I use (and have used for several years) a token economy in my classroom. I've taught at PBIS/PBS schools for 7 years, and a token economy is the perfect addition to what your school is already doing!

I've used this system in 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades, and absolutely LOVE it! Even better? My students love it, and that's really what matters.

While I don't use a clip chart, I have in the past, and a classroom economy can be used in conjunction with a clip chart.

Why Use a Token Economy?

• Reinforces positive behavior
• Targets specific behavior
• Targets behavior change
• Students work for delayed reinforcement
• Students receive immediate and delayed reinforcement
• Promotes fair exchanges, addition, subtraction, counting money, and economics

There are LOTS of different ways a token or classroom economy can work in your classroom. The best part is that it doesn't have to cost ANY money! I choose to spend a small amount of money on candy and gum, but not much.

Assign Values to Tasks

• Pay Day Monday - I pay my students on Mondays just for showing up. We talk a lot about how coming to school and learning the job of my students. So I pay them!
• Homework - I am NOT assigning homework this year, however, in the past I've paid my students for turning in their homework.
• Reading Log - I am also NOT assigning a reading log this year, but I also paid my students for completing their reading log each night.
• Take Home Folder - I pay my students daily for remembering to turn in their Take Home Folder each day.

Pay as You Go

• Hand out your classroom money as you catch students doing things they should. This is especially beneficial at the beginning of the year when you're trying to reinforce procedures, routines, and expectations.
• This can be continued throughout the year, or you can switch to the assigned values method once students know and regularly demonstrate classroom and school expectations.

Combination

• You can also use a combination of both methods. It really comes down to your students, their needs, and your preference.

How Much Do I Pay?

• Pay Day - $10 every Monday
• Homework - $5 every Friday
• Reading Log - $1/daily
• Take Home Folder - $1/daily
• Positive Behavior - $1 as needed

Deductions / "Fines"

• Depending on the age of your students, and your preferences, you may want to consider "fining" your students. However, in my experience, a classroom/token economy works much more effectively, if students are not penalized for misbehavior, BUT it also depends on each individual student.
• Some students respond well to understanding that there are penalties associated with certain behaviors. For example, students who are "blurters" may respond well to being fined $1 for each time they blurt. This is an intervention you can set up with individual students, or the whole class, if needed.
• Penalties aren't typically necessary because regardless of the method you choose, if a student isn't doing what they need to be doing (homework, expectations, etc...) they just wouldn't get the token for that task.
• For example, if a student doesn't turn in homework, they simply don't get paid for their homework...I do not also require them to "pay" me and amount.

So what do students DO with their money?

Fun Friday

• Every Friday is Fun Friday! It's the last 10-20 minutes of the day, and it's free time. Blocks, Legos, coloring, computers, board games, puzzles, pretty much whatever. That's the beauty of it. 
• Before students can purchase ANYTHING from the class store, they must pay for Fun Friday. It's not optional. I charge $5 for Fun Friday. Although, you could make it whatever you want depending on your class.
• You should charge a fair amount though. You WANT most or ALL of your students to be able to participate.
• Students who cannot afford Fun Friday, complete a reflection sheet, and have one-on-one conferences with me to talk about why they were unable to participate, and to set a goal for the following week!

Class Store:

• I open the class store every Friday during morning work. I call students back to my table a few a time. Students must purchase Fun Friday first, and may then purchase anything they'd like in the class store, that they have the money for. Does it take time? YES! However, the payoff is HUGE! The real life skills my students learn far outweigh the amount of time this takes each week.
• Students may also choose to save their money, to purchase a more expensive option from the class store. Some students spend every penny they have, others spend a little and save a little, others purchase only Fun Friday and save the remainder.
• These are the items I have available for "purchase" in my classroom. But the list is pretty endless. It just depends on what is allowed at your school, and what you want in your classroom. You can grab these "coupons" HERE.
• Shoes off in the classroom
• Computer time
• Choose the brain break
• Sit by a friend
• Fun Friday
• Choose a stuffed animal to have for the day
• New pencil (pencils with designs and mechanical pencils)
• Write with a pen for the day (student favorite)
• Chew gum
• Piece of candy
• Lunch bunch
• Treasure Box

• The ONLY things I spend money on are candy and gum! Everything else is just what I already have in the classroom, and are things that I'm willing to manage.

I use a small sheet like the one below for documentation. I use a check mark to show that they paid for Fun Friday, and then jot a quick note about what they purchased. On the back, I write down who has paid for Lunch Bunch, as I only have Lunch Bunch once per month.

The yellow tickets, are what my school uses in common areas, as well as at specials. These have a value of $5 in my classroom, and can be used just like our classroom cash.

Class Dojo - Student Stories

Hey there, It's Gary from ScrappyGuy Designs.   My first week with students is in the books for the 2016-2017 year. It was a roller coaster as usual, but we ended in a good place on Friday. One of the reasons for this is that I stuck to my classroom management tool, Class Dojo. There have already been some posts on the Primary Peach about using Class Dojo as positive management. Such as this one from Amy in The Land of 2nd Grade.

The creators of Class Dojo have really been working hard in the past few years to update their site and turn it into a true one stop shop for teachers, students, and parents. They've really listened to feedback and tweaked their site to include so many really useful features.

I love using it because the kids buy into it as soon as they are able to create their own character. They love the creatures and have fun coming up with their own. Also, the message feature is perfect for getting out notes to all the parents. I have it connected to my personal email, which parents can't see, so any replies come directly to my phone. I can choose to handle them immediately,  or wait until school hours. It's definitely made some problems go away for me. The Class Story feature is another favorite as I can upload pictures from the classroom to share with only parents without having to worry about Social Media security.

This year Dojo is including a new feature called Student Story. It works the same as the Class Story, but it is just for each individual student. You can post pictures or share achievements for just that person. I'm already thinking about goal setting for the students so parents can see how they are doing.

What is the best news about this new features is that the STUDENT can now add stories to this area. They can add pictures and other materials directly to their own student story. What a great way to have them submit work in a new and exciting way.

All they have to do is log in to their class dojo, scan the class QR code with a QR reader and it will allow them to post to their own story. They can even do this with their own devices in your classroom or from home.

 

I just think this is a great way to open up a child's work and breach the gap between home and school. Parents get immediate notice that something new is added to their child's story and they can give feedback on projects. This will open up a line of communication that has never been possible before between Teacher, Parent and Student as everyone can see exactly what is occurring in the classroom.

Give it a try!

 If you would like more ideas from The Primary Peach, be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook to catch all the freebies and ideas and more!

How to Manage Your Classroom Library

I love books.  Seriously, LOVE books...and if they are children's books, then I am a bit nutty. I might be a hoarder.  When it comes to books, it is all possible!

Over the ten plus years that I taught, I amassed a pretty large collection of books for my classroom library. So let's chat about how I managed the madness!

Here are a few pictures of how I organized my classroom library over several different years.

I had a very loose classroom management system for my library. Each of my students had a book box.  I reused these year to year.  Each box had a number on it that correlated to the student's classroom number. I ordered mine from Really Good Stuff and I highly recommend them.  They had GREAT customer service.  However, if price is an issue, Wal-Mart is selling similar sets of 4 boxes for about $10.

The student stored their book boxes on a large shelf in my classroom.  One year I purchased a shelf because there was not one available in the school.  Another year, I was able to snag a district  provided books shelf and they fit wonderfully!

I always set my classroom up into 4-5 table groups. Then, each table was assigned a day.  Table 1 was Monday, Table 2 was Tuesday and so on.  On each table's day, they were able to do special things like sit around the room on the cushions and beanbags during workshop time, always were called to line up first, and were able to "shop for books."

Students "shopped for books" after they finished morning work or first thing in the morning. I did NOT allow students to take my books home or out of the classroom without special permission.   This rule alone prevented kids from losing my books.  I did send home books, but I sent home printable books, so I wasn't as concerned if they got lost.  Books also had to be kept in the book box when they were not in use. Students were not allowed to keep books from my library in their desk or on the corner of their desk.

I also explicitly taught students how to care for books.  This video that mimics Mo Willems' pigeon books is ADORABLE!

Wouldn't it be a great way to engage students before discussing how to are for books!?!?

For the most part, my classroom library pretty much ran itself.  I would do random checks to make sure students were reading appropriately leveled books AFTER I taught the lessons by The Sisters about book choice. I DID NOT choose to level my books because I feel student choice it VERY important and can hugely impact kids' reading abilities. Instead, I organized my books by topic,genre, or author.

+

If you would like to read more about how I organized my library and want a step by step guide, check out this blog post!  I helped a friend organize her library and blogged all about our progress!

There are a million ways to manage your classroom library.  Some will be much more strict than I ever was, and that is okay, too! How do you manage your classroom library?

 If you would like more ideas from The Primary Peach, be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook to catch all the freebies and ideas and more!

PIN FOR LATER: