Classroom decor advice

I am not one to re-decorate my whole classroom year after year nor do I want to pour unlimited amount of money into my classroom. So here is a list of what to do with your classroom.

1. Lighting: I really hate ceiling lights. IKEA is the place to go for classroom lighting.

2. Colors: Have them, but select a few. There is no need to incorporate the entire rainbow in your classroom...a tad bit too much stimulation.

3. Smell: I know this really does not have to do with the look of the classroom, but you would be surprised to how much a pleasant scent can add to your rooms appeal.

4. Organization: Have a system that is functional. Both you and your students will appreciate this. 

5. Personal touches: Picture frames, banners, globes. Decorate your classroom like your home. People will notice and appreciate how your room feels like a home and not a classroom.

I do what I want

I do what I want.

There is a select group of students who think they can do what they want. In fact these words have even escaped their lips. My coteacher and I are a little confused to how they came to this conclusion. Did someone tell them that the rules do not apply to them. Were they given a get out of consequences pass that we are unaware of. It's a nice idea to think that we all could do what we want at any given time but we can't because we are members of society. We are not characters in South Park and Cartmen is a fictional character. So, even though you "think" you can do what you want; you might not like what happens after you follow through with what you say. 

A.K.A

There is no denying that student teacher relationship is a vital component to classroom success. Ignoring this fact would be foolish. I know I am able to get more out of a student if I have a positive relationship with them. Now this being said it is not always easy to build these positive relationship with all students. We all have our "difficult clients". There have been students that I am less than a fan of. Regardless this is not the NFL draft and I cannot trade a student for another. We have to work with what we have and bring out the best in our students even if some take a little more loving kindness than others. It's worth the challenge. I'd rather celebrate a students positive attributes than negative ones. 

Figurative Language Stories

I love teaching figurative language. I could spend a entire year diving into figurative language goodness. Well that might be an exaggeration. 

Hello Hyperbole.
 This year I kicked off figurative language with a goold ole' foldable. Where students defined each term and wrote a sentence example. Next we jumped into reading short stories that used figurative language and they had to identify examples as they read.
Then I unrolled their assessment for figurative language. They were going to write their own figurative language story (3 paragraphs). I gave them a variety of settings they could base their story off of (the beach, grocery store, school, bookstore and so on). They were required to write an example of each figurative language in a separate sentence in their story.  Students began this project by writing one sentence for each figurative language that would fit within their story. They were given a graphic organizer for this portion of the assignment. Each figurative language was assigned a different color to underline within their story. They provided a colored key and drew a picture to go along with their story. Loved this project and I am looking forward to doing this again next year.

The done and not done

Keeping track of who did and who did not write an essay can become quite a chore. I created this board in the back of the classroom. Each student was given a magnetic strip with their name on it.
Once their assignment was complete their name would go from the not done side to the done side.

They were sort of funny when they were able to move their name from one side to another. It was a sense of accomplishment for them.

This was a helpful tool for students to stay accountable for what they still need to accomplish. They were given an essay or project to complete within a months time and this board was a huge help in keeping count on who did and who did not complete various assignments. 

The social tango.

Social media plays a key role in today's society. It's the new form of communication. By now everything has been given a hashtag. Even my dog has one. #ruethedachshund And yet utter the thought of social media in front of teachers bank stare and shudders will surely happen. This not so new form of communication is uncharted territory for educators. We are warned of the dangers that such socializing online might bring on our career. Staff meeting are held outlining social media policies that teachers must abide by for their private lives.



Although we are aware of how tricky social media is we still embrace it in our teacherish way.  We have students edit celebrity Tweets, create Facebook accounts for literary characters and post an Instagram wall in our classroom. Social media is a breeze when it comes to decorations but actually using this resource in the classroom becomes a different challenge.





Social media can be used in one of two ways: communication and instruction.
Communication
Students are constantly using their phones to connect with others around them. So why are we avoiding this popular way of communicating? There is no denying the impact educators play in their students lives. We may be the only adult that cares for them or even takes time to ask how they are doing. Building positive relationships with our students is part of the job descriptions. Students are extremely aware when they are liked or disliked by their teachers. When we have positive relationships with out students we are able to get more out of them. There is a level of trust and respect when positive communication is involved. Social media could be used to enhance positive relationships with our students. An Instagram account can be created to highlight classroom happenings. You could assign a student for each class to take over the account and have them capture what they are learning that day. A classroom Facebook group account can be used to keep communication going not only with students but parents as well. I am not saying this form of communication should be constant but it's another avenue to explore when communication is discussed.
Instruction
A cell phone is always within in reach when students are awake and even asleep it's never far from them. I'm pretty sure they might stop breathing if they are without it. If this device is always by their side than why not use it for our advantage. Set up a Twitter account and have students lead a discussion about a book they are reading in class. Teachers can send SnapChats to their students reminding them of various assignments or assessments that are coming.

The education world must find its place in the buzzing Social Media world before we get left behind. I think it would be foolish of us to be scared away from all the red tape and dangers that this new way of interacting with others offers.

There Their They're

I have an irrational fear when it comes to homophones. I have mistaken your vs. you're a few too many times I care to admit. Scanning texts and email for these pesky mistake could become a hobby for me. Thankfully, I am not the only one guilty of writing the wrong homophone. I know this because I have edited my fair share of essays riddled with homophone blunders.

 Prior to our state writing test I wanted to address this ever so easy mistake to fix through comic strips. A list of homophones were on the board for them to pick from in order to create their comic strips. They had to write one sentence for each word within the homophone (were, where & we're). Each student picked three sets of homophones and created a comic strip for each set. I have to say this little activity seemed to have opened their eyes to the wonderful world of homophones.

Those test scores

Test scores are funny. Especially state tests. You work all year for these tests and then once you are done taking them you have to wait months on end to find out your score. This was the first year I administered the FAIR test which is taken several times throughout the year. Unlike state tests the results are automatic which seems to motivate students to out perform their last test scores. 

On the last FAIR test a student did so well that he wanted to document a job well done so he could show others. I enjoyed watching his excitement towards his test results. I rarely see this type of reaction with tests; mostly because I do not hand out high stakes test scores. 

 I believe when students are automatically given their scores there is a deeper meaning to tests. When there is a prolonged waiting period when receiving test scores the test is long forgotten once they arrive in the mail. 

If tests are taken online shouldn't the results be automatic? Just wondering. 

The fact of the matter is a test score will not define your fate.

Seriousness

This past year I had a pottery reading from a mimic poem that they wrote. A mimic poem is when students are influence by a previously written poem. The goal is to match the rhythm and general tone of the selected poem.  We were using Julio Noboa Palanco's Identity poem. This poem focuses on a positive and negative image from beginning to end. Students had to pick their own positive and negative image to incorporate into their poem. They also had to provide an illustration for their poem. For their final grade they were required to present their poem to the class. I was impressed by how professional they took this poetry reading. Some of the poems were serious and others were humorous in nature. And to top it all off they were respectful when their peers were reading. Snaps all around.

Multitasking

The day that Apple rolled out the new emoji keyboard created quiet a buzz in the classroom. 🐝So much so that we may have downloaded the new keyboard while we worked on writing stories. Some teachers might have flipped out with allowing this activity to occur, but lets face it you can either allow them to download the new improvement or they will do it behind your back. Plus you can teach them how to multitask. There is no need to stare at the screen while it downloads, it will not make it go faster. So while you wait let us get to finishing your stories. I may have downloaded the new emojis while they did too. Why not?

Overflowing decor

Classroom decor took a back seat this past school year. Documenting the classroom decor barely happened. These few pictures are all that I have for what the classroom looked like and I am okay with that. The attention that is put on how a classroom looks is a tad bit much...it's a classroom people. Desk, chairs, books, people, not much has changed unless you factor in technology. 

As you can see in the picture I do not keep my lights on, but light my classroom with lamps placed around the room. Lights make a major difference. Lower lights create a calm and welcoming environment. 

If I am going to focus on one aspect of classroom decor I will focus on organization and words of advice. Since I spend so much time in my classroom I want it to feel like home. The words of encouragement are a nice reminder for students as well as myself to be kind and take risks. The bulletin boards were covered using a geographical dictionary pages and that's it. 

The unbelievable

Students often question why I take pictures of what happens in the classroom and my response is because no one will believe these types of things happen in a classroom. Therefore I need to gather evidence to prove that such shenanigans occur in today's classroom. Case in point. A student did not have a normal size pencil so he decided to pull out this jumbo pencil and complete his work with. Might I add that this pencil required him to use a pair of scissors to sharpen. You see these are the things that people outside of school will not believe.  Here I am teaching a normal lesson about the Dust Bowl and what do I see from the corner of my eye but an enormous pencil being used. For those that are wondering the student did proceed to use this larger than life pencil to complete this assignment even though he was offered multiple normal size pencils. In fact, he continued to use this jumbo pencil for the next few weeks. I do not blame him, this pencil will most likely see him through high school. 

A year in review

Year six is in the books. This year was a nice change from the first five years of teaching. I taught two 8th grade English classes filled with a mix of gen. ed. and ESE students. I was given the opportunity to co-teach 7th grade English this year which was a wonderful experience. Co-teaching is a lot like parenting. Instead of two parents you have two teachers in the classroom. Students are interesting when they are trying to figure out this way of teaching. They often ask who is the actual teacher. For some odd reason they find it strange that there needs to be two teachers instead of one. We never really told them the real reason for why there must be two teachers. One is for the general education students and the other one is for the special education students. A couple students take having two teachers as an advantage. For example, if I say you cannot use the restroom they will wait two minutes (or two seconds) to ask Ms. C if they can use the restroom. Both of our responses are the same. This scenario is depicted in the picture. I just told a student no for getting a drink and then once I turn around he decides to ask Ms. C for a drink...the response was also no. 

Pass the papers

My least favorite classroom chore is passing back student papers. It's time consuming and half the contents get thrown in the trash once they reach the owner's hands. I devised a system that is working quite well, much to my delight. It's simple and quick. 

Here is the breakdown to painless paper pass out

1. assign each student a number

2. collect student's graded work in a bin (not pictured)

3. when a student is done early have them sort through graded papers 

4. student uses chart that goes with the numbers

5. student files paper in bin

6. presto student's work are neatly filed for them to look at

The correct way to say NO

This is the exact response I received from a student when asked to complete a classroom assignment. I believe the typical teacher would of been irritated by this refusal. I on the other hand was impressed by their creativity. There is a part of me that should of been annoyed that they misused paper and tape, but all I could do was sit back and be amazed. 

For the love of smart phones

Allow or not to allow that is the question when cell phones enter the classroom. Until recently I was not a huge fan of using cell phones in the classroom. Perhaps it was the group of students I was teaching, but this year these little devices have come in handy in more ways than one. 

Every student has access to a free agenda at the beginning of the year to record important tests, projects and assignments. I have yet to come across a student who actually uses their agenda for the purpose they were designed for. At the end of the day they are a glorified hall pass. Teaching students to use their agenda appropriately can be compared to teaching them a foreign language. 

Part of each classes routine is to fill in the lessons objective in their agenda for the day. To be honest having them write the lessons objective is insurance on my behalf. First of all I can skip the silly lesson objective opener that educators are supposed to include each day. "Now today students the objective is to comprehend the stories theme..." Second of all I can go back and show them that they were in fact taught figurative language even though they claim they were not taught this concept. Sure they grumble about filling in their agendas, but it is part of the education game so we play along. 

I do not make them write their homework in their agenda because I know and they know that they will not remember to complete their homework by writing in their agendas. Instead I have resorted to them taking a picture of their homework and making it their lock screen on their phone or tablet. And you want to know something. They remember to complete their homework when it is plastered to the front of their phone compared to hidden in their agenda. I believe the good ole' fashioned agenda days are numbered. 

Not only do smart phones ease the pain of remembering homework, but writing essays as well. It was only a matter of time before a student turned in their essay on a phone and not an actual piece of paper. To make this even better this argumentative essay was on if cell phones should be allowed in the classroom. Oh the irony. 

Broken essays

A couple of weeks ago I was leading up to students writing an essay on a story's theme based on Gary Soto's memoir one last time. The end result of all this work would have them write their own memoir where they would have to pick a them for their own life.

We were in the process of analyzing Soto's memoir, breaking down the plot line discussing possible themes and providing evidence that back up what they were saying. 

I was asking a lot of them. Each day I would reveal a new assignment that would cause them to go deeper into Soto's memoir. For the most part students were going along with the plan. But there was this small group of students that we're starting to grumble.

Their grumbling would intensify each day as a new challenging assignment was given. Until one day a student's head was slowly lowered and stayed there the entire class period. A complete system shut down occurred with this student. I observed from afar until it came time to see if I could intervene in any way. Turns out I couldn't. The class ended and this student went on the merry little way.

The next day I investigated as to why this student completely shut their door on me. You want to know why they decided to lay their head on the desk? I was giving them too much work to complete. I like to call this scenario 'earning my paycheck' I love when students ask why I make things so challenging.  That's part of the job description to challenge their brains.

Unicorn student

You know those students that are beyond amazing. The ones that complete an assignment before it is even given. They catch mistakes and serve as a second teacher in the classroom. Earning anything less than an A is out of the picture. You know the type. They don't come around often but when they do its a sight to see. These students are about as common as a unicorn.

 I have had the privilege of having such students in my class. I marvel at their unbelievable talent to make anything they do look effortless. The funny thing is, they don't brag about their amazingness and the other students don't despise them for being overwhelmingly awesome. How can anyone not gaze in amazement when a unicorn is in their presence. 

I will admit there are times when these unicorn students should just teach the class and I will play student for the day. I do not hesitate to have them assist other students who are having difficulty. Perhaps a small percentage of my paycheck should go to them.

I want to be them when I grow up.

Yes, I know this is not a unicorn. 

It's a miniature elephant. 

Also as rare as a unicorn

Losing Focus

It's easy to lose focus in the classroom. From state assessments, data collection, formal observations and common core curriculum. With everything that is shoved our direction educators can lose focus on why we entered the classroom in the first place. 

To regain our true purpose in the classroom perhaps we need to examine those that warm our desks on a daily basis. I know when I become overwhelmed with my ever growing to do list I literally glance across my room and all the noise in the background disappear as I am reminded that I am in the classroom for my students. 

I am not a teacher so I can perfectly administer a state test, put on a dog and pony show for an observation, get caught up with all the latest technology trends, create a perfect IEP, earn a highly effective rating on my evaluation or collect never ending data. I am in the classroom for my students and that's it.

I believe when students are put first in the classroom everything else falls into place. Does this always work, no. But I'd rather put them first then put them last. When we lose focus on who our students are and who they are becoming then the joy of teaching vanishes. 

That one time...

It's one thing to be caught texting in class, but to recreate a cell phone on an index card and pass it to your friends in class deserves a round of applause. To be honest with you I was in complete awe that a student would go to this length to text in class. Imagine if this much effort was put into class work. Perhaps our grades would not be on the lower end of the spectrum.

Background: this student had their phone taken away by their parents; which obviously caused severe enough withdrawal to create an illustration of a cell phone.