Test Incentives and Motivational Ideas

It is that time again...time for state testing! In order to get my students motivated and ready to ace the test, I always spend time prepping for their incentives. A few years ago I began to keep a log of the incentives I would use with my students. I finally compiled them into a fabulous go-to resource to make my prep time shorter. 

Here are some examples of incentives I have given to my students. 

Because my students begin to test next week, I am going to give this resource to one lucky winner. The rules to enter...(1) You must leave a comment on this post with your email address and (2) Share this on either Pinterest or Facebook (if you don't have either, tell a friend). I will choose a winner on Sunday at 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. I will post the winner, and I will email the winner the resource. Make sure you comment with your email address and spread the word. 

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January Writing Bundle Winners!!!

Congratulations to the winners of the January Writing Bundle! 

I had help from my daughter this morning. She drew three names of readers who left a comment with an email address. I was also babysitting my nephew while my sister went to work out (which is what I need to do, too). Well, he wanted to draw three names as well. And so he did. 

We doubled the number of winners! The writing bundles have already been emailed to the winners. Thank you for entering and reading our blog! 

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A New Year...Freebie

It's a new year, everyone! I trust everyone has had a wonderful, relaxing break. I know I have enjoyed relaxing a little and spending time with my family. This week I have been busy gearing up for the journey back to school. We start back on the 6th with a Teacher Workday. The students return on January 7th.

In celebration of ringing in a new year, I am giving away my January Writing Bundle to three lucky readers. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post with your email address. I will randomly select three winners from the comments.

January Writing Bundle

For everyone else looking for something for the kiddos to do when they return, I have a freebie It's a New Year {Writing Activity} ready for your to download. Don't forget to enter the giveaway! I will choose a winner on Saturday morning.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year! 

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Stop! Grammar Time!

Teaching grammar can be a tedious task! I know it. You know it. The students know it, too. If it is so difficult (and sometimes too abstract), why teach grammar? 

As educators, we want our students to be prepared to face the real world. We want them to be ready to land those high-paying jobs and lead our future. But above all else, we want them to know everything they need to know because it is our job. 

Here are some reasons students need to learn grammar:

1. If we want people to listen to us, we need to speak correct English. Have you ever been in a meeting or a professional development class and heard the speaker say something that didn't sound quite right? I am sure we all have at one time or another. I want my students to be able to speak in front of people and sound like they have the intelligence to speak about whatever is on their mind. 

2. Correct grammar lands jobs. Let's face it. No one is going to hire you if you do not present yourself in a positive manner. Speaking correctly is one of the best ways you can present yourself as a first impression. You want to leave your job interview knowing you were able to articulate your strengths to the employer. 

3. Your written word follows you. We may not always think about it, but each time we put our thoughts onto paper, they are there as long as the paper lasts. By learning grammar, we are able to write our thoughts and feelings correctly for others to see. 

There are many other reasons grammar is an important part of the curriculum. As educators, we have to find creative ways to teach grammar to our students so that it sticks with them. In order to be great at it, they must practice, practice, practice. 

Stay tuned to my next post to read about strategies to teach grammar. Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

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Flipping through the Year

As a first-year Instructional Coordinator, I am learning about the various teaching styles of all the wonderful teachers who teach at the school where I work. I thought I knew them well; however, I have enjoyed getting to know them even better through a different lens. I love the autonomy our teachers have to teach how they feel the students best learn. Our teachers do not follow scripted lessons, they are not bound to "having" to teach a specific way, and they are able to use their creativity to enhance the learning experiences of our students. 

Last year, one of the middle school teachers began "flipping" his classroom. At first, we all looked at him with questioning eyes. We were curious about how it would work, but at the same time, we were afraid for him if it didn't work. He had researched this method (new to me then) and was equipped to handle the hiccups that might occur along the way. He recorded the instructional videos and loaded them to a server we have access to through our school. He explained to us the students would have to take ownership in their learning and be held accountable for the material.

We still thought he was taking a huge chance. We were concerned about the students who might not have a working computer or internet access at home. What would they do? How would this impact their learning? [He had it all worked out, and there were never any problems with lack of technology because he planned ahead.] 

He presented the idea to his students. They immediately loved the idea. Some of the parents were a little concerned because they did not want the instruction and education to be anything but the absolute best. He had the full support from the administration, and he began the journey. 

At home, the students watched videos of him teaching the standards and content they needed to learn. The next day, the students were placed into collaborative groups to discuss the videos and complete an assignment to demonstrate understanding of the content. After the teacher was sure the students understood the content, they took quizzes using a CPU system that immediately recorded their scores. The students loved learning this way. And the parents bought into the idea because their children were excited about learning. Instead of using the computer to play games or surf the internet, they were using it to learn. How awesome is that! 

He is still using this flipped, or inverted, method of teaching his students this year. In addition to the students enjoying it and learning, he has received comments from the parents. One parent told him, "My son watched all of the videos in one night. He sat there until he had finished all of them. And we know he cannot sit still long." 

I am so thankful that Mr. Mizell introduced our small, rural community to this method of teaching  (and reaching) our students. Thank you, Mr. Mizell, for stepping out of the box and taking a chance. 

Do you use this instructional method in your classroom? If not, do you know of anyone who does? I would love to hear your thoughts on flipped classrooms. 

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What's the Big Deal Anyway?...Engaging Students in the Classroom

Teachers spend countless hours writing lesson plans and tailoring activities to meet the needs of their students. They modify, accommodate, and differentiate. They plan for whole group, small group, collaborative pairs, and individuals. They are on top of their game and know the score. They love their students like their own children. But sometimes, many stop and ask, "What's the big deal anyway?" 

Whether the answer to the above question be to provide the best educational experience possible or simply to remain sane throughout the school year, teachers need to know how engaging students in the classroom works. By engaging students, they are taking responsibility for their learning. They are buying into the concepts being taught in class, and they are taking an active (rather than passive) role in their learning. 

Here are some simple, yet effective ways to get students engaged in the classroom. 

1. Enlist their help. Students love to help in the classroom. It makes them feel a part of the whole group. Opportunities arise all of the time for teachers to enlist the help of their students. This can be asking them to help you demonstrate a concept through role-play, be the score keeper of the class review game, or even help pour the ingredients into the "stone soup" that the class is making (see above picture). 

2. Provide opportunities for games. What child does not like to play games? I know as an adult, I still love to play games of all sorts. Any time you can provide students with several minutes for any type of game, you have their attention. The wonderful idea about games is there are so many varieties for teachers to choose from to engage their students. You can play Jeopardy as a whole class, Scoot as a review game with task cards, use flash cards and have the students beat the timer, etc. 

3. Use centers and task cards. Students LOVE task cards of all types. Create a place in your classroom that will be the "Center Headquarters" and have students rotate through the center. Use task cards for the concepts you are teaching in class. Students concentrate on the one thing each task card is asking, and the students are getting extra practice to master the concept. 

4. Assign fun projects. My students loved working on projects. With the rigorous curriculum and dwindling budgets, it is easy to stray away from assigning projects for the students to complete. However, projects provide a hands-on learning experience that is very valuable to the students. The above project was completed by two of my former students. They had to create a city. They used brownies as their buildings and icing  and candy to construct their roads and green spaces. They had a blast doing this, and it is something they will always remember. Projects do not always have to cost a lot of money. At the beginning of each year, send home a list of items that you would like the parents to send to school as they collect them throughout the year (ex: toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, Pringles cans, old newspapers and magazines, and any new, inexpensive items students could use to create projects). You will probably find, the parents will send it in without reservation. 

5. Take a trip. Learning about history is always more meaningful when you can see it. I know this is very difficult to do in many cases. With that said, there are ways to visit places without costing tons of money. One way is through virtual field trips. With Internet, it is possible to see places instead of just looking at pictures in a textbook. If your school is within walking distance to a courthouse, take a walking field trip when you are studying the judicial system. Many judges and lawyers are more than happy to speak with students if you call ahead of time and tell them you are coming. And if money is available, take your students to places they may not ordinarily go with their parents. The more they see and hear, the more they will learn and know. 

Engaging students in the classroom is critical. Get them up, get them moving, and get them actively participating in the classroom. You will have students who love to learn and who are willing to dig deeper because it is interesting to them. 

I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday!

Thank you to Graphics From the Pond for the use of the chevron borders! 

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Wearing Different Hats

Many of us wear many different hats throughout the school day. Some even change their hats as soon as the school day ends, and we put on a different hat for after school activities with students such as sports, clubs, and tutoring. For some, our hats may change as school years end and begin again. For me, this is the case. 

As the school year approached, I found myself in a position to change my hat and wear a new one. The opportunity came for me to apply for a leadership role in the school where I teach. I thought long and hard about this opportunity. I discussed it with my family and close friends. I prayed about it. While I have always thought about leadership roles, I never dreamed it would come as soon as it has. 

I have always LOVED being a classroom teacher! Always, even on days when I sometimes feel that I am not getting through to my students. I love their enthusiasm. I love their quirks and numerous personalities. I knew that if I ever pursued a leadership position, I would lose that close bond that teachers form with their students. Yes, I know principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, etc., can still form bonds with students, but the bonds are different. In my 11 years teaching, I have thoroughly enjoyed each student that I have taught. Some were harder than others, but all have a special place in my heart. 

With my mind made up, I decided to give it a shot. I knew that if it was meant to be, then the door would open up for me. If not, I knew that teaching in a classroom setting was where I needed to be. When I left the interview, I felt I had given it my best and answered the questions honestly and to the best of my ability. When I received the phone call informing me that I would be the new Instructional Coordinator at our school, I was elated. While I know I will genuinely miss working one and one with the students on a daily basis, I am excited that I will have more opportunities to go into classrooms and see all of the levels of learning taking place. 

I wish I had pictures to share with you of my old classroom and my new office- that I was able to go into as mine for the first time yesterday. I have a lot to learn in a very short amount of time. I will begin my new position this upcoming week as I conduct a two-day meeting with third grade teachers from our county as we revise county teaching maps, unit plans of study, and nine week assessments. 

Are there any of you who will be wearing a new hat this school year? If you have any advice for my new position, please share it with me as well. What is something your Instructional Coordinator does  that you think is awesome? 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I know it is not as informational as other posts about innovative ideas to use in your classroom, but I wanted you to know about my news, and hopefully, you can offer ideas that would be great for me to use in my new role. 

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The Ups and Downs of Common Core

Wow, what a year! I have just finished my first year teaching the Common Core Standards. Many questions that I started the year with are still unanswered. It has definitely been a learning experience for me, but I have so much more to learn. I am aware that many other states, counties, and schools adopted Common Core long before our county, but this year was my first diving into the standards and putting the pieces together.

Why Common Core? Last summer I set out to conquer the Common Core so I would be fully prepared to teach the standards when my students walked through the door on the very first day. The first place I went was, of course, the Common Core State Standards Initiative website. As I perused the site, several things became apparent to me: this was going to be quite a learning curve, students would come to my class without some pre-requisite skills, and rigor would definitely be increased.

I knew that this would be a learning curve. All summer I read everything I could find about the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. I read blogs of teachers who were already teaching the standards. I kept a journal of ideas I could use when teaching certain standards. When we would meet for county meetings, no one could really explain to us what was expected. I know that this year would be a challenge, but it was a challenge I would accept because I wanted my students to walk out of my classroom at the end of the year with all of the knowledge and learning experiences they needed to be successful in the next grade. I learned so many things this year. I learned that my instructional time needed to be adjusted. This took a little getting use to because I was so familiar with our old Georgia Performance Standards. I also learned that my assessments needed revamping. I added a lot more written responses to everything we did- comprehension questions, quizzes, tests, etc.

When diving into the standards last summer, I immediately knew that a lot of my students would come to class without the background knowledge needed for certain standards. Luckily, our state put together a "transition" guide with skills we would need to teach in addition to all of the other required standards. My bell to bell classroom became even more jam-packed. I felt at times my students were a little overwhelmed. Whenever I would feel I was putting too much on them, I would take a step back and incorporate a fun assessment for the students to demonstrate that they were really grasping the content. When they realized they were getting it, they became more confident and were willing to hang in there with me.

Rigor, rigor, rigor. This is one word that sums up what comprised our year. One concept that took my students a little while to master was citing textual evidence. They always wanted to go straight to the answer without having to tell why. We worked on this all year. By the end of the year, I can honestly say they began to get it. My students were pushed to dig deeper and cite more than they have ever had to do in the past. When our test scored came back, we were all jumping for joy at the results. They had aced that test, and I couldn't have been more proud of them and all of their hard work.

How has your classroom or teaching changed due to the implementation of the Common Core Standards?

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for our Fun 4 All Linky!

Have a fabulous weekend!

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TenMarks

With the end of the school year in sight for many teachers, the days seem to lend themselves to meetings, grading those final exams and essays, and meeting with students and parents to evaluate progress. The days can seem to go on forever. However, this week I can honestly say I learned some valuable information while attending those meetings.

I have been sitting in promotion/retention meetings all week. For each student we have met on, there have been strategies, helpful tips, and the information about summer school shared. In several of our meetings, my colleague and math wiz shared a program with our group. The program is called TenMarks. Until these meetings, I had never even heard of the program, maybe because I do not teach math, but nonetheless, she felt the program would offer needed assistance to many of our struggling math students.

As soon as I left the meeting, I went straight for the computer. I had to see what this program was all about and how it could help students. To my surprise, the initial website offered wonderful information. Many times this is not the case, but this company knows how to market. Because of this new information I stumbled upon, I wanted to share it with all of you. (I am not a sales person for the company or any related entity to it. I learned about it, and I felt it was information many math teachers would love to have.)

Upon further browsing, I found links to the state standards, content covered for grades 1-10, differentiation, and remediation. If I was a math teacher, I probably would have been turning cartwheels down the hallway! It had so many ideas and resources to reinforce what the teachers were teaching in the classrooms. It is aligned to the SBAC and PARRC; their are example questions that familiarize students with these assessments. There are short video clips that explain content. The instruction is data-driven and individualized.

By the time our meetings rolled around today, our instructional coordinator had informational materials to hand to the parents about this program. A school system can purchase it, or individuals can pay a fee to use the program. It is a fantastic tool for students to use over the summer to continue to practice those concepts and be ready for the next grade's standards. It is also a wonderful resource, whether a student is struggling or not, to use throughout the summer break to keep their minds working and retaining the learned information.

If you teach math or if you are a parent of a child in grades 1-10, I would highly suggest checking into TenMarks.

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week! 

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Hands-on, Hands-Down

As a student, I remember sitting in my desk all day long. The only time we were allowed to get out of our desks was lunch, bathroom break, and recess. Pencils had to be sharpened before school, and there were no interruptions in the classroom. We used paper and pencil and nothing else. Working in groups or with a partner was unheard of because we might get off-task. It was pretty monotonous.

Fast-forward to my fourth grade year. I actually got to complete a hands-on project...at home, not at school, but it was still a hands-on project. My parents and I had the most fun with school work that I had ever had. Ever! My assignment was to build a replica of a volcano. I did this with the help of my parents, and I had a blast. I remember everything about volcanoes because of this assignment. Who knew they could be so fascinating because when we learned about them in class, they seems pretty boring sitting on the page in the textbook.

There has been so many studies about methods of teaching students over the past several years. The one study that I believe is accurate is the one that promotes hands-on learning in the classroom. Students who are afforded opportunities for hands-on learning are required to actively participate and they are "learning by doing." I believe hands-on learning also fosters a sense of independence in a student because the student takes ownership of his/her learning, thus creating the opportunity for the teacher to serve as a facilitator and guide the students.

There are some concepts that simply cannot be taught without some form of hands-on activity. For example, learning to play basketball would not be possible if you could not actively participate in a hands-on way. Sure, you could be taught the rules, procedures, and plays on paper, but you would not have a good grasp how to dribble, pass, shoot, and score without actually going to a basketball court and holding that basketball. This is the same for students. Some students cannot learn without seeing it, feeling it, or doing it.

In my language arts class, we are reading a book about the collapse of the world. Instead of simply asking the students to tell me what they would do if the world suddenly ended and they were left to survive, I had them work in collaborative groups to make a survival guide. The students loved it! Not only did the students love this activity, but I was also given another opportunity to learn more about my students. (I learn more and more everyday!) In their survival guide, they had to develop a list of items they would need to survive, sketch and explain how they would construct their shelter, develop a plan to survive the four seasons, and create a time capsule of ten items with pictures. They did a wonderful job!

Here are some of the pages of their survival guides:

The students still used paper and pencil to complete this activity, but it was completed in collaborative groups, discussed, and I completely served as a facilitator. 

Anytime I plan my lessons, I try to think back to my fourth grade volcano experience. Am I able to plan something hands-on with every lesson? No, but I do try to make those hands-on experiences meaningful for the students and ones that they will remember. I believe the best teaching is that where traditional teaching and hands-on learning work together. 

What are some examples of hands-on learning that work well with concepts you have taught? 

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Implementing Task Cards into Your Classroom

When the school year began in August, I was constantly looking for ways for my students to gain mastery of the Common Core Standards and be able to apply their learned knowledge to other content areas throughout the year. The catch...it had to be engaging and hands-on or my students simply would lose interest quickly.

I began experimenting with task cards. I know they have been around for quite some time now, but I just had not jumped on the "Task Card Bandwagon" yet. When I introduced them to my students, they absolutely loved them. I mean loved them!

Because I teach language arts and social studies, I have spent a lot of time creating task cards for the various topics and standards we cover in my classes. Every time we begin a new unit, my students immediately ask me when they get to do task cards. The students enjoy the task cards because they play an active role in their learning and demonstrating what they know. It is so wonderful to watch!

If you have not tried using task cards in your classroom, my advice would be to definitely give it a try. I started small and worked up to what we are doing in class now, but it one of the best methods I have found that allows the students opportunities to be engaged, learning, and having fun.

Below are two pictures of my most recent set of task cards. They are task cards for idioms, and they are perfect to use during the month of March because the theme ties in with St. Patrick's Day. Click HERE to download your FREE set of these task cards.

I hope that everyone has a fantastic weekend!

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All to Pieces

How do you get your students motivated to write? Throughout the year, I have little tricks that I pull out to get my students excited again and again. One is a LEGO writing activity. Who doesn't love those little pieces all over the floor?

First, the students get into groups of three. If you have more than three group members, it can get to be too many hands or one person winds up simply sitting and watching the others. I assign tasks: recorder, designer, and contractor. The students decide in their groups who will complete each task.

After the jobs have been chosen, I tell the students they have a very important job to do today; they have to design and construct a functional item with their LEGOS, but they also have to write very detailed instructions for other groups in the classroom to be able to rebuild it using only the instructions. You can immediately see their eyes light up! It is great! Those wheels are already turning, and they cannot wait for me to quit talking so they can get busy.

I have a classroom helper hand each group their buckets of LEGOS. The students can only work with the pieces they are given. The groups dump their pieces out in their assigned work areas. (Now, this is the part where my "everything has to be clean and tidy" characteristic has to take a backseat and let those little pieces scatter everywhere.)

Each student assumes his/her role. The recorder has the hardest job in my opinion because this person has to document every piece and sometimes those pieces change and the instructions have to be changed as well. The designer has to come up with the idea and tell the recorder step-by-step what pieces are being used and how they are being used.

The contractor gets to put the pieces together to see if it is all going to fit together. The designer works closely with the contractor and makes changes if needed. The recorder is still frantically trying to write down all they are doing.

The students work to make sure their item works properly and will serve a function. 

This is a finished product. This group built a garage with a ramp to park their utility vehicle. I believe they used all but seven pieces out of the the ones they were given.

One thing that I love about this writing activity is the students are all fully engaged and participating. I have never had a student not want to participate in this activity. After each group is finished, the new items are taken apart. The recorder writes or types a final instruction manual. On the next day, the groups exchange buckets of LEGOS and instuction manuals. They construct another group's item to see if the instructions match the item.

It is a wonderful writing activity, and it is definitely an activity the students continue to talk about all year. What methods do you use to motivate your students to write?

I hope everyone has a HAPPY FRIDAY!

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Meet Andrea from Right Down the Middle

Wow! Where do I begin? You have already met five of our outstanding contributors. I hope you are as excited about this new blog as I am!

My name is Andrea M. Bentley, and I was born and raised in a small, rural community in southwest Georgia. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to become an educator. I think I even began developing lesson plans when I was probably seven years old. I would "teach" my younger sister (who is also a teacher) in our classroom that our parents created for us. Having fantastic teachers throughout my schooling also helped seal the deal for my degree aspirations.

I am a wife, mother, teacher, dreamer, and author. I am an avid distance runner, and I enjoy the release it gives me when I am on a long run. Outside of teaching school, I also teach dance lessons for a local dance company. I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling to new places, and watching the University of Georgia Bulldogs play on Saturdays. (Now I am not sure what I will do on Saturdays until September rolls back around and games begin again!)

I have been teaching for 11 years. The grade levels and content courses are many. I have taught 6th grade-11th grade English Language Arts, Reading, Social Studies, and Advanced Content courses. I have my Bachelor degree, Master's degree, and Education Specialist degree. I am certified to teach 4th grade-12th grade, and I also have my Gifted certification. I have been teaching at a PreK-8th school for six years now, so each year my schedule has the possibility to change contents and/or grade levels. We move and rotate where we are needed because it is such a wonderful school with a very supportive administration. This year I am teaching ELA, Social Studies, and Georgia History. I have six classes that rotate through my classroom each day.

In my 11 years being an educator, I have always created my own lesson plans, assessments, activities, and centers. I must say, one day last year, I ran completely out of steam. I began searching the internet for ideas to use with a novel I was about to teach my students. I didn't find anything to use with the novel, but what I did stumble upon was one of the best websites I had ever seen...you guessed it...Teachers Pay Teachers. I browsed the site and immediately registered for an account. I uploaded a small lesson that I created for my students. A few months passed, and then I began to upload new products. It has been an awesome journey! But, I will have to tell you, my favorite part of Teachers Pay Teachers is the collaboration teachers are able to have. It has definitely been the best professional development I have personally ever had!

Fast forward to now...I am now getting to collaborate with 13 other top-notch teachers and bloggers! I am beyond excited! I hope you will continue to visit each day to learn more about the remaining collaborators. You are in for a treat!

For the first freebie I am giving, click HERE. It is titled "Haiku Poems: Honing Our Haiku Skills." My students love it, even those who do not enjoy poetry as much as I like it.

Also, for today only, my Teachers Pay Teachers Store is having a 10% sale on all items. Follow my store to receive updates on new products and resources.

My blog Right Down the Middle is a newer adventure I have set out to explore. Please follow my blog for ideas to use in your classroom and freebies.

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest!

BONUS: For anyone who comments on this posts and pins the blog post to pintrest gets a chance to win the Martin Luther King, Jr. {Literacy Mini-Unit} from my TpT store. At 10:30 PM, I will put all who comments and pinned into a bowl and draw a name. Please leave your email address in the comment so that I can send it to the winner. I will name the winner in the comments. Good Luck!

I hope everyone has a Terrific Tuesday!

Andrea

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