Where in the World is 4mulaFun?

That's right--I knew you'd look!

It's Meg from Fourth Grade Studio here to fill you in on a little secret.  Today we were SUPPOSED to have a post from Jenn over at 4mulaFun but she is off presenting about Interactive Notebooks and experiencing the great happenings at CAMT 2013 in San Antonio, TX!

Don't you wish YOU could have been there?

She is documenting her experiences on her Facebook page, and I would HIGHLY encourage you to check it out!  She has great stories to tell, photos to show, and LOTS of ideas to share!  

How can you check it out?  Just click RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! to join the fun!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

(the artist formerly known as "Jenn")

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Organizing the Math Manipulatives Shelf: Summer Project Series Kickoff!

Is it just me, or is it a lot harder to think of things to write about on a blog for school when school isn't in session?  It's cruel; we've got all this time, but no kiddos to keep us on our toes.

Well, after some thought and lots of Pinterest browsing, inspiration struck.  Pictures of other people's classrooms have given me so many great ideas this year.  So maybe pictures of MY classroom could give me ideas this summer!  I don't mean pictures of my classroom perfectly staged, like it feels at the beginning of the school year.  I mean pictures of the "decay" that eats away at my classroom for 175 days while being inhabited by a couple dozen children.  What does my classroom look like when it's been used?  What are the areas that stick out like a sore thumb?  Because if I can hone in on those, I can really figure out what I need to do to make the organization more efficient.  And since I have the whole summer to do it, I might as well do it with style.

So over on my other blog, Shutthedoorandteach, for the next 6 weeks I'm running a "Summer Project Series."  Think of these as the "before" pictures, all of them taken right before the end of the year packing and organizing began.  I'll go over what worked in each space, what problems I plan to fix, and if I get stuck I'll ask for suggestions on how to solve those issues.  Then at the end of the summer I'll take some "after" photos.

The first area I zeroed in on when flicking through my cameral roll was my Manipulatives Shelf.  Be warned.  These pictures are not pretty.

What works:

1. I just created those fun "curtains" in my classroom colors to hide half of the stuff.  I made sure that the items we use the most are on the open shelving in the middle, and the items we're not currently using are under the fabric.
2. All the items are grouped together according to the units they are needed for.
3. A year after I "inherited" all these treasures and the various containers that housed them, I got rid of a few and got several plastic shoeboxes to replace them.
4. That same year I made labels for just about every box on the shelf (that coordinates with the Measureworks labels on some of our kits).

What I plan to fix:

1. That Fluff container has got to go.  But why stop there?  I feel like I'm ready to splurge and get rid of all the miscellaneous shapes and sizes and invest in uniform containers.  Maybe not every single item will fit, but most of it will, I'm sure.  I have a few shoeboxes in other areas of the room that I'll swap out.
2. Update the labels.  I've been working on some labels to match my classroom color scheme.  Getting new containers is a good excuse to swap those out too. 

These will be small cosmetic changes but hopefully they will project a nicer image.  Examining this shelf also sparked a lot of ideas regarding changes to other shelves, since I'll be swapping out those Sterilite containers.  So if you're interested in classroom organization and decor, stop by my other blog.  Or if you have ideas for my shelves here, answer in the comments below.

Amber Thomas's Classroom Favorites (TPT Store)

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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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Oh say can you see?! A sale to set you FREE!

Happy 4th of July to each of you!  We are so happy that you are taking a moment out of your day to stop in and visit us!  And because you have been so faithful to us, we have some deals just for you TODAY ONLY (most of them!)

First, some of the ATUE Crew have decided to have a SALE today!  Click on each of the logos below to go straight to their store!  Each of the participating members is offering a 10% discount on most items today!

 Jennifer's sale will be July 5th through July 7th

AND.... if that is not enough, a few more of us are offering a SHOW STOPPER (30% or more off) deal on one special item.  Check out those awesome deals below!

SHOW STOPPER from Jennifer Findley of Teaching to Inspire 5th. 

SHOW STOPPER from The Peanut Gallery

SHOW STOPPER from Heather of 2 Brainy Apples.

SHOW STOPPER from Jennifer of 4mulaFun

SHOW STOPPER from Jamie of MissMathDork

SHOW STOPPER from Andrea of Right Down the Middle

SHOW STOPPER from Amber of Shut the Door and Teach!

And finally, not a SHOW STOPPER deal, but an ALL JULY deal from Meg of Fourth Grade Studio!

Click the pic to go to Meg's blog to hear more about her AMAZING July deal!

There you have it!  A rockin' Independence Day sale for all of our loyal followers!  We wish each of you a VERY HAPPY holiday!  Be safe, be merry, and enjoy the SALE!!!  

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Sound the Siren: The English Police

I've been teaching English for many years, and I'm always trying to look for ways to "spice up" my lessons. English/language arts can be very dry, and it seems that very few students find it exciting. I also find that upper elementary kiddos don't always want to check their writing. ("Yeah, I know all of my sentences should have the comma rules you taught us, but I just don't feeeeeel like checking.") Well, it's not that they come right out and SAY that, but sometimes you feel like it's what they are thinking!

I've blogged about the English Police before on my blog, but I wanted to share the idea over here with my friends on ATUE. Ever since I started using the English Police in my classroom, checking no longer seems like a chore to students! It's actually FUN! 

Sirens blare and tickets fly as the English Police make their first appearance in my classroom. My students get such a kick out of this (and believe me when I say that even the students who THINK they are "too mature" for something like this are giggling so much they can't help themselves). My kiddos are 11 and 12, but I have found that they are still very much KIDS. Anything can be fun if the teacher is not afraid to be silly (which I am not), and silliness is contagious!

I am the police officer (complete with badge and accent depending on my mood). Sometimes I have a Southern drawl and other times, I sound more like I am from England! They never know what to expect. I always use a different voice so I am no longer "me" but rather "the police officer."

I also sometimes have a back up officer who sits on a student's desk if I have "pulled him/her over" to ensure that the student does not exit the vehicle (the desk).

I use my little police car that has a siren as my vehicle. I also have a police bike, but I save that for warmer days. I also have an ambulance at the ready in case someone's writing is soooo bad that it must be sent to the writing hospital!

I pick a focus area such as punctuation, spelling, capitalization, correct grammar, etc. I choose something we have been working on in the classroom. After students have been working for a little while and have enough for me to check, the police start "driving" around the room. I walk around looking for the first student I will "pull over." When I find him/her, I put the siren on and park the car on the student's desk. Students know they should always be nice to the officer!

I start with, "How are you today, ma'm (or sir)?" They can't stop giggling, especially when I use one of my accents! I ask to see the student's driver's license (which is the English notebook). I carefully inspect the focus area and ask the student questions as I do. I am kind of  a "bossy officer," but that seems to make them giggle all the more!

If a student has done well in the focus area, he/she may get a ticket. That's right! The English Police give tickets to the GOOD drivers! I use our school reward cards, but you could use any system you like. The police give the drivers with mistakes a warning, but if they are pulled over again with similar mistakes, they must do an extra practice page on the skill. If a student has way too many mistakes, we also call for the ambulance because that writing needs medical attention! Everyone tries to avoid the ambulance (and extra practice)!

After I am finished with the police for the day, I'll put my supplies away, walk over to the student who was pulled over and dramatically say, "Oh, my gosh! I heard you were pulled over while I was out of the room!!!! What happened?!!!!" Of course, they get a big kick out of this as well!

It may all sound a bit silly, but that's what gets them! They seriously check their work and try much harder when the police are around. Sometimes I hear students say, "I'd better check this in case the police are in the area." When the police haven't been around in some time, students hopefully ask me, "Are the police coming back soon?" I have used this method for many years, and it adds some much needed fun to English!

Remember...If you ever meet up with the Grammar Police, follow the tip below:

Stay tuned tomorrow on the Fourth of July 
for a SPECIAL POST you won't want to miss! 

Until next time, happy summer, friends!

You can find me here:

The Peanut Gallery Blog

The Peanut Gallery TpT Shop

The Peanut Gallery on Pinterest

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Problem Solving Doesn't Have to Mean "Word Problems"!

So if you are like most teachers who have ever taught math, you know that "problem solving" is critical.  When you study the Common Core, you realize that thinking skills and problem solving are at the forefront of it.  If the CCSS are a little new for you, I challenge you to reframe your thinking a little bit . . . instead of looking to see "WHAT do I have to teach in math?", instead look to see "HOW should I be teaching math?

In my opinion, one of the best features of the Common Core State Standards is the "Standards for Mathematical Practice".  These 8 standards talk explicitly about the "how" we need to be attacking math instruction.  These standards help us think about what we need to do to help students become independent problem solvers.  I don't know about you, but when I went to school "problem solving equaled word problems".  You too?

After all my zillions (21 plus) years in the classroom, I began to redefine my definition of problem solving.  I began to think of it more in the context of the Standards for Mathematical Practice--the "skills" and behaviors students need to tackle ANY problem they encounter.  Don't get me wrong . . . I love word problems.  In fact, my stores are FULL of different problems of different types.  What I like to make sure students realize is that problem solving simply means diving into a math situation to make sense of it.  Whether this be studying a pattern . . . explaining your thinking . . . solving a word problem . . . sorting items into categories . . . or any number of math "situations"--all of them help students deepen their understanding of math--but they have to be willing to TRY!

In my math classroom, we talk about "perseverance" ALL the time.  My goal is always for students to be willing to dig in and get started . . . to work to make sense of problems and to have a "tool box" of strategies to try.  So, before you begin planning for the next school year, I challenge you think consider not only what math CONCEPTS will you be teaching--but HOW will you help your student dig in, push their thinking, and develop the tools needed to take on any problem they encounter?

I have a few things you might be interested in--and, perhaps, have seen before.  The first two are freebies that might help you as you do your planning . . . I know some teachers put my questioning prompts right on a clipboard so they keep them handy.  Sometimes I think we need to train OURSELVES as much as we need to "train" our students!  (Admit it--sometimes you are too quick to jump in and solve things for the students, right?  We don't like to see them frustrated--but believe me--letting them struggle can be the BEST thing for them!)

Math Problem Solving Rubric FREEBIE

Questioning Prompts to Help Develop Problem Solvers FREEBIE

This final resource is a paid resource . . . but if you haven't used math journals in the past or want a new "twist" on them, this resource showcases 4 of my favorite math journal "prompts" that I do to try to get students taking risks with math.  Check it out if you are interested!  In it, I introduce 4 different ways that you can shake up your math journals!

A "Starting Place" for Math Journals

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July holiday!  It's hard to believe we are moving into July already.  Thanks for stopping by!

www.fourthgradestudio.blogspot.com

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Meg-Anderson

http://pinterest.com/dmamec/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fourth-Grade-Studio/154102318070432

or find me on Twitter at @FourthGrStudio

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Vista Print Creations

Summer for many of us is a time to rethink, plan, and organize for the upcoming school year.

Over the years I've had a love/hate relationship with Vista Print materials.

I love it because I get lots of classroom tools, but I hate it because I always fill up my cart to the max.

 Vista Print is a online shop to buy business or marketing related material. This could be business cards, stationary, labels, notepads....You name it.

Here are some of my creations over the years.

I use the car door magnets to display on my white board.

Business cards can be used in all kinds of ways. I've used them for homework passes, exit tickets or brainstorming and bucket fillers.

Address labels can be used for writing revisions, AR labels and folders.

These a just a few of my favorite ways I've used Vistaprint in my classroom. I usually wait to order until I get a good deal email that offers free shipping or a sale of some kind.

Have you used Vista Print? Share your ideas with us.

~Denise

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