And we all know that providing incentives for 5th grade can add up quickly, so when brainstorming this list, I only chose ideas that can be implemented without spending any money and without challenging systems to navigate.

Tips for Providing Incentives

I want to remind you that you do not need to give out an incentive every time you want to see a desired behavior. Verbal and physical recognition (thumbs up, high five) is a necessary part of managing a classroom and developing strong relationships. I recommend coming up with a system for how students earn these incentives after displaying the desired behavior numerous times over the course of a day, week, or month. 

Choose a day for all of the incentives to happen. Wearing a hat? Chewing gum? Bringing a stuffed animal to school? This only happens on Friday or whatever day you choose. This is one less thing to track or manage. In addition, you can use this same idea for when passes or incentives are distributed.

Have students contribute to your incentives! Put out the call to caregivers for items for your “treasure box.” The number of tiny trinket plastic stuff that I am itching to remove from my household at any given time is in the millions. 

Batch process creating your incentives and passes. Make your hat pass, print on colored paper and have a stack in your desk. Passes are only validated by your signature or special stamp. 

Ask your students what they like or want! While my ideas were loved and used by my students, your students may enjoy other things. Culture is ever evolving! One year my students could earn time flipping a water bottle (this was 2016 I believe). Capitalize on current trends and use them to your classroom’s benefit. 

Here are some ideas for free incentives to use in your 5th grade classroom:

 Incentives for the 5th Grade Class

• Extra Recess/Outdoor Time – This was far and above always picked by my class. I liked it too! Choose a positive behavior you would like to see, and everytime your entire class displays it, they get a letter. (Think: F R E E T I M E or O U T S I D E)
• Extra Tech Time – With a list of approved websites, this was a popular choice too!
• No Homework or shortened assignment – You will have to plan for something else to do in class if you don’t already assign homework.
• Fort Day – I saw this idea from a teacher Facebook Group. Students bring blankets to school and create a fort using their desk as the structure.  Students can still work on assignments or read during this time. This is such a great idea!

Incentives for Individual Students

• Bring in a stuffed animal (desk pet) – This could be the cutest idea on the list.
• No shoes in class/wear slippers – Create a pass for students to carry around to show their special teachers or anyone else who may inquire about said slippers.
• Wear a hat/hoodie for the day – See above for making a pass.
• Sit in the teacher’s rolling chair or other special seat – Since I rarely sat, this was an easy incentive to provide for my students.
• Chew gum in class – The kicker? Students have to bring their own gum.
• Be referred to as King or Queen for the day (a class crown seems like a great addition here). What a fun way to liven up your classroom. 
• Positive note or phone call home – This was a surprisingly popular choice!
• Choose a song for packing up – Create a teacher-approved playlist ahead of time, and have students choose from the list.
• Be the first in line for the cafeteria/lunch – Simple but effective with your lunch enthusiasts. 
• Prize box (students donate fun things) – Ask parents and students to donate on a rolling basis. Expect lots of goodies in August and January.

What incentives for 5th grade would you suggest? If you want to read more, check out 15 Creative Incentives for Middle Schoolers here.

The post Creative and Free Incentives for 5th Grade appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

Pros of a 100 Minute Class Period

• More time
• More instruction
• More support
• More practice
• At the end of the year a student has had double the amount of time in that class than a traditional schedule
• You should definitely be able to get through your scope and sequence with 100 minute class periods
• If you had 100 minute classes, you probably have less students over all

Cons of a 100 Minute Class Period

• 100 minutes is a loooooong time
• Students get distracted
• Classroom management is tough for that long of a time period

Things to Consider

• Students are with you for double the amount of time, but that does not mean that you simply extend a 50 minute lesson. How can you be efficient and productive with the time?
• Students need structure. How can you develop a routine that breaks up the 100 minutes but still provides structure?
• Students (and adults) have a short attention span. A good rule of thumb is that new learning should not take longer than 1 plus your students’ age, so if you teach 12 year olds, your notes should last no longer than 13 minutes (12+1). 

Below is just one way to structure your 100 minute class period. Sometimes things do not go according to plan, but it is always a good idea to have a structured routine for both yourself and your students, especially if you will be with them for so long.   

Do First/Bell Ringer/Warm Up 5-10 minutes

I used a very straightforward warm-up routine to get students working when they entered the classroom. The goal is that students can get started without needing assistance from me or their peers.

I used this time to:

• Greet students with a warm smile
• Check homework completion (if I assigned it)
• Take attendance

I would start a timer after the bell rang for 5 minutes and project it. When the timer went off, I spent the next 3-5 minutes either going over the warm up, going over last night’s homework, or a combination of both. 

Hook 2-5 minutes

These few minutes are a great time to introduce the objective and make real-world connections. It can also be utilized to review prior content that is connected or to have students review any new vocabulary. Anything that can create a bit of buy-in is beneficial.

Instruction 15-20 minutes 

The goal of instruction is to give students enough information to understand the concept, but not so much that you are doing all of the heavy lifting in class. It is a fine line to walk.

If you need more than that recommended amount of time for direct instruction, that is okay! Give students the opportunity to practice and engage in a meaningful way before returning to direct instruction. Another idea is to assign our student videos, since they adhere to this time recommendation. 

Remember that direct instruction isn’t your only option to teach a lesson. You could:

• Have students explore using manipulatives
• Think aloud or model
• Ask students to build upon previous knowledge
• Use the Building Thinking Classrooms approach

Lastly, I think it is important to note that if you are using our curriculum, you do not need to go over every single problem on a student handout. Work the problems ahead of time, decide which are the most important, and then save the rest for small group work time. 

Class Activity 20 minutes

This is the time period where students are engaging with the work in pairs or groups. In a 100 minute class, I recommend activities with movement, as well as collaboration. Sometimes we would do card sorts, but rather than sit at desks I would let students do the sort on the floor. Other times I would use stations or scavenger hunts to get kids up and moving or use math dates to have them work with various people. I would circulate and answer questions at this time. If you have a simple worksheet, make sure to read how to turn any worksheet into an activity.

Recap 5 minutes

As the activity wraps up, take a few minutes to recap what they have learned by asking students to summarize the lesson. Depending on the activity you could go over various responses or work a few of the difficult problems together.

Skill Practice 5 minutes

Most students have some need for remediation, gaps in their mathematical foundation, or need to expound upon their problem solving skills. Each day I would spend no more than five minutes addressing basic math skills. At the beginning of the year this was multiplication charts with various missing numbers or adding and subtracting decimals. I often spent several weeks on number sense by practicing converting between fractions, decimals, and percents.  

Station Work 30 minutes

I used this time to focus on small groups and remediation. I would work with small groups on their assignment, some students would work independently on a computer, while others would focus on concepts that they needed additional help with. This is also the time that my co-teacher would come into class, which was a life saver. You can read more about this on my math intervention schedule post.

You can read more about planning for and implementing stations here.

Clean Up/Close 5 minutes

By this time we are all wiped! It was time to wrap up, clean up, put away supplies, and get everything back in order.  

One Hundred minute classes never failed to wear me out, but the extra time was a gift! Especially when I think about the whirlwind of a 45 minute class. 

Who else has 100 minutes for math? How do you structure a 100 minute class? I would love to hear how you break it down!

Click to find out more about Maneuvering Math.

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20 Must have teacher supplies under $20

I have rated each supply with its necessity in my classroom. 

*One Star = It will get used but you could settle for something less convenient.

**Two Stars = Nice to have

***Three Stars = BUY NOW!

1. Stapler**

This handy dandy Paper Pro Stapler is my favorite.  It has endured daily abuse use by middle school students for five years.  That is 935 days!  It opens up easily to punch into bulletin boards and is less likely to jam than others.  It makes a pretty loud pop when it staples, which provides some entertainment to new users.

2. Clipboard**

Clipboards are the perfect teacher supply- cheap and with multiple uses.  I always loved having one that held my grade sheets and seating charts at my desk.  You can utilize wall space by hanging them around the room.  Next to the door, I hung several for the following purposes:  tutoring sign in sheet, tardy sheet, and fire drill/emergency documents. Update: dry erase clipboards are now my favorite! This class set has held up great for three years.

3. Manual Pencil Sharpener*

My personal opinion is that all electric pencil sharpeners are worthless.  I know, probably a little harsh.  However, my thought is this — at $8.00 a pop, I can buy four manual pencil sharpeners for the price of a decent electric one.  Manual sharpeners are quieter, can be placed anywhere in the room, and require some work on the students’ part, making sharpening their pencils not quite as much fun.

4. Dry Erase Markers***

A teacher can never have enough dry erase markers.  If you have PTA money or any sort of school funds, I would recommend spending it on markers.  Then, ration them throughout the year so that come May, you are not left high and dry.  I kept several boxes for my use on the whiteboard and then utilized the remainder for student whiteboard use.  As a math teacher, I loved using student whiteboards to formatively assess, play games, and in general, just make practice a little more interactive. Update: don’t go off brand. Expo markers don’t stain and wipe off clean. 

5. Mr. Sketch Scented Markers***

These are my favorite markers!  If you make anchor charts and haven’t used them, you are going to fall in love.  Not only do they have a great chisel tip, but they come in great colors.  They don’t leak through the page either.  I keep these markers under lock and key because I love them so much! 

6. Poster Board***

Never buy chart paper again. Poster board lasts longer, looks nicer, and is WAY less expensive. Make your own anchor charts by using your projector to trace. 

7. Sticky Post-It Notes*

Post-it notes are kind of a given, but I want to challenge traditional post-it note thought.  Have you tried the full back sticky?  These are perfect for labeling things, sticking to the walls, and they aren’t going to lose their “sticky” after a humid weekend with the air off.

8. Colored Card Stock + Matte Laminating Sheets***

Another favorite item that is great to have on hand is colored card stock.  It’s versatile and so nice to have an extra pack or two.  I use them for task cards, classroom management cards, “I Can” statements, letters and posters, decorations, dividers in my binders, and in general, to brighten things up.

BONUS (UPDATE JULY 31, 2023): Matte Laminating Sheets

Laminating a poster increases its longevity but also causes a significant glare.  Not with these matte laminating sheets! You can use them with our new Middle School Math Word Wall  or our Classroom Poster Pack.

Save

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If you are a classroom teacher, then you are probably very familiar with documenting student data and progress. Documenting the differentiation you are providing for every single student while also teaching said students can feel impossible. Hopefully, these tips for organizing your math intervention documentation will make it all more manageable. Plus, there are a few freebies to get you started, so keep reading!

TRACKING PROGRESS

Once I became more skilled at pulling a small group while managing a classroom full of other students, I was ready to level up and track data. What was the point of pulling a small group if I couldn’t see if it was making a difference? I created this Small Group Progress Monitoring Printable to document how my small group of students were progressing. 

I made a ton of blank copies, put them inside a binder, and filled them out whenever I pulled a small group.

If you want a copy for your classroom, you can grab it (along with a few others) here.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep it simple is pretty much my moto!  State testing is right around the corner, and this idea worked really well for my smaller intervention class. This requires some work upfront, but makes the day-to-day, in-class mental load lighter. Here is a solution that worked for me:

1. Create one page with all of the standards listed in kid-friendly language. This is your cover sheet.
2. Create a packet of material that students need the most help with. I would use material from our State Testing Units – the 10 question assessments were perfect. Make the exact same packet for all of your intervention students. 
3. Staple the cover sheet to the packet. The cover sheet is where I differentiated! I highlighted the skills that the individual student needed to work on based on what I saw from their benchmark. For example, Student A might have dividing decimals highlighted amongst other highlighted skills while Student B might have integer operations and creating equivalent fractions highlighted.  Student A could find the section titled dividing decimals and start there.  The next day, they would go to the next highlighted skill.  The cover sheet included a space for me to check off when they mastered the skill.  

Students were practicing exactly what they needed to work on, and I didn’t have to make 15 different worksheets to hand out to 15 different students and try and keep up with who got what.  

Note: Since I took the picture above, Maneuvering the Middle has created an Intervention Binder for both TEKS and CCSS that has a more comprehensive overview of all of the standards. The Student Data Sheet would be perfect to use as a cover sheet. 

MAKE IT VISUAL

After completing a unit, I passed back their unit tests along with a unit test reflection.  The unit test reflection broke down the test into the 3-5 skills that were tested.  Next to the skills, were boxes with the question numbers that aligned to those skills.  Students would go through their test and color in green for questions they got correct and red for problems they got wrong.   This created a great visual for students to see what skills they still needed to develop. 

Students were then able to reflect more effectively on their strengths and their areas needing growth.  I had students keep these reflections in their notebook, so on days when we used Khan Academy or IXL, they could refer to this page and work on the skills they had not mastered yet.  If students hit below a certain threshold, you could assign a video reteaching the topic – a perfect use of our Maneuvering the Middle Student Video Library. Click here to grab your Test Analysis printable!

This reflection never quite took an entire class period, so I paired it with test corrections.

USING EXIT TICKETS

Exit tickets are another way to decide who needs to go into a small group and what you should reteach or practice in the small group.

When I am looking through the exit tickets, I would sort the exit tickets, not according to their grade, but by what the misconception is.  Let’s say the exit ticket is over adding fractions. 

• I might have one stack of exit tickets where students did not find a common denominator and just added the numerator and denominator together (conceptual understanding).  
• Another stack would be for students who made a computation error (procedural fluency).
• Lastly, I might have a stack of students who couldn’t decode the word problem (application). 

Of course, some exit tickets might fall into all three categories, but these different stacks allowed me to prioritize what students to pull in my small group, who just needs more practice, and who needs to be completely retaught.

I hope that this post provided some easy take-aways on how to organize math intervention in your classroom.  Similar to how we scaffold for students, scaffold some of these organization systems into your daily routine.  Choose the tip that would be the most helpful to you or would be the easiest to implement and give it a try!  

What tips do you have for organizing math intervention?

For more tips on pulling small groups, check out Tips for Small Group Implementation here. Interested in learning more about our Math Intervention Binder? Check out the video below.

3. Ask a friend for help

You can get help from a non-teaching friend, a teaching friend, or a kind husband/wife or mom/sister/child.  Yes, two people make it go faster, but with two people, you can hang posters and your helper can tell you if it is straight or not.  Too often, I hang posters that are not level AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY ALL YEAR. An extra friend can also complete tedious tasks that don’t require a lot of direction, so you are free to use your brainpower elsewhere.  My teacher friend had her mom set up and organize her classroom library, so she was free to set up her teacher desk space and files. My sister helped laminate and cut while I worked on setting up the word wall area.  One year, a teacher friend and I took turns.  We spent the entire day at my school and then traded and spent the entire day at her school.  The amount you can accomplish with two people is exponential.  Plus, it’s a good excuse to catch up and you can always treat them to a yummy meal as a thank you!

4. Make lists as you go

While you are working in your classroom, you will encounter tasks that you will need to complete.  For example, I realized that I was missing the glue and sticker labels for my supply bins.  Instead of stopping the task of classroom set up to make these two pesky little labels (these labels required printing/laminating/cutting), I added it to my to do list.  This way I catch everything that I still need to do, but I can complete the tasks at a more appropriate time with other tasks that might also need to be printed/laminated/cut.  In addition to a to do list, make a shopping list of items that you need to purchase.  My sister and I were meticulous this year in planning and preparing for decorating, but I still ran across items that I wanted to replace or items that I forgot to purchase.

5. Purchase with Purpose

I like to also call this avoid the Target Dollar Spot! First, the dollar spot now has $7 items which quickly add up, but also you will end up with a bag of goodies that cost $30 and really has no impact on your classroom or your organization. Please learn from my mistakes:

• Unless you are confident you will use it, you may want to avoid an expensive paper planner. 
• You will be cleaning out your cupboards and find a target sack with various junk from the dollar spot…just keep walking unless you know you need it!
• Just because something is very cheap at the beginning of the year — doesn’t mean you will actually use it 
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a few things at your open house or via an Amazon list. As a parent, I love to grab a set of white board markers or a few boxes of tissues at the store for my sons’ teachers. 

Keep a running shopping list on your phone while you work in your room and make one trip to the store. The more often you have to walk through the store, the more likely you are to spend money.

I have learned that if my classroom is not ready before students arrive, it becomes a cumbersome task to complete throughout the year.  It doesn’t have to be perfect and there should be blank spaces on the wall, but you also want to enjoy being there, you spend at least 8 hours a day there.  So take heart!  What systems do you have in place for your classroom set-up?

Maneuvering the Middle has been publishing blog posts for 6+ years. This blog post was originally published in the summer of 2016. It has been updated for context and clarity.

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Desmos Four 4s

I played Four 4s with my students the last 4 years in class. This is a great way to get students excited about math and it is really accessible to every level! The objective is to make numbers 1-12 by using exactly four 4s using any type of operation. Example: 4+4+4-4=8. My students loved it so much that they begged to play again — all I had to do was make it Five 5s!

Jo Boaler’s Youcubed Activity Playlist

I am a big fan of Youcubed’s Week of Inspiration Math. Before, my students would watch videos on growth mindset, we would discuss, and then complete an activity in groups. Now the website has evolved for distance learning. You can create a custom playlist from their expansive library of videos and activities, download, and share. You can find the middle school playlist here.

31-derful

This activity was a big hit with my high school students. The objective is to create a 5×5 grid of playing cards where each row and column add up to 31 (or whatever number you choose). I never quite recovered a full deck of cards after my first year, so I didn’t use this activity again. However, it was super easy to make digital, so click on the image below to grab yourself a freebie! You can read more about 31-derful from Everybody is a Genius which is where I got the idea years ago. It forces students to problem solve but is also accessible to all learners.

CLICK HERE TO GRAB 31- DERFUL &  ABOUT ME ACTIVITIES!

About Me in Numbers

Are you even a math teacher if you have never done an About Me in Numbers worksheet during the first week of school? I went ahead and created one for Google Slides for you to use. I left it pretty open-ended for students to get creative with it. This would also be a great activity to introduce students how to add text boxes, insert images, scale, and show them additional formatting in Google Slides.

CLICK HERE TO GRAB 31- DERFUL &  ABOUT ME ACTIVITIES!

Digital Math Activities

If you are looking for something else, check out our digital math activities here. Interactive and engaging! Teachers and students love them! Please note that these are not free.

UPDATE: ALGEBRA I DIGITAL ACTIVITIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE!

Happy New School Year, Teachers! What are you doing for the first day of school? We hope these back to school digital activities will help!

The post Free Back to School Digital Activities appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

TEACHING & PLANNING During a Pandemic

Challenge #1: My Students are Behind

Good news! So are everyone’s! “Behind” is arbitrary when most students missed out on key classroom instruction in the spring. My advice is to avoid mentioning that they are behind. Keep things positive! Students will follow your lead. If you act stressed about what they do not know or how far behind they are, they will follow suit. Instead, communicate to students that hard-work and a good attitude will be necessary for a successful year. 

As math teachers, we already scaffold important concepts. Catching students up is something already ingrained in your teaching ability.  Prepare for lessons and concepts to take a little more time. Plan to reteach or review a few concepts from the previous year (like you would any year). Do not think you will have to find 2 extra months of time to fit everything your students missed the previous year into your scope and sequence.

We have to balance the idea of mastering the material but also moving forward.

Challenge #2: What Should I Teach?

That is a great question! Now that you aren’t as stressed about how behind your students are, the question is, what you should focus your limited instructional time on? Not all standards and skills are created equally. The document below shows that there are major clusters (green squares) of standards that will be crucial for students’ mathematical trajectories. There are also supporting (blue squares) and minor clusters (yellow circles) too. While they are all still important, they won’t have as big of an impact on future grade level’s mathematics.  Teaching during COVID will require you to focus on the major clusters and take some time away from the minor clusters. 

You can find more information from Achieve the Core here.

6th

7th

8th

If you can, check with your students’ teachers from the previous year and ask if any major work wasn’t covered, so you can make time to cover it.

Challenge #3: Technology

There are just so many different permutations of what technology you and your students have or don’t have access to if you are working within the lens of remote learning or a hybrid model. I will link to every post we have written on technology and include videos that I think will be helpful.

• Using One Note, Go Formative, or Edpuzzle with Maneuvering the Middle Resources
• Go Formative
• Edpuzzle
• FAQ Video Tutorials
• Ideas for the Hybrid Model of Teaching
• 5 Tips for Remote Teaching
• Google Classroom Tips and Tricks
• 5 Routines and Procedures to Teach for Distance Learning

If you join our Facebook group or visit our Facebook page, there are even more helpful videos (and helpful teachers).

Challenge #4: Social Distancing 

If your school plans on starting the year in person, then I can understand how stressful that will feel. I wish I had solutions, but I obviously do not. Teaching during COVID will require flexibility, a positive attitude, and also that you advocate for yourself if you feel like your health is not priority to your school leaders. I do think painter’s tape on the floor to help visualize distance for students will be helpful. Virtual manipulatives will be necessary. This website looks like a great resource! We also added social distancing posters to our classroom pack. If you own it, you can get the update by redownloading. If not, you can find it here. 

If you joined us for the Draft Your Math Blueprint Webinar last week, then some of these tips might sound familiar. What did I miss? What challenges can you add? What tips would you share?

The post Planning and Teaching During COVID appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

The hybrid model functions both online and in the physical classroom. Students will be expected to complete some of their learning at home, some of their learning at school, and all the while, teachers will be juggling both a physical and online classroom.

The good news is there is already an instructional practice that answers the question – how are teachers supposed to do all of this? The flipped classroom! 

The Flipped Classroom And the Hybrid Model 

What is the Flipped Classroom?

Many teachers have been using the flipped classroom for years. In fact, Clintondale High School made the transition around 10 years ago. While traditional classrooms function with a teacher instructing during class and students completing assignments at home, the flipped classroom has students watch a video of the teacher’s instruction for homework. The following day, students come prepared to practice the lesson in class with an assignment, activity or discussion with guidance from the teacher. 

Why flip?

There are many advantages to flipping your classroom:  

1. Content is available outside traditional classroom time. Students have access to the videos to prepare for new content, to review, and not fall behind if they miss class.
2. Students have the ability to rewind, pause, and rewatch. They can prepare their questions ahead of time. 
3. Frees up time for teachers to work one-on-one in the classroom with students. 
4. Students don’t go home to practice something wrong or struggle when they actually need assistance.
5. Parents are not having to play teacher at home.

For the flipped classroom to work, there are a few websites that I recommend. I cannot stress that these two websites are WORTH IT. Edpuzzle and Go Formative. We have several posts that explain why they work well for teachers and students in remote learning – check them out here, here, and watch how 3 teachers using Maneuvering the Middle resources using these platforms here.

In short, Edpuzzle is a video platform that allows teachers to record videos or choose videos from a library, embed questions inside that video for students to answer, and then teachers can pull that data to make instructional decisions. 

A/B Days 

A hybrid schedule can take many forms. From what we have learned from teachers, schools that are considering the hybrid model are going to either rely on A/B days or week on/week off schedules (though there are variations for how this will look).  For A/B days, I have brainstormed a “plan” you could pull from. 

Note: This plan refers to a single Edpuzzle video with two different question sets. A teacher could record or find a video and use it twice, but ask a different set of questions for students to answer — a simple way to scaffold. My thinking is that this approach allows there to be learning every day without one group getting too ahead of the other group. Teachers can adjust and cut the second question set in order to help with pacing (if necessary).

Edit: (7/28/2020) We received some questions about what I meant by Topics A, B, C, and D. The topics are just referring to a specific objective. In my schedule above, this means students are spending 2 days on an objective before moving on. This ensures that students are working on their days at home, but also that if they are not, they are at least getting some form of instruction at school.

Week On/Week Off

This schedule basically means that a teacher will have about 50% of their students for one week in person while during that same week, 50% of their students are at home distance learning. The following week, the groups switch.  The flipped classroom model is still going to be our formula for success. Here is another example of what could work in this model.

Technology is a Must

Even when students are in class, technology will still remain the active agent in students’ learning. This will help keep things consistent. The routine with technology will allow students to not lose out on instructional time if schools are shut down temporarily. And since most group work cannot adhere to social distancing, students can work together online. 

The flipped classroom model requires buy-in from both parents and students. Is your school implementing hybrid learning? We hope this brainstorming session will produce some ideas and strategies for your remote and in-person classroom.

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This list is not exhaustive but will hopefully provide you with a place to start. One recommendation is to think backwards. Start by thinking about how you want your classroom to look and feel when the students are working and you are teaching. Ask yourself, “What did I have to teach my students in order to reach this ideal state?” 

I have outlined some essential middle school routines to teach to your students.  Some, I have seen effective teachers implement as well as ones that worked wonders in my own classroom.  (Sometimes routines are born out of necessity)

20 Must Teach Middle School Routines & PROCEDURES

Daily Routines

1. How to enter your classroom

This fell into the – surely I don’t have to teach students this – category.  Turns out, I did.  It is better to be proactive than reactive as a teacher or you will have students who take advantage of the ambiguity. I used these posters to guide my students. “Take the most direct route to your seat” was a game-changer for me.

2. Warm up/BELL RINGER

Where do students get the warm up?  When should they start on it?  Are they allowed to talk during this time?

3. Sharpen pencils

When students need to sharpen their pencils, they raise their hand and make the letter P in sign language, so I can simply nod or tell them to wait.  That is one procedure that has worked for me.  Students know that they must always ask permission which eliminates any rude interruptions while I am teaching. Some teachers have a trading system so that the pencil is never sharpened during class. 

4. “I don’t have a pencil” 

There is no combination of words strung together that I despise more than these (except perhaps “I don’t get it”).  Seriously, can someone solve this problem for me?  My sister and I joked about buying these for every table in my classroom.  What is so hilarious, is that I frequently go to meetings where I have to ask to borrow a pen.  #teacherfail

5. Hand Signals

When students raise their hands, you are subjecting yourself to Pandora’s box when you call on them.  By using hand signals, you are placing a filter on some of this ‘spam.’  I have a hand signal for needing a tissue, asking to go to the restroom, asking a question, answering a question, and sharing a comment.  This will save you so much energy.  While working with my small group, I would stop what I was doing to walk across the classroom to address a raised hand, only to be asked to go to the restroom.  Stop the madness! Use hand signals! 

You can get Hand Signals and so much more in our Classroom Poster Pack.

6. Restroom 

When are students allowed to use the restroom in your class? Do they have a certain number of times they are allowed to go in six-weeks? How do you track that? Check out the brilliant procedure Noelle used in her classroom. 

7. Dismissal procedures 

When can students start packing up?  Do students just leave when the bell rings? What are they responsible for cleaning up? Do they need to stack chairs? 

8. Technology

Learning with technology is a privilege.  When you threaten to take away the iPad or computer, make sure to follow through.  Have a packet of work copied and ready to hand out to students who are choosing to be off task or treat the technology with disrespect.  Another procedure to consider is how the technology gets distributed and put away.  Remote learning has created more of a need for technology routines and procedures. Watch for that post – coming soon!

9. Cell phones 

My school has a strict policy that if you have your cell phone out or if it goes off, teachers collect them and parents have to come pick them up.  Most schools are not like that though.  While phones can be tools, they can also serve as a distraction.  Be specific about what phones are used for in your classroom, and stick to it. You could try this or try this. Or check out Pocket Points – an app that rewards students for staying off their phone.

10. Calculators

There are many procedures that must be taught regarding this equipment especially if they belong to the school.  I found that having calculators on the wall and students picking one up on the way in seemed to work pretty well.  Make sure that you have a routine in place when calculators stop working or run out of batteries. 

11. Passing in papers

Do students make a pile at their table?  Do students get up and turn in the assignment to a tray?  What about tests?  If you have individual desks, do students pass the paper up, back, or across?

12. Attention getter

When you get students’ attention, what are they supposed to do?  Get silent? Stop moving? Look at you? They probably need to do all of these things, so be prepared to practice this with your students several times. Make sure that you wait for 100% compliance before making your announcement or giving direction. Many teachers love using this wireless doorbell.

Weekly Procedures

13. Trade and grade papers

After realizing that I only use ‘trade and grade’ on assignments that weren’t actually going to be a grade, I stopped. I allowed students to grade their own assignment to get feedback and ask questions easily. If the assignment was going to be a grade, I would use Google Forms or a bubble sheet. 

14. When someone enters

Do your students talk to office aides or other teachers when they enter your classroom?  Yep!  Mine too.  Teach them that only the teacher addresses guests and if they have something they must add, they have to put up the hand signal for comment or question.

15. General group procedures

How do students get into groups?  What is the expectation of the group members?  Do you have roles?  My students sit at tables, so they naturally have a group to work with.  When I had desks in pairs, we addressed how to move the desks, where to move them, and what the expectations were of each role.  I personally reserved roles for larger assignments/projects.  

`16. Small group procedures

Check out this post for some of the routines I practice for small groups. 

17. Supply procedures

Routines in place – what to do when my glue stick runs out?  What if I need to sharpen my colored pencil?  Who picks up trash?  I use table bins with just enough supplies to keep things manageable, and I have a student organize them at the end of each day.  The table bins are only out on tables when we are using glue, colored pencils, or scissors, so students aren’t tempted to play with the materials.

Less Frequent Procedures

18. Emergency Procedures

Most schools are different, but one routine has remained the same during every emergency procedure, students are silent.  This is a hard one to execute if your entire school or grade level isn’t consistent. I explained to students that teachers need to be able to hear instructions or take attendance and silence helps that move along faster. 

19. Band aid/nurse/I have a headache

To get a bandaid in my class, you have to be bleeding, and I keep bandaids in my room so that no class time is missed. .  For headaches, I ask them to take some deep breaths and drink some water.  I rarely allow students to go to the nurse because then it will never stop.  Get into the habit of sympathizing with your student and telling them that they are strong enough to tough it out.  Then walk away.  Exceptions: vomiting and blood. 

20. Quiz and test procedures

This is a procedure that you do not have to teach the first few days of school, but you need to teach the first few times you give a test or quiz, so make sure to allow enough time for that.  Teach how you want students to turn in their tests, what they need to do after they have finished, and how to treat testing folders (if you use them).

Need more routines and procedures?

• 15 more routines and procedures to teach your students here.
• Routines and Procedures to prioritize the first day of school.
• 5 Routines to Teach in the Digital Classroom

Editor’s Note: We have been publishing content for the Maneuvering the Middle blog for over 6 years! This post was originally published in June of 2016 and has been revamped for accuracy and relevancy. 

The post 20 Must Teach Middle School Routines appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

This is a thank you for all the hard work you have done during this pandemic. We thought a freebie that was…

• TEKS and CCSS aligned
• Vertically aligned from 6th grade through 8th grade
• Perfect for in person or digital use

…would satisfy the needs of most teachers. How about a math task that can also be used in a variety of ways? 

3 Ways to Use MATH PERFORMANCE Tasks for Middle School 

1. As a Group Project

Do your students beg for projects? Mine sure did. Any opportunity to collaborate or change up the routine was always met with such enthusiasm from my sixth graders.  These tasks can be the basis of an exciting project! Students can complete the math task and present the project via FlipGrid or by creating a Google Slides presentation. Since the digital world does not seem to be going away, this could be an opportunity to teach students how they can work together remotely. 

2. As an Assessment

These math performance tasks cover the following standards in their depth and breadth which makes them the perfect assessment tool.

Common Core State Standards

(Standards have been edited for brevity)

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3 – Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 – Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions measured in like or different units.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2.C – Represent proportional relationships by equations. 

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.B.4 – Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

6.4(B) apply qualitative and quantitative reasoning to solve prediction and comparison of real‐ world problems involving ratios and rates

7.4(A) represent constant rates of change in mathematical and real‐world problems

8.4(B) graph proportional relationships

8.4(C) use data from a table or graph to determine the rate of change or slope and y‐intercept in mathematical and real‐world problems 

8.5(I) write an equation in the form y = mx + b to model a linear relationship between two quantities

Ideally, you could have this math task self-grade by using Go Formative or a variety of other tech tools. 

3. As an Extension or Extra Credit

If you are looking for something for the students who are always asking for more, here you go! (Those students do exist, I promise!) Give one of these math performance tasks to your early finishers at the beginning of your Proportional Reasoning Unit. Explain that this is something they will be expected to complete as they acquire the skills to do so. Perhaps, it is extra credit, or it could even replace a student’s lowest grade in the grade book. Use it knowing that it will push your students to think critically! (It isn’t just busy work.)

The possibilities with this printable + digital freebie are endless. How do you use math performance tasks in your classroom?

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We were amazed to see how many teachers adopted various technology tools to make digital learning optimal for students. Our Facebook group became a mecca for sharing ideas, feedback, and resources. Teachers truly can do anything! There isn’t a barrier a teacher won’t try to overcome on behalf of their students.

We interviewed 3 teachers asking them how they used Maneuvering the Middle resources while remote teaching, and they agreed to share their knowledge with us today. Since the future is still very unknown, we thought this toolkit could help teachers better prepare for the fall. You can click through to watch the videos of these teachers modeling what tools they used and how they used them, or you can read the highlights below.

DISTANCE LEARNING WITH MANEUVERING THE MIDDLE RESOURCES

Go Formative

Lauren Casias has a B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education and M.Ed. in Teaching & Learning. She has taught 8th Grade Math & Algebra 1 in Texas for 5 years. She is passionate about using technology in her classroom to foster student growth, confidence, and engagement. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @mrscasiasmath

What is Go Formative?

Go Formative is an online tool that allows you to upload a Maneuvering the Middle PDF, add question boxes (or a variety of other tools), and monitor as students work in real time. Most features that you would use for math are available on the free version of Go Formative. The free version limits the number of PDFs you can upload. It can also be used with Google Classroom.

(Dialogue has been edited for brevity)

Noelle: What is the best thing about Go Formative?

Lauren: The instant feedback it gives the kids. There are many features that you can turn off and on. It eliminates the “did I get this right?” Students can check for themselves. It makes classroom management easier.

Noelle: Tell us how you have been using this in distance learning.

Lauren: Before distance learning, I had students work out problems on scratch paper. Obviously, you can’t do that, but Go Formative has a show your work feature. Students can type out their answers, use a mouse to write out their work, or upload a picture of their work from paper.

EdPuzzle

Whitney Phillips has been teaching for 7 years. She began her career as a special education math teacher and made the switch to general education 3 years ago. “Flipping my classroom has been the best decision I’ve made for my students. Thanks for allowing me to share with others.”

What is Edpuzzle?

Whitney: EdPuzzle is a video sharing app that I use in the classroom. EdPuzzle can tell you if students watched the video, when they watched the video, and whether they needed to rewatch a video. It is also Google Classroom friendly.

I wrote a detailed post (with video) explaining the many features of Edpuzzle here.

Noelle: Any video that you create is out there on a public library for anyone to see or make a copy of. This means that other teachers can find copyrighted Maneuvering the Middle resources or students can find videos from other teachers and get answers. Can you tell us how you solved this problem?

Whitney: I have ESL students and students with IEPs who could really benefit from closed captioning. EdPuzzle is working on closed captioning and a privacy setting, but they have not added those features yet. To make the closed captioning available and to work within the copyright, I upload my videos to Youtube, and I put the video as unlisted (so you have to have the link), and it won’t show up in the Youtube search.

Noelle: Can you tell us about your flipped classroom when you were in the classroom?

Whitney: Students received their Maneuvering the Middle guided notes to fill out as they watched the instructional video at home. When they came back to class the next day, students would complete a Google Form warm up (or entrance ticket), so I could have immediate data on who needed to be pulled for a small group or who could lead groups that day.  Then we would engage in a Maneuvering the Middle activity like scavenger hunts or He Said, She Said Error Analysis. I really like the digital activities because of the instant feedback.  Instead of spending 35 minutes giving a lesson, students could engage with one another, learn from another, and engage in meaningful dialogue.  

I also implemented a help queue as a Google Form. Students submitted what question they needed help on, and their name would populate on the board, so students could see where they were in line and when I would be able to check in with them.

The students really loved it.

Noelle: Can you talk about grading and feedback?

Whitney: The grade book will show a student’s grade after watching a video and answering questions. You can find out if the student needed to rewatch the video or if they watched the video late. It puts the power of learning in their hands and takes so much of it off of us. 

Note: All Access student videos are not compatible with Edpuzzle.

One Note

Kristi Barajas has been a middle school math teacher for 12 years. This year she is teaching 6th grade GT and Algebra. 

WHAT IS ONENOTE?

OneNote is a digital version of a physical notebook. Teachers and students can capture and organize digital notes, add images, diagrams, audio, video, and related content. 

Noelle: What do you like about OneNote and how has it been helpful to you?

Kristi: I like that I have everything here. Instead of doing lots of scrolling to see all of my assignments, I can use sub pages to stay organized. Students can access links or videos from the same page as their assignment.

Noelle: Do you find that students reference these materials because they are so organized?

Kristi: Yes. They tell me they like it!

Noelle: How did you use OneNote in the classroom before distance learning?

Kristi: I send out the file to all of the students. It gives me a status bar telling me that all of my students have received it.  I would instruct students with my iPad (traditional notes) and then students would take notes on their iPads. Next year, I plan on using Go Formative for their practice problems.

Noelle: What did you do to adjust to distance learning?

Kristi: I included an instructional video (linked at the top of the notes) and students would have to upload an image of their completed notes for me to check. One great feature is that when a student’s name is bold that shows me that a student has worked on the assignment.

Noelle: Will this all be here for next year?

Kristi: Yes! They will be able to keep everything they did on their OneNote in their iPad. 

We hope these videos and highlights will help you to either improve distance learning, implement a flipped classroom, or utilize technology to make time for small groups. How do you use Maneuvering the Middle resources remotely?

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6 IDEAS FOR Bell RingerS

Skill Drills + NUMBER SENSE FLUENCY

The length of a bell ringer caters perfectly for math fact drills.  Think multiplication facts, division facts, fraction-decimal-percent conversions, geometry formulas, and other skills that will strengthen students’ automaticity in math.  Why does it work?  Students can feel successful completing problems that they already know how to do and can do quickly.  Skill drills make it near impossible for students to sit there blankly or complain that they don’t get it.  Set a timer, tell students to try to beat that time, and watch them go to work.  I usually use skill drills every day for the first 4-6 weeks of school.  While practicing number operations is valuable, it can be even more impactful when a quick discussion of strategies takes place.  Our Number Sense Starters provide discussion questions for each slide to prompt student thinking. The goal is to facilitate a quick discussion where students are able to articulate their thinking process. 

Spiraling Content

Some of the best teachers don’t require “review days”.  Why?  Because they are reviewing every day by making it a part of their routine.  I hope to reach that status soon, but in the meantime, I use bell ringer time to practice previously taught skills.  I have found this to be most successful by working on the same content for an entire week.  Due to the repetitive nature of the same skill for 5 straight days, students at varying levels have several opportunities to relearn or practice the material.  

For example, in my 6th grade classroom, I teach order of operations, prime factorization, greatest common factor, and integer operations in our first unit.  While we are in the midst of unit two, I would spiral in at least one order of operations problem for a whole week on the warm ups.  The next week, students would solve a prime factorization problem in the same manner.  Monday and Tuesday, I might go over the skill to provide a refresh for  my struggling students.  By Wednesday, I would have a higher level student teach the class how to solve the problem.  At the end of the week, most students can practice the skill correctly and independently.  These math warm ups are easy to implement, ready to print, and aligned to CCSS or TEKS. They include a paper version for the student, a daily slide for your projector, and a standards guide.

They are also included in our All Access membership! Click the button below to learn more about joining All Access.

Logging Onto Tech

Are you amazed at how long it takes students to grab a computer, log in, and get started on an online assignment? Yes, me too! If you plan on using technology for any part of your lesson, you can make logging in their bell ringer. While it might not seem as purposeful, it still has to get done. If you don’t want a huge group at your Chromecart, I would stand at the door and only let students into class as space around the Chromecart opens up. Then I would challenge each class period to beat the previous class period’s log in time.. Students loved the challenge and their competitive nature made logging in take only a couple of minutes. Teacher win.

Previewing Material

Previewing material helps many different types of learners and there is literally no better time to preview than the very beginning of class.  Because students should be completing the warm up with little assistance, this should be the type of skills that students have practiced before, but additional steps are going to be required to complete the objective for that day.  For example, on a day when students are going to be simplifying fractions, the warm up might be listing factor pairs of a number or finding the greatest common factor of two numbers.  I have found that incorporating vocabulary can be another way to preview material through bell ringers.

HOMEWORK PROBLEMS

When I was in 8th grade, my Algebra teacher had an area on her board where students could write down problem numbers they had trouble with from the previous night’s homework. Sometimes Ms. Eckles would not go over any of the problems and jumped straight into the lesson. Other times she reviewed many, many problems. I don’t do this myself, but it did seem to work.  We were engaged because we wanted a good homework grade, and since classes were only 40 minutes, it combined the warm up and the homework check. If I could call this teacher up right now, I would ask her when she took attendance. (She was probably like me and forgot). This is how Noelle grades homework.

Error Analysis

Error analysis allows students to think critically and reflect on mistakes.  It promotes a culture that allows students to feel okay making mistakes because they are then able to learn from those mistakes.  If I see a common error on an assessment or homework, I will use a student example or recreate the error myself, and ask students to work out the problem on their own, identifying where the mistake happened.  Positive culture idea: have students correct the mistake of a celebrity.  Example: Miley Cyrus was working with Ms. Brack on adding fractions.  Did she solve this problem correctly?  If not, explain to Miley how to fix her mistake.

Editor’s Note: We have been publishing content for the Maneuvering the Middle blog for over 6 years! This post was originally published in June of 2016 and has been revamped for accuracy and relevancy. 

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A few things to note:

• Ms. Henry has been teaching math for 15 years, so she has quite a collection of supplies!
• She brings her two dogs to work, so it’s their classroom, too.
• She is in a portable, so she has her own restroom. So much teacher jealousy!
• Her classroom is tiny, but it is mighty! She uses every square foot strategically.

CLASSROOM IDEA #1: MANAGEMENT STARTS WITH SET UP

To help with classroom management, Ms. Henry has tables set up so that students (for the most part) are facing the board and not each other, though they are still able to collaborate with their peers during group work. She has situated her document camera in the back so she can SEE the whole classroom. Remember, you do not have to be at the front of the classroom to see all of your students. Here is a view from the document camera.

Her small group table is also strategically placed. When she pulls students later for differentiation or stations, she can still see every student.

Floor Tape

She uses floor tape to keep her furniture in the correct place and to help guide students for when it is time to line up.

CLASSROOM IDEA #2: PERSONAL TOUCHES AS DECORATIONS

Ms. Henry is an all star when it comes to creativity. She can sew (she sewed her team matching fanny packs one year as a back-to-school present), and she is handy with tools. She built that pencil-holding pencil! I shouldn’t be surprised that she can also make her own classroom art. Because our advisories are named after the colleges the teachers graduated from, Ms. Henry uses university pride to decorate, as well. And the prize wheel that she uses to sort students into houses and later to give students bonus points can be found here.

Prize Wheel | Letter Board | Pencil Sharpener

CLASSROOM IDEA #3: VISIBILITY IS KEY

Ms. Henry uses a similar behavior incentive system as Miss 5th. She keeps the House points where students can see them updated daily. Her mastery trackers are also visible — empty but ready to be filled with student mastery! You can read more about mastery trackers here.

As a school, we have a standard way to set up our front boards so that students see the same information in each class. I like how Ms. Henry added some twinkle light flair to hers.

Board Signs | Lights

I spy some of our Board Signs from our Classroom Poster Pack.

Lastly, this timer is something I still cannot believe I do not have yet! You can find one here. Middle school students not only need to know how much time they have left, but also the visual of the time remaining helps support their understanding of fractions!

Timer

CLASSROOM IDEA #4: Have a place for everything

On our campus, if the work room doesn’t have it, Ms. Henry’s room does! In fact, one time I texted her asking for a very specific pink-colored card stock. Turns out, she was absent that day, but she could tell me exactly where to find it. I popped in, said hello to the substitute, and found the card stock in seconds. She uses Ikea shelves to hold all of her supplies: clear containers for items she needs to see and fabric containers for the not-so-pretty supplies.

Ikea Shelves

Ikea Shelves | Fabric Cubes (similar)

Another great teacher hack from Ms. Henry — label exactly what goes where. She knows what she is taking out to recess each day and what should return. 

CLASSROOM IDEA #5: LITTLE THINGS MATTER

As teachers, we practically live in our classrooms. So, it makes sense to have many items that you would have at home. I love that there isn’t just one broom in her classroom but two! I have had three instances of breaking glass in seven years of teaching, and it was only this year that I had a broom to save the day.

Ms. Henry also made her document camera set up super functional. She will never have to unplug something to plug something else back in thanks to her power strip. Any pen or marker that she might need is also accessible. And so are her speakers!!! They have a spot in her writing utensil caddy so she doesn’t have to detangle or frantically try to set up speakers as students watch a video with no sound. Am I the only one?

Last but not least: Ms. Henry’s dogs, Whiskey and Bella, have their own space to go rest after they have completed their math work. My school is a dog-friendly campus. As long as your canine is sweet and up-to-date with vaccinations, your dog or dogs can join you in your classroom. Does anyone else get to bring their dog to work?

 Thank you so much, Ms. Henry, for allowing us to enjoy a classroom tour and learn from all your teacher wisdom!

The post Classroom Ideas from an Experienced Teacher appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

I also recommend checking out my post about setting up your substitute for success.

Returning from maternity leave as a teacher

Gather Information

If you can swing it, try to set up some time to talk with other moms at your school who took teacher maternity leave and returned.  If you can’t make it happen before you leave, then talk to them when you return. Ask questions like: How supportive was administration? What challenges did you face?

In addition, talk to your administration about how they transition teachers back in.  Looking back, I spent all of my time before my maternity leave discussing what would happen during my leave.  We never talked about my return.

Will you be expected to teach solo for the whole day your first day back?

Or can your maternity sub support for a few days?

One of the benefits to advocating to my principal in the beginning of this school year was that she hadn’t given much thought about how challenging returning to work as a new mom can be, and they were able to plan the transition better for the two other staff members who had babies after me.  If you plan on breastfeeding or pumping, you will also need to discuss getting coverage and having a space to pump. (Is anyone interested in learning more about pumping at school?)

Practice Everything

If you are returning to work, you have some kind of childcare planned.  My husband had paternity leave that he was able to take when I returned, which made the transition much easier. However, my daughter did eventually go to daycare.  Before her first day of daycare, I went ahead and gathered everything she would need (extra outfits, sheets, and diapers) and dropped it off ahead of her first day hoping that would make the first day of drop-off a little easier.  

What I wish I would have done is practiced dropping her off during my or my husband’s leave.  The first day I dropped her off at daycare, my husband and I had a full day of work ahead of us.  I didn’t realize just how emotional it would be. Then, I had to go teach, despite how worried I felt.  

I learned later that many moms do a trial run of dropping off their child while on leave, so their child can adjust to a few hours with new people and not a whole day.  Then, mom could go run some errands (or cry in the car).

As sad as I was, nothing could prepare me for my daughter’s smile when she saw me at the end of the day. It’s not all bad, I promise!  If you plan on pumping, then do a practice run at home, so you can see how long it will take you to assemble your parts, pump, and clean up.  That information will be needed in order to plan for coverage. And while I am on the topic of pumping, I am so glad that I purchased a small refrigerator for my classroom to keep expressed milk.

Plan to Not Get Everything Done (and Be OK with it)

I am pretty confident that there is no such thing as “getting everything done” in teaching; however, I think most teachers (including myself) push themselves and their lessons to be more amazing with each subsequent year.

When I returned from leave, I was still feeding my daughter at around 3 AM, so I did not have the energy to revitalize my lessons from the previous year. I had to be OK with that. I had to be more strategic with what I got done during a work day because I was not bringing work home. When I did, it didn’t get done. If it didn’t have to get done for the next day, then I would let it pass.  

In addition, I knew that with a baby to drop off at daycare, my mornings were no longer a time to accomplish anything either.  Since I had less time, I had to give myself permission to do less work. (Which is still a challenge for me.)

My coworker told me “Teachers who become parents are the most efficient people I know.” (This was right after I apologized for sending her lesson materials late. :))  It was very humbling to see how people offered to take things off of my plate or to allow me extra time to accomplish tasks.

If this doesn’t happen for you, ask for help and learn to say no. “No, I cannot take up an extracurricular this year.” “No, I cannot sacrifice my planning period for this parent meeting.” “Could I have an extra day to submit grades?”  Sometimes I feel like I am not doing enough as a teacher, and then I remember, I am also a mom! Moms who teach are taking care of their child and 100+ others! With help, I can be a great teacher and a great mom! I cannot do both without help, and that is OK.  

Other Tips

• Prioritize planning and making copies/materials for an emergency substitute lesson (or two).  Make sure it is a lesson that can be executed at any part of the school year. You will be amazed just how random it is your child will get sick and require you to stay home.  It will also give you peace of mind knowing that you can take care of your child because your students have already been planned for.
• If you can return on a Thursday or Friday, do it!  This will give you the weekend to regroup if necessary.
• Do your best to not take on a new role or teach a new grade level or subject from the previous year. Returning to something you already know how to do will save you time and prevent additional stress.
• I wish All Access had been around during my maternity leave and for when I returned to the classroom. The student video library would have been a game changer for my substitute! You can learn more about it here.

Moms, what tips do you have for returning from maternity leave? What did you learn or what would you do differently?

The post Returning from Maternity Leave as a Teacher appeared first on Maneuvering the Middle.

All in all, it was an amazing few days!  There were two things that continued to surprise me as I talked to teachers from all over the state: 

1) Many schools are 1:1! One-to-one means that for every one student, there is one iPad or Chromebook. 

2) There are still many teachers out there who have to purchase their own paper! Luckily, technology is making the need for paper less and less important. 

4 IDEAS FOR GOING PAPERLESS IN THE MATH CLASSROOM

So, how do you go paperless in the math classroom? Sure, there are small whiteboards, or you can use Expo markers on the desks.  But what do you do for work that needs to be turned in on a daily or weekly basis? How do you assess mastery on a quiz or test? 

Nearpod and Pear Deck

Nearpod and Pear Deck are both tools that allow you to go paperless.  Both allow you to upload pre-existing slides or create lessons inside the tool. They are interactive:  You can embed questions into the slides for students to respond to on their own devices. Students are able to work at their own pace, making the lessons more engaging, and teachers are able to monitor and offer feedback using the teacher dashboard in real time.  Each offers some different features.

To read more about the specifics, check out this post on Nearpod and this post on Pear Deck.

Nearpod is a great resource to try out this summer and into the fall!  There are three different types of accounts with different features: free Silver, Gold, or Platinum. Have you tried Nearpod in your classroom?

Showbie

While this is a tool that I have not used, I came across Showbie while researching paperless methods.  It is similar to Nearpod and Pear Deck, but it has one feature that I think is pretty amazing! Students submit an assignment digitally (either by using a stylus on an iPad or taking a picture of the assignment and uploading), and the teacher can leave feedback by either marking it up on the app OR by leaving voice feedback.  That’s right! You can leave a voice clip! So cool! 

CANVAS OR GOOGLE CLASSROOM 

Personally, I have not tried using Canvas, but I have seen Google Classroom in action, and I’ve read that they are similar.  Has anyone tried it? Canvas’s website says it is a learning management system or a digital classroom. It’s where students go for lessons, assignments, and content — all paperless! 

Canvas also has a tool called SpeedGrader, which allows teachers to provide feedback (using rubrics, annotations, or video clips); it populates your grade book, and it creates reports based on that data, so teachers can further differentiate skills and standards for students.  I just can’t get over the idea of not bringing paper home and grading just using my laptop. Hallelujah!  

GOOGLE FORMS FOR ASSESSMENTS

Speaking of all of this paperless glory, all Maneuvering the Middle unit assessments for CCSS and TEKS are now available!  They are powered through Google Forms, which means they are self-grading, and you can send feedback to students after they have submitted! 

After I gave a unit assessment, I would spend far too long grading the open-ended response questions, and now, I will not have to do that! Besides scratch paper (you could have students use individual whiteboards, too), you won’t have to collect pounds and pounds of paper or make copies.  I am all about saving trees, but not fighting for the copier in the hot work room sounds way more enticing. 

What team are you on?  Team Paper or Team Digital?  In what ways are you going paperless this school year?

If you are looking for more ways to go paperless, check out our digital activities.

SHOP DIGITAL ACTIVITY BUNDLES

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Teacher Takeaways from a Year with Scholastic

By far, the biggest takeaway was my ability to reach reluctant readers.

We have all had reluctant readers.  No matter the subject matter, these students are nervous to read aloud and if they’re not being monitored, will stare at the same page just hoping to “look” like they are reading.  But as adults we know the advantage, joy, and creativity that comes from loving to read.  So, when Scholastic offered to send our grade level team a classroom subscription (30 copies), the answer was a clear, “YES!”

Using Scholastic Magazines to Reach Reluctant Readers

My middle schoolers loved the relevant articles and engaging topics.  From Junior Scholastic article titled You Are Being Watched (students read about how marketers track what consumers do online so they can create specific ads tailored to them) to Choices article Not Fit for Human Consumption (students learned about the dangers of synthetic drugs), students enjoyed reading full-color articles with interesting graphs, images, and puzzles.  The topics were relevant to preteens, and the reading level was a great fit for my classes!

Here are a few ways that my colleagues used the magazines in their classrooms to reach reluctant readers and as part of their lessons.

“I used an article from Junior Scholastic when teaching my End-of-Unit Writing Tasks about the right to bear arms. The students were able to successfully cite two major pieces of evidence in their papers taken from the article. You could tell the magazine gave them the confidence boost they needed to make their essays sound and appear stronger. I was very grateful to have such an interesting tool to share with my students.”

-7th Grade Writing Teacher

“Scholastic Magazines were a perfect solution during my school’s campus wide Drop Everything and Read time. Once a week for thirty minutes, students were expected to read. For reluctant readers, this was a very challenging time. Then, I started using Scholastic Choices magazines for the students who were pretending to read or who didn’t have a book. Those students became some of my most invested readers. They devoured the magazines and then had questions for me about the content. I loved how the teacher guide provided questions and discussion topics for the different articles.

I think the best part was that the Choices magazines addressed issues that were specific to their lives, which kept them invested in reading. I was thrilled to see students read for pleasure with so much enthusiasm.”

-6th Grade Math Teacher

“Science World magazines were engaging for my students – they were so excited to receive new issues!  The articles sparked many interesting conversations, and I loved seeing students making connections between the current events featured in the articles and our classroom content.”

-6th Grade Science Teacher

As the year went on, students became familiar with the structure of the magazines, learned from the colorful infographics, and became much more comfortable with non-fiction text.  In a day and age when many non-fiction sources are biased or are on topics that don’t appeal to a preteen, it was awesome to see students engaged (and learning) from a reliable source.

If you want more information on all that is included in a classroom subscription, then check out this post! 

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The next year, I saw a teacher who had bought those small drawers, and I was so impressed.  It looked so much neater and was far better for storage!

So, here are five ideas for teacher organization that you may or may not have considered for your classroom.

1. Tardy sign in clipboard

Some schools have tardy slips or other various passes, but those tiny papers are just asking to get lost on a teacher desk.  So, I put a nail (or Command hook) into the wall right inside the door and hung a clipboard. When a student was tardy, they simply signed the tardy sheet.  It was easy, it required nothing of me, and I had all documentation in one place.

2. Binders for unit planning

Oftentimes, I get questions about how to best organize all the different types of resources in your classroom.  Some people have a file cabinet and prefer the hanging file folders. I did try that one year and found that what actually happened was that it held a giant stack of papers to be filed.  #teacherfail

I really loved when I started using binders for unit planning.  I tried it two different ways and would say that I really enjoyed both.

•    Binder for each unit – I used dividers to keep student handouts separate from my answer keys and assessments.  I also liked including a calendar at the front of the binder, where I would make any notes about the lessons or the materials I needed to prep.
•    Binder for each grading period – My last two years in the classroom, I switched to a binder per grading period and upgraded to the 2” binder.  I liked how I could still separate out my copies and student versions, but it was super nice when looking for missing work, make-up work, or pulling anything that a student had missed.  

I think both worked great!

3. Storage cases for activities by unit

This past year, I picked up a few large storage boxes at Costco and quickly fell in love.  They stack, they can hold an 8.5”x11”, and they even stand up for storage purposes. They are just the right size to hold all of the task cards, card activities, scavenger hunts, etc. for an entire unit.  I picked up a set of six on Amazon, but I have also seen them at Michaels where you can work a coupon and sale together.

We used these at CAMT last summer to display and organize all of the various activities.  So many people stopped by to see the storage and loved how it held everything together. I am a huge fan!

4. Computer file storage

Again, you learn by experience here.  My suggestion would be to become a master of all the folders:  a specific folder for each grade level prep with various unit folders inside.  Now, the hard thing is remembering to save things that have been emailed to you or that live in your downloads folder.  But, I do think you will thank yourself the following year, when you can easily locate your materials.

I discussed the various ways to save items with Tyne, and we both discovered that we used different systems.  She created a number system for herself to keep track of the unit and the day. For example, 3.2 would be the third unit, second day.  

I tried this and hated it when I switched grade levels two years in a row, and when I came back to my numbering system, I really couldn’t remember.  Now when I create resources, I keep all of the documents in one file for each type of activity. For example, all of my student handouts for an entire unit are in one file; a cut-and-paste would be a separate file, etc.

5. Teacher reflections

Earlier I mentioned my unit binders – well, I also loved to do a simple sticky note reflection on each set of handouts, assessments, etc.  I would jot down a few notes about the lesson – whether that be something a student asked or a really great example or even if the lesson needs more time.  I slapped that sticky note on the corresponding page and then put it on the shelf. The following year, when I would go back to the unit to plan, I would pull out my unit binder and look over my notes.  It helped me to keep from making the same mistakes again and to continue to improve my craft with just a simple reflection.

Classroom organization can be time-consuming and a task that is easy to put off.  But, when your classroom is organized, you enjoy it better, you feel calmer, and-let’s be real-you spend 8+ hours a day there.  What other tips do you have for teacher organization?

P.S. Read 5 more organization tips here and here.

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9+ Extension Ideas for Early Finishers

1. Scholastic Magazines

Having a subscription to Scholastic Magazines can be super helpful when it comes to engaging your students with new information that they are interested in.  The articles are high-interest and written with a middle school student in mind.  I like how they can open a student’s worldview and perspective by piquing their interest with different concepts that aren’t frequently discussed in school.  Honey bees, current movies like A Wrinkle in Time, the Girl Scouts, and icebergs are just a few intriguing topics to learn about!  Students loved the following:

• “The Long Fight Over Immigration” from Junior Scholastic addresses immigration from a historic standpoint and discusses the recent debate over DREAMers and ideas for reform.  Students loved the political cartoon, the timeline graphic, and the map of origin, which are great non-fiction text structures to discuss!
• “Does Technology Make Us Lonely?” from Scholastic Choices brings up the way communication has changed over time and how it has impacted our ability to connect with each other.  A great topic to debate within your classes!

Want to learn more about Scholastic Magazines and their specific features? Read this post.

2. Brain Teasers

Students love brain teasers — from puzzles, to sudoku, to Brain Quest!  Keep a deck of the Brain Quest cards in your classroom, or a sudoku book from the dollar store, in an early finisher section of your classroom.  Students will use their problem-solving skills without even realizing!

3. Interactive Bulletin Boards

Interactive bulletin boards can be as complicated and intricate as you wish!  The simple version could be a set of challenge type problems that are placed in a tic-tac-toe board.  Students use a recording sheet to solve the problems and get three in a row. A more complicated version can include students using Boggle Math, where students use the numbers to create expressions and equations.  Lastly, you could extend beyond math and include character qualities with reading and reflection.

4. Math PROJECTS

If you have the same students who repeatedly finish their work early, then assigning them a project for them to work on over the course of the semester might be worthwhile. Check out our Math Projects to learn more!

5. FDP Flash Cards

Fractions, decimals, and percent conversions are such helpful concepts to have memorized.  Much like multiplication tables, they are highly useful in middle school and can make so many problems and concepts easier.  If you know that ⅛ is 12.5% and 0.125, then you have just saved yourself several minutes dividing and you have more energy to answer the question.  Use these handy cards to practice matching the equivalent forms of the numbers!

6. STEM Online

STEM and coding are very popular in education right now.  They are an excellent way to incorporate math, and they tie directly into a future profession.  Students also can see the fruit of the coding through various apps and websites.  Code.org is a great resource for those of you getting started and is designed for classrooms.  Jump on the coding bandwagon and host an Hour of Code with these great online activities that are free of charge!

7. Webquest – Aligned Extension Activity

If you have access to an iPad or a computer, then utilize the internet for students to take the skills they are learning in class and apply them to the real world.  Learning about percents? Consider asking students to research the different sales tax rates and then determine the different amounts people pay across the country based on a few specific purchases.  Learning about geometry? Consider asking students to use a floor plan tool to create a space that meets specific criteria.

8. Reflections

We know that when students reflect on their learning they are more likely to move their new learning from short-term memory to long-term memory.  By using reflections as an extension activity, we can promote that deep understanding of the concepts learned in class. Students can use simple prompts to reflect on what they have learned.  To get kids more interested, consider having them draw a picture or make a poster to display their thinking.

9. Graphic Novels

Recently, graphic novels have become increasingly popular!  I know that Brave, Spill Zone, and The Time Museum were super popular last year.  If you are new to the idea of graphic novels, then check out this post because it gives a great correlation about how graphic novels can be used to hook kids and to increase their love for reading.  

10. Listen to a Podcast

I absolutely love podcasts!  There are such a wide variety of topics available with different people’s perspectives shared.  From the environment, to storytelling, to learning a new skill, a podcast is a great way for students to continue learning about something they are interested in without interrupting others.  Check out these to get you started:

• Wow in the World from NPR
• Science Rocks
• But Why

I would love to hear other ideas that you utilize in your classroom as extensions for early finishers!  

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DONOR’S CHOOSE IDEAS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

1. Scholastic Magazines

Scholastic magazines are the gift that keeps on giving!  You might be familiar with their book fairs or the incredible “trinkets” they come up with each year, but you might not know that Scholastic offers resources for middle school students, too!  Their Classroom Magazines are engaging, high-interest, and relevant for middle school students. Each magazine will be delivered to your classroom alongside teacher guides to help you integrate the content into your classroom.  They also provide online tools like videos that could be used as lesson hooks, texts with multiple reading levels (or the audio read-alouds version) and engaging review games.  I never taught ELA, but I totally see this as a huge win for differentiating.

I personally love how each content area has its own magazine!  I mean no more searching for math graphs or real-life application.  No more, “will I ever use this” questions.  #winning

These magazines are perfect for Donor’s Choose because they are a great price point and often can be matched with various codes.  I am also so excited because Scholastic is giving away one free classroom subscription to the magazine of your choice for the 2017/18 school year!  Go to my Facebook page to take part in the giveaway!

This post is sponsored by Scholastic Magazines.  When they reached out to partner for the school year, I was thrilled!  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2. Classroom Library

When you first think about a classroom library, you might think about an English class.  But, what if every classroom had a library?  What if students could go from room to room and see a variety of books?  That would be awesome!

I will admit that I had a very modest library which consisted of some donated books.  In retrospect, I would love to have had a cozy corner with some popular books or magazines for students to read during tutorials, homeroom, or as an early finisher activity.  Donor’s Choose is a great way to make that cozy area happen.  From bookshelves on Amazon to physical books to book bins for organization, I think we can all agree that making reading accessible and interesting is a win-win.

3. Games

Board games might be a lost art!  Middle schoolers love technology so much that it is possible that they have lost the art of basic problem solving and competition while playing board games.  Let’s bring back the board games!

Teamwork, collaboration, problem solving, and fun are all benefits of board games.  I used “problem solving days” as class rewards, thanks to Mrs. Bennet’s awesome idea!  A few favorites and easy to finish within a class period include:

• Hedbanz – hilarious
• Bananagrams – good for older kids
• Connect Four – always a favorite
• Monopoly Deal – not to be confused with the never-ending Monopoly
• Jenga – this one is always the first to be picked, warning: its loud
• Uno – great for larger groups
• Sorry – oldie but goodie

4. Technology

A popular choice for Donor’s Choose projects are technology related.  I will warn you that sometimes this can get tricky with schools and districts.  For example, the technology might not be upgraded later or they may not be able to provide tech support.  So, proceed with caution.

Just from browsing the site, I can see that iPads and Chromebooks seem to be a favorite request.  But don’t forget to think outside of the box!  Don’t have an interactive whiteboard?  A Mimeo is an affordable alternative.  Looking to promote a healthy lifestyle?  Consider a class set of Fitbits.  Wanting to incorporate technology as a station?  You might benefit from headphones.

Also, don’t forget there are helpful technology storage options that will make your life easier and provide a way to keep the technology safe and long-lasting.

5. Field Trips

In middle school, it is a rare occurrence that students can attend field trips.  They can be costly and conflict with standardized testing.  However, an experience is something we remember and can impact our life for years to come.  Also, while the tickets to said experience might be decently affordable, often it is the transportation costs that can really add up.

A few ideas to consider:

• A local museum
• A movie to see a novel that the class read
• A trip to volunteer at a local food bank
• A tour of a local community college

6. Small Group Materials

If you have been reading the blog for any number of months, you know how much I am a fan of small groups.  So, think about how you can use Donor’s Choose to fund some of those small group materials.  It might be that kidney bean or dry erase table you have been eyeing, or sets of manipulatives to use during small group time.

Donor’s Choose is an awesome way to get other people invested in your classroom, both monetarily (because they donate), but also because they get to see what you are doing and how you are impacting students.

Don’t forget, if you want to win a Scholastic Magazines Subscription be sure to check out my Facebook page and enter before 8/18.

If you are looking to get a project funded, don’t forget to share on Facebook, share on Instagram, send an email to the parents in your classroom, and watch for matching codes.

Finally, if you have any other Donor’s Choose Ideas for Middle School, I would love to hear about it in the comments!

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Today, is week five of the collaborative blog series with Erin from Mrs. Beers Language Arts Class.  She wrote five awesome homeroom ideas.

Here are quick links to the last four weeks:

• Week 1: 10-Things Middle Schoolers Want You to Know
• Week 2: 15-More Must Teach Routines for the Middle School Classroom
• Week 3: Quick Strategies for Engagement and Assessment
• Week 4: Handling Middle School Conflict

HOMEROOM IDEA #1: Community Service Projects

No matter what community you live in, students benefit greatly when they are working toward a common goal and helping others. At the start of the school year, use the first week to let students brainstorm ways to work together to help others in the community. You will be amazed at what students come up with…

• Clothing drive (anytime)
• Canned/Boxed food drive (anytime)
• Penny drive (anytime)
• Blanket drive (fall/winter)
• Hats and gloves drive (fall/winter months)
• Sincere Thought Cards for Seniors (anytime)
• Valentine’s for Veterans (February)

Often times we leave community service work to student council and leadership groups when ALL students feel good helping others and making a positive impact. Decide which projects would be the most beneficial around your community and let students get to work. Some of the logistics will fall on teacher shoulders, so be aware of delivery/pick-up procedures and postage costs. A community service project once a quarter will truly bring your students together working toward a common positive goal.

Click over to read the other great homeroom ideas that Erin shares!

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By day two, the band-aids that I was using to protect my blisters were rubbed off and destroyed – so was that layer of skin.  I had resorted to using painter’s tape that was in my classroom to wrap my injured ankles. Please take a moment and imagine blue painter’s tape (not so) discretely under these ‘stylish’ flats.  Not only were these shoes drawing blood, they were causing my feet muscles to ache, and they kept sliding off.  After a few weeks, I succumbed to my injuries and bought a pair of TOMS.  They were better.  I wasn’t bleeding, but they offered very little support.

Real talk: why can’t ALL shoes be cute and comfortable?

CUTE, COMFORTABLE SHOES FOR TEACHERS

Below, I have rounded up the most comfortable shoes for teachers.  These are all shoes that I can recommend (or some of my teacher friends have recommended) for classroom-comfort.  

1. Birkenstocks and Saltwaters

Both of these shoes are for schools with a casual dress code, but if you can get away with it, these shoes are worth it.  I wore Saltwater Sandals for 4 days around Disney World, and my feet felt fine.  Birkenstocks took about a week to get used to (since they are on the heavier side) but they are now my go to.  I like them better than my Saltwaters because they protect my feet a little better from the rogue chair leg that is bound to squash your toes whenever you wear sandals.

2. Clarks Boots

Clarks are known for their comfort, but did you know that they can be cute?  One of my coworkers, Rene, is always dressed SO effortlessly (think: Madewell + Anthropologie).  The day I saw her in these boots, I asked her where she got them, and she told me that they were Clarks.  She couldn’t believe it either!  They look great with her maxi skirts, jeans, and cropped pants.  I can’t wait to get a pair for later this year.

3. Korkease

For my vegan friends out there, my friend, Taryn, recommends Korkease shoes.  She has this pair, but they also come in boots and flats.  If I want to dress up, I almost always choose a wedge heal.  Something about the wedge is stylish, yet comfortable.  Plus, you can wear them on the weekends!

4.  ROTHY’S

I wouldn’t normally post super expensive shoes because I like to keep things on a budget, but I have heard so many great things about Rothy’s.  I first heard about them from Sherry at Young House Love.  I love Sherry because she is all about buying things that are functional and well made.  Rothy’s are cute, made of recycled water bottles (what?), and super comfy.  I personally love the pointed toe in Marigold.  Use this link to save $20! 

5. Dune London Peppie Boots

My coworker, Joanna, says this about them, “There are no laces for maximum laziness, the heel is an excellent height for standing all day, AND I don’t worry about slipping and falling in front of kids.”  Joanna tells me that they are also waterproof which comes in handy at a school where you have to walk outside to get to the cafeteria and the front office.  

6.  Loafers

For a more professional look, I would recommend a pair of loafers.  Loafers are the ballet flats more comfortable, supportive sister.  They provide support on the arch by way of a little heel.  I had a pair from Madewell (similar to what is linked), but my beloved dog destroyed them.  I don’t remember getting any type of blisters the first time I wore them because I implemented a #lifehack.

Here is the trick:  when you have brand new shoes that may give you blisters, wear them around your house with thick socks for a couple of hours.  This will stretch out the shoes just enough that they won’t rub on your skin when you wear them sans sock.

I would love to hear more about what you would recommend as comfortable shoes for teachers!  Share in the comments below, so that we can skip all the shoe drama.  What do you all wear?  Does anyone wear heals?  Bless you.

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4 Tips for a Smooth Open House

1.  COLLECT PARENT INFO

While you could have sign-in sheets, a Google Form that parents could access using their phone or iPad will get parents’ information much faster and will prevent lines. Need a template, click here for ours.  You could easily create a short link to the form and include it in your presentation or on each table. Feel free to edit our template to suit your needs.

2.  communicate your expectations

Take the time to share the expectations you have for your students, as well as how parents can support.  This helps both of you to be on the same page as the year begins.  Share what role you would like your students to play.  Obviously, this is said in a kind respectful way.

Here are some questions that parents like to have answered:

• Will students have homework?  How much?  How often?  Should parents help with the homework?
• What if a student is struggling?  Do you have tutorials?
• What do you expect from students both academically and behaviorally?
• How do you want them to contact you?
• How can they access their child’s grades?  How often do you update grades?
• Can students retake/correct assessments?
• How will parents know if their child is successful?

3.  GET YOUR INFO TO PARENTS

On the Google Forms template we provided, we have a place for parents to scan a QR code that will load your contact information into their contacts. I found that you can enter your contact information in this Google Sheet, and it will generate a QR code. If you just use a screen grab, you can upload the QR code into the Google Form.  You can also just post your contact information on the white board or hand out cards.

4.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Whether it be asking for parent volunteers or asking for additional supplies.  Don’t be afraid to ask parents for help.  Many parents loose a bit of contact with their child’s school when they move to the middle school.  They feel like there isn’t a place for them, or its not as easy to help.  Keep in mind that parents now have six or more teachers to keep up with.  There are so many cute ideas for asking for supplies or help! Consider sharing an Amazon wishlist!  I have seen teachers create something similar to an angel tree with tags and various supplies.  You can display it however you like, just be sure to bring attention to it, so that parents can help!

Obviously, there are some other tips like dress professionally and post student work.  You got this!  What do you like to do for Open House?

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It’s September!  And with that, the initial shock of THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO AND THE CHILDREN ARE COMING has ended.  Since we are no longer in panic mode, it seems fitting to discuss how we are going to accomplish tasks on our to do lists in the most time saving, efficient, productive, helpful, organized, and prettiest fashion.  I have finally landed on a system that works for me, and it might work for you too.  I like to casually refer to it as my teacher planner alternative.  If my system is archaic and not up to snuff, Noelle is going to share her very cool system later this month.

You can now download printable planner pages. Click here or scroll to the bottom of the post! See this post to learn how I use them. 

TEACHER PLANNER ALTERNATIVE:  The flexi

The Flexi + Weekly Worksheet

Oh, flexi, where were you my first year teaching!?  I didn’t get introduced to the beauty of the flexi until my third year teaching.  Years 1 and 2 were spent triaging my to do lists and plate spinning all of the schedules and documents I had to keep up with.  Flexi, you solved all of those problems for a mere $10.  I was introduced to this system by Maia Heyck-Merlin who lead a professional development, The Together Teacher, at a conference I attended.  

You should check out her website for more amazing organization tips or grab her book, The Together Teacher, where you can read more about her organizational ideas!  Anyway, the flexi is a planner that you can customize, hence teacher planner alternative.  It is similar to an Arc, but the cost is substantially less.

adapted from The Together Teacher

Here is my organization breakdown :

• Front page:  Weekly worksheet
• Under 1st tab:  Monthly calendars for the school year
• Under 2nd tab:  Lists, lists, lists – paper for making lists
• Under 3rd tab:  Class lists with a breakdown of student data
• Under 4th tab:  Thought catchers for meetings and people
• Under 5th tab:  Flexible

In the training, book, and course Maia shares great examples and templates that you can edit to suit your needs, and spends a chapter on each of the sections of the flexi.  I used her structure to make a worksheet that fits my schedule, but she offers a free download here that might be a great starting point.  Update: check the bottom of the post to get a free download of teacher planner pages. It was so helpful to see her break down her organizational systems because she was a teacher and really knows what we need.  Who else can better relate to all the parent phone calls, copies, lessons, meetings, paperwork?

Weekly Worksheet.

I customize it each year because I CAN, and because my schedule and responsibilities change each year.  The top half of the worksheet is a glance of my week.  The top row is dedicated to reminders for that day.  If I get an email with a reminder that we have a Fire Drill on Thursday, I would write it in at the top, so it doesn’t get lost among the other to dos.  Below that, I have a section with reminders of items that I need to accomplish before students arrive.  These will never change, so they go into the computer version of the worksheet.  I have to check my email each morning, so there is no point in writing that in daily, but I need to check off that I did it.  If you have a homeroom or advisory where you have 90 tasks that have to be accomplished, put it in your calendar section too.  Students office folders go home Wednesday and dress code has to be checked daily, so it goes there for the year.  The weekly worksheet is great because it only focuses on the week at hand, which is a simplified alternative to a teacher planner.

adapted from The Together Teacher

Then, my calendar space gets more flexible.  I have a section to place any meetings or commitments that occur on specific days during specific conference/planning times.  I have a category for lunch too because I have lunch detention duty on Tuesdays.  Because meetings sometimes gets scheduled after school, I have a section for that too.  I don’t have bus duty every week, so it is not typed in, but I write it in once a month when I have that duty.  On Monday mornings, I look at my Outlook calendar to check to see if I have any ARD meetings or any other commitments during my planning period or after school, and then I write those in for the week.  If it is a regular occurring event, I type it it.  Anything handwritten applies only to that specific week.  

adapted from The Together Teacher

Lessons to Prep and Copies

Since preparing lessons and making copies will always be items on my to do lists, it seems bizarre to write them in each day.  And for two years, I wrote this as a todo every. single. day.  Instead, I can now just check off when I have accomplished it.

Closing Routines

These are the responsibilities that I have committed to completing before I leave school for the day.  These are tasks that make the next day much easier.  All of these tasks ensure that if I were to get stuck in traffic or arrive exactly when my students do, I would be prepared for that day.  I never leave work knowing that I still have to prepare the next morning for that day’s lesson. I say this now.  I didn’t say this year 1, 2, or 3.

Grade Level + Course Leader

I have taken on some more responsibilities this year that don’t necessarily require an action step daily, but are commitments nonetheless.  I have this on my weekly worksheet, so I don’t forget that I need to be doing them.  For example, I have a big deadline 3 weeks from now for my role as course leader.  This area allows me that I need to be making small strides toward that larger task.  I have seen people use a small section on their weekly worksheet for personal reminders too.  Remember, this can be personalized!

To Do Items

There is no task too small to place in this section.  I write anything down that I think to do.  After 3 weeks, I have yet to need more space.  I write down any people I need to follow up with, parents I need to call, supplies I need to request, items I need to remember to bring home, teachers I need to observe, students I need to write notes to.  Anything that can be accomplished during that week goes on the list.  And anything that doesn’t get accomplished gets added to the next week’s list until it is done.

Monthly Calendar

This is my second most referenced section of my flexi, so it is under the second tab. I refer to it often in meetings when a date is brought up that is further out and I need to record, but do not necessarily need to do anything else.  I record birthdays, deadlines, no school days, end of the grading period dates, and field trips here.

Lists, Lists, and ListS

This section is a mish-mash of lists.  For example, I made a list of students who still owe me homework last week.  When I was setting up my classroom, this is where I kept a list of all the items that needed to get done.  Since setting up my classroom spanned several weeks (it is still ongoing), I used this section for recording.  Sometimes, I use this space to work out a math problem.

Data

This is the section that I dedicate to students.  I keep an updated roster and seating charts here.  This has come in handy so many times.  I also keep a data sheet that I use to keep track of my students STAAR and MAP results.  (There is no pictures because there is confidential information in that section.)

Thought Catchers + Meeting Notes

I meet with my grade level every week, and my AP every other week.  If there is something that comes to mind in the off time that I need to bring up at either of these two meetings, I record them on this page.  That way I don’t get stuck saying, “there was something I wanted to talk to you about, but I can’t remember.”  This is also where I record meeting notes (though I rarely do.)  Confession:  I have only been doing this for a few weeks.  The jury is still out of its necessity for me.

adapted from The Together Teacher

Flexible Section

This section has changed depending on the time of the school year or what project I am in the middle of.  I used to keep a list of all of our state standards on hand, but then I didn’t reference it very often.  I am still trying to decide on a useful system for this tab.  Right now, I usually stick meeting agendas in this section until I can record any action steps and then I recycle the meeting agendas.  I have also put any one pagers that are helpful at the beginning of the year – staff directories, classroom assignments, student locker combos.
The flexi is awesome!  I print out a bunch of weekly worksheets at the beginning of the year, so that I don’t have to worry about running out or reprinting.  It is perfect because it isn’t big and bulky, it’s easy to slip into a bag or take to a meeting, it’s inexpensive, and a catch all.  The perfect teacher planner alternative.  What system do you use to stay on top of your to do list?  Check back later to see what Noelle uses!

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4 Tips for Effective Parent Communication

1. Prioritize Who to Contact First

I just wrapped up my first two weeks of school with no major behavioral problems!  Celebrate!  With that said, l have been able to identify the students that might need future support behaviorally.  I do not want my first contact with parents to occur when something bad has happened or after a consequence has been issued.  Therefore, I contact those students’ parents first to express how glad I am that their child is in my class.   It is my goal that my first parent contact is positive.

2. Make It Part of Your Weekly Routine

My goal is to contact 2-3 parents per week.  I simply work through my rosters alphabetically.  I identify what students’ parents I will call at the beginning of the week then I am able to watch those specific students for a week making notes of great things that they did.  There is a difference between telling a parents that their child is doing great and that their child made a 90 on their fraction-decimal-percent quiz.

3. Have Your Students Make the Call With You

I teach a predominantly Spanish speaking population. Most of the parents speak Spanish only which can make communication challenging.  My first few years of teaching, I didn’t communicate with parents at all due to this fact.  Finding a translator was difficult, so I only made calls when someone was in trouble.  It finally occurred to me that the students can help translate the positive phone calls.  I would use my small Spanish vocabulary to introduce myself and then have the student tell their parents what amazing thing that they accomplished.  This is a win because it takes finding a translator off my plate and students get to feel pride in communicating their accomplishments with their parents.

Update: The app Talking Points is a multilingual text messaging app perfect for solving this problem.

4. Be Proactive When Calling About Grades

Similar to calling about behavior, grades can also be a tension point for teachers and parents.  As a parent, it is understandably frustrating to have the first contact be that it is too late, the grading period is over, or that nothing can be done to remedy the situation.  As a teacher, you know that you have been hounding little Johnny to turn in his work, attend tutoring, retake the test, etc.  Mark your calendar about two weeks before the end of the grading period and take the time to get in touch with parents.  Let them know of their child’s situation, any upcoming deadlines, and how they can support their child.      

Effective parent communication is helpful to parents, teachers, and students.  If it feels overwhelming, start small and remember that any communication is better than none at all.  Lastly, remember that parents with kids in middle school are keeping up with 6+ teachers.  Give some grace if parents don’t call you back right away (or at all).  What are ways that you effectively communicate with parents?

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If you are like me, you have a planner or to-do list that says, “call home – _________” and it is hard to keep track of when you left a message or when you were able to speak to someone.  This post is only going to address how to keep this all organized, not necessarily when or if you should call home.  We will save that hot topic for another day.

ORGANIZING PARENT COMMUNICATION

Note:  This idea worked for me.  If you are super techy, you might prefer a spreadsheet, Google doc, or Evernote.  The same principles should apply.  Personally, I liked making notes by hand.

 1. Take the time to set up a binder before you actually have to call

I really liked having a 1.5” binder with a set of tabs for each class period.  A binder kept everything together and made my life easier when I needed to call.  It also made it easy to provide records when the time came.  No more flipping through your planner or to-do list or looking for sticky notes when you need to submit documentation.

2. Print a one-page sheet for each student

I liked to include this form at the beginning of the year when I passed out my syllabus.  I would create a simple form with the student’s information on the top.  Be sure to include their full first and last name and even student ID number, if that applies.  This will make looking them up in your school management system easier.  I would ask students to jot down any extra-curriculars as well as how they got to and from school.  You will appreciate knowing this when scheduling tutoring or making up work.  

Students took this home and had their parent/guardian complete the bottom portion.  This included their phone, email, etc.  Likely, your student management system has this information, but I liked getting it from them because sometimes the system is out of date or has seventeen wrong numbers.  Oh, just me?  

On the back of the page, I include a blank table that is ready for my notes.  

3. Info sheets are stored in parent communication binder

Simply collect the pages, hole punch them, and add them to the appropriate section based on their class period.  This is perfect when they change class periods at semester or because of electives.  Just grab their sheet and move it to the correct section.

4. Communicate and Document

Now you are set, the next time you need to make phone calls or send an email simply grab your binder.  Find the student info page, contact, and make a quick note in the table on the back.  Let’s say that the numbers are wrong or info has changed, just make a note on that page, so you can save a few minutes the next time.  

Any time you are required to submit documentation or perhaps in the event of a meeting (parent, ARD, behavior, etc) just grab the page for that particular student and make a copy.  

Before this system, I had a running list in a spiral and while it did the job, it was a huge pain to reference at a later date.  This binder makes parent communication and documentation easier and more effective.  What great ideas for you have for organizing parent communication?       

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In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, David and Goliath, he conducts research from classroom teachers around the country as well as a study of a school district over several years.  The bottom line of his findings is that classes can be too small or too large. For more details, see this article.  Since I rarely hear teachers asking for more students to be added to a class,  I am going to focus on tips for managing large classes.

Tips for Managing Large Classes

1. Maintain high expectations but be reasonable

In order for a large class to function, it is important for you to maintain the same high expectations you would for a ‘normal’ sized class.  If you ask them to do something a certain way, make sure that they do. Ask them to do it again if it has not been done to your satisfaction.   It is even more critical in large classes that your expectations be met.  However, certain procedures will take longer.  It is going to take longer to check homework.  It is going to take longer for station activities.  It is going to take longer to instruct because you are answering more questions.  

Think of ways to maximize your time, so that class time isn’t wasted.  Think: passing out papers.  Maybe students collect the papers they need for the day on the way into class, or they have already been distributed to tables for the entire day.  This will free up class time.  In my experience, I have found that it is during transitions like passing out papers that students will start talking, and I have to get their attention back wasting valuable time.

During any cooperative learning activity, it will get louder.  It can feel like students aren’t learning when they are talking (because it is so easy for them to talk about the weekend or their shoes or how to make their pen explode) but as long as the conversation is on task, 32 students talking is going to sound louder than 25 students talking. Set the expectation that you should not hear anyone’s voice above anyone else’s voice.

2. Seating charts and strategic grouping

When you have a large class, the ratio of students to teacher is higher.  Managing large classes on your own is going to be a challenge.  Teach students to utilize each other.  You cannot run around to every ‘I NEED HELP’ when there are 39 students.  I suggest creating a seating chart that spreads out the highest achieving students and/or students who lean towards being helpful.  (Sidenote: you will likely have to teach students how to be helpful.  Helpful does not mean to just give someone the answer.)  In addition, when you have seated them according to a seating chart on day 1, you will learn their names faster.

It is also important to implement a system that students have to ask three students and/or refer to their notes before asking the teacher how to do it.  I have heard this referred to as ‘three before me.’  While this may make you a bit nervous, remember that students comprehend the material, and are able to apply it at a deeper level when they can teach another.  Plus, sometimes a student needs to hear it in a different way before it sticks.  

3. Give Clear Directions and Check for Understanding

More students means more students who may not be listening to your VERY IMPORTANT directions.  Make sure directions are visible and after giving directions ask students to repeat the directions back to the class.  I would pick the student who you know will ask ‘what are we doing?’ approximately 6 seconds after you release them to work on their own.  

Converting teacher directions to student directions is just what they need.

4. Up your organization game

Because everything takes more time, you will need to be more organized or say goodbye to your Saturday mornings.  Utilize student graders.  Have a plan when it comes to what you are grading and what can get recycled.  Absent students should know what to do.  In fact, give that job to a student.  If anyone is absent, that student is responsible for collecting all the material for them.  If you have a large class, most likely you have more students willing to help.  

Has anyone gotten their rosters for this year yet?  My largest class is 29.  I’m also curious– what has been your largest class?  Any additional tips to add?

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This year I started completely fresh.  My school repaints the walls and waxes the floor during the summer, so I have to pack everything up before I leave for the summer.  This always feels like a pain, but it gives me the freedom to start completely over each year.  And for me, I love that.  Decorating my classroom is my favorite thing to do at the start of the year.  Ask any teacher in my school– I am all over middle school classroom decorations. I love them so much I made my own. You can get them here and check out all of the details of our new Middle School Math Word Wall.

Update 7/28/2023: Maneuvering the Middle now has a Middle School Math + Algebra 1 Word Wall.

As you can see in the video below, our Word Wall includes 190 essential math terms, their clear-cut definitions, and their visual representations.

We’ve included Spanish translations for all terms and definitions, ensuring a supportive and accessible learning experience for English Language Learners.

They were designed to be minimal prep and flexible to customize the formatting to suit your students’ unique needs.

Here is what my classroom looked like when we started.  Heaping piles of boxes and furniture? Check.  Sad and in need of color? Check.  Wonderful sister who drove 3 hours with a car full of items she bought for my classroom?  Check.

Here is the floor plan of my classroom.  Room observations: my room is tiny.  It is smaller than the other classrooms by 5 feet width wise.  However, I have large windows that look out to trees and a large field.  I have had classrooms with no windows before, so I will take all the vitamin D that I can get.  I have lots of white space that can be stapled right into.  I have also had classrooms with concrete walls, and there was nothing I could do to keep things on the wall, so I love that all I have to do in this classroom is use a stapler.

Before I start decorating, I make a plan for the space.  Where is my small group area going to be?  How are students going to enter and exit?  Where are they going to pick up handouts?  Where are students facing a majority of class?  I use those questions to guide where I might place my anchor charts, word wall, and other pertinent information.  You can see more tips on decorating your classroom here.  Then, I add it to my floor plan.

Let’s see the afters, shall we??!

It is my best classroom yet!  Alright, let me walk you around. Form follows function in my room, so although it is pretty, I spent all last year making mental lists about what would fit best and where things should go.  I am eager to see how well routines function in my new class set up.

The wall trays are a change in my room from last year.  I have used trays in the past, and they require a horizontal surface to live on. That was too much space wasted in my tiny room, so now work gets turned into the wall folders.  I have one for each class period (my classes are named after the colleges that the teaching staff attended).  This area also houses no name papers and extra homework copies.  If a student loses their homework, they do not need to ask me for an additional copy because they can help themselves.  Winning.

The RESPECT posters are an idea that my grade level chair suggested that we post.  It positively states all the behavioral expectations I have for students, so up on the wall it goes.

Growth mindset is all the rage right now, which it very well should be.  There is no subject students struggle with a fixed mindset more than in math.  Mathematical Mindsets was a summer read that had lots of research on the power of a growth mindset.  I wrote about it more in detail here.  This poster set will stay up all year!  Below, Ikea shelving holds math manipulates, teacher supplies that I don’t regularly need, and students supplies. Update: I wrote an entire post on classroom supplies from Ikea.

This is the most colorful area of the room.  I love my objective board area set up.  The homework section is high enough for every student can see it.  I have plenty of space to write one or two objectives. And my opening routine section is on point. Everything should be printed on neon card stock.  Amiright?!  Also, let us not forget about my sentence stem speech bubbles.

Here is my small group space.  It is situated right in the center of class.  At this point, you should know that I love Ikea. These stools are from Ikea and are around $5 a chair. (Update: my coworkers uses these from Amazon.) I use an Ikea cart that is on casters to wheel around me.  I have reference charts and multiplication charts in page protectors and hooked onto the cart using binder clips and rings.  The cart also holds whiteboards, markers, and erasers.  Whiteboards keep small group students engaged.  Fraction strips and tiles are on the bottom shelf.

This area of the room is where I teach my introduction to new material.  I use this whiteboard space that is taped off with washi tape to record points for each class or any missing work.  My vertical number line is from Math=Love.  Also, this eraser is a game changer.  The hand signals can be found here and is one of the routines and procedures that is a must teach for middle school.

My teacher desk area is a work in progress.  I like being able to look out the window while I work during my planning period, but it feels too available for students.  We will have to see how it goes.  You can see that my desk doesn’t have any storage, so I rely on the Ikea shelf and plastic drawers to house many things.  I think open storage keeps you more organized and clutter free, so I am a fan.  Also, loving my light box from Michaels.  You can find a similar one here.

The pockets are holding pictures that I printed out.  I grabbed the pockets at the Target dollar section too.  It is also what I used to label my supply bins.  They are amazing.  I can switch out the pictures really easily too.  I have also chosen some of my most memorable student art to hang here.  Also, the black and white picture of me teaching was a Teacher Appreciation present that my principle gave to all the teachers last year.  She hired a professional photographer to take pictures of us in action.  And the clipboard holds my rosters, but I prefer to hang it cute side face up.

Hello, word wall!  I put up new words as we learn them, and I place them under the appropriate category.  By the end of the year, this wall is completely covered.

My bulletin boards are painted navy.  They appear black in the photos.  The borders are from the Target dollar section.  I stocked up, so that I can replace them if they wear out over the course of the following years.  That is how much I love them!  I plan on posting relevant anchor charts based on our current unit on the blank center board.  My mastery trackers will go on the third board.  Our campus tracks student mastery of each state standard.  It is hard to not fill up all the bulletin board space right now, but I need space to allow my classroom to grow.  Remember, your classroom does not have to be ‘done.’ Mathematical Practice Posters are from Everybody Loves a Genius and can be downloaded here.

This board satisfies many requirements made by my school.  I must have posted grades, enduring understandings, and essential questions.  For my essential questions/enduring understandings, I write them all out for the year, separate them by unit, and stuff them all into the page protector.  Another example of batch processing saving time and energy. You can read about my Pay Day tracker here.

This area is for my advisory.  I track weekly behavior on the pay day poster and the yellow chart is where I list classroom jobs.  The Team > Individual Posters help my students verbalize which sign means ‘less than’ or ‘greater than;’ I love when classroom culture collides with math!

For those of you wondering about student work, I like to display it on the bulletin boards outside my classroom for all to see.  Alas, we have made it all around the room.  Here is my door.  The file on the door is where students pick up handouts for the day on the way into class.  If this was MTV’s Cribs, I would escort you out and wave to you as I shut the door.

See, a middle school classroom can be bright and fun!  Who is excited to get started?  Who has already started?  Who has stock piles of goodies from Target in their car?

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As you prepare for your new year, I hope you can learn from my many, many mistakes as a first year teacher.  My teacher friend, Eric, said it best, “Teaching is a multi-facted skill: planning, organization, execution, etc. Nobody is good at all or even most of it right away. Know that each year is going to refine your game a little bit more, and focus on small things to improve.”  That is a relief because going into year five, I am hoping that I won’t rely on the recycling bin as my filing system.  Surely I’m not the only one.   Here are some tips that I wish I could go back to 2012 and tell myself as a first year teacher.  

ADVICE TO A FIRST YEAR TEACHER

Ask Questions and Get Help From Others

For some reason, before my first year of teaching I was really concerned how my handouts would get hole punched.  The school copier didn’t have a hole punch setting, so teachers had to hole punch copies themselves.  Oh my gosh– what a huge waste of time.  Without asking anyone anything, I went and bought 6 hole punches before the year started. (Hole punchers are not cheap.)  The hole punches would go on each student table, and I would teach students to hole punch papers themselves.  

This all seemed very brilliant until the day prior to the first day of school.  I was working in the copy room when a fellow teacher pulled out a huge device that hole punched all of her handouts in about 2 seconds. I was enraged!  Why did no one tell me about this magical device that hole punched more than 5 pieces of paper at once?  The real question was — why didn’t I ask anyone about this?  I was so concerned that I didn’t stop and ask experienced teachers around me how they accomplished something that stressed me out.  Lesson: ask for help.  Rely on the experiences of others.  If you have an idea, run it by someone else before jumping all in.  It will save you time, money, and most importantly your sanity.

If you are a math teacher, then my advice is to find a great curriculum. If you aren’t planning and piecing resources together, you can focus on so many other things.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, but Sweat the Small Stuff

• Your projector shut off and is taking one million years to reboot?  It’s going to be ok.
• You just spilled coffee down your shirt?  It’s going to be ok.  (Also, have an extra pair of clothes in your car/desk/cabinet.)
• Someone just threw up in your classroom?  It’s going to be ok.
• Your principal walks in and your fly is down and a student announces this small fact to the class.  It’s going to be ok.

Because you are in a room with others humans, much less small humans, life is going to get a little messy. Students are going watch your reactions to these situations.  If you freak out, they will freak out.  If you are calm and brush it off, they will too.  Do not sweat this small stuff.  

However, as a classroom teacher, you must sweat the small stuff.  There are some instances that you could probably ignore, and no one would really notice, but you must address.  For example, if a student is unkind to another student, you can stop everything to address it.  Do not blow this off.  In my classroom, building character trumps teaching content, so if a situation arises where we can talk as a class about showing integrity or building each other up, I will spend the time doing it.  If I need to apologize for snapping at a student, I will do it.  Students should know that you will not turn a blind eye to bullying, leaving students out, or rudeness in any form.

Choose 3 Things to Enforce

Now, I love routines and procedures.  And every routine and procedure should be thought out by you and taught and enforced.   You can check this post where I brainstormed the most important, but as a first year teacher, you should pick three routines that you would be willing to die for.  I am not even kidding a little bit.  What really annoys you?  You actually might not know this yet, but come October, You. Will. Know.  For me, it is students being out of their seat without permission.  

The teacher down the hall from me hates the sound of binder rings when they open and close with a passion, so she came up with a routine in her classroom that everyone opens them on the count of 3 and everyone closes them on the count of 3.  Seems nutty, but it is better to own up to being a nut, rather than become a nut involuntarily because all your can hear when you are trying to fall asleep is binder click nonsense.

Whatever you do, do not tell students that pen clicks annoy you.  

I made this mistake and literally as I was telling them this, the amount of pens that were being clicked grew exponentially!  WHAT THE HECK.  This is an area to just ignore. There are other techniques to handle pen clicks/pencil drumming/mechanical pencil disassembly, but that is an entirely different post.

(Also, I could care less if students use pens in math. If you want to work out problems in highlighter, whatever.  I just don’t want to hear about you needing a pencil. Ever.  #mathteacherfail)

Recharge + Reboot

You have all heard this before.  You must make time for yourself.  You must rest.  You must (fill in the blank).  This is harder said than done!  Teachers typically are people who are crazy and will actually spend 36 hours cutting out letters because they are cute.  I can say that because this year, I made my own letters for all of my bulletins boards.  Craziness aside, no one is better at recharging than my principal.  When I interviewed, she told me that she would rather her teacher get 8 hours of sleep over perfectly created materials.  I was like HIRE ME NOW.  You can only be effective if you are rested.  You can only be effective if you take time for yourself.

When I asked on Facebook about advice, almost everyone said things that I can lump into two categories— routines/procedures and relationships.  Notice, nothing is about the lessons, content, activities, grading, parents, planning, copies, copy machines, administration, bulletin boards, classroom decoration, or emergency procedures made the list. That will all get done, but it should not be the focus of your first year.  (And if you want to make decorating your classroom quick and pain free, use these posters.  You can see them in action in my classroom.)

It will be amazing.  You will learn SO much.  And it will get so much better!

Good news, you are only a first year teacher once.

Save

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BUDGET FRIENDLY CLASSROOM DECORATIONS

Update 7/28/2026: Maneuvering the Middle now has a Middle School Math + Algebra 1 Word Wall.

As you can see in the video below, our Word Wall includes 190 essential math terms, their clear-cut definitions, and their visual representations.

We’ve included Spanish translations for all terms and definitions, ensuring a supportive and accessible learning experience for English Language Learners.

They were designed to be minimal prep and flexible to customize the formatting to suit your students’ unique needs.

I used to think a beautiful classroom could only be accomplished with several trips to Teacher Heaven and handing over some serious cash, but over time I have learned that the best classrooms can be accomplished by just a few things.  Links below are to Amazon, which comes to my house all too often, because let’s be real – who doesn’t love free two-day shipping?

Colored Card stock is All You Need

Great news!  If you have access to a printer and colored card stock, you can do ANYTHING.  There are so many resources that you just need to print, laminate (or put in page protectors), and staple to your wall.  For example, these I CAN statements require only a trip to the copy room, and don’t forget this resource for the little things that need a label. The best part of using colored card stock is that streamlines storage.  If everything is the standard letter size, that means everything can fit into a page protector, and then can be stored in a binder during its off season.

I also love that you can buy the variety packs or choose a handful of specific colors that creates a color story for your classroom.  My favorite is this bright variety pack.

Make Your Own Letters

While these little letters are super cute, you can accomplish the exact thing with colored paper and a computer using the specific letters you need.  I purchased these letter packs in years prior, and melted down halfway through realizing that I had run out of all the Es.  Download a favorite font from dafont.com or fontsquirrel.com, (my personal favorite is this one) and use Power Point to format the desired text you need.  If you are feeling extra creative, cut out letters, use washi tape for added color, and laminate them.

Poster BOARD Instead of Chart Paper

I learned this genius trick from my sister!  Chart paper is convenient for anchor charts, but is quite expensive.  Each paper comes out at about $1 apiece which can really add up as someone who ruins about 5 pieces before satisfied with how the anchor chart looks.  In addition, chart paper is quite thin and cannot be stored without being damaged.  Poster board can be purchased on Amazon and comes out to around $0.65 apiece, or possibly even cheaper at WalMart.  It is thicker, can be moved and stored around without having to be too delicate, and you can use the backside because markers will not bleed through the poster board.  For best results, use these markers.  Bonus points: they make anyone’s handwriting look much better. Check out this post to learn a trick to hanging posters and documents.

STUDENT WORK AS DECORATIONS

The most meaningful yet overlooked way to decorate your classroom is with student work samples.  It cost nothing, will boost classroom culture, and can serve as an example of what you would like to see when students turn in their work.  Work samples can also communicate to your students that this is not my classroom but our classroom.  This means that you must allow space for you to show off your amazing students’ work, so try and resist covering all your walls in August.

Classroom decorations on a budget force you to flex your creative muscles. Don’t panic if your room doesn’t look like Pinterest in August– it really shouldn’t. Leave space to hang student work, put up new anchor charts, and shop the Target dollar section. What great ideas do you have to decorate on a budget?

The easiest way to get a jump start on your classroom decorations is to use our classroom poster pack.  See them in action in my classroom here! 

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When I hear the phrase classroom management, I often think about how a teacher might handle an off-task student or a school wide behavior pyramid.  However, more often than not, classroom management boils down to the systems in place that encourage students to be on-task and engaged in their learning.  Today, I am sharing 4 Helpful Classroom Procedures for Middle School.  Easy tips and tricks you can begin implementing tomorrow, including a free printable.

I think we can all recall a procedure or system that lends itself to trouble.  My first year, it was the overabundance of papers.  Students would ask where the late work went, if they had a missing grade, there would be a congregation of students at the turn in tray, and I couldn’t get class started on time.  I didn’t have a procedure and over time it became a management issue. (I figured it out thanks to my Homework Agenda.)

2. Labeled Student Supply Station

3. keep the Pencil sharpener in the back

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Note: I am aware there is a large discrepancy in the amount of parental support a school receives.

parent volunteers in middle school

I think that middle school gets a bad rap.  Teachers feel like it is difficult to connect with parents, and parents go from having one point person to communicate with to upwards of eight.  I admittedly forgot it was Western Day at school last week for my 20 month old son, and I only have one child.  Thankfully he will not remember; it will be our little secret.  Alas, there is a lot of keep up with and as a teacher, you feel that pain.  If you would like to increase your the parent involvement in your classroom, I think you will be surprised with the response.  Some parents are grasping for ways to connect to the school.  And research shows that schools with increased parent volunteers have students who are more successful.  So much so, that it is one of the Critical Success Factors of a School in Need of Improvement.

make volunteering easy

I would suggest creating a quick and easy way to sign up to volunteer.  Keep things simple and manageable for parents (and yourself, let’s be honest).

Think about different tasks that would be helpful for you that a parent could do while at school.  Here are some suggestions:

• making copies
• organize and sort supplies
• decorate bulletin boards in the hallways
• assemble bulletin boards in the classroom
• decorate door
• hang student work
• text book inventory (if you are responsible for your own books)
• special projects – these will come up as the year goes on, I left it open ended
• use a special skill to assist with a club
• updating mastery trackers

Think about different tasks that would be helpful that a parent could complete at home.  Here are some suggestions:

• help with the class website
• solicit donations within the community
• assemble snack bags for testing
• do research for class field trips (pricing, availability, etc)
• assemble data folders (blank, of course)
• assemble games/cards
• cut lamination

Asking for help

I simply organized a little check list form with the different options.  This was part of my First Day Packet that students returned.  You might consider asking at Open House, on your class website, sending an email with a Google form to complete if they are interested, or personally asking parents that you have interacted with before.

I then created two separate email lists (on campus vs. at home volunteers).  When I had lamination that needed to be cut, I would send an email out to my at home volunteers and tell them that I had an opportunity to help by cutting lamination and the date in which I needed it returned.  A sweet parent (or two) almost always volunteered.  I would get the everything laminated and then send it home with the student with baggies and instructions.  It meant so much!  It was one less thing for me to do and it meant that I didn’t plan a lesson around the fact that it would require too much prep.

The Copy Mom/dad

To me the most valuable and time saving volunteer I had was a copy mom.  This was essential and literally saved me hours each week.  It also forced me to be prepared for the next week before she came.

Once I was able to see who was interested in making copies, I contact them individually and organized a rotation.  Ideally you could get four volunteers, one per week of the month, but if you have two or even one that would still be a big help.

Here is how it worked:

• I would send a reminder earlier in the week and ask them to confirm they would be available.  This helped me to better prepare.
• I created a copy slip with all the details (number of copies, single vs. double sided, stapled, etc).  If you have a copy code include that as well.
• I used a pocket folder that I kept next to the door in my classroom.
• As I planned throughout the week, I would attach the copy slip and place it in the folder.
• On Thursdays, my copy moms would grab the folder, make the copies, and return them to the room.

Disclaimer:  These volunteers will likely need to fill out a background check, FYI.  Also, to keep everyone happy be sure to let the school secretary know what you are doing and ask her to show you the ins and outs of the machine, so you can train you volunteers.  You might even introduce the volunteers to the secretary.

Showing appreciation

I would recommend a thank you note and a small gift at the end of the year for these kind parent volunteers who are busy too!  A thoughtful note and something small goes a long way.

Middle school is a time when kiddos are stepping out on their own; parents appreciate a way to stay informed and involved in their kids’ lives.  Connecting with parent volunteers builds rapport, opens communication lines,  and positions parents as important stakeholders in the school community.

Just remember – It doesn’t hurt to ask.

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Back to School Prep

There are a million things to consider when preparing to go back to school.  If you are a new teacher you are likely thinking about all the different things you have learned and how you will implement everything.  You likely want everything to look nice and cheerful.  More than likely you have a somewhat idealistic view of what is up ahead and can’t wait to get into your classroom to get everything ready.

If you are a returning teacher, you likely are thinking about things you want to do different or things that worked well.  I remember scouring the internet for ideas on make up work, missing work, and in taming the paperwork before my second year of teaching.  I am fairly certain I was solely responsible for deforestation in 2006-2007.  Thankfully, I pulled together some various ideas and came up with the Math Homework Agenda.  It was a keeper and a great use of google.

So amongst all the “things to do”, what is most important?  In thinking back to my seven years of back to school, here are a few (of many) areas that your time is valuable.

1.  A well organized plan for day one.

What do you want students to do when they enter?  Where will they sit?  What information do you want to collect from them?  What will you share with them about yourself?  How can this be fun and engaging?  How can you prep to have a successful first week of middle school?

I would suggest some fun activities to get to know your students, but also a few that would allow you to get that much needed paperwork done.  Personally, I liked assigning seats as students entered the door.  It allowed me to interact with them one on one, hear them pronounce their name, and I was able to personally welcome them to my class.  You can also tell quite a bit about a student by the way they introduce themselves, wink wink.

2.  Copies for the first week

The first week is crazy and the copier WILL stop working.  It is inevitable, it is almost like a teacher truth.  The copier will break, will not be set up correctly, will not recognize your username, will run out of paper.  With an average of 50 teachers on campus trying to make copies for an average of 100 students, even if they only make one copy, the machine is making 5,000 copies.  Multiply that times way more than 1 copy and you get roughly, one million (give or take:))

Every teacher in your building WILL be trying to prepare their materials.  You WILL be tired and have ONE MILLION better things to do than stand in the copy line.

Shhhh, a little secret of mine: I always came back to school with my first week of materials ready to copy.  I would even print them at home, so I wasn’t dependent on the network printers or technology to get something set up for me.  Then, I would sneakily stay late when almost every teacher went home after the first long PD day.  Copies, check.

3.  A well thought out classroom

When I say thought out, I mean organized and planned.  I do not mean decorated.  I know there are differing opinions on how “decorated” a secondary classroom should be.  At one school I taught, teachers were not allowed to post anything that was not on the small 4’x4′ bulletin board.  At a different school, I covered all of my walls with fadeless butcher paper, borders, anchor charts and the like.   I don’t think the level of “decor” should be the priority, as much as the functionality.

Do you enjoy entering it?  You will spend a lot of time there.  Does it feel inviting, warm, and safe?  Your students will spend quite a bit of time there, too.  Do you have a “place” for everything?  Technology, papers, supplies, space to walk.  Do students have to traipse across the front of the room to sharpen their pencil?  Move that sharpener to the back, quick.  Can you clearly see the board/screen/projector from each and every seat?  This is a must.

So think through your day one (I may or may not have had a clipboard in which I typed every single thing I needed to accomplish), get your copies ready, and think through the functionality of your classroom.

Is the dark cloud dissipating?

Maybe just overcast?

Take a look at your to-do list.  Is there something that can wait?  Or something that may not be as necessary?

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