Magic Number

At the beginning of the year, give each child a number which corresponds to his/her alphabetical order.  Whenever you're collecting papers for grading, recording, reporting, or conferencing, have the children line up in ABC order/ number order.  This is a widely used practice which saves TONS of time.

Classroom Visitors

Today we had a school board member visit our classroom for "I Love to Read Month".  He brought great books and read with expression and enthusiasm.  The students were enthralled.

His visit got me thinking about how I prepare the class for a visitor.

1.  All year long we practice the difference between a question and a comment.  Then, when we have      a visitor, I tell the class firmly that we will only ask questions.  We do not tell comments to our
     guest.  That way we eliminate comments.  For example (directed to a police officer during a
     safety talk), "My Uncle Billy Bob went to jail once."
2.  Send a couple students to the office ten minutes before the arrival of the guest.  Prep the kids
     on how to greet him/her warmly and politely.  They should ask, "May we show you to our
     classroom?"
3.  All the children should practice saying, "Good morning, Mrs.  _________."
4.  The children should know to put down their work and come to the rug when the guest arrives.
     Many times the guest is late, so you might as well keep them working until then.
5.  Give the students background information about the guest.  Generate some interesting questions.
     If his/her visit doesn't lend itself to many questions, ask things like, "How do you use math in
     your job?"  "Did you always want to be a police officer, forester, etc.?"  "What do you remember
     about your first grade class?" "Do you have a favorite book from your childhood?"
6.  Always send a thank you card as a follow-up.  If you have a teaching blog or a school web
     site, as the guest's permission to put a photo and a synopsis of the visit on the site.

In the Beginning

As I have taught elementary school for a looooong time, I've begun reflecting on my career.  It seems to be a good time to pass along old and new ideas.  A wise mentor told me once...beg, borrow, steal, or invent ways to help your students. Those four things I have done regularly.  

My first post is a reflection and reaction to the mandated "I can" statements required by our district and many others.  I wonder if we can't see the forest for the trees.  Here are the statements I post in my classroom.