September 29, 2012

SALE!!

Since its almost October, I've decided to throw a 20% off sale for the last two days of September in my TpT store! Go check it out!!!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Amy-Darley-38

September 25, 2012

Behavior Management

This post is all about how I do behavior management in my classroom. In my last post I posted a picture of my behavior chart, which you can find in my WONDERFUL friend, Amanda's, Tpt store here for only $1. My room has a safari theme so this was perfect for my classroom.
Students come in each morning and start on green, which is "ready to learn". Throughout the day the students move down for negative behavior and they can move up for positive behavior. At the end of the day they fill out their behavior sheet with whatever color they end on. The behavior sheet is monthly and stays in their homework folder for the entire month. The parents sign the behavior sheet weekly. There is also a place in the back of the behavior sheet for students to write an explanation of why they moved their clips. It can be used as a positive note or even a negative note to the parents.

I also do a classroom store. The students earn tickets all week long for positive behavior. They also lose tickets when they have to move their clips down. My students work very hard to earn tickets. If a student has moved their clip down on the behavior chart and I tell them that they earn a ticket, they then have the choice to either take the ticket or move their clip up one spot for doing something good. I have only had a child take the ticket over moving their clip up, one time since my entire career of teaching. At the beginning of each school year, I really make a BIG deal when that first child decides to move their clip up instead of earn a ticket. At the end of the week they go shopping at the clad store where I have a 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 ticket drawer. They can choose to spend or save. I put pencils, erasers, toys, stickers, puzzles, books, classroom coupons, and lots of other things in the store.
You can find my cute classroom coupons here for $1:


Also, at the end of the day whatever students are all the way at the top of the behavior chart, which is "outstanding", earns a school stallion ticket. The stallion tickets are given out throughout the school. When a child earns one of these tickets they get to go to the front of the school and put the ticket in a huge box. Once a week the principal pulls a few names from the box to earn prizes. The kids really work hard for these.

I also give rewards for whole group behavior as well. We have what we call classroom points. We earn points by getting compliments from OTHER teachers in the hallway, at specials, when teachers or parents come in the classroom, etc. We vote as a class for a reward that we would really like for te classroom. My class this time voted to have extra outside time at recess with popsicles. My class has to earn ten points and then they get their reward. Some other rewards we've had are game day, hat day, funny sock day, cookies and milk, and the list goes on.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my behavior system! I would love to hear your ideas as well!!

I have created a "Where the Wild Things Are" themed behavior chart like the one you see above and it's only $2. Leave me a comment for a chance to win! I will use random.org to choose one person to win this behavior chart on Monday, October 1st! I am working to create a WHOLE classroom set with a "Wild Things" theme to it because I have had a lot of people say that they would love something like this. Stay tuned to see it soon :)

Have a great week!!
Amy

September 21, 2012

Overwhelmed...

Ok, so I really do try to keep my posts positive... but can I vent a little?? We have been back in school for almost 3 weeks now and I am still SO OVERWHELMED!!! Our state has moved to common core, which I think is great, but the units that they've made for us to use are a little crazy for 2nd graders. Does anyone else thing that Fudge-A-Mania is too hard for the average 2nd grader to understand? I have a few that seem to love the book, but the rest of my class just doesn't get the humor in it. I would love to hear any suggestions on what you do during your reading block and small groups with the common core standards.

On top of school starting, we have had hardly any planning time. Most of our plannings have been filled with meetings and trainings. This has been hard for me. I am also doing the inclusion class for the first time ever and trying to get the hang of that.

On a positive note... my class is SUPER sweet!!!! I do have a very different group of kids. I have 5 sped, 4 being tested for sped, 5 gifted, 2 being tested for gifted, and then the rest of the class are average. I have 23 kids in all. I have kids reading on a kindergarten reading level and then I have kids reading all the way at an 8th grade reading level. I have a HUGE gap!!!! Any suggestion on differentiation? I feel like I am having to plan 3 different lessons in every subject to meet the needs of all of my students.

I did take a few picture from my classroom to share...





Sorry that this is all I have time for... I promise I will do another post VERY soon and link up with my behavior system :)


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