What does homework mean to you? Is it a form of punishment for those that are wasting time in class? Is it a means to an end - your end? Is it a way to cover material you didn't have time for in class? Is it a necessary evil? What is it?
One teacher I had the privilege of working with shared her homework philosophy with me. To her, homework was just practice, a way for the students to cement what they had learned that day into their heads. She posted the next days homework the night before online and students were not allowed to start working on their homework if they finished their seatwork early for two reasons. One, that, in a way, would punish the slower workers, and two, she believed students needed to do to work later, on their own to 'prove' that they still understood it hours later.
So, for example, in math class a new concept would be introduced during class, then the teacher would go over some examples on the board scaffolding from the teacher doing the whole problem and explaining it to them all the way to the students doing the whole problem and the teacher just recording it on the board. Then the students had some assigned seatwork on the concept to practice it more on their own, but with the teacher available to help. And, finally, the homework was just a few questions for the students to do on their own and recall what was learned in class.
Students shouldn't have hours and hours of homework each night, just 2-3 questions per concept introduced that day and some review for upcoming tests and the next step in a project that will be due next. The purpose of homework should be to remind students of what they already learned. Just a little practice.
Don't forget, if you assign 2-3 questions per concept instead of the whole worksheet, there's less marking/checking for you to do also.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
PS: It's November already! Try to collect any and all overdue assignments starting now so it's all done before Christmas break!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Organize Your Students
Well it's the beginning of a new school year and the best foot to start off on is the organized foot! What can you do to help your students be organized that might also make your life easier and could have the effect of enhanced learning? This may seem elementary, but teach your students how to use an agenda!
What? That's easy! I don't need to spend time on this! - Is that what you're thinking? Think again. Very few students are actually taught how to use an agenda. Most students are handed an agenda in September (or whatever month you start school in your corner of the earth) and told to write their homework in there. That may be all they're told.
I've been in classrooms where the teacher checks and signs the agendas everyday and the parents sign the agendas every night. That could be a little overkill, and if you invest some time teaching your students how and agenda works and what it can do for THEM, your hands-on time throughout the year could be reduced. (Plus who does real work the first day anyway?)
Teach your students that agendas are a tool for them to use, not a note home from the teacher to the parents that has nothing to do with them. Show them strategies like listing assignments and test dates on the month pages, and day-to-day homework on the week pages, and teach them that both types of pages represent the SAME days, so they should look to both. Have them input holidays and field trips into their agendas so they know what's coming up. Talk with them about colour coding and prioritising. Show them how to plan ahead when they have a large project or unit test to break the prep work up and do a little each day so they don't pull all-nighters.
Talk to your students about individuality. Let them know that there is no one way to use the agenda, they can use whatever strategy works best for them.
Teach them about routines with the agendas. They should be writing homework, assignment, and test information in their agendas throughout the day as it is discussed, not just copy everything down at the end of the day from the blackboard. They need to check their agendas before the end of school and gather the right materials to take home, not just so they don't forget to bring their novel for English that they have chapters to read, but also so they don't lug home their Science textbook if they finished their questions during class time. Show them that it helps them, not just you. Teach them the routines of checking off each part of their homework as they complete it, so that they won't miss the one question they get called on for the next day.
Agendas have other tools in them other than just a calendar. Go over these tools that your agendas have and talk about what they're for and what they could be used for to help the students.
Try to get the point across that people use agendas in real life. Show them your agenda, ask for a show of hands of students who have seen their parents using agendas, talk about the wall calendars that might be in their kitchens at home as a public family agenda (and while your at it, encourage them to copy down information from there that affects their school days). Talk about how doctors offices have agendas for the appointments a doctor has, use whatever examples you can think of. Discuss what would happen in an office if someone didn't write down assignments and due dates and check them.
Remember that they see the agenda as an annoying book they keep having to pull out that tells them to do their homework. Remind them that they are learning a real-world skill and that employers value promptness and productivity and that neither can be successfully attained long-term without an agenda, planner, or similar system.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
What? That's easy! I don't need to spend time on this! - Is that what you're thinking? Think again. Very few students are actually taught how to use an agenda. Most students are handed an agenda in September (or whatever month you start school in your corner of the earth) and told to write their homework in there. That may be all they're told.
I've been in classrooms where the teacher checks and signs the agendas everyday and the parents sign the agendas every night. That could be a little overkill, and if you invest some time teaching your students how and agenda works and what it can do for THEM, your hands-on time throughout the year could be reduced. (Plus who does real work the first day anyway?)
Teach your students that agendas are a tool for them to use, not a note home from the teacher to the parents that has nothing to do with them. Show them strategies like listing assignments and test dates on the month pages, and day-to-day homework on the week pages, and teach them that both types of pages represent the SAME days, so they should look to both. Have them input holidays and field trips into their agendas so they know what's coming up. Talk with them about colour coding and prioritising. Show them how to plan ahead when they have a large project or unit test to break the prep work up and do a little each day so they don't pull all-nighters.
Talk to your students about individuality. Let them know that there is no one way to use the agenda, they can use whatever strategy works best for them.
Teach them about routines with the agendas. They should be writing homework, assignment, and test information in their agendas throughout the day as it is discussed, not just copy everything down at the end of the day from the blackboard. They need to check their agendas before the end of school and gather the right materials to take home, not just so they don't forget to bring their novel for English that they have chapters to read, but also so they don't lug home their Science textbook if they finished their questions during class time. Show them that it helps them, not just you. Teach them the routines of checking off each part of their homework as they complete it, so that they won't miss the one question they get called on for the next day.
Agendas have other tools in them other than just a calendar. Go over these tools that your agendas have and talk about what they're for and what they could be used for to help the students.
Try to get the point across that people use agendas in real life. Show them your agenda, ask for a show of hands of students who have seen their parents using agendas, talk about the wall calendars that might be in their kitchens at home as a public family agenda (and while your at it, encourage them to copy down information from there that affects their school days). Talk about how doctors offices have agendas for the appointments a doctor has, use whatever examples you can think of. Discuss what would happen in an office if someone didn't write down assignments and due dates and check them.
Remember that they see the agenda as an annoying book they keep having to pull out that tells them to do their homework. Remind them that they are learning a real-world skill and that employers value promptness and productivity and that neither can be successfully attained long-term without an agenda, planner, or similar system.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Saturday, June 27, 2009
A Logical Place for Everything and Everything in it's Place
Well, it's that time of year again. The students are on summer vacation and the teachers are living the life they always get bugged about. Although, I know that teachers can do a lot of work over the summer, some people just don't get it. Anyway, I digress.
Summertime is a great time for new beginnings and preventative maintenance. Many of you may be moving to different classrooms, switching grades, or just want to update your current classrooms during this time.
Take the time to reflect on your past year and prepare for the upcoming one. Think about the physical layout of your classroom and what can be done to maximize the efficiency in your class. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Summertime is a great time for new beginnings and preventative maintenance. Many of you may be moving to different classrooms, switching grades, or just want to update your current classrooms during this time.
Take the time to reflect on your past year and prepare for the upcoming one. Think about the physical layout of your classroom and what can be done to maximize the efficiency in your class. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Did students sneak past me because my desk was too far from the door or the students' desk?
- Did little Billy distract the whole class every time he needed to sharpen his pencil because of where the sharpener was located?
- Was there a group of students I had trouble keeping an eye on because there was little space in the aisle by their desks?
- How can I break my classroom into zones? (Individual work, group work, whole class instruction; art, math, music, geography)
- What items did the students need to use the most? These items should be easy access (calculators, manipulatives, books, etc.)
- What will the flow of my room be?
- What items do I use the most at the front of the room (store them there), what items do I frequently use at my desk (store them there), and what items do I use infrequently (store them more out of the way)?
- Can I make it more clear what items are for everyone's use and what items are only for the teacher? (Have a separate shelf or table where the 'everyone can use this' items go and make a firm rule that nothing on your desk is to be touched.)
- Is there a logical place for items to be handed in that is not just 'somewhere on the teacher's desk'? (Try a bin on a nearby shelf or an extra student's desk. This helps you as a teacher because you don't want to have to spend extra time cleaning off your desk everyday so you can work. A different, designated inbox for assignments also helps with the 'I handed it in, you must have lost it' problems, also.)
- What didn't work this year, and what can I do to improve that for next year?
- What ideas have I come up with or heard of that I've been meaning to try?
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Catch Me While You Can!
Well it's May already! You know what that means - June is coming! Instead of waiting until your report cards are due, I suggest collecting all of those overdue assignments now.
Go through your markbooks and make two lists: one by assignment for yourself listing who still has what assignment due, the second for your students by student listing which assignments each student has overdue. Try to make these lists electronically so that they can be called up as the students who have lost their assignments due three months ago are also likely to lose this list. Try not to list all of the overdues on the blackboard as this could be a privacy issue (but, of course, you know your class best).
Also, while you're at it, go through those piles that have snuck onto your desk to make sure you haven't lost an assignment that WAS handed in. Don't feel bad if you find these assignments, just make sure you don't dock marks for your mistake and get it into your books.
Now is also a good time to start entering marks into your report card software if you haven't already. Of course, I would recommend that you keep up with overdue assignments and entering marks into report card software starting in September and working on it at least once a month (the more often you do it, the less work will be piled up to do each time). However, me recommending that in May doesn't really help you. So just do what you can do now.
Here's to an organized May!
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Go through your markbooks and make two lists: one by assignment for yourself listing who still has what assignment due, the second for your students by student listing which assignments each student has overdue. Try to make these lists electronically so that they can be called up as the students who have lost their assignments due three months ago are also likely to lose this list. Try not to list all of the overdues on the blackboard as this could be a privacy issue (but, of course, you know your class best).
Also, while you're at it, go through those piles that have snuck onto your desk to make sure you haven't lost an assignment that WAS handed in. Don't feel bad if you find these assignments, just make sure you don't dock marks for your mistake and get it into your books.
Now is also a good time to start entering marks into your report card software if you haven't already. Of course, I would recommend that you keep up with overdue assignments and entering marks into report card software starting in September and working on it at least once a month (the more often you do it, the less work will be piled up to do each time). However, me recommending that in May doesn't really help you. So just do what you can do now.
Here's to an organized May!
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Scan When You Can!!
In this day and age we don't like the huge piles of paper that can surround us at times. Computers were supposed to make us into a paperless society, wasn't it? Well, computers can make a paperless society if we work on it! The computer can only do what we tell it to do, and honestly, most of the time we just tell it to print.
If we make a conscious effort, we can reduce our piles of paper and maybe even help the environment while we're at it!
First of all, don't make a zillion copies for 'just in case'. It is a good idea to have extra activities on hand, but limit yourself, especially if you don't end up using them.
Also, you don't need to print out all of your ideas, keep things digital until you need them. This is especially helpful with subjects that change and activities that can be updated later. If you have a word document of an activity you can easily personalize it to your class and print it out the week you need it to be copied on your photocopy day.
Speaking of photocopiers, it's also a good idea to lay off when possible. I know, I've done it too: there's 25 kids in the class, so I'll copy 28 because someone will lose it and someone else will rip theirs to be silly or make a paper airplane, and someone will make a mistake and want to start all over, and I need a copy for myself... I was in a 7/8 classroom and I had made just enough copies and one girl lost hers; do you know what I did? I told her she had to share with someone else and she'd get a new one the next day. I told her that I couldn't leave the room just then to make a copy and she had just received the paper, so if she couldn't keep track of it, she would have to wait. And you know what? The world did not fall apart! She was slightly miffed but when she realized that I really wasn't going to run to the photocopier at the drop of a hat she moved on, and did some work. By not having extras for 'just in case' I taught her a lesson in responsibility and consequences.
If you have papers that are worksheets for different grades or classes than the ones you have, but are great ideas, scan them! Give the paper copies to someone that can use them and move on. One less thing to handle (or several less things). Just a computer file taking up very little space.
I recommend sorting your papers by grade and then subject in elementary school, and by class in high school. Keep the current year's stuff in your classroom and/or on your person (this week's stuff only, maybe some digital and what you are currently using for long-range planning). Materials for other classes, grades, and subjects that you don't need this year should be archived out-of-the-way, yet accessible.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
If we make a conscious effort, we can reduce our piles of paper and maybe even help the environment while we're at it!
First of all, don't make a zillion copies for 'just in case'. It is a good idea to have extra activities on hand, but limit yourself, especially if you don't end up using them.
Also, you don't need to print out all of your ideas, keep things digital until you need them. This is especially helpful with subjects that change and activities that can be updated later. If you have a word document of an activity you can easily personalize it to your class and print it out the week you need it to be copied on your photocopy day.
Speaking of photocopiers, it's also a good idea to lay off when possible. I know, I've done it too: there's 25 kids in the class, so I'll copy 28 because someone will lose it and someone else will rip theirs to be silly or make a paper airplane, and someone will make a mistake and want to start all over, and I need a copy for myself... I was in a 7/8 classroom and I had made just enough copies and one girl lost hers; do you know what I did? I told her she had to share with someone else and she'd get a new one the next day. I told her that I couldn't leave the room just then to make a copy and she had just received the paper, so if she couldn't keep track of it, she would have to wait. And you know what? The world did not fall apart! She was slightly miffed but when she realized that I really wasn't going to run to the photocopier at the drop of a hat she moved on, and did some work. By not having extras for 'just in case' I taught her a lesson in responsibility and consequences.
If you have papers that are worksheets for different grades or classes than the ones you have, but are great ideas, scan them! Give the paper copies to someone that can use them and move on. One less thing to handle (or several less things). Just a computer file taking up very little space.
I recommend sorting your papers by grade and then subject in elementary school, and by class in high school. Keep the current year's stuff in your classroom and/or on your person (this week's stuff only, maybe some digital and what you are currently using for long-range planning). Materials for other classes, grades, and subjects that you don't need this year should be archived out-of-the-way, yet accessible.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Paper
I think that everyone, no matter who you are, teacher or not, has a LOT of paper in their lives. Today I am offering some ideas for reducing and tracking your paper. Please keep in mind that when I say toss, I mean shred and/or recycle, whichever is appropriate for the paper we're talking about.
REDUCE
First of all, a good idea is to reduce the amount of paper coming into your life. As a teacher this can be DIFFICULT. When you can, opt for the electronic version of newsletters, memos, correspondence, and possibly, student submissions.
In some cases it is easier/convenient to accept a word processor document either on a disk (Who uses those anymore? Oh wait, me.), CD, email attachment, in a certain intranet file, or just to have the student call it up on the screen. I have been in a classroom where students are not allowed to print anything until it is checked on screen, and the teacher has a large supply of printer paper that has something on one side. Maybe you want to consider having a box in the photocopy room for letter sized paper with one blank side to be reused?
PURGE
Now, taking some of these steps will reduce the paper coming INTO your life, but what about all of the paper that's already there? Purge! Take a quick look around you and toss all of the paper that is out of date, that you're done with, and that you never needed in the first place. If you have paper that you need to give to someone else (students, principal, colleagues), give it to them THIS WEEK, no excuses. I've met several teacher that try to hand work back to their students within two days. With younger students, they won't even remember what they did after longer than that.
If you receive a piece of paper that is about an event and the paper is available online, write the pertinent information on your calendar including where to find the information either online or on your computer and toss the paper! When you receive information by email, don't print it off! You don't need an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper to tell you that Billy won't be in on Thursday. Just write yourself a note in your planner.
Make your class motto for March: Think before you print. Both for you and your students.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
REDUCE
First of all, a good idea is to reduce the amount of paper coming into your life. As a teacher this can be DIFFICULT. When you can, opt for the electronic version of newsletters, memos, correspondence, and possibly, student submissions.
In some cases it is easier/convenient to accept a word processor document either on a disk (Who uses those anymore? Oh wait, me.), CD, email attachment, in a certain intranet file, or just to have the student call it up on the screen. I have been in a classroom where students are not allowed to print anything until it is checked on screen, and the teacher has a large supply of printer paper that has something on one side. Maybe you want to consider having a box in the photocopy room for letter sized paper with one blank side to be reused?
PURGE
Now, taking some of these steps will reduce the paper coming INTO your life, but what about all of the paper that's already there? Purge! Take a quick look around you and toss all of the paper that is out of date, that you're done with, and that you never needed in the first place. If you have paper that you need to give to someone else (students, principal, colleagues), give it to them THIS WEEK, no excuses. I've met several teacher that try to hand work back to their students within two days. With younger students, they won't even remember what they did after longer than that.
If you receive a piece of paper that is about an event and the paper is available online, write the pertinent information on your calendar including where to find the information either online or on your computer and toss the paper! When you receive information by email, don't print it off! You don't need an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper to tell you that Billy won't be in on Thursday. Just write yourself a note in your planner.
Make your class motto for March: Think before you print. Both for you and your students.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
For Tonia
I recently received an email from Tonia who teaches special ed. This post is in response to some of her questions.
Organizing the classroom:
The classroom should be divided into zones. Depending on your grade level, there should be a reading zone with some shelves of books and comfortable seating, an art zone that is very cleanable with different supplies and a large work surface, a teaching zone in view from the students' desks with a blackboard/whiteboard/easel for group teaching.
In addition you can have subject zones so all of the math manipulatives are together, all of the maps for geography are together, extra texts should be kept near the tools for each subject... If you are pressed for space, these subject zones can just be bins to be pulled out as needed.
There should be a medium sized table (that maybe is shared with the art zone) for one-on-one and small group teaching.
Tonia, for scheduling your time, I suggest you refer to my previous post: Prep your prep! It should help you, or at least give you some ideas. Please let me know if this helps or if you want some clarification. And, of course, feel free to ask more questions.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Organizing the classroom:
The classroom should be divided into zones. Depending on your grade level, there should be a reading zone with some shelves of books and comfortable seating, an art zone that is very cleanable with different supplies and a large work surface, a teaching zone in view from the students' desks with a blackboard/whiteboard/easel for group teaching.
In addition you can have subject zones so all of the math manipulatives are together, all of the maps for geography are together, extra texts should be kept near the tools for each subject... If you are pressed for space, these subject zones can just be bins to be pulled out as needed.
There should be a medium sized table (that maybe is shared with the art zone) for one-on-one and small group teaching.
Tonia, for scheduling your time, I suggest you refer to my previous post: Prep your prep! It should help you, or at least give you some ideas. Please let me know if this helps or if you want some clarification. And, of course, feel free to ask more questions.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Friday, January 2, 2009
Happy New Year!!
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas season, and I wish you all a very prosperous and organized 2009!
I do apologize for the break I have been taking, but I will be resuming normal posting for the new year.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
I do apologize for the break I have been taking, but I will be resuming normal posting for the new year.
Please comment or send your questions to me at organizingteacher@hotmail.com
Have great day!
Valerie :)
<><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
