Sanity Savers -> Classroom Management
Handling "Tattlers"
When I taught Grades One and Two, the first 5 to 10 minutes
after recess were spent listening to 'tattles' about what happened at the
break. I solved this problem by creating "Mr. Tuttle's Tattle Box". I had
an old puppet that looked like a comical old man. I propped him up over a
covered box with a small opening cut into it. There was always a stack of
scrap paper and a can of pencils nex to "Mr. Tuttle". The students would come
in from recess and, if they had an urge to tattle on someone, they were to
write it on a piece of paper for Mr. Tuttle to look at. It stopped me from
having to listen to all the complaints, it encouraged the kids to write, and
it also helped them decide if the tattle was really worth the effort of writing
onto a piece of paper. Every couple of days, I would take the papers out of
the box and read them. If I saw a common complaint or issue on the papers,
I would talk with the student(s) involved. I got this idea out of a teacher
magazine years ago and it worked like a charm. S. Porterfield Shellbrook,
Sk Canada
Hall Pass
High school students love to find any reason at all to leave
the classroom. At the beginning of each quarter I make a set of 4 hall passes
for each student. On it I include a space for their name, where they are going,
the time they left and my signature. I also include the rules for using the
hall pass, 3 minute time and no disturbing other classes. I put each students
name on their hall passes before hand and sign my name. This prevents passing
hall passes from one student to another. The important part to the students
is that each pass they return to me at the end of the quarter is worth 25
extra credit points. This really helps them decide how important their trip
out of the room is.
- Mike Day Kansas City, MO
Block Schedule Breaks
I teach at a school that is on a block schedule. Our class
periods are 94 minutes in length. The one thing that I have done this year
that is working beautifully deals with the inevitable question of "May I go
to the bathroom?" I teach high school students who seem to want to leave the
room all the time. I have started taking a short 3-4 minute break at the halfway
point of the class. We all take this time to go to the restroom, get water,
and enjoy the short walk in the hall. This is the only time anyone can go
to the restroom and it has worked beautifully.
Sheryl Dunn
File it
I had been teaching for twenty years before I learned there
was a better system of organizing files than using manila folders in a file
cabinet. One of my student teachers put each lesson plan in a clear plastic
sleeve inside a three-ring binder. He then included a copy of each xerox for
that unit under the plans and kept them all in chronological order. That way,
the originals are kept clean, it is easy to pull necessary work to be copied
in advance and, when I eventaully retire, I will have something worthwhile
to pass on to my successor.
Linda Rowe, Mechanicsburg Sr. High - grades 11-12. English
I have an addition to the information submitted by Linda
Rowe entitled "File It", a suggestion on how to keep originals clean
and organized. In addition to using the clear plastic sleeves and the three
ring binder, I also assure that the original is never mistakenly handed out
to a student by using a yellow highlighter. I use the highlighter to draw
a line down the right side of the paper. The color yellow is not picked up
by copy machines, so copies come out white. But it clearly alerts me when
if I ever try to give the original to someone else.
- Gigi MacLeod, San Leandro, California
Getting Started
I am a 5th grade teacher. When setting up my grade book,
I arrange the sections according to our report card. When it is time to put
the grades on the report card it makes it much easier.
I also use tab in the front of each subject so it is easy
to turn to and you don't have to go through the whole book each time. Make
sure you allow enough pages between sections for each quarter of the school
year.
At the beginning of the year I make a large index card
for each student. I start out by putting on these cards any important information
I can find from the children record cards. Number of brothers, sisters, if
parent are divorced etc.. I give the children a number of topics to write
about their favorite subject, sport, hobby etc. I add these to the card along
with any problems I notice in writing, penmanship, spelling etc. By the time
parent conferences come I know a lot about the individual child. I take a
quick peak at the cards of the children before I meet with their parents.
It helps to make a productive conference. I add to the card anything the parents
tell me about their children also.
I use contact paper to make nametags for my children's
desks. After finishing the children's seating arrangement. I hand them their
nametags and children put them on the front of their desks. It helps me learn
their names quickly and substitutes can easily call the children by their
names when in my room.
from Lee Pfister - spfister@optonline.net
Homework Managers!
I teach 7th grade and am a 20 year veteran, but you're never
too old to learn something new. Last year I started using a "homework manager"
(and other managers, too) and it has been a great stress reducer. I give the
students a handout explaining the manager jobs and let them sign up if interested.
Then I choose after observing their behavior for about a week. My homework
managers in each class put together a manila folder (which I provide) for
each person absent that day. They write the day's instructions from the board
on a slip of paper and put them inside the folder along with any handouts
for the day. They label the folders with sticky notes on the outside and place
them in the basket for that class period. When those students return to school,
the homework manager gives them their make-up work and instructions for the
assignments, removes the sticky notes, and returns the folders to the pile
for future use. I never have to stop in the middle of something to get someone's
make-up work. They know who the homework manager is for their class and they
ask that person, not me.
Organization!!
I teach four different high school math courses and I need
to make my life easier. For each course I keep a folder on each topic
or chapter. Each folder contains tests, worksheets, etc. I use different
color folders for each subject so I can tell at a glance which subject is
in each folder. I also use color tabs for each class in my grade book
and I match the tabs with the subject’s color. My notebook that
contains the notes and problems on the units we are doing in each class is
also tabbed with the subject’s color. I also use the appropriate color
paper for each subject when I print grades for progress reports and end of
term reports. (I also use tabs for different chapters or topics in my
textbook..)
Regenia B. Ashley
Belton-Honea Path High School, Honea Path, South Carolina
No Squeaks Here
In my art room I have a linoleum floor and art stools, this
combination makes a lot of noise. I found a great solution. I traded my students
stickers or Jolly Ranchers for old tennis balls. I cut a slit in each one
and put them on the bottom of the stool legs, and no more scraping noises.
The kids really love the strange look of my funky art stools.
K. McPherson - Arizona Art Teacher
Who's Eating What?
The students in our elementary school usually have two choices
for lunch. Since the cafeteria personnel usually set up lunch according
to who is having what. On a number of occasions students have changed
their mind when they get in line; this can cause bad feelings between the
cafeteria staff and the teacher. I use a monthly sign in sheet.
The students must register their choice in the square adjacent to their name.
They either enter a 1, 2 or a P for if they are packing their lunch.
At the beginning of the year I carry the sheet to the lunchroom, when I take
the class. I can settle any disagreements on the spot, by checking my
sign in sheet. As you can guess, after a few weeks it is no longer necessary
to carry the sheet along. The sign in roster also helps with attendance
record keeping.
- Jack Quinn
- Mechanicsburg, PA
Who's Who?
As a substitute teacher , I am at a disadvantage when it
comes to classroom management because I do not know all the students names.
Post-It notes are a big help. At the beginning of the day I give each
student a Post-It note and ask them to write their names on them. I
explain to them that these are their recess tickets. If they have them
at recess, they may go out! The students are given one chance to earn
their "tickets" back with good behavior. This works for me!
Sometimes I will collect the recess tickets at the end of the day for a prize
drawing!
Donna S. Monger
Washington, Iowa
Grab a Name
I keep a mug of tongue depressors with each student's name
on a tongue depressor. I can pull these for students to take turns reading
or answering questions. Students pay better attention when they don't know
who will be "pulled" next. The "sticks" work great
when I pull names for small group activities. I pull the names and arrange
them in groups on my desk, then announce who is working with whom for the
class project or experiment.
Help Wanted List
The first day of school, I take Polaroid pictures of my
third graders. I use these photos on my helper board. The caption on
the board is HELP WANTED with newspaper border. I write the jobs on red paper
and put a photo of the person who has the job for the week next to it.
This board is used year round and it helps me to learn all the new names I
need to learn in September. - Cindee Fenton, St. Patrick School, Carlisle,
PA
What did I Miss?
To keep students informed of what they missed while they
were absent, I have a bulletin board with five folders, one for each day of
the week. Inside the day's folder, I staple a chart which has a box for each
subject (or class period) and a list of who was absent that class period.
Inside each box, I write a brief summary of what was handed in or graded,
as well as what was assigned in that period. I include any announcements
made about up-coming tests or deadlines. In the pocket on the other
side of the folder, I place any handouts (or returned work) the student needs
to receive. It is the student's responsibility to check what was missed.
I leave the "daily summaries" stapled in place until the end of
the quarter to serve as a record of who was absent when.
chirning@hotmail.com
New life for Calendars
Are you tired of changing your calendar each month?
Use a desktop calendar that you can write on for your bulletin board.
You can write birthdays, field trips, test dates, etc. on your calendar.
When each month is over, add the old calendar pages to make a book for an
information center. Fold the page almost in half, leaving about 1 inch
on the left for staples or brads. Use 12x18 construction paper for the
cover. Have the kids answer questions using the book. For example,
how many days were in August, September and October.
Get the Picture
You can personalize your Interim Reports, Report Cards,
Sub Folders, nametags etc., by taking individual pictures with a digital camera
(most school libraries have them now) and adding them to your work . You can
also use the pictures for a "Getting to Know You" bulletin board
at the beginning of the year, or for a Class Memory Book at the end of the
year. I have also used the student pictures my Emergency Plans for Substitutes
and in the book I prepare for my student teachers each year. Everyone loves
to see their pictures!
Jackie Moore
Chesapeake, VA
Decorations for Artistically Challenged Teachers!
Are you tired of spending so much money on room decorations
and are worried that what you make might not be as nice?..Well, worry no more!
All you need is an overhead projector, colored chalk, your favorite clip art
or coloring book, and a little time. First, choose your clip art. Place it
under the acetate film and trace your design with Vis-a-Vis markers. Project
the image onto your chalkboard and trace the design with colored chalk. The
result is great, and the students love the artwork on the boards! You
can change your designs as often as you wish.
Jackie Moore
Chesapeake, Va
Free Writing
Sometimes you can learn a lot about your students by giving
them time to express themselves. I use a free writing activity at the beginning
of each class to get the students started. The assignment is this: Write
for five minutes about any subject you want to. (Or the teacher can select
a subject of a general nature. Eg. Christmas, honesty, friendship, etc.)
I try to quickly scan all or at least most of the papers, and give a positive
comment about each one. They get 10 points (or whatever system you use)
for doing the assignment. If a student says "I don't know what to
write about," I respond, "Just write 'I don't know what to write
about' over and over. I don't grade for spelling, grammar, or anything.
As long as they have put forth some effort and done the writing, they get
the points. If a student seems to be staring off into space or otherwise
not writing, he or she gets fewer points. It works pretty well. It
also helps them get in the habit of writing their thoughts on paper.
It also gets them settled at the beginning of the period and ready for the
next assignment of the day.
Peace on Earth
I teach a fourth grade class in the Los Angeles area.
I work with children to rewrite words to songs to build language and community.
One activity that has worked nicely is to take the song "Let there be
Peace on Earth and let it begin with me" and have the children change
the words to become .... "Let's all be kind in class and I'll let it
start with me." If any teacher would like to share more in this
area, I would be happy to do so.
Thanks, Marty Kirschen - MKirs54321@aol.com
Class Lists
Hang a copy of your class list next to your door with a
magnet or tape. Then when you have a fire drill or a substitute teacher needs
to see if everyone is in line to go somewhere the list is quickly in your
hands and you are ready to go!
Jo Messner
Gas City, IN
Journal Entries
Tip: If you have a "problem student," you can
use your students' journal-writing time to your own advantage. Write while
they write, but use the time to make a daily anecdotal record of your problem
student's progress or difficulties. It can be a useful reference for parent
conferences or when referring problems to specialists.
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