|
|
As a teacher, my greatest goal is to instill a love for learning in each of my students. |
February Teacher Tips |
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ |
Homework Help for Parents |
studying for spelling tests |
Need: tape recorder, paper, & pencil |
When your child brings home new spelling words, have him/her record them in the following manner. |
Say the word clearly into the recorder. Then use the word in a sentence. |
While recorder is still running, silently count to ten. This will leave a pause on the recorder. |
Spell the word correctly into the recorder. |
To practice words, listen to the first word and sentence, then press the pause button. |
Write the word (not the sentence), then repress the pause button to check spelling. |
If the word is spelled correctly, put a star or sticker by it. If word is spelled incorrectly, rewrite it five times correctly before continuing to the next word on the recorder. |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Classroom Management |
"The BOX" |
When your class seems especially rowdy, this technique works beautifully to regain control of behavior. Draw a large box on the board. Explain to the students that if the box is empty when recess time comes, you will take them out a few minutes early. |
However, if the class gets out of control again, you will place a large X in the box. In this case, the class will lose five minutes of recess. If you need to put two X's in the box, recess is delayed ten minutes. If three X's are required, recess is cancelled. |
The first time you are forced to put an X in the box for poor behavior, explain that your goal in putting the box up is not to take the students' recess away, but to motivate them to display appropriate classroom behavior. State your expectations at this time. Explain that if the students' behavior is absolutely excellent for the remaining time before recess, they might be able to earn back the lost time. Then enjoy your class, because I guarantee the students will become perfect angels. |
If reducing recess is not an option, you can adapt this strategy by offering to reduce or increase homework in one subject. |
Using this strategy is actually humorous once the kids are familiar with it. When you draw the box on the board, without a word, you'll hear all kinds of whispers behind you. "The box!". . . "The box!" . . . "The box!" |