Today was an awesome day in room 12! We got off to a great start, despite being
a little bit chatty. But, what do you expect when students go months without
seeing all of their friends? We started today with a HERO art project, where
each person designed a quarter of a circle. We will put all of the pieces
together to make a cool, multi-colored array of circles. Look for it in the
hallway outside our classroom next week at Open House.
After our art project, we learned a few of our class management systems. We have a class marble jar, where we can earn marbles for making good, HERO choices. Our first party, the present party, will be tomorrow since the Heroes were able to earn all ten marbles necessary in one day! Our class received compliments from four different teachers in the hallway, we earned two marbles for being awesome HERO helpers for the new kindergarten Dolphins, and another marble for a perfect Mystery Hero. A first in my teaching career!
After returning from helping the kindergarteners, we had a snack (nut-free pretzels) and listened to Mr. Cross read a great book First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. We used a concentric circles activity (called a washing machine) as a get to know you activity. The students also learned about Team Points, our daily points competition. As many of the students already know, the prize for winning three days of the team competition is the B.G.C., short for the Big Giant Cookie. With both of these systems (class marbles and team points), we will scaffold away the rewards. I want the students to receive the rewards quickly, so they will buy into these systems. After students earn a reward, they have to earn even more in order to earn another reward. Each successive reward becomes more difficult to earn, and
the time between rewards increases. We also learned new procedures for what
students are supposed to do before school starts and what they are supposed to
do once the bell rings. We ended the day practicing these procedures and filling
out our planners. Make sure to sign your child's planner each night.
a little bit chatty. But, what do you expect when students go months without
seeing all of their friends? We started today with a HERO art project, where
each person designed a quarter of a circle. We will put all of the pieces
together to make a cool, multi-colored array of circles. Look for it in the
hallway outside our classroom next week at Open House.
After our art project, we learned a few of our class management systems. We have a class marble jar, where we can earn marbles for making good, HERO choices. Our first party, the present party, will be tomorrow since the Heroes were able to earn all ten marbles necessary in one day! Our class received compliments from four different teachers in the hallway, we earned two marbles for being awesome HERO helpers for the new kindergarten Dolphins, and another marble for a perfect Mystery Hero. A first in my teaching career!
After returning from helping the kindergarteners, we had a snack (nut-free pretzels) and listened to Mr. Cross read a great book First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. We used a concentric circles activity (called a washing machine) as a get to know you activity. The students also learned about Team Points, our daily points competition. As many of the students already know, the prize for winning three days of the team competition is the B.G.C., short for the Big Giant Cookie. With both of these systems (class marbles and team points), we will scaffold away the rewards. I want the students to receive the rewards quickly, so they will buy into these systems. After students earn a reward, they have to earn even more in order to earn another reward. Each successive reward becomes more difficult to earn, and
the time between rewards increases. We also learned new procedures for what
students are supposed to do before school starts and what they are supposed to
do once the bell rings. We ended the day practicing these procedures and filling
out our planners. Make sure to sign your child's planner each night.