In this video, I share with you 6 classroom management strategies that did not work for me and I offer advice on what to do instead. Please comment below, what your worst tip you received as a teacher.
0 Comments
In this video (click the picture above), I teach you how to make up a line dances to complement your instruction and get your kinesthetic learners out of their seats. In this video, I teach you how to create simple line dances like the Macarena and the Cupid shuffle; I also share activity ideas to go along with these dances. I am also going to share with you some other types of dancing activities. According to the website, “Kids Learning HQ,” in a typical classroom, 29% are visual learners, 34% are auditory learners, 37% are kinesthetic learners, and 30% are a mixture of learning styles. This means that about 70% of the students in your classroom could benefit from learning from dance activities that help students remember a variety of concepts. Source: http://kidslearninghq.com/learning-tips/learning-styles-visual-auditory-kinesthetic/ Let me start out by saying I cannot dance, but I can follow simple dance moves in sequence. I can also somewhat move with the beat. So I have broken the video in three parts. The first will be me teaching you how to make up a simple line dance, the second will be dance activity ideas you can use in your classroom, and the third will be an example of one of the dances I have created in the past to teach students’ Newton’s laws of motion. So, let’s get into part 1. Part 1: How to create a simple line dance. I have created a list of all the simple dance moves I can think of. Disclaimer: If students say these dance moves are lame tell them any great dancer can make these moves look good. The cards I use in the video are at the bottom of this post. Just print, cut out, and laminate. One is editable and one is not. 1) slide to the left 2) Slide to the right 3) Slide forward 4) Slide backward 5) Step to the left 6) Step to the right 7) Step forward 8) Step backward 9) Hop to the left 10) Hop to the right 11) Hop forward 12) Hop backward 13) Strut forward 14) Kick left 15) Kick right 16) Kick front 17) Kick back 18) Spin 19) Lean left 20) Lean right 21) Lean forward 22) Lean back 23) Shaky knees 24) Shaky shoulders 25) Dip/squat 26) Tap wrists together twice 27) step touch step touch 28) cabbage patch 29) Point right to left 30) Point left to right 31) criss cross 32) shoulder rolls 33) Body roll 34) Snap to the left and snap to the right 35) hop Shuffle step, hop shuffle step 36) Strike a pose 37) Dab 38) Wild card (pick a dance move not on the list) 39) Raise the roof 40) Windmill Arms 41) Clap 3 times 42) Squat while slapping the ground 43) Wax on Wax off 44) Punch up Punch Forward 45) Head Roll 46) Nod head to the beat One thing you need to keep in mind is dance sequences are in 8 counts. So what ever sequence you come up with needs to be in multiples of 8. So you can choose your moves in a variety of ways. Option 1: You could look at the list and pick the moves you like until you have enough for a sequence. But I feel in order to be more authentic, we should let fate decide which moves we do. Option 2: You could make it really interesting and just randomly draw one move at a time, use the move you picked and keep drawing until you have a sequence. To see a demonstration, watch the video. Option 3: This is my favorite option since it is random but you have a little bit more control of the flow of the dance. Draw two moves at a time and chose one you like. Put the one you didn’t use back in the pile. Keep doing this until you have enough moves for a sequence. So, you ready to create a brand new dance with me? To see a demonstration, watch the video. Part 2: How you can use this in your classroom. Activity 1: Dance a Sequence, Procedure, or Event Select dance moves from the list to demonstrate steps in a sequence, procedure, or events in a series. Example 1: If you are teaching the order of operations in math, you the teacher create a dance or have students choose dance moves to represent each step. If students do this, make sure they can justify each move. Then teach it to the class. Example 2: if you are teaching the scientific method, you the teacher create a dance or have students create a dance that represents the method. If you allow students to do this, make sure they justify each move to the dance step. Then teach it to the class. Example 3: If you are teaching students to write an introductory paragraph to an essay, have students create dance moves that represent each part like the hook, bridge, thesis, etc. Example 4: If you are teaching an event in history like the civil war, have students create a dance summarizing the events. Make sure they can justify each part of the dance. Activity 2: Review Dance Project test prep questions on the board and give students an allotted amount of time to answer. Randomly draw a name and ask that student to answer. If the student gets the question right, they get to choose between two dance steps. As a class, practice the step. If the student gets it wrong, the whole class has to run in place for 30 seconds. Repeat. Then practice the two moves together as a class. Keep doing this as time allows. At the end of the class, dance out this sequence to one song (or one minute of a song.) I recommend Uptown funk. It seems to fit with these sequences well.) Activity 3: Vocabulary Dance Divide your class into small groups and assign each group a vocabulary word or several vocabulary words (depending on the complexity of the words.) Have students select dance moves based on these words such prefixes and suffixes, words meanings, etc. have students explain and justify each dance move and how it fits to that word. Have students teach the dance to the class. Activity 4: Choose a song first There are so many songs that people have made to teach concepts in a variety of content areas. Have students select a song from YT that teaches a skill or concept that you are teaching in your class and makeup a dance to that song using the steps the students created. Students will have to listen to this song repeatedly as they are working on the dance while listening to cues before moving to the next move. They won’t have to memorize the song since it will be stuck in their head. Disclaimer: Not everyone feels comfortable dancing so for these kinesthetic learners. I suggest exercise moves or sports playing moves. For example, jumping jacks, squats, or pretend to bounce a basketball, pretend to swing a bat, pretend to kick a field goal, etc. The cards that are editable, type your own exercise moves or sports moves and follow the same procedure. The only difference is students will be exercising and not have to worry about being uncomfortable dancing in front of their peers. Part 3: Example While I was teaching Newton’s laws of motion, I created a dance called “The Windy City.” To see this example, watch the video. Conclusion: Thank you all so much for reading this blog. I hope you found this information helpful. Don't forget to get your gift found below.
In this video I share 6 classroom management strategies that failed me. It is possible that these did not work for me, but they might work for others. When I attempted these strategies, I was fairly new in my career as a teacher. So this lists tells you which strategies that did not work for me. The video adds what you can do instead, and gives more context to each item on the list. So, click the link to watch the video. I'll wait.
1) Only teach rules and procedures the first 3 weeks- no content. 2) Being a drill sergeant. Not revealing too much about yourself. 3) Let kids pick their seat. (Middle school) 4) If a student acts up, write their name on the board. This would cause the child to yell at me more especially if I spelled their name wrong. (Did I mention I am a terrible speller?) 5) “If they act up, punish the whole class until the guilty confess.” The whole class resented me and I didn’t win them back that year. I once had a whole class of kids yelling at me at once. I think I went into shock because the room slowed down like it feels to be in a car wreck. 6) “When you lend a child a pencil, take their shoe until the return the pencil.). This turned into a “shoes being optional.” My room always smelt like feet. I have so many things I wish parents knew but I broke it down to 10 items. Click on the picture to watch the video. 1) Keep your phone number and address updated at the school. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to call a parent and the number is disconnected. Then we start calling other numbers on the list to get a hold of you. Also, give your child’s teacher your email address. This is the preferred method of contact for most of the teachers I know. 2) Make sure your child attends school. Try to schedule doctor’s appointments and such after school hours. The school received money based on attendance and if your child misses frequently, that could be costing your child’s school money. If they have to miss, check your child’s school absentee policy to see if hand written notes are allowed. Also, push your child to retrieve and makeup work so they won’t be behind. If your child has a medical condition and has to be out, call the school and get his or her teachers to put together all the work your child missed. And help your child do the work so he or she is not so far behind when they return. 3) When teacher’s call, we are reaching out for help and who knows the child better than you. Your support is the ticket to your child’s success. Because I have seen it a million times, if you act like you don’t care when a teacher calls, your child picks up on it and his or her behavior is likely to escalate. 4) If your child complains about his or her teacher, please listen to both sides. There is nothing more frustrating than a parent that does not believe the teacher. Here is some food for thought, your child might be really well behaved with you, but you don’t get to see them in a classroom scenario. More than likely, you don’t see them with a variety of kids from all backgrounds and all personalities. I have never met a teacher that makes up stories about students. (I am sure this has happened because teachers can have bad behaviors too, but I have never seen it.) But this is what can happen, you refuse to believe the teacher and your child really is misbehaving, it is going to go downhill fast. Your child will know they can act any which way and you will not believe their teacher so this is when we sit back and watch the bad behavior escalate. I have seen this first hand and it is hard to watch. Many times a child’s behavior is so bad, the parent will literally cry and say they have no control over their child anymore. Remember, it starts when they are little. 5) On the other hand, if it seems like a teacher is legitimately picking on your child. Set up a meeting with the teacher and principal to express your concerns. At the end of the day, you are an advocate for your child and if someone is mistreating them, it is your job to be their voice. 6) In my career, I have talked to parents that do not want to be called when their child is acting up. The first time I heard this I was shocked. Please don’t be this type of parent. You are your child’s biggest influence and they spend 7 hours a day in school, just like a real job. Between the parents and the teachers, we are training kids to be adults and you will be with them way longer than me. Teachers need your support. I promise, we don’t bite. Most of us are here to help. 7) Your child is going to deal with knuckleheads. But keep in mind, it is considered bullying if another student repeatedly disrespects/harms your child and this disrespect is one-sided. Now, if you suspect your child is being bullied, notify the school immediately or set up a conference with the school counselor. Counselors can work miracles. If nothing gets done, set up a meeting with the principal. If nothing still gets done, go to the superintendent. If nothing still gets done, go to a school board meeting. If nothing gets done, go to the local news station. Bullying should not be taken lightly, ever!!! 8) Kids can find anything to pick on another child. The most common things I have seen kids pick on other kids for is: hairline, shoes, haircut, bad breath, feminine male students, and the biggest one is hygiene. Most parents know to teach their children about hygiene. Some parents are so busy, they might not even think about this. I know sometimes as parents we are busy, but I would make sure your child takes a bath everyday and puts on deodorant. Remember, bacteria live on our body. Bacteria are living things, and what do living things do? Reproduce, get rid of waste, die and other things. So when we don’t scrub our bodies everyday, we are covered in thousands of dead bacteria, and their poop. Can you see where this would start to stink? Not to mention, people that don’t bathe regularly are misreading likely to get sick because of bad bacteria growing on his or her body. It is so sad to see a kid get picked on about hygiene since this is an easy fix. I have seen DHS called on a child that had consistently poor hygiene. It is a sign of neglect. (Tell story about he girl that wet the bed and got herself ready for school. Parents had no idea.) 9) Check out your child’s teacher websites. Usually teachers are required to have a website that explains what they are doing each week. Keep up with it. If the teacher does not have a website, at least Ask your child’s teacher how often they assign homework. If you can help them with it. If you don’t know how to do the homework yourself, find a YouTube video that will help your child. Almost every concept builds on each other so if your child is struggling, help them learn what they need so they don’t get far behind. Did you know some teachers have class sizes of 33 students? And it is hard to give every child that individualized attention at school. But there is not enough time in a class period to do everything we need to get done and homework serves as extra practice. 10) Teachers want the parents to be involved. We want your support. We want to work with you as a team to ensure your child’s success. Most schools allow parents to sit in class with their child. Just let the school know at least 24 hours in advance. If a child does poorly on a test, allow them to stay for after school tutoring. Be involved, but not a helicopter parent. In this post and the video above (click picture to watch the video), I am going to share with you 15 apps that I a teacher find helpful. In this post, I give you 5 bonus apps that I love as well. These apps make my life and job as a teacher easier. 1) Google Classroom: If you use google classroom, then you need the app. Post last minute assignment right from your phone. 2) Google Voice: Don’t want to give out your personal number, but you want parents to be able to reach you? Google Voice is for you. You can also record phone calls just make sure you let the person you are talking to know they are being recorded depending on state laws. 3) Anydownloadr: You may get 15 free downloads, but for unlimited, it is $0.99. That is a steal. You can download any video to your phone to use in projects for your classroom. I have found that students respond well to music. 4) Voice Memos: If you do not have time to write something down, quickly record your note so you can refer to it later. 5) Pinterest: This is the one stop place for inspiration on everything: decorations, lesson plans, classroom management tips, etc. 6) Google Keep: I have had so many notepads on my phone but many times the information is disorganized. Now I can keeps notes on my phone and they are never lost since I can access them from my computer. 7) Zip Grader: Do you want to grade papers easily? You need this app. You get 100 free scans a month or 6.99 a year unlimited. It also has graphs and charts. 8) Google Calendar: Keep events organized and color coded. You can also share your calendar with colleagues so keeping everyone on the same page is easier. 9) Google Translate: Do you have students in your class where English is not their first language. You need google translate so you can communicate with them. 10) Teacher Pay Teachers: Thousands of resources at your finger tips. (Free and purchased). I also go here to get inspired even if I don’t buy anything. 11) Popsicle Sticks Unlimited: This allows you to randomly choose students to answer questions. You do not have to keep up with popsicle sticks anymore. There is a free version, but for unlimited classes and kids, it is $6.99. You can also score responses for easy grading. 12) Dictionary: Use this to look up words, pronounce words, spell words, and learn new words. As teachers, we need to keep learning. 13) Rosetta Stone: Learn a new language so you can communicate with your ELL students. 14) Walmart Grocery: Easily buy groceries so you save time so you can work. Must spend $30 to use this. 15) Groovy Grader: This is like that easy grader but for your phone. It is simple but effective. Plus, you don't have to worry about losing it since it is on your phone. Other Amazing Apps I did not mention in the video16) Camera: Yes, the camera app that comes on your phone is what I am talking about. Many days in a teacher’s life are hectic. So, if I put something down, I know is important, I take a picture of it so I never forget what I did with things. Or when I deliver my co sequences from my classroom management plan, I take a picture before I give it to the child, that way if they don’t bring it back, I have documentation. Or I can send the picture directly to their parent.
17) YouTube: If I am looking for more than one way to teach a skill, I go to YouTube for inspiration. 18) Google Drive: Quickly access your documents and materials from your phone and share 19) Weebly: manage my website from phone 20) Talking Points/Class Dojo/Remind 101/ Class-craft or any other communication device you use needs to be on your phone. In this video, I share 14 lessons I learned while teaching my 10th year during the month os August 2019. Below is what I learned. To see the video, click the picture above.
1) Being out affects all of the teachers. When kids have a substitute they usually come from that class wild so please don’t miss work unless it is completely necessary. 2) If a kid is falling asleep “ ask them if they want to get water or if they need to put water on their face.” This shows them you care and keeps them awake in class. 3) If a student calls you bruh, turn in around on them and call them “sis”. Thank you Mrs. g. 4) If you have a class that is full of negativity and you feel might be a problem, call every single child’s parent and introduce yourself. Make sure to Praise the kids that were awesome. Or you could simply say, “I was calling to introduce myself. I am your child’s math teacher.” Do not mention anything negative during this call. The energy of the room will be different the next day. 5) Reteach a skill if the class average is below 60%. 6) Invite your administrators to observe your class when you are doing something interesting or out of the ordinary. 7) If students are not understanding a skill research different ways to explain it. 8) Make sure students understand that is is better to understand how to master a skill verses getting a good grade. 9) Only discuss grades and behavior with legal guardians. 10) If you have a student that their behavior is over the top extremely bad. Start documentation on just that child documenting the good, the bad, and the ugly. 11) Don’t let students disrespect you. I have nipped most disrespectful behaviors in the bud by making disrespect an immediate after school detention. 12) Assigning after school detention for students not completing work in class or refusing a work is a strategy you need to utilize in your class. Threatening after school detention has worked 100% of the time. Students will get right to work. 13) If you have ELL students, google docs has a feature that you can translate to document to different languages. Give these students a copy in English and a copy in their native language. Also, download google translate on your phone so you can talk to these students. Also, if you have access to computers, tablets, etc. Allow these students to use these so they have access to google translate. 14) If a student stays for detention and claims his parent gave permission for the student to walk to a family member’s house that is nearby, do not let them do this unless you hear it from the parent. I show you the things I purchased from my Amazon wish list while providing tips and insight on the purpose for the items in my classroom. Some of the items I purchased are traditional and some are things you might not even think about using in a classroom. I share what the one thing students did my first year that made me feel like I was going crazy, and how I solved this problem with a gold star tip. Click on the image above to see the video.
Disclaimer: Do not tell students they have a new seating chart because they are acting bad. This will make them defensive. Do not tell them you are making them work independently because of their behavior. This will make the kids defensive and the sweet kids might turn on you. (I just act like this is how I want to teach this lesson.) 1) Put desks in rows if possible so all students have to face one direction. (This gives the students no excuses. They have to face forward.) 2) Create a seating chart strategically placing the most disobedient students as far apart as possible. 3) Project this seating chart on the board so you can easily learn names and deliver consequences as needed throughout the whole class. 4) Print out work that can be completed independently. (It is important that this work is something students will not need much help.) For science, history, & English, I prefer informational text on the standard with questions that go with the reading. For math, I like drills and vocabulary review. Be sure there is enough work to last the entire period. 5) Greet students at the door with the work. Instruct them to be quiet and get to work. (Some students will push back at the new seating chart and the work. More than likely you will know which ones will do this before they even come to class.). Expect some push back and be ready for it. 6) Already have a consequence prepared for these kids. (After school detention, lunch detention, team time out, counselor referral, etc.). Have it ready to give immediately and whatever consequence you decide, let anyone involved in the consequence you decide know ahead of time so they will know if you need their help and they have a heads up. 7) Once the class is settled and the disruptive kids are dealt with, pace the aisles as students work. Teach “over the shoulder” but don’t stay still for too long. If any more kids act up, deliver a consequence immediately. 8) Do this for only the classes that need it. One class or all depending on the circumstances. 9) Follow through with this for at least a week. 10) Every day, do something nice for students that always follow your rules and procedures. You should be good to go after a week of this as long as you follow your consequences consistently. But if you want to keep it going longer... 11) I would suggest pulling a small group to your desk while the others work independently for the second week. 12) Be kind but firm. 13). Be clear about what you expect. Students that don’t meet this, give a consequence. I would strongly suggest adding a teacher led after school detention to your list. My discipline went down dramatically when I did this. Hang in there! You're gift for this video is below. This was part of my required reading when I was on an improvement plan.
In this video, I go shopping for school supplies for my classroom. I shop at Walmart and Educate & Celebrate. I buy some much needed supplies. Below is your gift. It is a fan fiction story I wrote based on Super Mario 3D world. I usually give it to students that are serving In School Detention. There are questions and activities.
Before I filmed this video, I played with my makeup for a couple of hours and then my daughter fixed my hair. I cannot do hair. At all. She went a little overboard with the glitter. Anyways, in this video The Hall Pass and I tag teamed each other to answer questions about being a mom and a teacher. Click the picture below to go to the Hall Pass's channel. Below is a free download. I hope you enjoy!
|
AuthorI am not an expert yet by any means. I felt inspired to create a YouTube channel and website so new teachers will have an easier journey than I had. Archives
December 2019
Categories
All
|