Class Cash

I am finally coming up for air after these past few insanely hectic weeks.  I have found that I love, love, love 5th graders.... and I love the curriculum..... not so fond of my new room.... not so fond of the nightmarish schedules.... but... overall... it is good...

5th graders are ever so capable!  5th graders can follow instructions (if they want to).  5th graders keep me on my toes.... yay!

I think that I would have done better at this as a first year teacher.   I would have been blissfully unaware of my shortcomings.... I would have happily gone about preparing each lesson, loving each moment and excited to watch the year unfold.  

The fact that I am a veteran teacher with loads of experience..... is my problem.   I am completely aware of my shortcomings. I am completely aware that I have a certain standard of excellence that I expect from myself - and that I mostly met it in my former life as a 2nd grade teacher..... and I am painfully aware  that I am not any where near the ballpark as of yet in 5th grade.  

Don't get me wrong.  We are doing okay.  We have bonded well and already love each other.... yay!  We are finally getting into sort of a routine... well.... we are moving TOWARD a routine... it seems to be a moving target... seriously.... seriously.... seriously!!   But... that is okay too.....

Time is a HUGE problem.  The other teachers I work with demand that we all stay on the same lesson each day..... and have given me a schedule for the entire year... and it is set in stone..... seriously.... seriously... seriously......!!!!  haha!   I am fundamentally opposed to this as I think that each class and each child is unique.... and therefore.... one size lessons don't fit all..... but alas.....
my vote doesn't count here....

 I have been floundering with class cash and homework check in.... We have been interrupted almost on a daily basis.... For example.... the second week of school, I was assigned bus duty for the week-  which means- I am outside greeting kids each day, before and after school...... NOT in my ROOM during those important crossroads....
AAACK!

The following week we had the assignment of going and helping younger grades with leadership skills......

and then..... of course.... I got the nastiest cold of my LIFE and had to be absent......a few days (which should have been a week but who has that kind of leisure???) .....

so that brings us to the present.... SOOOOO.... I have been  frantically looking for ways to cut down on TIME and at the same time increase student involvement and engagement..... in all aspects of the day.  

One of the incentives used in 5th is class cash.... (I have other positive reinforcers as well.. but this is a good one.)  They earn cash for a variety of good choices... but coming prepared with homework is a reliable way to earn some bucks...

I really like the idea of kids learning to handle money - even if it is play money- and to be able to budget it for their needs and wants.... We do have store and auction now and then to let them spend those bucks.... but they can also purchase school supplies and other needs as well.   They get rewarded for good choices... they get monetarily charged for poor choices.... etc.....

That is all well and good but the cash itself became a problem.... really fast.... especially because of all the disruptions with homework check these past few weeks.....

SOOOOOOO..... here is what I came up with:  (and the kids are more than a little excited about it- as am I).

We are opening the Class Cash Bank..... Each child will open a savings account.   They will get "paid" once a week for the amount of days they came prepared that week .... on Payday.... and it will be deposited into their account.   They will fill out deposit or withdrawal slips as needed.  They will have the opportunity to learn that banks hold our money but that we cannot take out more than we have deposited....  They will also get to learn that money is "safer" in a bank.... as wandering thieves can make off with cash......

I explained that I work for a whole month before I get paid... and I have to make my paychecks last until the next one comes.... I can see that budgeting is going to be a fun thing to practice as part of this plan.  

Well, a new chapter in my life is beginning.  I have agreed to move up to 5th grade next year.  What an adventure.  I was very happy to try something new but have deep emotions about leaving my little second grade friends.  On the bright side, for the next three years I will have the opportunity to have some of my friends in my class again.   That is making the transition easier.  Every single year I am sad to see my little friends leave.  Every single year I think that I would like to move up with them... and now, I get to be reunited with many of them.  I am glad that we will have another year of learning together.

Christmas break- Yay!  I am trying to make sense of creating my own clip art.  I have been an artist for years but that means.... pens and paint brushes are my tools.... I am trying to teach myself how to convert my art into digital form.... wish me luck!

A little painting 

Can never have enough pens! 

A little doodle

And of course.... some doodles for the classroom! 

Create something every day!

I was an artist for 20 years before I became a full time teacher.   I try to infuse my teaching with my creative touches.   This week I added a tree to the corner where the children enter the room.  I think it adds a nice touch.

Still wet but I think it turned out perfect!  

Each year I try to add some new ideas to organize better and make my life easier... etc.  Each year I learn things that worked and others that didn't.... So here I am, days before we are in the building... at home, trying to make sense of my world.
This year I am adding a component to the homework check in that I hope will be beneficial to me, to the kids, and to their parents.  I am making a homework record folder.
Now... I have always checked in homework and marked it dutifully in my record book.  I count them up and record them on our parent - teacher conference forms a few times a year.  This doesn't change the fact that some kids are always prepared and some kids struggle with ever being prepared.... I also know, as all teachers do, that often preparedness has all to do with parental support, etc.
So....
Each morning when the child checks in their homework I will continue to mark my record book... and I will mark the same on their "Accountability Sheet"- which is their record of their day and is stapled to their homework packet each afternoon..... but... THIS year... when they check in with me they will also need their record folder....
The record folder has a written homework sheet on one side and a reading homework side on the other... The little calendar set up has enough spaces for the entire year in two pages of each. They will get a green mark  for being prepared and a pink mark for being unprepared.  (I will use a highlighter- it is fast.)  Underneath the written homework record is a sheet that has their excuses for being unprepared.... They will need to write the date and reason they are unprepared on it.
Okay.... WHY???
Well, this is my reasoning-  if they have to take the time to write out their reason- it will be a  deterrent to coming unprepared....  The other thing is... without any fancy effort, we will have a complete, colorful record to use when discussing things at parent teacher conference.  We will have the green and pink form on top.... and if there are any questions regarding pink marks.... we will have the excuse log underneath.  This will not involve me pulling out my whole class record book.  This will be completely private.... and very specific to the individual child.  TaDa!!

Classroom organization.... finally.....

It has been crazy busy since the new little cute students arrived.  I haven't had a chance to post the picts of my updated room.  I had a great time adding some new touches to the learning environment.  Take a tour.... enjoy:

My first attempt at making a nice binder cover... It turned out rather well.  I did go back and trim it up later... but.. I like it. 

Homework folders.   I only put their number on the folders.. no names...
As everyone knows... the roll changes over and over that first week.... so...
the lucky ones who land in my class, have a folder ready for them. 

The wall by my desk... I love it! 

Getting organized  

Look at my new LAMP!!!!  I was thrilled to find it!  LOOOOOVE it! 

Labeled baskets to help the children become more autonomous.  My shelves of teacher helps are all organized by subject and ready to use..... (okay... ready to FIND!  That is more the challenge for me. This way I can FIND stuff when I need it.)
Notice all the OWLS that flew in and perched on top of the shelves.  Students are constantly bringing me treasures to add to he flock.  

I put casters on the bottom of my owl cabinet so it can roll out when I need to use it as a
podium and it can roll back to tuck out of the way under the SMART  board
when I need the floor space.

One of my favorite new items this year.   I love it.  

Matching bins to organize copies.  I don't use bins for the days of the week...
toooo much changes constantly... Instead, I organized my stuff by subject... and
I have ONE bin that is "today's work".... so that if I don't get to something... it is still
in the bin for the next day.. and if I run short.... I can go to the subject and pull out what
I need... ready to go.  

This is a graphing pocket chart.  I do use i for graphing when I need to, but I found it much more useful as a homework check in chart.  If the kids come prepared, they insert a green card in front of the owl with their number on it.  If they are not prepared, then they insert an orange card.  At recess time I don't have to think at all about who was prepared and who was not.... It is a visual aid that makes it super fast and easy.   Those with an orange card can stay in to get caught up.
We have incentives for an ALL GREEN day.... The kids do NOT fuss at each other for coming unprepared because the know we all make mistakes sometimes... but... we do CELEBRATE when we all come prepared.

Math wall and borrow book shelves.  I rotate books in and out of the shelves constantly.  As they become more proficient readers, I put higher level books in the shelves.  They get to have one at their desks at all tines for "something to do" when you finish other tasks.   We call them "Borrow Books".  

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, there's a leader in us all."   I want the students to SEE themselves every day as ones who are capable and great learners.  Our school is a :"Leader in Me" school.  

We are using the 7 Habits to help to teach and reinforce making good choices. 

Morning check in station.  

Crazy fun first day ever! The power went out just before the first bell.... no lights... no BELL... air conditioning... no fans.... haha.... just right when we are running in circles getting all our little people in our rooms.... and the power stayed out for several hours... That is okay... I am sure that one room school houses were happy to just have a roof over their heads.... and maybe a slate or two.... 
When it came time for a potty break... I obtained a flashlight and stood by the wall outside of the boys bathroom so I could direct the light to illuminate the interior of the room enough so they could see a little..... only to have the fire alarm go off.... (nope, not a drill, haha... ) .... 
We HAD to wait for them all to get out of the bathroom and count up because I would not know who I had or had not otherwise.... and they didn't know how to get OUT of the building yet.... Heck, we hadn't learned how to LINE UP yet..... haha.... so out we went- everyone accounted for..... It was like herding ants....(I had a dream about this....) 
Then we heard that the school RIGHT NEXT to us had cancelled and gone home.... haha... but we are the kind that stick to it... persevere ....  ..... and then we realized that the cooks could not cook without a little power.... haha.... PBJ! Yay!