Here are some great teaching tips from Nixa teachers:
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| LOVE all of our artistic teachers! |
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What a great way to "bless" your favorite read alouds!
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| The teacher supplies a block of wood and titles it "Writer's Block." Throughout the year, the students and teacher add ideas to the writer's block. When students say, "I don't have anything to write about," you can refer them to the writer's block for ideas. |
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Word walls made with ribbon, word cards, and clothespins. This way students can get an unknown word and bring it back to their desk if they have any visual tracking issues.
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Color code your word wall. New vocabulary is on green cards. Math vocabulary is on pink cards. And science words are on orange cards.
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| Add math vocabulary to a Math Word Wall as the terms are introduced. |
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Each student has these four cards (own it, clear, hazy, and lost) at their seat. The teacher uses these as a quick formative assessment at the end of a lesson/unit to check student understanding.
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Here's a twist on displaying learning goals. Each frame has a sheet of scrapbook paper with the subjects printed at the top. The back of each frame has magnets on it. The teacher writes the learning goals on the glass. Goals can be easily changed just by erasing the goal that is currently being displayed.
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This is a great book to use for increasing student vocabularies. Donavan's Word Jar is an early chapter book with a 670 lexile level/DRA level 30. Donavan doesn't collect baseball cards like other kids—he collects words for his word jar, and they bring an unexpected delight. After reading the book, the class can start their own word jar. Students can add interesting words to the word jar. Then, words are picked out of the jar when you finish a lesson early, while the class is waiting in line, etc. Students take a lot of ownership in these words because they came up with them.
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Here's one way to deal with those "no name" papers.
LOVE all the vocabulary work we are seeing in primary and intermediate buildings.
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Missing work can be spotted at a glance. Each subject has a different colored set of laminated strips. When a student is missing an assignment, the teacher writes the assignment on the correct laminated strip and puts it in the student's numbered pocket. The student knows exactly what they need to do to be caught up.
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Do you ever find yourself asking, "Didn't you just go to the restroom?" or "Where's Mackenzie?" If so, this whiteboard could be your saving grace. When students leave the classroom, they sign out. When students return to class, they simply put a line through their name. What a great way to keep track of students!
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Celebrated Authors get to share a piece of writing at the end of Writer's Workshop. Once a student has shared, their card goes to the back of the pile. Great way to encourage everyone to share.
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Mathematical Practices posters are displayed in classrooms and referred to often.
The Jordan School District in West Jordan, Utah, has released mathematical practice posters by grade level like the ones above and below. Click on your grade level to download the posters for your own classroom!
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We have been spotting more and more poetry being used in Nixa classrooms. Even intermediate and special education classrooms are getting in on it. Short, sweet texts with rhythm and rhyme are loved by all levels of readers.
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