B1G1

That's buy one get one free for those of you not into couponing yet! Here's idea #2, your freebie!

IDEA 2

The second idea I have used for a few years, and only in 5th grade at this point. It came from the book:

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire by Rafe Esquith. This is a great little book to recharge your teacher power grid before school starts.  It's a quick read with several good ideas. In this book  he describes how to set up

a banking system in your classroom.  I have used this system as part of my classroom management plan, and have gotten great feedback from students and parents.  The students apply for classroom jobs, which they will be responsible for all semester. They are paid weekly for their work and then have to pay fees out of their wages. All of this is done on paper and no type of money is actually used.  Each student has a banker, one of the jobs applied for, who pays them and charges them taxes and rent for their desk weekly. The students may also have to pay fines for late assignments or neglect of duties. Of course it's no fun to just earn money, you've got to spend it too! At the end of each month I  hold an auction where the students can "spend" their "money". I asked the parents to send in little trinkets to be auctioned.   I  take the highest bidder, and love to watch their bidding wars. We've  had pretty high inflation. A plastic ring might go for $1,000 if it is popular. The students can also save their money and buy their desk. I  set a purchase price, along with all the fees and fines, at the beginning of the year.  This is wildly popular, because once they buy their own desk they can buy someone elses and have them pay rent. I always have a few entrepreneurs who do this! This system does take a little preparation before hand, and I do have to teach them how to bank, but it is worth it. In the process they are learning: economics, math standards, and life skills. You could expand this to include money for good behavior too I guess. If I were teaching this year, I think I would try to have them bank using Excel spreadsheets. Using Excel is one of our Technology teaching standards, and I think a real life use of it could be good.

I have all the forms,  the Power Point, a list of jobs and their wages,  a fees and fines sign, etc. I would be happy to email them to you if you're interested. Just leave a comment below!

To Do: Get New Ideas? Check!

I know you are starting to get that nervous, giddy energy as August approaches! The store shelves are filled with new school supplies, the sale papers are filled with great deals, and your mind is filled with To Do lists yet to be done. One task on my To Do list every year before school starts is to add at least one new idea to my toolbox of Back To School ideas. I've got two ideas for you that I have loved using for several years now.


IDEA 1
The first idea I got from my mother several years ago, and she passed it along from someone she knew. On the first day of school I gave the parents homework instead of the students. This in itself was a huge hit with 5th graders! I sent home a letter asking the parents to write to me, In a Million Words or Less, about their child. I explained that I did not care about spelling or grammar, but about what they had to share. They could email me, etc. and I always gave a deadline just to help them have a goal. Every year I received a letter from at least half the parents and often more. In almost every letter they would thank me for allowing them to tell about their precious child, and then would share valuable information. Those letters were always completely confidential and I would often read back through them throughout the year. Here is an example of the letter:

                                                                      

Dear Fifth Grade Families,

   Welcome to the new school year! As we begin the year, I look forward to getting to know your child. I am writing to ask for your help. As a parent, I think you are truly your child’s first teacher. I want to become a partner with you in your child’s education. Would you help me to get to know your child, as you do, by taking a moment to write to me? What is your fifth grader like at home? What things do you know about your child as a learner and a person? What are your child’s interests? Please take the next few days to respond, and return your letter by Monday, August 11th. You can return your response with your child or by e-mail (bbbbb@bbb). I am not at all concerned with spelling, etc., but with the information you have to share. Thank you in advance for your help!

         

                                                                                                                              Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                                              Sallye Swafford

The second idea is deserving of it's own post I think, and a little lengthy to explain.