The Bow Tie Teacher

Another great use for ClassDojo

I've told you how I'm a ClassDojo devotee. It so useful and fun. My student like it and when I tie some real rewards to it, magic happens. See how someone else is making magic happen. 

This is going to be a great week

Found out I have a scheduled visitation ALL day Thursday. This should be a blast. I have a solid lesson planned. I know that I need work, but I'm confident that everyday I'm getting better and better. Let's see how Thursday goes. I expect nothing less than outstanding. 

Classroom fairy hit my room again for 2.0. I'm quite proud of it. I know the kids are gonna flip over the 3D ladder bulletin board and the new reading area.

Ready for another week

This weekend was refreshing. I was a little under the weather Saturday, but I got some solid rest and I'm ready to once again join #TeamBringIt! I've got some great lessons planned. I know that with every well planned lesson comes a well planned distraction, but I'm looking forward to it. 

I spent so time going over my students old work and filing papers away. These little rascals are on it. They're not at all off base. They're pretty bright. They were doing some high quality work in November so all I need to do is keep that rolling on into 3rd grade. 

Done talking about school. I have to run and do some house work. Holla

Centers audit

Had my students audit my centers. They were supposed to play a center game and tell me what they learned. They thought they were telling me something, but little did they realize they were learning.

Fact family drill

Letter madness Center

Another Letter Madness Center

Word Game Center

Tough day. Productive day. Achiever day. Victorious day. Ready to put boot to the posterior of another day tomorrow.

Meet my class mascot

Sawdust.

It was a gift from my dear Media Specialist.

So how do you like 2nd grade?

I get this question a lot. When people see my new class it's just nature, I guess if they know what my old class was like for them to ask. Let's see here are some observations.

The new class is a lot of fun. They have some issues, because they're human. But by in far I think we have more fun. Not sure the "workshop" theme would've went over so well in 4th. Might have tried a castle or race car theme. Oddly enough both genders like the workshop. 

My old class knew a lot more than these ones did, just by default because they were almost 2-3 years older. I can't be quick to assume that a second grader does know something. They may honestly not have heard it before. 

Every group of kids cry. Some because they are angry. Some because they are sad or feel like they are being picked on. 

The pressure to do well on the "TEST" is gone, but it's just been replaced with a ton of other little gnats. I have got to get a grip on my lesson plans. I had a good, ok, fair developing system in 4th grade. Now I have to really pull my weight and I just don't feel as if I've got enough space in my life to figure it all out.

Second graders like to be seen by their teacher. It never ceases to amaze me how the one that really makes you have to go pray for a better attitude will be the first one to run up and hug you in the lunch room. (I always check to make sure my wallet is still safe) Fourth graders do that as well, but not to the degree as the little ones. 

Little kids conversations are TOTALLY different from their upper grade counterparts. I don't remotely miss overhearing some of the things my old class talked about. My new class literally talk about horses and football. Can't beat a good ole horse and football chit chat. 

Everything seemed to be funny to my 4th grade class. They were always trying to make a joke out of something. I've been warmly surprised that my new class is able to move past somethings and not make it a LOLROTFMIT (Laughing out loud rolling on the floor missing instruction time) issue. Even today I gave them permission to laugh and be silly because they were so laid back I wanted make sure it was my class and not some alien impostors. Aliens have great senses of humor. 

That crazy bucket idea coupled with a 3 day goal to focus on a particular rule and follow it to the letter have been working like a champ. I'm really surprised how well these kiddos adapt to my ideas and make them their own. The edges are still rough, but not as bad as I thought. 

This week was supposed to be my week. I have a lot of planning time and I figured I could get ahead. That doesn't look like it's going to happen so I will need to figure out another way to get ahead on my plans. Not discouraged or set back by it. I will get a grip on this and next year will be all the better because I've developed better habits. It's all about habits. 

My secret angel is working on Whitaker's Workshop 2.0. I can't believe all that she didn't set up the first time. Maybe I can come into the school over the weekend. 

Speaking of habits. I've been MIA from Crossfit SouthCobb this week. But I did get a good workout at home today and have another one planned tomorrow. Eating great on day 10. Did have some fries, but I'll burn them off trying to heard cats, I mean get 2nd graders to line up. 

Week 2 is under way

There isn't anything tough about 2nd grade. The only difficult matter is that I have to, must create and develop good habits in my students and myself. They're a good bunch and I know they can learn. They've just got to develop the habits that will help them rise to to the top. 

2nd grade the first recap

I'll talk about the ins and outs of 2nd grade a little later. In the mean time let's talk about The Whitaker Workshop

As I rolled into 2nd grade with a classroom theme. The theme is " Building the next Generation". So the decor is all about construction, building and workshop.  

This sign greets all who come to my room. The kids love it! I wish I had made it a little larger so the sayings around the letters could stand out more. Next time. 

This is a shot into my classroom. I have this mini-hallway before you get into the class. It's a great surface area to create "get ready to learn" space. Sometimes my kids use it as a run way to sprint through. We'll be stopping that Monday morning. 

This is a reverse shot of the same mini hall. 

This is what it looked like when I left Friday. We review the rules twice a day. I found out quickly that my room is to big for this small sign. So I finagled and wrote them out on two large sticky notes and posted them around the room. *Shout out to my secret decoration angel. She's the truth and very passionate about classroom decor. She takes your idea and RUNS with it. And she's not for hire. 

 

This is where I'll post some of the spectacular work my kids produce. 

I took a picture of each of my students with a hard hat and an apron on. I printed and cut the pic out posting each on a different gear. I continually remind them that they each work together to help us all reach out goal of 3 rd grade and a life time of learning. 

How my room looked before we started really digging into the theme. 

Our new class moto over the coat rack. Used an old tool box to set up the theme. It will also be my "treasure" box. I'm looking to fill it with things the students like. As they're caught being kind or doing good work I'll let them dig in the tool box for a reward. Thinking of some good rewards that they'll like and won't cause me to pull my hair out cause they've had candy and are now bouncing off the ceilings. 

 

How my word wall and tech area looked before. 

New Word wall area. Words will be going up this week. My plan is to make the words look like bricks to work with the building theme. 

A math station. I have clothes pins attached to the wall so I can swap in or out a center board or another math theme. 

This was again a shot of my class in the beginning. 

This is a shot of the room how it greeted the students on Wednesday. We made table caddies with the table number on them. When I pass out crayons or scissors they go into the caddy and they return to the caddy. The Table Captains are responsible for getting them back to me. 

I'm working on replacing that very unique and quite dingy rug. It doesn't work with the decor, but for now it's what I have. 

Every morning the kids come and get their apron for their specific jobs. This pic doesn't show the job titles on the apron. I did that a little later. I had the kids complete a job app based upon the job they wanted. It was very fun. 

The class jobs are:

• Apprentice (FKA Teacher's helper)
• Tool Manager (FKA Paper Passer)
• Runner (FKA Errand person)
• Foreman (FKA Clean up person)
• Architect (FKA Line Leader)
• Engineer (FKA Line Monitor)

I was going to make hall passes, but I found that the kids LOVE to wear an apron around.  So, I started just giving them an apron to go to the restroom or what not. 

 

The classroom rules are simple: 1. We raise our hands to speak 2. We speak when we should. 3. We respect others. 4. We follow all instructions. My plan is during a day or two day period as I see kids doing the right thing or doing great work I'll drop some kind of warm fuzzy in the bucket. Since I use ClassDojo I could easily tie this into filling the bucket daily. Of course as the kids get better at that one rule I'll just move to the next or the next behavior I'd like to see more of. 

So far I really think the feed back has been positive. I didn't get a pic of my mobile desk and some other things. I'll make sure to add them this week. The kids like it and that's the best part. Now on to the content and making sure each of them is best prepared for 3rd grade. 

My return to Crossfit South Cobb has been met with rewards. I feel MUCH better when stressed and I'm sleeping better. I feel strong. Albeit not as strong as I have, but I know that's coming. 

Day 7 sans sugar and coffee. I'm through the wilderness already. I feel great. I'm still gonna enjoy an iced coffee every now and then, but it will have to be sugar free and I'm pretty sure I won't want that everyday. 



 

A great week is in the books. Got to enjoy the next couple days of rest and mental unwind.