Clip Chart E-Book!

Last summer while in one of my many back to school moments, I was searching for a clip chart system that  was more effective.  I wanted the "move your clip" statement to not always mean something negative.  I ran across this site  http://www.newmanagement.com/ebooks/clip_chart.html.  It's an E-Book that explains a new concept on the clip chart: you can actually have your students move UP for good behavior.

It's pretty simple!  Every child starts on Green in the middle ( Ready to Learn ) and can go either up or down depending on their choices.  I love it because it rewards good behavior!!   Sometimes all I had to say was "who gets to 'clip up' today?" and got POSITIVE results from my kids!  Very rarely did my students have to "clip down" to the very bottom ( parent contact--which I had them call as soon as they landed on that part of the clip chart which was colored black ).

Another cool thing about this system is that you could work your way back up if you had to clip down.

I shared this with my team and they all ended up using it! I got lots of compliments!

Hope this helps someone!

I'd love to hear what others are doing?

Teachers tweeting on Twitter!

So, I plan to start using Twitter as a means to have more instant communication with my parents this year. It's free and environmentally friendly...it doesn't use any paper and I still get the message across!!

So.....Follow me on Twitter @Im_MrsWilliams and I'll follow you!!


Happy tweeting!!

Linky Party

Yearn to Learn is having a Linky Party and what better way to get my blog out there?!?  So I will participate.


1.  A blogger who is a "New Kid on the Blog"
Head over and check out my friend Miss Wheat's first grade blog!!!

2.  Post a blogger in your same grade level
I've really enjoyed browsing through The Sweet Life of 3rd Grade's blog!  I love her enthusiasm.

3.  Post a blogger in a different grade level.  I have to acknowledge the Literacy Strategist at our school,  Mrs. Hasty.  Her new blog,  What's Happening in Literacy, is going to be very informative!

4.  It's all about the button. Find a cute blog button and post it
.I'm not sure how to post button's but The Sweet Life's button is adorable!




This was fun!!!

Online Read Alouds

 

I ran across this website from Miss Wheat's blog, but I've used this site numerous times!!  It's one of my favorites!!!  It's called Stroyline Online and it's great!  It uses several stories that I use to teach different concepts and it has actors/actresses read it aloud!!  It's a great way to model how good readers read with expression and excitement.  I also love it because it models ADULTS that still love to read. By the middle of the year, my students ask for this!!!

 This website, TumbleBooks, is also another great one.  The difference between this one that Storyline Online is that TumbleBooks is animated this kids also love this one.  There are also thousands of books on this site!!  I also use this one a lot.  Might I recommend that you check out 50 Below Zero by Robert Munsch!!

Preparing Already....

I know!  I know!!  It's still summer, but I have to admit, I LOVE SCHOOL.  I love planning for school!

This will be the 1st year that Mrs. Godby and I are team teaching together.  Instead of having me for every subject, my students will only see me for Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies.  My students will see Mrs. Godby for Math and Science. In return, I will teach her homeroom students Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies.  I'm extremely excited about this because Reading/Language Arts is becoming one of my favorite things to teach, more specifically, teaching Writing.

So, this year, my blog will primarily focus on things that pertain to Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies as well as other things going on in my room.

This blog will also be one of my more instant ways to communicate with my parents because, let's face it: paper doesn't always make it home :).  I will try (can't promise) to post things such as daily homework, reminders, and pictures of events going on at school.  You can even follow me on my teacher Twitter @Im_MrsWillams.

 Please check back for more info and sites that I think are cool!