Random Acts of Kindness

This week I have decided my 3rd graders will do a service type project for Valentine's Day. I saw something like this on Pinterest that was created for a youth group or private school setting. I changed it so that my public school students could complete the activity. If you click on the picture you should be able to download the file.

Achievement Badges

Thanks to Pinterest I found this really cute idea. I can't find my original pin so I can't give credit to who thought of it!
Today I created badges for each teacher on our grade level. When a student reaches a goal, whether it be behaviorally or academically, their teacher can give them the badge for the day. The badge encourages students and staff to enquire about the achievement. We'll start these next week. Fingers crossed it goes well!

College Readiness Week

 

As I mentioned previously, this summer I attended the No Excuses University seminar in Dallas, TX with a co-teacher and our administrative team. Our district brought a team from each elementary.The seminar was AWESOME and I recommend it to anyone who gets a chance to go!  

 

College readiness is the idea that students are prepared to go to college, if they choose to do so.

We have decided on our elementary campus that our students are COLLEGE BOUND!

 NO EXCUSES!

 

Each teacher adopted a 4 year university for their classroom to learn about. Every classroom in the building has a different university.

 

The teachers decorated their classroom doors to show their school spirit!

 

My classroom adopted Texas Christian University! Go Frogs!

 

 

 

Each day of the week we had a theme for our kids to participate:

Monday - We're kicking off College Readiness Week! Wear your boots!

Tuesday - Our future is so bright we have to wear shades!

Wednesday - Education is tied to our future! Wear tie-dye or a tie!

Thursday - Hats off to College!

Friday - School Spirit - Wear your favorite university gear!

 

Hook Em Horns and Gig Em Aggies! Coming together for the future of our students!

My co-teacher and I also created this bulletin board earlier in the year. It shows where each teacher attending college.

 

As a project for the week, every 3rd - 5th grader was expected to create a poster about a university they were interested in learning more about. Our hallways are now decorated with these fabulous posters! It was awesome to see universities represented that weren't in Texas.

 

 

More pictures to come of the awesome things happening on our campus!

Prize Catalog and Punch Cards

This is typically the time of year that teachers find themselves struggling to motivate students. Its even hard to motivate ourselves! Students don't seem to want to work anymore. The usual "treasure box" has lost its magic touch. I found this Prize Catalog on Pinterest from a teaching blog. I really want to try this with must students when we get back from Spring Break. I love that the ideas are free and are centered around making a student feel special that they've filled up their "punch card". I think its a great idea. I'll let you know how it turns out in my classroom.