New School Year - Connections are the Crucial Element in a Successful Classroom!

Connections...being connected...being a part of the community of classroom...its a bold statement to say that this is the most crucial element but I truly believe it is.  If a student is not connected, not a part of the community of the classroom, then they simply become a seat filler, another paper to grade, another voice.  Think about how often you have walked into a room, a wedding, a party where most of the people know each other, have a shared connection and you are the "odd man out".  How do you feel?  While there are a few people who could jump right in and walk up to people, most people wait for someone to approach them, to bring them into a circle.  As teachers, that is our job - to bring our students into a circle, a community, a safe place where they can learn, grow, explore.  So how do we do it?  How do we make that connection, build the community that our students need?

1.  Be tuned in.  When you are in your classroom, be there mentally as well as physically.  So often we are in our classes physically, but our minds are consumed with the forms we need to complete, meetings we need to have, our families at home, what are we doing for the weekend and 1,000 other things.  As hard as it is, we need to shut those things off or at least try to and focus on being present mentally when we are in the classroom.  How this occurs is different for everyone.  It may be featuring artwork from your kids or pictures of your family so they are "with you" but not your primary focus.  It could also be making a "To-Do" list of everything you need to accomplish so that you don't forget but can focus your mind on other things.  Whatever it is that works for you and allows you to be tuned in, do it!  Your students will thank you!

2.  Create an environment that is safe.  Students, whether they are in Kindergarten, their senior year or anywhere in-between are still kids.  (If you don't believe me, just break out the crayons and see what happens! :)  They still need to feel safe and secure in order to be truly successful.  They need to know that there will be supportive words to encourage them, a safety net if they fail and accolades when they succeed.  They need to know that they won't be ridiculed by their peers if they have questions and that it is a safe place to express their thoughts.  In order to create this safe environment I suggest starting by with clear expectations (I go into more depth about this here) about what is and is not acceptable in they classroom, establish clear norms about how discussion will occur and more importantly be tuned in to what is happening in the classroom.  Do not let behavior slide for some students but come down hard others for the same behavior.  Be fair and consistent.

3.  Partner with parents.  As both a parent and a teacher I know first hand how important it is to be in a partnership with parents and not a competition.  Communicate with parents about the spectacular things that their students do, not just the negative.  I had an experience with past year where I would get notes home from my son's teacher about how his day went.  They were a checklist of six areas of behavior and rated with a smiley face, straight face or sad face.  He got quite a few sad faces, so many at one point that I started dreading getting the note at the end of the day.  I would start to have that anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach when I would see his backpack.  This teacher never sent home a note when he had a great day, just when he had a bad day.  BTW - my son is 5.  After a few weeks of this, my husband and I requested a meeting with the teacher where we expressed our concerns.  We found a way to partner with the teacher.  The communication got better, our son got happier and the behavior improved.  You can partner with parents with written communication (notes, e-mails, etc.), verbal communication (phone calls or meetings) or through practice (become the teacher that impacts their student(s) in a positive way to make a positive impact).

4.  Make a personal connection.  Humans are social.  We love to talk, to interact, to communicate and to share of ourselves.  Being a teacher allows a million ways to make a personal connection.  Notice the things that change about your students - a new haircut, cool new shoes, etc. and comment on them in a positive way.  Remember the things that a student tells you - an upcoming vacation, a new puppy, a job interview and follow up to see how it went/is going.  Attend after school activities when possible - a club, band concert, sporting event and then mention it the next day.  Share of yourself and common interests and experiences.  The more human you are, the more you can connect with your students.

5.  Nurture skills that will help them to be part of a bigger community.  We have our students for a short fraction of their lives - a semester, a year, maybe two and it is our job to help them to move on to the next part, chapter or adventure that their lives will offer.  At the high school level this means teaching them job skills, social skills and other skills that will help them to be successful in getting their first job.  We get the opportunity to help them figure if the job market, college or the military is where their strengths lie after high school.  We have the responsibility to help mold them into the (young) adults who will lead future generations.  We can give them these skills through conversation, prodding and modeling them ourselves.

Whatever you do, make connections with your students.  They really will translate to greater success for your students and for yourself as a teacher.  How do you make connections?

Back-To-School Money Saving Tips for Teachers and Parents!

I've watched the shows about people who use coupons to the extreme and am in awe of their dedication and consistency.  I wish I could be that kind of money saver, but unfortunately, it just is never going to happen.  However, when it comes to back to school supplies I tap into my inner extreme couponer and start pulling out ads, finding coupons and trying to combine the coupons with the sales.  Teachers and parents spend so much on back to school supplies!  Seriously, I have a list of 22 items for my upcoming first grader and 24 items for my upcoming 3rd grader!  With that in mind I wanted to share a few of my and some of my friends favorite Back-To-School money saving tips!





1)  Big box office supply stores start with their back to school savings in July!  I discovered this by accident a couple of years ago when I was looking up on one of their websites and happened to glance at the weekly ad and saw things for a penny, a nickle and a quarter.  I was like a penny?  No, that can't be right...but it was!  This week alone I was able to get:

*  packs of 3 glue sticks for a penny each
*  70 page notebooks for a penny each
*  packs of 3 pink erasers for a penny each
*  handheld 2 hole sharpeners for you guessed it, a penny each.

Now of course these stores have limits - usually three each but you can go back multiple times, take a friend and some even extend the limits for teachers - just ask.  Some also have a minimum purchase (usually $5) but that can easily be met by the things that are on sale for a dollar apiece that you would be buying anyway (for me this often colored paper or dry erase markers).   I already have next week outlined because they have 2-pocket folders and packs of 100 index cards for $0.01 apiece and colored pencils for $0.50 starting tomorrow! :)





2)  Jameson from Lessons with Coffee suggests going to thrift stores! "There is so much stuff there from rugs, binders, storage options and even fabric for bulletin boards at fractions of the dollar of what you would pay at the bigger stores."  I agree completely!  I have no blinds or any other window covering in my classroom so the sun is always beating in and heating up the room.  I went to a local thrift store and picked up fabric that I fashion curtains out of!  Not only does it cool
the room, but it looks amazing too!  In addition to thrift stores, you can also check out garage/yard sales especially for storage bins and other containers for holding books and supplies.

3) Use teacher discounts and rewards programs.  Multiple stores not only have special discounts for teachers but they also have rewards programs.  Barnes and Noble Bookstores has a teacher discount program as do official teacher stores like Lakeshore Learning.  The major office supply stores like Office Max, Office Depot and Staples have a special teacher rewards program where you earn money back, coupons and other deals on purchases.  Often these discounts can also be combined with coupons so double savings!

4)  Prioritize your shopping list and buy in bulk when possible.  The reality is that as much as we want everything we don't need everything.  When sitting down to figure out what you are going to buy for your classroom, your upcoming school year or for your child(ren)'s up coming school year that sometimes you have to realize that everything is just not possible.  Money is limited and some supplies are more necessary than others.  Figure out what is the most important, most crucial and what is going to have the greatest impact and purchase those things first.  Once you have figured out the most necessary things see if you can buy them in bulk.  While the bigger package is going to be more expensive it will more often than not work out to be cheaper per individual piece than if bought smaller amounts.  Also, don't be afraid to use the store/off-brand for supplies that are "consumable".  A glue stick is a glue stick regardless of what label is on it.  Construction paper is the same paper if it is a store brand or a name brand!

5)  Jamie from Miss Math Dork takes it a step further and encourages you to "Make a budget! Or else it's too easy to keep buying "one more thing". Shop in stores that have a sale going on, and check out thrift shops and yard sales for nice storage options.  I try to buy a little bit at a time all year, and keep it stored until BTS time."  Knowing what you have to spend and setting a limit will not only make you a frugal shopper but will also help you to stick to your list (and you should always make a list)!

6)  Figure out what you already have.  I cannot count the number of times that I have shopped for my classroom, bought something and then when I set-up my room in the fall I find out that not only did I already have it, but in some cases I have it it in abundance.  For example, I found a great deal on index cards, then realized that I had 20 packs stuck in a cupboard in my closet - whoops!  I recommend taking the time to make a list of what you already have. Making a list of what you already have not only keeps you from spending money that you don't need to but it also encourages you to examine what is really essential.  What you do you use a lot of (glue sticks, paper, etc.) and running out of and are there things that you thought would be so great but you never used ... or forgot about?

7)  Invest in quality versions of the reusable supplies.  While spending a little more on quality will not save you money immediately, it will in the long run.  If you know that you are going to be splitting students up into groups often, invest in some high quality totes so that you have supply boxes ready and able to go.  Since scissors are used constantly, invest in higher quality brands so that they hold up to the constant wear and tear of 100+ students using them in one
day.  Of course, still look for these to be on sale (I just got very high quality 7 - inch scissors on sale for $1 apiece that were regularly $7 each) but be willing to pay a little more for the things that are non-consumable.

I would love to hear your money saving tips!  Please share them below!


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Why I Believe You Should Decorate Your Secondary Classroom (and How To Do It!)

When I first started teaching 15 years ago, I was the only female in my department and the youngest teacher to boot! Needless to say I stuck out from the rest of my department (cue the song "one of these things is not like the other...). When I made the decision to decorate my classroom it made the difference even more obvious. However, looking around my very empty, bare, beige, cinder-block classroom I felt it was very cold, very sterile and just not that welcoming so I HAD to decorate. The big question, though, was how and with what? I had no clue how to decorate a secondary classroom so that it look like a high school classroom and not an elementary one. I had no idea how to get things to stay on the walls, where to find supplies or even a vision of what I wanted to look like! I just knew that I had to do something...

It was that last part - lack of vision - that led to many mistakes and wasted money (and as a beginning teacher money is definitely not something you have a lot of)! Finally, though, after 15 years I have finally feel like I have an under control, inviting, warm, educational and cohesive design! I would like to share a few tips with you to help you avoid the follies that I made my first few years!

1) Plan the space out before you begin. All classroom are traditionally either rectangular or square in design but you don't have all of that space to work with. If your room is anything like mine you have cupboards, heating vents, boards on a certain wall, bulletin boards, computer drops and of course 33 desks! Free space is a premium and you need to use it wise. You don't want to go out and get a bunch of things and then have no wall space to display them or floor space to put them. Before I started my current classroom "decor" I laid out on paper all of the thing that I had to have that I had no control over. For example, based on where the drops were, I had to

have my computer and teacher desk in the front corner. I have a huge air-conditioner/heater that sticks out 2 feet and takes up a third of one of my walls - but it is right under a window so I couldn't have used that wall space anyway. By laying out everything that I HAD to have, I was able to recognize what space I had to work with and could move on to the next step.

2) Place physical objects that take up floor space before posters or other decor. Start by placing your desks, tables, file cabinets that have to be in your room in the place that they need to go. If you want book cases, shelves, a student resource area (i.e. pencils, paper, sharpener, etc.) then they need to go in next. There is nothing more annoying than to put up posters, only to have to move them because a book case, file cabinet, etc. needs to go in that space. Placing everything physical first also allows you to see sight lines and room flow. If you want to post homework, you need to have it in a spot where it is easily accessible and visible versus someplace that it is going to get lost or cause mass congestion.

3) Decide what you want to put on your walls before you buy or make it. Do you want to illustrate your vocabulary (check out my previous post on word walls for ideas if you need them!) and formulas? Do you need to post your objectives and I-cans in a certain place? Do you want to post a list of previous homework or a homework calendar? Do you  want to do some encouragement posters (character, effort and the like?) or words to think about? Do you need to post your rules/expectations? Do you want to leave a space open to display student work?

Do you want to use a lot of different colors or stick to more of theme? Remember, the purpose of putting stuff on your walls is to not only make your room educational and helpful, but also inviting and some place that students feel encouraged and free to learn. Also keep in mind, while you students look at the walls for an hour or so a day, you look at them for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week...

4) Shop smart and frugally. When I first started out buying posters for my classroom I just went to local teacher store and bought what caught my eye. I put tape on the back, hung them up and called it done. It never occurred to me to laminate them to make them last longer, to make them myself or to shop online. Matter of fact, when I first started teaching, the internet barely existed!!! Now, there are so many options. You can go to Amazon and get them in two days for cheaper than the teacher stores offer which is fantastic - depending on what you are looking for that is! I found that while teacher stores were great for the encouragement posters, basic concept and a small portion of middle school math skills that we use at the high school level, they did not cover what we do at the high school level. There just did not exist posters covering the higher level math that I needed. Again, since this was really before the prevalence of the internet I was left with one option - make them myself! And make them myself I did! :) I ended up making over 200 "posters" that are 8.5 by 11! (If you are interested in having them for yourself, check them out in my teacherspayteachers store.) Over time, I have also bought some from other sellers on TpT and finally found a few on Amazon as well! If you choose the route of buying digital and printing them yourself, you can get cardstock pretty inexpensively at your local craft store or some of the big box stores. Also, look into the cost of printing them on your own color printer versus paying an office supply store to do it, often times they are cheaper!

5) Take care of what you have so that it lasts beyond a school year. We live in a green-conscious world and we need to conserve resources so make yours last! While I

know that laminating something and then pitching it is not good for the environment, more often than not, when you laminate a resource, it is because you plan to keep it long term! All of my posters are laminated for two reasons. One because they last longer and two because when I put tape on the back of something that is laminated, it pulls off easily and the poster can be stored easily. I also recommend that you buy a few totes or something else hard plastic to keep them from getting bent or damaged. I tried buying on the poster folders that the local teacher store had, but they were flimsy and unless stored flat, they would eventually curve and curve the posters with them.

My room has evolved a great deal over the last 15 years from a cold, empty, beige (oh way too beige) room to something full of life, color, warmth and that is welcoming! It has been and probably always will be a work in progress but it is also something that I have found enjoyable! I hope that my tips have helped you! I would love to hear what you have done to your room or to answer any questions you might have below in the comments!

Back to School 2015 Secondary Mathletes Giveaway!!!

Wait, what? It's back to school for some people already? Then let's celebrate! My friends in the Secondary Mathlete's and I have teamed up to put together an awesome giveaway! The giveaway is designed to help you get your room set-up, get yourself organized and to give you a little something for those first couple of days! The giveaway will run from Sunday 8/16 to midnight on Saturday 8/22. The two lucky winners will be notified on Sunday 8/23!




1. From Teaching High School Math is Just for Fun Math Posters Bundle! This is a set of fun math posters that you can hang anywhere in your room. Hopefully your students will get a little laugh from the "inside" jokes!  They are fantastic to use as funny launches or hooks for new lessons as well!






2. From Secondary Math Shop we have 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice Posters. This set includes 8 posters (one for each standard) that highlight the standard, some key vocabulary for each standard as well as some questions that students can answer to help direct them to mastery of the practice.  These are fantastic to hang on a bulletin board, use as the launching pad for discussions or many other uses.  There is also a two page handout included for students interactive notebooks or to put in a binder for quick reference.




3. From Scaffolded Math and Science is their Task Card World Trip. This download is a fun addition to any task cards you use in any class. It can be added to task cards that are being used as test prep, completed on days leading up to a holiday break (hard to focus!), or anytime you'd like to add a layer of friendly competition to your task cards activity. As students complete each task card, they move their avatar to the next world destination, eventually making their way back home. Each student can start on a different task card (and correlating destination card) so that each student's "home" is different. This allows you to print just one or two sets of task cards instead of a set for each student. My students get extra motivated when they can see their progress as their avatar moves along the board!


4. From To The Square Inch - Kate Bing Coners is Math Classroom Decor Pack Number Lines, Posters and Signs. Many students have learned to dread math class, so it is important to welcome them and create a great environment for them to learn in! This pack includes everything you need to make your math classroom inviting and functional. Included in this pack: * -20 to 20 bright chevron number line (can be constructed to include any numbers your want!)

* Personal desktop size number lines with bright chevron backgrounds (5 per page, 6 different colors) with numbers -10 to 10 and 0-20.
* Calculators Permitted/ Calculators NOT permitted half page signs
* 5 motivational math posters to display in your room
* ”STAR MATH WORK” Rainbow Chevron Bunting
* Standards for Mathematical Practice Rainbow Chevron Posters (multi-color background and single color background set)

5. From Lessons with Coffee is a set of Classroom Management Posters. These are posters that you can use that follow the guidelines of the "Teach Like A Champion" book. Students can use them for not only monitoring themselves as you are teaching but to also give you feedback so that you can know when you are not talking loud enough or too loudly. The show five is a method that multiple teachers use that has been modified to allow use as a countdown rather than a salute.



6. From Teaching Math By Heart is a Math Portfolio Pack (Bundle) that includes 4 different resources! This pack includes a collection of ways to motivate your students to think critically about, and reflect on, their math understanding and learning.These activities make great assessment tools and give you a glimpse into how your students think about math, and themselves as math learners. These activities also make a great discussion piece at conferences.  This pack includes:
*Start of Year Math Survey

*End of Term Math Reflection    

*My New Years Math Resolution
*End of Year Math Reflection

7. From Hodges Herald is their Back to Basics Middle School Bundle. Included you will find nine middle school interactive activities for students to review previously taught skills. This is a great way for students to learn procedures for Math groups or rotations. Teachers will be able to see where students need support and skills they have already mastered. Start the year with content, right away!





8. From Lindsay Perro is their Behavior, Data, Lesson & Communication Teacher Binder Resources. This resource includes 17 different pages for your teacher binder to help keep you organized and make lesson planning and parent communication easier! A few resources included are : grade sheets, class lists, a parent conference worksheet, a classroom behavior notice, student surveys and more!

9. From Live Love Math is their Teacher Toolbox Labels - Bold Chevron - Editable.  There are SO many ideas to make a super cute teacher's toolbox on pinterest! Here are my labels that I used for mine. Save time by purchasing this set and have your toolbox ready to go in under 30 minutes! This file includes 22 labels that are completely editable PLUS the complete set of 22 labels that I used with the text embedded already. If you want to use the same font, it is called appleberry. You can find it on dafont.com.

10.  From All Things Algebra is their Algebra 1 Review Flip Book.  This flip book was created to use with Geometry or Algebra 2 students as a review/refresher of the following Algebra 1 topics: Multi-Step Equations, Exponent Rules, Radicals, Polynomials, Factoring Polynomials, Linear Equations, and Quadratic Equations.  This alternative review can be used in lieu of weeks spent re-teaching concepts!

11. From Miss Math Dork is their How to Be A Good Mathematicians Poster Set. I am so excited for this product! So many students don't know what it means to be a Good Mathematicians These 14
bright and colorful posters serve as a constant reminder!
Included in this product:
*14 bright and colorful posters
*14 colorful, but more printer friendly posters - these also print beautifully in black and white without losing the details
*A handout for your students to keep close at hand to remind them of the qualities of a Good Mathematician. (The handout is available in 4 colors, and one printer friendly version)
Check out the Preview for FOUR of the posters for FREE! Also, check out the preview to see thumbnails of ALL 14 posters and the handouts!

Please follow the directions below to be entered into the giveaway!  Two lucky teachers will win!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Money Saving Tips Part Two!

In my first post in this series (check it out here if you missed it) I shared a few of my favorite ways to
save money.  In this post I wanted to share a few more!

1)  Making TeachersPayTeachers work for you!  I know that many of you who follow this blog are shoppers on TpT and have found many fantastic products from all of the wonderful teacher-authors on there.  But did you know that you get credits if you go back and leave feedback?  Anytime you leave feedback on a paid product you get a credit per dollar. On their site, TpT states "We will round up for you, too! If you provide fair feedback on a $4.75 item, you will earn 5 credits. Every 100 Credits is worth $5 that you can apply towards future TpT purchases, but there is no need to wait until you have 100 to redeem them. 50 credits is worth $2.50, for example.".  Then once you go to buy something else...you can apply the credits to get money off :)  Just like my favorite thing - coupons.  

2) Speaking of coupons...Use them, as often as possible!  I am not an extreme couponer by any means, but I love to use them!  There are so many great sites out there to find coupons such as retailmenot or coupons.com but did you know that many stores offer coupons right on their site?  For example, if you got to target.com and scroll to the bottom you will see right in the middle ways to save!

All of the coupons can be stacked in with store savings and their cartwheel app too!  

3)  Investing in quality instead of quantity.  While I love a good deal, I also have come to realize that a deal only serves me well if what I am getting is going to last me a while. Early one I would buy things that were on super low clearance prices and then realize why they were so low when the fell apart a few months later!  I learned that there were certain things (like totes, binders, etc.) that I spent a little more upfront then I would save money down the road because I wouldn't have to buy it twice.  For that reasons I started buying boxes like this instead of milk crates.  They last longer, they come with lids and don't have holes that things will fall out of.  

File Storage Box

I use boxes like these to store extra copies of papers, hanging folders full of colored copy paper, hanging folders of task cards, etc.  Best of all, they are stackable!  

Follow me for more tips soon! :)

Money Saving Tips, part one!

As summer starts I have a list of things that I want to accomplish - including figuring out how sleep past the 5 am that my body got trained to all school year!  One of the biggest issues that teachers have is how to provide for all of their classroom needs on a usually a limited or non-existent classroom budget!   So I thought that throughout the summer I would share some of my favorite money saving tips!

1)  How to maximize card stock and colored paper.  I was in Target recently shopping for card stock to print my newest Bingo Game on.  It features two different types of cards, 30 each of two types.  As I was standing there pricing out card stock I had lightbulb moment!  I realized that if I printed my Bingo Cards with one type of card on each side I would only  need 30 pieces instead of 60.  Big Savings!  Especially if I laminated them afterward to save them for multiple years of use!  

Surface Area and Volume Bingo

2)  Saving on consumable classroom supplies.  I go through glue sticks, colored pencils, erasers and pencils like they are candy throughout the school year!  After a few years of spending almost my entire classroom budget on just these things I needed to find a better solution.  I realized that usually about 2 months before school starts the office supply stores start offering pencil, nickle and quarter sales with each weekly ad.  For example Office Max will have 12 packs of pencils for a penny.  While there is usually a limit per transaction, I will either take my husband with me or go a few times in a week until I get what I need.  Here is sample add from last year so you can see what I mean!  

3)  How to test it out before you laminate it permanently!  Those things that I keep permanently I like to laminate to make them last.  Sometimes, however, I'm not sure if it is going to work the way that I want but I also don't want to print it twice.  My solution?  Page Protectors!  They work great for full page sheets so that you can write on them with dry erase markers and test them out before taking the final step of lamination (or a way to skip it totally!).  If you are think yes, but what about task cards that are smaller...well I found these that work perfectly!  They are for 4x6 recipe cards (they come in 3x5 too) but work great for task cards.  

 I'll be back later this summer with more tips!  I hope you found these useful! :)

A Plan to Keep Your New "School" Year Resolutions

Soon, or perhaps already, a new school year will begin.  With the start of a new school year, we all make "resolutions" about what we will do different, what we will change, new ideas that we will implement and how we hope our year will go.  Unfortunately, unless you have a plan, like the New Year Resolutions we make on January 1st, these will quickly go to the wayside, discarded and wasted.  So this year, I am going into the year not only with resolutions but also a plan as to how to implement them! 

Resolution One:  Establish a classroom environment that encourages classroom discussions.

Getting to Know You

Why?:  One of the biggest challenges I encounter at the secondary level is that students don't want to participate in the classroom discussions because they don't want to be wrong!  In order to combat this I need to first help students to feel that is a) safe to talk, b) safe to disagree and c) safe to be wrong. 
Plan:  My plan is two-fold.  First we are going to establish together a set of classroom discussion expectations and consequences.  By creating them together, the students feel that their voice is being heard AND they start participating in the discussion without even knowing it!  The second part of my plan involves getting to know my students and having them get to know each other.  I purchased a fantastic resource (Getting To Know You - 3 activities to help you get to know a new class) from Stacey Lloyd on TeachersPayTeachers that includes three different getting to know you activities. One is a one page page that the students fill-out on themselves, the second is a reflection on the previous year and the third is a peer interview!  Perfect for starting a new year off showing the students that you truly do care about them!

Discussion Starters

Resolution Two:  Once I get the students to participate in discussion I want to take those discussions to the
next level.
Why?:  My experiences have shown that the better a student can communicate mathematically, the better their understanding and retention of mathematical concepts.
Plan:  I searched and searched and finally found a set of question starters that I think will work well.  I printed them on cardstock, laminated them and put them on an O-ring so that I can have them with during class.  I will also go through the questions starters ahead of time and tag a few key ones that will fit the lesson of the day well.  The cards are called "Discussion Starters for Math Problem Solving: Questions for Critical Thinking" and are written by Angela Watson on TeachersPayTeachers

Resolution Three:  I want to help my students to feel more comfortable asking questions and expressing what they don't understand.
Why?:  When students hold questions in, they hit a roadblock and miss future information because they

Signs and Headers

cannot get over it.
Plan:  In addition to small group, one-on-one and other personalized questioning methods I am going to establish an exit-wall.  It will be a place where students can place sticky notes expressing what questions they still have and what they have understood really well.  I saw the idea in a set of headers (Signs and Headers for the Secondary Classroom) that I purchased off of TeachersPayTeachers Store Room 213 .  The headers have all different types included such as months, days of the week, signs to post on the door if you are out of the room and the set-up for the exit wall!  This way students can sign their sticky notes or put them up anonymously!  


Resolution Four:  I want do more than just present lessons, I want to get the students exploring, talking and working together too.

Task Card Bundle

Why?:  The more responsibility a student takes for their own learning, the more successful they are.
Plan:  I am going to implement task cards.  Task cards allow students to work on a single problem at a time and really focus on one main concept without feeling overwhelmed.  (See my post here for more in-depth discussion about task cards). I have written five sets for the first unit of Geometry that hit upon all of the main topics covered in that unit.  I will implement them in multiple ways including small groups, as exit cards and as part of a station activity.  I have all five sets available in money-saving bundle here.  



With a plan in place, I hope to be more successful!  I hope you've also gotten some ideas and some products to help you to be successful as well!  Good luck in your new school year!

TPT Boost Sale - Only a few hours to go!

Today is the last Back To School Sale for the school year!  I hope everyone is able to stock up and save!  Anything and Everything in my store is 20% off and TPT kicks in another 10% to raise your total savings to 28%!!!!  I have back to school secondary binders, word wall posters, task cards and notes to start off your first unit of Geometry!  So stock up and save! :)

Thank you to Glitter Meets Glue Designs for the awesome graphic!!!

Embracing what you have in your classroom

My classroom is the typical one with cinder block walls, white/chalkboards, window, etc.  I have one exception though - I lack bulletin boards.  For whatever reason, when they put my room together they forgot to put up any bulletin boards.  After many years of trying to secure them, I have decided to embrace what I have instead of wishing for what I don't.

In that vein I have went on a quest to find something that would stick to whiteboard to dress it up without destroying the ability to write on it.  I knew that tape, ticky-tack and other adhesives would not do the trick, I needed something magnetic...and I found it!!!  I found magnetic whiteboard border!  It comes in packages of 12 strips that are 2 feet long each and runs about $10 a package.  A little pricey but since it won't rip, definitely worth it in my opinion.  While I found mine at a local teacher store (Lakeshore Learning) they do not sell borders online, so I did some research and you can purchase them on amazon as well.  Here is one link: Magna Borders

Mounting Tabs

With my "dressing up my whiteboards" problem solved, I turned my attention to how I can get anything to stay on my painted cinderblock walls.  I have all of these great Geometry posters that I have made but need a way to not have to rehang them every Monday morning. After trying it all - tacky-tape, duct tape, double sided tape, hot glue - I finally found something that not only works, but also doesn't hurt the posters and is completely removable!  They are called "Removable Mounting Tabs". They stick to the wall, they stick to the poster but do not harm either and remove easily.  Again I found them at the local teacher store (click on the picture to be taken to them online) for a reasonable price!

Sometimes teaching is about pushing for more, especially with our students and their learning potential, but sometimes it is about taking what you have and making it look amazing!  That is what I have chosen to do!  :)

TPT Back to School E-Books!

This back to school season multiple TPT sellers have come together under some fantastic leadership to create BTS e-books that are full of tips and free items to help you get your school year started off just right!  I am excited to share that Gina from All Things Algebra has posted the 6 - 12 Math Back To School e-book! 

6 - 12 TPT BTS Math e-book

Just click to download it and learn about some fantastic sources for BTS resources.  It is full of great tips!  Enjoy.  Please don't forget to leave Gina feedback telling her how much you enjoy it!

How to get the most out of the TPT Back to School Sale!

I came across the attached picture while I was browsing the TeachersPayTeachers sellers forums this morning and just had to share!  There are so many good ideas on here!

1)  Filling up your wishlist.  If you have time, do some pre-shopping tonight and either add things to your wishlist or put them right in to your cart.  That way you don't feel rushed tomorrow.  Think about not only what you need (binders, lesson plans, worksheets, classroom forms) but also about what you want - clipart, maybe some new fonts, the fun stuff!

2)  Buy your larger items first and then leave feedback.  Remember - leaving feedback on paid products gets your credits that you can deduct like a gift card from a future transaction!   DO NOT forget to use the code:  BTS14 to save an EXTRA 10% of the stores sales prices! :)

3)  Apply your credits to other items in your cart.  That way you save some money and reap an immediate benefit to your purchases!

I hope you all find what you are looking for and maybe splurge a little bit too!  I know I plan to!

And of course, I hope you might find something in the Secondary Math Shop too! :)

Thank you to Adventures in Kinder and Beyond  for making the awesome graphic!

What Do Teachers Love Even More Than New School Supplies? Saving Money On Them Of Course!

It's that wonderful time of year when teachers are shopping for all of their back to school supplies.  We find the pencils, pens, rulers, glue sticks and dozens of more supplies in our local stores at (hopefully) great prices!  But if you are anything like me, you find that the teaching resources at your local teacher supply shop aren't quite meeting your needs.  You might find yourself thinking "I need something on just _________, not with ___________ mixed in too"!  That is how I discovered TeachersPayTeachers and over time, I migrated from buyer to buyer and seller and the SecondaryMathShop was born!

My shop specializes in primarily Geometry resources with some Algebra and Trigonometry mixed in.  I have notes, homework, posters, graphic organizers, binders and so much more.  Next week - August 4th and 5th - is the annual Back To School sale one TPT.  You will be able to save not only 20% on everything in my store (money saving bundles included!) but TPT is offering an extra 10% on top of all sale prices.

So please, shop away.  Visit the SecondaryMathShop if time allows and get your year started off right and save money doing it! **Thank you to CampingTeacher for the fantastic artwork on this post!!!**