Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Old and New Ideas

OLD IDEA:


I was/am Queen of the Sticky Notes. All my to-do lists for school would be scattered about and usually I'd find all of them, but who knows. I saw the teachers at my school carrying around various composition notebooks and such to meetings and recording things. It turned out this was their "Book Of To Do Things". I loved it. I started using one in the middle of the year, and here are the pros:

*portable
*everything is in one place
*you have a record of your year
*portable, portable, portable so you don't have to be at home and stress that you're forgetting something

A To Do List:


Planning My Line Project:


Visual of the End of the Year:


NEW IDEA:

Next year I want to put up a classroom comment board ala Whole Foods. I'll pass out some cards to the kids to keep in their folders, and have a box up front where they can turn them in, with extra cards available. I can respond in writing on the card and post the cards. If at any time during any class a kid notices something or wants to say something, but it's not feasible for whatever reason during class, they can submit a comment. I'm thinking in this way, I'll get a better sense of what's what during class, and I'll promote more of a sense of community, and the other students can read the comments/responses on the board.

Here's what I'll print & cut out to hand the kids:

8 comments:

  1. You've inspired me. I'm going to office max tomorrow. Nothing like a trip to the office supply store to start revving up the old teacher engine!

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  2. I love your new picture. Pure Texas. Do y'all start with in-service on 8/16, too?

    Ms. Cookie

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  3. I love keeping my to-do list in my composition notebook- and I carry it everywhere I go. Don't get rid of your stickies though. I keep a stash of them stuck to the inside of my notebook and write notes on these to stick to a page if I want something on my list to really stick out...and I can move it to a new page if I don't get it done as quickly as I would like. Have a great school year. I love your blog.

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  4. Thanks, Christy. I'm with you ... I don't think I could give up my sticky addiction, and frankly, who would WANT to :).

    Ms. Cookie

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  5. Ms. Cookie. I got my composition book. I printed off some monthly calendars from the internet and glued one for each month at the beginning. Don't know if it's a good idea or not. I guess time will tell. I think I'll put some sticky notes in mine like Christy suggested. Thanks on the picture! Yes, we start on the 16th. I'm not ready, but the trip to Office Max got me a little excited!

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  6. Oooooh, I like your pasting of the calendars idea. That way I can get ones I like off the Internet and adjust to suit. Thanks for the tip.

    Ms. Cookie

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  7. Tracie11:03 PM

    Please let us know how the comment cards go! It sounds like such a good idea.

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  8. I teach at an alternative HS, very much like a one room schoolhouse. I think the comment card idea is great! Students can leave comments that might improve their experience at school.

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