Reflection Journal FREEBIE!!

Have you tried Reflection Journals?

     One of the ways I check in with my students at the end of the day AND communicate with parents is through Reflection Journals.  These are regular bound notebooks where the students write down their learning and behavior for the day.  The formats of their writing can change such as letters, poems, descriptions of foldables or classwork added to pages, etc.  

     The students are quite honest since it is like a personal diary to them.  Behaviors often do get mentioned and once the student acknowledges their actions or problems created, they know that we can work together with their parents to create solutions.    

     I do not count these as grades, but I do read them over briefly and use it as a quick reminder for capitals, paragraph structure, punctuation, etc.  Then on Fridays the kids take them home and share them with their parents.  I encourage parents to at least look at them but also to write back if they have stories to share from their school days, suggestions for learning, or just positive comments for their child to read the next week.  

     By the end of the year the students have a collection or portfolio of their learning and they can look back at how much they've progressed with their writing, behavior, and learning--all in one neat notebook!

     Below is a FREEBIE of the instructions I print and put into the front cover of the notebooks.  I made the download editable so feel free to adjust it for your needs.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cleaning Out My Data Closet FREEBIE!!

Have you heard about Turnaround Schools? Our school became one last year.  What did that mean?  A lot of new ways of looking at things but mostly designing learning based on data, data, data! A lot of the information came from a book called "Data Driven Instruction" by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo which gives great explanation of why it is important to use information from assessments to design curriculum and focus instruction for individual students or groups of students.  

Cleaning out my files to get ready for this year, I thought I would take two of the sheets our team created and share them for the Classroom Freebies website this week!  Check them out!

This sheet has places to list each of your students and track how they did on each question first on the pretest, and then compare it to how they did on the post test--all on one sheet!!  At the bottom you can consider overall which questions the students were doing well on and where whole group instruction would need to be focused.  Quick tables on the side let you compare the beginning step, nearing proficient, proficient, and advanced averages and share the information with your team members and administration for planning purposes on up to 3 different standards addressed on the assessment.  Last, there is an area to include ideas for advancing the students who already get the information and ideas for helping the struggling students.

Page 2 is what we used to group the students and see who we would be meeting with for small group instruction.  We can compare the top and bottom data (again while only needing one sheet!) to track which students made progress or still need extra tutoring.  

Get both of these EDITABLE pages by clicking HERE and HERE!!  Thanks for stopping by!! :) :) :)

Guided Reading FREEBIE!!

Hi all!

The big push for our district next year is to review and revamp the Guided Reading process.  I do enjoy working with the kids in small groups and now that I've added the Daily 5 and CAFE strategies to my reading centers, life is getting easier and easier. :)

However, one thing that I still wasn't too happy about was how my records were organized for each student.  Last year I would take anecdotal notes about each child on one sheet per guided reading group.  The problem is that when I met with parents I wanted the information for just each child.  After some collaborating and creating I found a solution!!  

I take notes on shipping labels!

Print and use with any 6 part shipping label product!!

When I take notes during guided reading I can still have all my notes for the whole group during the week.  Once the group has rotated or moved on to a different text, I can now remove the information on the printed label and affix it to a sheet for each individual child! Viola! 

Thanks for checking it out!  Here's the link to grab it for FREE!!

Christmas Rigor

Merry Christmas!! I know not everyone celebrates the holidays during the winter, but for now, I have a Trimming the Tree activity that tests how well your students have mastered their basic facts!!  Instead of having to give the answer or fill in the missing number, they have to fill in the missing math operations!!

Check my TpT store for this download!!

There are 12 practice trees that you can laminate and reuse to correlate with the 12 Days of Christmas . . . .

And here's a FREEBIE that you can use to assess how the students have increased their learning after they complete the center activity.  Have fun and thanks for visiting! :)

Individual Education Portfolios! Get organized with IEPs!

Do you have students that travel to other classrooms for instruction?  Would you like to see an idea that will help keep the child organized and improve communication between the collaborating teachers?  Check out these IEPs--Individualized Education Portfolios!!

Check out my TpT store and buy the labels for only $1

The labels print on shipping paper and can easily be attached to folders with pockets to label and use right away!

Check out my TpT store and buy the labels for only $1

I purchased this 8 pocket folder from a local office store because my student is pulled-out for all subjects.  

Check out my TpT store and buy the labels for only $1

I don't always get to meet with the Special Education teacher who shares IEP goals with this child, but I can put example problems, graded work to share, tests, strategy foldables . . . anything from our class in the "Homeroom" section and she can keep her lessons in the corresponding pockets!

Check out my TpT store and buy the labels for only $1

I know the Speech teacher also sends homework and this child won't lose it since everything is together in one place!  Any teacher can open it and see how the child is doing in other classrooms, or bring it to a parent conference with all the documentation in one location!

Check out my TpT store and buy the labels for only $1

It even has a section for tracking behaviors!  So simple but highly effective!!

Thanks for stopping by my blog!!  In appreciation, you can download the one page small sample printable HERE!! Have a great day! :) 

Data Packs, Data Notebooks, or Personal Best Binders--Organize Your Graphs HERE!!

Hi all!

So recently I've been blogging a lot about PDSA, and how to use it to track class data and accelerate students through their learning with individualized plans.  Today though I want to review great ways to help all students keep track of their progress.  These folders, notebooks, or binders have many names including Student Data Packs, Data Notebooks, Personal Best Binders, etc. but the graphs inside should all track quality learning and be used as a communication tool between students, staff, and parents.  If you find a set for graphing tests and other scores that is simple for your students to use, it will also save you time and be passed on with each child as they continue their education. :) 

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Deciding what goes into a data portfolio should be kept to the information that can be readily be used and shared to guide instruction.  For example, many schools are or will be implementing the Common Core State Standards. A graph that shows pre and post-test results would be most beneficial for each standard.

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

These graphs for primary grades show the goal to reach and can be labeled at the bottom to align with the CCSS standards and topics such as 1.OA.1: Add and Subtract.  Different pictures in the top right corner will help students know which page focuses on reading and another for math.

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Graphs can also be differentiated for different grade levels.  For example, students scoring systems change as they get into the intermediate grades, so the proficiency expectations can be updated as well.

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

And let's not forget to make school fun for those just joining the major elementary age: Kindergartners!  These pages include a search and find for the standards that the students can color as they learn each standard as well as show their pre and post scores!

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Progress can be charted in different ways as well.  For example, fluency charts can be done in more a timeline fashion than comparing pre and post data.  Fluency charts can be done as bar graphs or data points plotted and connected instead for line graph review!!

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Graphs aren't just for academics either!!  Data can also be kept to set expectations and  improve behavior--especially if your school uses clip-up charts or the 7 Habits. Oh yeah, and why not throw a pictograph into the mix as well? :)

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Want to access data in a hurry?  Don't forget to label the spine of the notebook if you choose to use a binder with your students!

Check my TpT store for access to complete sets!!

Thank you for stopping by!! In appreciation for your interest, feel free to download this student-led conference script HERE that can be used with any data portfolio to help your little leaders take charge of their own parent communication! :)

Acceleration Folder for Primary Grades

Hi all!

Last week I had posted on how to organize your student's work to accelerate them through their learning in the intermediate grades.  This week WIS has added acceleration folders for primary grades!!

Download this template FREE HERE!!

This format is A LOT easier to use with younger children who are learning to read and write.  Although it doesn't look like the standards PDSA chart, it is aligned with the Baldrige model which builds into the PDSA format.  The student identifies their learning goal, the teacher outlines how he or she will help, the child knows what he/she needs to go, and the results are tracked and reviewed for further acceleration.  Acceleration can help students who are struggling to be focused on their most important goals, or used for advancing students on an extended learning target.

Don't forget it is also useful to track the lessons the students used to be accelerated just in case you'll need to show the documentation later!  Activity logs are helpful and list the interventions used at different tiers!!

Thanks for stopping by!!  In case you missed the link for the freebie, HERE it is again!

PDSA Acceleration Folders

Do you PDSA in your classroom? Have a board for the whole class to see how they are doing as a group? Have you been charting data with some students still not becoming proficient? Check out the next step in implementing this data tool so individual students ACCELERATE with their own individualized Plan, Do, Study, and Act!!! 

Labels for the folders can be found HERE in either a "Star Student" Theme or "Space" theme!!

These folders are cheap to make and hold all the documentation for individualized goal setting, activities, and progress tracking for math and reading!!

To make the multi-pocket folder for both subjects, just buy two folders with inside clasps.  Turn one folder inside out and connect the prongs through the holes!

Labeling the inside of the folders will help everyone stay organized!

Labels for the folders can be found HERE in either a "Star Student" Theme or "Space" theme!!

In case your school is only beginning to use the Acceleration Folder to correlate with the PDSA boards, I'll give some more examples of what forms go inside each child's folder who has goals for "accelerating" through their learning whether it be because they are struggling or need to be challenged!

The first form is a miniature version of the class's PDSA bulletin board, made instead on a letter size paper perfect for pocketing in the folder!

Labels for the folders can be found HERE in either a "Star Student" Theme or "Space" theme!!

The form will guide the student through their plan (pick one standard to work on), how to "Do" their best with strategies and resources that will help them, "Study" their own graphed grades for progress, and reflect on what went well and how to improve for other lessons! 

Above is a student example of a child who was lucky on the pretest for learning to round, did not show proficiency on the posttest, but was able to earn 100% after filling this out and doing his "Do's" for Conceptual Refinement (a version of RTI or small group reteaching at our school).  The activity log listed as a resource on his PDSA is below.

In the folder should be an activity log to track what differentiated lessons are being done to accelerate the child.  On this form interventions are listed at the bottom to guide the teacher, educational assistant, or tutor through helping the child see if they are able to master the skill!  If the student is still needing additional special education help or advanced services, all the documentation is in this one place to supplement a referral!

How else are these Acceleration Folders helpful?  They are portable so the student can take them with them if they receive instruction outside the regular classroom and can be sent back and forth from home and school to show parents progress.  The pockets can hold assessment samples or easy reinforcement practice such as flashcards or worksheets for students to practice too!

Would you like a sample for free?  Check out the sample student-version of the PDSA board HERE!!  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great school year!!

Balancing Time for Tests FREEBIE!

This year I love my class of serious learners!  They have been motivated to do their best and really show what they know for their grades.  However, there were still problems to discuss during one of our leadership meetings about testing.  I created this visual to go along with our talk . . .

Before using the scale, I put it together.  I cut off the scale from the bottom of our visual (I would probably leave the white on either end of the testing/learning banner to make it easier to tug back-and-forth next time though!). 

Then I cut the slits for the scale to slide through.  

And now, back to the concerns . . . 

 

We show progress at our school by having the students take pretests and comparing them to the posttests.  One of the concerns I noticed were the students taking waaaayyyyyy too long on the pretest because they wanted to do well, even if they hadn't learned the material before.  The scale looked like this when we had our pretest talk. . .

Here it is easier to see that if we only have a certain amount of time at school, and we take a reaaalllyyyy long time on pretests, we don't leave as much time as we may need for learning.

The next example was to encourage the kids not to rush through the pretest either.  Or, I also had some students so confident on the posttests that they would race to be the first ones done instead of double checking for silly mistakes.  The scale looked like this . . .

If they rushed through the pretest, they may not be truly showing what they already know and would be bored with the extra learning instead of just proving they needed a quick review.  Also, if they rushed through their posttest, they would have to spend more time being pulled back for Conceptual Refinement (what our school uses as Response to Intervention (RTI) or reteaching time) even if they knew it but didn't double check their work.

In the end, the kids used the habit of putting 1st things 1st to describe how they should balance their pretest, learning, and posttest time so they wouldn't waste any of their class time. :)

 Thanks for checking it out!  Download the scale for free HERE.  Have a great week!

Teaching to the Common Core: Rounding to the 100s

Hi all!

I hope the beginning of this school year has been fabulous for you!! My freebie this week is a quick one that I made up to help a few of my students that were having difficulty visualizing what 100s place to round to in math.  

This page was much easier to use than a 1,000 chart with all the numbers and hopefully will be something the kiddos can draw after using the model a few days (yay scaffolding!!). The steps that I helped them to use when rounding was to decide what hundreds their number was between (ie. 247 is between 200 and 300).  Then they would identify the benchmark halfway point (in this case 250).  Then, in the beginning, I would have them mark the place where their number would be such as 247 being slightly to the left of 250 (hint: laminate this or put in a page protector for students to use erasable markers on).  Then they could easily see that because 247 had not been on the benchmark number or closer to 300, the number rounds to 200.  

I had also taught them the trick of looking at the neighbor to the right and seeing: "If it's 5 or more, round up.  4 or less, stays the same", but they weren't understanding why the saying applied so I definitely wanted to give them a visual they could believe.  Anyway, feel free to download it for free HERE!!!  

Want to have a fabulous game to help them practice rounding to the 10s as well?  Don't forget to check out my Rounding Football Game to help them find the nearest 10 yard line and go for the field goal!

 Thanks for visiting!!

 

Homework Folder or Take Home Binder Cover FREEBIE!!

Wow! What a week!

I hope everyone is off to a great start for the school year!!  I've been really busy so my freebie today is simple but something my students use all year!!  Here are two cover designs for labeling the front of homework portfolios!

Whether you have binders that contain planners, newsletters, and homework folders, or you just send home homework in a regular folder, this is a great cover to remind your students to "bee" leaders!!

Get your free downloads by clicking below and have a fabulous week!!!!

BEE Labels                              SPACE Labels