my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist
Love this idea from Jo’s PhotoMojo. Snap a picture of each of your students holding a sign saying what they want to be when they get up. Then use PicMonkey (or another image editing service) to make a collage of the photos and send them home as year-end gifts.
We’re winding down and only have 16 days left for our 2012-2013 school year. Instead of thinking of it as “only 16 days till summer” what if we looked at it as “only 16 more days to make a difference”?
We’re going to start a EOY wrap with some fun ideas for ya, but I wanted to give you 16 short and sweet things you can do to make a difference in a child’s life between now and June 7th, 🙂 I challenge you to pick ONE for each day we have left!
These are all easy, free, and a way to make a difference between now and then. A child will remember YOU and the way you’ve made them feel more than they’ll EVER remember a lesson.
Difference makeN,
Amber
We’re lucky enough to have teachers here at Luna that go WAY above and beyond in their classrooms. Our partnership with Donors Choose has been extremely fruitful this year. We’ve added almost $11, 000 dollars in materials to our classrooms….which is INCREDIBLE. From parents to family friends to district support…it all started with Donor’s Choose and willing teachers.
One classroom, Mrs. Boswell’s bilingual first graders, have increased the rigor in their room by becoming authors. Here’s a sample of what they’re able to accomplish with their ipad mini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGkhNZeJ-As
Lion pride,
Amber
ps: $11,000….whoa!!!!
Mrs.Bennet came down this week SO excited about a spelling activity that she had done with her students. QR codes have taken Luna by storm and we’ve seen some great lessons by both teachers and students.
Primary students can be difficult, I know some teachers are hesitant to let the little ones get their hands on these tools. Well, Mrs. Bennett isn’t scared! 🙂 She created a review to help engage her students with those boring ol’spelling words.
Each code revealed a clue to one of their words for the week. the students had to identify the word based on the clue and then spell it correctly on their paper.
If you’re interested using QR codes in your class room, but not sure how to go about it, see if you can find inspiration here. Plenty of ideas to get ya started!
More suggestions?
Award prizes by having students scan a code leading to fun message from you! An animated gif or classroom “badge”. When they master a concept on say fractions, perhaps they get a code that takes them to a badge for Fraction Rockstar!
Put codes in different areas of the room that will take students to different online activities, videos or content. An easy center or “when you’re finished” activity!
Love that all of these activities have a purpose…remember that using technology for the sake of technology isn’t a benefit for your students. All of your activities should have a goal that ties into your learning objectives. 🙂
codeN,
Amber
Our test that shall not be mentioned is a’coming.
(yes, the STAAR test…dum da dum dum…)
It will be here in just 4 school days. Think teachers are panicking? Think they are stressed? Nahhhhh….not these Lions!
Ventured down to 5th grade today to see how they were all doing. Came upon Mrs. Rapp’s reading class spread out all over. Students were in small groups reading out of a novel. (Not a basal in sight!) As her timer went off, I literally think I heard a gasp from the students as they waited to see what Mrs. Rapp was going to post on the screen.
As soon as this slide went up, the students broke apart into different groups and started working. Each student already had a copy of the rubric for the assignment, so they knew what was expected of them before they even started. Mrs. Rapp sat down on the floor in front of me and started with a group on different skills. (a small intervention group, perhaps?)
I went to the Lion’s den right next door to check out what the “challenge activity” was…although I was torn. I think the Q&A with the flip cameras was also a pretty neat activity.
The students each had an ipad and there were QR codes all over the den and in the hallway.
The students kept track of their answers on the notepad. The codes scanned different questions that tied into her lesson and story. I know I’ve seen a worksheet that looked liked this before. It listed fact and opinion statements and the students had to write in their answer. Which do you think was most effective?
The questions went from basic and an automatic answer to ones where the students had to figure out in context. Elated is the same as jubilant. Pop is an example of onomatopoeia. Fact or opinion. Fabulous.
The buzz was palpable. The students were engaged. And the best part? They were totally reviewing for what’s coming up. In a non- stressed, non-pressured, get it done like a Luna Lion way. Well done, Mrs. Rapp, well done!
And? Making their collegiate decisions even easier! #14. Texas Tech Red Raiders are awesome!
(fact.) 🙂
wreck’em,
Amber