Student Contributor: M. McLeod Flexible seating is when students have different options of where and what they can use for seating within the classroom. Flexible seating is helpful as it allows for students to be comfortable in the classroom.Flexible seating is used to provide several different seating options in the classroom for students. Some examples that my mentor has in her room are floor tables, stools at tall tables, wobble chairs, seat cushions. … [Read more...] about Student Chosen Flexible Seating
Student Directed & Collaborative
Transition Timers
Student Contributor: M. McLeod Timers can be used to facilitate smooth transitions in the classroom. You can choose any length of time for your timer, whatever works for you. Timers for transitions also provide brain break's for students throughout the day.This tool is super easy to implement into your classroom and can be done in a variety of ways. You can get a physical timer and start it each time you transition, or you can look up timers on YouTube. In … [Read more...] about Transition Timers
Stoplight Cups
Student Contributor: C. Shimasaki Stoplight Cups are great for students to ask questions and get the teacher's attention without walking around the room, or coming up to you all at once. With this, the teacher is able to scan the room and prioritize who to go to first depending on the color.Students will have 3 cups total, a red, yellow, and green cup. Students can use these when doing independent or group work. The different colors give meaning to how … [Read more...] about Stoplight Cups
Portable Desks
Student Contributor: K. Reed The portable desks tool is meant to help best support student learning by giving them the freedom to move from their usual seating. If students need to be closer to the whiteboard to see or farther from their peers to minimize distractions, they are able to do just that.When introducing this tool, it is important to set expectations so that the portable desks are not misused. Once students understand the expectations of using … [Read more...] about Portable Desks
Completion Hoop
Student Contributor: H. Barsness The Completion Hoop is used for helping students want to complete tasks throughout the day, and provides a fun way to celebrate their progress.The Completion Hoop should be used one student at a time. I have let students do up to three shots to try and make the basket. The hoop is used one student at a time. As students finish a task, they raise their hands to be checked off on their progress. Once the student gets … [Read more...] about Completion Hoop
Cat Award
Student Contributor: Halene Barsness This tool is awarded to students for tidy desk and floor areas, but can be applied to any circumstance that is needed. This has been a way to help my placement class improve their organization, and reduce the number of papers lost.At the end of the day, we give students an additional five to ten minutes to get their desks entered for the Cat Award prize. This time is given at the end of the day so that there aren't any … [Read more...] about Cat Award
Afternoon Check Out
Student Contributor: R Ruff Afternoon check out is when students meet together before leaving school for the day. This check out is meant to discuss how we felt during the day, how we felt the class did behavior wise and how we feel on the new material we learned today.Afternoon check out is meant to be used at the end of the day before students grab their backpacks and leave for the day. This is the very last thing that students will be doing every day. … [Read more...] about Afternoon Check Out
30 Second Dance Party
Student Contributor: M. Sorensen This is a fun quick brain break. The button plays one of the five 30-second songs. Once the music plays, everyone gets up and dances.This button makes this brain break easy with little prep. This can be used whenever the class is getting antsy, between transitions, or as a break before a test. The teacher is generally the one to push the button. However, you can also pick one student a day to hit the button one time … [Read more...] about 30 Second Dance Party
Behavior Checklist
Student Contributor: Alissa Williams A list of observable and measurable behaviors which are recorded by a teacher. Usually as a last resort to communicate the behavior frequency with parents and administration.Behavior Charts are a must for your classroom to not only track behavior, but to encourage positive behavior. It also is beneficial for communication! Tally, silly smiling faces, or stickers will do to keep track, but I recommend using time … [Read more...] about Behavior Checklist
Classroom Store
Student Contributor: R. Ruff This tool is rewarding students for positive behaviors throughout the months. They get “paid” with points for exceptional choices and can use their points to buy stuff from the end of month store. This helps prevent negative behaviors and encourages students to make good choices.The class store is used at the end of each month where students can use the points they earned to buy prizes based off of their earnings. This supports … [Read more...] about Classroom Store