3 Ways to Destress Your Students in 5 Minutes or Less

Stress finds it's way into every classroom. But don't let it get to you! Here are some surefire ways to quickly de-stress that classroom!

Lead Your Class Through Yoga 

Yoga in My Classroom

One Simple Trick to Make All Students Love Writing

Writing doesn't come easy to most students. And, letsbehonest, most students don't enjoy it. It's hard enough to just get ideas down on paper and we expect them to do it flawlessly?! Go read through my journal or writer's notebook and I can guarantee that there's an abundance of spelling and punctuation errors hastily made as I scribble down my story.

"Students who don't love writing will never learn to be writers." I learned this from Lucy Calkins when I heard her speak a few years ago... and it's SO STINKIN TRUE. We're teaching elementary students to despise writing by criticizing what they write. I don't know about you, but when I share my writing with someone, I want to hear praise! I want to be appreciated! I won't grow or continue writing if it's criticized and I don't feel valued.

I took some time to think about this and, with Lucy's words ringing in my ears, created a new strategy for my writers. I implemented this trick and found great success! My writer's LOVE writing. And I really do believe this one simple trick is why.

After my students submit a published piece of writing, I hand write them a letter of praise. This quick letter tells them everything I love about their writing. I attach it to their writing and send it home with them. This copy is for their family too. (Note: this is also a great way to share more positive feedback with families!)

You may be asking, but what if their writing sucks? What if they didn't do a single thing they were supposed to do? I know - but teaching really is all about building trust and respect. Each piece of writing is a valuable tool for you as a teacher! Each time I sit down to read a piece of writing, I have my Writing Conference Binder next to me. In my binder, I track what I see. I track what this writer is doing well (and use that in my letter!) and then take notes on what we need to work on. During our one-on-one conferences, I use this information to guide them through whatever they're working on and make it better. Because they know I love their writing and appreciate them as writers, they're ready to hear my criticism. When we meet, they're also sharing with me a work in progress, something that they know isn't "perfect" yet so I can help them make it "perfect" by focusing on skills they need, helping them grown as writers!

Obvi, some writers will have more needs than others. But we're only human and can only do so much. Prioritize and do what you can. Your patience and gentle support will go a long way!

I use these pages to write my letters and attach them to student writing. Grab them FOR FREE here! And grab my note taking pages for free HERE!

Where am I today?

I'm visiting My Carolina Classroom today, sharing my tips for the beginning of the school year!  Be sure to stop by and check them out!  Happy Sunday friends! 

Classroom Economy - Checkbook Incentive Program

How many of you are stumped on classroom incentives?  I know I was forever.  Something that worked one year, wouldn't work the next.  My kiddos were just too different.  Like all classrooms, some were internally motivated.  Some were externally motivated.  Some worked really hard no matter what.  Others didn't work hard at all, for any reason.  That's just the way it is. 

Ideally I would LOVE to have a classroom where positive verbal reinforcement was enough.  And where I was good enough at it, that it worked and I didn't need another system.  But alas, I am not there yet.  I'll keep working on it though! 

But until then, I have come up with a system that I have used, altered, mastered, and come to love, y'all!  I am so excited to share it with you!  It's the Checkbook Incentive Program.   Check it out by clicking on the link!

Basically, students make their own checkbooks {everything they need is in the packet on TpT} and then get rewarded for good behavior and work, with checks from you.  Students keep their checks and their balance in their own checkbooks.  {LESS WORK FOR YOU, PTL!!!}  Then, they visit a "Banker" {which can be you or it can be a classroom job for your students- I recommend making it your students if they can be responsible and trustworthy} and "deposit" their checks in the bank.  For me, our bank is a binder with balance sheets.  Each student has their own balance sheet that looks an awful lot like this...

At the beginning of each year, I print my own checks and write on them.  I write different reasons I may pass out a check, like "Being a great listener", "Going above and beyond", or "Helping another classmate".  I then give all the checks different denominations.  I like to stick with $5-$15.00, but the price is completely up to you!  You can even make some checks crazy denominations, like $12.36 to force adding and subtracting different numbers.  Then, I laminate the checks and cut them out so they're ready to pass out at a moment's notice!  When I see a kiddo doing an exceptional job, I hand them a check and very specifically verbalize why they're receiving that check.  {That's an important part of this system!  Kiddos need to know what they did so well!}. 

At the beginning of the year we choose good times to balance our checkbooks, so that we don't have students balancing them during my math lesson!  So until it's the right time, students stick their check in their pocket or in their checkbook.  Then when they're able, they fill in their new check in their checkbook balance pages and find their new balance.  About once a week, students sign up to visit the banker and deposit their checks in our class bank.  {This is where laminated checks can be great because you can reuse them once they're turned in!}  Students keep track of their own balances in their checkbooks and just like a real checkbook- the correct balance is always the one at the bank. 

So what do students do with all this money?  What's the big deal?  Well, here's my favorite part!  When students go to the bank, they are also able to "purchase" an item by writing a check to me {they better fill it out correctly though!}.

The possibilities are completely endless and up to you, so this program can fit your own classroom! 

One thing I really love about this program is, twice a year we have a large auction where we ask families and local organizations to donate items for us to auction off to the students!  These auctions are a great way to discuss with students why it's important to save your money and it provides them with an incentive to work hard all year.  It's a win/win! 

Again, how you use this program is completely up to YOU and your class!  If you have any questions about this or any of my other products, feel free to e-mail me at Appleslices4th@gmail.com. 

And for the next 4 days, I will have all my products marked down 20% to celebrate Summer and that we have about one month left to enjoy!  Also, it's mine and my hubby's 1 month anniversary. :)   I know it's a small one but you've just gotta celebrate every little bit of life, right?  So enjoy!

Happy Friday, everyone!