{VIP} Status!

Oh. em gee! Have you read Rachel's blog post over at The Tattooed Teacher about her V.I.P.s yet?! Run. don't walk. Greatest idea EVER! 

I saw her post about it on instagram in January and immediately set to work on creating my VIP table in my classroom. My students were ya know... angels kinda acting nuts. I am sure none of you know what that is like..ha! I was so excited because I knew this would be just the perfect incentive!

I moved our rug from our classroom library to the middle of the room, brought in a table, and got to work making it VIP-ish! I typed up VIP with an adorable KG font and taped it on. Then, I put together their *own* set of special supplies. Things like: pens, highlighters, markers, pencils, erasers, tissue, hand sanitizer (seriously their FAV!), sticky notes, scissors, etc! 

I pick 3 V.I.P. students a week. These students also get special privileges on top of sitting in the middle of the room like the V.I.P.s they are! They get to line up first, pack up first, take their shoes off, keep their water bottle at their desk (woah! it's a big deal..) work on their own rug, monitor the bathroom breaks, and more! I also usually put a little surprise on their desk every other day or so. I have given them bubble wands, special glasses, and even donuts!! The target dollar spot is amazing for these gifts!! This week, I added the V.I.P Paparazzi. The VIPS now get to take pictures of exciting classroom things for our classroom Instagram! I have them upload their photos on Google Drive, and then I upload them to Instagram (the app doesn't work on our school wifi). To read more about my classroom Instagram and even snag a free parent permission form see my post here! 

As a class, we talked about what it means in the real world to be a V.I.P. and what it would mean for our classroom. We discussed that these people are model citizens, role models, and they work super hard to earn the award or privilege. We came up with some things I would be looking for in our V.I.P.s when I am trying to choose for the next week....things like: on task behavior (duh), good citizen, respecting others, neat work, etc. I also told them that you can lose your V.I.P. status anytime during the week that you are not doing those things. #sadface

Let me tell you, my students are SERIOUS about this table. It is a BIG deal. I have seen a huge turn around of classroom behavior since introducing this to my class! I have seen those students that really don't care about incentives or feel like they can't earn anything work SO hard to earn this special privilege! I encourage you to think about if this would work for your classroom and try it out! Let me know if you have any questions!! 

-Ashley

Five for Friday {October 4th}

Hi!

I am a day late with my Five for Friday post! I really did plan on typing it up last night! I was just so. tired. We all know what teacher tired is like right??? This week was a tough week at school! I am sure I am not alone. :) So anyways...my five favorite things from this week!! :)

I am getting my Spooky Solve the Room ready for my kiddos!! They love the math hunts we do, but for some reason I think they love this one the best!! something to do with Halloween I am sure. I put up the math problem cards around the classroom and they go on a hunt with their recording page and a clip board! I usually put it in my math stations so they are not all hunting at once! :) 

 You can find the Halloween Hunt in our TPT store! You can also grab all 4 for a super discounted price!!!

This week Amanda and I decorated the bulletin board in the lounge! We are in charge of keeping it up to date throughout the year. We love stuff like this so we are so excited to bring some more creativity to our school! This is our "fall" themed board. Who doesn't love football?! (I am watching TCU beat OU as we speak ;) )

Last night, yes FRIDAY night, I finally finished putting my tier 2 documentation binder together. It has been looming over my head for weeks! I have a tab for each friend of mine who needs reading intervention and a tab for each one who needs math. On their tab page I have their Fall data and strands that they need interventions for. This helps me remember who needs what as I am working with them! I have tonsss of sticky notes of what I have been doing, but I hadn't added my new students tabs and data yet! Let's just say I will be at my teacher table a LOT this year!! These babies need lots of reading and math love! 

This week two of my table groups got to scan our very first QR code prize of the year!! Their prizes were sit in the teacher's chair all day (ohhhh!!) and use pen all day! Both of these prizes were a hit. They loved scanning the code to see the secret prize pop up! Check it out here!

This past weekend Amanda and I attended a Women's Conference at her church. It was GREAT! We have started reading the She Reads Truth: Open Your Bible plan (a little late) and have a Facebook group going with some girls to discuss the plan with. It has been amazing to have some fellowship and accountability daily! I can't wait for our new bible study to start next week! It is all about the BEST yes, and how to say no to things in order to be able to say yes to BETTER things! 

4 Weeks...But Who's Counting?!

YES. 4 weeks. SUMMER!

Although..I am teaching summer school so I really have a little longer than that, BUT it will still be a nice break!!

I know my kids are itching for summer just as much as the teachers!! Therefore-we have lots of Noodle Time! What is noodle time?! Go Noodle brain breaks!! If you haven't hopped on this train...you need to!!! The kids LOVE it. No, really. Like, go crazy for it! They got to pick their class character, and each time we do a brain break it increases us a little towards the next level. Whenever we advance..their monster grows. They eat it up. Not to mention that they love to do yoga, Zumba, Olympics. and dance to the HAPPY song! (Yeah, I am a little sick of that one!) Anyways, check it out!! It is amazzzzing. 

Speaking of the end of the year.. Amanda and I have recently added some great activities for your kiddos to get you there!! 

I wanted some cute awards to be able to print for my students towards the last day of school. Haney Helper, Amazing Artist, Earth Saver, etc! These include a color, black line, AND a boy and girl version! I am so excited to give them to my kiddosd

If you are like me/my team the last week or so(maybe more! ha!) are just used for fun things to get you to summer break! I love using that time to give my students fun worksheets about their time in 3rd grade. My Rock On packs are fun activities for your students to reflect on their year! Simply print & go! There are packs for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, grade! 

Speech friends:

These summer calendars include fun activities that allow my students to practice their articulation, language and fluency skills over the summer. Each day provides a short activity for my students to complete with a parent/guardian. I also created a page for my students to write what they learned in speech. I will attach these pages to their summer calendars.

I also wanted to create “theme–based” task cards to support language development. Each day of the week has 10 different activities! Providing my students  with fun, engaging activities is a great way to make practicing skills more enjoyable and less of a “chore” during the break. 

On a personal note, Amanda and I went to a Women's Conference, Pink Impact, at a church local to us last weekend. It. was. awesome!! We really had a great time. I truly cherish her friendship and that we can grow in our walks with the Lord together!

By the way, anytime you buy 3 items from our store--we send you a 4th free! check it out! 

Peek at My Week!

Happy Sunday!! Wowza-it has been for-ever-er since I have posted! Thanks to Amanda for posting the other day! We are going to get better-we promise!! :)

I wanted to show you a quick peek at my week coming up!! It is going to be a pretty fun one! & short and sweet for me. :)

Tomorrow is a Professional Development day which I am FINE with after Valentine's Day! I am STILL pooped from those kiddos ;) I get to sit in meetings all day and learn how to be a TELPAS rater. Boo!

Tuesday we take a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art!!! I am super excited! The kids are too!

Wednesday is one of my teammates baby shower! It is going to be so cute! I have really enjoyed using my "creative teacher" side to help create cute banners/labels for her shower!  

In my classroom I use buckets/sparklers as table "points". Once their table receives 10 sparklers they get a prize! I LOVE this classroom management tool-I saw it first on A Cupcake for the Teacher!I have three tables who each have 9 sparklers so one is definitely going to win this week! When they get to 10 sparklers they get to scan a secret QR code from my QR Code Prize Pack. They LOVE it! We have them scan on the Elmo so that when their prize pops up the whole class gets to see what they got! It is a lot of fun!

If you don't know much about Qr codes or ways to use them in the classroom, I will be soon posting a how to post on our NEW collaborative blog: The Collaboration Connection  We are now having a launch party with tons of awesome giveaways! Be sure to follow/like/share/whatever to enter yourself in all of them!

Friday of this week- I am OFF! Yippeee!.. Not really. I get to take the day off to change my last name. Lots of lines and waiting time for me that day! 

Thanks for stopping by! What does your week look like?! 

-Ash