CLEAN DESK INSPECTOR

One way I encouraged organization and neatness of desk area.  Taken from Copycat Press 1987.  It is out-of-print.  http://stores.ebay.com/Copycat-Store

BEHAVIOR

NAMES CAN HURT ME

This is a powerful concept that is great to do at the beginning of the year before you have any problems.  Make sure you assign the names to people so you do not get duplicates.  I didn't hang the pictures.  I put them in the Journal/Memory Books.  That way the students saw the reminder every time we had our Journals out to work in them or to add to them.  Try it.

GOOD HABIT BULLETIN BOARD

This was a card sent to my class from another class.  The bottom part was the inside prose.  I think it would be a beautiful bulletin board for the beginning of the year.  Use dark blue burlap as the background.  On the balloons write the habits you want your students to practice this year in your class.  You could even start the board without balloons and add one a day the first week or two as you discuss habits you want your children to exhibit.  A fun thing you might do is get helium balloons.  They last about a week.  It would be cute as a 3-D bulletin board.
Good Habits:

1.  Enter classroom Quiet and Ready to Learn.
2.  Hand in Homework everyday.
3.  Use Inside Voices when you are conversing.
4.  Be Polite and Friendly to all your classmates.
5.  Do your Best Work at all times.
6.  Stay in your Seat when teacher is out of the room.

REINDEER REMINDER

Keep on expecting Good Behavior even during this exciting season.  You need brown Kraft paper, red, white, and black construction paper, scissors, glue, black marker, a plant pot, dirt, a tree branch, and tape.  Place the plant pot in an area of the room where your reindeer mascot can observe the class.  Enlarge the reindeer patterns, trace them on brown Kraft paper, and cut them out.  Trace and cut out two eyes from white paper and add black eyeballs with the marker.  Next, trace and cut out a nose from red construction paper and reindeer hooves from black paper.  Glue the eyes and nose to the reindeer head, tape the reindeer body to the front of the pot, and attach the reindeer head above it.  Cut out two long strips of Kraft paper for the legs, accordion-fold the strips and glue a hoof to the bottom of each strip.  Attach the reindeer legs to the body, allowing them to dangle.  Use one large tree branch or two smaller ones to serve as the reindeer antlers and push the branches into the pot that has been filled with dirt.  Hang candy canes from the antlers and encourage children to name their new mascot.  Your reindeer is now ready to share its candy canes with all the "good little girls and boys" in your classroom.Some adadptations I made to the above directions:  movable eyes, a pom-pom nose, and planted the branch in cement to have less of a mess.

BUILDING RESPONSIBLILITY

This list should be printed on bright cardstock and attached to the front of the HOMEWORK Folder

MY DO NOT FORGET LIST

1. Show my homework folder to my parents.

2.   Do my homework.  Have a parent check it.

3.   Pack my homework and all books in my backpack.

4.   Make my lunch or get lunch money.

5.   Pack a healthy snack everyday.

6.   Bring my library book to school on _____________.

7.   Have my Spanish done by _______________.

I AM BEING RESPONSIBLE.

RESPECT - A CHARACTER THAT COUNTS

This project has the ability to be a Bulletin Board Strip-above a chalkboard, window, or any space.  Once there has been discussion have the students copy the saying you are working on that day, draw a picture depicting what it means and writing what it means to them.  When you are done, students have a booklet to take home and share with their family.

TATTLING

Lower grades have problems with 'Tattlers'.  No matter how much the teacher teaches what NEEDS to be reported and what DOESN'T need reported, some children just don't get it.  The problem is, eventually if the child doesn't learn, this habit will cause friendship issues.  Here is one solution.  Not too many children want to fill out a form before they can say a word.  Try it and see if it helps.

BEHAVIOR JOURNALING

Here are three different levels of Behavior Journaling.  Once the student has filled it out, make sure to put in their folder.  When report time comes you have the documentation ready to support the grades the student earned.

RECOGNITION

Young Children love to be recognized.  Their parents love it too.  Giving certificates is one way to recognize what a student accomplished without a lot of effort on your part.  Below are some certificates I used.  Make sure you keep track of your coupons so each child is recognized frequently.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR TEACHERS

I found this very interesting and in some ways it encapsulates what teachers need to do to stay fresh and continue to enjoy the "teaching element" of the job in today's world.

DAILY 5

This is a nice way to work on skills that are giving your students a little trouble.  Set up 5 questions for the students to answer each morning when they arrive in class.  This gives the students a "job" immediately, to help them settle into the school day.  The photo shows working on telling time to the half hour.  I copied clocks onto heavy paper and made them large enough for students to see from the back of the room.  Laminate and you can use all year as the skills in telling time change.  The students need a paper that sets up a Daily 5 answers for each day of the week.  Check the work with the class prior to recess. 

HEART TO HEART TALK

Improvements begin with I!-Everyone has feelings...be kind-Aim for the stars-I'll trade you SMILES-This is the day to begin to be the one you dream to be-Speaking kindly never hurt anyone-Don't tell anyone, but sometimes school is fun!-Only you can decide how you are going to act-Of all the things you wear, your smile is the most important- No one is perfect...that's why pencils have erasers-Laugh with others not at others-  Believe the best of everybody-A laugh is just like sunshine...It freshens the day-Never miss a rainbow because you're looking down-

GREAT WAY TO ENCOURAGE  AND REMIND ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS!