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Teacher Tips 2008-2009

Computer Use

and

Checking Roll
 

From the

United Educators Association

Teacher Tip...

Note:  Please do not respond to this computer as it is an email machine.  If you wish to contact someone at UEA, please send your email to uea@ueatexas.com

If you would like to submit a teacher tip, please send it to dpowell@ueatexas.com

 

 

Last Week's Teacher Tip:

 

Melissa Chunn from Weatherford ISD submitted this week’s teacher tip.  Melissa will receive $25 for her tip.

 

 

For those of us who are fortunate enough to have computers in our classroom, sometimes lines can form while students wait for their turn on the computer.  I save old calendar numbers and put Velcro on the back of them.  Each student in the class has a number for the year, and when they want to use a computer, they take their number and place it in line by the computer they want to use.  While they are waiting to use a computer they return to their desk and read or complete other work.  That stops students from crowding around the computer and disrupting the person using the computer.

 

 

 

This Weeks Teacher Tip:

 

 

Celeste Hanvey from Frisco ISD submitted this week’s teacher tip.  Celeste will receive $25 for her tip.

 

 

There is always so much to do first thing in the morning.  Here is a way you can simultaneously take roll and review a past concept without ever having to make a sound.  On a magnetic surface (desk, filing cabinet, dry-erase board), have magnets labeled with the student’s names, all pushed to one side.  Each morning before school, begins, write a review question and two possible answers on the opposite side of the surface…this can be as simple as a multiplication fact, a vocabulary word, or anything else you think needs to be reviewed.  Make it a routine for your students to “check in” on their way in by picking up their magnet, reading the question, and placing their magnet below their answer of choice.  This is a quick way to take role and assess the student’s knowledge of a concept

  

 
Desktop As
A Dry Eraser
Board
 

From the

United Educators Association

Teacher Tip...

Note:  Please do not respond to this computer as it is an email machine.  If you wish to contact someone at UEA, please send your email to uea@ueatexas.com

If you would like to submit a teacher tip, please send it to dpowell@ueatexas.com

     

 

This week’s teacher tip was submitted by Hollie Dyer from Hurst ISD and Julie Griffin from Fort Worth ISD.  Each of these teachers will receive a $25 check for this week’s teacher tip.

This tip works great for math, but I think it could probably be adapted to any subject where you are practicing skills.  Instead of using dry erase boards, let the kids write on their desks with dry erase markers.  It makes it easy to circulate around the room and do error analysis, and it is less cumbersome than dry erase boards.  I pass out a paper towel to each student, and I use a little spray at the end of class to get ready for the next class.  (Before using this activity, test out a small area on your desks to be sure the writing is easily removed.)

 

 

 

  

 

 
Transition
Between
Activities
 

From the

United Educators Association

Teacher Tip...

Note:  Please do not respond to this computer as it is an email machine.  If you wish to contact someone at UEA, please send your email to uea@ueatexas.com

If you would like to submit a teacher tip, please send it to dpowell@ueatexas.com

  This weeks teacher tip was submitted by Hope Bentley from Aledo IDS.  Hope will receive $25 for her tip. 

 

I have always struggled with transition time between activities.  I decided to get baskets for each group of children.  In the basket are three different colors of folders – one color for each class I teach.  Students know that the handouts for the day will be in the folder.  This keeps me from having to stop and pass out materials.  Also, a student that is absent will have the papers left for them in their folder in their group.  I also keep notebook paper and pens in a basket.  That way they never say they do not have paper and pen

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 
 
Using Folders for An Absent Student
From the United Educators Association
Monday, Nov 3, 2008
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Julie Moynihan, from Fort Worth  ISD. For this tip,  Julie wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Julie’s tip is as follows:

I have 5 purple folders that are labeled absent and are stored in a designated area in my room.  One student’s job, at the start of each class, is to determine who is absent from the class, and to place a folder on that student’s desk.  As handouts are distributed during the day, the absent student’s tablemates are in charge of placing the handouts into the folder.  This helps in three ways.  First, it helps in taking roll quickly because it is easy to see who is missing.  Second, the student’s make up work is ready when the student returns. Third, students know exactly what they missed while absent.

 

                         
  Teacher Tips 2007-2008
Coupon Incentives
From the
United Educators Association
 
Subject:  Teacher Tip
 

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Brigitte Barani, a teacher in Arlington ISD. For this tip, Brigitte wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Brigitte‘s tip is as follows:

 

It is an important goal for High School Students to attend school regularly, to arrive at school on time and to have school material ready to be able to participate actively in all school activities.

Therefore I give out coupons every three weeks for perfect attendance, no tardies, wearing ID's visible, short participation tests and other special achievements.

The students collect their coupons and redeem them for school material (that many can't afford), snack bars and other prizes. Once the students understand the procedure, they are eager to collect the coupons and choose the prizes. At the same time, they learn about healthy snack choices and they also learn to care for their school materials. 
 

 
     
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email: uea@ueatexas.com  | website: http://www.ueatexas.com
 
 

 
Cleaning Up the
Room

From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Ashley Williams, a teacher in Arlington ISD. For this tip, Ashley wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Ashley ‘s tip is as follows:

Occasionally, we do activities in class that create a mess. A big challenge is getting high school kids to pick up after themselves. Asking them to clean up gets minimal response, as they think such work is beneath them and should be left to the custodians. However, framing it a different way gets everyone involved without complaint or resistance. About 5 minutes before the end of class on a messy day I announce, "Today, you need a ticket to leave the room. Your ticket is one piece of trash." Then, I put the trash can next to the door. Immediately, they grab the nearest piece of trash. Once they have it, they are so eager to get rid of it, they get my attention so I can watch them throw it away. Within a minute, the room is clean, so I've never actually had to "enforce" this "rule."

Communication

From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Beth Harville, a teacher in White Settlement ISD. For this tip, Beth wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Beth ‘s tip is as follows:

I have discovered an excellent way of communicating with my band students while they are playing their instruments in class.  I have made signs that I can hold up to tell them simple instructions so that I do not have to stop the entire class.  By doing this, I can communicate with that one student and keep the pace of the class going.  Some of my signs say things such as: 1.  Stay on task, please.  2.  You are playing so well today- good for you! The students like this and have often told me that they enjoy the signs and they prefer this way of non-verbal correction/praise over the traditional "stopping everyone to say something" approach.  Especially when a student may be off-task, the sign method is a much better way to get a student back on track while allowing that student to keep his or her dignity.
Locating a Student

From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Teacher Tip

Welcome back to school. Today's Teacher Tip comes from Lindsey Jacobson, a teacher in Lewisville ISD. For this tip, Lindsey wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Lindsey ‘s tip is as follows:

We have such a large school, over 3000 students, it is incredibly important that attendance clerks, assistant principals, other teachers, etc. know where to find a student in case that particular student is needed.  However, we are frequently not in our classrooms (trips to the library or the computer lab).  When we leave we have always placed signs outside our rooms to show where we are in order to avoid the hassle of having to search the building for the student being requested.  In an effort to try and save on paper, I began writing on the window of my classroom door with a dry erase marker to let the administrators and attendance clerks know where we could be found.  Again, it saves paper and time for both the teacher and the person looking for the student needed.
Quiet Fish - a Game

From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Katie McCasland, a teacher in Plano ISD. For this tip, Katie wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Katie ‘s tip is as follows:

Working with primary students is always lots of fun, but by the end of the day packing up to go home can get very out of hand and loud. I play a game in my classroom called Quiet Fish, which makes packing up time a breeze. Have a designated stuffed animal by your quiet animal. It could be a stuffed animal of your school's mascot. Tell the class at the beginning of the year that the quiet animal does not like it when there is noise. At the end of the day the quiet animal comes out and needs complete silence. Have 1 student begin the game by passing the quiet animal to another student who has everything they need to go home on their desk and are sitting quietly ready to go. Once you receive the quiet animal you have to pass it to someone else who is quiet, stack your chair, go get your mail, then pack your backpack up. Once the kids get really good at this game it gives the teacher a little time to wipe off the board, tidy up, or write tomorrow's agenda.
Pictures Prior to a
Field Trip

From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Teacher Tip

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break. Getting back to school means getting back to teacher tips.

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Jen Wells, a teacher in Fort Worth ISD. For this tip, Jen wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Jen ‘s tip is as follows:

When I take students on field trips I bring along a digital camera. Before we leave, I take a picture of them in groups of five. I bring my camera along with me. If anything were to happen to them, I would have a current photo of them in the clothes that they are wearing to give to the police. I hate to think that I would need to use it but I would rather be safe than sorry.
Rewards From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Jessica Warren, from Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD. For this tip, Jessica wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Jessica‘s tip is as follows:

I have a Write On/Wipe Off 100 Chart on the wall. When a student does excellent work, answers a question correctly, or any positive action they get to "pick a number". They walk up and write their initials on a number. On Friday, I draw a number from my can of numbers. The person that has their initial on that number wins the prize (usually something small like stickers, pencils, etc.) They love it and are eager to raise their hand if it means they may get to pick a number!
Seating Charts From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Linda Ellis, from Arlington ISD. For this
tip, Linda wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Linda‘s tip is as follows:

At the beginning of the year I make a seating charts, putting students names on various color sticky notes. The students are color coded for having failed the course previously and for having failed the prior year TAKS test. Through out the year I am more aware of these "at risk" students without referring back to various reports. Additionally, when I change the seating chart for any reason, I can make sure these students are grouped with stronger students for group work. The students are never aware of what the colors mean.
Catch A Bubble
and A Tail		 From the United Educators Association
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Teacher Tip

Today's Teacher Tip comes from Derenda Saleh, from Plano ISD. For this tip, Derenda wins $25. We appreciate all of you who share your great ideas.

If you would like to submit a Teacher Tip, please visit us at
http://www.ueatexas.com/submit-teachertips/submit-teachertips.htm

Derenda‘s tip is as follows:

Have the kindergarten and first grade students catch a bubble and a tail. A bubble in their mouth with cheeks puffed out and mouth closed and a tail with their hands joined together in their back. This makes for a quiet line. Just ask them to catch a bubble if someone is talking or a tail to keep hands to themselves.