Rockin' Teacher Materials: Essential 55

9:00 AM

Well it happened. The first day of school came and went as quickly as summer break seemed to go. Not sure how quickly the rest of this year will go?! After the day was done I already noticed it was time to see if I had a stack of Think Sheets ready to go. 😏 Think Sheets have really helped my kiddos reflect and redirect their behavior in a BIG way.

The sheets are SUPER simple for kids to fill out, even those kindergarteners. There are different versions for older kids too to reflect and take home if needed.

I also like to hang up our Class Rules posters and then make a class book during the first few weeks of school! You may already have your own posters and rules which is awesome. There are editable pages so you can modify them to fit your needs. The Think Sheets and our Class Rules book really build community at the beginning of the year. Check it out!

Here is an example of one of the Class Rules Book pages!

Hope you have a great start to the school year! Here's a FREE sample of some of my Swag Tags to also help get those students started off right with some motivational SWAG.

Can't wait to see what you "THINK" about it!

Under the Influence...of the Ron Clark Academy!

11:49 PM

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. I have to tell you that I had no idea what was in store when I walked in the door!
We were greeted with a party-like atmosphere complete with music, students dancing, and even teachers jumping on a trampoline!

I have to say that the most impressive part of this 'party' was the 5th grader I had the pleasure of talking to. He was so polite, asked questions, actually listened to my answers, and then asked more questions about me!

Then, we got to meet Ron Clark for an introduction to the day. What a fun guy! And boy, does he have a TON of ENERGY! He showed us a spinning wheel that they use as a type of 'Harry Potter Sorting Hat.' They use the spinner for things like placing kids into their special 'house' and also as a competition to see which 'house' can earn the most points. Points can be earned for behavior, academics, honor, etc. Pretty neat!

I LOVE the idea of having 'houses' for behaviors. I am trying to think of a way to incorporate it into the 2nd grade . . . or even better, our whole school! If you have a good idea of how it would work in a public school, please leave a comment for me!
Once we were over the excitement of being at RCA, we were split into groups to observe in actual classrooms. AMAZING! I cannot believe the engagement in these kids.

The classrooms were also so cool! Each of the teachers is able to have their room decorated the way they want it. It really made me want to go and give my room a total makeover! I just need a little more cash and a carpenter/painter! Check out the VW! AND, this is in a classroom!

I had the opportunity of talking with another one of the phenomenal students in the school gym. How would you like to play a game on this fiery floor? We were going to go and watch a game but it was cancelled because of the cold snap in Atlanta. They weren't taking any chances with the ice!

And the coolest thing? I am now SLIDE CERTIFIED! What a fun way to get downstairs! Now, if there was a fun way to get back up the stairs! Oh, and one more thing . . . How do you make visiting RCA even better? You go with a bunch of blogging buddies!

If you ever get the chance to visit Ron Clark Academy, go for it! It is totally worth the money to attend. It totally changed the way I run my classroom. It was quite the shock for my kids and for some of the parents when I got back. However, the kids responded well and behaviors improved and caring and kindness increased.

I even made a simple version of Ron's Essential 55 rules into elementary posters. They are simple and have a picture to help the kids understand the rules. If you haven't read The Essential 55, you need to get it done. Great summer read!
This book is incredible! I was reading it during silent reading time and Bryce came up and asked: "Is that the Rule Book?" YES is is my boy, yes it is! If you'd like to check out the class rules and activities pack, just click the pic!