Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Homework Club

It is almost August and our brains are swimming with ideas. One thing we wanted to change this year is how we collect Homework. It is every teacher’s nightmare!  How do you keep track?  How do you organize?  How much do you give?  How do you make it fair?  We have created a product to help with at least one part of this unending dilemma.  It's a complete system called the Homework Club. 




This is an amazing way to make turning in homework a cool thing to do in your classroom.  It starts with you...yes, you...the teacher!  You have to make this a really big deal.  Promote it!  Display it!  Talk it up! Students need to believe it is the Best. Thing. Ever.

Each day students turn their homework in (in our classroom we use pocket charts). If they fail to do so they are kicked out of that months club and cannot receive the prize. If a student does not have their homework done you take away their number (we use numbers in our classroom, if you choose to use a name that option is that available).




At the end of the month those students that still have their name or number on the Homework Chart get a free homework pass, a bookmark, and a certificate. You can give one prize or all three, the choice is yours! 




There is also a signing section. This is where students sign a display poster each month they have made it into the club. In our classrooms to make this a big deal we hang the homework club 'autographs' in a spot where they can be seen! This is great for students to see daily~it is also nice when parents come in for a visit to see how well (or not so well...) their child is doing.

Feel free to customize this system to your own needs.  The square number cards can be used in a pocket chart or they can be cut into circles to use as a magnetic system.  There are also cute letters to help with a hallway display.  This is a great kid approved system that can make homework a celebration rather than a drudgery.  Remember:  You have to make this an important part of your every day routine.  



Homework Helper will be 50% the next 3 days (until July 17, 2015). 
Don't forget to click the Teacher Deals and Dollar $teals button to find more great B2S tips, tricks, and great ideas you need to steal;)

 


   

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Updating Classroom Decor

I AM SO EXCITED.

Kelli and  I have decided to update our classrooms this year...I know mine needed an update! We are down to a month before school starts and I have been itching to get back in my room to get it set up. I am still waiting for my new borders to come in, otherwise I am sure I would already be there!

This summer I have done a few crafts to 'make things cute'. Lucky for you I am sharing my cuteness right here, right now.  

I had a tall, ugly, black floor lamp and lampshade I got FOR FREE last year. Now this gem is a cute, googly-eyed purple. 

Painted the black a cute purple!
Added googly-eyes to this plain shade!
My next homemade classroom decor: fabric garland. So believably easy to make! I have made a ton of these before for baby showers/gifts/weddings/and now my classroom! I simply pick a few colors and textures of fabric, I always buy the absolute cheapest! I try to get at least 5 different types of fabric....this one had 7. The beauty of this is there is no sewing or cutting. I cup a small line to make sure I can rip it and then simply tear off the fabric~be careful, it is a stringy mess that my husband does not enjoy ~I tear all the fabric and then start tying it on the thick string. If you want better instructions let me know and I will be happy to send them to you:) 
Imagine this hanging over the windows in your classroom! That's where mine is going.
The last bit of decor I have is for the hallway. At our school, there are no bulletin boards in the halls, we simply staple to the wall....and it is an ugly, plain color wall! For the start of the year hallway decor Kelli had the best idea of hanging cutesy burlap ribbon to make a border. So naturally, I went to Walmart right away to pick up all they had! Kelli is a teal girl, she gets the teal chevrons~my wall will have the pinky salmon stripes! The top and bottom of the border will have the multi colored chevrons to tie both of our class bulletin boards together...I love it when our hallway is sort of matchy-matchy! It is great being next to someone who enjoys cute just as much as I do! On the insides we will put our students fourth grade selfies. 
Head to Walmart to pick up your clearance burlap!

When it is all complete I will post some pictures! I just had to let you know about all this cuteness now in case you wanted to create some cute of your own!

Happy Sunday!
 {Lizz}