The Classroom Connection

Sarah Jaramillo

IST / Instructional Coach

Office of Professional Learning

Jacob Tijerina

IST / Instructional Coach

Office of Professional Learning

Welcome from the Office of Professional Learning!

Are you ready to put a spell on your classroom? Join us for some frightfully fun tips and tricks to make your classroom a magical place. This newsletter is packed with spooky strategies to keep your students engaged and on track.

From ghostly routines to bewitching behavior management techniques, we've got you covered. Get ready for some Halloween-themed fun that will make your classroom the most spooktacular in the school!

You Make a Difference!

Every human has an Emotional Bank Account. It's based on the idea that relationships are like bank accounts. You can make deposits to build trust and strengthen a relationship, or you can make withdrawals that erode trust and weaken a relationship.

Every smile, fist bump, high five, caring act, respectful conversation, piece of praise or check-in adds deposits to a student's emotional bank account and ultimately builds stronger relationships in the classroom.

Deposits can include:

Acts of kindness: Doing something nice for the other person, even if it's a small gesture.
Keeping promises: Following through on your commitments.
Active listening: Paying attention to the other person's feelings and thoughts.
Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of another person.
Positive affirmations: Expressing appreciation and support.

Withdrawals can include:

Breaking promises: Failing to follow through on your commitments.
Criticism: Pointing out flaws or mistakes.
Negativity: Complaining or being pessimistic.
Disrespect: Treating the other person poorly.
Ignoring the other person's needs: Failing to pay attention to their feelings or concerns.

Seating Chart Templates

Make classroom arrangement a piece of cake with these seating chart templates from Canva!

Canva Seating Chart Template

ClassroomScreen.com

Have all the important teacher tools with a push of a button. ClassroomScreen is packed with widgets for teachers: timers, group makers, interactive polls and much more.

Visit ClassroomScreen

Classroom Arrangement

Your classroom arrangement can be your best co-teacher or your largest barrier. Below are some checklist questions based on three main elements of classroom arrangement:

Visibility

Can you see all your students? Can your students see you?
Can all students see the board or screen?

Accessibility

Can students access materials without causing disruption?
Are there pathways for efficient traffic flow?
Do you have access to work with individual students?

Distractibility

Is your classroom free of clutter?
Are your classroom decorations purposeful?
Are there procedures that lead to distraction, like students being able to get up during class to use the pencil sharpener?

30 Techniques to Quiet the Noisy Class

Edutopia has created a list of ideas to grab the attention of your class.

10 Best Lining Up Strategies to Try This School Year

Lining up to leave the classroom for specials, lunch, recess, or dismissal is one routine that seems to need re-teaching more than others throughout the school year. Students tend to fool around in line, but with the right expectations set early on, lining-up could be much less of a headache.

boredteachers.com

6 Ways to Make Your Instructions Stick

Is your teaching time being consumed by using time to repeat instructions? Here are a few ways to help your instructions stick:

Ask a couple of students to re-explain the instructions to the class
Make instructions as clear as possible by numbering steps, using consistent formatting, avoiding visual clutter, and considering font size
Offer several formats
Display key expectations
Have students model it
Make it a challenge

Click Here to Read the Full Article

Mastering Classroom Transitions

Whether students are transitioning from reading to math, returning materials or moving from PE to the drinking fountain, author Mike Linsin recommends standardizing the process with five steps that I paraphrase this way:

Secure students’ attention: “Focus on me, please.”
Explain the procedure: “In a moment, return to your desks and take out your history textbooks.”
Prepare kids for the signal to start: “When I say ‘smooth,’ you’ll quietly proceed.”
Initiate the transition: “And... smooth.” Don’t say “go,” warns Linsin, because that word cues students to race.
Observe: Watch to make sure all students are complying.

Click Here to Read the Full Article