Week 29, Day 3: Notebook turn in?

Even Block Schedule: Same lesson as yesterday, pH lab. And prepare to 
turn in science notebook.
 
TODAY'S BEST PRACTICE: When a lab or video is not finished in class I often collect the papers, by row, and hold onto them until next class period. This reduces the number of lost papers. The time it takes to collect them and then redistribute them is less that the TIME AND FRUSTRATION of trying to get lost papers replaced.

I have NEVER had students turn in their spiral notebooks. 
As the year goes on some kids get lax with them and do not maintain them. 
In past years I did do notebook quizzes. This was my poor-man's notebook check. 
I need to get back to those. 220 notebooks to grade has been a major point of contention for me. Hmm, notebook quizzes are looking good.

Earlier in the year I describe the way I do the notebooks.  I like it.  Makes life easier for students and me.
One of my colleagues does some labs in the notebooks and then scores them later. That's not for me, maybe you can make that work.


The pH lab got squished yesterday so we are completing them today.

On a totally different note: After school and lunches are sooo nice now that I am not coaching. My 
time is mine again.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 15, Day 2: So much for planning

ODD BLOCK schedule: Reviewed the Solar Flare/Solar Facts H.W. and Started the solar system notes and the LIGHTYEARS AND AU'S homework.

Here is a photo of a student's foldable notes that they took home and re-did. looks nice

Today's Best Practice: Make your quizes have 2 versons and make them on ONE sheet of paper, that way you have only one sheet to run off and not two.

This was not a real fun day.  I went for the ellipse kit lab only to find it gone.  I gave the string to a colleague and either did not get it back OR I did not put it away so I could not start the lab.  Also I spent so much time going over the homework that we would not have time for the lab anyway.

I have spent a lot of time at lunchs and after school being there for the Science Olympiad team members.  A few kids and ALL of my time.  I feel rushed and behind in planning, grading, and creating new stuff.

I did make a new solar system vocab quiz that I am proud of...ahhh...got AM duty this week CCCOOOOOLLLD so I gotta get their early to run off the quiz.

Hope this helps,

Love to Teach and Teach with Passion

Remember...It's not Magic, It's Science
http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney
richardkinney@cusd.com

Week 15, Day 1: Planning and Planner

Even Block Period: Bill Nye Earth's Seasons, Score Force test, Begin Solar system notes.

I love Astronomy, but there are not a lot of labs to do if you have to get the unit done in a hurry. Going to try the elipse lab tomorrow.

Todays Best Practice: Make a custom Planner if you have a unique bell schedule.  We have and 8 period day with 88 minute periods alternating even then odd every other day. I like having all block.  I  make the lesson planner page show here then go to our techer center and put in plastic bindings. I take a yearly staff picture and make it the new cover of my lesson planner, its a neat way to see how the dept changes over the years.

As I plan  I high light in yellow anything I need to get printed up or create. After I have it printed or made I cover the yellow highlight with pink or blue.

Hope this helps,



Love to Teach and Teach with Passion


Remember...It's not Magic, It's Science


http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney


richardkinney@cusd.com

Week 14, Day 4: Foldable Flip Chart Notes

EVEN BLOCK: We crafted astronomy foldable notes, went over the force and motion benchmark test, and i checked off the Solar System Vocabulary Logo graph flip cards on to my seating chart.

Today's Best Practice: Foldable notes take less space, increase note density, are more organized and are FUN.

The picture below shows 3 things. On the bottom left is my class notebook showing the foldable notes real size. The top right is a large version of the notes from last year, i have added one more piece of paper this year resulting in 4 more section for notes. On the right are the labels to go in the notes. We still have to fill in the brackets with Inner/Outer planet facts.

We made these by stacking 4 sheets of lined paper (looks really cool with colored paper or highlighting tabs). We slid the top sheet up 1 or 2 lines, repeated for the rest. Folded the the top of the stack to the bottom. Stapled top of each side, folded in half vertically then cut up from the bottom to 1 inch from the top to separate inner from outer solar system.

Foldable notes have become fashionable in the past few years. I don't usually follow trends but this is a good one.

Hope this helps,

Love to Teach and Teach with Passion

Remember...It's not Magic, It's Science

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

richardkinney@cusd.com

Week 14, Day 3: Solar System Survey and a laugh

ODD BLOCK SCHEDULE: We created the foldable notes for the planets, reviewed the Force and Motion Benchmark test, and did a fun formative assessment stand by your favorite planet survey.

TODAY'S BEST PRACTICE: Do class surveys where all have to participate. Use thumbs up/Thumbs down. Use all stand up, now sit if ______, Or make signs in the room and go stand by your choice.

The photo shows the survey white board for Neptune, One of the posters for my word wall, and me 2 week assignments calendar

I really like the Astronomy unit. Kids like it too. The best part is when talking about the planets to mention that Saturn is so light compared to its mass that if you could put it in a giant bathtub it would FLOAT....but it will leave a BIG ring in the tub. Ha Ha Ha Ha.

I wont even mention the Uranus jokes...like what does toilet paper and STAR TREK have in common? They both circle Uranus looking for KLINGONS! L.O.L.

Week 3 Day 3 Collecting Papers and Problem Solving

Today's Best Practice...Hand Collect Papers to ensure 100% turn in rate.
Method 1: Stand at the door and hand it to me as you leave.
Method 2: Dismiss class by rows, stand at end of the row and collect papers as students walk past you to get out.
Method 3: Have papers stacked at end of the row or at the center aisle and verify there is a paper for each student.

In a previous blog I talked about THE TICKET OUT THE DOOR. This was my solution to a problem. A big big problem is that often we do not know we have a problem. Once we know there's a problem we can find a way to solve it.

I had a problem with students not turning in work. I'd say stack it at the end of your row, or put it in the in box or have a lab partner bring up your papers. On average my guess is that I'd have about 57% turn in. By the time I realized that papers were not turned in the students were gone or it was days later.

As a parent I would get frustrated to see my son's grade low in a class for missing work, only to find the assignment completed but not turned in. Often I hear from the teacher, "I TRYING TO TEACH THEM TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND TO BE GROWN UP ENOUGH TO TURN THEIR PAPER INTO THE IN BOX". Well they are not all responsible, and even if they are often they don't hear the instruction, or they are just NOT grown up enough to get up and put their paper in the in-box.
My colleagues may say I am not teaching them to be responsible. I say, "I DON'T WANT THE FRUSTRATION OF LOW TURN IN RATES, AND THE INCREASED STRESS OF HAVING TO CHASE DOWN THE ASSIGNMENTS AND WORRY ABOUT HIGH NUMBERS OF LOW SCORES. MY METHOD SOLVES A PROBLEM...SO SUE ME!"

Method 1: Stand at the door and hand it to me as you leave.
This works okay, but it is chaotic and papers are collected in no particular order which can make handing them back later more time consuming. Careful, if you have a 2nd door in your room some kids will try to sneak out. I rarely collect papers like this.
Method 2: Dismiss class by rows, stand at end of the row and collect papers as students walk past you to get out.
This is the best way to do it. You get the papers in order by row which makes handing back very easy and quick. You can also inspect the row to see if it is clean or if anybody left anything behind. If a paper is not complete you have the option to say GO BACK AND FINISH IT.
Method 3: Have papers stacked at end of the row or at the center aisle and verify there is a paper for each student.
I use this a a lot on days with multiple assignments to turn in, or if I have a TICKET OUT THE DOOR for later to collect. My room is split down the middle from front to back with an aisle. I have kids pass papers to the CENTER AISLE. The "Center Aisle Person" is asked to get the assignments all facing the same direction and make sure names are on all. I then walk down the center aisle and take a stack from each row and count to make sure all are there and that they are complete.

I have a very high turn in rate now, in the 90% range. Problem solved. So there...take that!

I hope this helps,

Love to Teach and Teach with Passion

Remember...It's not Magic, It's Science

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney
richardkinney@cusd.com

48th Summer, 23rd School year, 1st day.

Today's Best Practices: Timer. Use a Pampered Chef timer to keep your mini lessons or talks to the proper length. It's amazing how we can talk for what seems like 3 minutes but it is actually 20 or 30. Use a timer. I often set it for 5 minute intervals during my prep period so I don't get so focused on something that I blow my prep on it. I highly recommend this brand because it has a magnet and toothed clip for convenient placement on metallic surfaces and clothing as well as a long and loud beeper and it can be a clock, and stop watch or timer. I own 3 of them and give them as gifts to my student teachers and new colleagues.

Yes! It happened to me during school... in class...ALL DAY LONG.

The easiest and smoothest and least anxiety(as in none) start of the school year since New Kids on the Block were on the top of their game.

I've done this 22 other times so I should be getting good at it. It helps to have a spouse that will come out and help you set up your room (thank you sweetie).
Room set is also easier if you STOP being anal-retentive about getting every poster or border (whoops...I didn't use borders this year..woo-hoo) perfectly aligned. C'mon it's just a bunch of posters with funny and thoughtful and inspiring and creepy images and interesting factoids spread about in a way that says...THIS IS WHO I AM AND WHAT WE WILL DO AND WHAT I THINK ABOUT YOU AND HOW I APPROACH LIFE AND DO I LOVE MY JOB AND AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT IT!!! Also you should have a periodic table on at least 2 walls and a poster of Einstein on more than every wall (Albert because there are lots of pictures of him and he's kinda fun to look and wonder at). I don't care what you teach put some posters up. I can't find a decent Isacc Newton poster and...oops, I digress...Posters can be a different blog.

Back to setting up your class. Try to take your class down (for those of us that have to every June) and store things by where they go. Then a few months later you take out a box for the back wall and set your son or spouse or eager students that are willing to come in and sweat away for a pizza or Taco Bell Burrito.

It helps if you come back a week or two before school and spend an hour here or there getting it up in little pieces. The grumpy NAY SAYERS in your area may say "NO, I'm only paid for 163.54321 days with maximum in class time of Blah flipping blah".

NOTE TO NAY SAYERS: Shut up, go away, retire or quit already, bother someone else across town, go become an accountant or lawyer or an sell insurance...just get the frack away from us. Don't drag us down, don't suck the enthusiasm out of us, don't shake your head at us as if we're stupid. Time spent preparing is adding ease and joy in front of kids and the time is added on to the end of our lives.

Look, I want to enjoy my job. I want to reduce stress and love teaching and enjoy my kids. A big part of that is BEING PREPARED. If you can do that is smaller increments of time then you have more time for family, friends, gaming, or hiking or HELPING A COLLEAGUE.

A colleague of mine lost their spouse to cancer recently. One day life was normal, the next day exploratory surgery found cancer and 2 weeks later we were slicing fruit in the cafeteria for the post funeral meal.

So my point is make sure you spend time GETTING A LIFE with your friends and family. Don't stress over your room set up. Don't stress for lack of pre-planning your lessons...pre-plan. Get efficient with your time...ah, use a timer help you pace yourself.

Time's about up, I hope you enjoy this, it's for you. As educators we tend to re-invent the wheel. That's good and bad. Good because if you make something you understand it. Bad because a colleague may have just what you need in folder or on a wall or in their hard-drive.

Share...that's what I do. My school website has all my materials on it. Share at a conference...yes you...just share.

Love to Teach and Teach with Passion!