Test Taking Strategies...do they work?

It's been a long 4 months of prepping for the state tests...and we were ready! All of the diligent work on the kids part paid off because they sat for 2 hours and 35 minutes taking the test!! I had taken down the clocks so they couldn't tell if they were missing anything outside...I know, that was really low of me, but I wanted maximum focus. Wow did I get it! They used the strategies that we had talked about and they earned Super Improvers Stars accordingly.

Day two tomorrow and we'll go for the same result! Did I mention that I wanted them all to dress like they were going to church or a wedding? I thought that maybe the idea of dressing for success would go into their head and translate out into, "I can do anything because I look good!" We'll see how that works out...stay tuned.

Super Improvers Wall...A United Class

We've seen posts about the Super Improvers Wall...but nothing could have prepared me for what I have seen in the past two months. My students are all pumped up because they are moving up the wall with the goal of becoming a Living Legend. I now have 12 students who are Living Legends...and they are so proud...and frankly, so am I!

If you're new to this concept, you must be asking what am I giving these kids to be so motivated to improve? All I am giving them is a star on a piece of paper! Yes, that's what I said...a star on a piece of paper which transfers to moving up the wall after 10 stars. These kids are working so hard to improve in all areas of school; academics, personal behavior, better writing, whatever they need.

All I can say is if your not using this, what are you waiting for?

The Dreaded Benchmarks...Not Anymore!

You the know the feeling. The one where you know the kids are totally prepared for the benchmark test, and then they bomb, go back to the old ways, or forget everything you taught them!! Why is that?

Well, not this time my friends! Since the inception of Oral Writing and the Genius Ladder, I have been waiting for this day. We have been doing these two activities for the past 5 months and now I am starting to see some consistent fruits of my labor.

The task...response to literature, not the easiest of the tests. The kids stayed focused and organized in their writing and most all of them beefed up the paragraphs with many extenders. This is really where it's at...kids writing above their abilities! What a great reading session it was to sit down and read so many great responses!

"You Bet Your Homework Over the Break"

"You Bet Your Homework Over the Break" is what greeted the students today above our Scoreboard. The last thing in the world the kids want is homework over a great week long Thanksgiving break. Of course I told them what this meant and they were so focused that the day felt like the middle of September! Focused learning on a day that can typically make kids crazy! I saw many a classroom today a bit helter skelter...but not us, because the motivating power of the scoreboard!

The next time you need to have the kids focused, break out this version for just this special occasion. You may be surprised how focused they can get...while having an intensely fun time! 

The Rewards of the Scoreboard Game

One thing that I notice is the less marks at the end of the day, the less energy and following of the rules. This interests me quite often, because let's face it, sometimes you just have those days where you don't mark the score that often.

Well, let me just tell you...the marks are a crucial part of the energy each and every day. I can take a dull class to the next level just by getting some points on the scoreboard...positive and negative.

Yesterday we played for a bonus minute of Mind Soccer on Friday. They won and were so pumped! The most we can get on a Friday of Mind Soccer is three minutes, but now, maybe we could get four minutes.

The Power of the Genius Ladder

Okay so we have been doing the Genius ladder for several weeks now. I have been coming up with the Blah sentence and then of course the other ones also. Each time we spend a few moments with the kids working on each level. They add a new noun at the Blah level, they add their own adjective at the Spicey level and so on. This is all done orally and so we are getting many reps on grammar and good writing.

Just the other day, a student asks, "Are we ever going to be able to make our own Genius Ladder?"

Yes my friends...a student asking to do more work than what he has been doing! They want to write! Because of all the oral practice, they are now ready to write. Wow...teacher heaven.

My answer of course was, "We'll see...maybe in a couple of days." Inside I was excited because the kids all gave that low murmur of support when he asked.

We wrote their own the next day!

Three Star Homework...the Premier!

Homework traditionally has been a time for review of the work that was done in class. But let's face it, the kids usually don't bring it back and if they do it's done poorly...or not at all. With the WBT model of Three Star Homework, kids are motivated to do the work and the work that they are doing is high frequency work that is differentiated. WOW! Work that is motivating and will improve student work.

When I told my parents about this at Back-to-School-Night, they all felt like this was going to be great, for their kids and for them. (There is less haggling back and forth with this version of HW.)  One parent told me that her daughter would do the Three Star every night.

Later in the week when we were checking our homework, I asked that young lady about how it went. She said it was good, but I told her that I noticed she only did Two Star each night. I told her what her mom had said about her doing Three Star every night. She looked at me and said, "Mr. Rekstad, that's what my mom would do." And that was it...we'll see what happens next week!

Power to the Teacher!