Today, I’m excited to be part of a blog hop of great ideas-
not products, not freebies, but just fantastic teaching ideas!
My topic is one that is simple, inexpensive and surprising motivating for the students.
Each term, we set reading and math goals to achieve.
All term long we complete our Student Driven Data weekly.
This shows the student and parent the progress towards each goal.
We fill it out Monday ... it goes home in our homework folder... is signed by the parent and returned in the homework folder on Friday.
This keeps the connection between school and home
and eliminates surprises at the end of the term.
At the end of each term (usually at SEP Conferences w/ parents) we bring my little green bucket out. Inside are colorful pony beads to match the term task card.
Individually we meet and discuss their progress for the term.
For each goal they accomplish, they get to put a bead on their ring.
(Each child has a large silver ring on their chair with their initial shown in beads)
We go through each and every goal (task) and the kids announce if they made the goal or not... high fives were given, pats on the backs were shared... and sadly ... for the students who had to say 'no'... goals were set.
This really affected parents ... many asked... what can we do at home to ensure "Suzy" earns this bead next term? (not goal... but bead ;)
The goals could be ANYTHING... the beads could be more EXCITING than pony beads.
I have loved it (along with my 3 co-workers).
SIMPLE and in-expensive but MOTIVATIONAL and visual.
Students have no idea... but
At the end of the year, we plan to have a celebration!
They are excited to just receive the beads ;)
We will fill 20 (5 beads x 4 terms) little buckets with various awards...
(erasers, pencils, stickers, treats, books, gum to chew for an hour, extra recess etc).
Students with 1 bead can have the item in bucket #1.
Students with 6 beads can have the item in bucket #6... and so on.
(Bucket #1 will be the smallest.... gradually getting larger and better to Bucket #20)
I noticed those that didn't get all their beads in term 1...
improved for the other terms.
Parents recognized the visual representation that their student wanted...
not just to achieve the goal... but add another bead to their ring.
Colorful and fun with lots of progress!!!
If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider
for more great ideas.
For more bright ideas from 150 different
bloggers, please browse through the link-up
below and choose a topic/grade level that
interests you. Thanks for visiting!
.jpg)
