Class Dojo

Class management is something that is ALWAYS work in progress for me.  I am continually looking for new ideas to use to make my classroom run smoothly.  Of course, the students in your class can make ALL the difference in the world!  This past year was particularly challenging as I had 16 boys and only 8 girls and several of my boys had behavioral issues.

Two years ago, I discovered the clip chart system which is VERY effective and students love because they can move back up if they've had a problem.  The only problem I had with the clip chart was that instruction more or less had to stop while the student or I moved the clothespin up or down.

Enter, Class Dojo!  Class Dojo is a FREE (love that word!) online system that will track students' behavior both positive and negative.  Each child is assigned an avatar.  Here is a screen shot:

Aren't those avatars adorable?  The green dots show positive points.  Negative points would be red.  You can choose to show only positive points, only negative, or both.  You also choose the behaviors you want to track and can even add your own.  Sometimes I would project it on the smartboard and sometimes I would just carry my ipad around and let them hear the sound of a positive or negative.  It can run from computer, ipad, or smartphone.  You can generate reports to send home to parents.  I would set a number of points that students would need to earn to move up on the clip chart so I did use both.  If you would like to try it out, take a tour at Class Dojo.

Here are two more fantabulous giveaways to check out!!!

Elisabeth at the adventures of miss elisabeth is having a CTP Riveting Robots Giveaway!

and

Kelly at Teacher Idea Factory is celebrating 500 followers with the help of a bunch of her bloggie friends!

Equal time and more...

Well, I'm in trouble with a capital T!  I mentioned to my 27 year old son, Gregory, that I had started a blog.  After he got done chuckling (that's a whole 'nother post), I showed him my blog. Expecting congrats at his mother's handiwork, this is what I got . . .  As soon as he caught sight of the picture of Maddie, his dad's lab, he started in:  "WHAT!  You have a picture on there of Madds but you don't have a picture of your own, sweet, lovable, precious, GRANDDOG!!!!!"


So...  to keep the family peace, this post is dedicated to the sweet, adorable, lovable, precious, granddog, Cass.  Cass was named after Mama Cass because she was the biggest puppy in the litter.  She has had surgery to repair the ACL on both of her rear legs at the ripe old age of 8.  As you can see in the picture, Cass LOVES stuffed animals and is very gentle with them.  She has an entire menagerie with angry bird and Reggie the Hedgehog being the favorites.

She lives to go swimming, enjoys being outside lying in the sun and goes absolutely everywhere with Gregory! Cass loves sticks!  She will find one to carry around even on a walk, which is what she did with the one in the picture.  Always brings stares from people passing by!

Then last of all there's Cass the fearless hunter!  Now you don't usually take dogs turkey hunting but she flushed this one out of the brush and Gregory shot it.  She tried to retrieve it for him but it weighed a bit much at 22 pounds.  However, she thought it was HER turkey.  She was licking it before the photo and for months after Gregory mounted the tail feathers, spurs and beard, she would lay under it and whine until he would take it down for her to sniff and smell and view as her proud accomplishment.

Cass really is the best dog I've ever known.  She is all of those adjectives above and more.  She's also the only "grandchild"  I'm going to have for some time.


So, I hope now I'm out of the doghouse.  Ha! Ha!


Before I sign off for today, I have some more awesome giveaways to send your way:


Shanyn at Coffee, Kids and Compulsive Lists is celebrating 100 followers!


Amanda at One Extra Degree is giving away a Luna Projection Camera!


April at The Idea Backpack is celebrating 100 followers!


Beth Ann at Taming My Flock of Firsties is hosting a Summertime Giveaway!


Lots of wonderful prizes to be won!  Hurry on over now!

Check it out...

Natalie at Teachery Tidbits is having an awesome giveaway for reaching 300 followers!  Check it out!

One more!!!  Sarah at Kindergarten Korner is celebrating 400 followers with a ton of her blogger friends!  Head over to see her!

Lazy Days

I love summer vacation! Don't you? I am such a night owl and sleeping in is the best! Today I'm being particularly lazy sitting around in my pjs catching up on emails, stalking my blogs, and watching TV. It's just me and the dog since my other half is gone pursuing his favorite hobby. Right now, Maddie, the female Marley, is also kickin' back. Isn't she a bundle of energy?

Anyway, while I was blog stalking this morning I found three more terrific giveaways to send your way! Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives giving away her Literacy Maps & Posters for Workstations, No Monkey Business is celebrating 300 followers with too many prizes to mention and The Tattooed Teacher is celebrating 500 followers with another selection of awesome prizes. So, head on over to these amazing blogs!

Happy Saturday!

Summer Slide

What’s the one thing that teachers and parents fear most during the summer?  The Summer Slide-a condition identified by loss of learning during summer vacation.  Fear not! A cure is available in the Summer Bridge Activities™ workbooks published by Carson-Dellosa Publishing!  For example, the Bridging Grades 1 to 2 workbook includes reading, writing, math science, social studies and even fitness activities aligned with academic standards.  The daily activities are short—only 2 pages—with goal setting and incentives.  They increase in difficulty as the summer progresses ensuring your child is successful while preparing her for the next grade.   A free online component is also available with games and mobile app.  So, if Summer Slide is on your mind, Summer Bridge Activities™  workbooks are your answer!  I participate in the Brand Ambassador Program for Carson-Dellosa and I received a Summer Bridges Activities™  workbook for free to try and review.

Feelin' Lucky?

If you're feeling lucky, I've got two more blog-tastic giveaways to tell you about today!  Sandy at Mrs. Fiorini's Stadium is celebrating her one year birthday with awesome prizes from her blogging buddies.

Rebecca over at Teaching First is celebrating 500 followers with a binding machine giveaway (woohoo!) and
more fabulous prizes from her blogging buds.

So, hustle on over and spin those Rafflecopters!

Pinterest & More

I never really considered myself to have an addictive type personality.  Never smoked.  No drugs.  Only have a drink once in a great while. So what happened.... PINTEREST!  That site is just plain habit-forming.  You start in on the first page going through the latest pins......then you turn into a pin-stalker checking out pins of the 100s of people you are following.  Before you know it--you've been on the computer for HOURS and the laundry and dishes are piling up.  I'm just waiting for the evening news to announce that Pinterest Anonymous groups are popping up around the nation.  I may have to be the first to sign up.  Anyhow...if you want to see what I've been spending almost all my time doing, check out my boards at http://pinterest.com/pattib203/  

My other obsession for this summer is blog-stalking.  I've discovered that can take as much or more time than Pinterest!  Then, there are the AMAZING giveaways going on just about everywhere you look.  If you read my last post, I mentioned 11 and now I've entered 5 more!  Check out these awesome blogs for a chance to win some wonderful prizes:

Fun in First

Falling Into First

The 3am Teacher

First Grade Blue Skies
Primary Graffiti

One of these days I've got to start thinking about the new school year!

Awesome Giveaways!

Wow!  Have you checked out the tons of giveaways this summer????  It seems everyone is celebrating a birthday, anniversary or reaching a milestone of viewership.  I was visiting Teaching With Love and Laughter today and learned about--are you ready--11 GIVEAWAYS!  I just finished signing up for the Anniversary Giveaway at Kinder Kraziness and am headed back to work on the other 10!

Fun in First Grade

Tori's Teacher Tips

My (Not So) Elementary Life

The Daily Alphabet

Herding Kats in Kindergarten

Jen's Kinder Kids

Heather's Heart

Fun in Room 4B

Mrs. Lattin's Kindergarten

Now you may think--Oh, I'm not lucky enough to win and it's a lot of work--but let me tell you--DO NOT listen to that voice in your head because I won! And I hardly ever win anything! I won Sue's amazing prize package at SOS Supply.  So...I'm hoping I'm on a roll!  

Catch you later!

Welcome!

Ready or not--here I go!  My blog has been floating around on the net for the better part of a year without a single post!  I have to admit that writing is just not my thing.  I read all the wonderful posts out in Blogland and wonder what on Earth will I write????  But, this summer I decided I was going to take the plunge and get a taste of the medicine I've been feeding my students for a long time:  "Of course you have something to write about--look around, talk to a few friends, think about your day, check our ideas chart, yada, yada yada... " 
So stay tuned...