Do you use iPads in your classroom? We do! And it is great! Sometimes we share iPads between classrooms- for testing, intervention groups, etc. Inevitably some iPads end up back in the wrong classroom causing confusion for students who do not know the passcode or cannot find the app they are used to. After a year of trying to keep straight which iPad went to which classroom with 20+ kindergarteners moving around I came up with a solution. I think in this case, it is easier to show you a picture rather than explain it! TAKE A SELFIE!! Now there is no question which class this iPad belongs to! Even the youngest student would be able to correctly identify which class it goes to.
Plus, it is fun! The kids love it! I took selfies with different kids for different iPads. They love seeing which picture is on the iPad they are completing their personalized learning on! This simple solution has saved so much sorting and organization! Hope it helps! This could work with computers as well. Now if I could just figure out a miracle solution for keeping headphones from being tangled....
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Jiji the penguin is a celebrity in my class. He is the star of many stories at the writing center, often listed as something students are thankful for at Thanksgiving, and commonly discussed at lunch. For those who don't know, Jiji is the penguin that leads students through the ST Math curriculum. Over the years I have tried different systems for tracking data and encouraging students to take ownership of their ST Math growth. The most important part of all my systems has been a class data talk on Friday. Data Talk: I have used ST Math with kindergarteners fir 4 years, and each class has learned to analyze their data and set goals to work towards. Data talk always starts with looking at the overall class data. We look at the average class percentage and how many students have a problem. We talk about how our goal is to get to 100% by the end of the year so that we are ready for first grade. Then we dive into the individual data. We celebrate success by announcing what percent in the curriculum each student is at. We move the students individual Jiji's on the wall tracker. One year I had an awesome Jiji where we wrote the students who had made the most growth that week. Students are so proud to watch their Jiji's move up the tracker, closer to 100%. Some years I moved every Jiji every week, other years I moved it when they reached a new decade, both ways work! Next, we would troubleshoot for students who were having problems beating their levels (evidenced by the circle next to their name, the bigger the circle the bigger the problem). We would discuss what the problem was:
Data Tracking: We use the wall data tracker throughout the year. It is a simple way for me to easily keep track of where each student is in the process. The tracker invests students in their growth and encourages them to work harder. It also serves as a good talking point with families during conferences. When a student reaches 100% of the curriculum they become a member of the exclusive, Jiji Club! This simply means that I take their picture and hang it in the hallway under a sign that says "Jiji Club!" but if you ask the students, it is a big deal! I then move them to the next grade level on ST Math. I love that students can be at very different points from their classmates. Some years I have students that finish the kindergarten and first grade curriculum and begin on the second grade curriculum! It is a great way to push students who have mastered grade level concepts. Check out my editable data tracker. Type (or print and write) your students' names on the cards. Laminate for durability. Post the sign and percentage markers on a classroom wall. Using double stick or teacher tape place the students' cards on the tracker.
This tracker could work with many different ed-tech/blended learning programs! I would love to see pictures of the tracker in your classroom! Please send them to me at [email protected] or on Instagram @oxboxteaching! Long live Jiji! |
AuthorMiriam taught kindergarten and first grade for 10+ years. Archives
July 2022
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