Win a GIFT CARD for the TpT #BTSSALE

UPDATE

When I thought up that last idea for the $10.00 Gift Card Giveaway, it didn't occur to me that my teacher colleagues would NOT be in a writing mode.  I do apologize!!! So-o-o-

LET'S TRY THIS IDEA: 

NO WRITING 😁!!! 

JUST POST YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER MEME HERE BY NOON TOMORROW-AUGUST 1ST. 

I'LL RANDOMLY SELECT ONE AT 12:30 

TO WIN THE 

$10.00 GIFT CARD.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOUR MEMES!!!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Tomorrow, August 1st, begins the TpT Back To School Sale-#BTSSALE. I am giving away a $10.00 GIFT CARD to a randomly chosen teacher who responds to my topic: Share your funniest teaching memory.  Tonight, July 31st at 10:30pm EST, I will randomly select a post. It doesn't have to be the one that makes me laugh the hardest, it just depends on where my finger lands as I wave it over the responses with my eyes closed.

One of my favorites:

My1st period seniors slogged, shuffled and stumbled into class that gray sleeting February morning and slid into their chairs. As I took attendance, the students were supposed to be responding to the Warm-Up topic: "Was Meursault an existentialist or just lazy as he sat on his balcony watching the people strolling on the sidewalk below him?" Instead, my peripheral vision caught a bright red balloon floating above the rows. Sam had started yet another one of his balloon volleyball games.

Steam began boiling in my brain.  After driving over unsalted icy roads, and finding I was out of Keurig Cups for my coffee, I was. not. in. the. mood. for any of his let's bug Mrs. C antics. When I saw the balloon drifting toward me, my only thought was, "I MUST GET THAT DARNED THING!" Without nary a thought, I threw my body into a horizontal lunge, my arms in a full stretch. With an, "OOF!" I landed on the tiled floor clutching the errant red orb.

When I realized total silence filled the room, I glanced at the students who were all showing total shock on their faces. Nary a chuckle, smirk, or whispered OUCH passed through their gaping mouths.

Slowly, very slowly, I butt-crawled over to the nearest desk - thankfully the student who usually occupied it was absent - slapped my left hand on the seat as the right hand held the offending balloon in a death grip, and slowly raised myself to a standing position.  At that point, the pain had yet to course through my soon-to-be aching knees and elbows.

Glancing over the class, I grinned, "Well THAT woke you up!" Then I picked up a black Sharpie, wrote, Mrs. C WINS!, tied a string to the knot, and tied the balloon from the metal TV stand at my forehead level. Next, I feigned nonchalance as I brushed off my black slacks and slid onto the stool behind my podium. Looking over the kids trying to stifle their hilarity, I began to laugh along with my 26 wide-awake seniors.

To this day, I cringe at the sight my balloon save must have been!

Now... it's your turn.
I can't wait to read your stories. If you're like me, it will be difficult to choose one.

Go to facebook.com/TeachitWriteLessonPlans and share YOUR funniest Teaching memory
The clock is ticking to the 10:00 pm deadline.

What will you do with the $10.00 GIFT CARD?

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day Every Day.
Connie
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Connie

CLASS MATTERS is Launched!

Just in time to be ready for a new year, but still kick back and enjoy summer.  Check it out!

CLASS MATTERS: Planning, Teaching, and Managing Secondary Classes includes handouts and printables to meet teachers' wants and needs in these three focus areas, and also offers posts that suggest how, when and why the various  focuses will be most useful to them.  Although some of the information here is self-explanatory to rookie and veteran teachers, other ideas become clearer with short discussions. And sometimes …sometimes we just need a heads-up on how to use a new item-especially during Teacher Week because of all of the meetings- when we just. don’t. have. a. free. brain. cell. to. think. about. it.

This 100-page teacher resource bundle is divided into sections: PLANNING, TEACHING, and MANAGING CLASS MATTERS. Within each segment I have interspersed blogs to show teachers how to efficiently create flexible lesson plans, classroom rules, and behavior standards. Numerous teaching ideas, handouts and classroom management forms will meet many of your wants and needs in ONE PLACE to save you searching time. In the final pages, I invite you to take a break from all of your planning and organizing, and to kick back and relax with two posts: A Labor Day Lesson: A Contemporary Tale, and In Defense of Teenagers.

This bundle includes Freebies and paid products from my TpT Store, posts from my website, and many new ideas and printables. Here is a summary of the planning, teaching and managing secondary classrooms that comprise this 100-page teacher resource:

PLANNING pages 3-22

·        Let's Begin- Classmart Lifesaver List

·        When Planning- The Rule of Three Rules

·        Plan Up! Getting Started

·        Common Core Anchor Charts Grades 6-12

·        Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel

·        Class Matters- Keeping Track: Assignments Form

·        Class Matters-Keeping Track: Grades Form

·        Plan Up! Creating the Agenda (Using Animal Farm, George Orwell)

ü  Teacher Notes

ü  Student Calendar-Animal Farm

ü  Unit Structure Sample Form

ü  Unit Structure-Blank Form

ü  Unit Structure Activities Plan-Blank Form

ü  Response Letters: Alternative Animal Farm Activity

TEACHING IDEAS pages 23-55

·        Quartet of Ideas – 4 Freebies from my TpT Store

ü  Ten Sentence Format

ü  Analyzing Novels using the Elements of Literature

ü  Reel in Readers with Magnetizing Hooks

ü  Just say, NO!" to Dull Writing

·        First Day Activities- 3 Freebies from my TpT Store

ü  First Day Writing Assignment

ü  First Day Activity- Four Corners

ü  Writing Activities (First Day)- What About Me?

·        Friday Night Lights- Hook Students with a football and fall Non-fiction Unit

·        Teaching Ideas- Teaching Tip #1

·        Teaching Ideas- Teaching Tip#2

MANAGING CLASS MATTERS- Proactive Prevails pages 56-93

·        Five Teaching Tips That Eliminate Classroom Chaos

·        Managing Student Behavior: Obligations & Expectations

·        Managing Student Behavior: Alleviating Off-Task Behavior

ü  UhOh Bag

ü  UhOh Bag Writing Consequence Form

ü  General Incident/Consequence Form

·        Managing Classroom Behavior: Proactive Prevails: 3 Teacher Survival Lessons

·        Managing Class Matters: Form, Function and Flexibility

ü  Getting to Know You: A Teacher's Back To School Assortment of First day Forms and Activities

ü  Teaching Lifesavers: Twelve Classroom Management Forms

1.      Lesson Launch: Writing Warm-Ups (Teachers)

2.      Lesson Launch: Writing Warm-Ups (Students)

3.      Honor Statements

4.      Book Sign-Up Sheets

5.      General Essay Grading Rubric

6.      Late Homework Request

7.      Tardy Sign-In Sheet

8.      Restroom Pass

9.      Hall Pass

10.   Completed Assignments/Graded Assignments Folders

11.   Incident Form

12.   Closure: Exit Pass

·       Class Matters: Oh No! I Need a Sub

Relax and Enjoy-Two Posts

·        A Labor Day Lesson- A Contemporary Tale

·        In defense of Teenagers

CLASS-MATTERS-Planning-Teaching-and-Managing-Secondary-Classrooms-Bundle-3935206

I sincerely hope that you are thrilled with these PLANNING,TEACHING and MANAGING CLASS MATTERS posts and printables. For more ideas, check out my products for the basic secondary English curriculum as well as for two of the most important electives –in my opinion- journalism and creative writing in my TpT Store -  Store/Connie. 

CLASS MATTERS

AND

CLASS MATTERS ALWAYS MATTER!

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day Every Day,

Connie

Class Matters Coming Soon

DAYS AWAY FROM LAUNCHING: CLASS MATTERS

Since I am always concerned with What Teachers Want besides What Teachers Need, whenever the chance arises, I ask classroom colleagues these two questions. Although a fine line exists between Want –desires for a  satisfying  career- and Need- what is necessary for a successful career, all too often during a school term, we teachers know the lines cross instead of remaining parallel. Statisticians rely on quantitative answers. Me? I prefer qualitative knowledge - what I learn from my colleagues. The following list reveals  some of the answers to years of asking, “What do teachers Want?”.  I have compiled  CLASS MATTERS: Planning, Teaching, and Managing Secondary Classes to meet the wants and needs of my classroom colleagues leading students in grades 6-12.

1. Students should come to school ready and excited to learn.

2. I would be a happy camper if students completed their homework on time. I assign it so they can increase their knowledge, and so I can see how I can help them understand what we are studying.

3. Oh, to never again hear, “Oh, that’s right. We’re having a test today. Well, I forgot to study.”

4. When I ask for their thoughts and analysis, I don’t want students to answer what they think I want to hear. I want them to think and to share their thoughts.

5. What is  most aggravating is that it’s usually the kids who don’t turn their work in on time who complain when I don’t hand their papers back the very next class. How is this respectful?

6. Can they please, please get to class on time? It’s not fair to the others when I have to repeat what I have already covered.

7. Although my colleagues and I work together to follow the criteria set by the Program of Studies and how to weight our grades, we have different class rules., and that should be respected by students, colleagues, administrators and parents.

8. Students need to understand that school rules are in place for their safety and well-being and to create a positive and courteous learning environment. Running in the halls, texting, listening to music on their IPods, or whatever, foul language and dressing inappropriately for school are detrimental to this goal.

9. All I ask is that students just try in each aspect of school life, be it academic, social, behavioral, or extra-curricular areas.

Not only does this collection include handouts and printables to meet  both your wants and needs in these three areas, but it  offers posts that suggest how, when and why the  various  focuses will be most useful to you.  Although  some of the information here is self-explanatory to rookie and veteran teachers,  other ideas become clearer with  a short discussion. And sometimes …sometimes we just need  enlightenment on how to use  a new item because we just. don’t. have. a. free. brain. cell. to. think. about. it.

This 100 page teacher resource is divided into sections: Planning, Teaching, and Managing. Within each segment I have interspersed blogs to show  teachers  how to efficiently create lesson plans, classroom rules, and behavior standards. Numerous teaching ideas , handouts and classroom management forms will  meet many of your wants and needs. In the final pages, I invite you to take a break from all of your planning and organizing, and to kick back and relax with  two posts: A Labor Day Lesson: A Contemporary Tale, and In Defense of Teenagers.

Stay Tuned, and remember- 

CLASS Matters, and CLASS MATTERS always matter.

Connie

teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Connie

facebook.com/TeachitWriteLessonPlans