Here are some quick tips for teacher survival and getting kids motivated while still keeping the input flowing:
Expectations:
Take the time to go over expectations. Every single day, every single class period. It may feel like wasted time in L1, but I promise you that it is not. Take the time to re-teach key procedures if you are not happy with how students are doing them.
Management:
This is the time of year I start with classroom points. For more information, check out all these posts by La Maestra Loca. These lead to a Preferred Activity Time or a fiesta.
Games:
I don't love games. It's a personal thing. But this is the time of year where games become a life saver. Here are some of my favorite INPUT based games to play during those hot, unending last period-of-the-day classes.
The Unfair Game
Grudgeball
Lucky Reading Game
Word Chunk
Paper Airplane Reading (You could do this one outside too!)
Click for more games from SeƱora Chase (games)and Comprehensible Classroom (games)- both teachers who are much better at playing games than I am!
Spicing up familiar games:
There are a bunch of games that involve throwing things for points-get creative. (But maybe not lawn darts, ok?) Look at the dollar store for inspiration. I once got a throw the ring on the cactus for $5 from Target. Nerf bats, whiffle balls, and anything that involves throwing things at other things are fair game.
Spicing up the secret input:
Use sidewalk chalk to recreate scenes from a reading |
PLAY-DOH: Use play-doh to recreate scenes from reading (and use secret input activities to get them to re-read)
BUBBLES: Get bubbles from the dollar store. One student has to blow a wand full of bubbles while the other student tries to read as much as they can of a story or reading, then switches- their partner blows bubbles while the first student reads from where the other left off.
Scrambled eggs (modified running dictation).
What do you do to keep sane?
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