Couple of things–would love to pick your brain! :)

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

AP/GATE

MEMBERS

2 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

AP/GATE Teachers Chatboard

Couple of things--would love to pick your brain! :)

by Trying to improve my game

May 21, 2010

1. I'm looking to build my repertoire of games for my students. I like to incorporate fun games as a way to close out class or to reinforce a skill we've been working on. I feel like we've been in a rut lately. So for next year, I want to build up a notebook of ideas so I'll have some new ideas to turn to. I'd love any games relating to performing arts, critical or creative thinking, and especially team building.

2. Any ideas to combat the whining and negativity of middle schoolers? I have had a particularly tough year with my 7th graders and I would like to start off the year with a whole different vibe. I try to model the positive thinking but with a certain group, I was less than successful in getting through to them. I talk alot about behaving professionally in our classroom and will be continuing along that line. I thought I would tie in the positive attitude to go along with that (Positive and Professional will be our key words all year). Any ideas on how to retrain the...See More

Comment

(6)

report post

view previous comments

Leah Although my materials are for children younger than 7th grade, you may get some ideas from the following articles: "Encouraging Thoughts," "Aggressive Girls," "Assertiveness Training for Children," "Building Character is Students," "20 Ideas for Teaching Citizenship to Children," "24 Ideas for Instilling Manners in Children," "Teaching Children Ref...See More

Jun 3, 2010

report post

GT Teacher I have a wealth of games built up over the years but I have to think about how best to get them to you. There are two older books - maybe called Cooperative Games 1 and 2 that had lots of team-building type games and which some of my games came from.

"Hangman" is a game my students love - you could find it online. A board game to close out...See MoreI have a wealth of games built up over the years but I have to think about how best to get them to you. There are two older books - maybe called Cooperative Games 1 and 2 that had lots of team-building type games and which some of my games came from.

"Hangman" is a game my students love - you could find it online. A board game to close out class is exactly what it is. Another is - I give them some obscure word and they each have to guess at what it means - even a silly guess. We do many "most interesting 2 word sentence" contests. Or 3 word sentence contests - that challenge runs through the year.

On their general negativity - we need remember that we live in negative times... and that it's been common for some time for people to greet each other in our society with a litany of complaints. "how are you?" And then we share our woes and miseries and play a kind of 'can you top this' with our woes and miseries. Americans are not people who suffer in silence.

Why would our children be different from our adults? And these children have grown up in the post 9/11 America - their country has been at war almost as long as they've been alive.

I counter that and anything else that causes their negativity with a positive class environment. If nothing else in life is good, then what goes down in these four walls will be - here we are safe and here we will have a good time and we'll learn as well. If I couldn't have a good time with my students, my life would lose what is a very bright spot in it.

I tell them that. I don't tell them I put on a good face because I should - I tell them it's easy to put on a good face around them - they can and do indeed bring me joy. Of course they are frustrating at times but I promise them that my first goal for all of us is that we have a good school day each day. If I can do nothing about the terrible grumpy attendance secretary - and I can do nothing about that - I can meet them smiling every morning and look to them to respond in kind.

I might wonder a bit about your emphasis on professionalism - I don't disagree but I wonder if it smacks a bit of 'we're all unhappy and should put on a good face."

They have little control over their lives really - but they are usually very ready to laugh if you are. > 1. I'm looking to build my repertoire of games for my > students. I like to incorporate fun games as a way to > close out class or to reinforce a skill we've been working > on. I feel like we've been in a rut lately. So for next > year, I want to build up a notebook of ideas so I'll have > some new ideas to turn to. I'd love any games relating to > performing arts, critical or creative thinking, and > especially team building. > > 2. Any ideas to combat the whining and negativity of middle > schoolers? I have had a particularly tough year with my > 7th graders and I would like to start off the year with a > whole different vibe. I try to model the positive thinking > but with a certain group, I was less than successful in > getting through to them. I talk alot about behaving > professionally in our classroom and will be continuing > along that line. I thought I would tie in the positive > attitude to go along with that (Positive and Professional > will be our key words all year). Any ideas on how to > retrain their brains? One thought was to have a bonus if > they can resist saying negative things (this can be > whining, calling names or putting someone down, etc.). I > would draw 50 circles on a posterboard and if a negative > comment is heard, a frowny face gets drawn inside. If it > fills up, they do not get the bonus at the end of the > semester. However, I do think that is probably negative in > and of itself. So should I ignore the negativity and focus > on recognizing positive comments with smiley faces? I would > love your feedback and any ideas you might have. > > 3. I'm also looking to redecorate my two classrooms. Does > anyone have ideas on some cool things to include in the > classroom? Or pictures you would like to share? > > Thanks so much everyone! Looking forward to next year being > my best ever in teaching gifted!

Jun 5, 2010

report post

Leah What great ideas GT Teacher. I know your students are very fortunate.

> I have a wealth of games built up over the years but I have > to think about how best to get them to you. There are two > older books - maybe called Cooperative Games 1 and 2 that had > lots of team-building type games and which some of my games > came ...See MoreWhat great ideas GT Teacher. I know your students are very fortunate.

> I have a wealth of games built up over the years but I have > to think about how best to get them to you. There are two > older books - maybe called Cooperative Games 1 and 2 that had > lots of team-building type games and which some of my games > came from. > > "Hangman" is a game my students love - you could find it > online. A board game to close out class is exactly what it > is. Another is - I give them some obscure word and they each > have to guess at what it means - even a silly guess. We do > many "most interesting 2 word sentence" contests. Or 3 word > sentence contests - that challenge runs through the year. > > On their general negativity - we need remember that we live > in negative times... and that it's been common for some time > for people to greet each other in our society with a litany > of complaints. "how are you?" And then we share our woes and > miseries and play a kind of 'can you top this' with our woes > and miseries. Americans are not people who suffer in silence. > > Why would our children be different from our adults? And > these children have grown up in the post 9/11 America - their > country has been at war almost as long as they've been alive. > > I counter that and anything else that causes their negativity > with a positive class environment. If nothing else in life is > good, then what goes down in these four walls will be - here > we are safe and here we will have a good time and we'll learn > as well. If I couldn't have a good time with my students, my > life would lose what is a very bright spot in it. > > I tell them that. I don't tell them I put on a good face > because I should - I tell them it's easy to put on a good > face around them - they can and do indeed bring me joy. Of > course they are frustrating at times but I promise them that > my first goal for all of us is that we have a good school day > each day. If I can do nothing about the terrible grumpy > attendance secretary - and I can do nothing about that - I > can meet them smiling every morning and look to them to > respond in kind. > > I might wonder a bit about your emphasis on professionalism - > I don't disagree but I wonder if it smacks a bit of 'we're > all unhappy and should put on a good face." > > They have little control over their lives really - but they > are usually very ready to laugh if you are. >> 1. I'm looking to build my repertoire of games for my >> students. I like to incorporate fun games as a way to >> close out class or to reinforce a skill we've been working >> on. I feel like we've been in a rut lately. So for next >> year, I want to build up a notebook of ideas so I'll have >> some new ideas to turn to. I'd love any games relating to >> performing arts, critical or creative thinking, and >> especially team building. >> >> 2. Any ideas to combat the whining and negativity of middle >> schoolers? I have had a particularly tough year with my >> 7th graders and I would like to start off the year with a >> whole different vibe. I try to model the positive thinking >> but with a certain group, I was less than successful in >> getting through to them. I talk alot about behaving >> professionally in our classroom and will be continuing >> along that line. I thought I would tie in the positive >> attitude to go along with that (Positive and Professional >> will be our key words all year). Any ideas on how to >> retrain their brains? One thought was to have a bonus if >> they can resist saying negative things (this can be >> whining, calling names or putting someone down, etc.). I >> would draw 50 circles on a posterboard and if a negative >> comment is heard, a frowny face gets drawn inside. If it >> fills up, they do not get the bonus at the end of the >> semester. However, I do think that is probably negative in >> and of itself. So should I ignore the negativity and focus >> on recognizing positive comments with smiley faces? I would >> love your feedback and any ideas you might have. >> >> 3. I'm also looking to redecorate my two classrooms. Does >> anyone have ideas on some cool things to include in the >> classroom? Or pictures you would like to share? >> >> Thanks so much everyone! Looking forward to next year being >> my best ever in teaching gifted!

Jun 7, 2010

report post

el ed(game) This was a sort of game on giving and receiving directions I came up with.

Students were paired and sat back to back in desks.

One gave directions and one carried them out. Then, they switched.

The one who gave directions could have a definite picture in mind or not.

The surface for the picture was a sheet of con...See More

Jun 13, 2010

report post

el ed(decorating classroom) My gifted enrichment classes learned French. Many things in the classroom were labeled in French, such as: floor, ceiling, window, wall, carpet, table, chair, desk, window pane, north, south, east, west, clock, chalk board, colors, pen, pencil, paper, map, globe, flag, computer, printer, book, bookcase, etc.

Each day's date was written in ...See MoreMy gifted enrichment classes learned French. Many things in the classroom were labeled in French, such as: floor, ceiling, window, wall, carpet, table, chair, desk, window pane, north, south, east, west, clock, chalk board, colors, pen, pencil, paper, map, globe, flag, computer, printer, book, bookcase, etc.

Each day's date was written in French on the board. Ex. Monday, September 4, 2010 would be lundi, 4 septembre, 2010. (In French days of the week and months of the year are not capitalized).

Most years we wrote an original simple play in French and presented it to the whole school. We said our lines in English, then in French.

7th graders can be a challenge. I found mine enjoyed reading to K's and mentoring younger students. They always enjoyed helping to plan their activities with their input.

When someone started to whine, I usually said, "Humor me". After a few times, someone would speak up and say, "Humor her."

Best wishes for next year to be the best ever.

On 5/21/10, Trying to improve my game wrote: > 1. I'm looking to build my repertoire of games for my > students. I like to incorporate fun games as a way to > close out class or to reinforce a skill we've been working > on. I feel like we've been in a rut lately. So for next > year, I want to build up a notebook of ideas so I'll have > some new ideas to turn to. I'd love any games relating to > performing arts, critical or creative thinking, and > especially team building. > > 2. Any ideas to combat the whining and negativity of middle > schoolers? I have had a particularly tough year with my > 7th graders and I would like to start off the year with a > whole different vibe. I try to model the positive thinking > but with a certain group, I was less than successful in > getting through to them. I talk alot about behaving > professionally in our classroom and will be continuing > along that line. I thought I would tie in the positive > attitude to go along with that (Positive and Professional > will be our key words all year). Any ideas on how to > retrain their brains? One thought was to have a bonus if > they can resist saying negative things (this can be > whining, calling names or putting someone down, etc.). I > would draw 50 circles on a posterboard and if a negative > comment is heard, a frowny face gets drawn inside. If it > fills up, they do not get the bonus at the end of the > semester. However, I do think that is probably negative in > and of itself. So should I ignore the negativity and focus > on recognizing positive comments with smiley faces? I would > love your feedback and any ideas you might have. > > 3. I'm also looking to redecorate my two classrooms. Does > anyone have ideas on some cool things to include in the > classroom? Or pictures you would like to share? > > Thanks so much everyone! Looking forward to next year being > my best ever in teaching gifted!

Jun 13, 2010

report post