Student Recognition Boards.

Hi everyone,
Sorry this is late on Tuesday. Today was a long day for me. At 8:00am I was sitting in an ELO: "ELL Learning Opportunity" professional learning community. By noon I was back at work preparing to see my 1st graders. At 3:00pm I was in my buildings PLC/Data gathering groups talking about Math and Kinder kids. But that was not the end of it. Then from 4:00 to 5:00 I was siting in on two SAT (student assistance team) meetings. Then went back to my room for 20 min longer to get some goodie bags ready for my kids tomorrow. I finally gave up. I was not done but I just couldn't do it anymore. I hit a wall.

So my brain is not at all on right now but I am super glad I was able to have enough left to log on and share. This is something I have wanted to share for a long time now. So without further ado...

Thanks for coming back for another installment of...

Today's teaching tip is something that has been really big in my building/ school this year.

Student Recognition

There has been some research somewhere that I can't think of right now cause I can't think coherently, that says that student recognition does WONDERS for student achievement. Oh wait, I think I remember something about Marzano, I love Marzano, and Classroom Instruction that Works. If you haven't read it put it on your summer reading list it is a MUST. Also pick up Classroom Instruction that Works with ELL.

I digress, I was talking about what was specifically going on in my school. So every grade is doing something different and I plan to snap pictures of each one, but tonight I only have what the Kinder teachers are doing. They are calling it their "Recognition Rectangles". Can you tell they just taught shapes. :P

Here is what it looks like.

 It is so simple and truth is we all already do it in some way. All they did was attach an objective to it. It is posted in the hallway and everyone that walks by can see it. Now as I walk by I can easily see if my ELL friends have met their goal and give them some encouragement.

Here is another shot.

Because we have a reading and math goal they did two but you could do it just specifically for topic/ subject.

I will be working with my ELL team leader to make one for our ELL kids that moved up a level at the end of the quarter.

Do you do anything similar to recognize your students achievements?

FYI I had some great collaborations this morning at my "ELO" and have a fab freebie to share with you on Friday. Keep an eye out for that. I am off to go eat something and pass out. Enjoy the rest of your night.