Jot it Down: Paper Products Inc.
Step One: Layout
Any home decorator (or party planner) calculates and considers the movement of people and the accessibility of the room. The classroom is no exception. Depending on your class size and structural layout, creating a workplace that encourages collaboration and allows individual work can be difficult. Yet, through "trial and error," one will find the best layout for your teaching style.
First, look around your classroom and take note of what you can use. Depending on what you have (or could exchange with another teacher), it gives you the flexibility to play around with placement. Remember, you want to ensure that every student has a seat, can view the board, quickly move to-and-from their chair, and not become easily distracted by their peers. There are several floor plans one could use. Some teachers place student desks in groups of four. Others make a group of six. Some create an "E" shape, while others prefer the "L" design.
Step Two: The Setup
Now, some teachers use the seating chart that comes with their school software. Others have a layout that they designed years ago. "Jot It Down" provides another option for teachers to take roll and change seats.
Pros:
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Takes "seconds" to record class attendance (also great for substitutes)
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Teachers can quickly change seats for "disruptive students"
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A visual reminder of student accommodations (and informs the substitute of those with particular academic needs)
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No need for erasers, easily change seats
Cons:
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Initially, takes time to set up
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Some "stickies" can lose their adhesiveness; if so, use a small piece of tape
Step Three: Assign Seating
Now, on the first day of class, many teachers don't have assigned seating. Why? Teachers are getting to know their students; as students are slowly getting acquainted with their new class schedule. Here are other reasons why teachers wait a couple of days to assign seats:
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Students prefer to sit with their pupils whenever the opportunity presents itself.
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Teachers observe student interactions and determine if students can sit next to their friends and stay on task.
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Students change schedules the first day and sometimes the next day.
For teachers who prefer a seating chart on the first day, here are good reasons why:
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Similar to a "wedding guest list," students like to know where they will be sitting.
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Teachers can start memorizing student names.
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A seating chart quickly finds absent students.
Seating Charts
Introduction
"Grading student work is my favorite part of teaching," said no teacher ever.
The hours spent on grading student work can lead to intense teacher burnout, particularly those who analyze essays and record daily student submissions. But, assessing student work and charting their progress is part of the job. Here are some grading tips to help ease teacher stress and serve as a helpful resource in documenting students' performance in your classroom.
Benefits of Paper Records
Today, the majority of schools use an online grading portal. There are numerous benefits to having an online presence for grades (such as students, parents, teachers, and administrators have access to student grades). But, if the school portal crashes, the loss of all that data is "soul-crushing." Thus, having a backup serves in the best interest of everyone.
Grading Tips
Create Grading Symbols
A - Absent
L - Late
circle - Resubmitted
___ - Missing
CH - Cheated
Lesson Planing
Jot Down Your Lesson Plans
These pages were designed for educators to write down their...
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lesson objectives,
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daily reminders,
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absent students,
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to-do lists,
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upcoming teacher meetings,
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school calendar events, etc.
Before, during, or after school, take a moment to write down a quick synopsis of the day's schedule. By doing this, you have the necessary documentation of past lessons, student attendance, and a pacing guide for next year's curriculum planning.
Remember:
"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs