6 Days and Counting!

Classroom Management - UGH! That is ALWAYS a tough part of our jobs as teachers! I am FAR from an expert but one of the tools I used last year I LOVED! I did something called a Secret Student.

Every morning I would pick a name, the kids would watch me (or sometimes I let them pick with their eyes closed!). That student was our secret student. All day long the kids wouldn't be told who the student was. But I would say things like "I am going to look around and see if our secret student is following directions", "I wonder if our secret student is walking quietly in the hall?" The kids would usually get really quiet and do whatever it is they are supposed to be doing. The BEST part of the secret student is at the end of the day! I would announce who our secret student is but I would do it in a fun way - CLUE! I would have students start out guessing who they think it is. Then I would say "Our secret student is a BOY" and I would have all of the boys stand up. "Our secret student is wearing BLUE JEANS, any boy not wearing blue jeans sit down", I would continue to describe the secret student and have students not matching the description sit down. When we had just a few students left I would have them come to the front of the classroom. I would ask the students if the students still standing matched the clues that I had given them. I would continue to give clues until only one student was left standing. At that point I would ask that student if they followed directions, followed the classroom and school rules, and didn't get into trouble, usually they know if they did what they were supposed to do. If they were successful they would pick a prize, if not I would remind them that they need to follow the rules and do better next time. Whether they succeeded or not their name would go back in the running for the next day, while most of the time I would "make sure" students weren't called two days in a row, sometimes I would call them the next day so that they and the other students knew that just because their name was called one day didn't mean they could goof off the next day! I didn't use this certificate last year but I think I will this year!

The kids also had a lot of fun with this! They would always remind me to pick the secret student and that I had to reveal the secret student at the end of the day!