Post #3

You've been practicing your 'entry routine' and 'do now' or warm-up.  As you model these and have your students practice them each day the way you expect them to they will conform to those expectations.  Remember to always be positive with them.  If they enter your room in a way you don't want them to, stop them, tell them that it seems they need a reminder of how they are to enter the room, have them go back out the door and walk in the way you showed them to.  As the days go by and you have them practice this (I call this a Practice Academy) they will get the message and enter properly.  The 'do now' or warm-up is non-negotiable.  You should have one prepared for every day unless you are testing.  This will make it easier for a substitute when you are out too.  Your students need consistency and structure.  This provides you with the time to focus on your lesson for the day as they work on the warm-up and it helps them prepare for what you will teach that day.  Make your warm-up meaningful to them.  

Next you will be working on 'seat signals' and 'tight transitions'.  A good number is seat signals is three to five.  Any more than that and both you and the students get lost in them.  If you have the time you can allow your students to help create them.  This helps them get buy-in and increases the chance they will use them.   When using tight transitions you must teach them what you want.  It might help to have a MAP or poster of your expectations.  If you want to see what one looks like, I have an example.  Please ask and I will be happy to share it with you.  This was the one part of Diana Day I still use, its good stuff.  In my classroom, I went so far as to model for the students the exact route I wanted them to take when we transitioned from one activity to another.  I left nothing to chance.  This allowed the class to use every minute of time on task and most completed their assignments and had no homework.  We didn't waste time.  We learned how not to.

Please take a moment and share your thoughts, ideas, successes, and failures while trying these activities.  You will learn so much from one another.  As you observe other teachers in their classrooms, see if they have these things in place and how they handle them.  Post comments here about what you experience and observe. 

I hope the ideas from this book are helping you better manage your classrooms.  Don't forget there is a DVD in the back of the book.  It has great 1 to 2 min clips you can watch to see what some of these good ideas look like in the classroom.

Have any of you ever started a class blog?  It is amazing what you can learn from your students when you blog and have them comment.  

Post #2

I've met with most all of you and your reading is underway!!!  Please remember to post to the first blog when you have created your gmail account.  You can react to the first two activities you tried in your classroom or simply let me know that you have created your account.

For your next assignment you will read "Seat Signals" p. 161 and "Tight Transitions" p. 154.  There is also a video clip #13 on the dvd in the back of your book you should take a look at.  It is only a couple of minutes long and models the way to practice the tight transitions.  Please practice these in your classroom during the next week and establish your own way of doing things.  When you have tried them, post a comment on this blog about your experiences.  Feel free to share what worked and what didn't work.

If I can help you in any way let me know!   :)  I'm learning right along with you all.

Post 1 - Teach Like A Champion Book Study

Welcome everyone.  I'm so excited for us to share in learning from "Teach Like A Champion".  Since we are all in different places in our teaching careers sharing our thoughts will enhance the experience for us all.  We will all learn from one another and that is what this is all about. We'll make discoveries about ourselves and will grow professionally. 

To get started, please be sure you have read 'Entry Routine' on page 151 and 'Do Now' on page 152.  I'll be checking in with each of you this week to set up regular meeting times each week and discuss the topics.  I'll also be visiting your classrooms to support you in your journey.  

Feel free to comment on this blog at any time.  If you want to begin your own blog and don't know how, just ask me and I'll be happy to teach you.  I am using some technology I'm learning in a class and its fantastic!  I'm enjoying the learning and want to model for you how you could use it to interact with each other and your students as we progress through this book.  

Please be patient with me and yourself as we learn.  We are embarking on a process, not just working through a book.  Enjoy it and share what you think and your experiences through this blog.  

Let's learn and light fires!!!!!!!