Saying Goodbye to the DOLLAR Tree

 Bye, Bye, Bye...

When I heard that the Dollar Tree was no longer going to offer all of their items for $1, I thought for sure it had to be fake news. Sadly, the story was legit. Dollar Tree will soon be the $1.25 and up Tree. I can't tell you how many things in my classroom have come from Dollar Tree. Baskets, puzzles, toys treasure box items, pocket charts, and so on... ALL FOR ONE DOLLAR! The "Teaching Tree" area of their stores has been such a life saver for so many of us. I am absolutely heartbroken to see this come to an end. 

What do you think of the new price increases?

Anchor Charts Anchor Learning

 

Anchor Charts are probably one of the most powerful teaching tools I use. I know it may seem a little silly, but it is unreal how often my students reference my charts. 

Anchor Charts capture the main points of a lesson. They reinforce key ideas and concepts. They are visuals that your students can reference at any time, thus they build independence and confidence. Anchor Charts are a means of scaffolding instruction and making thinking visible. Visuals are absolutely essential, especially with our younger students. When used correctly, Anchor Charts will transform your classroom,

KEEP SCROLLING TO GET A FREE MINI ANCHOR CHART FOR YOUR CLASSROOM.

Anchor Chart Tips:

1. Don't Over-Do it. Resist the urge to make an anchor chart for everything. "Over-Charting" actually can have a negative effect on your students. Too many charts can be a distraction, especially for your students with ADD or other sensory processing disorder.

2. Keep it Simple. Don't try to put your whole lesson on a chart. Too many words/images and the meaning of the chart is lost. I am SO GUILTY of dropping the ball on this one. It can be challenging to decide what to put on the chart. Lately, I've been sketching out my charts before taking them to paper. (ESPECIALLY since I moved to a district that doesn't provide supplies such as chart paper).

3. Make Charts Your Students Can Actually USE. Avoid charts that reinforce concepts your students aren't struggling with. Avoid charts that aren't meaningful, no matter how cute they are. (Yes, that hurt my heart too, because Lord knows, I LOVE cute).

4. Keep Them Current. Don't change them every day, but when you change skills or topics, change your charts. Keep the charts aligned with the teaching. I change mine out pretty often, and I'll be honest there is a little of extra work on the front end of the process. However, the end result is worth it. 

 ***PRO-TIP: Grab a clothing rack and a set of skirt hangers. Organize your charts and use them year after year. I don't suggest laminating them because the glare that is created can be a real pain.  I actually got lucky this year, and my classroom has built in cabinets with bars for hanging coats. I use those for charts, but before this year, the garment rack was a life saver. Here are the links for my favorite garment rack and skirt hangers. I think any will do just fine. These just happen to be what I loved. 

Garment Rack                                

 

Skirt Hangers

Grab Your FREE Mini Anchor Chart HERE

Visible Learning Snapshot

Implementing Visible Learning probably sounds like a daunting task. After all, you've already implemented every other fad that's ever come along in education. Why should you try one more? You should try ONE more because this one actually WORKS!

Visible Learning is:

• Research based.
• Proven successful when implemented with fidelity.
• A Game Changer!

Visible Learning is NOT:

• A packaged program.
• Something you can do every once and a while.
• A gimmick or fad.
• Something you can implement overnight.

3 Key Components of a Visible Learning Approach

1. Clarity- Explicitly define learning targets and success criteria from the start. Familiarize students with the steps to success. How? Post learning targets and success criteria. But, don't just post them. Actually USE them. Reference these throughout the lesson. Tie each activity back to the learning target. Students should be able to see how an assignment or task as part of their learning, not just work to do.

2. Ownership- Students are in control of their learning. Children should be able to explain what they are learning and how they will know they've got it. Students should be able to self assess their progress.

3. Mindset Shift- Use student understanding as a measure of your teaching, not of their learning. Continually refine your teaching methods based on data from your students. Listen to their needs, recognize what needs improvement in your instruction, and notice what is working. 

Visible learning has transformed my classroom. I encourage you to give it a try. You'll be amazed at the results.

Snag one of my favorite Visible Learning Tools by Clicking the image below.