22 November, 2011

PINspiration and a FREEBIE

OH EM Giraffe...
I have been giraffe necking (that means stretching to look to see what is going on over there)
or you can call it ...lurking and stalking
and not to mention I have been PINNING like CRAY CRAY
all
while my laundry and hair need to be washed!!!
not to mention my 3 year old needs to be washed too...
but what 3 year old BOY does NOT to be hosed down like every other hour...
anywho...
As I was pinning I found this pic I had stored away in my LIKES...

it is from the FABULOUS Kimberly
over at

Funky First Grade Fun

you can read her post here
about how she lets her kiddos wear slippers during their Spelling Tests each week
to give them that extra spelling "POWER"


I LOVED this idea!!!
My district just changed our grading policy in Spelling from grades to E, S, U, & N
WHAT?
pick up your chin...
I
and many teachers are not too happy about this!!!
I think those students who study their BOOTies off should be rewarded with 100s not Es
...it is just a shame that my kiddos (IMO) get graded like this....
don't get me wrong I put number grades on their tests and in the NEW AND IMPROVED electronic grade book (yeah right more like.... this is going to take you 10 times longer and you have to do like 10 clicks for every assignment yuck yuck yuck I want the old one back grade book....but this new CHEAPER grade book probably saved a few teaching jobs so I LIKE it I WILL!!! even though I might get carpal tunnel from the EXCESSIVE # of clicks needed for each assignment I WILL LIKE IT!!!)
anywho... I put the numbers in the grade book and it changes it to the Es and Ss and Ns
NOW here is the part that gets me...
my kids that study their booties off get Es
my kiddos that study SUPER  hard  because they are ESL
and the 10 modified words I give them are still a  little struggle for them and their efforts pay off with high 80s (YAY) get Ss
BUT (here is the yucky yuck) my kids that don't study because they can get by and still pass ( and can I say are a little LAZY)
and make high 70s get Ss too!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOO
that is not right (IMO of course)
OK so needless to say... grades have been slipping
WHY spend extra time studying when you can score in the 70s and still get an S
and I am pretty sure you can only get an E if you score higher than a 94....
(insert super pouty and frowny face)

SO I needed something to motivate my kids to study and thanks to Kimberly's idea I got it!!!

When my kids score a 90 or higher on their Spelling Test... they get to wear slippers the next Friday (or Spelling Test Day)
and they get to wear them ALL DAY!!!!
except to the 3 Ps (potty, playground, & PE)
I have been doing this for a few weeks now and
YEPPERS grades are going UP UP UP...
so instead of me writing....
"You get to wear slippers next Spelling Test Day!!!"
I made these!!!!
I am going to visit VistaPrint and have them made into business cards
and then I can staple them to their tests!!!


I talked to some of my BTFF (best teacher friends forever) and they love the idea too!!!
So I think my whole hallway
(go GREEN HALLWAY (3rd & 4th grade))
might implement Super Speller Slipper Days!!!

here are the awards
I also made 3 duplicates but changed the word "award" to "ticket"

If you like what you see...head on over to myTpT or TN store and grab them FOR FREE!!!
and THANKS SO MUCH KIMBERLY for the PINspiration!!!




ok now it is lunch time for Drew and then a hose down FO SHO (pb&J is on the menu) and then fingers crossed nap time and then
I will be getting PRETTIED UP... for a girls night...called Dirty Bingo...
get your Mind Out of the GUTTER!!! it is NOT dirty dirty
it is like White Elephant steal your gifts dirty!!!
but I had you thinking for a little bit right???