What's Working Wednesday...

It's time readers! Our very first linky party co-hosted by myself and Brandi from Success in Second Grade. A linky party where we share just WHAT is working in our classrooms. And now you can join in too! Share something that is working in your classroom. It can be something you have done year after year or something new you have tried this year that is working. The purpose of this is to hopefully help others. I don't know about you but I have read things that make me say "DUH Gina..why didn't you think of that?!" And then I try it and BAM it works. Every teacher I know loves to store ideas away for their bag of tricks. You just never know WHEN you are going to need to pull something new out. So what do you say? Share something that is working for you and link up!


So what is working for me? Having the best class in the universe...that's what! Ha I kid I kid... but really I do. What is working for me is my high notes. My kids are so awesome I wanted a way to recognize it without having to spend too much time writing out notes to parents. So searching I went and I found "high notes". I can't remember where I found them, but I liked the idea and I ran with it. I made a little form and all I have to do is write the child's name, x off the boxes and write a quick comment. Done in 2 minutes or less while students pack up. I then give the students clues "this person is a girl who worked really hard in math today and got all her answers right". They then conclude (gotta get skills in every chance I get) who it could be. The child gets a moment of pride as we all cheer for them and then they pick which color music note they want for our display.

I can't get this to turn. But Hopefully you get the idea!

You notice the notes are just blank right now. I am trying my hardest to get everyone a note before I start giving out high notes to students who already got one. But once they start getting seconds and thirds, they will get to add stickers to their music note. At the end of the year they get to take them home. Nothing fancy, but you can sure see the pride in their faces.

I have been doing a lot of reading about these brag tags. They are all the rage (so it seems) and I am considering starting that up at some point. If I do, students who have a high note will get their high note tag. Then for each extra note they can add a bead to their chain. But brag tags and all that is for another post another day, if/when I start doing them.

So do you have something that is working fantastically for you that you want to share with the blog world? You never know who you might be helping out! If so, grab the banner below, display it proudly on your post, and join in the linky party! All we ask is that you follow the rule of 3... check the two blogs listed in the linky before you and leave them some love, and come back to find the person that posts after you and leave them some love. Everyone needs a little love once in a while right? And make sure you link back to our blogs so others can join in on the fun too!

If you would like to use this button on your blog, please just save the picture to your computer, put it in your post, and link it to either my blog or Brandi's blog.