CHAMPS

My campus is a CHAMPS campus.  It is a classroom management system which includes many ideas for managing a classroom.

My favorite part of CHAMPS is having teachers prevent problems before they start. Putting procedures and expectations in place that prevent the most common classroom problems before they even start. If you are struggling for classroom management (which I would say the area I always have to work hard at), I would suggest looking into the CHAMPS Positive Behavior Support.

I have this poster hanging in my room and the students have a copy in their interactive notebook. It tells students what they are expected to do during each type of activity they will do in math class. I have seen this displayed in different ways, but this was the least amount of work for me.

If you would like to use this, you can get it here in Google Drive. Save it as a Copy and then you will be able to edit as you wish.

Mostly at the beginning of the year, I go over this with students every day before every activity. It is one of those beginning of the school year things that gets tedious, but necessary.

Math Review=Warm up
Guided Math=Small Group/Station Time

My campus also uses Voice Levels that are consistent everywhere. Voice Level 0 is no talking, Voice Level 1 is Whisper, Voice Level 2 is conversation, Voice Level 3 is Presentation and Voice Level 4 is outside. Students need to be taught and shown what voice level is appropriate for each type of activity and what is expected of them.

When we were being trained on CHAMPS, we watched videos from the creator Randy Sprick. He shares an experience with a first year teacher. While observing her in an unruly class, she told her students to stay in their seats and work independently. However, if students needed help, some talked to their neighbor which she allowed, some got up and asked her questions, which she sometimes allowed and sometimes told them to raise their hand and she would come to them. Basically, her expectations changed from one minute to the next and the students did not know what was expected of them.

CHAMPS gives teachers a way to decide on expectations they want to have and share them with the students.

Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy

I have been MIA for at least 2 weeks now. My husband and I took a vacation, our last before the baby comes and probably our last big one for a few years.

I mentioned a few months ago that I was accepted into the Mickelson Exxonmobil Teacher Academy in Jersey City, New Jersey. Our trip was based around that academy. We flew out a few days early, visited DC, and spent a few days in NYC before the Academy started. While I was in class all day, my husband would explore the city and I would catch up with him at night.

This was the view from our hotel room at the Academy. Absolutely amazing!

What is even better than that was the Academy itself. I spent a week stretching my brain and my way of thinking about teaching. I don't think I was a bad teacher before, but this academy has made me see many ways where I can take my teaching to the next level and help my students grow.

I don't remember anything from elementary science. And I don't expect that all of my kids will remember forever what I teach them. But there are a few skills or practices I have always wanted them to walk away with. The ability to question, argue, find evidence, reason, problem solve, etc. I would love if all my students walked away from my classroom wanting to be scientists, but even more important I want them to have those critical thinking skills that can be applied in all subjects and aspects of life.

This is the first professional development I have ever walked away from where I feel prepared to help my students develop these skills. My teaching and my classroom will never be the same.

We spent a week doing inquiry-based lessons. We actually went through lessons that will have our students go through. I got to experience frustration, amazement, disequilibrium, and those "ah-ha" moments that our kids might experience as they go through some of our lessons. It is always a great reminder to feel what students might go through during our own lessons.

And we were treated like royalty. Those who run and fund the academy, made sure to emphasize the appreciation they have for teachers. It felt good after hearing "What do you do all day?" all summer long.

I cannot recommend this academy enough. If you are a 3-5 grade math or science teacher, you should most definitely apply!

Go to Send My Teacher and apply. If the experience isn't enough to motivate, remember that the academy pays for everything. Plane ticket, hotel and food. Because my husband went with me, we paid for his plane ticket and the hotel and food for the days before the academy. Once the academy started, he had to find and pay for his own food. But he got to stay in my hotel room.

G-Camp for Teachers

Back in April I applied to participate in G-Camp for Teachers and was accepted.

G-camp is a 17 day hiking trip done by Texas A&M through Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is meant to improve our knowledge of Geology, an area I could use some help in.

Today, I leave for G-camp. I am very excited for it, but it is very hard for me to be away from home for more than a few days at a time. Even harder to be away from my husband for a few days at a time. I am a little unsure of how I will deal with it at the moment.

This is where we will be traveling. We will see Capulin Volcano, sand dunes, a gold mine, drive through the mountains, Enchanted Rock, Canyon Lake Gorge and so many other sites. You can see a lot of geology in 17 days!

If you are a Science Teacher in Texas, I would suggest applying for it next year. I am sure it will be an amazing experience. I am supposed to have some internet access on the trip and I hope to post pictures as I go.