Center Accountability

I was reflecting on my teaching practices over break (how do you like them big professional words! ;), on how my Math Block is running.

Overall, I'm pleased with how it is running. Most days, we start with calendar/snack (10-15 minutes), and then move into our small groups/centers. I started tweaking it a little-doing some more whole group lessons, especially when I am introducing a concept.

But I was reflecting more on the hands-on center the kids are doing. I've noticed that some students always turn in their center work, some students sometimes turn in their center work and some students never turn in their center work. But what to do?

Thinking on it, I decided that I wanted to create a center folder. I also decided that I would introduce a new center almost every day-but would keep it out all week once I've introduced it. That way, if students finish one center early, they can go back to a previous center that they didn't get to finish.

Out of the 5 centers, my students are required to complete 3. If they do all five, they get extra credit.

I also wanted a way to track their progress on meeting the CC standards.

This is how I set them up:

Names done in pretty lettering-although they don't have multi-colored names like mine :)

The inside of the folder

CC Standards Checklist-get it here

Center Checklist

For the center checklist, I put a spot for the five centers (Centers 1-3, Extra 1, 2). When the kids finish a center they check it off (whichever number they are on) and then put the date on the other side.

They have enough boxes for 15 weeks of school-I didn't want to be restapling checklists into their folders every other week!

I introduced them today, and the kids seemed really excited about them. This gives them a place to put their loose papers, and then I can grade all of them at once-instead of piecemeal which has been happening a lot lately.

Yesterday's Outfit

Vest: The Limited
Shirt: Old Navy
Pants: Kohls
Shoes: Amazon







Today's Outfit(s)

Sweater (on right): JCPenny

Top, Pants & Jeans: JCPenny
Tank: Target
Teal Shoes (left): DSW
Nude Shoes (right): Payless


I'm going out to dinner tonight with the teacher next door to me (who's basically like me except older :), so I decided to go casual -- which I don't do often enough now that I can't wear jeans to work. This would also be a good look for a date (if I ever had one of those!).

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn