When looking back on my professional goal of posting and verbalizing content and language objectives in the classroom, it got me thinking about other things I post in the classroom. Being a neat freak and leaning a bit on the side of less is more as far as visual distractions, I am having difficulty deciding what to post and what not to post.
I keep my objectives on key rings so they are easily accessible, but out of sight. However, I keep the essential questions for the month out and visible to the students. My big question is......when looking around your classroom, how do you decide what to put up on the walls and what not to put up?
Also, when it comes to posting vocabulary, I am thinking of spending some time this summer typing and printing the vocabulary, found in the quarterly check-in, for each subject area. I will then put them in a binder by month, so I can easily place them in a pocket chart where studetns can see them. Is this a good use of time? Do you find your students really using those vocabulary words in their writing. I guess I am stumped when it comes to encouraging first graders to use the resources posted in the room without overstimulating them so that the things posted don't become meaningless.
As first grade teachers we post more than the upper elementary grades. It seems we find ourselves putting up a lot of the fun crafty projects along with several anchor charts with pictures, class schedules, manipulatives, number charts and word walls. Any ideas on how to manage space in an organized manner?
Pictures to come soon.......
I think that posting vocabulary is a good idea. I have tried to just use a pocket chart for Math and Science/Social/Health. I then try to keep them organized that way in the chart. We then are able to refer to them when needed. I do agree about getting them all writen out or typed up before hand. I am finding that with math that there are so many. The first chapter I did find that this was done for us but then it has become difficult to keep up with all the new vocabulary. I find that in Science, Social, and Health I tend to use the vocab chart more because usually on the assessment they are asked to define the words. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteI think posting vocab is a good idea. We do use a word wall in PE. I do think we could improve at using it more as a teaching tool than what we do, but it is fun to see when kids make connections across different units. I think that seeing the word helps with rentention vs. just hearing it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what to keep up, I ask the kids if they have used the anchor chart in the last month. If several have, I keep it. If no one has, I recycle it.
ReplyDelete