Mini reward cards

Some business cards that I created via the Vistaprint website (when there was a heavy discount plus free postage during the summer holidays).

These are for on-the-spot recognition of great learning and progress or effort in the classroom - pupils can take them home straight away rather than have to wait for certificates at Friday's Celebration Time.  This way, I can give out four or five each day...

...pupils can track their rewards on a class list on the wall (so I can also see who might not have had one for a while) and they can claim a prize from the box when they reach the targets of four and nine cards (the number of spaces I ruled up on the class list!)

abc - Alphabet Book Challenge

alphabet book challenge!

For Term Three I will engage my Year Six pupils in a reading challenge - this year it has an alphabet theme (aiming to fill in each letter of the alphabet with either a title or author or subject of a book they have read).

I have made this booklet on Google Drive and will print it out for the pupils' home learning books so they can keep a record of their reading.

I don't expect all of the pupils to read 26 different books or magazines but there will be a few that can manage it! Prizes will be given when a pupil completes three, eight, or fifteen items read, as well as a SUPER prize for those who can get to 26 (in just the ten weeks of term!)

Classroom layout and displays

Photos from the beginning of Term 3 2013:

Job list - pupil pictures are rotated weekly

Year Sixes have special school-wide jobs

My desk: by the front door, laptop runs the IWB

View along the windows

View along the IWB/whiteboard wall

View from front door, across classroom to cloakbay door - we have a mixture of options for seating -
pupils select a numbered counter when enter the room on Monday morning (corresponds to a workspace/seat/table)
and that is their 'base' space for the week.  They are allowed to move to other spots during the day eg when working with a partner or on an ipad, or if I want a guided group to be in a certain place.

Computer cupboard area

Marking shelf - pupils place books or completed work here for me to look at

Basket for the DIY (do-it-yourself) learning folders and resources; shelf for flag, stickers box, guided group resources.

Games cupboard (due for a paint-job!)

Literacy/spelling resources, atlases and large reference books.

Library corner

Inquiry display table, reporting books in boxes underneath

Inquiry wall - has question, key understandings, a relevant quote or two;
work or other material still to be added as inquiry progresses.

Personal learning goals display - wearing a motorbike helmet in honour of Burt Munro

Inside the computer cupboard

Guidelines on doors of computer cupboard

This lets me know who to respond to on their blog

School agreement for pupils using computers

A work in progress - poem of the week, current events

Suggestions board for what to blog about and a playtime/lunchtime computer roster

Bulldog clips attached to wall for displaying class-made publishing books.

Displaying the expectations of learning for writing.

Motivation for the Year Sixes towards the end of year prize-giving.

Wall shelves - homework books are kept each day in the empty space; modelling books to the right,
Bible in Schools books below, refill pads and handwriting cards,
maths text books at bottom - all within easy reach.

Maths equipment

As we have no desks we store our books for each subject in these bins.

The chairs get stacked at the end of the day.

We have some stools as an option.

Another version of stools.

Handwriting levels

Noise signal lights

Reward system - when board is full the dodecahedron dice (to 12) is rolled
and the winner chooses from the prize-box.

And for inappropriate behaviour...(steps two plus are hardly ever referred to thankfully!)

Guided groups on display

Low table, cushions are a seating option - due for paintjob too!

As we have no storage desks the pencil cases are kept in these trays;
everyone shares the rulers and glue-sticks.

The centre of the maths shelves/homework book shelves -
spelling and basic facts resources, literacy CDs, music CDs etc.

My personal collection of teaching resources, kept on shelves in the art bay.

More of my resources, on a higher shelf on other side of artbay.

More of my resources - the bits and pieces stuff!

Pupils can use these art supplies.

My everyday trolley - planning and resources for the week are easy to access.

Reward system - using obsolete library cards, points given for tidy handwriting as well as three points per day
as "work pay" for being at school.  Pupils can 'buy' from the shopping list.

My marking system for book work.

I use groups of three for cooperative tasks. Change each term.