Crafts N Education

Positive Cheap Rewards

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:12:00 -0500

One of the hardest things about being a teacher is trying to find a cheap positive rewards for students.

We all know the usual easy reward is to buy candy. What a kid will do for a jolly rancher is sometimes amazing. Students like everyone else can be influences to change their actions based on short term anticipated rewards or consequences. At the beginning of the year when I decided on a reward system I try to give a lot of rewards. When all the students get excited right away it is great to help keep attention knowing that that reward is attainable.

Non food rewards

** Ron Clark writes in his book of using buttons. On said buttons he has written, "Ask me how I did on Mrs/Mr _____'s test." the idea is that as more people ask them they get more excited about their accomplishment and achievement. They get praise from not just their one teacher but many teachers.

The one con I can see with this would be keeping track of buttons. As a middle school teacher I would need to make a lot of buttons. Also, holes in shirts can be a complaint by parents, I always try to do something that parents will enjoy and not complain about.

**Photo Recognition board- you can take each students photo on the first day or ask students to bring in a photo they enjoy that can be posted. After tests and quizzes think how fun it would be to come see your face placed on the board for the day. Middle students are very into themselves. (pause for shock) They get a kick out of seeing themselves everywhere.

**Test and quizzes champions - if students receive a sticker on a test or quiz they get to sign a specific canvas that will stay on the wall for 2 years. I have seen kids scan old canvases just to see others autographs. They get to choose a pen color, but there is a size limit for each signature. They all want to try a cool handwriting and come back to visit the canvas the next year just to see it hanging there. Parents especially loved coming into my classroom to see their child's name associated with being a champion.

** Token, ticket or dollar rewards - This can be a everyday system where students can receive points, tokens, tickets, "dollars" or some other printed reward. You can give them the rewards for paying attention, quietly working, great quiz or test scores, maybe a struggling student can get a reward for turning in so many homework assignments in a row. anytime that they do something you can give a positive reward. I used to make my students immediately write their names on the item so that they could not share or trade them. They had to keep track of tickets and could turn them in for extra credit, in exchange for homework assignments, or some other positive free reward, some schools have rewards at lunch or recess, those are always an option!

**Best of the Day award - for every class that students are participating, engaging or working efficiently in I would write down names of students who were doing exceptionally well. At the end of class I would pull a name out of a jar for who was out Best of the Day award winner. They got an entry in a school wide raffle but you could have easy little prizes for everyone or extra points towards homework. Whatever works.

Feel free to comment with other great ideas. I love rewarding on a budget!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:49:00 -0500

We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:11:00 -0500

Fun new tricks
-Being used to cheap things I am getting tired of how terrible they work.
-After spending about $7 on one freakin bottle of Febreeze I had to find a better way.

Your own Windex and Febreeze

Windex.
I used the following 4 easy products.
-1/8 or about 1 oz. of White Ammonia
-1/4 or about 4 oz of Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
-a drop of Laundry Detergent
-Fill the rest with water

I used an empty Windex spray bottle and filled it right up. It worked great and even smelled so clean! It was so nice to be able to buy cheap products from a dollar store and create a decent product. Being a teacher I use Windex daily to clean my always messy white board. Life of a math teacher I guess!

Febreeze
I used a 32oz spray bottle to create this Febreeze. You will not believe how easy this was and how it seemed to be basically the same!

1/8 cup or about 1 oz of Fabric softner-I used my favorite fun scent!
2 tablespoons baking soda
hot water to fill up the rest the bottle

So easy and simple!!

The Garage sale game

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:24:00 -0500

The best part of spring and fall is what we call the Garage sale game. As in what neighborhood to hit first, comparing prices, and how many houses will there be. It can be quite a gamble.

On the look out of baby items which are not exactly hard to come by. That is why we have such an exciting garage sale game with all our options.

I feel very overwhelmed with so much to do this fall. Being a teacher sure can be exhausting but well worth it :)

Magnetic white board

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:37:00 -0500

So I was trying to create something for my family. We have a very busy family which often means a lot of communication at home is leaving notes or just placing things on the counter. So I wanted an easier way and maybe a way to go green to save our notepads! So here it is! A whiteboard that is magnetic!

Did you know they have these great sheets that you can use. They are thin enough that I could cut it with my scissors! It worked so well!

I had a frame around the house that I just painted black and then layered a cute piece of scrapbook paper on top of the metal. Using the glass it created a great whiteboard surface!

I like the idea that if I wanted to move the frame somewhere else I could change the paper out to match any room :)

I used a glue gun to put a magnet on the whiteboard marker as well as creating a cute magnet.

Education Quote

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:06:00 -0500

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child. ~George Santayana

As I read this quote I caught myself wondering how many parents truly believe that children are only educated at school. Learning through experience is one of the most important lessons a child can get. The more they are totally immersed in learning and education the better. Everyday you should learn something new, no matter what it is and no matter how you learn.

Lack of time

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:31:00 -0500

Now that I am student teaching I realize how much time teachers really spend. Or should I say especially math teachers really spend working. I am putting in around 9 hours a day. And that is with two of us working together to get everything done! Whew am I tired by the end of the day.

Good things are that I have got a lot of great experience, and the kids have been so wonderful to work with. Even when they are crazy they are still entertaining at least!

This weekend for the holiday weekend I would like to tie dye as well as possibly creating fun clips for the hair. Now that I have to dress up everyday it is way more entertaining to have fun hair things!

Hair Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:57:00 -0500

I am looking into creating new hairbands and clips with things like bows and such so if you have any suggestions let me know. Look for photos to come!

Upcoming weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Tue, 9 Aug 2011 22:21:00 -0500

I have such a busy upcoming semester and I am so excited! Start student teaching and finish up some crafts.
Upcoming crafts
-Tiedying
-Magnetic and dry erase board
-Fun Mailing ideas (as my friends leave)

Get ready!

New favorite toy

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Tue, 2 Aug 2011 22:07:00 -0500

UNDERWATER camera.

I have a new Kodak camera that is also waterproof. It is the perfect thing for me since it is super durable and such a fun toy at the pool. Kids love it since they can pose underwater and find it super fun!

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/productID.169976100 Here is the link to the store it also has amazing video features that is so much fun to make daily videos!

Volunteer abroad

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Tue, 2 Aug 2011 18:54:00 -0500

I have these passions for travel and for teaching. My new plan to help me achieve both is to volunteer abroad and teach English and math to underprivileged kids. Giving these kids the gift of English is one of the most life changing things they can experience. My only issue is financing these dreams. It is not easy to pay for this right out of college. Sadly, I am trying my hardest to fundraise but with little luck. Here is where you can help me. Any amount is appreciated :)

https://www.wepay.com/donate/seekelliabroad

School Year approaching

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Tue, 2 Aug 2011 18:48:00 -0500

As the school year approaches what are you doing to get ready? How do you prepare whether it is your children or your classroom it is always a large adjustment. As I prepare I stock up on sticky notes and pens and pencils while I can catch a sale.

Painting Coolers

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:49:00 -0500

Painting coolers is a common thing in college. You use quotes, photos, patterns or whatever else you want. Nothing is better than showing your passions on your cooler while chilling on the beach.

Prep
-rub some acetone on the cooler at first. This will help take off the seal to help the paint stick better. The acetone is not needed but is helpful.
-If you have sandpaper you can also sand the edges down a bit if you are having troubles.

Paint
-If you have a bright colored cooler I suggest putting a layer of primer. I prefer Killz but anything will work. this helps put a light base layer to make it easy to cover with your layer of paint.
- Use acrylic paint not tempera. It is also helpful if you are doing small writing to use paint pens. They may just make it easier for you.

Seal
-I love to use mod podge for coverage as a seal to help keep the paint in place. You can also use a clear coat spray paint. But make sure that you use a sealant otherwise the paint can just peal off.

I prefer to paint one side fully including the sealant and then moving to the next. It helps get the paint stuck on and it is easy to finish one before the next. Happy Painting!

I will upload more photos once this cooler is finished!

Spray Paint and Canvas

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:29:00 -0500

Canvas art is one of my favorite things on the planet. Which once it goes on sale at my favorite store Hobby Lobby I go a bit crazy. Which is what happened and ultimately ended in my next project.

my room is decorated in shades of purple and black. So after buying two different contrasting shades of purple and some black spray paint so I was ready. I prefer to use just plain card stock as a stencil so I just cut out pieces to create the peace sign and the heart. A quick spray paint over it and it was done. So quick and easy!

TWITTER

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:28:00 -0500

You can also follow me on twitter with short updates there at @CraftsnEduc

Thanks!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:15:00 -0500

Now I know you can find things like this anywhere but I just made these today and let me tell you they are amazing.
Now I am all for quick and easy so I use box mixes for like everything. Its still as good for half the time!

-I placed a small amount of batter in the bottom of each cupcake tin. (I also used the store bought cookie dough. I figured it would one be easier as well as not having eggs so not having to worry if it fully cooks.)
- I cut about 2/3 to 3/4 of the stick to put inside the cookies.
-I would make a small ball about one inch and place it inside and then cover the cookie dough with a little bit of batter again. (make sure not to fill it all the way or the cupcakes will overflow)
- Cook them on 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
-I used the last third to fourth of the cookie dough to make small cookies for the top of the cupcakes.
- they only needed to be baked for 5-7 minutes so keep an eye on them.
- Then once all this is done you can enjoy these amazing treats.

Overall with all the shortcuts I like to take it only took me around 35-40 min.

Podcast for Class

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:57:00 -0500

this is the first episode of my podcasts that I have to do for class

Interactive whiteboards

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:46:00 -0500

Now I have done a lot of work with SMART boards but was unaware that there were other types of interactive whiteboards. What types do you use in your classroom?
Here is some research I made comparing Promethean and SMART boards:

The SMART board and the Promethean board are similar in the fact that they serve the same purpose in the classroom. They create interactive lessons to help enhance student learning. These boards do a great job of engaging the student learning and helping get hands on learning. These boards can be used for things like creating lessons in advance that can be saved for the future, you can diagram activities, teach steps to a math problem, students can easily share interesting projects for parent/teacher/student conferences, it can help ESL learners and special education students using charts and graphs, as well as fun electronic word walls. There are templates and plenty of websites dedicated to helping create lessons that use the advantages of interactive whiteboards.

They may seem similar but there are also differences to each of the different interactive options. One of the main differences is that the smart board is a "soft board" that you can use your fingers to draw on. The Promethean ActivBoard is a "hard board" that requires the use of a special pen. Promethean software is more "child-friendly" with their fancy colors and animation, but the SMART Notebook software is more flexible in that you start with a blank page.

Now a main factor in deciding the choice of interactive whiteboards is also the price. School districts are getting less and less funding each year so they have to be fiscally responsible. The Promeathean Activboard can be found for around $1,700. The SMART board can be found to run around $2,000. This means that the Promeathean board can save you around $300 per classroom, which can become quite a large amount.

The SMART board technical specifications include things like multi-touch finger and pen based solution. It can have multiuser modular pen tray with four-color buttons and the SMART notebook software. They have a variety of different makes and models so you can see what may work for you. Many even come compatible with whiteboard markers. They also need a projector that comes with the smart board to operate. They also have an extended control panel. Overall, the SMART board has a lot of different upgrades and specifications that can be used in any classroom.

The Promethean board comes with a variety of options and technical specifications. Cordless Battery-free pen incorporating tip switch and side switch for full mouse functionality. Available as Fixed System, Adjustable System or Mobile System complete with choice of stands and Short Throw and Extreme Short Throw projectors. The future of interactive whiteboard teaching and learning is not about “replacing” pens with “touch” but rather developing a new “multi-touch” interface that allows users to customize their interactive experience. It can accommodate multiple users collaborating on a single task – an essential student skill for the future. Images can be easily moved, scaled and rotated with finger touch with real life “pen” tasks such as writing and drawing across the whole surface, which can increase engagement. Promethean boards are also compatible with Mac, or PC operating systems so it can be easily integrated into the classroom. It can be easily adaptable and can be great for working with students.

Great Educational Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Svatos) — Sun, 3 Jul 2011 17:12:00 -0500

Here are a few great educational blogs that I have found that have so much information that can be applied either in the classroom or with parents. I hope you enjoy!

Mr. Baird's Math Class

This wonderful blog discusses math used around the world in everyday life. Great for a daily starter for how we will use math beyond this class. Great hook ideas for starting future classes.

Mathematics and Web 2.0

This is mainly resources used for math online. Websites and games for students to use or even have them use at home for extra help.

2 cents

Check out this blog for some thoughts on the process of learning at large. It could influence how you teach.

Resources for Teaching Reading

This about teaching reading and getting ready for parent involvement. It has great ideas for how to integrate parents into everyday education.

Website of the Day

Website of the day contains educational articles or videos. They are updated everyday with something fun and interesting.

Parents and Education

Information for parents and education. They are from a parent perspective so it is great to help struggling parents.

Technomaths

I have to teach geometry in the fall so this involves a lot of pictures and architecture that I can use in the classroom. It has so much great photos that can help relate things to real life.

Divide by Zero

Here you’ll find a math-focused blog with some ideas on teaching and using academic technology.

Detention Slip

Visit this blog to get daily updates about what’s going on in the world of education. They have commentary and great articles to stay updated with.