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Toolbox

This document discusses 10 teaching tools used in the author's third grade classroom. The tools include setting goals with students, vocabulary games, matching games, word searches using context clues, a classroom economy system, a behavior tracking clip system, a designated reading corner, group seating arrangements, student-created how-to guides, and using recess time as a reward for good behavior. The author believes these tools help teach students responsibility, accountability, and reinforce reading and learning.

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50 views

Toolbox

This document discusses 10 teaching tools used in the author's third grade classroom. The tools include setting goals with students, vocabulary games, matching games, word searches using context clues, a classroom economy system, a behavior tracking clip system, a designated reading corner, group seating arrangements, student-created how-to guides, and using recess time as a reward for good behavior. The author believes these tools help teach students responsibility, accountability, and reinforce reading and learning.

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api-311996091
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Allie Mendenhall

EDUC 201
Dr. Harris
4/22/14

Classroom Teaching Toolbox

1. Setting Goals: In my third grade classroom at Keister Elementary School Mrs.


Slykhuis has taught the kids how to set goals for themselves and then most
importantly how to follow through with the set goals. She started in the beginning
of the year by teaching the students what a goal was and the appropriate steps to
plan out a goal for yourself. Now I observe her reminding the students to
remember their goals and push themselves so that they can obtain their goals. I
think this is a vital classroom teaching strategy to put into place because it teaches
the students responsibility and accountability.
2. Vocab game: play a vocab game with the kids where each child in the classroom
writes down 10-15 vocab words from the current chapter. Then they must come
up with a clue (similar to but not an exact definition) to read to their partner. The
goal of the game is to for each partner to guess as many words as possible before
the buzzer goes off.
3. Matching Game: Children create the cards for the memory game by drawing a
picture and writing an accompanying definition for an event/ thing (in my third
grade classroom it was different stages of the water cycle and the plant cycle).
The game is then played when the pieces are cut out and shuffled then flipped

over. The student then plays a memory play a memory game where one of the two
pictures in the set is the name of the stage (in plant cycle) and the other picture is
an illustration.
4. Word search: Mrs. Slykhuis gives kids a set of 3 or 4 new vocabulary words to
look for while reading an assigned chapter in any given book. The kids must
locate the words and then decide what the definition of the new word is based on
the context clues surrounding it. I think this is a good tool to use because it
teaches the kids new words while reinforcing reading skills and using surrounding
knowledge to build new knowledge.
5. Classroom money: Students in my classroom at Keister are given classroom
money for certain behaviors (like bringing back their homework folder signed, or
completing an assignment correctly on their own). Then the students are given
opportunities to purchase their own rewards (line leader, money counter, the
opportunity to bring a stuffed animal to class etc.) with the money they earned.
This is a unique and strong tool because kids learn that good actions have good
consequences and if they fail to complete something they miss out on
opportunities. It teaches kids to take responsibility for their actions.
6. Close-pin system: Each student is given a number at the beginning of the school
year. There are then 4 colors assigned to certain behaviors. Purple is exceptional,
green is good, yellow is caution, and red is check your behavior and change it.
Each student starts the day on green and is responsible for moving their close-pin
up or down as instructed to based on their behavior throughout the day (purple is
a very high accomplishment in our classroom, and red is a very serious warning
on a childs behavior patterns.) I think this is a good system to have in place in a

classroom because children are held responsible for their own actions throughout
the day/week.
7. Reading corner: My classroom is set up so that when the students walk in, right
past Mrs. Slykhuis desk in the front corner of the room there is a reading corner.
Here there are rugs and pillows for students to read individually, in small group
settings or as a whole class. I think this is a good way to have the classroom set up
so that there is always a place for reading in the classroom.
8. Group seating: In my classroom there are 4 different groups seated throughout
the classroom. Each group has different levels of learners (they range from the
highest functioning/comprehensive group of students in the class to the lowest)
and each groups has a mix of boys and girls. I think this is a smart way to arrange
the classroom because it teaches students to use their peers to their advantage and
its also an effective tool in keeping students on track if their peers surrounding
them are working on the same task.
9. How-to-pamphlet: In my classroom at Keister Mrs. Slykhuis gave the kids and
interesting assignment. She had the kids pick a task, any task, and then write a
detailed step-by-step instruction manual for completing the said task. I thought
this was valuable instructional tool because it taught the kids reasoning and it also
expanded their vocabulary as they were forced to use the dictionary to find
explanation words they werent familiar with.
10.
Recess- In my third grade classroom recess is used as a tool for keeping
students on track. Recess at any time can be taken away if students do not behave
or follow the rules set out for the day, this is a good instructional strategy because
students are more inclined to stay on task and focused as they know there will be
negative consequences for their actions if they do not.

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