I just used BingoCardPrinter today and it went great.

No longer any need to waste time by having the students create their own bingo cards. Just type in your terms and select the number of cards you want printed out.

However, since my last post I did get many emails about my bingo rules so I thought I’d pass them on…

The day before the test (today) I give each student a review sheet with all the terms from the unit.

Students then have ten minutes to work in pairs to go through their notes and study the review sheet.

Next, I give each pair one bingo card. All bingo cards have the same 24 terms, but each card has the terms scrambled in different order…thanks to BingoCardPrinter.

Next, I don’t just read off the term and have them locate it (the way traditional bingo would be played)…Instead, I give a definition (or ask a question) and the students must locate the appropriate term on their card.

Students then put an X through the term they think matches the definition.

The first pair to get 5 in a row wins bingo!

Now, this is where it is easy for students to cheat…when a student calls bingo how do I know for certain that they crossed off the right word at the right time?

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this…before I state each definition I make sure to say a number first. For example, “Number 1 - what was the first battle of the Revolutionary War?”

Students then look for the answer, but along with putting an X in the box they also place the number 1. This way when I check I can see that they crossed off the correct term for the appropriate question.

Today’s game went great! The kids loved it!

I have always enjoyed playing social studies bingo and now it has just been made so much easier.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out BingoCardPrinter …I suggest you do.
(http://www.bingocardprinter.com)

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I was contacted the other day by someone trying to promote their bingo-card-creator telling me how much teachers are loving his product.

I told him I would have to try it out before I told my own newsletter subscribers and customers about it…

Well he sent me a complimentary copy of his bingo-card-creator software and I’d have to say, “Wow! I’m impressed!”

If you are familiar with any of my work you know I absolutely love to play review games (my ebook, eTeach: A Teacher Resource, has an entire chapter devoted to just review games).

Bingo has been a review game that I enjoy playing, but the problem has always been the fact that the students must each create their own game card…I either read a list of key terms to them or they copy the list down off the board placing the terms in random order on their bingo card.

Unfortunately, this is time consuming and can also lead to classroom management problems. For that reason, I do not play bingo as often as I would like to…

Well, this new software has changed all that!

I have to admit I was skeptical at first (that’s just my nature), but I was able to create bingo cards for a review game I am going to play this Wednesday in literally 2 minutes.

I simply typed in the key terms from the unit…clicked print and out came 30 different bingo cards…Perfect!

Now for the bad news…

1. This software is only for windows (sorry Mac users)

2. There is a free version, but it is limited - the big difference is that you can not chose your own words…although there are several free themes that may work for your classroom (math, science, holidays, sight words etc.)

Personally, I needed the paid version so I could type in my own review terms.

What’s great about the paid version is that since you can type in your own terms this can literally be used with ANY grade level and ANY subject area.

Personally, I think the $20 price tag is well worth something I am going to use many times throughout the school year for many years to come.

For more information on this great teaching toll make sure to visit:
http://www.bingocardprinter.com/a_bcp.php?n=teaching

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The sad fact is, it doesn’t matter how well teachers know their content…it doesn’t matter how many strategies teachers know to improve reading comprehension or to increase academic achievement…if teachers can not manage their classroom, they can not teach.

Many experts in education agree that the students who are causing the classroom management problems usually fall into one of four categories:

1. attention seekers ~ (pencil tappers, hummers, students who talk out etc.)

2. power seekers ~ (always getting in the last word, muttering under their breath)

3. revenge seekers ~ (recipients of frequent punishment)

4. avoiding failure ~ (students who don’t do the work or withdraw from the lesson as a means of avoiding more failure)

However, for most teachers, it is the power seekers that start to make our blood boil. These are the students who question your authority and do so in front of the whole class.

Many teachers feel that they cannot let the power seeking student get in the last word because the will lose face with the rest of the class…leading others to feel comfortable questioning your authority as well.

These power seekers are trying to “bait” the teacher by mumbling something under their breath or flat out stating, “You can’t make me do this assignment!”

Bottom line…these power seeking students are trying to get a reaction out of the teacher and there is nothing they would like more than to have their fellow classmates watch the teacher explode.

Don’t do this…Don’t fall for their tricks…Don’t take the bait!!!

At least not then and there in front of the other students.

There are other options…A much better approach is to take a deep breath, don’t lose your cool, and in a calm, matter-of-fact manner simply tell the student to see you after class and then immediately continue on with the lesson.

If the power seeking student then mutter’s something under his breath again just ignore it…that’s right ignore it…the rest of class already knows that you will handle the situation without their presence. There is no need for further response at this time as all you will be doing is disrupting your own lesson and giving that power seeking student just what he wants.

Then, when the bell rings and the class is leaving, simply pull that power seeking student aside and follow through without the audience that the student desired. Depending on the situation you may also follow that up with a phone call home, parent conference, detention etc.

Just don’t get “into it” in front of the rest of the class.

By knowing the reasoning behind why a student is misbehaving (i.e. seeking power) teachers can make much better classroom management decisions.

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Adam Waxler, a full-time social studies teacher and adjunct education professor, has developed a FREE 5-part

Classroom Management e-Course…

Learn simple classroom management strategies that will result in an immediate and definite decrease in classroom management problems

To sign up for this FREE course visit:
www.Classroom-Management-Tips.com

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Homework Tips: Getting Students to Complete Homework
Copyright © Adam Waxler

Homework, if used correctly, can be quite an effective tool for increasing student achievement.

Unfortunately, as many teachers know, getting students to complete homework can be a frustrating task to say the least.

Teachers try all sorts of strategies to help students complete homework. We have them write the homework in their planners/agendas, we get them started on the homework in class to clear up any confusion, we post the homework on websites and/or blogs etc.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, when it comes to checking/collecting homework the next day we see the same old thing…many students simply do not do the homework, or they don’t complete the homework.

Usually, at this point, teachers start assigning detention, making phone calls home etc.

However, one homework strategy that is often overlooked is getting parents involved with your homework policy from the beginning. No, I don’t mean just letting them know the percentage of the grade and the consequences for incomplete homework, but rather what the parents can do to help their child complete the homework.

Here’s a list of some homework strategies that teachers can share with their students’ parents:

1. Set up a consistent place for homework to be done. Homework should be done in the same place every night - not on the couch one night, at the dinner table the next, and the bedroom the following night.

2. Organize your homework spot to maximize efficiency. Have a box with everything your child might need to complete any given homework assignment…pencils, erasers, glue, scissors, markers, paper etc. This will greatly reduce homework procrastination.

3. Help your child establish a consistent schedule for completing homework. Depending on the child’s after school schedule, it may not be possible to do the homework at the same time every night. Therefore, it may be wise to sit down Sunday night each week and create the homework schedule for the upcoming week.

4. Do not sit with your child and do the homework together. The purpose of the homework is for your child to practice what he or she has learned in class. If your child cannot do the homework by herself then you need to contact the teacher.

5. After your child completes the homework, discuss it…What did he or she learn from the homework? What steps were easy? Difficult?

6. Your child should spend roughly 10 minutes per grade level on homework. For example, a 2nd grader should spend 20 minutes on homework while an 8th grader should spend 80 minutes. Again, if your child continues to consistently spend more time than this on homework make sure to contact your child’s teacher.

Many parents are just not aware of the best way to help their child complete the homework. By providing a list of helpful homework tips for parents, teachers will see an increase in homework completion and therefore, an increase in academic achievement.

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Are you still having problems getting your students to complete homework?

For more homework strategies that you can start applying to your very next class make sure read eTeach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers @ www.TeachingTeacher.com

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A couple of weeks ago I learned about a great teaching tool during a professional development day at our district.

It’s called BrainPop.

Not sure why I hadn’t heard of it before as it has won several awards.

BrainPop is series of short online animated educational videos (roughly 5 minutes each) on basically ANY topic for ANY grade level.

As an 8th grade social studies teacher I started using BrainPop to introduce new units - as a means to spark interest and tap into students’ prior knowledge.

However, what I really love about BrainPop is using it at home with my 7 year-old son - he just loves Moby (the robot host of the show).

This is truly a great tool for both teachers AND parents.

You can find out more about BrainPop here:
www.BrainPop.com

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