Something I LOVE: Growth Mindset Video Series

Happy Valentine's Day!  I know it's Sunday funday, and Valentine's day, and really the last thing we are thinking about is school.  Right?  RIGHT?  

I thought I'd share something my students and I are LOVING lately with you this day of love + kindness.  If you want to start your week on an easy breezy note tomorrow, Class Dojo has released a new series of 5 videos about the Growth Mindset and my class is l-o-v-i-n-g them!  So if you don't use Class Dojo on the daily, I thought I'd give you a little heads up.  These are great mini-lessons in the classroom and each video is only 2-3 minutes long (my favorite one so far has been about using the word "yet"- I don't get this "yet"... LOVE!).

Even if you don't use Class Dojo in your room, these videos are pretty great.  This year I have been using it, and my students like to look for their character in the videos.  The videos are posted on YouTube, so you don't even need a Dojo account to check them out.  The last episode was just released today.  

Here's the first of the series for you to check out.  

I've added the link to the first video over on the Classroom Management resources as well!  {below or click the "Websites and Resources" page up top- bookmark it for the future!}

I hope you enjoy a wonderful and relaxing Valentine's Day Sunday!  I'm planning to eat some chocolate and run a few miles...it all evens out, right?? 

 + 

LOVE,

            

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From Drab to Flocab {we rap in class}

I've been living in this black hole that is National Boards (I'm telling you, if I don't pass this, I will cry TEARS for YEARS).  

Also, I've been teaching.  And managing.  A lot of classroom management makes for one tired teacher.

One of my saving graces with my charming active and interactive group this year is my Flocabulary subscription.  I'll be honest... when my subscription was up, I really thought about whether it was going to be worthwhile for another year.  I'm usually a big fan of free online resources, but my students last year LOVED using Flocab for vocabulary.  I stuck mainly to using it only for our vocabulary instruction last year in 4th grade.  

So this fall when the time came, I did stop and think.  I tried it a couple times with my 3rd grade class to see if I had the same buy-in...and I did.  Then I spent a little while hopping around and discovered a lot of the videos matched my curriculum, so I forked over the cash yet again. 

WORTH IT.  My class LOVES it!  This year I branched out and we've been using videos for...

...Social Skills

...Digital Citizenship (hey this helps out with that required lesson for my district, yay!)

...Writing

...Reading

...Science (rocks & minerals is coming out soon and we are super psyched about it in 3rd grade)

...Math (multiplication facts, they love it)

So basically I just use it completely the opposite from last year.  Last year I used it strictly for vocabulary instruction, and this year I haven't used the vocabulary component but I've used everything else.  Isn't it weird how different classes require different instruction?  

We watch the same video MULTIPLE times.  I do this because once just isn't enough for students to really get the concept.  Particularly with content specific songs, I do a lot of teaching the content prior to showing the video.  The video is really helpful for reinforcing a topic or important words, as well as helping students to remember it.  

Here's one of our favorites for reading/writing this year:

This year I have even used the quizzes that go with the videos (some of them are pretty helpful if I'm teaching an entire unit).  

Flocabulary has a convenient little special happening right now.  If you sign up for a free 75 day trial (it's 15 more days than any other time of year...so this takes you to mid-late April depending on when you start, of course) and you can sign up your whole school for the trial.  That way you can check it out for FREE for a bit!  Last day for the trial is Feb. 29th, so you can even bookmark it and think about it until then if you want.  

We sing.  We dance.  Students feel like pretty hard core rappers.  It's hilarious for me.  So it's pretty good all around.

Disclosure: This has been written in partnership with Flocabulary; opinions, classroom uses, & money I paid for my own classroom subscription are my own.  

            

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Happy, happy!

The Iowa Caucus results are on, so I'm glued to the television (and computer), so here I sit ready to chat with you.  

Usually February is my least favorite teaching month, but my district has mid-winter break now, so February is pretty darn dreamy.  A day celebrating love and kindness, and a break?  I'll take both!  {I won't mention the pre-test crunch time, shhhh}

I got some new books that arrived on my doorstep today that I've been super excited about, plus a few special visitors planning trips to ME in the next few weeks and months that I get to plan and play tourist, so my free time is pretty wrapped up in wonderful happenings lately. 

But, I'm also in the midst of finishing my written part of National Boards and am working on the video portion as well, so my planning is out of control.  Or maybe that's my stress level.  Lots of pressure to do this right, and I'm trying to juggle it all.  I want more time.  Not just more time...but more time when I feel MOTIVATED.  I mean, I have TIME, but I don't always feel like working all the TIME.  Oy.  Balance, my friends.  It's a real need.  I hope you are taking time for you and your loved ones this month!

Check out Farley's blog for more teacher blogger updates!

Honestly,  I enjoy Valentines day in the classroom.  Or as I like to call it, Fun Dip Day.  I do love a day to share kindness and excitement in the classroom.  We get to decorate and eat treats and just enjoy.  

If you're looking for a few fun school ideas- Valentines from the teacher to fun heart themed activities for kids- you can check out my Celebrate the Holidays Pinterest board because I've been pinning like crazy lately!  

Follow Miss B.'s board Celebrate the Holidays on Pinterest.

            

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