Super Improvers Team

     I am loving my super improvers wall and so are my students! Last year when I started using Whole Brain Teaching, I started using some of the different techniques and strategies. I did not use the super improver team because I did not have room for it and I felt that it was too close to the end of the year to try.  This year, I was very excited to start the super improver team and dedicated bulletin board space to the wall.  Here is a picture:

     This is a picture from the beginning of the year with everyone's name on white cards. After about 10 days, I introduced the super improver team to my students.  I have all of the levels except for the beginner level turned around backwards to build anticipation.  I told the students that they are working on improvement - not on having the best grades or best behavior.  They were very excited when the first stars went on the cards and I made them work hard for those stars.  Now that the wall has been active for several weeks, there are several students that are close to moving to the next level. It amazes me how excited they are about getting a sharpie star on their card. They frequently check their card and they know how close they are getting to the next star.  

    I love how easy it is and I have happily abandoned my classroom dollars that I have used for years!! I gave up a treasure box years ago because of the expense and I never could make a clip chart work for me - I would always forget to have kids change the cards. I am also loving that the Super Improver Wall is positive - the students can't lose stars! 

   Sometimes a student will ask me what they get for moving up a level and my response is that they get to move up a level, like a video game AND they get to take the old card home and celebrate at home as well as getting a 10 finger woo! The students are quite happy with that and of course, when they get to a higher level (at level 4), there just be a surprise - which they are dying to know about but they will have to wait. :)