Organizing Your Classroom Library

   
    I just read this article about reorganizing your classroom library {click here}. It got me thinking about my classroom library. I have changed my ideas on how I organize my library over my years of teaching. At first, I leveled my library because that is what my district was promoting in their training but I saw lots of other ideas over the years and changed my plan. A few years back, I started organizing my fiction and nonfiction and then some books by series (Magic Tree House, A-Z Mysteries, etc.) and by topic or genre. At first, I was given baskets to level my books - the red, yellow and green ones. Then I added the whites ones because they were bigger and held odd-shaped books. Finally, I fell in love with the pink and blue ones that have dividers but they are expensive so, I have a mix of all kinds of baskets!
   Another idea that I have heard is letting the kids organize the books however they want! I thought - Not ME! Then today, I read the above article from Scholastic about a teacher who took the books out of the bins and let her students organize the books however, they wanted. I am toying with this idea but I have not decided.
   What are your thoughts? How do you organize your library and do you let your students decide how to organize it?

Shaming Students - one wall at a time.

    
   I was reading this article about data walls Shaming students one wall at a time and I was surprised in some ways and not surprised in other ways. Sometimes, we as teachers, do things that seem motivating but than when we take a closer look, we realize how negative it is for our students. I will admit that early in my teaching career, I used to have a chart for how my students were doing on their math facts but I abandoned it for several reasons. The main reason was that it really did not improve anyone's math fact fluency and I was uncomfortable with some students being far ahead or behind to be displayed for everyone to see. There is also the fact that I could not overlook, some of my students were trying their best and still not improving. I did not know how to help these students.  
  Two things happened as I continued my teaching career. The first thing was that I started looking at my instruction and decided I needed to find ways to reach more of my students. I have found some things that work with some students and other things that work for others and I continue to look for ways to improve my teaching.
   The second thing that has absolutely changed my teaching in the past year is discovering whole brain teaching. My antidote to data walls is the Super Improver Team. 

     Students earn stars and move up levels for improvement! This has been so fabulous this year.  All of my students need to improve in something - even my highest kids. It can be used for any academic improvement - math, reading, etc. and behavior as well. The students cheer each other as they earn stars and move up levels! 

   I would highly suggest checking it out as an alternative to data walls. You can check out the free webcast here: www.wholebrainteaching.com. Look for the webcasts and it is #586.  There are also many examples on teachers pay teachers that are also free.

  Do you use data walls in your classroom or something different? Please leave a comment