Saturday, February 15, 2014

Breakin' the rules...Sparkin' Student Motivation

It's Saturday which means I'm linkin' up with my sweet buddy Joanne 
Spark Student Motivation Saturdays.


Joanne,
If you are readin' this...
I want you to know I wore high heels this week.
They hurt.  I complained.
Two hours was my limit.
I was in full on giraffe-mode.
My flips flops didn't like me in heels.
I don't know how you do it.
You are my high-heeled hero.

If you are a rule-breaker like me...raise your hand.
Anyone?
Breakin' rules at school is motivatin'.
You might be thinkin' to yourself..."Um...what?
She's a teacher.  Why would she encourage breakin' rules?"
Just trust me...it works.

Tell a kid they are goin' to get to break school rules,
they will do what you want.

Tell a kid they will get to chew gum in school,
they will do what you want.

Tell a kid they will get to throw a ball indoors,
they will do what you want.

Tell a kid they will get to stand on a table or chair in school,
they will do what you want.

In my class...when I catch someone doin' somethin' "good"
and when they least expect it, 
I will yell bark really loudly, 
"Get on your chair for..."
They move faster than lightnin' to get up on that chair
with a large, goofy grin on their face.
Why?
Well, because they are breakin' school rules of course.
And that my friends, is COOL!

Yes, they "might" fall off the chair, but we don't think about
that BECAUSE...they "might" fall out 
when they are sittin' in the chair too.

What types of things might be cause for a child to climb
up in their chair?

*Gettin' a 100% on a test.
*Makin' it into the Millionaire's Club.
*Bringin' back a signed report card slip.
*Goin' above and beyond on one of our online programs...
without me askin'.
*Meetin' an A.R. goal.
*Doin' somethin' kind for others...randomly.
*Dustin' my desk.
*Organizin' my closet.
*Surprisin' the teacher with a treat.
*Just for bein' awesome.

There really is no end to the possibilities. 
You just never know when chair climbin' will occur.

Standin' on tables is reserved solely for when the crazy teacher
needs to make a super duper important announcement
and...birthdays.
That's right...turn a year older and you get to stand on the
table while your classmates and buddies
sing to you.
Don't even think about lettin' this slide by anyone
on their birthday...they will bug you about it
until you drop everything you are doin'
to sing and dance for them.
True story.

Be forewarned, if you start this tradition with your own
class, you will be known as the rule-breaker
and will be expected to always continue this tradition
even if you have offspring of Administration 
in your classroom.
It's pretty much a rule that you must break the school rules.
Or else.

Motivate them!

You can choose one at a time.

 Or all of them.

Just don't ever...I mean..EVER...
not let them enjoy bein' on the table for their birthday.
I'm serious.

Happy Saturday my friends!

26 comments :

  1. You are ah.maz.ing!!! It makes me want to stand on my coffee table and shout it to you!! So fun...and so stealing this! Love ya!
    Rachel
    A Tall Drink of Water

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  2. LOVE IT!!!! My kids would freak over this!!!

    and btw... 2 hours is my limit in high heels too!

    Elizabeth
    Hodges Herald

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  3. Haha, that's awesome! My kids would go nuts (and I think my principal would have a cow). I may have to try this!

    Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late
    Follow me on Bloglovin!

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  4. How fun! Although I do have a few kids who actually have fallen out of their chairs as they were sitting in them. We are a very uncoordinated group!

    I admire you trying high heels! I can't do them either...

    Jennifer
    Mrs. Laffin's Laughings

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  5. I make my students stand on a chair for the birthday song too... but I never thought to up the ante by standing on a desk! I also never considered using this for other milestones! I LOVE it! :)

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  6. I love it! I'm sure the kids have a ball! You are so right about the rule breaking. If you do it right, breaking the rules is one of the best motivators to get students to follow the rules.

    Have a great weekend!
    Mary
    Fit to be Fourth

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  7. I love that! I agree rule breaking rules with students! Mine love to write on the desks (with dry erase markers) but they don't care - just the idea that they get to do it makes doing math problems amazingly cool!

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  8. First of all, you had me cracking up the whole post! And, I raised my hand right away-it's all about us having fun! Because if we're having fun, then they are definitely having fun! True story...I was observed a couple weeks ago and I told them the assistant principal would be in to watch our class and to act normal. I didn't want them to be extra good (or bad!) and that I wanted her to see everything that happens in our room everyday. "We're all going to do everything we always do." One students raises her hand and says, "Mrs. Miller, are you still going to dance on the desks when she's here?" So then I had to say, "Ok, everything will be normal except for me dancing on the desks!" LOL
    Thanks for sharing a fun post and linking up!
    I loved your use of alliteration! :)
    Your high heeled hero,
    Joanne
    Head Over Heels For Teaching

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  9. You're my favorite. I know birthdays are important to little people, but for the longest time I didn't feel like/make the time for birthday presents of sorts, and just this year upgraded to even having a poster where I listed their birthdays. Your idea of having them stand up and everyone sing to them... precious! I'm so going to start this! What do you do for those who have birthdays over the summer?

    Mandy

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    Replies
    1. We sing for all summer birthdays right before school gets out. We do all of them in one day! :)

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  10. You are so incredibly fun! This is a great reminder to break the rules and have fun!

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  11. First of all Joanne is my high heeled hero too! I tried to follow her example and failed miserably. I have settled for simply using several high heeled tape dispensers around my classroom instead. As for the rule breaking, I am convinced by your blog that this will be a true student motivator! If I were to allow this kind of rule breaking in my classroom it would send shock waves through my school! I just might have to break a few rules this week and see how things go. Thanks for motivating me!

    Passion in Portable Land

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    Replies
    1. Oh good...I'm glad I'm not alone with the high heeled tape dispensers. Mine are bedazzled too!!

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  12. That is AWESOME! Your students must love you!

    Seriously the best idea!
    Kelly
    A View Into My Classroom

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  13. You are FABULOUS and I would love to be in your classroom! I can only imagine how much fun your kiddos have every day! My first graders mouths would drop if I did this for them-and I think I am going to have to try this A.S.A.P.! Too cute! :) PS I am like you with the high heels...I give Joanne a lot of credit because no way would I last a full day of teaching in them...I rarely last a night out in them anymore!!!

    Thanks for sharing this adorable post! :)

    Amanda
    Learning to the Core

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    Replies
    1. I used to love to see my Kinder and First Graders faces the first time I made someone get on a chair or table. It was priceless!!

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  14. Oh. My. Word. I can already feel it...the urge to have a child stand in a chair will hit me this week and I'll remember how amazing it sounded in this post and we'll all be up in our chairs!!! The idea just makes me giddy. You ROCK!
    Courtney
    <a href="http://polkadotlessonplans.blogspot.com/“>Polka Dot Lesson Plans</a>

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  15. Ahhhhh - I love it!!! So fun and simple!!

    Kate :)
    McDee's Busy Bees

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  16. Your room is just full of fun- love this idea! PS- good try with the high heels-- I can only handle wedges, otherwise flats are the way for me!
    Aylin :)
    Learning to the Core

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  17. That's it. I'm moving to Florida and enrolling in your class. Love you!

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  18. Thanks for the reminder to have fun! But there's no way I am wearing high heels - not even for 2 hours! My feet just can't handle that kind of "cute-ness". :)

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