Plickers

   Don't you just love all the new advances in technology? I do most days until our printer stops working or I can't figure out a program.  Plickers is one of those things that changed exit tickets for me.  If  you haven't seen it take a look here.  I used to use those classroom clickers but we only had one set for our school and inevitably when ever my turn came around I would forget how to use them and then have to relearn the whole program.  They also have neat apps that students can input answers, but I would need a devise for ever kid which I am far from having.
      Enter Plickers.  I copied and pasted a list of my classes.  Then I printed off the student cards. On Pinterest I've seen many neat ways to keep these cards, but for my class I glued them into their math journal.  This way they always had it with them in class (I'm religious about them keeping their math journals at school and not loosing it).  When I was in the classroom I would do lesson planning and have my Plickers app open and type in any questions  under library I want to incorporate into my lessons or exit tickets. Then during class when I am ready to give the question I write the question with the answer choices on the board,  (you can also open the app on your smartboard).  Then the amazing part (at least to me) you then open the app on your phone or tablet and scan the room while the students hold up their answer choice. On their card one side up is A another is B and so on.  It uses your camera and viola.

     I love that I can alter it to what I need.  I can add pictures into the question for my geometry units, I can do true/false, or do a question with no right answer to survey my students.  I also received an e-mail that under reports they will soon have a "score sheet" where you can group questions together and it will give an average.  "Wait you mean it will grade and score it for me?"  Yes and it's ready for the grade book!
My kids love it because it's different and no one really knows what anyone else picked so I know this is what the student knows and not just their neighbor. I think this ones a keeper.  Ba da ba da da I'm loving it!

data tracking

   We have been hard at work taking benchmarks and looking at data.  I kind of have this love hate relationship with data, though probably more love than hate.  I love getting to see exactly which part of math that they are struggling to target for interventions with and getting to celebrate what they have already mastered.  I love developing plans for how they are going to reach their goals. The only thing I hate to see is when kids get discouraged and think that they aren't smart or  so below they are working on their data tracking plan.  We track the TEKS (Texas standards) from each test.  I try to do all of our unit tests and benchmarks but I confess with 4 grade levels and 14 classes we are doing good to get the benchmarks and a handful of unit test.  When I was in the classroom it was a little easier but sometimes I have more data than time!  Based on skill that the student still needs I form my groups.  
   My current plan during grouping is to have a mini lesson and short activity with me or the homeroom teacher. I also am in the works of videoing a mini lesson for the TEKS so they can watch it for extra practice or at home.  Then each student gets a practice page for that skill and completes it independently.  If they can get an 80% or better they "graduate" that skill.  in my tub (you know how much I love my tubs) I have one of our resource printed on green, yellow and pink.  The green sheets are their first attempt, yellow second and pink third.  This helps me and know who still is struggling and who is trucking along. I can also let students play a game based on a particular TEK from my tub . My students love not having to work on skills they have mastered and take so much more ownership of their learning this way.  I also reward them when they graduate all of their skills!