Kovescence of the Mind

Team building and collaboration is a significant part of the culture of any organization. There are entire professions just dedicated to getting teams to work together. Classrooms and schools are no different. This month I have collected advice, tips, and tricks for the teacher on how they build teams and collaboration in education.

I want my students to work with and for each other, not against each other. That isn't to say that we don't have some healthy competition now and then in the form of review games, but it is not the focus of what I do in the classroom.

Many of the jobs that today's students end up having will require them to work as part of a team. Because this will be a necessary employment skill, I want to work to build teams within the classroom.

We also must model this behavior by working with our team at school. I am lucky in that my team works together very well together.

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Share, Share, Share! Your team is so valuable -Cheryl from Language Arts for Middle School

I am HUGE on having my students collaborate. I try to change up their groupings regularly and remind them that in life, you have work with a lot of different people. There will be people you like, don't like, respect, don't respect, etc. You have to learn to work with anyone, so I don't tolerate students being uncooperative within a group. -April from Cullom Corner

Make time to get to know your students. Greet them at the door as they walk in, walk around while they are working and ask them questions about their day. Check out more of my team building ideas. -Kristy from 2 Peas and a Dog

Looking for engagement, collaboration, and a way to sneak in some content? Check out these relays! You can use the templates with ANY content! The kiddos are having so much fun they barely realize they're doing any work!- Jamie from Miss Math Dork

Break Out EDU

-Amanda from Xclass To The Rescue

We do "Village" discussions. We each bring forward a specific student who is struggling and who we are fighting to help. We give a two minute run down on the current situation, and then we brainstorm strategies. This is not an end all, be all discussion that solves all our kids' issues. It does provide a shot in the arm, some fresh perspective, and sometimes ideas that wouldn't have come about any other way. It also builds awareness in all of us of our student population. We can do it with just grade level colleagues, upper el/lower el, or K-5 teachers all together. Ideally, this happens every month... but you know how it goes....-Kathleen from Kidpeople Classroom

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I have two pieces of advice for you for team building too.

1) Have students complete group annotation of texts. Students read an annotate a portion of text together. I often follow this up with a group quiz or writing assignment.

2) Create assignments, activities, and projects where students can work together and build those skills. One of my favorite review activities for collaborative teams is to Build a Board Game.

Student work together to use information from any unit (here we studied women in history) to create a board game to market and sell.

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How do you build team work and collaboration in your classroom?

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Do you want to be the feature on next month's post?

November's topic is Organization and Supply Management

Email me your tip at kovescenceofthemind@gmail.com

Teachers are busy people who move around...a lot! The clothes that we teachers wear is an important decision for our budget, our body, and our classrooms. This dress from Cents of Style met all three of those requirements for me: budget-friendly, stylish, and comfortable. Then I styled it four ways to get me to jeans day!

I have received a complimentary dress for this post, but the words and opinions here are 100% mine! This post contains affiliate links, and I receive a small commission at no cost to you, should you choose to purchase.

The dress I selected was navy blue, classic and versatile. The best part is that you can to head over to Cents of Style to get your own swing dress for $21.95 today with DRESS2016.

First up I paired the dress with my jean jacket, favorite statement necklace, and coordinating earrings.

This look is perfect for a full day of teaching and running up and down the stairs. The jacket provided a little extra warmth as my school has yet to turn on the heat.

This statement necklace is one of my absolute favorite jewelry pieces. I got in my very first Rocksbox. The pink is so bright that it adds such a pop to any outfit.

The coordinating earrings are from Cents of Style and come in 20 different colors. I have them in coral, white, and cobalt blue.

The mornings are getting colder, and the school doesn't have the heat on, so layers are becoming a must in my wardrobe. On a whim, I paired my Cents of Style swing dress with my gray puffer vest and black boots.

You can see just a peek-a-boo of my purple leggings underneath. I was toasty warm in this outfit. Plus, as any teacher knows, adding a layer with pockets is always a good thing.

I added another piece of jewelry from my Rocksbox to this outfit too: a delicate silver necklace.

This dress comes in sizes small to 3X and in 17 amazing colors.

I am enamored with this dress because it looks good on so many different body types.

For style three I went a little simpler. I threw on a Cents of Style hedgehog scarf and my flats. When you are running behind in the morning, this dress is a go-to item because you can wear it, throw on a few accessories, and go.

I just can't get enough of this cute scarf. It has become a regular in my scarf rotation.

I also added my Cents of Style pineapple earrings in silver. I always wear studs with scarves because of the snag factor and I have enough going on in my classroom.

On my toes, I wore my pink Ballasox, which are the only ballet flats worth wearing in the classroom. I love them so much that I own three pairs. Be sure to check out why I adore them.

Lastly, I went with a pop of color and sassiness.

My pink sweater and leopard Ballasox were a great pair for this navy dress. I added another Rocksbox necklace, and I was off to meet with a student and parent.

Don't forget to head over to Cents of Style to get your swing dress for $21.95 today with DRESS2016.

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Other Swing Dress Style Tips
*Wear your new swing dress with your go-to pendant necklace and a pair of heels. It's simple and elegant. Hello, holiday parties!

*Plaid! Add a plaid shirt tied around your waist for the ideal festival vibe.

*This dress is an ideal addition to your favorite ankle boots.

*Layer a cute vest over your swing dress. It provides interesting texture and contrast and switches up your look just a little.

*Cold weather is coming! Pair this swing dress with a coordinating blanket scarf, add a great wool fedora and ankle boots, and you have a pulled together look that will keep the chill out too.

*Don't forget our other must-have accessory this Fall & Winter - the kimono. Layer a heavier kimono with a little length over your dress to add a bit of warmth without feeling bulky. You'll be right on trend.

The coupon code is DRESS2016 and it will make each dress $21.95 + FREE SHIPPING in the cart.

What color do you want and how would you style it?

Sinners & Saints : A Patriot's Manifesto

by Kristina Garlick

My name is Zoey Major and I live in Fort Star, New Jersey. I am also a survivor in the zombie apocalypse. Seems very cut and dry but I have been hiding something- like really huge. My secret is game changing. I am not like the others... I know, what a surprise twist! Unfortunately, I can’t tell you why I am different. If you really want to know, you have to figure it out. Hey, even in these dark times, a girl needs her secrets.

This post contains affiliate links.

Eventually, I found my way into the Oval Office. The famous Resolute Desk was there and luckily not a scratch on it. I approach the desk, touching it almost gingerly for fear of even a chance of marring its beauty. Next, I pick up the chair that laid on the floor next to the desk and I brush it off. I sat down at the desk and for a moment I thought everything would be okay. Then I saw a zombie walk pass the doorway. I began shouting and cursing at the damn zombie but it doesn’t hear me.

In utter despair, I began to cleaning the Oval Office. I hated to see it in such disrepair and besides I had no place to go or anything to do. I was a castaway person looking for a world that no longer existed. When I picked up the slightly torn and dirty American flag off of the floor I began to cry. Like a security blanket, I wrap the flag around me. Feeling like I truly had hit rock bottom, I collapse on the floor in front of the Resolute Desk. If a miracle was going to happen, I needed it to occur now.

Suddenly, I hear rapid gun fire coming from somewhere outside of the office. Or maybe it wasn’t that sudden and I had just lost track of time. Somehow I snapped out of my PTSD type fog and realized I needed to hide in case whoever was coming my way was not friendly. Plus, while I was immune to zombie sight and sound, I was pretty sure I could still die by a bullet.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kristina Garlick lives in Warren County, New Jersey. She holds a Masters in Parks & Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. While she loves the outdoors and has many hobbies such as soap making, writing has always been her passion. Kristina wrote her first full length fantasy story at ten and had her first book published when she was fourteen. She has a unique style of writing, which she calls Diary-Play format. Kristina is also available for book signings, panels, discussion groups and other special functions.

Website: www.kristinagarlick.com (Where you can buy Kristina’s Books)

Email: authorkristinagarlick@yahoo.com

Twitter: @KristinaGarlick

Kristina will be awarding a $15 azon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

September's topic is all about improving on our classroom management and procedures. We have been in school for a few weeks now, but I am still training my students on our procedures and adding new ones as they come up. Classroom management, I believe, is an on-going process that must be nurtured all year long.

We have several new teachers in our building this year. Being a new teacher has its own set of struggles on top of those that all teachers face. Because of these newbies, I wanted to collect and share advice on a variety of topics relating to teaching for all of us, new or veteran, to learn from.

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Use humor in the classroom! It works for engagement, lesson buy-in, and tension reduction. Check out her post on humor in the classroom. -Cheryl from Language Arts for Middle School

Always have some sort of assignment or task on the board for when students come in. While you take attendance, they have something to do! -Carrie from The Tightwad Teacher

Consistency, consistency, consistency!!! Chaos reigns without consistency! -April from Cullom Corner

Be consistent with your routines and procedures. Practice them regularly. Do not give up, they will work eventually. Find more classroom management ideas on her blog. -Kristy from 2 Peas and a Dog

I like to train students to work independently or together before turning to me for help. It forces them to listen to directions if they know that I'm not going to repeat myself. My tip is to set a timer for 7 min. at the beginning of work time, and let them know that you won't answer any questions until the timer goes off. At first, they'll act frustrated, but then their drive to "figure it out" will set in and they'll work together to solve their problems. Gradually increase the time until students can work alone or in pairs for an entire class period. This is when you'll have your one-on-one conferences about writing and reading. -Danielle from Teach Nouvelle

Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken . See her post on being true to her teacher self.

-Amanda from Xclass To The Rescue

When dealing with any classroom management issues, my biggest piece of advice is to STAY CALM. If you aren't in control of your emotions, the students will control them. If you're calm, you can think clearly and make rational decisions. Before you take any action, take at least two long, deep breaths, quiet your mind, and relax your jaw. -Karrie from Mrs. E Teaches Math

There are many, many tips in this category, but I'm going to say, CONNECT with each student everyday– simple, yet difficult to do. We stay busy managing "the class" and can sort of loose "the student." Personal, daily connection doesn't just help with management, but leads to student growth and learning in both academics and social behavior. One way to connect each day– greet each student at the door while you are SEATED, especially if you teach lower elementary. Sit down to look students in the eye, at their level, so they are not always looking up. -Kathleen from Kidpeople Classroom

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I have two tips for classroom management for you.

1) Get the book CHAMPS and use it. I love the clip charts to show students what you expect of them in terms of volume, help, and movement during different types of activities.

2) Create a seating chart. I print two sets of these Rainbow Desk Labels: one to tape to the desks and another to hand out to students. We use them all year for grouping up.