Our Interactive Notebook, part 1

Now that my classes have had several chapters under their belts, I felt it was time to reflect on our most important organizational element in our classroom:   

THE INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK.  

We've gotten into a fairly good routine both in how our class runs and what the expectation is for the layout of our interactive notebook, or INB, throughout the chapter.  It also has helped me in both communicating to students and parents as well as modeling study strategies that (hopefully) the kids will carry with them into high school.  Of course, many of our topics are of a Pre-Algebra nature, so if they literally carry these notebooks with them into ninth grade it could significantly help them in their Algebra class.  It also was a great piece of evidence for Parent-Teacher Conferences as well as accommodations for IEPs and 504s.  It's a WIN-WIN for everyone!!!

We are using the Big Ideas Math textbook series, a new one for our district this year.   The chapters follow the same type of structure, a student-driven activity day then a more traditional teacher-led lesson to solidify the topic they explored the previous day.  The notebook has become very helpful in grounding both types of instruction, as well as keeping the kid's material in ONE PLACE!

I required a spiral notebook in September.  Most kids brought in one similar to the one I modeled, a one-subject approximately 100 pages of regular ruled paper.  Next year, I think I'll model a 5-subject though, because we found that we ran out of space well before the end of term 2 in the smaller one.  College ruled (which I had some of as well) doesn't work well with most of the kids, as their handwriting is large (and messy...).  But many of the kids didn't realize the size of the paper rule they had.

The Cover Page

The cover page included a sticker of the business cards I had made up this summer.  They had a QR code to the homework web page as well as email contact info and office hours.  I definitely will have more of these next year, but I might just print them out myself rather than purchase them.  You can read that post HERE.  The interior title page was a graphic I found online, with other contact info and a space for the kids to CLEARLY print their name.  Another reason to have a larger spiral is to have only ONE of these... in multiple notebooks, the kids didn't put names on the inside (and then their covers ripped off...)

Inside the front cover (I forgot to circle the Marking Term... oops)

Table of Contents: the TOC

Maintaining a table of contents was stressed, but keeping up with it didn't always happen day to day as I intended.  We did find that we needed to actually assign the TOC to get it updated.  It generally consisted of the lesson topic that was in the book (ex: Activity 3.1 Lines and Angles;  Lesson 3.4 Indirect Measurement)  Each page was also to have a title, the date, and the page number (sometimes in color) in the upper corner of the page.  If this was done each day during class, it was no big-deal.  However, for some reason, the kids don't like not only doing this, but putting their names on tests, last names on ANYTHING... it's very frustrating.  I keep reminding them to autograph their paper... sometimes even HIGHLIGHT their name before turning a paper in...but I still have a pile of anonymous papers that end up ceremonially going into the trash on a regular basis.  (alas, I digress... I think this could be another topic for another day)

   Informational Papers & Flippers

In our first INB was also a prime place to put the informational papers that I usually give out within the first week of school.  These pages were shrank to half-sheets and made into 'flippers', to increase the surface area on each spiral bound page.

















Honestly, this took a while, both to distribute the pages to each group as well as modelling how to attach the papers (using my mantra:  a 'knuckle-size piece of tape')

The 'Knuckle-Size' Piece of Tape

Chapter Title

Each chapter also needed a 'starting point', so I used 4mulaFun's Unit Numbers from TeachersPayTeachers.com.  For my own organization (and sanity) I did write on my master copies, both the chapter numbers as well as the photocopy the pages in the color of the book (Big Idea's grade 8 is BLUE while the Algebra 1 is PURPLE).   Of course, that only worked when the paper was available in the teacher's room.  Something tells me that we're gonna run out soon, but then the kids can color them as they see fit.  This works great for after the chapter test, to keep them busy, quiet, and coloring can be very theraputic for some 'brain rest'.

We also had the left facing page for review material.  The textbook included items called 'What You Should Know' that typically covered standards from previous years.  This was a helpful place for these 8-12 questions.  Quick and painless.

Vocabulary Frodor Model

Yet another TpT idea that I came across last spring was the Frodor Model of vocabulary.  More interactive, and more summative, these models allow for student not only to put the definitions with the terms, but also create examples and non examples, formulas or illustrations to solidify their knowledge.  It was also VERY kinesthetic, which many of my kiddos need!  What I really didn't consider is how much focus they need to get these all cut out, glued in, and completed.


I expected by the 2nd chapter, it'd be easy.  But even now, beginning our 4th chapter, it's a struggle.  But if it's completed correctly, the data is ALL IN ONE PLACE and can be referenced and filled out throughout the chapter.  I have found that filling out some of the information BEFORE I photocopy, including which pages in the INB they go, is very helpful for our organization.




I also color code the chapter, not just the color of the book, but the color of the chapter.  Chapter 2 and 3 I tried to keep items GREEN for our Geometry topics.




Chapter 4, which is more Algebra focused is BLUE.

Chapter 4 Vocabulary - Graphing Linear Equations

In the next post, I'll show off the most functional part of our INBs, the Input/Output and how we've maximized this format for both the Activity and Lesson Days.  And in the future, some of the foldables we've created.

New Year = New Goals

The new year brings us a chance to reflect and renew for the upcoming calendar year.

Fortunately, in my line of work, I am able to 'regroup' on several cycles (academic calendar at school, seasonal catalogs for my direct sales business, calendar year).  But a disadvantage to that is that I never quite feel like I get my feet under me to get the ball rolling.

 I may not be completely organized (or even partially organized) but with new gusto I will send my TOP 5 goals for the upcoming year.  Putting them here will, I hope, keep me accountable, and will also help me to check in on a regular basis (and reset if necessary, despite the calendar I'm currently on).

#1 Get my financial house in order:  With a monthly budget (and sticking to it! *note, the spreadsheet link has fictional numbers), attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University this January, consolidating the debt with a home equity loan, and sticking to the envelope system, I have a big mountain to climb.  But I am determined and I hope that during the first 9 weeks of the year, I will be able to make great strides on this!  I consider this as a birthday present to myself - and a goal I'd like to make significant progress on in 2014.  The nerd in me is making some graphs and timelines and spreadsheets to wrap my brain around it, but I hope attending the class (with my beau) will also allow me not to complete this in isolation.  It's difficult to complete any task, let alone one that has a lot of emotional value, but I feel that this is my Number One priority this year, for the benefit of my family.  Getting expenses under control will also help focus on what the income needs are - especially on some of those 'fringe' jobs I have - and give me a goal on what those areas should bring in.

#2 Manage my time better: This one will be a tough one to actually benchmark.  It's a lofty goal, that will be able to be worked on in all the facets of my life.  I do have my favorite product (and comparable app for my phone) that I use frequently at school.  Read about it here on a previous blog HERE.  I shared the second one with a colleague at school, who worked with students who needed visual cues and lead time.  I also have found that I have been using my phone app more often - but not sharing it with the kids as often (for cleanup, reading, etc).  For the upcoming year, I'd like to be working more on an internal clock that this one, but also focus on a task at a time and give it my all.  If I am focused on a task, I can actually become quite OCD.  But if I have a long list (like cleaning or organizing my house) I notice that I can work for long periods of time, but it doesn't appear that I get much done, mostly because I flit from room to room and never quite get one section 'completed'.  I think I'll focus specifically on a 15-minute cleanup daily before I leave for work, cleaning off my desk each time I use it (both at home and at school), and working on school work for no more than 60 minutes at home.

#3 Focus on Family: Now that my kids are getting older, they are venturing out in their own interests.  As mom, I feel like it's partially my responsibility to remind them of the importance of family and family time.  Unfortunately, with some technical difficulties, one of our true family time events has been disrupted (watching movies together), but I hope to actually get that rectified today.  I also feel it's important for the kids to set (and strive towards) goals themselves, so we also are sitting down today to write down those goals and post them in their room.  Our goals are thematic:  academic, scouting, health/fitness/athletic, recreational/extra-curricular, and personal.  I'm curious as to what they decide as well as helping them create a timeline and smaller goals to reach the big picture.  Personally, I am setting aside one-on-one time each day with each kid and a 'date night' once a week. 

#4 Clutter Control: This tends to be part of issue with goal #2.  I have intention to clean an area, then it immediately seems overwhelmed by chaos (hence the title of this blog).  My two most recent chaos areas are the kitchen and the dining room/office.  I have been essentially 'banned' from the kitchen (no one likes my cooking, so I have relinquished that duty) but not it's clean up.  Some might say that I am giving up control, which is a HUGE step for me!   But some of the routine is just having a place for everything, and returning it when it's taken out.  So the control and the reminders may still be in place (putting items in the trash instead of leaving them on the counter, dishes in the dishwasher instead of in the sink).  The dining room is my undoing.  I have found that going vertical is helpful, as is stylish storage.  Because we use the same space as an office, a library, and a dining room, the table tends to be overrun with papers, books, and a serious catch-all for mostly MY stuff.  As I stated in Goal #2, a 15-minute clean before work as well as cleaning off the desk and table each night will be my benchmarks.  I should even rate myself weekly.  That would be motivation!  Of course, one thing I do need to remember to do is photograph the 'before' and the 'after' of my projects.  I would like to take one one 'minor project' each week (like a junk drawer, or a linen closet) and one 'major project' each week (like a child's bedroom or the basement family room).  I am reserving the garage for Spring Break.  That will certainly be a proud moment to post that 'after' picture! 

#5 Be Grateful: Though I saved this goal for last, it is certainly the most important.  I don't thank people enough.  I don't tell them how much I appreciate them enough.  I don't live in the moment enough.  And I think 2014, despite all my other goals, should center around an attitude of gratitude.  I will thank more people.  I will tell more people what they mean to me.  I will live in the moment more. 

Our close and extended family had a rocky 2013, from a health perspective, employment perspective, academic perspective, but the outlook is bright for the coming year.  We had many people support us and our endeavors last year, and this year, we are making effective progress towards that end. 

So cheers to you and your family!  Wishing you health, prosperity, and love in 2014!