SIW Update

This year I am trying out the Super Improvers Wall from Whole Brain Teaching.  

At the beginning of the year I had the white stars placed throughout the whole board.  I soon realized that yes, it looked good, but the students were not able to reach their stars.  If the students couldn't reach their stars to place their stickers on then I didn't think it would motivate the students as well.  I ended up moving all the stars lower so the students would be able to put their own star on.

Last week was my first week implementing this wall into my classroom.  I had to test the students on their alphabet knowledge again for mid-terms.  If they improved from the beginning of the year, I gave them a star.   It was so cool to see how excited the students were to add a star to their star.  I can't wait to have them add more.  I do think this is going to be a great motivator.  

Have you started using your SIW?  How is it going?

 

My Super Improvers Wall

All week (and last week, and the week before that) I have been putting together my classroom.  It is my favorite thing to do.  I LOVE decorating.  This year I wanted to create a Super Improvers Wall (Find more information about it at WBT).  I thought up a theme and got an idea of how I wanted to make the board look.  Well, today I am going to show you.

But, before I do show you I wanted to tell you why I wanted to do this board.  I love the idea of having the students put a sticker on a star when they have improved on something.  It can be improvement on anything.  This is allowing me to show the students that I notice their improvement and I acknowledge it.  It allows improvement for your best (high) students and your worst (low) students to feel great about themselves.  It allows your worst behavior student to see them self as an  improver.  Therefore, giving them a positive!  As teachers we want all of our students to feel successful and important.  I believe using a Super Improvers Wall will allow this. 

Here is my Rock'in Improvers Wall!  

I thought the rock theme would be perfect for my classroom.  I have all the stars already cut out.  I am going to have the students put stickers on their stars when they earn them.  I love the glitter on the guitars!  I think it is so fun!!  I got the idea for the words on the colors from Arlee Hall!!  Thanks Arlee!!  We had talked about themes on the Kindergarten WBT Facebook Fan Page and he posted what he used.  I loved it, so I made my own!!  

Do you have a SIW or something like it?