Come One, Come All To The Oakway Mall

First off, I need to be completely honest with you.  I love my new job, but I miss classroom teaching more than I imagined I would.  I was having one of those mornings where I was thinking to myself, "Did I make a mistake?  Should I try to go back to the classroom next year?"  And then the Oakway Mall saved my day!  Ms. Prater (who is an AMAZING teacher, by the way!) came to my office door and said, "I'm so glad you're here.  The Oakway Mall is open today and we were hoping you would be here to see it!"

The Oakway Mall is Oakway Intermediate School's awesome whole school event that occurs 4 times a year.  Oakway Intermediate School adopted my Money Cents For Kids program in 2012, and they have done a BEAUTIFUL job implementing the program. I adore seeing the 4th and 5th grade students walking down the hallways with their Money Cents For Kids wallets at Oakway.  AND their AWESOME principal, Ann Douglas, reported recently that the school's behavior referrals have been cut in half since starting the program last year.  That's what it's all about!

I'm sure you're wanting to hear more about the Oakway Mall now, right?  When Ms. Douglas came over the intercom to announce that all store owners could go to the 4th grade hall and set up their stores the excitement could be felt in the air.  I could see kids storming up the sidewalk from my office window.  They had the biggest smiles on their faces and looked to be on a mission with all of their inventory in hand.  I have to say that I was amazed at the kids' creativity.  My favorite store name had to be "Duck Tape Commander."  The store sold all things made of duck tape.  As a fan of Duck Dynasty, this store definitely got my attention, along with just about every other shopper at the mall!

A few minutes into my shopping experience, I was approached by Braxton who asked me to watch his store for a few minutes.  We negotiated a small salary for my work and he was off to shop.  I was selling merchandise for him like someone after "Employee of the Week."  The funniest thing happened when he came back though.  I was in the middle of a transaction with a customer when the customer asked me how much I was charging for the tic-tac-toe game.  I told him that it was $6.00.  Braxton walked up and said, "No way, I'm only charging $1.00 for that!"  Oh goodness, Braxton.  Hush up and take the extra money I just made you!


Once I walked away with my salary from Braxton's store, I was a shopping woman!  I only had $5.00 to spend so I had to choose wisely.  Ms. Douglas, the principal, pointed out the most amazing change purse made solely from duck tape that I just had to have.  It was perfect for holding credit cards.

I saw a ton of amazing work while shopping at the Oakway Mall.  I even saw a group of children who had made English to Spanish cards to help their classmates learn Spanish.  Too cool!

I also saw these super cool pencil holders.  The young lady who made them was up-selling her classmates by offering pencils for an extra charge. She definitely had the entrepreneurial spirit!  She even sold out of pencil holders before the Oakway Mall closed.


The bank was open in the hallway where Ms. LeCroy was making change for students who needed smaller bills to shop.  She was VERY official looking too!  Ms. LeCroy was so busy that it was difficult to even snap a quick picture of her!

At the end of the year, the Oakway Mall will employ those students who are in debt in their Food Court.  This gives those students an opportunity to work off their debt in a productive way.  It also keeps them from having idle hands while stores are open, which is a good thing.  The Food Court is school sponsored.  The office provides all kinds of pre-packaged choices for shoppers needing a snack.  Too cute, isn't it?

I LOVE the enthusiasm Oakway Intermediate has for the Money Cents For Kids program.  I saw this "Fines & Fees" poster on the 4th grade hall and had to snap a picture of it.  It just warmed my heart.  The kids at Oakway Intermediate are getting an outstanding education under an incredibly dedicated and passionate faculty and administration.  Oakway Intermediate kids are lucky kids, for sure.

Mrs. Butler Builds Student Confidence with Dollar the Super Cowdog

Well, friends, I've taken a new position this year.  I've been given the opportunity to expand my abilities outside of the classroom as an educational evaluator for the School District of Oconee County.  It's an incredibly rewarding job.  I get to witness amazing teachers in our schools.  That means that instead of just reading stories from my classroom, you'll get to hear about stories from many different grade levels and teaching styles.  I plan on writing about teachers who are using my REAL (Relevant, Engaging, Authentic Learning) program in their classrooms.  As you know from all of my previous posts, the REAL program most definitely conjures up amazing classroom stories!

This post is about my sighting of Dollar the Dog.  Now, if you don't know who Dollar is let me introduce you...

Several years ago my students asked if we could have a class pet. The first thought that ran through my mind was a picture of me trudging up to school on a snow day to feed our precious little fur ball. Then it hit me….a class pet doesn’t have to be living and breathing, does it?

Our class “adopted” Dollar, a precious stuffed animal that only requires love and respect. Each night a student is chosen by his/her peer to take our class pet, along with the pet’s diary, home. While at home, the student writes in Dollar’s diary about what they did together. This can be anything from what they had for dinner to what happened at soccer practice. The next morning, the student brings Dollar back to school and reads the diary entry to the class. The diary entry can give a great deal of insight into the home life of students. The class may then raise their hands to ask 3 questions about what was read. Most students ask questions like, “What did you have for dinner?” or “Where did Dollar sleep last night?” This is a terrific opportunity for a class to formally interview a classmate each morning, as well as for the teacher to learn more about the home lives of their students.

Dollar's diary is an excellent way to make writing relevant to students. They know that their classmates are counting on them for quality writing and that all ears will be on that writing the next day. Students become quite creative with it too! At the beginning of the year, students tend to write from their own perspective. Midway through the year, students start to write from Dollar’s perspective. This is a great way to teach point of view.

This morning Mrs. Butler's class at Northside Elementary School gave Dollar the Dog a new identity. He is now known as "Dollar the Super Cowdog!"  

Mrs. Butler and her students were so thrilled by the creativity of her young second grader.  When I visited her classroom the student who brought Dollar back dressed as Super Cowdog was definitely the class celebrity.  He was on cloud nine and his confidence was soaring.  Mrs. Butler is such an amazing teacher.  She had lifted this young man up with her praise and pride in him.  This was definitely a highlight in her young student's school day.  Props to Mrs. Butler for supporting taking pride and building confidence in her young learners! Her students are lucky to have such an amazing teacher creating a warm and positive classroom each day.

To order your own Dollar the Dog visit www.mc4k.com/catalog

As the kids say, "It's a Dark Day in Nunamakerville!"

Today was my annual Great Depression lesson.  I realize that I shouldn't look forward to this lesson, but I will admit to you that it is my favorite lesson of the year.  This morning I told the kids that I would double any money that they deposited into their bank accounts.  I had a line of kids chomping at the bit to deposit serious amounts of their hard earned money.  Brooke deposited $273 for a grand deposit total of $546 once it was doubled.  These kids were walking on cloud nine as if it were raining money in our classroom!

After lunch our class bank book mysteriously disappeared.  The entire class was going through the classroom in search of the missing bank book.  I told them that I was very sorry, but if we couldn't find the book all of their money in the bank would no longer exist.  Panic struck!  Then I told them that taxes would have to go up to $5 next week in order to pay for some of the services that we had recently added in the classroom.  Oh goodness, the kids started chanting, "New President! New President!"

The kids had their Monday store time and barely anyone shopped.  I even heard Nolan say that he wasn't going to pay his employees today.  I had a couple of kids almost in tears over their economic crashes.  I let this go over for about an hour, telling the kids that we just had to move on with our lessons and that they could make the money up next week somehow.  This was not a popular statement to say the least!  Unfortunately, I also had to tell them that there would be no more class jobs because the bank has closed down and I could no longer pay them.  Did I mention that "life happened" to a few kids too?  Many kids who had never felt debt in this classroom went into debt for the first time.  Economic woes were felt by all.  The best comment was made when I told the kids that they needed to replace the roof on the barn because the horse was getting wet when it rained.  It was going to cost $100 to replace the roof.  Chris's response was, "Who cares?  The horse will just have to deal with it!"

After an hour of pandemonium and attempts to move on with the school day we began discussing the Great Depression.  We talked about how the kids felt about their situation and how people felt back when the Great Depression hit our country.  We looked at images online of Great Depression times.  And, yes, I told the kids that the money would be back in their accounts tomorrow morning.  Thank goodness for the FDIC!

I didn't get this year's depression on film to share, but you can check out the Great Depression of 2011 at http://www.mc4k.com/how-it-works/. Just click the play button on the right hand picture that says, "Great Depression."  Enjoy living through history with my students!

College Prep Homework is a Great Way to Prepare for Common Core!

  Each Wednesday students receive the same homework assignment that our class calls College Prep Homework. College Prep Homework translates to:  Research something educational on your own and write two paragraphs (8- 10 sentences depending on the grade level) about what you learned.

The most important thing about this assignment is what the students learn from their research. The goal of the assignment is to develop a student’s ability and desire to learn independently in lieu of simply completing an assignment made by their teacher. The contract between the teacher, parent, and student is to ensure that the goal comes to fruition and the assignment does not represent an opportunity to slack off on homework.

Typically, students take this assignment as seriously as, if not more, teacher-made assignments throughout the week. It is because students are researching and reporting on something that they have chosen. They take great pride in their ability to create their own homework. The term College Prep Homework gives the students a feeling of being “grown up” and accomplished. It is fun to listen to students who excitedly tell you on Monday morning what they plan to research for College Prep Homework that week. Over the weekend, many students actually plan what they would like to research for their next College Prep Homework assignment! Students’ products tend to be a page or more, even though you have only asked for 8 - 10 sentences. In the past, parents have shared comments like, “Annika went to her room and worked for 2 hours on her college prep homework. I couldn’t get her to put it away!” Students become so actively involved in their research and reporting that they don’t even realize the amount of time that they are investing in it.

This is a terrific way to create a love for learning in students. It also allows for natural differentiation as gifted students often research things like Greek Mythology while lower level students research things like the main idea of a book they are reading. The teacher will be able to differentiate homework assignments without even doing anything!  The best part of all is that this works for any grade level!  In first grade I waited until January to introduce College Prep Homework, but once the little ones began researching you could feel their excitement each week.  Too cute!

Common Core is coming our way and it is heavy on student research.  College Prep Homework is a great way to introduce students to research in a non-intimidating way.  You'll see that students' research becomes increasingly thoughtful each week.  Students take great pride in this particular assignment because they are given so much ownership in it.  

One of my all time favorite pieces was written last year by Robin.  She adopted a new puppy and decided to use her College Prep Homework assignment to research how to best meet her puppy's needs.  As an animal lover and a teacher who loves to see students take responsibility this one really stole my heart!

Dollar Walks the Catwalk...And Gains a Cousin!

 Dollar is busy showing off his new clothes in our classroom lately.  First, Carly brought him back to school dressed in a very cool Clemson T-Shirt.  The next thing we know, Nolan brings him back to school with the addition of pants and socks that he and his mother made.  Now Dollar has gained a suitcase and a Build-A-Bear clothing collection thanks to Laniah!  Most recently, Nolan has given Dollar a shark's tooth necklace for good luck.  Is this pet spoiled or what?  It's amazing to watch the kids in action with Dollar.  They show such responsibility for Dollar, always finding a "babysitter" when they need to leave him for any reason.  Brooke shared a brilliant plan for her new business today.  She's planning on opening a babysitting service for Dollar.  I think this will go over VERY well!  I love the critical thinking skills that go into REAL World learning!

This week Chet introduced the class to Dollar's cousin, Dollar Bill.  Dollar Bill was a gift for Chet's 9th birthday last weekend.  Dollar Bill now comes to school too!  The kids were in awe of the "birth" of Dollar Bill and Chet is such a proud dad!

I also had to share this picture of our latest "Nunamaker Idol" competition.  During the "commercial break" our fabulous volunteer, Ms. Schafer (aka Brooke's Mom), led a song with the kids.  The class thought it was too cool to get to sing with Ms. Schaefer.  We ALL adore Ms. Schaefer.  Thank you for all that you do for our kids, Julia!

Building Neighborhoods & Big Business!

The students started a new neighborhood today...The Reserve.  They earn their way into this neighborhood by NOT ARGUING with anyone else in class.  This has become a major issue as of late, so to curb the arguing while we all await the mirage of spring break a new neighborhood has been formed that you can't buy your way into.  Nope, you have to EARN your way into this neighborhood by being the best of the best.  Since we are learning about the elite class in our Civil War social studies unit, we call the students who live in The Reserve "elite."  So far this has had an incredibly positive effect in the classroom.  The kids made a beautiful entrance sign for their neighborhood today.  Congratulations to our first residents in The Reserve: Chet, Brooke, Aviana, and Laniah.






Two stores merged this morning to form quite the partnership.  "Movies," a store specializing in concert production, merged with "Peggy's Popcorn" to sell concessions during class productions.  It was a genius idea!  Movies and Peggy's Popcorn racked up today!  Way to go Carly, Greyson, Tyra, Aviana, and Laniah!  These kiddos really have a knack for great business ideas.  The class can't wait for the next concert!  The Chamber of Commerce brought these two great business ideas together.  More on our Chamber of Commerce in the next blog....

Rocking the Vote in Nunamakerville!

It's election season in "Nunamakerville."  The students have been busy campaigning, and I am loving the creativity shining through.  Each day the students are given time to campaign "door to door" (i.e., desk to desk) in order to persuade voters that they are the best one of the job.  I love seeing all of the door bells that the kids have made for the candidates to ring when they come to their "doors."  Too cute!

Last week the students campaigned for the following positions: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senator, and House of Representatives Member.


Congratulations are in order to:
Governor: Rahul
Lieutenant Governor: Chet
Senator: Brooke
House of Representatives Member: Jack

Speeches were fantastic this year.  Coming off of the "fiscal cliff" several weeks ago, decreasing taxes seemed to be at the forefront of each candidate's platform.  Chet ran on an "increase classroom pay" platform, which might have played a major role in securing his Lieutenant Governor seat.

This week the students are campaigning for Senator (we have 2), Mayor, and Attorney General.  Good luck to all of our fabulous candidates!  I'll let you know once the polls are in next Thursday...

I can remember having trouble memorizing the 3 Branches of Government chart in my social studies textbook when I was a third grader.  Several years ago I thought to myself, "How can I bring this to life?"  Viola!  We created a classroom council and it took on a life of its own.  We talk a lot about each position, how it affects the community's citizens, and checks and balances.  The kids have a deep understanding of government because they live it January through June of each school year.

Once a month we hold a "Town Hall Meeting" where citizens of "Nunamakerville" voice their concerns to their representatives.  (This is a great way to teach the concept of representative government.) After that, the council made up of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, 2 Senators, House of Representatives Member, Mayor, and Attorney General meet with me during recess once a month.  We work together under the leadership of the Governor to solve classroom problems.

Solutions can be anything from making a new classroom law to forming a new classroom committee.  My favorite solution over the years has been the creation of the "Friendship Committee" to solve a recess isolation issue.  Our class's "Friendship Committee" became so popular that the entire third grade began coming to our committee for friendship connections during recess.  Kids can be so amazing!

Clean It Up! Sincerely, Your Neighborhood President

Well, our class survived the fiscal cliff.  Student taxes increased from $2 a week to $4 a week.  That left students who were not on the Super Star list in the negative after paying taxes and rent....at least for those who are not homeowners.  The kids survived, just as we did.  Next week our class will have its annual elections.  I always love hearing the speeches.  The kids typically promise decreases in taxes.  It's amazing how true to life things become in the classroom.

Today the kids elected HOA/Neighborhood Presidents.  Tyra had the fabulous idea to create neighborhood committees that would clean up litter in the neighborhoods.  I couldn't resist taking it a step further and creating the Neighborhood President position.  I told the kids that the President would need to pick up any litter on the ground in their neighborhoods.  However, the President also had the ability to write a letter to any neighbors in their communities that potentially decreased property value because of messy desks on the inside or top.  They had to give the neighbor a timeline.  After the expiration of the timeline, the classroom contractor could be called to clean up the mess and the home occupant would have to pay the contractor for cleaning up the mess.  So....five minutes after my announcement of this policy, two Neighborhood Presidents had already written letters.

My scanner wasn't the best, so in case you can't read this letter it says:

Dear Neighbor,

Do you know your desk is dirty?  Clean in up or else.
Due Date: 30 Minutes
Thanks,
Your President








This one says:

Dear J,

Your yard is a mess.  I already called the contractor.  You have to get it done by 2:00.














I'll keep you posted on whether or not this strategy works.  I'm willing to try anything at this point!