Monday, September 21, 2015

"The Notebook" that changed my life.



The above is a picture of the white binder that has changed my life.  Okay, perhaps I exaggerate, but I love this binder.  Even my teens agree this is a good thing. We call it the notebook of honesty.  I will tell you more.  

Last year, I felt like I never had a good grasp on what my high school students had accomplished or where they were.  I would ask, they would tell me, the phone would ring, something happened to another child, they were vague. . . you get the picture.

This year I got "The Notebook."  It may look like an ordinary white binder, but it is much, much, more.  "The Notebook" contains tabs of subjects.  





In each subject is a copy of the table of contents or syllabuses for each of their subjects.  I also keep grades there.  I had my son make the special sheet below for their  Notgrass history program. 


My notebook stays on the counter.  I ask each day: What did you do?  What you do have left?  Can I please see that?  My students say they like it, because they know I will ask and they like checking it off.  I realize this is very very basic, but it has worked for us.  I think you could do this on your phone or digitally, but I like paper and my pink highlighter.  Having it in the middle of my counter reminds me to check.  I consider it a success.  The question: will it work after Christmas?
~Becky

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