Lesson Deli Hop: Don't do this, instead try this!

For years I've been seeing these "getting to know you/me" worksheet/scrap book pages for the first day/week of school. They are fun, and the kids really love to tell everyone about themselves. But I just don't really understand why they are so big. I guess that's one difference between a classroom teacher and a private tutor. We get to know our students on different levels.

My first priority, when working with a new student, is to discover the most I can about their unique skills and abilities right away. This really helps me cater our lessons to their exact needs, which is often very different from one student to the next, even when we're working on the same or similar concepts. This is one area I sincerely tip my hat to all of you classroom teachers out there!

Part of my intake process included a Multiple Intelligences survey. I downloaded a free copy from a trusted source, and have used it for more than 2 years. It helps to a degree, but really wasn't enough for my purposes. So I got to work ;)

This spring and summer I've been fine tuning my survey to include goal setting and intelligence building ideas. I've even added a PowerPoint Presentation to use as a teaching tool, so students aren't only helping me get to know them, but they are learning more about themselves and how they learn. It's exciting to the student and their parent realize why some things have been so difficult for so long and why some things just come so easily. 

So, now I'm ready to share this with the world of teachers out there. Here's a new and improved way to get to know your students in the first day/week of school. You'll know a lot more than their favorite food and where they vacationed over the summer. Now you will know who is who in the classroom, and this will help you plan your lessons all year, to really meet the needs of your students. 

Here's what it looks like:

1. PowerPoint Presentation

2. Posters

3. Student Booklets (covers for girls and boys, and I"m working on an older version right now)

4. Intelligence Catchers (and some other fun and interactive skill building activities)

5. Teaching guide. (sorry, I don't have a pic, but you get the idea ;) )

For this hop, I pulled out the posters and made them half pages so you can get a peek at this workshop. Enjoy!

If you would like to win this workshop and $10 credit in my store, leave a comment on this post, and tell me how you plan to get to know your students this year! I will chose 1 winner on Monday, August 17th.

Oh, and don't forget to click through to the next back to school tip, from my friend Neetu at Cinnamon's Synonyms!

Tutors Love Back to School

It's that time of year again, already! I don't know about you, but my summer has gone by far too quickly. The sitewide Back To School sale at Teacherspayteachers is already upon us, which means teachers everywhere are loading their carts and preparing their classrooms. What about the tutors out there?

Yes, we have some back to school preparation to do as well. Whether you've been tutoring for years or just starting out this year, you'll be happy you landed on this little linky! Several other tutors and I have dusted the cobwebs from our thinking tanks, and put together our best tips for back to school that will help tutors the most. 

When I hear "back to school," aside from SHOPPING, the first thing I think about is meeting new faces. My first session with students always involves getting to know them. Our next step is planning. We set goals, plan our first few lessons, and get to work. I truly believe that when a student sets their own goals and writes out their own plans to achieve them, they are better positioned to succeed.

This year, make it a point to work with your students, setting goals, making plans, and keeping track of progress. Put the pen in your students' hands, and let him/her take accountability for their efforts. You'll be happy you did!

I pulled a couple pages from my student planner packet to give you a sneak peek at what's inside. Feel free to use these with your students this back-to-school season!

Here's the whole thing...Calendar, weekly planning pages, To-Do Lists, Graphic organizers to help plan out big projects, Resource reference sheets for math and writing. Want to hear the best part? This is a growing resource. That means I'm going to keep adding to it as I come across elements and ideas that will help our students even more! During the sale you can grab your copy for 28% off the regular price (Don't forget to enter the code BTS15 when you check out!).

For more tips from Tutors and special deals this back-to-school season, click on below!

An InLinkz Link-up