Whole Brain Scoreboard ????

I started to use some whole brain in my classroom last year.  I never incorporated the scoreboard because I have always done points in the classroom.  My points are boys vs. girls and class vs. Mrs. Torrey.  Here's how I've used it:

Example:  When they come in the room whoever is the quietest gets a point.  If it is both the boys and girls then the boys, girls, and class get a point.  If both are talking etc. then I get a point.  We keep track of points all week and at the end of the week, we see who got the most points.  There is no prizes etc., just for fun to see who gets the most points for the week.

If you have read my blogs in the past, you know that I have a hard time with change.  So, when I saw the scoreboard....I immediately said to myself....no need to do that because I already do points in the classroom.  Well, now that I'm looking at it closer, I'm wondering if it would be more beneficial and helpful than my points in the classroom.  

So, I am wanting to know if anyone uses it?  How do you use it?  Do you find it helpful?  I would love to hear your thoughts before I make a change and implement it into the classroom.  

Hope you have a great week!

READ! READ! READ!

For the last few years, Crystal and I have had our little first graders in a competition against each other in reading.  At our school we do the Accelerated Reading Program (students read books on his/her level, take a test on the computer over it, and earn points).  The first graders usually don't start it until December or a little later since that is when they really start becoming more independent on their reading.  

So, we decided that the last nine weeks of school we would see which class could earn the most points.  We have told the kids that if both classes can earn 1,000 points together, then we would all have a little party at the end of the year.  Of course, Crystal and I are both competitive and we both do everything that we can to get the kiddos wanting to read and win LOL!  Crystal accuses me of cheating all the time :-) (at least she accuses me of it when we are in the lead :-)) 

Joking aside, it is a fun and friendly little competition and the kids really get into it!  They absolutely love it and are reading their books whenever they have time at school and taking them home in the evening to read them. 

At our school, in the morning the k-1 group will have days that they go to the library in the morning before school starts.  They get to watch an educational video.  The upper grades will be in the hallway reading his/her AR book.  Our kids have gotten so excited and want to read that they have asked to be able to go out in the hall and read instead of watching the video.  Of course, we let them! 

Crystal and I graph everyday where the classes are on the points.  The graph is hanging in the hallway outside our rooms.  So, the kids are always excited to get to the rooms to check to see who has the lead.  Our graph is below:

 

 

I was glad that when I took this picture, my class was in the lead HA!!  HA!!  Although, I will say that the two days before Crystal's class had the lead.  :-)  The kids are doing a great job with it and have earned a lot of points so far.  We are pretty sure that we will make the 1,000 points and will be able to celebrate together! 

 

We are really glad that the kids are having so much fun with it (along with their teachers :-)) and that they are reading a lot! 

 

Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!  Kristi