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TPT Feedback – More Than Just Points

aussiestarresourcesau · Nov 28, 2018 · 4 Comments

Picture this scenario. You’ve had a great day teaching. The kids are happy. You’ve covered everything on your plan. Your behaviour management is textbook perfect. The kids are working so you go and check your emails. Suddenly you’re plunged in to a pit of despair and anxiety. There’s a message from the front office asking you to call a parent. No explanation, no ‘heads-up’ about what they’d like to speak about. Your heart stops.You break out in a cold sweat. A million possibilities run through your head.

“What’s wrong?”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Did something happen that I don’t know about?”
“Is he being bullied?”
“Did I remind the kids to put sunscreen on?”

Well, I can tell you that TPT sellers experience a very similar situation. Nothing stops a Teacher-Author in their tracks like feedback from Teachers Pay Teachers. They feel same sense of panic. The same surge of (usually) unreasonable dialogue rushing through your head.

“Please let it be great or at least polite.”
“I hope they haven’t found a mistake my editor missed"
“Are they unhappy?”
"I’m not cut out for this.”
“My resources aren’t as awesome as I know they are.”

And on it goes.

I’ve had a few of these lately so felt the need to write on behalf of my fellow Teacher-Authors with one simple message. Please be reasonable.

Despite our initial fear we actually LOVE to get feedback. It inspires us, fuels our passion, builds our confidence and can make our day. I’d say 95% of the time feedback is a positive experience with high-fives and happy dances. 3% of the time we get feedback pointing out issues or suggested improvements. While these don’t fill us with joy they are constructive and helpful. They provide us an opportunity to improve our resources and serve teachers better.

The remaining 2% is another story. This feedback can fit in to 3 categories:

Cassie Credit Collector

Example: “Excellent Resource!” 2 Star Rating.

Umm.. Excuse me? This makes no sense! An excellent resource can’t be worthy of 2 stars from a possible 4. Sure, you’ve got your TPT credit for the next sale. But you’ve also broken a Teacher-Author’s heart and lowered their rating on TPT which affects their business.

While you’re getting those credit points please leave thoughtful feedback. You wouldn’t give your students half marks without an explanation. Please don’t do it to a Teacher-Author.

Disappointed Debbie

Example: “I expected more.” 1- 2.5 Star Rating.

The best TPT sellers are very thorough. On each product page you will find a detailed description, thumbnail images and a preview. Some spiffy sellers even provide video previews. Teacher-Authors go to great lengths to help you make an informed purchasing decision. They want to ensure you know exactly what you're getting.

Did you expect more? Did you check out the resource thoroughly to be sure it was what you wanted? If you did, and it was misleading, then leave feedback explaining what you thought you were getting. Leave details - It might inspire the seller to update the resource.

“Caveat Emptor” is the assumption that the buyer takes responsibility for checking the quality of a product and its suitability for their needs. Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly what you’re getting on TPT. You look at the thumbnails and read the description but you’re still buying blind. If this is the case I get it if you’re disappointed in what you’ve received. I suggest that in the future you don’t make these risky decisions. Instead expand your search and look for a product that shows you exactly what you’re getting.

It’s out there I promise!

Lazy Lucy

Example: “This was helpful but I still had to teach the concept.” Rating 2.5 Stars.

This one makes me cringe and breaks my heart a little. Yeah you will need to teach the concept because, well, you’re the teacher! No resource can take the place of explicit teaching and nor should it! Resources should complement and enrich your teaching. They will not do the teaching for you.

Geeze Teacher-Authors are a sensitive bunch!

Nope! We're people.

Teacher-Authors know they will get negative feedback at times. Even the TPT superstars have negative reviews. Bill Gates said "We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve." All I ask is that you provide valid, thoughtful and genuine feedback.

Your voice does matter and teacher-authors want to know what you think. But keep in mind the real-life person on the other side of the internet. The Teacher-Author who has probably worked a full day in the classroom like you. Or is at home with her new baby trying to supplement the household income with her business. The teacher-Author who can't face another year of IEPs and behaviour plans and needs a break. Leave feedback that is constructive and detailed. Leave feedback that will inspire the development of quality resources. Leave feedback that is purposeful and we'll all reap the benefits.

An Entire Year of Homework for Upper Primary? Yes Please!

aussiestarresourcesau · Oct 2, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Organising homework doesn’t have to be a burden. Honest!

There’s nothing better than ticking items off your to do list in your preparations for next term or the year ahead. You’ve completed term plans, assessment rubrics, IEPs and parent information flyers. You’re ready to go. Except that you haven’t organised your homework program. That’s OK, you can just photocopy some worksheets on Monday mornings… right?

It sounds like a good plan, but the truth is homework can feel like a burden, first you need to find something that’s relevant and meaningful and ideally curriculum aligned. It also needs to be easy to mark and track. It also needs to be engaging and age appropriate. Homework is a great way for students to practise new skills and consolidate their understanding of what’s being done in the classroom. Finally, the content shouldn’t be new to the students and it also shouldn’t take too much of their time or require too much input from parents.

Australian curriculum aligned homework for upper primary

So what’s the solution?

Because our number one goal is to ease your workload we’ve created our homework flip books that are aligned to the Australian Curriculum and designed to provide meaningful homework that will build on what they’re learning in the classroom.

Here’s what you’ll find in our homework flip books:

HASS reading passages and comprehension activities.
Mental computation practice to help build speed and fluency with all kinds of mental arithmetic.
Mathematics – each week focuses on a single skill or topic
Spelling Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check table featuring vocabulary from the HASS reading passage.
Grammar and Vocab practice activities aligned with the Australian Curriculum for each year group
A fun activity including mazes, short writing tasks, color by number and design tasks.

Each flip book can be easily assembled by the students after the first couple of weeks they’ll be pros at it and issuing your homework will be a breeze.

So that you can feel confident that you’ve got the curriculum covered we’ve included a table with each set outlining the topics, skills and content descriptors covered each week.

Each set features nine flip books with a bundle of 36 for the year. There’s always at least one week of each term that you don’t issue homework (it was usually week 1 for me) so thought nine per term was a good number.

Year 5 Australian curriculum homework flip books

To reduce your workload even further we’ve included answer keys for each week and these can be easily printed to make a handy booklet or displayed on screen. You could even display pages on the IWB so students can mark sections themselves.

We’re very proud of our homework flip books and their ability to reduce the workload of teachers without compromising their dedication to providing age appropriate, meaningful and curriculum aligned content for their students. Want to know more and download a preview? You can check them out in our store here.

Happy teaching

Amy

3 Tips For Completing Your AITSL Teaching Standards Portfolio

aussiestarresourcesau · Jun 30, 2018 · Leave a Comment

What’s your Super Power? Mine would have to be procrastination. Yes, the force is strong in this one. I can find a million other things to do before completing tasks that need to be done. This blog post is the perfect example. Here I am on a Sunday morning, there’s washing that needs to be hung out, school uniforms that need ironing, dishes that need to be done and a four year old somewhere in the house still in his PJs. BUT because they are not very appealing tasks I’ve decided that writing a blog post is FAR more important so here I am. Could the blog post have waited? Probably but that’s the power of procrastination, it clouds your judgement, why fight it?

AITSL-Teaching-Standards-Portfolio-Blog-Pin-1

Are you procrastinating when it comes to your AITSL Teaching Standards Portfolio? I bet you are, everyone does! When it comes up in the staff room you can hear the groans for a 1km radius as teachers bemoan the AITSL Portfolio. Collating your teaching experience into one folder is HARD, reminding yourself to record details, take pictures and enter them in to your portfolio is easy to push down the list of priorities. Unfortunately, this usually means that we end up putting something together in a rush when a deadline such as a review is hanging over our heads. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you stay on top of your portfolio, update it regularly and ease your workload in the process.

Hold a Portfolio Party!

You won’t be the only staff member who is dragging their feet on your portfolio. Set aside time each month (or fortnight if you can manage) to come together with your colleagues to collate your evidence. You could meet at a local café, order in coffee and nibbles or bring afternoon tea to share. This kind of collaboration will allow you to bounce ideas off each other, gain clarification on the Standards and share stories and inspiration. It will also help set up a regular time for you to work on your portfolio.

Take photos and videos

I really wish I had done more of this in the classroom and organised it better. If your school permits it, use your phone to quickly snap examples of student work and activities, classroom displays and your planning. Save these in a separate album called Portfolio or AITSL so you know where they are for your Portfolio Party. If you are unable to use your phone keep a small digital camera on your desk charged and ready to whip out during a lesson or when you’re marking to take pics. Save these to a specific folder so you know where they are when you’re collating your evidence. If you have older students you could even ask them to remind you take photos – they love to have their work photographed and reminding the teacher to do something is an added bonus.

If you’re looking for an online portfolio that’s quick and easy to use check out our AITSL Teacher Standards Portfolio.

So that’s three ideas to help get you started. Oooh! One more! Factor your portfolio in to your planning, so that when you’re writing your plans you identify those lesson and activities that will meet a Standard and make a note of it in your planning to help you remember to document the lesson and add evidence to your portfolio.

I could add more but I think three (plus a bonus) is a good number to get you started and I’m sure you’ve already thought of some more while reading this post.

Good luck with your portfolio! I’d love to know if you have a Portfolio Part at your school or if you have helpful ideas and tips for collating your portfolio. Feel free to comment below.

Happy teaching

Amy

Expert tips to make life easier as a Casual Relief Teacher

aussiestarresourcesau · Feb 25, 2018 · 1 Comment

As a Casual Relief Teacher you have to be ready for anything! Your phone could ring at 6am and you're suddenly venturing in to the unknown - that's OK - it's the life of a CRT. The trick is to manage the uncertainty of relief work by being super organised and having some great behaviour management ideas and resources up your sleeve...well, in your kit actually. In this post we continue our interview with Nikki Tester of Oceanview Resources about Casual Relief Teaching and how to make it work for you.

Casual Relief Teacher time and behaviour management

Being a Casual Relief Teacher can be a bit daunting when you first start, what are your top 3 tips for making it less stressful?

It certainly can be daunting so my top 3 tips would be

1. Be organised and flexible…..My car boot is my office, and if there are any last minute changes, I can easily grab any resources I may need. When you are booked, if possible ask if you will have access to a computer and an IWB. If the answer is no then you will have to take in resources that require no internet or IWB - they can be very tough days!!! It is worth asking if you are able to take in your own device (but it would need to have the software downloaded on it and ready to connect)

Casual Relief Teacher time and behaviour management tips

2. Establish those routines and agreements from the word go!! Be consistent, calm and fair. You must be able to follow through with any punishments or rewards, and be like a swan…..calm and in control on the surface even though under the water your feet are paddling madly to keep you afloat!!! Fairness is a universal currency with students….give them no opportunities to argue with you. Distance yourself from any conflict as it can escalate very quickly if you engage with a student on that level.

3. Make sure that you have all the food and water that you need to get you through the day. Staying hydrated is so vitally important as headaches can creep in towards the end of the day if you have not eaten or drunk enough water throughout the day.

Behaviour management is a huge part of CRT, especially if you haven’t taught in the school or class before, can you share with us some ideas and strategies for behaviour management as a Casual Relief Teacher? Do you have any stories or examples?

Never be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help….get the executive on side, if you need to have support for any reason (and behaviour management is usually the biggest one) then you need to be able to follow through confidently with the school management plan, and not feel like you have ‘failed’ by not being able to deal with a situation.

If you visit the schools website you may find a copy of their code of conduct or behaviour management plan which is always helpful.
Look for the casual folder in the classroom you are working in (hopefully there is one) It will have behaviour management plans, medication needs etc, and if the school doesn’t have these, then politely suggest that they implement them as a strategy to support relief teachers.
Stick with the classrooms reward system if you can….many schools use ClassDojo, so it is in your best interest to visit that site and familiarise yourself with how it works.
I highly recommend all teachers visit Bob Brandis website for behaviour management…..he has all bases covered, some wonderful tips, resources and his podcasts are really helpful. He is incredibly user friendly and I love his sense of humour!!! https://www.reliefteaching.com/

Coming up next:

Nikki gives us her top tips for creating the ultimate resource kit and some helpful links to resources that will make your life as a Casual Relief Teacher a whole lot easier. .

You can find Nikki's great range of resources for CRTs at her website www.oceanviewlearningcentre.com and on Teachers Pay Teachers

Three Aussie teacher Pinterest profiles you need to follow

aussiestarresourcesau · Dec 26, 2017 · 2 Comments

Hello, my name is Amy, and I’m addicted to Pinterest. It’s been oh… about 20 minutes since my last pin.

Please raise your hand if you’re addicted to Pinterest too. Go on.

Teachers love Pinterest! In fact, an article from eSchool News reports that teachers use Pinterest in almost equal amounts for personal and professional use, 69% personal vs 67% professional. This is compared to Facebook which, according to the article, most teachers use Facebook as their main social media (71%) but the use for professional reasons was much lower at 44%.

Pinterest should count as PD then… right?

I find Pinterest incredibly helpful when I’m looking for ideas on anything, decorating, cooking and most often teaching. I love that it’s so visual, I don’t have to read through great swathes of text to be inspired or to find relevant information.

I’ve put together this post to let you know about three great profiles you should follow on Pinterest. These are some of my favourite Teacher-Authors who are at the top of their game when it comes to teaching ideas and resources. Their Pinterest accounts are well worth a follow!

Curiosity and the Hungry Mind

Aussie Teachers your should follow on Pinterest

If you’re looking for STEM ideas then Sarah at Curiosity and the Hungry Mind will have you totally inspired. She loves sharing STEM ideas and resources with the education community I wish I’d found her Engineering for Kids board earlier. Sarah has been teaching STEM as a specialist teacher in Primary Schools and found that there was a real lack of quality resources so thought she'd give it a go and produce her own. Sarah says, “I really enjoy the creation process and when I see students around the world enjoying the activities and resources, it makes my heart sing. I am passionate about STEM and the tools and skills it gives the students. It really is important for our future generation.”

Check out her Pinterest profile here for more STEM inspiration.

Teaching Products

Teaching Products focuses on resources for lower primary, with an emphasis on English. And you’ll find a profile that is a “smorgasboards” of ideas (see what I did there? ). It’s loaded with fabulous pins to really get your teaching ideas flowing. Jennifer’s always looking for fresh, hands-on ideas that will get her students moving and interacting with letters and words check out her huge Literacy Board. She incorporates a lot of findings from recent research into her own resources to reflect best practices and advancement within the classroom. You can follow Jennifer’s Pinterest profile here.

Aussie teachers you should follow on pinterest

Ready To Print

Ready to Print resources are focused on a variety of products that are suitable to use in a range of classrooms and so is their Pinterest account! The variety of teaching ideas and helpful pins are indicative of Michelle’s dedication to creating resources that excite children to learn and teachers to teach. Michelle creates games and hands on activities that are related to Mathematics and English curriculum content allowing students to access this in a fun way. If you’re looking for great ideas for the new school year check out her Back to School with Ready to Print board.

I could go on for ages about fabulous teacher profiles on Pinterest but I wanted to highlight a few of the amazing Australian teacher-authors who are constantly pinning great ideas for you to draw inspiration from. If you know of any other brilliant Australian teachers on Pinterest drop a comment below so we can check them out. You can follow Aussie Star on Pinterest here or check out our Pinterest link below.

In the meantime,

Happy Pinning!

Amy