chanting


What's in your teaching bag?- Lydia

Lydia’s Teaching Bag

Lydia's Bag

Quis the Owl

This is a stuffed owl that a friend gave me. The owl’s name is either Quis or Qui, depending on what we’re reviewing. (Chapter 42 of Ecce Romani explains what happened to his eye). So far this year, he’s been Remus and has been a useful direct object. He’s sometime accompanied by his friend, the Imperfect Sheep.

Latin Mallet

The Latin Mallet is used for pounding out a rhythm when we chant and makes a nice pointer and paperweight.

Pencil Case

This has the writing implements, a USB drive, a pair of scissors, a glue stick, the connector for a projector if I’m using it that year, and some sticky notes to mark where we stop.

Silent pencil sharpener

If nobody is talking or taking a quiz, students can use the normal pencil sharpener in the room. (This is usually at the start or end of class.) If people are talking or concentrating, they have to use the silent pencil sharpener.

Index cards/Calling cards

Each index card has a student’s name. I shuffle them up to call on students, put them out to show where new seats are, and all sorts of other thing. Each class’s is clipped with a different binder clip; when I’m really coordinated, I match the color of the clip to the planbook for the class and the notebook that my notes go in.

Purple fountain pen

If I’m grading, I want to use an implement I enjoy.

Stamp

The stamp is a custom 53-dater stamp. Here’s what it prints:
Creditapproved
I grade homework on an good faith effort/partial attempt/not attempted basis. When I go around the room, I stamp all homeworks that are approved for full credit. If they’re only half credit, I write “1/2” next to the word “credit.” If students say that they did the homework on a certain day but didn’t get credit for it, they have to show me the stamped homework paper with the correct date. The large red stamp also keeps students from trying to turn in homework two nights running, and I can look around the room and quickly see who still needs to have homework marked off.

Whiteboard markers/chalk

I try to have extra markers or chalk in my bag at all times. It’s always a different kind than the standard school type so I can remember to put it back in the bag at the end of class and go get more from the supply closet.

Timer (not shown)

I have a little magnetic timer stuck to the whiteboard. This lets me give students fixed amounts of time easily.
What’s in your teaching bag?