Clap once if you can hear me. Clap twice.

WINS:  Today's wins were around classroom management.  Remembered to use "clap once" for attention instead of raising my voice.  It's such a simple thing, why do I ever get out of the habit?  They say it takes 10 days to make a behavior a habit.   Also a strategy new for me this year is having students practice undesired behavior.  I had kids come back after lunch to practice coming to class prepared.  It was practice, not punishment.  We did it with a light heart, and now it is in their head:  "binder, notebook, pencil, book".  Finally, and I don't know WHY I haven't done this sooner, I set up an easel at my door with the message, "STOP.  Have you remembered your (with the list of materials needed listed below)."  AND all of my students except for three out of 52 can read contour lines on a topo to tell the direction of water flow, elevation, and slope.  Not bad.

LOSSES:  At one point in science, while everyone was at different stations, and students were bombarding me for extra papers, instructions because they were absent, claiming they passed their paper in already (nevermind, here it is, Mrs. McCluskey!), and with questions about the content, I noticed three boys chasing one another around a table. (CLEARLY, they must have forgotten about the safety contract they signed.)  As I walked over to speak with them, I simultaneously stepped in a big wad of oily modeling clay and smashed my leg on the corner of a table.  So...a little loss of control there.  I saw the students after class and delivered a consequence. We'll see if it makes a difference tomorrow.