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Chapter 15: The Super Improvers Team

Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students. Include a note evaluating the Super Improvers Team’s possible effectiveness with extremely challenging students.

Pages 98-106
Full credit: 25 WBT Certification Points
Partial credit: 10 WBT Certification Points

140 comments:

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  2. Chapter 15 The Super Improvers Team Bethany Kirkland

    The message behind the Super Improvers Team (SIT), is “Go out there and break your personal record!” The SIT allows each child an equal chance for success in the classroom. Students are recognized and praised for making improvements or breaking their own previous records. Children love to feel that they are making progress, and love to keep their Dear Teacher happy!
    Within the SIT system, academic excellence is not the educational target, rather student improvement is. Student growth can be observed by improved SuperSpeed game scores, following the five classroom rules, responding to the Scoreboard, teaching their neighbor, etc. This being said, whether a child is a weak, intermediate, or academically advanced student has no bearing on making progress and earning levels within the SIT system. Every learner on every level can always improve their personal best. The value of the SIT system effectiveness with extremely challenging students is that the child has a choice in what behaviors to improve and can show improvement by any small change in positive behavior. This gives the child a taste of success and accomplishment.
    In review, I think that teacher consistency may be the one weakness of this system, but with diligence and determination I will do my best to be on the lookout for chances to hand out those stars for improvement! I may even add myself to the wall and reward myself for recognizing the good in my students!

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    1. Bethany,
      Nice job! The teacher's consistent use is very important in the effectiveness of this tool. Yes, put your name on a card! You will find your students will appreciate your desire to improve, even though they will not know what your personal goals are. Here are 25 points for you!

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  3. Kay Spencer
    Chapter l5

    This assignment requires that I include strengths and weaknesses of the Super Improvers Team, but I must admit that it was difficult to think of weaknesses. The Super Improvers Team is meeting the needs of all students in my classroom. I am thankful for this system.

    A strength of the Super Improvers Team for weak students is that there is a continual visual reminder of each student’s progress, and due to the built in differentiation, my fragile learners are able to make gains quickly. They enjoy the immediate progress. A weakness of the Super Improvers Team for my weaker students could be that the hierarchy of levels might look too daunting. When students realize that they are “racing against themselves,” they’ll enjoy their progress.

    A strength for my intermediate group is that they are even included in this system. So many times, the needs of this group can be overlooked. A weakness of the Super Improvers Team for my intermediate group is that they might be satisfied with where they are, or they could feel that the highest levels are unattainable. They’ll soon realize that they are on equal footing.

    A strength for my advanced group is that there is a plan for continual growth when you a part of the Super Improvers Team. You never arrive. There is always room for advancement.
    A weakness might be that the advanced group could lose interest or develop an attitude of superiority. I believe the design of the Super Improvers Team will prevent this because everyone will be advancing.

    The beauty of this plan for my challenging students is that they are simply racing against themselves. They cannot lose. It is a “no fail” system!

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    1. Kay,
      Keep your SIT energized with individual and class goals to appeal to all the learning styles in your classroom! Nice post! Here are 25 points for you!

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  4. Carrie Wood
    WBT
    Ch. 15 The Super Improvers Team

    A strength of the Super Improvers Team is that it allows all students an equal chance to be successful in their academic and behavior goals. All students are recognized for making individual improvements and are motivated to compete with themselves to break their own previous records. Children love to be praised for making progress and the pressure is removed when they do not feel they are being compared to others.

    Another strength of the Super Improvers Team is that it can be used for a class goal and/or individual student goals. Students are not necessarily expected to reach academic excellence such as mastering all four 9 weeks sights words. The individual goals can range from not crying when asking to go to the bathroom, improving handwriting, and not talking out. The group goals can be a behavior that needs to be corrected like following directions quickly or asking for permission to leave your seat.

    Carrie Wood

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    1. Carrie,
      You made a good point that children "love to be praised for making progress and the pressure is removed when they do not feel they are being compared"! It is so important to make sure they are setting individual goals to allow each one to show growth! In the future, make sure you address the entire prompt (Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students. Include a note evaluating the Super Improvers Team’s possible effectiveness with extremely challenging students). Here are 20 certification points.

      Delete
  5. Strengths I see with the Super Improvers Team are how self-paced the system is and how it allows all students to succeed with their own individual challenges. No student competes with another, it’s fair and this makes it completely differentiated as a class. Weaknesses I see are students getting frustrated with how well other students are advancing levels and could digress from the goal I’m wanting them to reach. The Super Improvers Team can help challenging kids by vamping them up and boasting their self-esteem. It also allows challenging students to see a goal they know they are capable of reaching and motivation for them when they see and hear their advancements from their teacher and others.

    Liz Cheney

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    1. Liz,
      It is wonderful that this does allow students to challenge themselves! It would have been good to hear a bit more detail about the strengths and weaknesses regarding student performance and behavior for the weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students as well as those with challenging behavior. A little extra detail goes a long way towards earning even more points! Here are 20 Certification Points for your efforts.

      Delete
  6. As the mother of an Autistic child and with both of my children having ADHD, I am a firm believer in the statement that “Fair is not always equal.” This system is an absolute manifestation of that thought. However, being brand new at Whole Brain Teaching I have been unable to implement the Super Improvers Team yet. My kindergartners and I are still focusing on utilizing and mastering the use of the Scoreboard Level One. I have read about and researched the Super Improvers Team and I am anxious to begin after Christmas break. Next year I plan to begin much earlier in the year. It sounds like an effective tool for motivating all students.

    Most times weak students are concrete learners. They don’t always respond to abstract concepts, oral directions or even verbal praise. One major strength of the Super Improvers Team for struggling students is that they are constantly reminded visually, as well as orally, when they progress and move toward their personal goals. Struggling students realize early in their school careers that they are behind their peers and oft times give up. Seeing the ten levels of the Super Improvers Team might be discouraging at first, but when they realize that goals and successes are individualized and absolutely attainable, I believe that they will strive very hard to meets goals and advance through the ascending levels. For these children The Super Improvers Team can become the “great equalizer”. Because of built in differentiation, these children are able to make gains quickly and experience the pride of keeping up with or even surpassing classmates on the chart.

    Many times intermediate students make progress at the mandated rate, maintain appropriate behavior, and “fit in” so well to the dynamic of the classroom that they become like furniture…they are just there. Because they don’t require remediation, demand attention, or need challenges, they often slip through the cracks, becoming satisfied with the status quo. They become so accustomed to being mediocre that it becomes their goal. At first they may balk at this system, thinking that they are doing just fine or that the highest levels are unattainable. However once they realize that goals are individual I believe that they will become motivated and enjoy the successes of their hard work.

    I have noticed that most of my advanced students are extremely competitive. Because of higher intelligence, maturity, opportunities, etc…, they expect to and often do “win” at whatever they attempt. Although they may not enjoy it in the beginning, I think the biggest strength when using the Super Improvers Team with my gifted students is that goals are individualized and call for continual growth. These children have become used to being on top and getting there easily. They may become frustrated because they can’t race to the highest level and look down upon the others. However, once they grasp the fact that they are racing only against themselves, I believe that their competitive, winning natures with take over causing them to work even harder to attain more and more difficult goals.

    Sadly, because of their very nature, the most challenging students that we teach have very negative, frustrating, and non-productive school experiences. Many come to school unprepared, undisciplined, and angry. By no fault of their own they have been set up for failure, so they expect to fail and drag the rest of the class down with them. These children often use misbehavior to mask inability, feeling that they can never achieve the academic levels of their classmates. The Super Improvers Team is perfect for these children because it allows them to experience successes for each tiny improvement. First behaviors and eventually academics can be divided into “baby steps” assuring that they experience “winning”, perhaps for the first time. For an anti-social, rebellious child, the visual aspect of seeing himself advance on the chart with the rest of the class will quite possibly create a sense of belonging and break down some of the walls that he has built.


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    1. Julia,
      This is a very well thought out post! I appreciate your comment "They become so accustomed to being mediocre that it becomes their goal." We do often overlook the students in the "middle" so the SIT is great way to keep us accountable! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

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  7. Chapter 15/The Super Improvers Team
    Deborah Gardner
    All students require the recognition of success and achievement to thrive. The Super Improvers Team rewards and celebrates both behavior and academic success based on personal improvement and growth, not grades or external rivalry. Students, whether weak, intermediate, or advanced have the same goal—beating/breaking their personal best. This is a universal motivation for all students.
    The obvious strength with this concept is that all students can experience positive success and progress. Growth is visible in various areas depending on the personal commitment and determination of the student. Anyone/everyone can “win” if he/she puts forth effort in attaining the goal. The taste of success is “sweet” and is a natural motivator. Further, the SIT eliminates the strongest/advanced student doing just enough to meet the minimum or acceptable score. The intermediate student, as well as the weak student, can no longer accept the notion that only the advanced individual will “win” the competition because the competition is personal, not with others. This also eliminates the weakest student giving up before trying. By using the Super Improvers Team, the teacher and student accept the premise that everyone can be successful and grow. Even the smallest change and/or improvement is considered growth/success. Success breeds success! Boredom is also eliminated as there is always a challenge for the strong student as well as the weaker one. There is little pressure to compete with classmates because success is not a comparison to others. Personal choice is paramount. There are no losers with the Super Improvers Team!
    The only weakness I see may be if all levels are placed on the wall at one time. This might look like it is too intimidating or overwhelming for some students. This can be easily remedied by dividing the list in half or thirds.
    The idea that small changes = improvement and growth suggests that everyone can experience success in school; and that is a powerful concept for those challenging and struggling students who may not have ever felt the triumph of accomplishment.
    Deborah Gardner

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    1. Deborah,
      You have some great insights about the SIT! I don't think the kids will be intimidated by the levels, it often gives them lofty goals to achieve. It is a great motivator, especially for those really competitive natured students! They find great pride in moving up to the next level! Here are 25 certification points!

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  8. Julia Berry / Chapter 15 / November

    The Super Improvers Team is an excellent motivator for all academic, social and emotional levels. All students are now challenged for their individual growth, and begin to compete against themselves!

    Most of my gifted students are very competitive (sometimes too competitive) striving to outdo their classmates. I consider these students to be my advanced group. I can foresee this group trying too hard to see who will make it to the Hall of Fame Living Legend first, possibly event arguing with each other. However, the strength of the SIT is I am the referee. I reward each individual for their positive behavior and they know not to question the referee! There will be no advancement if they are seen arguing amongst themselves. These students will catch on quickly and I should see less of this type of behavior.

    My intermediate gifted students are usually the ones who are perfectionists. They often get frustrated when they are unable to complete an assignment with a perfect score, or if they’re not the first to finish. If these students don’t get a positive comment, and someone else does, this is when you begin to see him or her withdraw. Frustration sets in and it is hard to get them back on track. If they do not advance as quickly as the others, I see them getting frustrated and not trying. I am really working on “It’s ok to make mistakes, that is how we learn!” The weakness with this group will be me. I’ve got to make sure I do not overlook anyone and award each student for the slightest improvement they make in beating his or her personal record. I am going to need a lot of patience and perseverance to keep them on track and learn not to focus on every little mistake.

    My gifted students who are dually gifted (ADD, borderline Asperger’s, and speech impaired) are sometimes my weaker group of students. They either have trouble focusing, remaining in their seats, or may not want to attempt to answer a question due to speech impediment(s). I really do not see a weakness to SIT for this group. SIT is a positive reinforcement for the Five Class Rules and the Big Seven. This is an excellent motivator to help them excel individually.

    An example would be a student who is unable to stay seated or focused on a lesson. A visual reminder is setting an elapsed timer on his or her desk. By slowly advancing the time, these students will start advancing to beat their previous record for completing an assignment or staying in their seat.

    My extremely challenging students will not want to be left behind as they see their classmates advance on the SIT. The Super Improvers Team is a great visual reminder to jump right in and advance to the top. Who knows what the reward will be? This should keep them motivated!

    Once again, SIT is going to be a real challenge for me at first. I have to be consistent and be sure to recognize the slightest improvement(s) of each student. This will help to ensure that the children are able grow in their own way. I also have to figure out a way to do multiple charts for the eight classes in a week. The best option for me is to make eight poster boards, and try to pick out colors that are on Post-It-Notes.
    This way, I can quickly write a name on the appropriate color and post. I am open for any suggestions!

    SIT is going to become my best friend. It’s going to be the most exciting, effective, and differentiated reward system I’ve ever used with my students. All students will be able to see their achievements and continue to strive for the Living Legend. Kate Bowski had a great idea in the chapter. She suggested students nominate classmates for Super Improver Stars. What a wonderful way to reinforce positive behavior and show ownership! We are teaching our students how to make good decisions in order to develop patterns of success!

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    1. Julia,
      I can tell you are very passionate about your students! You had some great insight about their strengths and weaknesses. My suggestion for the SIT with eight classes would be to either section off a bulletin board (like Sarah Meador has displayed in her middle school classroom - see her WBT you tube video) or, I teach 75 students, so I have a bulletin board with the levels stapled up one side and then I hang a pocket chart next to it. I cut out the colors for the levels out of construction paper (cheap) and put them in a recipe box with the colors labeled on divider cards. It doesn't matter where the kids put their cards on the pocket chart (doesn't line up with the level name, the color of their construction paper card shows that). Then, I put a basket of stickers by the pocket chart for them to choose from. When they receive a star, they just go up and put it on their card (easily removable from the pocket chart). When they move to a new level, they go to the card file, get their new card, write their name on it with a sharpie and place it on the pocket chart. Then, I attach their previous card to a letter to send home telling of their great accomplishment. The cards are only about the size of half of a dollar bill so I can easily have 75 of them on the pocket chart. Super easy! Watch out for those little editing errors "Legend first, possibly event arguing with each other", but great post! Here are 25 certification points!

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  9. Super Improvers Team is self-paced and allows student to grow by competing against him/herself. It fosters healthy completion because the child is only trying to improve not out do a classmate. Even the lowest children in the class can be successful with the Super Improvers Team. This process also teaches children how to set a goal and meet the goal by reward the child each step along the way. I see the use of the Super Improvers Team as a road to personal and social growth. What a lovely way to reinforce those difficult to teach social concepts we want children to learn.

    On the down side Super Improver Team concept is a ton of extra work. Things to make and monitor are very time consuming. The space it requires is huge and the attention to constant detail is extremely demanding. I am looking forward to reading and learning about simple ways to make this effective. It is also difficult with the high student turn over I have at my school.
    Dian Isert

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    1. Dian,
      I think you will be surprised that once you create your SIT, it is very easy to maintain. My school has a very high turn over rate too, but see the post above for how I dealt with that. It is really worth the minimal effort - you will see great results! In the future, make sure you address the entire prompt (Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students and the behavior challenging students). Watch out for those pesky editing errors "and allows student to grow by competing...". Here are 20 certification points.

      Delete
  10. Chapter 15
    The Super Improvers Team
    One of the greatest strengths of The Super Improvers Team is that it addresses our kids craving for recognition. I cannot tell you how much my students enjoy being called on to come to the board or to pass out papers or run an errand. It makes me smile every time I grab a stack of folders or papers and I look up and several students are just dying for me to call on them so they can stand and walk around the room, passing out papers. However, there are those students that do not like to volunteer and those are the students that I would want to see improvement from. Volunteering to do nice things more often is a Super Improvers Team goal that I want to implement. I would like to see more students voluntarily saying and doing nice things for one another.
    Another, strength of The Supers Improvers Team is that it shows student’s personal growth in a way that makes sense to them. It motivates them to do better than the previous day or maybe if they were a student that is ahead of the team, that student will want to stay ahead of the team, the true leaders will shine for the whole class to see.
    The weakness is that the “team” has a goal that all the students are trying to reach and though it is improving the class as a whole it is also displaying them on an individual level. I worry that my students preforming below grade level will feel that they are competing with the class and feel frustrated if they are not making adequate progress. Hopefully with the class and I supporting these students they will realize that this is a competition between themselves and not with the class.
    Brandi Young

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    1. Brandi,
      The wonderful thing about the SIT is that it is not only for academic improvement, but also for behavioral improvement! There are multitudes of ways to set individual goals for the students that are lower academically to allow them to see monumental growth on the SIT. Setting attainable goals specific to each child will allow them to see their own growth without having to meet the same goal that the higher students are striving for. Other students need not know what everyone else's goals are. That is between you and the student. That eliminates the feeling of "I'm not good enough". Your lower students often pass the higher ones on the board quickly because when they see growth they become super motivated to continue their climb on the board! In the future, make sure you address each area of the prompt (Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students). Here are 20 certification points!

      Delete
  11. The goal of the Super Improvers Team (SIP) is to “Go out there and break your own personal record” (pg. 98). You reward students for improving in an academic or behavioral goal set for the individual student. The student is in competition with him/her selves to improve, meet the goal, and move to the next level. Whether a student is weak, intermediate, or academically advanced has no bearing on the SIP each student has his/her own goal that he/she is working towards, so the student can be successful with that goal. This is a major strength because it gives each child the opportunity to feel successful in school. I think the only weakness I see would be on the teachers’ part. The teacher must be faithful with the implementation of the program. As a teacher you would have to come up with an easy plan to track everyone’s goal and progress. You must ensure the data is kept up to date. I foresee this being very effective with extremely challenging students, this student would have the opportunity to reach their goal thus seeing positive rewards. This positive reinforcement could really turn challenging students around. All students want to be praised and be recognized for making improvements.

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    1. Tonya,
      You are right - the SIT does give every child the opportunity to feel successful in school! Watch out for the little editing errors "goal of the Super Improvers Team (SIP)" (SIT) and "competition with him/her selves" Here are 20 certification points.

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  12. Madeline Mahan: Chapter 15- The Super Improvers Team

    I was skeptical of the SIT at first. I wasn't sure if students would truly compete against themselves rather than others, and I wasn't sure how I felt about student levels being posted for all to see. After the first two months of WBT, however, I decided I would jump in and try it.
    Right away, I noticed that all students were highly motivated to level up. A strength of the SIT is that it allows students to level up in ALL areas of the school day. Whereas most reward programs are based on academic performance, the SIT can be used for ANYTHING students need to improve upon! One of my students is extremely shy, so any time he leaves his comfort zone, he earns a Super Improver star!
    I have noticed that academically low students are extremely motivated to perform to their best ability. They do not get discouraged because they can earn levels for non-academic improvements as well as academic. When they are focusing on academic improvement, they are merely trying to beat their own best score!
    The wide range of opportunities can sometimes overwhelm lower students. To compensate for this, I have made a renewed effort to set specific goals with students so they know exactly what they're working towards to earn a star on their SIT card.
    My biggest surprise with the SIT was the improvement in my intermediate students. My "bubble kids," or kids who hover right on grade level, are often satisfied with the bare minimum. The SIT motivates them to continually push themselves. Several of them seemed surprised when I conferenced with them about their need to improve in some area. It seemed that many of them had been allowed to simply "be" in a classroom. These are not students with behavior or academic issues, so they were easy to overlook before the SIT came into play. Sadly, most of them were satisfied to be overlooked, but the SIT has helped them experience the sweetness of striving for more! The SIT forced me to focus on them, and this focus is nudging them out of their mediocrity.
    My higher performing students were also impacted by the SIT. The SIT pushes even the highest performing students to achieve new goals rather than settle. Even though students were turning in high quality work, if it wasn't necessarily an improvement, we would meet and talk about how they could make it even better. This raised the bar for my high students and has enabled them to produce work at a level they didn't realize they were capable of!
    My favorite thing about the SIT is that it forces all levels of students to know where they are performing, academically and otherwise. When students know where they are performing, they can recognize areas that need to be improved upon. When teachers know exactly where students are, they can meet them and take them onward.
    An overall weakness of the SIT is one I see in myself. Occasionally I catch myself becoming complacent and not rewarding students with SIT stars. I tend to focus more on the Scoreboard than SIT stars. To combat this, I plan to use a tally chart for myself. I also plan to have students watch for other student improvement. This will encourage students to look for positive behavior in others as well as remind me to utilize the SIT!

    Madeline Mahan

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    1. Madeline,
      The tally chart is a great tool to keep you on top of every WBT teaching tool. It is very helpful to recognize our own behaviors as we continue to try to help our students! Great post! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
  13. I have been using the Super Improvers Wall since the second week of school. In fact, the Super Improvers Wall is a part of my professional goal for the 2013 -2014 academic year. Every student has a star on the wall. The strengths of the SI Wall have provided strong support for weak, intermediate and academically advanced students. The SI Wall doesn’t present with any weaknesses relative to these groups of students. It has helped to identify some weaknesses in my practice. However, after the weaknesses are identified, I can easily make adjustments.

    The strengths of the wall include providing a way to manage everyone’s behavior with positive reinforcement with “superb differentiation” and offers a method for quantifying feedback for students. For example, one way for earning a sticker on your star was to meet targeted behaviors with at least 70% frequency. When I track behavior, I can provide this quantitative data back to the student. As the year progresses, the frequency of the goal increases. These targeted behaviors offer a means for students to set goals and make decisions about their path to success. This is beneficial for all students because each of them is held accountable. For an advanced student, being rewarded for staying on task supports their ability to work independently and encourages them to make transitions with few to no reminders. They also have to practice self -control and learn to stay focused despite distractions. For intermediate learners, their efforts are validated. Because the WB classroom is so structured, weak learners will also experience success. With the structure in place, it is very difficult to not meet targeted behaviors 70% of the time. The extremely challenging students (demonstrating less that 70%) will experience success, but it’s the pace at which they earn the stickers that creates some challenges.

    The challenge of keeping everyone moving up on the SI Wall at a similar pace has allowed me to identify a weakness in my practice; the frequency in which I give all my students feedback. I’ve learned that I need to find a balance for when and how I give my advanced, intermediate and weak students feedback. Often the most challenging students, who can fall into any one the three learning groups, get most of my attention. Achieving this balance is a lot of work. However, all of this work has forced me to be more reflective about what each of my students need and should be recognized for. This recognition is helping to keep students motivated and creating very productive students because, like the chapter reports, our kids crave recognition.

    Keeping the SI Wall up to date and an essential part of our classroom has tremendous influence on the amount of time we spend on teaching and learning. Behaviors are easily redirected. Conferences with students are productive. Students know they are accountable. Students are striving to do better. They are checking their stars when they come into class and encouraging others who are close to moving up a level. Our time together is productive and focused. When behaviors do present themselves, I have more patience for addressing them, and this in turn helps me to be more effective in dealing with them. Our focus is on student improvement and not academic excellence. Every child, in every way, is growing. Some faster than others, but it is happening!
    Rebecca Murphy
    www.wbteaching.blogspot.com

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    1. Rebecca,
      Great post. I can tell that you are very focused on reaching every child in your classroom! There was one slightly awkward sentence in the first paragraph "The SI Wall doesn’t present with any weaknesses..." Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  14. All students are working towards their personal best. The S.I.T. encourages and reinforces students’ setting goals and working hard.
    Weak students will need to have academic skills or behavioral goals broken down into small attainable goals so that the students can experience success quicker. Breaking goals down could be difficult for some teachers who have a large class with a lot of challenging students.
    Intermediate students will be the easiest group to pinpoint goals for. This group is moving naturally through the basic curriculum with standard goals.
    Academically advanced students will enjoy the challenge of the S.I.T. Trying to break their own records will be the best incentive for this group. The teacher will have to stay on her toes to keep students’ goals meaningful.

    Lori Crigler

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    1. Lori,
      You are right, the SIT is a wonderful incentive! In the future, make sure you address all areas of the prompt (Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students. Include a note evaluating the Super Improvers Team’s possible effectiveness with extremely challenging students.) I'd love to hear more about the strengths and weaknesses for each level and the effectiveness for the extremely challenging students! Here are 10 certification points for your effort!

      Delete
  15. Those academically weak students are the ones I work with every day. The Super Improvers Team would be great for them. This would allow me to measure small improvements and recognize their efforts publically which would build their self esteem as well as their effort in various skill areas. While they might not see huge improvements in any one area, the overall improvement for them as a student would be significant. Further, the students would see their small growth as monumental when they are receiving the recognition. They would be able to identify specific behaviors or skill areas to receive rewards for and would make progress in those areas as well as learning to be able to self-regulate their behaviors and learning skills for achievement in academic or other areas. This allows them to focus on their own personal strengths and weaknesses.

    For academically advanced students, the Super Improvers Team would be beneficial as well. These students would likely see the least overall improvement, but would be taking baby steps as it is hard to improve on an A or already superior skills in any given area. However, in being on the Super Improvers Team, those advanced students would earn extrinsic rewards for pushing themselves harder when better grades might not be an option. This might eventually lead to them developing better study skills which might then transition into intrinsic reward factors as they get older.

    For those intermediate students, I think they would stand to see the most progress with this system. They might be those students who have the potential to achieve more, but are bored or have given up. With the application of individualized, attainable rewards for self improvement, they would likely be motivated to achieve and really surprise teachers with their performance. This would take them out of the mind-set that mediocre is acceptable and push them to be outstanding students.

    The Super Improvers Team is perfect for extremely challenging students as it motivates them to perform and makes the classroom a level playing field. They are not being compared to the other students in any areas, academic or otherwise. This system also focuses on providing students with positive attention, not negative. Students act out to receive attention from teachers, but if teachers can diffuse the challenging student’s desire for negative attention by providing him/her with opportunities to receive positive attention, the student will be able to see the overall positive impact on their school experiences.

    Amanda Blum

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    1. Amanda,
      I appreciate your statement "They are not being compared to the other students in any areas, academic or otherwise. This system also focuses on providing students with positive attention, not negative." That is what makes the SIT so effective! Great post - here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
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  17. Chapter 15: The Super Improvers Team

    Overall, I feel the Super Improvers Team is an invaluable asset in my arsenal of Whole Brain Teaching strategies. Of prime importance is the very nature of the Super Improvers Team: it focuses on the positive behaviors and abilities of students rather than the negative. The Super Improvers Team is a wonderful incentive; it empowers the teacher to reach and monitor the progress, improvement, and growth of every child! In addition, students do not need to know the goals of other students; it is the self competing with self.

    An advantage of the Super Improvers Team with academically weak students is the ability to set attainable goals. Rather than being faced with a challenge that may seem daunting and unattainable, the weaker student has a goal that is within reach, enabling success. Success breeds success.

    With intermediate students, the Super Improvers Team provides the opportunity to establish goals that are challenging, yet attainable. Sometimes the intermediate group can seem to “blend into the background,” and the Super Improvers Team, along with my diligent use of the tally sheet will ensure that I continue to assist these students with continued growth and improvement.

    The Super Improvers Team is a major league motivator for academically advanced students; some who we know can be highly competitive. The ambitious advanced student will embrace the opportunity and challenge the Super Improvers Team presents.

    Extremely challenging students have the option of choosing a goal he or she would like to attain. The Super Improvers Team can be used for both academic and behavioral improvement. The teacher and student can conference and compile a list of goals from which the challenging student can choose. The goal is custom tailored to the challenging student, and we have the “buy in” of the challenging student from the start.

    A weakness of the Super Improvers Team (as applied to students of all abilities) is my dedicated vigilance in its continuous implementation. It begs the question, “Will I observe and assist my students enough?” To aid me with implementation, I will enlist the assistance of Coach B’s tally sheet I received from one of his Master Classes. By monitoring my own progress in the implementation of the Super Improvers Team, I will be cognizant of how well I am keeping apprised of student improvement, progress, and growth. To further assist with implementation of the Super Improvers Team, I will add myself to the team in the form of “Mysterion,” as suggested by Coach B. in his Master Class. Adding the air of mystery will contribute to the “funtricity” in the classroom environs.

    Jacqueline Nessuno

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    1. Jacqueline,
      I completely agree that the greatest weakness of the SIT lies in the implementation of the teacher. The tally sheet is a wonderful way to keep yourself on target so your students will benefit the most from the SIT! Keep up the great work! Here are 25 certification points.

      Delete
  18. I think the greatest strength of the Super Improvers Team is that students aren’t comparing themselves to others. Although it’s great to point out those who are doing the right thing, it tends to be the same students being called on. Super Improvers allows all students at every level to “do the right thing” and achieve victories according to their own individual goals.

    I anticipate the biggest weakness in the Super Improvers Team will be that the advanced students will advance quickly and get bored. Those who are weak could get frustrated that it’s taking longer for them to advance, especially those with who have issues with impulse control. It will be important that the goals being set will be at the appropriate level so that students won’t become frustrated from making slow progress or bored from advancing too easily.

    I have used methods like Super Improvers with some of my students who are receiving behavior interventions. They do work well but take a lot of work on my part, especially when it comes to remembering to fill them out throughout the day, so I set a timer. I think that for those who tend to be impulsive I will have to make sure to mark for good behavior in short intervals and then stretch it to longer lengths of time as they achieve more.

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    Replies
    1. Josephine,
      To keep your advanced students from getting bored, you can meet individually with them and allow them to help you set their own goals that will challenge them. (This works for all ability levels and behavior levels). In the future, make sure you are addressing each area of the prompt. This specific one asked you to "Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students. Include a note evaluating the Super Improvers Team’s possible effectiveness with extremely challenging students." I'd love to hear more about the strengths and weaknesses with the intermediate students. Here are 20 certification points.

      Delete
  19. The Super Improvers Team is an awesome classroom management system that recognizes and rewards students academic and behavioral improvement. An important strength of this method is that it believes in rewarding students not for where they are now but for how far they will go or advance from month to month. Another huge strength is that the Super Improvers Team is extremely fair and differentiated. No matter what category students fall into, whether they're weak, intermediate, or advanced all they have to do is beat or break their own personal records. They are in competition with themselves and only themselves!
    I love that the students don't have to compare or worry about not quite measuring up to their fellow classmates. They only have to top their own personal best!
    Weaknesses that may develop with this method may be the advanced students becoming bored or complacent with the system. As students start to climb the ladder, so to speak, I would emphasize to every one of my students not to worry about classmates necessarily being "higher" than them because each person is working on an individual goal.
    For the extremely challenging students the Super Improvers Team would be effective because it has those students in competition with themselves and not worrying about being in competition with the "good" students.
    Karlyn Davis

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    1. Karlyn,
      Nice post on the SIT! This wall is dynamic in my classroom! It is important, as you say, that students understand that each is only in competition with themself. Like the Scoreboard, I keep the range of levels fairly close in the class so that no student feels left out of the journey to possibly becoming a Living Legend. What I always find interesting is that the High students are not necessarily at the highest levels on the SIT. It's all about individual effort and individual improvement! Here are 25 points for you!

      Delete
  20. I feel the ultimate goal of an educator is to facilitate the love of lifelong learning. The Super Improvers Team is an excellent tool in our toolbox to accomplish this goal.

    Our weak students can benefit from the SIT by rapidly improving their skills and seeing their progress on the goal wall. One weakness for our weaker students might be that they might compare their goals to our stronger students’ goals.

    Our intermediate students benefit by healthy competition among each other. They are confident, yet they realize that they can push themselves to achieve more. One weakness for our intermediate students is that they may not push themselves as hard if they are comfortable in the “middle of the pack.”

    Our academically advanced students benefit most by finally being challenged more than they ever have in school by competing against themselves! One weakness might be that they feel like their higher goals are unfair, since they have successfully completed the course requirements.

    Last, our extremely challenging students might benefit the most because they are used to being compared to all of the other students. The SIT requires self reflection, which may be something they have never had to do before. Challenging students might be encouraged to try to improve themselves for the first time because they are only compared to their own scores.


    Respectfully submitted,

    Krissa White

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    1. Krissa,
      Nice evaluation! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  21. The strengths of the Super Improvers Team lie in the fact that it rewards improvement, not if they score the highest on a test or project, but just getting better. Every student has an area where they can improve; find that area, challenge the student and watch the progress begin. The academic level of a student is irrelevant; each student will be progressing toward his or her Super Improver Goal. Academically advanced students might reach the “top” of the on grade level achievement, but you can always give them challenges that stretch them to the next level.

    The Super Improvers Team offers immediate help for extremely challenging students. Starting progress can be measured in small, easily obtainable steps. Once the student finds success in that task, the teacher can raise the bar just a little again and again, until the desired behavior is reached. Every improvement is a step in the right direction.

    Stephen Sublett

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    1. Stephen,
      I agree that the major strengths is in the focus on "getting better"! Oops, you forgot to address the entire prompt on this one (Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Super Improvers Team as applied to weak, intermediate, and academically advanced students.- you needed to evaluate the weaknesses too.) Here are 20 certification points.

      Delete
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  23. Lori Hahn
    Chapter 15

    In the Gifted Resource classroom, we do not give letter grades. Instead, we incorporate a system of Gifted Goals using S (Satisfactory) N (Needs Improvement), or U (Unsatisfactory), and look for improvement on these goals. Even when students are at a high level, there is always room for improvement on the ten goals we use, ranging from creativity to independence to critical thinking.

    A weakness, I see, would be that I teach 120 students in a Gifted resource room, with different students every day. We rotate them in 2-3 groups depending on the numbers, so that I average about 13-20 per group. The logistics and physical limitations of my classroom do not allow me to put up this many names and cards. There is just no room. However, I do believe the Super Improvers Team would work very well with the goals of Gifted Education, in a self contained Gifted classroom of only 20-25 students. This would greatly help with the Gifted Goals evaluation documentation and feedback for students.

    I am, however, trying this with my most challenging group, my Monday group. This seems to be working well, as some of my more underachieving Gifted students are putting out more effort and are taking pride in his/her work. I take the poster down each day so that my other students do not see it. Otherwise, they would want to know why they were not able to do this. I still “grade” them on the same principles of constant self improvement, using the Gifted Goals, which are posted on my wall at all times. I just do not employ the Super Improvers Team with them, simply because of the numbers.

    Next year, I plan to find a sturdy flip chart to rotate out each class, so that I don’t use up the limited wall space I have. I just started too late this year and felt I could not work in all 120 students. This year’s group is my pilot group!

    Lori Hahn

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    1. Lori,
      You might look at some of the posts on the middle school WBT facebook wall, there are some examples of how they do their SIT for large numbers of students. There are also some example pictures on Pinterest of some great SIT boards for multiple classes (just to get some ideas). Don't worry, you'll find a way!! Oh, there is also a post about this on the WBT website forum. Great job! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  24. The super improvers team could be a very effective tool for all student whether they are strong academically or not. This level is effective in that it reminds teachers and students that everyone can improve and that improvement is worth celebrating.
    For weak students, especially in ESL, it can be difficult to reach the goals set for them by the school system. Rather than highlighting that they have not reached the goal (like passing the state exam), teachers can highlight that they are improving and getting ever closer to being able to reach their goals. However, a colored card on the classroom wall might not have the same effect as actually reaching the goals that other students seem to reach so easily. Another possible disadvantage is that kids always find a way to compete and they will surely figure out that some students are improving much faster than others. It is publicly displayed on the wall!
    For average students this system could be beneficial because it could challenge them just enough to boost them into stronger academic outcomes. But, the problem with this group as well as the others, is that they can stagnate, doing just enough to maintain their acceptable academic level. What is wrong with staying at the green or orange level?
    For advanced students, like average students, this system could be enough to motivate them to look for a new challenge. They might get high grades, but is it the highest they can get? They might get all the answers on the exam right but can they find all the doofus and trickster answers?

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    1. Adrienne,
      For those weaker ESL students you referred to, even if they are competitive, it works out because the SIT isn't just for academic goals, it is also for behavior, following the 5 classroom rules etc. There is a way for everyone to find success, that's why we set individual goals. Tommy's goal might be to score a 60 next time, whereas Amy's goal might be to score a 95. No one else knows what goal they are trying to meet, they only see the growth shown on the SIT. The SIT can be incredibly motivating when the goals are revisited often and when the entire class celebrates each success made by every student!You had a minor error "could be a very effective tool for all student ". Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  25. Chapter 15 The Super Improver’s Team

    The whole idea of students breaking their personal best is the number one strength of The Super Achievers Team. This concept applies to all students from the academically advanced students to the weaker students. Students can be part of a team and yet not have the pressure of trying to beat someone else who is “better” than they are academically. (Or behaviorally) This is especially great for the ESE students I teach since they are consistently last academically which leads those students to just give up. Another strength with this plan is that every student can finally succeed and actually see the results with SIT chart. Earning the stars and moving up the levels are real motivation for those students and I did not have to buy a single thing for the “treasure box”. That is another big money saving strength for the plan. In addition, the Team chart can be adapted to any classroom theme from colors to sports to animals etc. and is so simple to make. Finally, I strongly feel that when the pressure to compete with others is removed stress is also removed. When this happens the brain works so much better.
    Getting the majority of the class behind the plan is probably the most important step to reaching the extremely challenging students. There is strength in numbers and when most of the class is buying into the plan it is difficult for very disruptive students to go against it. The plan can be adapted to address specific behaviors one at a time and finally gives the disruptive student ownership of his or her behavior by choosing what he or she wants to work on.
    I see no weaknesses of the plan except for user error. The teacher must be consistent with the plan for it to work.

    Anne Corrigan

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    1. Anne,
      I agree, this is a great tool to use with your ESE students! What a fun motivator, and it can always be a positive way to help them feel like they are a valuable class member! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  26. The power behind the Super Improvers Team is in its diversity. The whole class can be working on the same strategy or two for improvement. It can focus on improved preparation for class or tests, attendance, academics, or behavior. While the whole class is striving to earn stars for one or two improvements, challenging students can be recognized for small gains in behavior or academics.
    It is probably true that very challenging students have come to accept that the only recognition they will receive from teachers is negative. By working with the SIT on small areas of growth, the student will finally experience the glow of positive recognition. This will hopefully foster a desire to continue to try for those stars, which will be sent home for parental approval, also.
    The academically weak student can achieve greatness in two ways. They can try to improve their test scores by a point or two. These small gains will add up throughout the school year. These are attainable goals that every child can strive for. The other way these children can improve is by focusing on something other than academics. The child can work on penmanship, following a rule, sharing, attendance, or any number of other things. This teaches the child that they may not be good at some things but at other things they are great. What a powerful lesson for these students who don’t meet with much academic success.
    The intermediate student can be encouraged to try just a little harder to meet a goal. They are not to rest on the fact that they are doing OK. They can work to become great. Again, these goals can come in many shapes and sizes. They can be tailor made for each child so that they are working to improve an individual objective. Johnny needs to work on math facts. Mary needs to improve her fluency. This can be done while the whole class is working on neatness. This gives children the chance to earn stars for two different goals, each one very attainable.
    The academically advanced student can always do a little better. Their goals may be loftier than the rest of the class but it is something within their reach. They can also be working on other aspects of their development- penmanship, attendance, etc.
    It is plain to see that the Super Improvers Team can work for everyone. The positive reinforcement that is freely given to students will encourage them to continue to do what is right and to work just a little bit harder.
    Liz Howard

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    1. Liz,
      Great post! I appreciate your comment "It is probably true that very challenging students have come to accept that the only recognition they will receive from teachers is negative." That is sad but true. Luckily, with the SIT, all children can find a way to shine and feel the power of success! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  27. I can’t wait to use SIT in my classroom next year because I love the idea of improving behavior and academics, not just recognizing achievement. There are so many strengths to this approach that it is difficult to know where to start. For students who are struggling academically, including students with an IEP or ELL students, I can meet them where they are – not where the standards say they should be at the beginning of second grade. I know (and the students almost always know) that they are already behind, so this allows the students to start where they are and improve judged by their own goals.
    For students that are on grade level, they are also challenged to make improvements. They do not have to stop at the grade level standards but can continue to improve beyond what is required. I also am thrilled that this SIT includes the academically advanced students because they are often the neglected students because of the demands to have all students reach the standards and this means that teachers are often spending the most time with students who are struggling. These high achieving students also are setting goals to improve. In addition, these students may be the ones that are the most challenging because they ARE bored – not as an excuse for their behavior but because they do not have a next level to achieve.
    Last year, I had a very challenging child (who literally climbed the walls – seriously) who caused so much disruption in my classroom and I did not have any good ways of dealing with him. I think the SIT would be a great motivator for him at least in the short term. He definitely liked attention from his peers and I think that he would have been a great candidate to be a leader! I did not know about WBT last year and I am so glad to be learning about it going forward. This year, because we are so close to the end of the school year, I am trying out a few things but the SIT will have to wait for next school year.
    Also, I love that it can be used for both academics and behavior! I have not come up with any weaknesses – maybe putting it together for the first time and making sure that I have it in a place where I can quickly acknowledge a child and put up a star without disrupting the flow of instruction.
    Mary Carlson

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    1. Mary,
      You will love the difference the SIT makes in your room! I keep mine on a bulletin board right by my Smart Board so they can always see it and it is very accessible. I'm excited for you as you start this new aspect of WBT! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  28. Ch. 15

    I really believe that using the Super Improvers Team will change the dynamics of my classroom. It is a wonderful system that allows me to individualize each of my students’ goals. I know that typically, a teacher can get so caught up with the challenging students that the higher students are running on autopilot and not usually recognized for it. It also means that they are not challenged in any way. I know that implementing the SIT into my classroom will awaken my students like never before. It will be great for my academically high students because now they will have something to look forward to. They are very competitive and it will be a nice change for them to compete with themselves and not with someone else in the class. My higher students also tend to be perfectionists, which means they will thrive with this type of system in place.
    The SIT will also push my intermediate group out of their comfort zone, but in a good way. They tend to be happy with average. They don’t usually push themselves too much and they are just happy not to be in the bottom group. Many times they are afraid to fail and just don’t want to push past what they think they can do. With the SIT, I can meet with the students and let them help to set their own goals. We can talk about starting with an achievable goal and work our way up to something more difficult. This way my apprehensive average group will be excited and confident about trying this out.
    I think that my weak students will revel in the fact that they aren’t being asked to do something perfectly. Instead of not trying at all or messing it up on purpose, they will be willing to give this a try. My challenging students are always up to try something new. They are used to having things tried out on them and revel in new things. I think that they will really like helping to set their own goals. All of the students will enjoy becoming better at improving themselves. They will all take pride in moving up the levels and achieving their goals. I like a system where everyone can be challenged in a positive way. I love that the SIT can always be added to, so that everyone continues to work hard. I really don’t see any problems with the SIT, except maybe for me. My consistency with looking for those improvements and giving the stars could create a problem. I will have to be hyperaware of my students’ efforts to make this work, but it is something that I am willing to do to see ALL of my students grow.
    Jackie Rabin

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    1. Jackie,
      Nice work! You hit the nail on the head! The SIT makes differentiated classroom management a breeze! Consistency is difficult at first, but it will become second nature very quickly! I keep a basket of stickers to add to their SIT cards at the front of my room where I see it all the time. That has really helped to remind me to keep watching for improvers! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  29. The super improvers team is such a great tool to use in the classroom, especially one in which students abilities are so widespread. You get to reward students for their own academic or behavioral goal as opposed to just being “the best”. The students’ task is to set a goal and compete again themselves to meet the goal and thus move on to the next level. Speaking from my personal weakness, there is a bit of responsibility required to accurately implement the super improvers team. I was able to sit with each of my students and decide on a goal with them. However, there also must be an elaborate bulletin board created, as well as constant progress monitoring. This is a struggle to get used to at first. I was able to create a spreadsheet to attach to my behavior clipboard that has each student’s goal and progress on it. This has taken the “weakness” of the program and eliminated it!

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    1. Kasey,
      You are right, the SIT really keeps a teacher on her toes! It sounds like you really stepped up to the plate though! Nice work! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  30. Super Improvers Team Chapter 15
    Super Improvers Team Chapter 15
    As an Inclusion teacher, I value the Super Improves Team because it charts individual success. Many of my children are two or more years behind, however, the success they make has seldom been recognized because the learning gap is so large. With SIT, I can ensure each child builds self-pride and success. I found that many of the gains made by my ESE students were far greater that my general education student’s gains. You have no idea how happy an ESE student feels when he or she sees the progress made on an individual level. To be able to say to a student you are so close to the next level. You only need two or three more questions correct and you will jump a level makes the improvement real and obtainable. Education should be about your person best.

    SIT allows everyone to be successful at something. My most challenging students met with success when scored only against them selves. They saw how attitude and willingness to work hard really brought about positive changes in both academics and behavior.

    For my two grade level students SIT has allowed them to work and be scored at a level that is better matched to their ability. While doing the same skill as other students, the work was very different. With SIT, the necessary goals were set to bring about individual improvement.

    Overall, I like the SIT concept. It took a while to make it simple enough to manage. I tried to make it much more complicated that it really is. Now, I have a system and it has made all the difference in the world. My students love to be part of SIT.

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    1. Dian,
      Make this system easy! It is such a great way to motivate your kids on so many different levels. Behavioral, social, emotional, and educational goals are just some of the ways students earn their marks to move to the next level. My kids do weekly goal sheets but I don't only mark for those goals. I really look for those marked improvements as they transition through the year. Here are your 25 certification points.

      Delete
  31. I would like to start out by saying how much I absolutely love the Super Improver Team! I was not sure about implementing this so late in the year and how it would work with my PBIS behavior system already in place. I decided to go for it and make the Super Improver Team strictly academic (at least for this year).

    One strength in the SIT for my weaker students is that it really levels the playing field. A first grader who struggles to write their name can still level up before a first grader who is writing paragraphs. The SIT focuses “on student improvement as our education target not on academic excellence”. A weakness for my weaker students is not necessarily in the SIT but in the previous academic expectations/pressure placed on our students through standardized testing and other assessments. Weaker students tend to feel the pressure to perform at the level of their peers and when they cannot do so, they resort to tactics such as copying, cheating, or giving up. I have noticed with several of my students that it was difficult to get them to understand that I was not expecting academic excellence but only personal improvement.

    For my intermediate students the SIT works well because these students tend to slip under the radar and try to just glide through the year. As teachers, it is easy to lose focus on these students when you get so busy trying to differentiate for your advanced/struggling students. Using the SIT prevents this from happening because ALL students are constantly striving for improvement! “Nothing motivates students more intensely than setting and breaking their own records.” A weakness for this group is that they are usually content and used to being “intermediate” or “average”. Keeping these students motivated is a little more difficult so consistency and level variations (using student photos and assigning student leaders) is key for this group.

    I am going to begin with the weakness for advanced students because for me, it was easiest to see the weakness for this group. (I really struggled with weaknesses for the other groups!) My advanced students are used to being the “smartest kid in the class”, “the class helpers”, or the “teacher’s pet”. For many of these students, academics are easy and they never really had to challenge themselves too much because they were always “ahead of the crowd”. These students tend to feel that they can easily advance on the Super Improver Board when in actuality, it is slightly more difficult for them because they have to push themselves to be ahead of their self instead of ahead of the crowd! This shift in thinking does not always come easy! Now the strength for these students is that they tend to also be competitive students. They are used to being on top and they like to stay that way! That in itself is enough to motivate them to always strive to climb that ladder!

    To address the extremely challenging students, I will start by saying that I started the school year with 36 students (26 boys and 10 girls) for the first 6 weeks. When we finally got another classroom opened, students were transferred and transferred back and there was a lot of inconsistency for them. Not to mention that most of these students already had behavior issues. With that being said, I have to say my Super Improver Board has worked with these students as well! Setting personal goals as well as class goals is key, along with consistency. With these students it is also imperative to be sure you keep it a level playing field! Never forget to focus on personal growth, NOT academic excellence! One of my most out of control students from the beginning of the year is currently on the highest level on our SIT!

    I could not be happier that I have implemented this system!

    ~ Heidi Treffert

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    1. Heidi,
      Well stated! I call the Super Improvers Team the 'heart' of my classroom! It changes the dynamics of the classroom for all students. I find with consistent use, many behaviors improve or disappear! Your student is an example of that! I use the SIT during testing times as a motivator for using good testing strategies. Each child has a Post-it on their desk. If I observe a child using one of our testing strategies, I walk by quietly and mark the note with a tally mark using my special ink pen. Believe me, other students sit up taller and work harder to get a mark too. No more racing through a test just to get done! After the test, I transfer the tallies to stars on individual cards. Here are 25 points for you and a 5 point Bonus!

      Delete
  32. Chapter 15: The Super Improvers Team

    I can see where this would be both positive and negative for my students. I have a couple of students that are weak in math that have very little self esteem and they would be constantly comparing themselves to the other students. I also have a student who I could see bragging to all of the students who did not continually perform as well as him. On the other hand, this might be a good way to motivate my extreme behavior challenges to participate more, make better choices and have better behavior.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Karen,
    One of the nice things about the SIT is that students can get stars for behavior, participation, academics, following classroom rules etc. That levels the playing field so that it isn't just the academic all stars that move up. That helps those children with lower self esteem as they are noticed for their great qualities and achievements! Make sure you address the complete prompt in the future and give more information. How would this wok with your intermediate and academically advanced students? Here are 10 certification points.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Weak Students – The Super Improvers Team works wonders with students who are academically troubled. The concept of specifically identifying a problem and setting goals that help put the focus on what the student struggles with is a fabulous method of getting students to grow. The Super Improvers Team also rewards only when the student has made progress toward their goal. All students learn at different rates and have different levels of background knowledge. The weaker students normally are the students who also have behavior problems. Mostly they are behavior problems because they do not know exactly what to focus on or what is expected of them. The Super Improvers Team helps give the students direction in their studies and also leads to better classroom behavior

    Intermediate Students – There are many students that I feel are on the verge on becoming all-stars and there can be many variables to why they are not all-stars. They may be missing one piece of information or fact that keeps them from fully understanding. They could be unmotivated by lack of attention (attention typically goes to the high and low performers). With the super improvers team, attention can be given to the INDIVIDUAL. An academic goal for a intermediate student struggling with long division because they do not know the times tables could be to memorize the times-tables. The student may know the process of long division but this minor detail keeps them from mastering the content. The super improvers team can set a goal for that student to master times tables and ultimately meet their goal, making them an all-star student.

    Advanced Students – Many of the highest students across the country experience the same problem. They begin to feel complacent with getting rewarded for doing the bare minimum 100%. Very rarely are they given the opportunity to take their thinking to the next level. However the super improvers team allows them to do just that. The only negative I can find with the super improvers team is for the teacher who sees more than 100 students (I personally see 800 students). Setting and tracking personal goals can be very difficult. A solution I had found was having students set their goals with journaling and the teacher simply monitors and gives feed back as the class sets goals during a journaling activity.

    -Jason Thomashefsky

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    1. Jason,
      800 students?! Wow! I appreciate your statement "With the super improvers team, attention can be given to the INDIVIDUAL." That is so crucial! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  35. I love the Super Improvers Team and can not wait to implement it in my classroom. I can already envision how motivating it will be for my students, because it will provide them with the positive attention and recognition that they all crave. I also like that it is not just for academics. Students can be recognized for any area in which they show improvement, which means that it will serve as an all around motivator for all of my students.

    Although I know it will benefit all of my students, I am very excited about what it will do for the self-esteem of my lower students. As an inclusion teacher for three years, I have seen first-hand how down these students can get on themselves. The Super Improvers Team will provide these students with opportunities on an almost daily basis to feel good about themselves. I believe that this will provide these students with the motivation they need to work harder and not give up so easily, which should translate into higher achievement.

    Sometimes our average students just need that little extra boost. It is so easy for them to get overlooked and just slide by. This boost will come from setting and breaking personal goals. This will give them the confidence boost that they need, and as a result, they will not just be sliding by. Instead, they will begin to excel.

    Our advanced students need the challenge. They often do not push themselves, because they do not need to. They are accustomed to things coming easy for them. The Super Improvers Board assures that they will be challenged. It also feeds into the already competitive nature that many of these students already have. Since their goals will be harder than those of their peers, they will have to really push themselves to stay at the top of the board. I think that they will thrive on this challenge.

    I believe that the uniqueness of the board will pique the interests of my extremely challenging students. They will not want to be the only students not earning stars, so they will begin to make better choices.

    The only weakness that I can see in the Super Improvers Team would be my failure to keep up with consistently giving stars to my students. However, since I am personally very excited about using this board in my classroom, I do not see this happening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joyce,
      Nice job! Don't worry, the kids will be great at reminding you to distribute stars! I keep star stickers in a bucket in front of my SIT and let the kids do the work! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  36. Chapter 15 - Super Improvers Team

    The Super Improvers Team is such a valuable piece of WBT. When I finished training with Coach B last summer I was in love with WBT, but thought the SIT would not be enough to motivate the kids. No prizes? No treasure box? No treats? The kids will just work to get a silly picture and their photo on the “living legends” wall? Right!
    Well, I am here to tell you that the SIT works for all students – weak, intermediate, and academically advanced! This team has so many strengths and I’m sure I’ll find more after implementing the SIT for a second year. Some of its strengths include:
    1. Individual Challenge: Each student challenges themselves. They aren’t trying to beat someone else in class. The strongest child keeps working because he/she wants to keep getting better. The weakest student doesn’t feel like they need to give up because they know they can never beat the strongest students. Instead, the weakest student just has to improve and beat himself!

    2. Team Work: Students aren’t trying to beat each other so they start encouraging each other to improve. They work as a team to encourage and support classmates to keep improving.

    3. No material prizes: No treasure box, prizes, treats, or material rewards are needed. I’m not kidding! The kids WILL work to get a silly picture on the wall. The kids WILL work to become your “living legends”.

    4. Tracking Data: Students are visually keeping track of their improvement data. They know right away when they aren’t making improvements without anyone telling them.

    I have not found any weaknesses to the SIT except that if I am off my game, it may tend to decrease improvements from most students – but that is my weakness, not the SIT. This happened during a state testing time when we were testing almost every day for two weeks. The kids were getting squirrely because I wasn’t recognizing improvements. During times like this, I need to really pay attention to anyone improving in anyway and reward those stars.
    The biggest benefit of the SIT is the effectiveness it has on extremely challenging students. You can focus on one behavior at a time with these students by telling the student they can earn ten stars and get to the next color level by improving some behavior that needs correcting. For example, a particular student can’t control blurting out every few minutes. Tell the student if they can control the blurting out, you may be able to give them a star for improving that behavior. As soon as you notice the student not blurting out, award a star. Gradually increase the amount of time between blurts as you reward stars. By the time the student has reached ten stars, it is quite possible that he/she has corrected that particular behavior.


    Heidi Baird

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heidi,
      Isn't it wonderful to have the SIT available and not have to spend your whole check on prizes? It is amazing how effective it is! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
  37. The Super oppositional Team allows each student to experience success and growth. I started using it about midyear last year, but didn't promote it as much as I could have or will this year.

    This game is especially beneficial for weak academic students. They don’t receive affirmation academically, which can lead to acting out. But, with SIT, struggling students can shine and even advance faster than their academically strong classmates. Many low preforming students struggle in other areas like organization and responsibility, too. These areas can be targeted and may lead to higher achievement.

    Intermediate students can also grow within the SIT framework. The game can be the motivation students need to push themselves to improve their social / emotional maturity, academic performance, and leadership.

    Some advanced students might not benefit as much as other students from SIT. They are already motivated to perform academically. Some may grow socially and emotionally within the program. Another area where this group may need improvement is leadership. In addition, it may be a good life lesson for the advanced students to experience not being at the top of the class.

    The most challenging students are up for grabs. If a student has a good relationship with the teacher, they may buy into game. But, others may be oppositional to the plan, at least on the surface. But, most of the students will work to advance up the levels.
    Sheryl Larson

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    Replies
    1. Sheryl,
      You are right, the SIT is very valuable to build up those students that are lower academically! Challenge those advanced students to set goals with you that will really push them! They will love the opportunity to meet even higher goals! Oops...did you mean Super "Improver" team in your first sentence? Here are 20 certification points.

      Delete
  38. The Super Improvers team is differentiation at its best. It does not matter if you are an advanced student, an intermediate student or a student who struggles academically or behaviorally. “Every child, in every way, can grow.” It does not matter if the growth is small or large. It is not about who gets done first or who has the best grade. It does not matter if you are well behaved or struggle with your behavior. Improvement is improvement. That is one of the greatest strengths of this technique.

    One other thing that I love is that this technique gives you a chance for a course correction. If a student comes into the classroom with a bad attitude, they have a chance to turn that attitude around. When their attitude changes and they are smiling and laughing, they are ready to learn.

    My advanced students will benefit because there is always room for improvement. Many of my advanced students are very competitive. They are used to being the top academic performers. I love that they are competing against themselves. Their goals do not need to be academic. Many in this group struggle with social skills, perfectionism and hyper focus. They are easily frustrated when they do not get something right the first time. This is a positive way to work on individual skills.

    Intermediate students are often overlooked. This system allows for each student to move at their own pace to make gains. It is all about the individual child. Each child works on what they need to improve. Individual conferences can help the student see what they need to work on. Academically or behaviorally, everyone has room for improvement.

    I think my weak students will benefit the most. Everything is a struggle for them. It takes them longer to learn the concepts and they are frequently behind the other students academically. We can break down their goals into more manageable goals. They will see success. As they succeed their self-esteem will improve. Success will breed more success.

    In order to be successful at this technique, I know that I will need to improve my consistency. I will need to do weekly evaluations of myself to make sure that I do not slack off. I may add myself to the SIT wall and give myself stars for improvement.

    Kim Kirkpatrick

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kim,
      You are right, consistency is the key to a successful SIT! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  39. The Super Improvers Team (SIT) is a great way to get all students involved in class and motivated to beat personal records, not each other. The SIT program rewards all students for individual improvement in any area including but not limited to Super Speed activities, following the rules, teaching other students, and interacting with each other. Since students are working to beat their own personal scores weak, intermediate, and advanced students of all shapes and sizes can make their way through the levels without the fear of being compared to others. I had a hard time thinking of weaknesses for this system.

    All students can improve and benefit from this system. Weak students, who often get frustrated because they feel there is no way they will ever beat the top students in class, can still raise their hands in the air and celebrate because the system does not just celebrate getting a 100% on a test. It celebrates beating personal records, perseverance, and constant self-improvement.

    This system is also great for the intermediate level students. In a lot of programs the intermediate level students are forgotten because they do not get the rewards for earning 100% and they do not get the attention for redirection. They are doing exactly what they need to do so they are sometimes overlooked. The SIT System celebrates students in this band as well. The visual reminders on the wall keep the teacher accountable for celebrating all students not just the brightest or the ones that need the most attention. Intermediate level students will get to move up the levels at their own pace as they bust down personal records.

    Advanced students will also benefit from this system because there is always room for improvement. It is not just about earning 100%. It is about molding ourselves into the best person we can be all around. There is always at least one area to improve. The advanced students may be surprised or frustrated at first that they do not speed through SIT levels like they fly through other activities. SIT will provide a nice challenge for them.

    I also like that the SIT program includes levels and incentives to keep the students motivated throughout the year. Students can earn a picture on the board or a mystery picture with a friend. This type of activity does not require any money and only requires a little extra effort.

    Some teachers or students may feel intimidated by the levels or amount of work that goes into this system. However, once the students see that everyone has an opportunity to make it to the top, the system will run itself. Students can even be responsible for putting up their own stickers! Even though I have not used SIT before, I am excited to try it in my class this year.

    Amber Hartzler
    2014 Intern

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (scored below next post).....it's Cool Amber lol!

      Delete
  40. The Super Improvers Team (SIT) is a great way to get all students involved in class and motivated to beat personal records, not each other. The SIT program rewards all students for individual improvement in any area including but not limited to Super Speed activities, following the rules, teaching other students, and interacting with each other. Since students are working to beat their own personal scores weak, intermediate, and advanced students of all shapes and sizes can make their way through the levels without the fear of being compared to others.

    All students can improve and benefit from this system. Weak students, who often get frustrated because they feel there is no way they will ever beat the top students in class, can still raise their hands in the air and celebrate because the system does not just celebrate getting a 100% on a test. It celebrates beating personal records, perseverance, and constant self-improvement.

    This system is also great for the intermediate level students. In a lot of programs the intermediate level students are forgotten because they do not get the rewards for earning 100% and they do not get the attention for redirection. The visual reminders on the wall keep the teacher accountable for celebrating all students not just the brightest or the ones that need the most attention.

    Advanced students will also benefit from this system because there is always room for improvement. It is not just about earning 100%. It is about molding ourselves into the best person we can be all around. There is always at least one area to improve.

    I also like that the SIT program includes levels and incentives to keep the students motivated throughout the year. Students can earn a picture on the board or a mystery picture with a friend. This type of activity does not require any money and only requires a little extra effort.

    Some teachers or students may feel intimidated by the levels or amount of work that goes into this system. However, once the students see that everyone has an opportunity to make it to the top, the system will run itself. Students can even be responsible for putting up their own stickers! Even though I have not used SIT before, I am excited to try it in my class this year.

    Amber Hartzler
    2014 Intern

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! I tried to check back on my post today and it said it did not post. So that is why I posted this again. Please forgive my extra post! (Everyone in the book club says, "It's cool Amber!")

      Aww..thank you everyone for being so understanding!

      Delete
    2. Amber,
      I think that the other teachers and students you mentioned will be pleasantly surprised at how easy the SIT is to maintain! With minimal preparation, you can be off and running! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  41. The Super Improvers Team, S.I.T., motivates me beyond belief! As the old saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for”, I sincerely aspire to find a few challenging student names on my 2014-15 class roster. To have the opportunity to identify, observe, and celebrate the success with students who need to improve their behavior or academics, genuinely excites me. I believe that the powerful impact S.I.T. can have on students who present challenging behaviors will be immeasurable if the system is used consistently.
    After attending the conference this summer, I reflected on my class from last year and thought of four specific students that I WISHED I could have a “DO OVER” with... just so I could have experienced a “WIN OVER” their defiant, stubborn, and disrespectful behaviors. I believe focusing on the simplest, negative behaviors would have promoted a positive response, and as a result, would have led to the improvements of their other rebellious behaviors. I can only imagine the amount of time that would have been back on “my watch” by not having to correct negative behaviors during instructional time, write/respond to parent emails, hold parent conferences, or make phone calls due to their behavior infractions.
    One aspect that excites me is that S.I.T. is not designed specifically for academic growth. If some of our “honor” students were also scored on conduct, there would be several that would miss the boat. S.I.T. provides ALL students an equal playing field for designing and pursuing self-improvement goals. Another factor that I find beneficial is that students do not feel as though they are in competition with others. I believe that this will encourage them to want to set and break personal records. The analogy used in this chapter, the fastest runner racing against a slow runner, is perfect for visualizing how a weak student must feel if they are expected to compete against an advanced student. #alreadydefeated
    In conclusion, I believe one of the main strengths of this classroom management tool is that challenging students have a choice in the behavior or skill they want to improve. As a result, by having input in designing their goal(s), they will take ownership in the system and strive to successfully improve. Although I would not consider this a weakness, one area of concern that I have is that if my partner teacher is not completely on the WBT train with me. If she does not hold my students accountable for their goals while they are in her class, my fear is that they will assume they have a ticket to derail when they switch to her class. My hope is that all of my students will be self-driven and strive to improve wherever they are with or without my presence.

    Kelly Avery
    Intern 2014


    ReplyDelete
  42. Kelly,
    I smiled through your entire post! You have got it! These kiddos want to succeed and you are going to give them the BEST atmosphere to do this in! Don't worry about your teacher partner, the kids will perform for you and maybe your partner will love WBT as most do! Keep up your awesome work. Here are 25 certification points and 5 bonus points!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Chapter 15 The Super Improvers Team
    I love that the Super Improvers Team’s (Sit) purpose is to ‘reward for intellectual and social growth’ (98) and that it is differentiated to each student’s abilities. I started using this system as soon as I learned about it last fall. I had tremendous success! Students of all levels became more engaged and would look for areas they could improve on. They would come and ask me what they could improve on to get a sticker – especially when they were at 9 stars! Whenever a student received a sticker, the rest of the class would give a ‘ten finger woo’. It never failed that the student would blush and feel very special. And the rest of the class loved giving the ‘woos’! The only weakness I can find with SIT is teacher performance; looking back, what I would change in the way I delivered the program, is that I would start out by being more generous with the stickers. I would make them all feel successfully right off, and as their confidence grew, I would make it a little more challenging to get the sticker.

    The major strength of SIT is the fact that any student can succeed with it. “Every kid has an equal chance for success” (99). I love the analogy or running a race. The fast child learns they can’t be beaten, so they slow down, the slow child knows they will never win, so they quit. That describes student behavior in most classrooms. Having a race where the winner is the one who beats their own personal best is the best type of race. When I introduced SIT to my class, I explained it in a similar way. I could see that this enticed my low-level students. I went with the sports theme, which everyone seemed to enjoy. I foresee using the picture method for a middle level. I see this as an extra push to achieve for this student as well as motivating others to get to that level. I also like the idea of putting the ‘Living Legend’s picture at the top and leaving it there forever. What a special honor that would be for a student. And, as with most WBT methods, a strength for SIT is that you can change it up anytime you like to make it more motivating.

    I found that all my students, regardless of learning level, were motivated by SIT. I would use things like: remembering to put the date in the right corner; printing on the lines; remembering to bring your agenda to school; memorizing your 7 times table; coming to carpet quietly. Wherever the student was, I met them there.

    With extremely challenging students, I would start very slow and simple, by choosing the most easily corrected behavior first. This could be coming into the room quietly after recess. At first I would reward this behavior immediately, and then gradually wait for success three times in a row, etc. I feel that with a combination of SIT and practice cards/guff counter, you could round up those rebels and turn them into leaders. You need to know your students and the best way to hook them in.

    I think SIT would work at any grade level and with all types of students.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bonnie,
      Great job! I love that you not only reflected upon the SIT for student, but also recognized areas that you could make it more effective on your end. Oops, watch for tiny typos "love the analogy or running" (of). Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  44. Could there be a weakness in the Super Improvers Team? I don’t think I have ever considered that. I guess that makes this a good assignment. There are three models of students in terms of performance: weak, intermediate and advanced. The Super Improvers Team offers something to each of them.

    “I can’t read,” “I’m bad at math,” or “I’m the kid who talks a lot,” are all thoughts that repeat in the minds of the weak performing student. Super Improvers Team (SIT) offers an alternative. Kevin may know that he is reading below grade level and feel like he can never catch up to his classmates. No one likes that feeling, so it is not surprising that he doesn’t want to try. What if, however, Kevin was rewarded not for achieving but for improving? At first, I might recognize Kevin for making an improvement in spending more time (even 1 minute) than yesterday keeping his eyes on his book during silent reading.
    One strength in the SIT is flexibility. Every student can show improvement in some way. Once he sees his own improvement, and he knows everyone else sees it, he can rise as high as anyone on the Super Improvers Board.

    The intermediate student is sometimes complacent because she can do the work without breaking her back. She never gets remarkable grades. She’s not sure that she could. What if “good enough” wasn’t good enough? She can be motivated by making small, incremental changes in her work. She can use a straight edge carefully when drawing a line. Bingo, boingo. “Wow!” she thinks. It feels good to be recognized. I don’t have to be the smartest, but I do have to do my best. I like how it feels to do my best and I love the ten finger woo from the class.

    Usually the highest achieving students are the most motivated, so the Super Improvers Team is a good match to their personality. They love to achieve. There is no resting on past victories here, however. Good at math? Not too good to stop improving! Reading above grade level? That’s a great starting point! Where will you go from here? That is entirely up to you.

    A weakness, as I see it, is not as closely tied to academic achievement. One weakness that I saw, with only one or two students, was related to behavior—good behavior. This breed of student flies under the radar. He is quiet. He knows the answer if you call on him, but he doesn’t shoot his hand up. You rarely have to remind him of the rules. He is not disrespectful. However, he is not on fire about the Super Improvers Team because his personality allows him to coast. He is self-confident. He doesn’t seem to mind if he is not improving as quickly as others. While his classmates thrive on improvement and recognition, he could take it or leave it. For the child who is seemingly not highly motivated about anything, the SIT doesn’t appear to have the same power. This student is rare, indeed, but what is the key to launch him in to striving for more?

    Signed Jim Hobley, Advanced Novice Wholebrainer

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    1. Jim,
      You make a good point in that some students are very difficult to motivate (with anything!). One technique I used was to have that student be my "SIT Assistant". He was in charge of watching to see other students as they improved and to make sure to tell me. He really got into the swing of it, and as he participated more (while observing great behavior in others..he he he) he was awarded stars for his effort. He picked up speed as he gained a few stars. Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
  45. Chapter 15 Super Improvers Team
    I love the Super Improvers Team. The concept is brilliant and I wish I had heard about it when I was still a teacher. But as an administrator I have adapted it to help with attendance.
    Strengths and weaknesses of the Super Improvers Team for different groups of students may have more to do with my limitations in imagination that strengths and weaknesses of the system. The idea that students want to be recognized is genius and I think people are very motivated by moving up levels. Just look at the national obsession with the online game, Candy Crush Saga, which only offers moving up levels as a motivation. People, even little ones, love to move up levels.
    I can imagine a student who has always been the shining star might resent sharing the spotlight with students that have always struggled academically, but this is not really a weakness as much as it is a teachable moment for that student to realize that everyone deserves recognition for effort.
    Low students would see themselves valued, maybe for the first time. I think many of them would respond and find a new confidence in themselves that would propel them to achieve even more. Middle students would find themselves competing with themselves instead of always competing with the top students for teacher recognition.
    Extremely challenging students could help determine goal areas for stars and therefore take more ownership of their progress. I have often found that extremely challenging students are demanding attention. Using the Super Improvers Team I can give them that attention in a positive way.
    Carl Rust 275 cp

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    Replies
    1. Carl,
      You make a great point in the learning opportunity available for those students that are so accustomed to receiving all the praise, learning to share the spotlight a little bit! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  46. Super Improvers Team ~ This is a very difficult task as a Music teacher. I would love suggestions on how this might be accomplished with 500 students.
    I will think about this on a single classroom level. I think this looks like a very rewarding system no matter what your academic level is. For the weaker students this will help boost their confidence. I would start with the little things and as their confidence improves move on to more difficult tasks. For the intermediate students this may be just the thing they need to boost their academics. These students are what we call the “bubble kids” at my school. They are the kids that can succeed one day and then fall behind the next. For the academically advanced students this is a way to challenge them. I won’t give them a simple goal. They will have a more difficult goal to reach so they feel challenged.
    I am not certain this will work long term for the students will extreme behavior issues. Initially they may respond as long as their goals are very simple goals that will be met with minimal effort. As their goals become more challenging, the student with a severe behavior issue may begin to give up. This is when the other techniques would be implemented.
    There is not much about this reward system that is negative. It may seem time consuming, however it seems like there would be a huge payoff in the end!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitzi,
      You might try looking at how the middle school and high school teachers work this. Sarah Meador has a great example on her website (middle school). They usually do the SIT by classes rather than individually. Or, you could have a large poster board for each class with a place for each student to put their stickers/stars earned, and then change the poster out as the next class enters the room...We will need to brainstorm to help you out! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  47. The super improvers team is a powerful tool that encourages your students to reach their personal best academically and socially. Each student is given the opportunity to set personal goals and compete against themselves. This allows each child to stay motivated on manageable goals while not feeling defeated by things that are currently beyond their ability.
    Challenging children need constant positive reinforcement to encourage proper behavior. As a teacher this becomes tedious over time, because they are often like a cup that just cannot be filled. The super improvers team will allow challenging students to get the positive reinforcement they need by setting small attainable goals. They will also have a visual reminder of the things they have done well, and the rewards they have received. For the well behaved child, often times they notice that misbehavior warrants attention. This can encourage even the sweetest student to act out. The super improvers wall solves this dilemma by creating opportunities for each student to obtain the attention they deserve in a positive way.
    In my own personal experience, I have a child who was labeled “gifted” in school. Academically, she was above her peers and quickly learned that she only had to do the minimum in school to be able to earn good grades. This caused many problems for her as a student because she learned not to study and not to do her best. As school became harder, and no longer came naturally to her, she did not know what to do. It is a horrible disservice to our students, who are sent to school to learn, to teach them not to try. The super improvers team would have made a real difference for my daughter had this system been in place in her classroom. The advanced students need to be challenged, so that we do not breed complacency.
    Weak students often come to school defeated and discouraged. The super improvers wall will help these students see that they can accomplish things and they might not know how to do it yet, but they will soon. This system is such an encouragement to those struggling students.
    Average students often fall between the cracks at school. They are not causing a disruption, struggling with skills, nor requiring you to challenge them. The super improvers team would be a fantastic tool for our average students. This system allows them to get recognized for what they have accomplished, and may even motivate them to move up to the more advanced level This positive attention might be just what they need to go the extra mile and to accomplish things they never knew they could.
    If the super improvers wall has any weaknesses, it would have to be that it takes vigilance on the teacher’s part. The teacher will constantly be evaluating each student and encouraging them to set and reach new goals. As a teacher, I feel that this is actually a positive for me because I feel it is my job to help each child reach their highest potential and this system will aid me in doing just that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa,
      You have listed some of the most important strengths of the Super Improver Wall for every level of student. I really like your point regarding the importance of using this tool to challenge our students that usually score higher academically. Nice job! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
  48. I have found that the Super Improvers Team has been exactly what I needed for my classroom. I started using it a little bit more than halfway through last year (awarding only 5 stars per lower levels and 10 for the last 3), and it has been incredibly successful! In my state (New Jersey), they’ve asked the teachers to monitor student growth through various written assessments at different times in the year. To me, the Super Improvers Team is the ultimate showing of growth for each child as an individual; it is so much more than a standardized assessment!

    I just love the camaraderie that had been cultivating as all peers congratulate each other for their successes. I also enjoy the control that I have over this whole process. They never quite know what I am looking for, so they are all trying to strive to remember what I’ve taught them and improve their own personal goals. My weaker students are so stunned and proud when they find that they’ve surpassed some of the academically higher kids when they master their basic skills, and in addition to that, they have been praised by those higher kids they seek to emulate! It is so very powerful as a motivator! My intermediate level students are working to get those core skills and strategies refined and continue to add more detail to whatever they are working on. At the advanced level, whereas in the past higher students felt like they could slack-off while they did the bare minimum, now these students know that they are held to a different standard and will not be rewarded for doing the same things as the other students in the class. They’ve learned that in order for them to earn a star, they really have to actually push themselves and impress me! Of course the idea of “leveling-up” as I call it, appeals to all students. I just love seeing those kids striving to get to the top!

    As far as difficulties go, I find that the S.I.T. really keeps me on my toes having to give each student new goals, keeping track of who earns stars, and generally trying to be fair with the awarding, so that all of the kids stay within 3 levels of each other. It is a lot to wrap your head around, but it is so very important to do so because it truly motivates the kids like nothing else I’ve ever tried.

    I had a very difficult student last year that struggled in just about every subject, lacked confidence in himself, and truly just seemed so lost. As soon as I introduced the S.I.T., I could tell that he was wary and just waiting to be way behind the others. I even overheard him saying, “I’m never going to be anything but a white card,” to another student. The first time I awarded him a star for getting quickly and quietly to his seat his jaw dropped, eyes grew wide, and an unbelieving smile seared across his flushed face. And then when the class congratulated him… I felt like I was going to cry! He was SO excited and overwhelmed that *he* had received a star over the “smart kids.” After that day, he was a different kid! He sat up straighter, listened and worked harder than he ever had before. He lived for those stars! I’ll never teach without the Super Improvers Team again!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Brianne,
      What a wonderful testament to the SIT! I love your example "The first time I awarded him a star for getting quickly and quietly to his seat his jaw dropped, eyes grew wide, and an unbelieving smile seared across his flushed face. " That really says it all, doesn't it! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus.

      Delete
  49. I have 22 students in my classroom right now and each and every student is making progress on our Super Improvers Wall. They thrive to get stickers and often tell me how many they have left until they reach the next level. The great thing about the Super Improvers Team is that it doesn’t single out students or make them feel inferior to others in class. They know what they need to do to improve, not what somebody else needs to do. They also know anything they do can earn them a sticker.

    I do have a couple of challenging students in my classroom (challenging for various reasons). I have noticed when I walk around with stickers and hand them out to students who are making improvements with gestures; their partner or neighbor will often times adjust their gestures because they know a sticker could be involved. It’s amazing to see students notice what they could do to make improvements. Several of these students who make quick adjustments are often times my challenging students. While these students sometimes end their day knowing it could have been better, it doesn’t change their movements and success on the Super Improver Wall. These students are still moving levels, they’re still excited about earning stickers, and they’re still motivated to make improvements. Every student has their off day and while my challenging students tend to have them more, it doesn’t change the fact that these students can still be reached through the Super Improver Team.

    My weaker students are in a similar situation as my challenging students, except my weaker students don’t necessarily have behavior problems, they tend to have more academic weaknesses. The weaknesses tend to be due to gaps in their academics that may have stemmed from years of inabilities to understand certain curriculum being taught. These particular students are also making their way up the Super Improver Team because again, any improvement, whether academic or behavior, warrants success and movement up the ladder. It doesn't matter if they do understand or don't understanding something being taught, they can still grow in that area, which will in turn provide opportunities earn a sticker.

    My intermediate and advanced students are role models for my weaker and challenging students, encouraging them to work harder. While my intermediate and advanced students are academically stronger and often times behaviorally stronger, they still receive the same benefits of the Super Improver Team as any other student in my classroom. They are receiving stickers because they are making individual improvements.

    One improvement I would like to make to my own wall is to section each card with different categories of behaviors and/or academics. Students can then place their stickers in a certain category based on why they were given the sticker (e.g., If a student is given a sticker for improving the use of gestures, then they would place their sticker in the gesture category of their card.). Making the cards this way could be motivation for students who need to make improvements in new/different areas.

    Ellen Vaught

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    1. Ellen,
      Nice job! The SIT is a fun way to keep your students motivated and on task! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  50. The Super Improvers Team sounds like a wonderful way to motivate multiple students in a variety of ways. It does not tie you down to one type of behavior or academic situation. It recognizes the differences of the students and can be utilized for the individual needs of each.
    Weak students can be motivated at their own level. They can’t compare to higher level students because they will shut down when they see the differences between them. The Super Improvers Team allows the weak academic students to beat their own scores gradually and therefore increase their motivation and personal success. The challenge for weak students is to ensure their goals are reachable in a timely manner to maintain their focus.
    Intermediate students can succeed with this because their challenges will also be at their level. These students often “fly under the radar” because they are average kiddos. The Super Improvers Team with help you as a teacher focus on each of them individually. This will in turn increase their individual motivation and work ethic as well as sense of self worth.
    Advanced students will succeed in this if you give them goals that challenge them at their level. Too often these students become bored in class because they are not being challenged. They will then become behavior concerns because they have nothing else to occupy their time. If they are consistently challenged by the Super Improvers Team their behavior concerns will disappear because they have something to work towards.
    One weakness of the Super Improvers Team is if students notice the different expectations of different students. If an advanced student notices your weak student climbing the chart too easily they will get upset and shut down (and vice versa). As a teacher you need to manage the chart in a way that ensures all students are making progress fairly at their level.
    The Super Improvers Team can help with extremely challenging students because you are giving them purpose. Often challenging students want attention, positive or negative. This chart provides a safe and respectful manner to earn attention. If you maintain progress and ensure this student gets strong positive attention, you will make the negative attention decrease.

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    1. Veronica,
      Great analysis of the SIT! It is always difficult for students to understand the concept of "fair means different things to different people". As long as they have their own goals and are focused on meeting them, they should take pride in their accomplishments, and maybe even learn to cheer for their peers along the way. The SIT is a great motivator! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  51. Super Improvers is a great way to keep students motivated and excited about taking responsibility for their own learning. My mind is racing on how I can set this up next year at the beginning of the year. As Coach mentioned for middle and high school teachers it is easier to set up a Super Improver League. The idea of focusing on improvement is very dear to me and communication in a second language is so delicate in the beginning. Getting students to speak in the target language is a challenge for all language teachers. I think this method could be the missing link in language acquisition. In language we have different levels of proficiency within each grade level. For example, I might have novice low, mid and novice high students in the same level 2 Spanish class. The Super Improvers is a great way to manage and track the levels of proficiency and differentiation. As for the super challenging student, of my two goals one will always be a behavior goal with these students in mind. The second goal will be some varied use of Spanish. The idea of having a living legend wall of fame thrills me, and I know students would come back to see me and see if their picture was still displayed.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Rebecca,
      Your students will appreciate the opportunity to reach their own individual goals, regardless of their varied academic levels, all can shine! I agree, the Living legend wall of fame is a great motivator! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  52. Super Improvers Team is a great way to motivate all students. Its biggest strength is that it can be used with any age group and on any academic level. Coach B says, students’ goal should be the same “… to surpass their previous best effort.” I truly believe that fair is not giving everyone the same but giving everyone what he or she needs. If my students doubled their knowledge of sight words, it should not matter whether the total of learned words is ten or eighty.

    I started using SIT last month, hesitantly at first. I foresaw possible weaknesses in this system and in my implementation of it. I was worried about being able to manage the board. It was quite overwhelming to look at all the cards and all the levels to keep track of. I also wondered if this system was based more on extrinsic rather than intrinsic motivation. I feared that it would be too challenging for my kindergarten students to understand that they were going to be earning stars based on their progress and effort rather than on their talents. Nevertheless, I placed my trust in WBT and revealed our first Super Improvers Wall a few days before our Open House. During the Open House, I had a chance to explain this system to parents. Parents’ positive reactions to the SIT encouraged me to proceed.

    In the past week, my students have been earning stars for academic growth (knowing more sight words, reading on a higher level, or recognizing more letters and sounds). Every day, we found more items to award stars for. As the days went by, I noticed that the students with most academic challenges have been receiving the most stars. They have been working hard and improving but they didn’t know it until now because their skills were below what others could do. Getting stars boosted their enthusiasm. They finally had a visible proof that their hard work was paying off.
    My high flyers were the most excited group about this race for the stars. They quickly realized that being the best reader or writer in the class didn’t give them a free star. They had to work hard to beat their own scores. What a revelation! To earn a star you’d have to be better than you. As soon as they figured it out, they started working harder than I have ever seen before.

    My intermediate group was always the hardest group to engage. They were students who were happy with where they were. They also often lacked the confidence to make mistakes. They liked working on things that they were comfortable with. With SIT system, they started to venture more out of their comfort zone. All of the sudden, being okay was not good enough anymore.

    Even though I have been using SIT for only a few weeks, I can already see the strengths in this system. The students are helping me to manage the board by acknowledging each other’s progress. Not a day goes by without my students checking the wall, counting how many more they needs before they get to the next level and reminding me to color in the stars they earned.

    ~ Monika Fridrich

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    1. Monika,
      I love your statement "All of the sudden, being okay was not good enough anymore." What a great way to motivate your students! Competing against themselves is a sure fire way to help even the youngest students reflect upon their own behavior and academic progress! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

      Delete
  53. The strengths of the SIT when applied to weak students are that it intensifies the need to behave correctly, allows for personal, social, and academic growth, and provides positive peer pressure from the intermediate and academically advanced students. The only weakness I can think of is that those students who are misbehaving, making poor choices, and are academically challenged, may feel bogged down and not useful when looking at their name compared to their peers’ names. How can I work on this in my classroom to make sure it doesn’t happen?

    The strengths of the SIT when applied to intermediate students are that it helps push those intermediate students into academically advanced students. These kids are on the borderline, and it is my job to make sure that they make it to the other side. The intermediate kids can also help “keep an eye out” for those weak students. When I do groups in my room, I try to mix them heterogeneously so that a wealth of knowledge and information can be spread throughout the groups. My intermediate and academically advanced students learn as much from my weak students, as my weak students learn from them. It’s all about positive support! I do not believe that there are any weaknesses with SIT for my intermediate students.

    The strengths of the SIT when applied to academically advanced students are that these students feel comfortable providing support to the weak and intermediate students, gives these students a sense of responsibility and self-worth, and allows for even more growth personally and socially. My academically advanced students can help the other kids continue to make the right choices behaviorally and academically. I do not believe that there are any weaknesses with SIT for my academically advanced students.

    Dear WBT,

    I absolutely adore the SIT. I teach older grades and I am always looking for a way to help my students grow any way that I can. I always give attention to my challenging students because they are obviously the ones that are causing the disruptions and distractions in class. I sometimes forget about my students who are continuously working hard to become excellent, model students. The fact that my students can compete against themselves instead of one another will make for an interesting and competitive classroom. I feel like my students are challenged academically, but are not challenged so much in the social and personal areas of their life. SIT makes it so that my students are always working hard for a purpose and a goal, on top of pushing each other to be better people and students. My extremely challenging students visually and verbally understand their misbehaviors in the classroom, and can see how it is affecting them socially and academically. The display in the classroom allows for students to conference with one another on changes that can be made or different choices that can be made. My leaders can help provide support to their peers and show them how their decisions affect the entire class, not just them.

    Sincerely,

    Hannah Meacham

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    1. Hannah,
      Great post! Your question I can think of is that those students who are misbehaving, making poor choices, and are academically challenged, may feel bogged down and not useful when looking at their name compared to their peers’ names. How can I work on this in my classroom to make sure it doesn’t happen?" has been asked often. To keep those challenging students in the game, start with simple tasks that they will be successful with. Let them find out what satisfaction in a job well done feels like. It's ok to help them out on this, our goal really is to help them grow and none of them will grow at the same rate. Nice job, here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus.

      Delete
  54. The Super Improvers Team is a successful tool for encouraging students to set, meet, and improve upon academic and social behavior goals.

    I have found that the use of SIT boosts confidence in weaker students and creates a drive to produce results. These are often the students who respond the most to positive reinforcement. I have found this often because they are used being on the receiving of negativity.

    The SIT system also works well for the intermediate students. I find that these students teeter between having good days and bad days. They can take or leave the rules at times, but are fairly simple to get back on track. Using the SIT allows them to consistently focus on their own behavior and not be distracted by the choices of others. This is exactly what this group of students needs to consistently improve upon their own practices.

    I often find that advanced students don’t continue to excel on an appropriate trajectory because they are content with their current performance. The SIT allows them to set individual goals, challenge themselves, and recognize their areas of improvement.

    The Super Improvers Team levels the playing field for all students. It allows the weak students to receive praise, the advanced students to continue to grow, and prevents the intermediate students from disappearing into the background.
    I haven’t had the opportunity to use the Super Improvers Team with extremely challenging students, but I feel that there would be many advantages. First, you can direct their attention on one thing, one purpose. This will help to prevent distractions that can be the cause of off-task or negative behaviors. The SIT also allows for short term growth and recognition as well as long term goal setting. Our most challenging students need a mixture of both.

    Megan Vescio Copeland
    Goldfarb Elementary School
    Las Vegas, NV

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    1. Megan,
      You've really got it with your comment "I have found that the use of SIT boosts confidence in weaker students and creates a drive to produce results. These are often the students who respond the most to positive reinforcement. I have found this often because they are used being on the receiving of negativity." It is wonderful to have a way to encourage even the smallest of improvements for those children that often don't soar in the classroom! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  55. The Super Improvers Team is a great opportunity for the academically weak students. Those are the ones I work with every day. The Super Improvers Team allows them to improver academically with individual attainable goals they can reach. With them reaching goals and begin recognized for them, it will hopefully build their self esteem.

    With intermediate students, the Super Improvers Team provides the opportunity to establish goals that are challenging, yet attainable. I think they would stand to see the most progress with this system. They might be those students who have the potential to achieve more, but they are the group of students that seem to "blend in". With the Super Improver Team, they would hopefully feel encouraged as well as motivated to do the best they can.

    For academically advanced students, the Super Improvers Team would be beneficial as well. These students will have to work just as hard as the academically weak students to reach their goals. The Super Improver Team is a motivator for them though as most are highly competitive. In most cases it might take them longer to advance up the Super Improver Team.

    The Super Improver Team gives extremely challenging students the option of choosing a goal he or she would like to attain. With the Super Improver Team extremely challenging students can be given both academic and behavioral improvement goals. At the beginning of the year the teacher and student can conference and make a list of goals. This list is what the challenging student can choose to work on to earn stars.

    Megan Sowers

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    1. Megan,
      The SIT is one of my favorite WBT tools. It can effectively challenge every student in the class regardless of their academic level. But, the best part is, it is FUN! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  56. I will begin with the weakness of the S.I.T., ME. Maintenance of “progress boards” is not my strong suit. I put up incentive charts at the beginning of the year, only to find them ½ completed on day 180. I always start off with the best of intentions, but fall short. When I do the S.I.T., I will put my name on there in the hopes that I will move up the levels of success based on my consistency in maintaining the board.

    Strengths abound when thinking of the S.I.T. Because it is not based solely on academic performance, all levels have the possibility of moving through the levels. For the academically advanced, more emphasis can be put on non-academic performance. A student I had this past school year was academically advanced, but her social skills were lacking. She was highly competitive and had little understanding for those not at her academic level. The S.I.T. could have been used to encourage more positive peer relationships for her. I like that it can be easily individualized.

    I feel the S.I.T. could be instrumental in providing the extra incentive and support they need to go the extra mile. I see many of these students that are happy with the status quo, but are capable of so much more. With just a little extra effort, they could bridge the narrow gap between intermediate and advanced levels of performance. Having a visual of the progress they are making could be instrumental in their success.

    Motivation is key for the weakest of my students. These students often have so many factors going against them that academics are not a priority. Showing them that success comes in many forms will build confidence. This confidence will embolden them to take risks. To a first grader, putting forth genuine effort in the face of failure can be a risk. Physically moving up the levels of the S.I.T. can lessen the sting of failure and encourage them to put forth that effort.

    I think the same is true of the especially challenging students as well. Showing their success for even the smallest efforts to start, whether they be social or academic, could be the difference between a bad year and a good one.

    Elisabeth Thompson

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    1. Elisabeth,
      Nice work! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  57. The Super Improvers Team (SIT) maximizes the potential of all students. Each child has a wonderful opportunity to improve academically and/or with behavior. With this success of growth comes recognition and praise.
    1) Strength: Weak students will be able to benefit from breaking their previous records in all that they do in the classroom which includes academics but can be any procedure or kindness shared. Improvement is the focus! Small steps can be taken to advance a skill. They can even earn a star with extra homework. A weakness may occur here if the child desires to do homework but does not have the home support.
    2) Strength: Intermediate students can make large gains with homework and performing as a great student. It does not really matter if you are academically advanced or intermediate. The SIT is all about differentiation and improvement in all the class procedures, being kind to a classmate, etc. Each group of students has the ability to advance in behavior or academically. Intermediate students can use homework for advancing too. A weakness may occur if there is not home support.
    3) Strength: Academically advanced students may be the first to be the class leaders. A weakness may be that they become boastful about the quick gains they may achieve. Every academically advanced student will still have something to improve. A weakness may occur if the child does not have support from home to advance with homework.
    4) Strength: After evaluating the possible effectiveness with challenging students, the SIT works just as well for these students. Because SIT focuses also on behavior, the teacher and student can focus on the rules or procedures being violated one at a time. The student can pick the behavior he/she wishes to work with to make the challenge personal. Breaking previous records may make everyone happy! A weakness may be that the teacher is not consistent enough. Creating this reflection has helped me to strive for consistency.
    Regina-Champagne Babin

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    1. Regina,
      You are right, consistency is definitely the key when working with the SIT. Allowing the students to help you develop their individual goals is a great way to really get to know each student, and to help them find their own path to success! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  58. The SIT helps students focus on personal growth though goal making and motivation to progress. The system allows children to take ownership for their own learning and behavior with visual aids and constant reminders through positive reinforcement. This model for classroom management ‘changes the game” so to speak. The children all have an equal chance for success, thus making learning more rewarding and more motivating for all learners.

    Generally, the lower level learners are the primary focus of the classroom. Educators spend time scaffolding learning activities and lessons to benefit these students and help boost their self esteem and achievement. The SIT helps set these children up for success at their own pace and rewards them for improvement and not perfection. The same children are not getting the praise all of the time. More importantly, the children are doing so independently. The goals are achievable.

    Advanced learners are often left to their own devices. Teachers count on them to work independently and often help others. The SIT acknowledges their hard work as well as motivates these students to set new goals. In my opinion, this will also help remind teachers to differentiate instruction and to keep these students challenged and engaged in the learning process.

    The students who perform on grade level are often the majority of our students. These students need constant drive to work hard. The SIT creates enthusiasm among this group of learners to make and break personal goals.

    Teacher consistency and follow through is key. This could potentially become a weakness in the plan. If students determine that there is lack of follow through, they are less likely to “buy into” the system. As a result, the plan fails.

    Bethann Barneman

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    1. Bethann,
      You are so right, consistency is crucial! The students need to be able to depend on us as teachers to follow through with what we have introduced. Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  59. Weak Students: A strength of the SIT for the weak students would be the visual that comes with this level. It would allow the weak students to track their own progress. I think I would put a mini card on each desk and the transfer the data later in the day. Students could very easily see where they fall in the system. A weakness would be that there are so many levels. I wouldn’t want the weak students to feel that this is unattainable. However, I feel like once the weak students began to collect stars, they would gain some confidence.

    Intermediate Students: A strength of the SIT for the intermediate students would be the possibility of moving up in levels. I think some students in the intermediate level are stuck being in the middle and they are perfectly okay with that. This system would give them the opportunity to really work towards a goal and break a personal record. A weakness would be if some students think that they can’t achieve the highest ranks. I think we would focus on moving up individual levels rather than the entire scale. That way, students can work in small sections and make short-term and long-term goals. It may seem more attainable that way.

    Advanced Students: A strength of the SIT for the advanced students would be the competitive nature that a lot of advanced students have. This could be with other students or with themselves. Many of them are already intrinsically motivated and this would be a great system for them. I was always an advanced student and super competitive. I wanted to beat everyone else in the classroom but I also wanted to reach every goal that I set. This would have been a great system for me as a student. A weakness would be found in the competition that could become present in the classroom. I would have to make a point to encourage the students to encourage one another. The book explained that students can nominate a person for a star. I think this would be a great thing to do during our “Classroom Meetings” so that students are concerned about others as well.

    Challenging Students: The Super Improvers Team would be effective with my challenging students. As the book said, I could pinpoint specific behaviors that I wanted the student to work on. I could also have the student decide what behavior to work on. This would give the child ownership of that goal. As a challenging student began to receive stars, I have to believe that that would be so motivating for that student because he/she is seeing success.

    -Courtney Wood

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    1. Courtney,
      You are right, allowing the student to have ownership in determining behaviors and goals is what makes this so successful. It works for all students at every level! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  60. Weak Students: A huge strength of the Super Improvers Team is that the weak students are just as likely to receive recognition for things both academically and behaviorally as any other students. In a “traditional classroom” advanced students are typically the only students to receive praise because this praise is usually tied to academic performance. These weak students will feel success early when using the Super Improvers Team. This will create buy-in and inevitability they would begin to feel that intrinsic reward and continue to work hard on their personal goals. Another strength is that it requires teachers to monitor these students that typically get overlooked. A weakness of the Super Improvers Team would be that there are many levels and that can seem overwhelming for a student if the classroom teacher isn’t giving recognition for improvement on a consistent basis and then students begin to feel stagnant.
    Intermediate Students: A strength of the Super Improvers Team is that students in a “traditional classroom” who typically find themselves in the middle of the road and kind of stagnant won’t every feel that way again. They can achieve anything that any other student in their room can. The intermediate students are those students who can blend in and possible appear like they know what they are supposed to do, but they really have no idea. Teachers are busy providing enrichment activities for the advanced students and providing interventions for the weak students. As stated before, a weakness of the Super Improvers Team would be that there are many levels and that can seem overwhelming for a student if the classroom teacher isn’t giving recognition for improvement on a consistent basis and then students begin to feel stagnant.
    Advanced Students: A strength for the Super Improvers Team for the advanced student is that this allows them to work on the same playing field as their classmate s and provides them the opportunity to share a commonality when their might not have been one. It also allows them to receive recognition for things other than their academic performance and for enrichment activities. Again, a weakness of the Super Improvers Team would be that there are many levels and that can seem overwhelming for a student if the classroom teacher isn’t giving recognition for improvement on a consistent basis and then students begin to feel stagnant.
    Challenging Students: These are the students that are sadly quickly disliked by the adults in their educational environment. The Super Improvers Team proves to these students that while they might mess up (we all do), they also to a lot of things right. They might not get an “A” on an assignment, but they did get a “C” which is much better than the “F” they typically receive on assignments. It allows for the teacher and/or student to point out growth in all areas which will in turn build confidence.

    Jana Greer

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    1. Jana,
      You hit the nail on the head, it is very important for the teacher to be consistent and keep the kids challenged and full of anticipation with the SIT. Be careful when editing, you had three small errors " blend in and possible appear", "when their might not have been one" (there), and "they also to a lot of things" (do). But, it's cool, here are 10 certification points.

      Delete
  61. The Super Improvers Team provides the teacher with a structure that encourages all students - from the weak to the advanced – to strive for better behaviour! It even addresses the needs (demands) of those extremely challenging students as well!

    The Super Improvers Team provides that extra support needed for the weak student to advance and improve. It does this by focusing on a specific area of need for each individual student. As the student shows improvement in that area, they get rewarded. This is important. Often, our weak students feel like they put an enormous amount of effort into their learning for little or no reward. The Super Improvers Team makes even a minute improvement noticeable!

    Intermediate students are also supported by the system established within the Super Improvers Team. In this system, students are constantly striving to surpass their own personal goals. This type of “competition” encourages the intermediate students to put in the extra effort needed to advance. As well, “[s]tudent leadership, in this system, is hard earned, based on self improvement” (Biffle, 2013, p.103). This means that those leadership opportunities which, in other systems, were reserved for the advanced students, are now within reach of all students.

    Amazingly enough, the needs of the academically advanced students are also easily addressed with the Super Improvers Team. These are the students who find school “easy” and as a result often tend to create problems for their teachers due to boredom! Thanks to the Super Improvers Team, the teacher is able to identify areas where the students needs to improve – speed, accuracy, neatness, etc. – and have the student focus on these. Once again, the child is not competing against his/her peers. He/She is always trying to surpass past performances.

    As I am sure that you have guessed by now, the Super Improvers Team also addresses the needs of even the most challenging students. Challenging students are often challenging because they are either overwhelmed by the work asked of them or bored by it. This system helps both the student and the teacher to focus on specific areas of improvement. The teacher is able to observe minute gains in the student. This then makes the teacher’s attitude more positive towards the student. By making past personal performance the goal to beat, students no longer need to compare their progress/behaviour to others in the class.

    The one weakness that I see in this system is the level of organization and observational skills required by the teacher. I am trying to get my mind around how to organize it so that I can truly be fair as I assign stars for both academic and behavioural improvement. If the system is too complicated it will fall by the wayside. If I were to try and focus on a different group of students each hour of the day, while at the same time watching for the “big ah-ha’s”, I might be able to do it and become more comfortable with the entire process. I have a feeling that this will be one of my more challenging endeavours this year!

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    1. Christina,
      You will find that you will fall into the rhythm of looking for improvers while you are teaching, while they are reading etc. I would often keep a clipboard that I would mark on during the day as I noted something special. That way it was easy to see (on a class list), and make sure that I wasn't being too lopsided as I was assessing. It also helps you see if you are focusing on one side of the room more than the other side (or one table, or group of kids), so it is a win-win. It will become second nature quickly. The kids are good about reminding you when they meet a goal as well! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  62. In evaluating the efficacy Super Improvers Team, it is important to consider its strengths and weaknesses relative to the variety of students in the classroom.

    Academically Challenged Students: While some students might start the year with the mindset of being academically inferior, I believe that with SIT, students would overcome this attitude. Another strength of SIT for this group of students is that this model provides a scaffolded approach to learning to be personally successful. The only weakness I see is the potential difficulty of motivating students in the upper grades who have experienced an educational lifetime of discouragement.

    Academically Average Students: The steady, incremental, frequent feedback that students receive would be motivating to students at this level. If implemented effectively, it should be “like a video game, each level more powerful than the last.” I do not see any weakness for the average student.

    Academically Advanced Students: See above. I also predict that some of the advanced students may initially have fewer gains. I believe this would be due to having been trained to only work hard enough to meet a class-wide expectation, rather than working to beat their own personal best. However, the tendency of advanced students to be competitive would ultimately make this a fantastic model to encourage their pursuit to achieve their personal best.

    Behaviorally Challenging Students: I love how SIT can be modified to encourage slight positive changes in difficult students. A tiny step forward is still a win for everyone! A possible weakness is the perceived unfairness from the rest of the class for a challenging student receiving stars for expected behaviors.

    Traci Katz

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    1. Traci,
      The beauty of the SIT is that it can reach every student, whether they have experienced an abundance of discouragement, or have become apathetic and lackluster in their efforts. Every student has areas in need of improvement and the positive nature of the SIT helps them move in that direction. Nice job assessing each level! Here are 25 certification points!

      Delete
  63. I am looking forward to using the Super Improvers Team in my classroom this year. This will be my first year using it, and I am excited to have a tool that will encourage and reward students at all levels.
    What appeals most to me about the Super Improvers Team is that students compete against themselves. I also like how students encourage and cheer on one another.
    I will use the Team for all levels of students. There are so many ways to improve that everyone will have a way of succeeding. My high students will not automatically rise to the top. I like this! They will have to work and improve from the level they are at to earn stars. My intermediate students will be able to work hard and feel proud of their improvements. Best of all, my lowest students will be on an even playing field with everyone else. They will be able to be a part of the team, moving up just like everyone else. I believe this will be an incredible motivator and morale booster for these students.
    The Super Improvers Team is a great tool to use with those challenging students. A student may improve in both academic and behavior areas.. I like the idea of taking a challenging student aside, and talking about an improved behavior you will be looking for. I often find a little hand signal, like a thumbs up, given along with the compliment for good work/behavior, somehow adds that much more to the reward. Setting small goals and awarding improvement will help my challenging students strive to improve.

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    1. Susan,
      You mentioned several of the very positive aspects of the SIT! Students love having the opportunity to shine. This is so motivating and allows everyone to focus on themselves rather than competing with others. Nice job, here are 25 certification points!

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  64. There are so many strengths for the SIW. I am a model teacher in my district and teachers come in to watch me teach WBT all through out the year. I have my first 'customers' coming the first week in September. My favorite thing to show them is the SIW. I feel the strengths are the same for all levels of ability. The big picture is that the SIW is differenciated for each child. So really no matter what level they are academically, the SIW works perfect for them. Whether the child is high, medium, or low the strength of the SIW is that they are celebrating their growth at their own level of skill. A good teacher will be able to know their kids and see when they are improving on something. This , in turn, may be a weakness for some teachers because they feel like this task is too daunting and overwhelming. Personally, I used the SIW last year and I was blown away at how much the students bought into it. They celebrated each others' accomplishments and became a huge support system to each other. This is another plus to the SIW. The visitors I had would comment about how awesome it was to see them proud of each other!!!! I have had 2 IEP behavior kids that I haven't had to use a chart or point system on because I use the SIW catered to their needs just like I do academically. It works better than their own system because they are part of the group, they see everyone improves on something and it doesn't single them out. Overall, the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. Take it from someone who has done it and loves it more than any other WBT piece.... It changed my life as a teacher of 21 years.

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    1. Wendy,
      Great job! You are so right, the kids do celebrate each other when they work toward improvement on the SIT and it is something wonderful to see! Here are 25 certification points!

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  65. Super Improvers Team
    Advanced Student Strengths:
    • Provide the opportunity for growth
    • Shows areas for advancement
    • Pushes them to not just take the easy way
    • Teaches them to push themselves to obtain goals

    Advanced Student Weakness:
    • May get frustrated if goals are seemingly unattainable
    • Used to quickly achieving results with little effort – may shut down if challenged too much too soon
    • May loose interest

    Intermediate Strengths:
    • Are not overlooked any more – goals ask them to achieve more than just benchmark
    • Does not allow them to hide behind more advanced peers – makes them accountable for their own learning

    Intermediate Student Weakness:
    • Students are satisfied where they are
    • Used to being mediocre, students can’t go with the flow any longer
    • May think that high levels are unachievable

    Weak Student Strengths:
    • Visual reminder of progress being made
    • Feeling of accomplishment over even the smallest improvement
    • Can boost confidence that they are on equal or more advanced footing then other students – something that hasn’t happened before

    Weak Student Weakness:
    • If goal is seen to be too hard, may get frustrated
    • Many levels could feel too overwhelming

    Geni Ainge

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    2. Geni,
      You have made some good points here! I agree, this does keep them from hiding behind other students as they are now competing only against themselves. Make sure you address the entire prompt (Include a note evaluating the Super Improvers Team’s possible effectiveness with extremely challenging students). There was one small error "May loose interest" (lose). Great job! Here are 20 certification points

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  67. The Super Improvers Team is a system designed to help every child feel success within their personal zone of proximal development. Its intention is to offer immediate reinforcement in whatever category a student has improved and to scaffold them with support and acknowledgement in order to reach the next level.

    At times, it may feel as though weak students are receiving recognition more often because they require extra support in order to make growth. Other times, it may seem like the teacher-pleasers have an influx of points because they always seem to be on task. However, I think, if implemented fairly, all students have equal access to point scoring. Because points are awarded at teacher discretion, and a visible tally is displayed in the classroom, it’s easy to see who is leaping up the ladder and who may be feeling hopeless in stagnation. A weakness of this system, however, is the same teacher discretion. Students may complain (verbally or behaviorally) that peers get points for doing “easy” things or because they are a teacher’s “favorite”—particularly challenging students.

    Conversely, a strength to this system is its immediate recognition. A challenging kiddo does something correctly ten seconds longer than last time? Point! A high academic achiever breaks a barrier of personal growth? Point! A student who has come to school in a bad mood after being kept up all night by an infant sibling says something kind to a friend? Point! A weak student identifies one more letter than last time? Point! An intermediate kiddo finishes a paper 100% correctly? Point! The possibilities have the endless flexibility every teacher needs!

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    1. Catherine,
      You are right, flexibility is fantastic in this program! The kids learn that they are only competing against themselves and begin to challenge themselves to do more and more as the year progresses! Here are 25 certification points!

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  68. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. The Super Improver Teams is designed to be successful with academically advanced, intermediate, and weak students. All the children have to do is improve no matter where they are academically. They are in competition with themselves and no one else. I can see this developing leaders in my classroom and not followers. I think that it would help with those children that become discouraged in class. I was trying to think of weaknesses and I was drawing a blank. The things that came to mind are teacher error. I am not always diligent about rewarding them on a regular basis and some of my students need constant and fast rewards.
      Extremely challenging children would benefit because it is tiered for success. It starts easy and gets harder. It will help focus them on a goal and later have them chose their own goal. It would be successful for this group because I could reward them for many different things. They could be rewarded for completing half the paper instead of having a blank paper, improving their handwriting, or staying seated longer than the time before, etc. They do not have to be perfect just improve. This group would try harder if they knew they didn't have to be perfect.

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    2. Yes! Yes! Yes! All great points, Charisse! This tool is truly a motivator and can be used academically and socially! To help yourself with keeping it active, and for any other personal goals you have, put a card up there with your name on it. The students don't know what goals you are working on, but often they will tell you to put a star on your card for something they feel is important! Team Spirit! Here are 25 points!

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  69. High achievers are often naturally competitive and will soar as they practice setting personal goals. Also, the levels are appropriately humbling because a high achiever can lag behind a weaker student. This potentially develops a deeper appreciation between all students. The SIT forces me to actively encourage these students to dig deep and not “sit on their laurels.”

    I may be the only downside to the Improvers Team because I need to follow through with conferences, goal setting, and giving stars! I would ask students to recommend teammates for stars as well. Also, in my weekly self-evaluation I would have a line item for me to grade myself in how frequently I gave out stars. This is too important for me to not be spot on.

    Intermediate students are often academic fence-sitters and benefit from the visual SIT graphic to show them they need to hustle. A downside is they may not have a growth mindset and feel fine to continue their status-quo work. In the book Mindset by Carol Dweck it says the major factor in how to achieve expertise “is not some fixed prior ability, but purposeful engagement.” (p. 5) WBT and the Super Improvers Team provide the necessary purposeful engagement!

    Weaker students will not be penalized for their lack of innate intelligence or academic opportunities in relation to their more privileged peers. Students have individual goals and advance according to their improvement. SIT is an excellent leveler. A disadvantage is that sometimes these “low babies” are not familiar with goal setting and follow through, but that is where I can help them by having individual conferences and writing down their goals on the back of their card.

    It is the same for challenging students who have a hard time focusing, being respectful, and choosing wisely. Purposeful engagement is essential, otherwise their behavior can be unsafe and distracting. It also gives teachers a structure to praise a student for an accomplishment because when a new level is reached there is a success strategy in place. With all this hard work it would be unfortunate if the parents were not supportive. Finding a past teacher, staff, or custodial staff to celebrate with would be fun. Another downside may be the slow pace a challenging student might climb the ladder; however, a student will not feel frustrated if baby-step goals are set.

    Patricia Steele

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    1. Patricia,
      Excellent post! I agree, keeping yourself accountable is a key component of the success. I like your strategy "in my weekly self-evaluation I would have a line item for me to grade myself in how frequently I gave out stars." The SIT fits nicely with the growth mindset model and your students will thrive as they become more engaged and excited about learning! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

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  71. Super Improvers Team

    I used the Super Improvement Team this past school year and it was a valuable addition to my classroom motivation system. My students and I set personal goals and I loved watching my students work hard to achieve the stars. It has a strength of getting my lowest achieving students, who tend to lack self-confidence and motivation, eager to do the work. It also encouraged my average and high-achieving students to improve academically and behaviorally. I gave stars for anything from following rules to stepping out and trying something new and possibly scary (debating with classmates in front of the entire class).

    I did have a couple of extremely challenging students this past year. The SIT worked to help them to acknowledge and evaluate their own behaviors. I conferenced with each of these students and discussed one specific desired behavior at a time. We made goal cards for them to have with them at their desks and they were allowed to tally desired behaviors as they exhibited them. If a student’s tally and my thoughts agreed, they got a Super Improver star for the day/class period.

    I was the only weakness in this system. As the year moved along, I realized I had not given my well behaved higher-achieving students enough opportunity to earn stars. They were ranking much lower on the scale than my other students. Once I realized this, I made an effort to set goals with them and reward them more often with Super Improver stars. I will make sure this next year I am more fair in using this system with all my students.

    Kimberley Nixon

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    1. Kimberley,
      You're right, it is hard not to overlook those quiet, hardworking kiddos that we love so much! I've done the same thing, it helps to have weekly or bi-weekly quick meetings with each child (a minute or two) to review their goals, that helps keep you on your toes and reminds you to reset their goals as needed. Here are 25 certification points!

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  72. Academically weak students, in normal classrooms, live under a cloud of low self belief. They rarely are able to compare themselves directly with the achievements of higher ability students because the work they complete is not as academically challenging. Weaker students often lose heart in a normal class because they constantly see higher ability students receiving all the awards and praise.

    The strength of Super Improvers Team (SIT) as applied to weaker students is that it levels the playing field for the entire class and eradicates the elitist caste system that exists in classrooms where children are praised for ability only. With the SIT, lower ability students will be rewarded for their individual improvements, and will only ever be compared against their own previous best effort. This can lead to a situation where the least academic student in the class can actually be leading the SIT because they have made the most improvements in class.

    Intermediate students will no longer find themselves floundering in the middle rankings, because rewarding for improvements will demonstrate to them that if they try their hardest and strive to improve on their previous best effort then they too can climb the SIT rankings just as fast as the more academically capable children.

    Academically advanced students benefit from the SIT because they are no longer able to sit back on their laurels and soak up all the praise from the teacher. If they want to climb the SIT then they too must constantly strive to improve upon their previous best efforts, just like everyone else.

    Extremely challenging students have often never relished the taste of success. They often descend into rebellious behaviour because they have, up till now, seen no point in towing the line, as any small efforts they may have made in the past will have been deemed inadequate. A skillful WBT practitioner can give an extremely challenging student easy to achieve targets – such as keeping their feet off the desk for the next 15 minutes. When this goal is achieved a quick SIT star can be awarded and, bingo-bango-bongo, you have a rebel who is climbing their way up the ladder of success just like everyone else.

    Quentin Dalrymple
    3/4th grade
    Perthshire, Scotland.

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    1. Quentin,
      Excellent analysis of the SIT! The beauty of the SIT is that it can be used for every student in a way they specifically need, but without hours of extra prep from the teacher - quick and efficient motivation! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!

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  73. Nicole Desrosiers Weare, NH

    Having had the opportunity to use The Super Improvers Team last year, I know of the enormous classroom power it holds. It has many strengths. As I have added the extra component of “brag tickets”, which I carry around in my teaching apron, all students can have a great sense of immediate satisfaction when they have worked hard. Not only do the “brag tickets” help me to deliver a behavior program with continuity, but students hold onto these tickets as if they were gold. Students who have challenging behaviors love them and are encouraged to reach their goals, while the students who are advanced academically and behaviorally have a chance to move quickly through the levels to become teaching leaders. Intermediate students, or fence sitters, will hopefully be watching the advanced students moving quickly and would want to jump to that side of the fence. I would honestly say, from experience, that the only weakness of this amazing program depends on me. There were times last year that I would fall into a rut, not handing out any “brag tickets”. Then I would need to reinvigorate myself and jump start the process again. The effectiveness of the Super Improvers Team will only be as efficient as I make it.

    While last year did not present any extremely challenging students, I can imagine that this behavior management tool would have very positive effects on extremely challenging behaviors. Once students who have challenging behaviors notice the praise and the tickets being offered to other students for their good choices, it would be hard for them not to desire the same. At this point I would be looking for any good behavior from the student... once a “brag ticket” is earned they will hopefully want to continue earning them. I also love the idea of having students choose which behaviors they would like to tackle first. This is true ownership of the behavior and you and your student are working side by side.

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    1. Nicole,
      Yes, it is so much more effective when the students have ownership in choosing what they will work on to become a super improver! It keeps them on their toes during the day and helps them recognize their ability to make improvements in a variety of areas! Here are 25 certification points!

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