Week 1 Let the Sorting Begin...

I am a huge Harry Potter fan.  Each year as I seek motivation for my students, it always occurs to me how Hogwarts did an amazing job of rewarding students for leadership and academics.  The creativity in the writing and thinking of the novels allows for so many lessons to be taught and so many ages to be engaged.  I have always wondered how I could do a Potter themed classroom without it being too cheesy or exhausting.
This year, I decided to go for it. I have bulletin boards, posters, and... HOUSE POINTS!  I spent majority of the weekend pouring over data, demographics, and other resources to equitably sort students across classes.  In the end, it worked out quite well.
With that being said, Slytherin leads in house points.

Class Theme 2016-2017 "We're M.A.G.I.C."

Harry Potter in Charms class.

MAKERS- We are creators who make the most of our specific and given talents. We will make progress and grow both academically and socially.
AMAZING- We strive to be better than our best in all that we do.
GENEROUS- We give of ourselves to our family, friends, and those who may need us. Giving is one of the greatest gifts.
IMAGINATIVE- We are brilliant and imaginative students. We will find solutions and answers to questions that we have not even asked. We will ask questions that we have not heard. And then, we will find solutions and answers again.
COMPASSIONATE- We are loving and kind to EVERYONE. There is not a person alive who does not deserve our respect and our compassion. We will not bully, intimidate, disrespect, dishonor, belittle, or harm anyone in any way whatsoever.
It is our lifelong goal to show the world the POWER of being COMPASSIONATE.