This is a place I have set up in my school's teacher workroom. To some, it's just a bulletin board. To others, it is a LIFE LINE!
This is how it works. The board has three menu options, Cooperative Learning, Foldable, and Technology Tools. Every month I post a new classroom strategy for each of the three categories. For example: this month the three menu options are cooperative learning group role cards (from a TPT contributor), a 4-square foldable, and an outline that gives ideas for how to use cell phones in the classroom.
The Literacy Menu also features a "take one" pocket. In this pocket teachers can find black line masters for one of the strategies displayed on the board. I always put the same number of copies in the pocket each month. At the end of month, before I change the board, I count the remaining copies. This tells me the number of teachers who are interested in the classroom strategies.
I have received so many nice comments from co-workers and I even have some who give me ideas for the upcoming boards. The Literacy Menu has really helped to develop healthy working relationships between teachers of all content areas at my school. Mr. G, the 6th grade Social Studies teacher on my hall, helps with the foldables and tech tools almost every month. We both will be receiving high marks for collaboration on the teacher evaluation tool ;-)
As teachers we draw inspiration from all sorts of places. Sometimes ideas rain down on us straight from heaven, but I have also had experiences where I couldn't think of what to do next. I wish I had a place to go to get just one or two ideas at a time. Not too overwhelming, something new that would be simple to implement. I started the Literacy Menu with the hopes of making at least one teacher's planning a little bit easier.
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