(edited June 2017) I did up this poster in 2015 when I was trying to find ways to cope with my child’s meltdowns. After working with my child for a few years, I have come to have a better und…
With all of the Ebola and Enterovirus news lately, I created a list of web resources for teachers looking for accurate information and teaching resources on viruses. All of these links work as of 11/15/2014! Viral Life Cycle: A HHMI Viral Life Cycle Animation: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/viral-lifecycleHerpes Life Cycle Animation: http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/herpessimplex.html Retrovirus Life Cycle Animation: http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072556781/student_view0/chapter18/animation_quiz_3.html Flu …
Choosing a theme for your classroom can be both exciting and challenging. What best represents your personality? What would the students choose? Some teachers choose not to have a theme and may use a color scheme instead. Summer vacation is a perfect time to plan and organize for the upcoming school year. There are so many resources to use online to help you create a classroom that is both inviting and conducive to learning. Listed below are some of my favorite themes with creative sayings to display classroom materials and highlight students. Dog Theme - Students and teachers love dogs! What a wonderful way for students to make personal connections with their classroom. Even for students who are not dog owners, these cute and adorable animals brighten up any classroom. "Barking About ______" is a title that can be used in a variety of ways. Highlight a subject area or activity on a bulletin board. Just add student work and this board will be something to bark about. "Top Dog" can be used to describe a student of the week or month. You can create a bulletin board highlighting students for their accomplishments. "Dog-Gone Good ______" is another title with endless possibilities. You can add words such as students, work, behavior, readers, writers, scientists, etc. This title will fit perfectly on a bulletin board in your dog themed classroom "Paws"itively __________" is a wonderful play on words for a dog theme. You can add so many different words to highlight students, subject areas, and classroom activities. "You've been Spotted ________" can be used for so many different bulletin boards. Ideas include: reading, writing, working, behaving, and following class rules. Click below for a free dog theme poster: If interested in more dog theme decor, click below: Dog Theme Classroom Decor Hollywood Theme - I have used this theme in my classroom for several years. You can actually check out pictures of my Hollywood classroom on my blog. I love the idea of the students becoming stars of their classroom. If you like to coordinate your room with certain colors, then red, white, and black will really stand out in your Hollywood themed classroom. Some ideas that you can use on bulletin boards to spotlight students, activities, and lessons include: "Spotlight on ___________" can be used for almost any idea. Students love to see their work spotlighted and this helps build their self esteem. "Now Featuring/Playing __________" is similar to "Spotlight on _________." You can highlight students, specific lessons and/or activities. "Wall of Fame" can be used to motivate students. If students complete an assigned goal then their name can be added to the Wall of Fame. Students become more motivated when they realize that their hard work will be acknowledged. "Starring ___________" is another idea with endless possibilities. You can add your class name, grade level, or a description such as super students. "A Star is Born" can be used to spotlight a student of the week. Students can bring in baby pictures of themselves to add to this bulletin board. "Meet the Cast and Crew of ___________" is a perfect way to add your teacher name. This board should be displayed at the beginning of the year. "Look Who's Popping in ___________" can also be used at the beginning of the year to introduce the new students of your class. I used it in my classroom for Accelerated Reader. The students "popped" as they earned points. "Hollyword" is a wonderful title for your word wall. I used a wipe off board to display my words and hung the sign above the board. "Stage Crew" can be used as the title of your helpers bulletin board. I labeled the helpers with all Hollywood themed names. Click below for free Hollywood themed homework passes: If interested in more Hollywood Theme decor, click below: Hollywood Theme Classroom Decor Jungle Theme - Another favorite theme that I have used in the past. There are so many possibilities with this theme that it makes it easier to decorate a classroom. I am wild about a jungle themed classroom. "Wild About __________" can be used by adding any subject. Student work can be displayed according to the subject that was chosen. "Roaring About _____________" is very similar to "Wild About ___________." You can add any subject or topic. Add student work and the board is complete. "You've Been Spotted _____________" reading, writing, behaving, and working are just some of the ideas that you can use with this board. "Swinging into _____________" just needs the grade level added to it. You have a perfect bulletin board for the beginning of the school year. "Welcome to the Jungle" can be displayed on your door. Perfect addition to your jungle themed classroom. "Rules of the Jungle" can be included with your classroom rules. It is important for students to be able to read the rules and review them often. "Exploring ____________" is another topic that can be used with any subject, topic, or lesson that you are teaching. Click below for free jungle themed hallway passes: If interested in more jungle themed classroom decor, click below: Jungle Themed Classroom Decor Farm Theme - Love this theme for primary classrooms! The main color of this theme is red and the animals bring along many other colors to brighten up a classroom. Some ideas to include in your farm themed classroom: "Mooooving Along in ________________" can be used to highlight a grade level, teacher's class, or subject area. Just place a drawing of a cow and the board is all set. "You've Been Spotted __________" is a great title for spotlighting a specific activity. Ideas include reading, writing, behaving, following directions, and completing homework "Down on the Farm with ____________" just needs the teacher's name added and you can use this at the beginning of the school year to welcome your students. "Round Up for _____________" is perfect for any subject area or topic taught. Add student work and the board is complete. Click below for a farm themed reading certificate: If interested in more farm themed classroom decor, click below: Farm Themed Classroom Decor Pirate Theme - Students love this theme. The colors include mostly red, black, and white. Where do you mostly find pirates? Sailing on the blue ocean under a blue sky. So blue is also another color that can be added to your pirate theme. Listed below are some suggestions to enhance your classroom: "We ARGH..." is a wonderful starter sentence and the possibilities are endless. We ARGH following the class rules. We ARGH prepared for class. We ARGH excited for school. We ARGH ready for ____ grade. We ARGH readers. We ARGH wishing our classmates a happy birthday. Add your own words to this sentence starter and your pirate themed bulletin boards are all set. "____________ is a real treasure!" is another heading you can use on bulletin boards. Add different subjects in the blank and you can use this to display your students work. "You ARGH top crew!" can be used to highlight the student of the week. Display these words on a bulletin board to showcase one particular student or a group of students. "Sailing into...." can be used for the beginning of the year. Just add the grade level or teacher's name and you have a title ready for your back to school bulletin board or classroom door. "Gold ___________" can be used to spotlight students. "Gold Readers" can be used to motivate students with a reading incentive program. "Gold Mathematicians" can be used to display outstanding math work. You can use this sentence starter to highlight students who are displaying academic success, positive behavior, and/or showing acts of kindness. Click below for a pirate themed top crew certificate: If interested in pirate theme classroom decor, click below: Pirate Theme Classroom Decor Hope these ideas help enhance your classroom! In the comments section would love to hear about your classroom themes and any additional ideas that you have.
One of the biggest changes I made to my routine in 2015 was to use learning stations in my high school classroom. The first one was created out of necessity. I had been sick for a number of days in September and felt like I hadn’t given my students enough direction for using their reader’s […]
Choosing a theme for your classroom can be both exciting and challenging. What best represents your personality? What would the students choose? Some teachers choose not to have a theme and may use a color scheme instead. Summer vacation is a perfect time to plan and organize for the upcoming school year. There are so many resources to use online to help you create a classroom that is both inviting and conducive to learning. Listed below are some of my favorite themes with creative sayings to display classroom materials and highlight students. Dog Theme - Students and teachers love dogs! What a wonderful way for students to make personal connections with their classroom. Even for students who are not dog owners, these cute and adorable animals brighten up any classroom. "Barking About ______" is a title that can be used in a variety of ways. Highlight a subject area or activity on a bulletin board. Just add student work and this board will be something to bark about. "Top Dog" can be used to describe a student of the week or month. You can create a bulletin board highlighting students for their accomplishments. "Dog-Gone Good ______" is another title with endless possibilities. You can add words such as students, work, behavior, readers, writers, scientists, etc. This title will fit perfectly on a bulletin board in your dog themed classroom "Paws"itively __________" is a wonderful play on words for a dog theme. You can add so many different words to highlight students, subject areas, and classroom activities. "You've been Spotted ________" can be used for so many different bulletin boards. Ideas include: reading, writing, working, behaving, and following class rules. Click below for a free dog theme poster: If interested in more dog theme decor, click below: Dog Theme Classroom Decor Hollywood Theme - I have used this theme in my classroom for several years. You can actually check out pictures of my Hollywood classroom on my blog. I love the idea of the students becoming stars of their classroom. If you like to coordinate your room with certain colors, then red, white, and black will really stand out in your Hollywood themed classroom. Some ideas that you can use on bulletin boards to spotlight students, activities, and lessons include: "Spotlight on ___________" can be used for almost any idea. Students love to see their work spotlighted and this helps build their self esteem. "Now Featuring/Playing __________" is similar to "Spotlight on _________." You can highlight students, specific lessons and/or activities. "Wall of Fame" can be used to motivate students. If students complete an assigned goal then their name can be added to the Wall of Fame. Students become more motivated when they realize that their hard work will be acknowledged. "Starring ___________" is another idea with endless possibilities. You can add your class name, grade level, or a description such as super students. "A Star is Born" can be used to spotlight a student of the week. Students can bring in baby pictures of themselves to add to this bulletin board. "Meet the Cast and Crew of ___________" is a perfect way to add your teacher name. This board should be displayed at the beginning of the year. "Look Who's Popping in ___________" can also be used at the beginning of the year to introduce the new students of your class. I used it in my classroom for Accelerated Reader. The students "popped" as they earned points. "Hollyword" is a wonderful title for your word wall. I used a wipe off board to display my words and hung the sign above the board. "Stage Crew" can be used as the title of your helpers bulletin board. I labeled the helpers with all Hollywood themed names. Click below for free Hollywood themed homework passes: If interested in more Hollywood Theme decor, click below: Hollywood Theme Classroom Decor Jungle Theme - Another favorite theme that I have used in the past. There are so many possibilities with this theme that it makes it easier to decorate a classroom. I am wild about a jungle themed classroom. "Wild About __________" can be used by adding any subject. Student work can be displayed according to the subject that was chosen. "Roaring About _____________" is very similar to "Wild About ___________." You can add any subject or topic. Add student work and the board is complete. "You've Been Spotted _____________" reading, writing, behaving, and working are just some of the ideas that you can use with this board. "Swinging into _____________" just needs the grade level added to it. You have a perfect bulletin board for the beginning of the school year. "Welcome to the Jungle" can be displayed on your door. Perfect addition to your jungle themed classroom. "Rules of the Jungle" can be included with your classroom rules. It is important for students to be able to read the rules and review them often. "Exploring ____________" is another topic that can be used with any subject, topic, or lesson that you are teaching. Click below for free jungle themed hallway passes: If interested in more jungle themed classroom decor, click below: Jungle Themed Classroom Decor Farm Theme - Love this theme for primary classrooms! The main color of this theme is red and the animals bring along many other colors to brighten up a classroom. Some ideas to include in your farm themed classroom: "Mooooving Along in ________________" can be used to highlight a grade level, teacher's class, or subject area. Just place a drawing of a cow and the board is all set. "You've Been Spotted __________" is a great title for spotlighting a specific activity. Ideas include reading, writing, behaving, following directions, and completing homework "Down on the Farm with ____________" just needs the teacher's name added and you can use this at the beginning of the school year to welcome your students. "Round Up for _____________" is perfect for any subject area or topic taught. Add student work and the board is complete. Click below for a farm themed reading certificate: If interested in more farm themed classroom decor, click below: Farm Themed Classroom Decor Pirate Theme - Students love this theme. The colors include mostly red, black, and white. Where do you mostly find pirates? Sailing on the blue ocean under a blue sky. So blue is also another color that can be added to your pirate theme. Listed below are some suggestions to enhance your classroom: "We ARGH..." is a wonderful starter sentence and the possibilities are endless. We ARGH following the class rules. We ARGH prepared for class. We ARGH excited for school. We ARGH ready for ____ grade. We ARGH readers. We ARGH wishing our classmates a happy birthday. Add your own words to this sentence starter and your pirate themed bulletin boards are all set. "____________ is a real treasure!" is another heading you can use on bulletin boards. Add different subjects in the blank and you can use this to display your students work. "You ARGH top crew!" can be used to highlight the student of the week. Display these words on a bulletin board to showcase one particular student or a group of students. "Sailing into...." can be used for the beginning of the year. Just add the grade level or teacher's name and you have a title ready for your back to school bulletin board or classroom door. "Gold ___________" can be used to spotlight students. "Gold Readers" can be used to motivate students with a reading incentive program. "Gold Mathematicians" can be used to display outstanding math work. You can use this sentence starter to highlight students who are displaying academic success, positive behavior, and/or showing acts of kindness. Click below for a pirate themed top crew certificate: If interested in pirate theme classroom decor, click below: Pirate Theme Classroom Decor Hope these ideas help enhance your classroom! In the comments section would love to hear about your classroom themes and any additional ideas that you have.
Getting cancer was a wake-up call. Surviving it gives me a chance to change my lifestyle the very best way I can to prevent reoccurence and promote health in general
For this latest blog entry, I'm turning over the reins to Bartosz Misiurek, author of Standardized Work with TWI: Eliminating Human Errors in Production and Service Processes, and Iwona Diug who present a great case study of Training Within Industry (TWI) implementation at Autoliv Poland. It provides some very interesting insight on just how this automotive supplier drastically improved quality and safety after the success of this program. Introduction The article describes a case study of the implementation of the Training Within Industry TWI program in Autoliv Poland LLC Company from Jelcz-Laskowice (later referred to as Autoliv). The article includes findings both the employees of Autoliv and the consultant, LeanTrix Company, who supported the implementation of the program. Autoliv Company Autoliv Company was founded in Vårgårda in Sweden in 1953. Since its beginning Autoliv has been engaged in the production of complete safety systems for cars (Figure 1). Autoliv's vision is to significantly reduce the amount of road accidents, injuries and deaths on roads. In order to fulfill its vision, Autoliv Company designs, manufactures and markets cutting-edge security systems for vehicles. In short Autoliv is: A leader in the technology and sales of safety systems - with total revenue from sales equal to 9 trillion dollars. A supplier for all leading car manufacturers. A holder of 80 production plants in 29 countries, 10 technical centers in 9 countries and 21 tracks for crash tests. An employer who employs more than 64,000 employees, including 4,000 employees in the area of R,D, and E. In Poland, the Autoliv Company has four manufacturing plants: two in Olawa (AEP and APT) and two in Jelcz-Laskowice (APR and APA). The factories in Jelcz-Laskowice have been producing safety belts since 2002 and airbag modules since 2010. A total of over 1500 employees are employed in Jelcz-Laskowice. Figure1. Autoliv Poland Company in Jelcz–Laskowice The implementation of TWI program was launched on selected production lines of airbag modules in the APA production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice. Why the Training Within Industry (TWI) Program? The Training Within Industry Program (TWI) is a comprehensive program to develop the skills of forepersons, leaders, and managers in the areas of instructing employees (TWI IP), building good relations with employees (TWI RP) and improving working methods (TWI MP). The TWI program was originally developed in the US during World War II in order to help leaders to effectively involve people in industry, especially those who had never worked in this field before - mostly women and young people (Graupp, Wrona, 2006). Implementation of the TWI program in American industry brought tremendous benefits and contributed to the victory over Hitler's armies. The success of the program was based on the fact that each of its methods was constructed on the basis of the PDCA cycle (Misiurek, 2016), which was developed shortly before William Edwards Deming formed the TWI program. After World War II, the TWI program was included as a major aid program in Japanese companies, and a short time later gained such respect that it not only became a method of improving productivity, but also became the culture of operations in Japanese companies. To this day it is believed that the TWI program was the foundation of the creation of the Toyota Production System and later, Lean Manufacturing (Liker, Meier, 2007). Implementation of the TWI program in manufacturing companies corresponds with the improvement of their key performance indicators (KPIs). These include, among others: productivity, failure frequency, timeliness, quality and safety. Losses in these areas are often directly caused by human errors. According to Lean Management method, the effective elimination of problems occurs when their root causes are eliminated. In the case of human errors, the root causes include (Misiurek, 2016): A lack of or poorly executed on-the-job training. Failure to obey job standards by employees due to their bad development. A lack of the process of auditing employees. The TWI program is focused on the elimination of the root causes of human errors by providing thorough methods for effective on-the-job training, auditing and the improvement of working methods (jap. Kaizen). Implementation of the TWI program in the Autoliv production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice aimed to eliminate specific manufacturing problems related to: An increase of employment (more than 300 new employees planned for 2016). Frequent employment of temporary workers. High exchange of staff between production lines. Slow implementation of new employees to work. A lack of ability to transfer the experience of employees (tricks, facilities), which corresponds with a longer implementation time of a new employee. A lack of telling new employees the reasons that precisely describe why work should be performed according to the agreed standard (a lack of awareness among employees). A lack of willingness to use instructions by experienced employees (instructions often did not reflect the real production practice). The development of competences in the TWI program During implementation of the TWI program, the development of competences among employees who are involved in this program is the most important. Competences should be seen as a combination of three main components: knowledge, skills and responsibility. In Autoliv the development of employee competences was based on the PDCA cycle. Training of employees (Plan Phase) aimed to build their knowledge about the TWI program. After that and through the practice of this knowledge (Do phase) employees began to acquire skills. When they obtained certification and started to independently use the methods of the TWI program, they then gained responsibility (Check phase). The last phase was to train internal experts who not only had experience in the TWI program, but were also able to teach others (Act phase). This process is shown in Figure 2. Figure. 2. Levels of the development of employees involved in the TWI program (Based on Misiurek, 2016) Between the training phase (1) and certification (3) is the area of practicing methods (2). Often when training companies are asked to conduct training (1), they receive a goal from top management: to build the awareness and commitment of employees. This goal is not feasible! The awareness of people is only built up from the moment of licensing (3). Only after the training phase (1), a desire to use the methods and tools of Lean can arise among people. However, awareness is born when something is practiced. The TWI program usually dies in companies due to the lack of the practice phase (2). This mostly happens because people do not have objectives set before their training and do not have designated time periods to complete these objectives. The role of top management in planning the implementation of the TWI program is crucial as the most difficult phase of employee involvement is practicing (2). This process is best explained based on the example of teaching new drivers to drive on Polish roads. A person who takes theoretical training in the training room gains level (1). When a person learns to drive a car under the guidance of a Sensei, he moves to level (2). The process of practicing can take dozens of hours, which even translates into a few months of learning! At this point the person is not allowed to drive a car independently - and in terms of a 0/1 rating, has a rating of "0". A license (certificate) is obtained when the trainee passes a practical exam and skips to level (3). In the future, if he decides to become a trainer (in this case, driving instructor) he must then pass another exam and get a diploma, skipping to level (4). Strategy of implementing the TWI program in the Autoliv production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice The process of implementing the TWI program in the Autoliv production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice ran exactly on the basis of the PDCA cycle. Table 1 describes the exact scenario of this process with the key points, justification and description of the specific actions taken in Autoliv Company. Steps of implementation Key points Reasons Description of actions taken in Autoliv Company 1.Planing the implementation (PLAN) 1. Selection of the pilot area 1. Gaining practice and learning from a dedicated process so that the subsequent implementation throughout the entire plant will be effective. Several production lines of airbag modules, which are crucial regarding the quality and impact on the final customer, were selected for the project. 2. Selection of an implementation group. 2. People who posses extensive knowledge about work (experienced operators and leaders) should be chosen for implementation of the TWI program. Only then will standards created by them reflect the real way of working. An implementation group with the greatest experience in the selected production lines was defined. 3. Determination of goals. 3. It is important to define measurable goals before the practical workshop. People will then participate more consciously in the workshop. Selected people from the implementation group received a clear goal before the workshop in the practicing phase (Do). It was the execution of standardized work instructions for specified operations. 4. Conducting the practical workshop. 4. Theoretical and practical knowledge is passed on to participants during the workshop. In addition, standardized work instructions are created under the supervision of a TWI expert. The practical workshop lasted for two days. During the workshop 5 standardized work instructions were developed. Each participant had the opportunity to play the role of a TWI instructor. A consultant from LeanTrix company supervised the whole process. 2. Practicing knowledge by people from the implementation group (DO) 1. Planning time periods. 1. People involved in the implementation of the TWI program should have time to practice skills (also when creating standardized work instructions). A selected group of 4 experienced leaders worked on computer posts and had the necessary time to develop all the instructions regarding the selected production lines. 2. Consultations with a TWI expert. 2.Questions and inconsistencies often arise during practicing. It is important for the TWI expert to support practitioners during this process. A LeanTrix consultant was available for the implementation group. There were numerous phone calls to precisely clarify any doubts in the area of creating standardized work instructions. 3. Licensing of people from the implementation group (CHECK) 1. Verification of the developed instructions by a TWI expert. 1. A correct standardized work instruction is the key to successfully carry out on-the-job training in accordance with the TWI IP method. A LeanTrix consultant during the audit process and before on-the-job training verified, together with people from the implementation group, their developed standardized work instructions. 2. Verification of the way of conducting on-the-job training by people from the implementation group. 2. Theoretically, the TWI IP method is simple, however in practice it causes many problems. This is because it is contrary to the habits of the majority of trainers. This is why several verifications of whether leaders correctly apply the TWI IP method are important during practicing. Each of the four people selected from the implementation group passed the practical audit on real production processes conducted by the LeanTrix consultant. In all cases, two audits were enough for practitioners to achieve TWI instructor certification. 3. Certification for a TWI Instructor 3. It is a formal process that confirms that a person is able to develop standardized work instructions and conduct on-the-job training in accordance with the TWI IP method. After completion of the audit, a LeanTrix consultant gave TWI instructor certificates to a group of four people selected from the implementation group. 4. Development of experts - the Train the Trainer program (ACT) 1. Selection of a candidate for a TWI trainer. 1. The TWI trainer is a person that is not only a practitioner in the field of the TWI IP method, but can also teach other employees (jap. Sensei). One person was selected from the group of certified TWI instructors in order to undertake training to become a TWI trainer. 2.Train-the-Trainer course 2. The aim of the course is to teach selected TWI instructors how to teach other employees who have not yet heard about the TWI program. During the TtT course the LeanTrix consultant, together with the selected TWI trainer candidate, developed a presentation dedicated to the company about the TWI program, practiced the way of conducting a workshop and also developed an instructional video to show during the workshop. 3. A practical workshop conducted by the candidate for a TWI trainer and a TWI expert. 3. The role of the TWI expert is to support the TWI trainer candidate during the first practical workshop about the TWI program. A one-day training was conducted for a group of experienced employees who did not know the TWI program in practice. The training was divided into 2 parts: a theoretical part conducted by the LeanTrix consultant and a practical part conducted by the TWI trainer candidate. 4. Certification for the TWI trainer. 4. Certification for the TWI trainer with an obtained diploma is the result of the ability to conduct a practical workshop about the TWI program. After conducting the workshop, the selected person received a TWI trainer diploma. It is confirmation that the TWI trainer can independently, without the support of a LeanTrix consultant, lead practical workshops about the TWI program, certify TWI instructors and support practitioners in the field of TWI. Table 1. Scheme of the implementation of the TWI program in the Autoliv production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice The benefits from the implementation of the TWI program in Autoliv Company. The TWI program has been in the process of being implemented in the APA production plant in Jelcz-Laskowice since July 2015. Currently, the program covers nearly 20% of airbag module production lines. It will ultimately be implemented comprehensively in both factories in Jelcz-Laskowice. The first actions related to the implementation of the TWI program have already been undertaken in Autoliv factories in Olawa. The first benefits from the implementation of the TWI program can be seen in the behavior and attitude of employees to their work on trial production lines. In the TWI program, the major emphasis is on explaining key points at work and the reasons for these key points so that employees begin to understand the essence of their work. Awareness of work is crucial for employees because it has a huge impact on the elimination of human errors, which mainly occur due to a lack of knowledge. Currently, it is difficult to find an operator on trial production lines who can sufficiently answer the question: Why do you perform this operation this way? The most common reply is: Because my manager told me to. Each employee must understand why he has to do the work in a certain way and how it affects the process and the final customer. If the employee does not remember something he can always refer to the standardized work instructions, which the TWI Instructor trained him by accordingly. We believe that this approach to training employees will in the future result in the improvement of the KPIs in the company. Figure 3 shows how work instructions have changed due to the TWI program for an exemplary operation. They are now more transparent and understandable. In addition, they contain reasons that teach people awareness. These instructions, called standardized work instructions, are used by TWI instructors to train employees with the use of the TWI Instructing Employees method. Fig. 3a. Instructions Before the implementation of the TWI Program Figure 3b. Instructions After the Implementation of the TWI Program At Autoliv, we believe that it is not the employees, but processes that should be blamed for human errors. Designing and defining processes is the responsibility of managers and leaders. These leaders must take responsibility for potential human errors. The motto of the TWI Instructing Employees method is: if an employee did not learn, it is because the teacher did not teach. This motto is a foundation for the development of competences of employees in Autoliv Company. Respect of employees, expressed through their effective training, is one of the most important values of Autoliv Company. References: Graupp P., Wrona R.J., 2006, The TWI Workbook: Essential Skills for Supervisors, Productivity Press. Liker J., Meier D., 2007, Toyota Talent: Developing Your People the Toyota Way, McGraw-Hill Education. Misiurek B., 2016, Standardized Work with TWI: Eliminating Human Errors in Production and Service Processes, Productivity Press. About the Authors Iwona Diug Head of Production Area APA at Autoliv Poland Company. Associated with Autoliv Corporation for 10 years. Bartosz Misiurek CEO of Leantrix Company, which supplies computer systems that support the implementation of Lean Management. Currently supports the Cooper Standard Company (Automotive) as the TWI Lead Coach for Europe and is responsible for the implementation of the TWI program in dozens of factories in Europe. In the Lean Enterprise Institute Poland since 2007 and until 2015 was responsible for the transfer of the TWI program from the United States and then its development in Poland. Worked as a consultant of Lean Management, TPM and TWI for more than 150 production and service companies in Europe.
I was recently sitting in one of my sixth grade guided reading groups when one of the students in it asked, "What are those line thingys called that the author keeps using?" I hesitated before replying because the words "hyphen" and "dash" kept coming to my mind, but to be completely honest, I had no idea which was which. So we stopped and decided to look it up. This is what we discovered: The reason that I like teaching within a flexible framework of teaching, like Literacy Collaborative, is because learning becomes authentic. Instead of drilling into my whole group of students what a dash and a hyphen are, something that I've never known my whole life but probably have been taught at some point, I was able to ask students questions like: *What do you notice about when an author uses a dash? *What do you notice about when an author uses a hyphen? *What is the author's purpose in using a dash/hyphen? *How does understanding this punctuation make the book easier to understand? *How could you use what you now know about the dash and the hyphen in your own writing? This particular guided reading group and I had an awesome conversation about this, and it is amazing what students notice and how they categorize information within their brains. I am confident to say that they now not only know what a dash and a hyphen are and the author's purpose in using these particular types of punctuation, but they also are noticing and analyzing the author's purpose in using other types of punctuation such as commas, parentheses, italics, and end-of-the-sentence punctuation. As teachers, we have to make possibly hundreds of mini teaching decisions every day of where to take the whole class next, where to take a small group of students such as my guided reading group, and where to take individual students. The more I continue to teach using the Literacy Collaborative framework, the more I realize that it's not necessarily about having all the answers or being the expert teacher. It's about how you allow students to interact with one another, how you talk to students, and the atmosphere for learning you have set up.
Choosing a theme for your classroom can be both exciting and challenging. What best represents your personality? What would the students choose? Some teachers choose not to have a theme and may use a color scheme instead. Summer vacation is a perfect time to plan and organize for the upcoming school year. There are so many resources to use online to help you create a classroom that is both inviting and conducive to learning. Listed below are some of my favorite themes with creative sayings to display classroom materials and highlight students. Dog Theme - Students and teachers love dogs! What a wonderful way for students to make personal connections with their classroom. Even for students who are not dog owners, these cute and adorable animals brighten up any classroom. "Barking About ______" is a title that can be used in a variety of ways. Highlight a subject area or activity on a bulletin board. Just add student work and this board will be something to bark about. "Top Dog" can be used to describe a student of the week or month. You can create a bulletin board highlighting students for their accomplishments. "Dog-Gone Good ______" is another title with endless possibilities. You can add words such as students, work, behavior, readers, writers, scientists, etc. This title will fit perfectly on a bulletin board in your dog themed classroom "Paws"itively __________" is a wonderful play on words for a dog theme. You can add so many different words to highlight students, subject areas, and classroom activities. "You've been Spotted ________" can be used for so many different bulletin boards. Ideas include: reading, writing, working, behaving, and following class rules. Click below for a free dog theme poster: If interested in more dog theme decor, click below: Dog Theme Classroom Decor Hollywood Theme - I have used this theme in my classroom for several years. You can actually check out pictures of my Hollywood classroom on my blog. I love the idea of the students becoming stars of their classroom. If you like to coordinate your room with certain colors, then red, white, and black will really stand out in your Hollywood themed classroom. Some ideas that you can use on bulletin boards to spotlight students, activities, and lessons include: "Spotlight on ___________" can be used for almost any idea. Students love to see their work spotlighted and this helps build their self esteem. "Now Featuring/Playing __________" is similar to "Spotlight on _________." You can highlight students, specific lessons and/or activities. "Wall of Fame" can be used to motivate students. If students complete an assigned goal then their name can be added to the Wall of Fame. Students become more motivated when they realize that their hard work will be acknowledged. "Starring ___________" is another idea with endless possibilities. You can add your class name, grade level, or a description such as super students. "A Star is Born" can be used to spotlight a student of the week. Students can bring in baby pictures of themselves to add to this bulletin board. "Meet the Cast and Crew of ___________" is a perfect way to add your teacher name. This board should be displayed at the beginning of the year. "Look Who's Popping in ___________" can also be used at the beginning of the year to introduce the new students of your class. I used it in my classroom for Accelerated Reader. The students "popped" as they earned points. "Hollyword" is a wonderful title for your word wall. I used a wipe off board to display my words and hung the sign above the board. "Stage Crew" can be used as the title of your helpers bulletin board. I labeled the helpers with all Hollywood themed names. Click below for free Hollywood themed homework passes: If interested in more Hollywood Theme decor, click below: Hollywood Theme Classroom Decor Jungle Theme - Another favorite theme that I have used in the past. There are so many possibilities with this theme that it makes it easier to decorate a classroom. I am wild about a jungle themed classroom. "Wild About __________" can be used by adding any subject. Student work can be displayed according to the subject that was chosen. "Roaring About _____________" is very similar to "Wild About ___________." You can add any subject or topic. Add student work and the board is complete. "You've Been Spotted _____________" reading, writing, behaving, and working are just some of the ideas that you can use with this board. "Swinging into _____________" just needs the grade level added to it. You have a perfect bulletin board for the beginning of the school year. "Welcome to the Jungle" can be displayed on your door. Perfect addition to your jungle themed classroom. "Rules of the Jungle" can be included with your classroom rules. It is important for students to be able to read the rules and review them often. "Exploring ____________" is another topic that can be used with any subject, topic, or lesson that you are teaching. Click below for free jungle themed hallway passes: If interested in more jungle themed classroom decor, click below: Jungle Themed Classroom Decor Farm Theme - Love this theme for primary classrooms! The main color of this theme is red and the animals bring along many other colors to brighten up a classroom. Some ideas to include in your farm themed classroom: "Mooooving Along in ________________" can be used to highlight a grade level, teacher's class, or subject area. Just place a drawing of a cow and the board is all set. "You've Been Spotted __________" is a great title for spotlighting a specific activity. Ideas include reading, writing, behaving, following directions, and completing homework "Down on the Farm with ____________" just needs the teacher's name added and you can use this at the beginning of the school year to welcome your students. "Round Up for _____________" is perfect for any subject area or topic taught. Add student work and the board is complete. Click below for a farm themed reading certificate: If interested in more farm themed classroom decor, click below: Farm Themed Classroom Decor Pirate Theme - Students love this theme. The colors include mostly red, black, and white. Where do you mostly find pirates? Sailing on the blue ocean under a blue sky. So blue is also another color that can be added to your pirate theme. Listed below are some suggestions to enhance your classroom: "We ARGH..." is a wonderful starter sentence and the possibilities are endless. We ARGH following the class rules. We ARGH prepared for class. We ARGH excited for school. We ARGH ready for ____ grade. We ARGH readers. We ARGH wishing our classmates a happy birthday. Add your own words to this sentence starter and your pirate themed bulletin boards are all set. "____________ is a real treasure!" is another heading you can use on bulletin boards. Add different subjects in the blank and you can use this to display your students work. "You ARGH top crew!" can be used to highlight the student of the week. Display these words on a bulletin board to showcase one particular student or a group of students. "Sailing into...." can be used for the beginning of the year. Just add the grade level or teacher's name and you have a title ready for your back to school bulletin board or classroom door. "Gold ___________" can be used to spotlight students. "Gold Readers" can be used to motivate students with a reading incentive program. "Gold Mathematicians" can be used to display outstanding math work. You can use this sentence starter to highlight students who are displaying academic success, positive behavior, and/or showing acts of kindness. Click below for a pirate themed top crew certificate: If interested in pirate theme classroom decor, click below: Pirate Theme Classroom Decor Hope these ideas help enhance your classroom! In the comments section would love to hear about your classroom themes and any additional ideas that you have.
Double entry bookkeeping is the process of entering financial transactions in a way that will balance the books; here are the 7 steps involved to get it right.
Teach the Hero's Journey, or Monomyth, using 12 steps created by Joseph Campbell at StoryboardThat. Lesson includes examples, templates, and free activities.
This is a shout out to all my 8th grade teachers! We are all tasked with trying to get students to understand VERBALS! (thanks Common Core 😱) Those pesky "verbs in disguise" are confusing as heck for students! If your school is like mine, you probably were given a big set of grammar worksheets and maybe a reference book to use, right? B-O-R-I-N-G for teachers and students, and not especially effective for getting kids excited about the thrilling world of grammar! Over the past few years, I've tried to jazz up my grammar lessons by using games, coloring, and interactive activities. I rarely use the worksheets given to me by my district, however I do use them when teaching verbals! So HOW do I teach verbals? Well, verbals are HARD to understand, no doubt about it, but they are even harder to understand if a student doesn't have a solid understanding of the parts of speech. Even though CCSS doesn't have standards in 8th grade related to teaching nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, I feel very strongly about reviewing these parts of speech before even mentioning verbals. I focus most of my 2nd quarter grammar lessons on practice with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs- especially adjectives and adverbs. I love using ISN templates as a place for students to take notes and I've created Color By Code review sheets for students to practice. I spend at least 2 days reviewing each of these four parts of speech. ISN Templates for Note Taking Adjective and Adverb Color By Code Parts of Speech "Minute to Win It" sorting game Playing "Scoot!" with task cards Once I feel that my students have a solid understanding of the jobs of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, it is time to BLOW THEIR MINDS with verbals! I love using ISNs, so I start with having my students glue an anchor chart in their ISNs. You can grab the one I use for FREE here. Then I've created Nearpod presentations to use to introduce verbals as a whole individually. (If you'd like to know more about Nearpod, an interactive PowerPoint platform, click here to read my blog about it!) You can use whatever lesson-style you like to introduce the basics of verbals, but I personally love turning PowerPoints or Google Slides into Nearpods! I spend four days introducing verbals, and this is one of the few times of the year I actually use the worksheets given to me by my district, because kids need A LOT of practice identifying verbals: Day 1: Intro Verbals as "Verbs in Disguise", anchor chart and explaining the three types of verbals and how they look like verbs, but don't act like verbs in sentences. I give them a packet of practice sheets which we will do in class together. Day 2: Participles- I have a presentation just on participles in Nearpod. Then we do a practice worksheet in class together. Day 3: Gerunds- Nearpod and worksheet Day 4: Infinitives- Nearpod and worksheet Now that my students have had some experience with the three types of verbals, I add in the FUN! I truly believe learning comes from student experience, not teachers' lectures. So, I spend the next few days letting kids play around with verbals. I use these task cards in a variety of ways with my students. First, I post them around the room and give them a task card form. The students "scoot" around the room reading sentences on the task cards and determining which type of verbal is used in each sentence. I ask them to compare answers with a partner and if their answers differ, they work together to try to figure it out. I also like to use these cards to play "Score Four!". Score Four is a lot like the card game "Spoons". Kids work in small groups and try to be the first to collect four task cards containing the same type of verbal, then grab a spoon or pencil from the center of the table. Students LOVE the fast-paced nature of this game! Here is what the cards look like: Click picture to grab this activity! By now, my students usually have a pretty good grasp on those pesky verbals! As a final review, I challenge them to recognize when a word is being used as a verbal or when it is just acting as a verb in this Color By Code activity: Click picture to grab this activity! I've tried teaching verbals a variety of ways over the last few years, and incorporating a combination of interactive introduction presentations, worksheet practice, and games to keep students engaged in reviewing has really upped my students' scores on the assessment! I hope these strategies will help you too! If you've got great ideas for teaching this tricky subject, I'd love to hear your suggestions! Please post ideas in the comments, because teaching is all about collaborating!
Want to learn how to find data entry jobs from home? Here's how you can really make money doing data entry at home.
This year was our first year implementing the Common Core Standards and a reoccurring word that is used when describing the standards is they are more rigorous than the previous state standards. In Louisiana there has been growing opposition to the standards by both parents and politicians. One common statement that has been made is […]
Teaching firsthand and secondhand accounts? Check out this blog post that contains a mentor text idea and an anchor chart!
Synonyms and Antonyms Anchor Chart! This blog post contains the material to create this anchor chart, plus a FREE interactive notebook entry for synonyms and antonyms!
10 Ideas to help students learn science vocabulary words10 Ideas to help students learn science vocabulary words-- awesome for 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade
This study guide and infographic for Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa offer summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs.
As part of our twilight INSET programme this year I am delivering a CPD session on marking. It’s a great opportunity to bring together lots of ideas from lots of superb bloggers, teachers and…
Silas and Grace receive 2,000,000 views each month, earn around $10,000 to $15,000 a month, and they've only been blogging for around one year!
The pages you need on your WordPress blog to make it lega.
(edited June 2017) I did up this poster in 2015 when I was trying to find ways to cope with my child’s meltdowns. After working with my child for a few years, I have come to have a better und…
Write Your First Blog Post. Learn how to write your first blog post like a pro. Don't waste too much time wondering what to write or how to write it
New to blogging? Make sure to do these steps on your blog before you write your first blog post. These blogging tips will ensure your blog is ready for writing content even as a beginner blogger:
With all of the Ebola and Enterovirus news lately, I created a list of web resources for teachers looking for accurate information and teaching resources on viruses. All of these links work as of 11/15/2014! Viral Life Cycle: A HHMI Viral Life Cycle Animation: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/viral-lifecycleHerpes Life Cycle Animation: http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/herpessimplex.html Retrovirus Life Cycle Animation: http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072556781/student_view0/chapter18/animation_quiz_3.html Flu …
What to blog about? Hard eh as a new stay at home mom blogger. Trying to come up with a blogging niche or blogging topics or blog ideas can be super hard when you’re just starting out. Starting a blog means you have to create content regularly for years to come. How do you do […]
This post details 10 tasks you could undertake over the period of a weekend that'll grow your blog and take it to the next level.
If you want to turn your blog into a money making business this year, take advantage of these 10 actionable tips and resources!
how to get your blog noticed? Getting your blog real attention is one thing bloggers struggle with. This is why this experts roundup shares top tips on getting your blog noticed in front of a huge audience. Every top blogger has something amazing to share with you!
You put a lot of time and effort into your blog so it's a must to blog legally and protect yourself from lawsuits or fines. Take these 7 easy steps to make your blog legal.
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How to write epic blog post titles that your potential readers cannot help but click and share like crazy | The Side Blogger
15 Free places to promote your blog for free and drive traffic. Pinterest, Tiktok, Bloglovin', Facebook, Twitter, Another blog, Medium, Linkedin, Reddit, Youtube
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Choosing a theme for your classroom can be both exciting and challenging. What best represents your personality? What would the students choose? Some teachers choose not to have a theme and may use a color scheme instead. Summer vacation is a perfect time to plan and organize for the upcoming school year. There are so many resources to use online to help you create a classroom that is both inviting and conducive to learning. Listed below are some of my favorite themes with creative sayings to display classroom materials and highlight students. Dog Theme - Students and teachers love dogs! What a wonderful way for students to make personal connections with their classroom. Even for students who are not dog owners, these cute and adorable animals brighten up any classroom. "Barking About ______" is a title that can be used in a variety of ways. Highlight a subject area or activity on a bulletin board. Just add student work and this board will be something to bark about. "Top Dog" can be used to describe a student of the week or month. You can create a bulletin board highlighting students for their accomplishments. "Dog-Gone Good ______" is another title with endless possibilities. You can add words such as students, work, behavior, readers, writers, scientists, etc. This title will fit perfectly on a bulletin board in your dog themed classroom "Paws"itively __________" is a wonderful play on words for a dog theme. You can add so many different words to highlight students, subject areas, and classroom activities. "You've been Spotted ________" can be used for so many different bulletin boards. Ideas include: reading, writing, working, behaving, and following class rules. Click below for a free dog theme poster: If interested in more dog theme decor, click below: Dog Theme Classroom Decor Hollywood Theme - I have used this theme in my classroom for several years. You can actually check out pictures of my Hollywood classroom on my blog. I love the idea of the students becoming stars of their classroom. If you like to coordinate your room with certain colors, then red, white, and black will really stand out in your Hollywood themed classroom. Some ideas that you can use on bulletin boards to spotlight students, activities, and lessons include: "Spotlight on ___________" can be used for almost any idea. Students love to see their work spotlighted and this helps build their self esteem. "Now Featuring/Playing __________" is similar to "Spotlight on _________." You can highlight students, specific lessons and/or activities. "Wall of Fame" can be used to motivate students. If students complete an assigned goal then their name can be added to the Wall of Fame. Students become more motivated when they realize that their hard work will be acknowledged. "Starring ___________" is another idea with endless possibilities. You can add your class name, grade level, or a description such as super students. "A Star is Born" can be used to spotlight a student of the week. Students can bring in baby pictures of themselves to add to this bulletin board. "Meet the Cast and Crew of ___________" is a perfect way to add your teacher name. This board should be displayed at the beginning of the year. "Look Who's Popping in ___________" can also be used at the beginning of the year to introduce the new students of your class. I used it in my classroom for Accelerated Reader. The students "popped" as they earned points. "Hollyword" is a wonderful title for your word wall. I used a wipe off board to display my words and hung the sign above the board. "Stage Crew" can be used as the title of your helpers bulletin board. I labeled the helpers with all Hollywood themed names. Click below for free Hollywood themed homework passes: If interested in more Hollywood Theme decor, click below: Hollywood Theme Classroom Decor Jungle Theme - Another favorite theme that I have used in the past. There are so many possibilities with this theme that it makes it easier to decorate a classroom. I am wild about a jungle themed classroom. "Wild About __________" can be used by adding any subject. Student work can be displayed according to the subject that was chosen. "Roaring About _____________" is very similar to "Wild About ___________." You can add any subject or topic. Add student work and the board is complete. "You've Been Spotted _____________" reading, writing, behaving, and working are just some of the ideas that you can use with this board. "Swinging into _____________" just needs the grade level added to it. You have a perfect bulletin board for the beginning of the school year. "Welcome to the Jungle" can be displayed on your door. Perfect addition to your jungle themed classroom. "Rules of the Jungle" can be included with your classroom rules. It is important for students to be able to read the rules and review them often. "Exploring ____________" is another topic that can be used with any subject, topic, or lesson that you are teaching. Click below for free jungle themed hallway passes: If interested in more jungle themed classroom decor, click below: Jungle Themed Classroom Decor Farm Theme - Love this theme for primary classrooms! The main color of this theme is red and the animals bring along many other colors to brighten up a classroom. Some ideas to include in your farm themed classroom: "Mooooving Along in ________________" can be used to highlight a grade level, teacher's class, or subject area. Just place a drawing of a cow and the board is all set. "You've Been Spotted __________" is a great title for spotlighting a specific activity. Ideas include reading, writing, behaving, following directions, and completing homework "Down on the Farm with ____________" just needs the teacher's name added and you can use this at the beginning of the school year to welcome your students. "Round Up for _____________" is perfect for any subject area or topic taught. Add student work and the board is complete. Click below for a farm themed reading certificate: If interested in more farm themed classroom decor, click below: Farm Themed Classroom Decor Pirate Theme - Students love this theme. The colors include mostly red, black, and white. Where do you mostly find pirates? Sailing on the blue ocean under a blue sky. So blue is also another color that can be added to your pirate theme. Listed below are some suggestions to enhance your classroom: "We ARGH..." is a wonderful starter sentence and the possibilities are endless. We ARGH following the class rules. We ARGH prepared for class. We ARGH excited for school. We ARGH ready for ____ grade. We ARGH readers. We ARGH wishing our classmates a happy birthday. Add your own words to this sentence starter and your pirate themed bulletin boards are all set. "____________ is a real treasure!" is another heading you can use on bulletin boards. Add different subjects in the blank and you can use this to display your students work. "You ARGH top crew!" can be used to highlight the student of the week. Display these words on a bulletin board to showcase one particular student or a group of students. "Sailing into...." can be used for the beginning of the year. Just add the grade level or teacher's name and you have a title ready for your back to school bulletin board or classroom door. "Gold ___________" can be used to spotlight students. "Gold Readers" can be used to motivate students with a reading incentive program. "Gold Mathematicians" can be used to display outstanding math work. You can use this sentence starter to highlight students who are displaying academic success, positive behavior, and/or showing acts of kindness. Click below for a pirate themed top crew certificate: If interested in pirate theme classroom decor, click below: Pirate Theme Classroom Decor Hope these ideas help enhance your classroom! In the comments section would love to hear about your classroom themes and any additional ideas that you have.
We get weekly emails asking us how to start a blog. Here is our simple, step-by-step process for learning how to become a blogger.
These 8 surprisingly simple blog formatting techniques on WordPress will increase your blog posts' readability almost exponentially.
How to write your first blog post? You don’t have to be an expert on anything to blog. Simply contribute your authentic words by writing from the heart.
