Managing time at the beginning of the year can be a little tricky. You’re still getting to know your students and figuring out how to time your lessons to work with your schedule. What if you finish early and have time to spare? We’ve all been there. If you have five to ten minutes at […]
Have you heard of SignUpGenius yet? Are you implementing it in your classroom? I know staying organized makes our lives so much easier, and using SignUpGenius is defintely able to do that. This website lets you coordinate with parents and co-workers to manage tasks easily. SignUpGenius also lets you send out automatic reminder emails to help […]
Can you guys believe how close the end of the year is? It will be here before we know it! So will the end-of-the-year party. While the kids LOVE parties, they can be a headache for teachers. HERE is my post on some tips for a simple (but fun!) classroom party. I know by now […]
When it comes to classroom parties, I am all about keeping them simple, making them easy to manage, and letting parents help as much as possible. I put together the top 11 minute to win it games for classrooms that you can use for any classroom party throughout the year. If you have parents willing […]
Podcasts are such a fun way to hear about new things going on in education, learn about new technology, improve your classroom community, or find a few tips and tricks. They range from people sharing real life, personal experiences to experts in educational science sharing new information. Some are as quick as 10 minutes, while […]
As classroom teachers, we need all the help we can get, amen? Wouldn’t an assistant be nice? Someone to remind you of things, tell you the weather before you run outside for recess, set the timer for you even when you are on the other side of the classroom? Well, there’s something for that, friend. […]
As a teacher, we often use technology in our classrooms to support our students learning and to enhance it. We want to give them the best, the latest, and the greatest! We go to trainings on the latest tech tools for our students, but not always for us. Often times we aren’t given tools for […]
Launching literacy stations is a big task! You plan each station, carefully explain each one, provide time for your students to practice the station, and then let them go. But what happens when they don’t last the full 20 minutes at a workstation? What happens when they constantly need help? What happens when your little […]
We use them every single day in our classrooms-EXPO markers. Our students use them, they bring in fresh new packs at the beginning of the year, and we cross our fingers that they last all year. My goal was always to make them last, make them easy to use in the classroom, and for them […]
As classroom teachers we spend hundreds of dollars over the years on classroom supplies. There are many times that we really want that one specific classroom supply that’s a nice-to-have or that we just want extra of because we just know that we will truly need it before December even comes, but instead we choose […]
Yes, that’s right! Get your hot tea ready, and your school night dinners planned out ahead of time – the first day of school is coming soon and that means there are procedures for the first day of school to teach, names to remember, and relationships to build! There is just something about the energy […]
Before the school begins our rooms are set up, copies are made, and our teacher hearts are ready to begin the year strong. Even with the best of intentions and preparation, our classroom will begin to struggle without an effective plan in place to communicate our expectations. Begin the year by allowing your students to […]
The data is out and parent involvement, regardless of income or background, gives students the boost they need to be successful throughout the school year. We see this over and over again in our classrooms. Students with parent involvement display: a higher value on education improved behavior the ability to adapt well to their school […]
We have the privilege of being the most consistent adult in our students’ lives during the school year. Some students are naturally easier to connect with than others. Common interests, parent involvement, and personality all create a simple avenue of connection with our students. Other students have a harder time connecting with their teacher and […]
Building a healthy and happy classroom community takes time and consistency. Creating a safe place where students are excited to be each day is part of the magic that teachers get to create. From decorations to furniture placement, we hold the power to creating an environment that our students can thrive in. One of the […]
Having a birthday at school is always a special treat for students. Here are five ways you can help your students celebrate their special day without breaking the bank and without the extra sugar rush! Planning ahead and prepping a classroom set before the year begins will give you a head start to making your […]
Safety is a basic need for all children and, as a teacher, you are the main creator of a safe and positive environment for your students. Whether you teach high school or kindergarten, a safe classroom community is essential to a successful year. Students who feel safe are happy, kind, growing, and a lot of […]
It happens to many of us in teaching. We get that email or call to our principals office and they want us to switch grade levels. Sometimes we smile and are thrilled about the change. Other times we go kicking and screaming, it seems. That was me my first year of teaching. It was October […]
