Summer is mere weeks away, and I know that the countdowns have already begun. This time last year*, I would wake up and think to myself, “Only 2 more Mondays left...10 school days... 7 instruction days...” You name it; I was counting it down. My summers are shorter than the typical schools’ summers, so I want to make the absolute most of every day. And, in typical teacher fashion, I ...
Math Intervention
A Starter Guide to Math Intervention
how to structure, implement, and find success with your intervention class
10 Ways to Use Task Cards in Your Classroom
There seems to be no shortage of task cards out there as a resource for students and teachers. The question is how to incorporate these tools as meaningful and engaging work in your classroom. I have compiled a list of ideas how I have used task cards in the last year or how I have seen other teachers use task cards. 10 Ways to Use Task Cards 1. Extension This is a no-brainer. ...
5 Ideas for Teacher Organization
As teachers, we are always looking for new and better ways to do things. I think it’s part of our nature. I remember in my first year teaching, I bought those office trays that I used for students to collect and turn in papers. The trouble was that the papers would get crammed in there, some would fall out, and oftentimes, students would slip them in the wrong tray! The next ...
Extension Ideas for Early Finishers
Even when working with a 50-minute class period, there will be times when students complete their work quickly and need something “to do” for the last few minutes of class. If you have a longer class period, then likely this happens more frequently, and it’s something to be prepared for. If not, then you will end up saying something like, “Work on something quietly at your desk.” ...
Personal Financial Literacy Activities for Middle School
When Texas changed the Math TEKS several years ago, they began incorporating a strand called Personal Financial Literacy. I love how they are taking real life concepts that our children will face as growing teens and adults and are incorporating them into our state standards. However, I do wonder about the age-appropriateness of some of them….but alas, we teach the standards. ...
Student Data Tracking That You Can Keep Up With
This year I have implemented student data tracking as one of my primary focuses to drive my instruction. I’ve been using daily exit tickets for years, and they would help me decide if I need to reteach a skill. But I wasn’t tracking the data in a way that motivated my students and doing it daily seemed impossible when I tried. I have over 100 students! This year I have a system that I ...
Teaching Interview Tips and Best Practices
When you start applying for jobs, I think everyone starts the Google search with “teaching interview questions” or “what questions are asked on a teaching interview?” There is nothing worse than attending an interview and feeling unprepared when asked a question. While it does help to anticipate the specific questions that might be asked, it is also helpful to consider your interview ...
Utilizing Classroom Jobs to Save Time
As a teacher, I firmly believe that students can learn anything. This applies to academics, character, and...helping you around your classroom! Today I am sharing some practical tips on how to set up students to help you with various tasks and classroom jobs for which you can enlist the help of your middle school students. UTILIZIng CLASSROOM jobs to save time Types of Jobs There ...
Change is a Verb
Disclaimer: I am not a trained counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. I am an educator, I attended public school for 12 years, I spent four years at a public university, received my graduate degree, and I taught nearly 1,000 students over a seven year span in public schools. Most importantly, I am a mom of a little boy. As I watch the news, I hear the details surrounding the ...
Activities for Engagement: The Scavenger Hunt
It should come to no one’s surprise that students like activities. I’m an adult, and I like activities! In fact, I outlined how you could turn any worksheet into an activity here. My particular favorite is the scavenger hunt. Let’s dive into why it is a favorite for both my students and me. ACTIVITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: THE SCAVENGER HUNT How It Works Scavenger hunts work like this. ...
