This year I had a student who was new to our school. She was super sweet, took her notes, and whenever it was time for independent practice, she would raise her hand to ask to use the restroom, go get a tissue, or sharpen her pencil. I would give her permission, and I would watch as she spent WAY TOO LONG completing these tasks. As the year progressed, these behaviors escalated to total ...
Tips for Planning a Field Trip
My very first year teaching, I was put in charge of planning a field trip for students who had earned Honor Roll. I was told to do it as cheaply as possible. When I asked what my budget was, the response was $0. Ok... I’ll do my best. Hopefully, this won’t be your experience! Since then, I have planned or co-planned several field trips ranging from free trips to overnight, out-of-town ...
Classroom Supplies I Am Buying My 7th Year
It’s official: Back-to-school shopping is a go! Target has already put out their teacher goodies; therefore, it’s time to start thinking about my classroom. You can see my past classroom here. This is my 7th classroom set up, and I have most of the supplies I need. Sure, I will need to restock dry erase markers and pencils, but for the most part, there are only a few more classroom ...
Must-Have Classroom Supplies from Ikea
Noelle and I recently took a trip to Ikea to scout for items for my classroom. We did it with a nine-week-old and almost-two-year-old. Are we crazy? The answer is yes! Crazy for classroom supplies! We did have a great time walking around, snapping pictures, and letting our creativity run wild. Without further delay, let’s take a look at the goodies we found. Sidenote: We know that ...
Rookie Teacher Mistake: Talking Over Students
Rick Smith said, “Teaching is like trying to fly a plane while building it.” You learn as you go, and unfortunately, you mostly learn what doesn’t work before you learn what does work. Cue our new series -- Rookie Teacher Mistakes. Rookie Mistakes are a series of common pitfalls that we make as teachers and tips to rectify and/or prevent them from happening. No judgment here; the ...
Using Scholastic Magazines to Reach Reluctant Readers
Last summer, Scholastic Magazines reached out and graciously offered to partner with the blog for the school year. It was a unique opportunity to get an incredible resource in the hands of students, and we wanted to share about the experience. Teacher Takeaways from a Year with Scholastic By far, the biggest takeaway was my ability to reach reluctant readers. We have all had ...
Why You Should Attend a Math Conference
If you are reading this blog, then chances are that you love teaching; more specifically, you love teaching math! Teaching and teaching math are a multi-faceted skills that require us to constantly learn: new strategies, new techniques, new ways to use intervention, new models, and the list goes on and on. Math conferences are a place for teachers to sharpen their skills and learn from ...
Teacher To-Do List: Summer 2018 Edition
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 ...
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. ...
Time-Saving Tips for the New Year
What I love about being a teacher is that you get two new years every one year -- August and January. Since the new year has just begun, I thought I would share some of my go-to time-saving tips so you can start your new year in your classroom as efficiently as possible. TIME-saving tips for the new year 1. Plan your Planning Period How many times have you looked at the clock ...