In the summer, I excitedly anticipate the release of classroom decorations to the Target Dollar Spot. Since that is weeks away, I thought I would use my energy to create a list of supplies that every math teacher should have in their classroom. All of these items can be found in use in my classroom any given day (with the exception of the whiteboard clipboards which I will be purchasing ...
15 More Must Teach Middle School Routines
Year five is in the books! Each year I try new things, and learn how to best set students up for success. This year I have found that there are middle school routines that I did not explain in my first post, 20 Must Teacher Middle School Routines and Procedures, and ended up incorporating throughout the year. Thus, I present to you 15 MORE must teach middle school routines and ...
Alternative Assessments in Math
Test days are equally as exciting as they are dread inducing. I communicate to students that it is their opportunity to show me what they know, but then I begin to feel doubtful. Today, I am going to share four alternative assessments in math that you might consider using. What if they all fail? Did I review this concept enough? Did they study? Is the test too hard? Is the test ...
Confessions of an End of Year Teacher
By the end of the year, the number of gray hairs on my head has grown exponentially. I attribute this to the final month of school where pretty much the entire year is raveling before you and you are trying to hold it all together like a giant house of cards. Balancing the busyness, the tiredness, and the energy of students ready to be on summer break, all while willing the minutes to ...
Making Test Prep Fun for Students and Teachers
Preparation for any standardized test is a daunting task. Preparing 100+ students for a standardized test is quite a feat! You want students to buy-in to the content, even though they will claim they “already learned” it! You can accomplish this by making test prep fun! It is a challenging job, but as a teacher, it is exactly what we have to do. This is the first of three ...
Work Life Balance for Teachers
Work. Life. Balance. Those three words are the pinnacle of what all teachers hope for. If you are a first year teacher, you are probably consumed by the “work” piece. If you are a teacher with kids, you are probably consumed with the “life” of you and your family. The best analogy I have heard lately about work-life balance is to think of it as a pendulum. At various points ...
7 Ways to Use Khan Academy
Khan Academy is an incredible resource for your classroom! You can see how some tips for starting Khan Academy in your classroom, and I have outlined ways to use Khan Academy for differentiating instruction. If you aren’t ready to take the full plunge into the world of Khan, dip your metaphorical toes into the shallow end with these ideas. NOTE: All Khan Academy content is available ...
Tips for Using Khan Academy
I have posted about how I have implemented Khan Academy when working with small groups and when differentiating instruction, and we have received comments asking for more Khan Academy know how. I am certainly not an expert, but after tinkering around with it for about two years, and seeing what has worked and not worked, I have a few tips for using Khan Academy in the ...
Stylish and Comfortable Shoes for Teachers
A couple of years ago, I bought a pair of Steve Madden ballerina slipper style flats. They were neutral, and at the time, they seemed like a great investment in comfortable shoes. I had just started teaching, and my college Chacos were not considered professional, so I needed to find a pair of shoes that I could wear to work. Enter the neutral flats. They had such potential, and maybe ...
Teacher Planner Alternative – The Flexi
It’s September! And with that, the initial shock of THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO AND THE CHILDREN ARE COMING has ended. Since we are no longer in panic mode, it seems fitting to discuss how we are going to accomplish tasks on our to do lists in the most time saving, efficient, productive, helpful, organized, and prettiest fashion. :) I have finally landed on a system that works for me, and ...