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 ...
Using Ebates to Save Money: Teacher Edition
A little-known fact about me is that I used to be a diehard couponer. I am not sure why I started or what compelled me to work the coupon system, but I loved when I was able to get something for free. Now the only problem is when you get something for free that you won't use or don’t have a need for. I mean, how many bottles of shampoo can you really use? But, when I first ...
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.” ...
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 ...
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 ...