Teachers all over the United States have been advocating for themselves. In Arizona and Oklahoma, teachers have taken to the street to advocate for better pay. It has been a long time coming, and I am so proud of those teachers for taking action. It motivated me to advocate for myself this year. You see, since becoming a mother, my priorities have changed, and while I love my job, I ...
The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
You may already be familiar with the gradual release of responsibility model for teaching and learning: “I do, we do, you do it together, you do it alone.” You may be incorporating it on your campus, in your classroom, or with your small group. Today, I want to share a little bit about what the gradual release of responsibility model is, different activities that support it, how to ...
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 ...
Math TEKS Resources for Middle School Teachers
Over the past two years, we have developed a math curriculum that is engaging, student-centered, easy to implement for teachers, and aligned to the TEKS! Hooray! As a Texas teacher, it can be difficult to find resources that truly meet the rigor and depth of our Texas Math Standards. One of the things that I am passionate about is the alignment to the standards and alignment between ...
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 ...
The Middle School Syllabus
Let's discuss your class syllabus. Did your eyes just glaze over? That’s what happened when I went over my class syllabus with my students the first year I taught. Your class syllabus does not have to be boring! Here are some ways to keep your students informed and interested (and an editable freebie to get you started.) 1. Keep YOUR SYLLABUS Simple Do not over-inform. Ask ...
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 ...