Encouraging students to be responsible learners can oftentimes be a challenging task. It's wonderful when our students come to us with experience in responsibility (like doing chores at home!), but oftentimes that just isn't our reality. So it's our job, as teachers, to TEACH our students HOW to be responsible. Teach them what it means. What it looks like and what it doesn't look like. Model responsibility. Encourage it. Most of all...provide them with opportunities to be responsible!!! One of the most effective ways to instill within our students a sense of responsibility is by trusting them with a specific job. A task for which … [Read more...] about Help Wanted: Classroom Jobs!
back to school
Managing Parent Communication
Prior to the start of the new school year, I always like to reflect on my relationships with my parents from the previous years. What could I have done better? How can I improve? How can I deepen my relationships with both parents AND students? These aren't always comfortable questions to ask myself because at some point they lead me back to my mistakes and weaknesses and confronting my shortcomings isn't always easy. However, being willing to recognize and admit my areas of weakness always leads to change and improvement and that's ALWAYS a good thing!!! While I think my parent relationship game is pretty strong, I will admittedly tell … [Read more...] about Managing Parent Communication
Back to School with Social Studies
It's that time of year again. Time to go back to school. Can you believe it?! I know the Target Dollar Spot has been preparing us for this moment for a couple of months now, but I still can't believe it's already time to return to the classroom. This summer I had the opportunity to present a few professional development sessions centered around the back to school season and everything it entails. From setting up and organizing classrooms to establishing routines and procedures, we covered lots of ground! In my opinion, one of the most important things we as teachers do at the beginning of the year (besides setting the foundation for … [Read more...] about Back to School with Social Studies
Building Relationships & a ONE DAY ONLY Sale!
Today we're talking about something that's near and dear to my heart as both a teacher AND a parent...parent/teacher relationships!!! But before we get started, let's get some housekeeping out of the way. TODAY ONLY (August 22), Teachers Pay Teachers is having a back-to-school BONUS sitewide sale! You might want to snag some of those items on your wish list before the sale expires at midnight (EST). Just be sure to enter the promo code ONEDAY at checkout to get your discount!!! And here's a quick little shopping tip.... If you're looking to see if I have something you might need, you can always type keywords in … [Read more...] about Building Relationships & a ONE DAY ONLY Sale!
Science for Beginners…Setting The Stage for a Year of Science FUN!
How many of you feel like this when it comes to teaching science? When I visit schools and talk to teachers in between sessions at conferences, I always hear something along the lines of, "there's just note enough time for science & social studies!!!!" Teachers. I feel you. I really do. There's barely enough time in our day to teach the skills we need to teach in the first place! And then every teacher on Earth said... So often, we as teachers look at our curriculum and see everything through compartmentalized lenses. If we're teaching literacy skills, it must be done during our ELA block. If we're … [Read more...] about Science for Beginners…Setting The Stage for a Year of Science FUN!
Back To School Ideas & Freebies!!!
It's "Time To Go Back" Tuesday! Let's celebrate! Today I'm talking all about my back to school favorites. Tried and true ideas and activities that have helped me start my year off on the right foot. If you're anything like me, you love to mix it up and try new things from year to year. Maybe not everything, but some new things can be fun :) I'm hoping this little list of favorites gives you some new ideas to try out this year or tuck in your pocket for the future! Here's my favorite piece of encouragement for the new school year...... HAHAHAHAH!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!! I think one of my most favorite back to school … [Read more...] about Back To School Ideas & Freebies!!!
Time To Go Back Tuesday (Back to School Favorites)
It's "Time To Go Back" Tuesday! Let's celebrate! Today I'm talking all about my back to school favorites. Tried and true ideas and activities that have helped me start my year off on the right foot. If you're anything like me, you love to mix it up and try new things from year to year. Maybe not everything, but some new things can be fun :) I'm hoping this little list of favorites gives you some new ideas to try out this year or tuck in your pocket for the future! I think one of my most favorite back to school events is Meet the Teacher night. There's SO much anticipation going into a new school … [Read more...] about Time To Go Back Tuesday (Back to School Favorites)
Back To School
It's August 25th. For most schools here in Texas, today is the first day of school. This is an event my boys have been anticipating for the last month. Once all of our summer travels were over, they would excitedly ask, "when do we go back to school??!?!?!?!?" For the last few weeks ,the excitement has been building. The boys met their teachers last week {they are all so PRECIOUS!!!} and they haven't been able to stop talking about school since they walked out of their brand new classrooms on "Meet the Teacher" night. Excitement would be an understatement. I decided to do a little something special … [Read more...] about Back To School
A Few Little Tips
While everyone is headed back to school, I thought I'd share a few little tips that have helped my classroom setup TREMENDOUSLY over the years. You might have already seen these before, but just in case you haven't, I thought I'd share them again :) Whatever helps....right?!?!! Last year I added command hooks in all of my academic areas with the intention of storing my anchor charts for each of those subjects. I just attached the anchor charts to binder rings for hanging. That turned out to be one of the best things I did for my classroom! My kids were easily able to access all of our anchor charts so when they had a … [Read more...] about A Few Little Tips
Back to School Tips – The Readers Edition
I know at the beginning of the year I need all the help I can get. I don't have all the answers. I don't have the best ideas. I never have and I never will. I absolutely LOVE brainstorming and getting help from other teachers! I mean, I'll take any help I can get to make my year start off smoothly!!! Especially when SO many of you have such AMAZING ideas!! About a month ago, I asked my Facebook readers to give me a few back to school tips and I got some great ideas! These are the kind of ideas that made me go, "DUH!!!! SO simple!! Why didn't I think of that?!?!?" Hopefully … [Read more...] about Back to School Tips – The Readers Edition
A Whole ‘Lotta Back to School Randomness
And so it has begun. Another new school year. As cheesy as it sounds…I’m SO excited! Another year to grow…to try new things…to do things better…and to love on {and teach, of course!!} a new bunch of sweet babies!! This year is extra special to me because BOTH my boys will be with me…the littlest love will be starting Pre-K and my first born is starting Kindergarten! STOP.TIME.NOW!!!! I really tried to savor every last bit of summer that I could. That meant that I stayed out of my classroom until a few days before teachers started back….which was this past Monday. I work way better under pressure … [Read more...] about A Whole ‘Lotta Back to School Randomness
Meet The Teacher Ideas & Downloads
*** Thanks for stopping by! Sadly, I am NOT able to send you a file of these documents to edit due to copyright {graphics, fonts, etc.} I apologize for the inconvenience, but thank you for your understanding!! Blessings to you!*** Can y’all believe Meet the Teacher night is right around the corner?! For some of us, it’ll be here much sooner than later. I was going through some of my files and came across my “Meet the Teacher” packet, so I thought I’d share it with y’all incase y’all can put any of it to use. Our Meet the Teacher night always falls on a Thursday. That’s kinda genius if you ask me. It gives me the entire next day to … [Read more...] about Meet The Teacher Ideas & Downloads
