Teaching vocabulary is super important for background knowledge and understanding context clues within new reading passages, math story problems, and other nonfiction subject area resources, like geography and science. Finding teaching techniques that work fast and effectively to broaden all different types of vocabulary lists can feel daunting at times. When students show up on […]
Teaching Tips
Need some general classroom inspiration? Check out the posts below to find something new-to-you to use in your classroom routine.
Super STEM Strategies
STEM activities are becoming more widely used in classrooms everywhere and students are loving all the hands-on problem solving that is taking place as well. Next time a student asks “when will I use this in the real world?” you will have it covered. So many career fields are requiring training in STEM to be […]
Curriculum Mapping Your Content
Curriculum mapping sounds like a hard process that might require an entire professional development study session for an individual teacher, but you might be surprised to find out it is really simple – and might just take an afternoon to plan out your entire school year! Whether you teach elementary grades or high school, art […]
What Are the Best Teacher Shoes?
What are the best school shoes for teachers? Although it seems like an unusual topic for a blog post, I noticed that when a fan at the Facebook Fan Page posed the question to other fans, the response was overwhelming and I realized that obviously it IS an important topic since teachers are on their […]
Order Up with Choice Boards!
Giving students a choice board option, such as a spelling menu for homework, encourages a “buy-in” from that student. Anytime you are given a choice, you are more likely to want to follow through on the selection you made. The best part about learning menus is that you are still structuring the content you wish […]
Teacher Interview Tips
Teacher interview questions are definitely specific to the role. You’ll probably get asked about behavior management, lesson plans, teaching strategies, standardized test scores, and perhaps even your teaching philosophy. I can’t imagine any other potential employer would ask those same types of questions. I actually was a late-to-the-game teacher. I didn’t realize it was my […]
Classroom Desk Straightening Tip
Keeping student desks in the classroom desk arrangement you intended throughout the day is nearly impossible. Students are constantly moving the seats, bumping them, and scooting them around the classroom. Having desk organization where you aren’t personally always having to straighten up the rows or desk groupings is actually an easier fix than you might […]
Homework Motivation
Do your students have intrinsic homework motivation? Or are you spending way too much time attempting to get their homework turned in on time and complete? While there is much debate about whether homework is even beneficial, if you are required to assign it, I suggest encouraging parents to set up a designated spot for […]
Make Your Own {No Sew} Chair Pockets!
Chair pockets are a perfect way to get extra storage in the classroom. Even if you are not crafty (like me), you can still make these classroom DIY projects for your classroom pretty cheap. There are lots of ways to sew chair covers, including using pillowcases, book covers, or using your favorite fabric and a […]
15 Great Geography Lessons for Kids
Teaching geography for kids is something that usually is taught in passing as the core subjects of math and reading are typically the focused subjects. But, if integration between social studies and reading and/or math happens, a whole bunch of possibilities open up for being able to share a lot of nonfiction text and map […]
DIY Dry Erase Boards!
Having a solution for creating your own portable DIY dry erase boards is easy and fun! Of course, you could buy a set of white boards. Or go to Home Depot or another home improvement store and have them cut you shower board into smaller pieces to use. Or perhaps you prefer to use […]
Simple Story Starters for Kids
Story starters for any grade level are a great way to practice writing skills. I remember being in 4th grade, and loving creative writing lessons with my teacher. I would be transported to space, the desert, or a fancy castle. It was a chance to show my creative side in a “quiet” manner. Being a […]
Simile Fun!
Similes are a fun lesson when teaching about different types of figurative language. I love teaching about similes with third grade. They are old enough to understand the abstract thought and can appreciate the humor in the double meanings. An epic way to describe a funny situation when taken literally, there are many examples of […]
Be A Task Manager!
Hey friends! I have a special surprise for you today! I quietly posted the image below on Instagram the other day just to see if anyone would be interested in seeing more details of my brand new task management system in action, and the overwhelming response was yes! So, I wanted to come through with […]
Holiday Party Ideas!
I know so many of you are allowed to do some sort of holiday party in your classroom, and I thought about the newbies who may not have done one before – or the veterans who want to do something different, so this week’s Collaboration Wednesday question was all about what you do for holiday […]