Normally, our end of the year guided reading assessments might look like a big DRA box on our teaching table, a slew of running records carefully analyzed, and checklists to be sure we covered each student. This year, things might look very different for you. I know everyone is in a different place as far […]
It’s almost here – the end of the year! I know you’re probably more sad about the end of this year than others. You might even be more tired this year. Your students might be, too! What better way to end the school year than to do something fun and “normal” for the end of […]
The end of the year is always bittersweet. It’s our time to celebrate with our students, and we’re all looking forward to a long break. The end of the year looks different this year. But, we can still have an end of the year awards celebration with distance learning and social distancing. I know everyone […]
Boom Learning cards – where are you with them? Are you brand new to them or using them like a pro? I’m sure because of distance learning you probably have at least heard of Boom Cards. One thing I’m loving is progress monitoring with Boom Cards. If you haven’t checked out Boom Learning yet, head […]
A free ABC Countdown to Summer to use while distance learning. One of my favorite ways to make the end of the year fun and memorable was to do an ABC countdown with my class. My students and I loved having something fun to look forward to each day as the year wrapped up. This […]
Connecting with students during interactive read aloud is valuable, especially as we are navigating the waters of distance learning. Since I shared the tutorial on how to use Loom, many of you have asked how to use Loom for read alouds. There is one small hiccup in the current set-up. The camera is flipped! We […]
Have you suddenly found yourself homeschooling? Are you thinking to yourself, “I most definitely did NOT sign up for this!”? Or maybe you feel like you are drowning as you are trying to help your kids with school and still do your job with all the people at home now. I know that we definitely […]
In this post, I share 17 ideas for connecting with students during distance learning. Have you found yourself drowning in all that is involved with distance learning? Maybe you have even found yourself just missing seeing your students each day. I have heard some people compare this time to summertime. But friends, it is very […]
Grab this new book and FREEBIE to share as you are teaching kindness in the classroom. You are on the other side of your classroom. “STOP!”, you hear someone yell. “Don’t do that!”, they continue. You look to see one child bothering another and while you now have a very upset child, you scramble to […]
Does your classroom Valentine’s Day party sneak up on you? I always knew it was coming, but somehow, I still felt unprepared. This was especially true when I didn’t have a room mom to help me plan it all. Besides the party planning, I was usually knee-deep with everything from helping struggling readers to working […]
22 students file into the classroom, put everything away neatly, and quietly begin to work. I have time to go through folders, read important notes, and drink my coffee take attendance. How is this possible? Because I intentionally created a kindergarten morning routine that was low maintenance, stress-free, and flexible. I loved that my day […]
I recently came across a newer website (and app) called AirTable. Using AirTable in the classroom could be a game changer in a few areas. Because it’s a cloud-based system, you can access your bases (spreadsheets or files) from anywhere. AirTable lets you customize just about everything in it, which makes it great to use […]
I think we can all agree that in the primary grades, our classes are made up of a variety of students with different abilities. Every year we never know who will be walking into our door! That’s part of the fun. With 20 or more little people that we are responsible for teaching, differentiating is […]
Depending on your class each year, finding a solid morning routine for your students can be tough, but it’s worth it! The morning routine sets the tone for your kids for the day. Part of a good routine usually includes morning work time. Today I’m sharing my favorite simple morning work ideas. I hope you’ll […]
There’s a growing population of English Language Learners (ELLs) in our classrooms now more than ever. These students already have one (or more) language down and are trying to learn another. WOW!! That is something big to be celebrated for sure! One misconception is that teachers of ELLs have to stop and completely change how […]
How often do you revisit classroom expectations? I know we work really hard to implement them at the beginning of the year, but how do we keep them going strong all year long? By revisiting and reassessing often! Revisiting classroom expectations helps keep students (and you!) on the right track to build a strong classroom […]
I’ve gotten a few questions recently about how to use a KWL chart and wanting an explanation for it. I loved using KWL charts in my classroom in all subjects! You’ll find I also use KWL charts frequently as anchor charts in units I created in my store. You can use these charts in a […]
Managing time at the beginning of the year can be a little tricky. You’re still getting to know your students and figuring out how to time your lessons to work with your schedule. What if you finish early and have time to spare? We’ve all been there. If you have five to ten minutes at […]
