Literacy

Professional Development

How to Leave School Before Dark

Leaving school before dark is something that wasn't easy, but doing these 4 things definitely made a difference. It helped me find balance in my life.

There are a few traits that most teachers have, which truly just make us even better at our jobs-we are teachable, we are helpful, and we like organization.  I truly cannot think of one co-worker I have had over the years that was not teachable, helpful, and organized in some manner. But despite these traits, […]

Kindness Elf in the Classroom

Are you looking to spread a bit more kindness around your school? You should do a kindness elf! Grab this FREE kindness elf calendar and get busy spreading holiday cheer!

There is something special about the holiday spirit that lends itself naturally to teaching our little ones about kindness.  While I think this is something that should be taught all year, the holiday season makes it easier.  It also is a stressful time of year for parents, co-workers, and everyone.  It can be a tough […]

Using Sentence Stems During Partner Talk

Partner talk is an important piece of helping students solidify their learning and practice academic vocabulary. Using sentence stems helps support students in this in various ways. I love the tips this teacher shares!

In all of my years of teaching, my year as a dual language teacher was the year that required the most daily reflection.  Not only was it a new method of teaching for me, but it also was very challenging as I was striving to not only meet my student’s academic needs, but also foster […]

How to Keep Classroom Interruptions at a Minimum

Keep classroom interruptions at a minimum with this 1 simple trick! It's memorable for the students and they love that it's a little silly!

At the beginning of the year I always spent the first 6 weeks focusing on classroom procedures and expectations. Without this, I just felt like I was herding cats all year long. In a classroom full of little learners, teaching them when it’s okay to interrupt classroom instruction was at the top of my to-do […]

10 End of Year Ideas to Save Your Sanity [with FREEBIES!]

The end of the school year is so close, yet there are days that it just seems so far away! I know I always was looking for the last day of school on the horizon, but I wanted to keep my students engaged in learning all the way until the end. To help make planning […]

The Importance of Celebrating Character in the Classroom

Celebrating character in the classroom should be a priority. I love the reasons listed here and it truly is a simple thing to do!

There are two times of the year that I would find myself sitting and reflecting on my classroom atmosphere more than any other time–the beginning of the year and the end of the year.  Year after year a goal of mine was to do more celebrating of character in my classroom.  At the end of […]

The Secret to Motivating Students to Help Clean

The Secret to Motivating Students to Help Clean the Classroom-Genius!!

Do you ever get to the end of the day and think to yourself, “How in the world did my classroom floor get to be so messy?” or “Where in the world did my clean classroom go?” I did all the time.  I found myself crawling on the floor at the end of the day […]

5 Ways to Use Clothespins in the Classroom

I love when I can use something simple and affordable in my classroom in so many ways! Clothespins are JUST that.  I want to share 5 simple ways to use clothespins in the classroom with you! Display Student Work This is nothing new at all, but I don’t know why I didn’t do it years […]

Simple Punch Cards for Positive Behavior Support

Using simple punch cards for positive behavior support in the classroom

Positive behavior reinforcement is always something I strived to improve in my classroom. It always seemed like I was whipping out an old trick from a seasoned teacher to try.  Sometimes a new, simple concept to reward behavior was just what I needed to get my students back on track after a long weekend or […]

3 Ways to Ring in the New Year in Your Classroom

If you are looking for some fun ways to celebrate the new year and set some goals in the classroom, this FREEBIE is perfect for your classroom!

Happy New Year, friends! I love the fresh, new beginning of a new year in the classroom. Even though it’s not a new school year with students, they come back refreshed, excited, and ready to roll (for the most part at least!). It’s the perfect time for you to take advantage of the clean plate […]

4 Tips for a Simple Classroom Party

4 Tips for a Simple Classroom Party-Must Read!! I love these ideas, especially number 4! We all need that reminder for our classroom parties sometimes! #ClassroomParties #ClassroomManagement

Classroom parties can be the highlight of the day for the kids, but a headache for you, the teacher.  They simply do not have to be that bad! Let’s be honest–as much as we know the kids love them, they are work for you. Planning for them, cleaning up your classroom because parents are coming, […]

Reindeer Holiday Party FREEBIE

The end is so close, dear friends! Most of you have one more week with your sweet babies and then you get a well-deserved break!  But before that can happen, there is a holiday party you need to pull off. 😉 I have been loving ALL things reindeer this season so I dreamed up how […]

Meaningful Morning Messages

3 tips for meaningful morning messages that are simple to implement! They involve interactive writing, math, sight word practice, and more fun activities! #firstgrade #kindergarten

Mornings can be hectic sometimes in the classroom.  Students arriving late, you are trying to gather homework, making sure everyone is okay and has what they need for the day, taking attendance, and sometimes even finding breakfast for a sweet little one.  Gosh, it can just be tough sometimes!  BUT, even with all of that, […]

Meet the Teacher Tips

The back to school season is busy long before your students enter your classroom.  There are so many things to prepare for and meet the teacher is one of them. I wanted to help you prepare with these simple meet the teacher tips. Here are a few things that I have learned throughout my years in […]

Back to School: Parent Communication

These 4 simple parent communication tips are great! I especially love how simple the first one is with keeping my parents up to date on things!

Parent Communication can seem like a daunting task.  At the end of a long day sometimes the last thing we want to do is spend more time on the phone, writing emails, or on social media. But we have to remember one thing:  Parent communication is of the utmost importance.  As a teacher, you want […]

3 Tips for Surviving Until the End of School

Sometimes the end of the year makes you want to pull your hair out! These 3 tips are just what you need to make it through!

The end of the year is so close for some of you! I read 15 days by someone this morning.  Can you see the summer? It’s also the time of year when you are exhausted, worn out, your brain hurts, the kids can easily go crazy in the blink of an eye. Today I wanted […]

Using Go Noodle During Writer’s Workshop

My students LOVE GoNoodle! We love using it as a brain break in the classroom during writer's workshop! Check out how you can, too! #brainbreaks #WritersWorkshop

The Primary Powers bloggers have teamed up with the fabulous people from GoNoodle to share some great ideas for implementing GoNoodle in the classroom and some great prizes! Be sure to read to the end because you won’t want to miss this! I wanted to share with you how I have used GoNoodle during Writer’s […]

Bright Idea Teacher Tips Round-Up to Save New Teachers Time

These 8 bright ideas are perfect for any classroom! These tips are perfect for new and experienced teachers. Grab some ideas for classroom management, celebrations, activities, and more! I especially LOVE the birthday chair! #ClassroomIdeas #TeacherTips

This month is when the craziness begins for the holiday season. It’s wonderful and exhausting all at the same time.  It also is the time of the year that lots of families travel. Traveling is a great time to catch-up on your blog reading!  This month we are throwing together a little round-up of ideas […]

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