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4 Tips to Start Teaching Close Reading
Starting to teach using close reading in an elementary classroom can seem daunting. When I first heard of close reading, it seemed like just another thing to add to your day. However, when you break down the parts of teaching using close reading, you realize how it can be effectively
Vocabulary Activities to Use Right Away
Today, I’m sharing a few vocabulary activities to use right away in your classroom. Last summer I took a grad class all about vocabulary and comprehension instructional strategies. I remember being thrilled to have so many new ideas. I could not wait to try them ALL out. Then the first
Resources, Themes & Skills for 2nd grade in September
Lesson planning can feel daunting. Where to start? The year? Month? Week? Day? Minute? I have found I like a combination of all of the above. I sat down this summer to think about the whole year. But I got lost when it came to spring time. Most days, I
My First Week of School Lesson Plans and Resources
Are you back to school yet? Teachers start tomorrow and our first day with students is Monday 8/22. I am excited to share with you my first week of school lesson plans and the resources I will be using! So, here they are! I searched and searched and searched for
4 Student Gifts that Won’t Break the Bank
After 19 trips to Target, 11 to the Dollar Tree, and 3 checkouts during the TpT sale, I am about to pull a Michael Scott and declare bankruptcy. But seriously, why is being a teacher so expensive? It doesn’t have to be this way! You can still treat your students
5 Ways to Make the Most of a TpT Sale
Ready to get the most bang for your buck with some TpT sale tips? Sitewide sales on Teachers Pay Teachers only come a few times a year. To get the most of the sale, there are few things you can do to be ready to optimize your purchasing power. Today,
The Best Back-to-School Activities for 2nd Grade
Back to School time is the most exciting!! I am thrilled to sorta-kinda know what I am doing this year and have a handful of lessons/activities to choose from! I like to have a plethora of options to choose from since you never know what will happen that first week!
My Guaranteed Strategy for Building Relationships with Students
Weekend Journals are a wonderful tool for allowing students to share everything they’d probably rather tell you as soon as they walk in the door on Monday morning but you don’t have time to listen to. #sadtruth I love these as a tool for building relationships with my students and getting
My Unusual Journey to a Full-Time Teaching Position
My journey to becoming a full-time teacher wasn’t easy. It started in 2011 when I began teaching pre-k. Then, at the beginning of 2012, I became a substitute teacher. I joined the Teachers Pay Teachers community in 2013. It was the week before I got married. And the week before
