Welcome to the Blog!
Start Here
Latest from the Blog
9 Easy Telling Time Activities for Teaching
Teaching how to tell time can be a welcome break from computation. But, depending on students’ background knowledge, navigating an analog clock can prove challenging for some. For many of our younger students, learning to tell time can be a tricky new skill to grasp. But with the right approach,
February Morning Meeting Activities Your Students Will Love
Morning Meeting has always been one of my favorite parts of the school day. But let’s be honest—coming up with a quick, engaging, low-prep activity can sometimes feel like one more thing on an already full to-do list. If you’re looking for simple ways to bring some February love and
9 FREE Student Engagement Strategies
Yawning, heads down, staring off into space. No, this isn’t just teachers in professional development. Our students struggle to stay engaged and attentive every single day. Sometimes it may feel like we have to do jumping jacks in a clown suit to keep their attention. And, even then, they will
Classroom Dismissal Routines to Decrease Chaos at the End of the Day
The end of the day during dismissal was one of my least favorite times of the school day ever. I don’t know about your school but our dismissal time is 20ish minutes. Those 20 minutes feel more like 3 hours sometimes (especially on a Friday). Problem is, I’m totally worn out from the
The Best Books for after Winter Break Read Alouds
Are you looking for some new books to read to your class when you return from winter break? These 5 stories are the perfect read alouds for the new year!
4 Tips for Planning the Most Effective Spelling Instruction
Recently, I had a friend reach out to me for help. She was concerned about her 2nd grader’s spelling. It got me thinking about what we need to consider when it comes to planning effective spelling routines and instruction in our classroom. Don’t feel like reading? Watch the video on
Easy and Fun Fall Bulletin Board Ideas for Elementary
Pumpkin spice, changing leaves, flannels, corn mazes, and math crafts? Fall fun is here and if you know me, you know I love a cute math craft. Making things “cutesy” gets a bad rap. But, things that are adorable can still be engaging and effective. Here are some great ideas
15 of the Best Books for Back to School
Back-to-school season is upon us! One of the best parts of planning the first week of school is deciding on which books to read. Today, I’m sharing all of my favorites with you! Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olson Why I love this book: Shannon, the teacher behind
Place Value Game: How to Play Trash Can Math
Are you ready for THE BEST beginning of the year math game ever?! In this post, I’m going to teach you how to play Trash Can Math–a place value game! I learned this game two years ago when I was filling in for a teacher on maternity leave. We got
How to Destroy Your Classroom Community in 4 Easy Steps
Obviously, destroying your classroom community is not on any teacher’s list of to-dos. But, there are some big mistakes that can have a negative impact on your classroom, your relationship with students and their relationship with one another. One of the biggest mindset shifts we need to overcome is not
