Are you concerned that your students are not getting the most out of your phonics instruction? It’s easy to become frustrated and feel like we’re not doing everything in our power to meet our students’ needs. I’d like to share some teacher-tested and student-approved best practices with you because I
Winter is the perfect season for winter craftivities that add hands-on fun to your classroom! These three winter craftivities – Hide-and-Sneak Snowman, Skating Penguin, and Winter Bear – are designed to keep your students engaged, enhance their creativity, and reinforce key skills. Whether you’re looking for quick prep crafts or
Are you still resisting the idea of using hands-on centers in your classroom? I get it! I was pretty nervous to implement centers. I had so many questions: how would I manage my students’ behaviors? Won’t it take a ton of prep? I don’t have time! As with many new
The start of a new school year means it’s time to refresh and review what students learned the previous year. It can be a challenge to address this during the first weeks in our classrooms as we get to know our students and are constantly making adjustments to meet them
Small group reading time is powerful, but keeping students engaged can be tricky! Hands-on activities for small group reading make learning fun while building fluency, comprehension, and phonics skills. From word-building games to interactive story retelling, these easy ideas will keep your readers excited and learning. Let’s dive in! (new
Have you ever introduced a science topic, only to have your students forget everything by the next week? That’s why I love using an inquiry-to-writing approach for teaching an Arctic animals unit—it keeps students engaged from start to finish! Instead of just reading a book or watching a video, students
A few years ago, Valerie, a first grade teacher, decided to introduce morning tubs into the daily classroom routine. It quickly became a favorite part of the day—not just for the students, but for the teacher as well. Let’s walk through her morning tub routine. A few years ago, I
Hi there, teacher friends! Is learning about penguins a hit in your classroom? For me, teaching a unit on penguins is an easy way to keep little learners engaged! From learning cool penguin facts to creating the cutest penguins art projects, kids can’t get enough! So, let’s harness some of
Teaching math to young students can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to multi-step word problems. However, we all know that word problems are vital to math education because they allow our students to see how math concepts apply to real-life situations. While it can be challenging, teaching
Keeping our students engaged at high levels can be increasingly difficult as the school year progresses. When it comes to writing, I know my students start with a love of writing about high-interest topics. But, once the newness wears off, some of them become vulnerable to writing habits I don’t
