No matter what your curriculum looks like, phonics instruction for primary grades is a big undertaking. One super effective way I initiate my phonics instruction each year with my first-graders is with a Letter Sounds Bootcamp. I usually spend most of September teaching and reviewing letter sounds that were taught
Every week, every day, every hour of teaching is dynamic and always changing. But one thing stays the same for me: I always include the same five elements in my weekly plans: Each week might look a little different in terms of the frequency or the order of events, but
Classroom management—it’s one of our biggest issues as teachers. Without a solid classroom management plan, kids can quickly get off-task and disruptive, which isn’t exactly conducive to a productive learning environment. Since I know teachers can always use more tricks up our sleeves, today I’m sharing my top five teacher
Ready for simple ways to increase reading comprehension in your classroom without a ton of planning and prep? Better yet, are you looking for digital resources you can use when students are working in a virtual or socially distanced environment? This post offers up my favorite go-tos to boost proficiency
Math centers add so much value to your classroom. They’re a non-negotiable part in many primary classrooms because when rolled out appropriately, centers promote great learning strategies. They can completely uplevel your teaching! Hands-on access gives kids a chance to explore concepts they’ve already learned and strengthen their skills at
There are so many fun and engaging apps you can use in the classroom to enhance your students’ learning! The only downside to having so many tools available is knowing which ones to try out. A lot of apps are great for teachers and older kids, but it can sometimes
The ability to recognize high-frequency sight words is one of the most important indicators of reading success for young learners. Help your students develop awesome reading skills with these tips for effectively teaching sight words to primary students. What Are Sight Words Sight words are high-frequency words, meaning that they
Coding can seem like an unconventional way to approach learning for teachers who don’t have a ton of experience with computer sciences. And often we think about teaching coding and programming just to the older kids. But the truth is, coding is appropriate for all school-aged children. And there are
Spring might not feel like it’s here yet, but it’s just around the corner! One of the best ways to welcome the season is with fun and engaging plant activities for 1st grade. I love teaching this nonfiction unit because it’s filled with hands-on learning opportunities. My students explore the
February brings us lots of reasons to celebrate: it’s Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, and we’re only a month or so away from Spring! In my classroom, I tie in all the special February days with a focus on friendship! I weave the theme of friendship throughout many of my
