Back to School Night is a time to let families know all about their student’s new classroom. It can be a stressful time because you want to come across as professional and nurturing. I don’t know about you but I can talk in front of 100 students like it’s nobody’s business but once you put parents in the room, I…
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Summertime is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year and make decisions for the new year. I just finished my 27th year of teaching, and now more than ever, social-emotional learning is one of my top priorities. Since I began teaching, so much has changed, requiring social and emotional knowledge to be at the forefront of my mind….
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Whether you are a first-year teacher or a veteran teacher, chances are you have made a few mistakes when it comes to planning reading. Strategies and best practices constantly change, making it very hard for teachers to teach. Mistakes happen, teachers are also human, but hopefully, with a little bit of awareness and me sharing my own mistakes, we will…
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You may have read the title “Developing Fine Motor Skills in First Grade” and thought why would we have to do that? Most fine motor skills are developed by first grade. Five years ago I would have agreed with you. But teaching during the pandemic has taught me a thing or two. The past two years I have noticed that…
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The end of the year is exhausting, and I truly don’t know if there is any other way to describe it. And, this time every year, I wish I were sitting by a bonfire curled up in a cozy blanket with a book that isn’t about the science of reading or how to better myself as a teacher. My camping…
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Teaching is ever-changing, research is evolving, and new methods come to the surface. And this often makes things challenging for teachers because reputations change. Decodable texts are one of the topics that get a bad reputation, and there are mixed reviews on whether they’re beneficial. like with other resources and materials, there are low-quality decodable books. This can make them…
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The end of the year tends to creep up on us fast! We blink, and somehow, it’s May! And the last few months of school get super busy and can be overwhelming for students, so it’s important to incorporate fun activities that help them enjoy their time. And it’s a fun way for me to celebrate them. Snag up some…
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Math is one of those areas of assessment that can feel tricky because while students might be getting the correct answers, we need to assess to make sure they understand how and why. We have had to begin assessing in more creative ways to see the bigger picture of student’s understanding.
First grade is when we truly begin to see first-graders explode in their writing capabilities. We have moved past simple sentences, and students begin expressing themselves through their writing. Not only are their skills developing but they are learning to understand the importance of using correct punctuation and grammar. First-graders have so many ideas, thoughts, and opinions, but it can…
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Teaching nonfiction in first grade can feel overwhelming, but it can be really fun for you and your students with the right tools and resources. We often assume first-graders gravitate towards fiction, but it would probably surprise you how many of my students would instead enjoy reading nonfiction texts. When you think about what we read as adults, most of…
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Teachers are constantly assessing students, and it almost becomes second nature. When I refer to assessments, I’m not talking about formal assessments. I’m referring to those we can do quickly and easily, but that can effectively help us plan and understand where our students are with reading. Unfortunately, when assessing on the fly, we can’t just run and grab a…
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March is filled with all things spring, rainbows, insects, and our favorite little green guys, leprechauns. March can be a tough month, and it’s not quite warm enough to fully enjoy spring, and students are starting to get a bit stir-crazy. Luckily, St. Patrick’s Day falls right in the middle, and it’s a fun holiday to celebrate in elementary classrooms….
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I’m just going to say it. I hate sub planning. We’ve all had those mornings where we wake up, and the thought of having to write substitute plans makes you sicker than you already feel. I think we can all relate to this feeling. It’s the absolute worst! You frantically open your computer and email your co-workers and pull things…
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Can we be honest for a second…teachers need about ten more hours in their day. We are maxed out on time from the day-to-day to grading to planning to prep. But, what if I told you that I have math centers that are little to no prep and won’t empty your wallet? Math centers allow students to practice and apply…
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Raise your hand if you feel like you have mastered teaching addition strategies? But…when it comes to subtraction, you could use some help. If you can relate to this question, you are definitely not alone. Subtraction is a tricky concept for many of our students. And, it can often be a bit harder to teach! Like with addition, we want…
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Do you hear the words classroom organization and immediately put your hand to your face? Trust me, you are not alone. Classroom organization is one of those things that I will openly admit gets put on the back burner. There is just not enough time in the day! And, let’s be honest, I think as teachers we all wish we…
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Happy December! And, what is December without talk of The Gingerbread Man? Raise your hand if your students love reading and talking about gingerbread. It’s a story and a theme that is well loved by kids of all different ages. The best part is, it’s more than just a fun story. There are so many valuable elements that can be…
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November 13th is World Kindness Day, and it’s the perfect time to remind our students of the importance of spreading kindness throughout the classroom, at home, and every day. I have always been a big supporter of teaching social and emotional lessons in my classroom from day one, which includes the importance of showing kindness and love. But starting on…
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Do you have struggling writers? What about a student who doesn’t enjoy writing? Struggling and reluctant writers are something we all face. There can be a variety of different reasons why your first grade students are struggling with writing. They might be lacking confidence in their writing ability, lack inspiration, or are not interested in writing altogether. The past school…
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First grade is a really exciting part of a primary student’s reading journey. Improving reading comprehension is a significant aspect of their journey. Young readers learn to think actively as they read and develop a stronger ability to process the text. However, reading comprehension sometimes comes naturally for others, while it takes a bit more time for others. Ultimately the…
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I have been teaching for a long time, and I have seen many different philosophies and ways of doing things come and go a lot. But, one thing that I stand by is spiral review. I am sure you are reading this and thinking…is she really passionate about spiral review? And, the answer is yes. Have you ever been educated…
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Are you wondering how to build number sense into your math block? Here are some easy tried and true ways I’ve found to do just that. Building Number Lines Building number lines gets students thinking about numbers and quantity. You can build number lines counting by 1s, 2s,…
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A new year means new students, a new environment, and most of all, new challenges. As first grade teachers, our students often come in at different levels, especially with their writing. Sometimes we have students that are strong writers and then we are questioning if some went to kindergarten. Regardless of their varying levels, starting the year off expressing the…
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