This past year we had to stock up on digital resources for virtual learning. Before that, some of us rarely utilized digital resources in our classrooms. It’s safe to say we are all experts on all things virtual learning, am I right? But in all seriousness, now that we are back in the classrooms, we don’t necessarily have to abandon…
Read More
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room for a second, and kids nowadays lack physical activity. Kids are plugged into technology way more, they spend less time outdoors, and honestly, they aren’t as active as they should be. The research is clear, physical activity relieves stress, burns energy, and enhances focus. When students are more active, they perform better…
Read More
So, we talked about number talks, what they are and why they are important. And, if you haven’t read my latest post on number talks, check it out! But, how do you use them in your classroom? One of the best parts about number talks is utilizing them as they fit into your specific classroom needs. Number talks aren’t a…
Read More
Number talks are short lessons that build fluency and number sense that provide students with meaningful practice. Number talks should be brief but consistent, and they are most effective when they are part of your daily routine. The expectation in the primary grades is that they will use number structure and relationships when doing addition and subtraction. I use number…
Read More
I am still in shock that it is the end of August, and for many of us, school is back in full swing. With back-to-school comes setting the precedent of your classroom routine, environment, and your expectations. But, with first-graders, that doesn’t come naturally. Procedures and expectations must be explicitly taught. And, then taught again, again, and again! Teaching classroom…
Read More
I believe that building relationships is the key to classroom management. I will be honest, there are a ton of gimmicks out there that teach us that using this system will make for a perfect classroom. And, it’s simply not true because when it comes to our classrooms there is not a one size fits all approach. I have been teaching for a very long time and I can tell you what worked one year might not work the next. This is why I spend my time building relationships, and ensuring my classroom is consistent and fair instead of developing a classroom management plan.
The first week of school can be a crazy week filled with a rush of excitement tied with a bit of nervousness. There are new faces, a lot to cover, and you never feel 100% prepared. I mean, my first day back to school resulted in me wearing two different shoes…that has to tell you something! But, whether you are starting back in the classroom or getting prepared, I hope my first week of school activities will keep your firsties engaged and excited to be back in school.
Although morning meeting looks different for each classroom, I truly believe it provides value and an abundance of benefits for every one of your students. Students feel safe, and part of a community and want to do well when relationships with their classmates and teachers are strong. A sense of belonging is so important in the classroom, and it plays a significant role in your overall classroom management and environment.
Morning meetings are often a topic of conversation in the world of education and they are a game-changer in the classroom. They have so so so many benefits and I truly believe they are crucial for establishing a positive classroom environment. But, how morning meetings look in your classroom is completely dependent on you and your classroom needs. That is…
Read More
The beginning of the school year is such an exciting time but can be nerve-wracking for our students. It’s a new classroom with a new teacher, and I have found that incorporating fun read-alouds is an excellent way to calm their nerves and kick off the school year. Creating a positive classroom community begins the moment those fresh faces walk…
Read More
The thought of back-to-school begins to creep up, and you quickly feel overwhelmed. Your brain starts listing all the things on your to-do list, and it can send you into panic mode. Especially when you are enjoying your summer and take a trip to Target, you stumble upon all of the school supplies. There are some things I have learned…
Read More
I am a big believer in creating a classroom environment that fosters a love for learning through hands-on experiences. This brings me to one of my favorite things…games! Using math games in my classroom is one of my favorite ways to get my students practicing, reviewing, and reinforcing math concepts. First graders are built to play. If you think about…
Read More
I recently talked about decodable text and the importance of using them in your classroom. Be sure to check out that blog post to dive a bit deeper into why we use decodable text. Now, you know about the benefits and why we should use it, but now the question is…how do you use it? Decodable books and passages are…
Read More
What do you feel when you hear the word report cards? Do you instantly cringe and think how you’d rather volunteer for bus duty? Report cards can give you that feeling of stress, overwhelm, and the one thing you could procrastinate on for days. But, report cards are an important aspect of our job as educators. And, their main purpose…
Read More
The reading wars have been going on for as long as I have been teaching. They started well before I began my career 28 years ago in 1994. Currently, the debate is between the Science of Reading and Balanced Literacy. People argue that there’s a disconnect between research and classroom practices. Balanced Literacy is supposed to address the five components…
Read More
As teachers, we are constantly bombarded with new methods, new information, and new ways we should be teaching our students. I will be the first to say, it’s overwhelming. I have been teaching for a long time and things change a ton even from year to year. And, teaching our students to read is an overwhelming task in itself. So,…
Read More
Sweet Summertime is here! A teacher’s brain is a funny thing; we wrap up at the end of the school year and our brains immediately go into plan mode for the following school year. I was able to meet some of my students coming in next year and it has me thinking about how important creating a classroom community is….
Read More
Family involvement is a huge component in literacy development and success in our students. Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom and it is part of our job as educators to also encourage parents to be involved in their child’s reading at home. Being a teacher is all about building relationships with students and their families. So, it’s important to provide…
Read More
Text features, what are they and why must we teach them? Text features are visuals or print that are included within text to help a reader better understand the information within the text. Headings, captions, maps, photographs….the list goes on and on. With half of our literacy instruction being non-fiction, it is essential that our students first understand the difference…
Read More
Want to give your students an end of year gift but don’t want to break the bank? I’ve got some cheap end of the year gift ideas for you!
When it comes to teaching our first graders how to read we know that phonics is one of the absolute best ways for elementary students to begin to recognize and learn words. But, teaching phonics can become soooooooo tedious for both teachers and our students. Let’s be honest: worksheet after worksheet isn’t fun for anyone. That means it’s our job…
Read More
“I’m done, now what”: the famous words of an early finisher. How often do you hear this throughout your day? I can picture a few of my first graders right now, hand up, shouting “I’m done, I’m done”. We all have those fast finishers, and this can be challenging for even the most experienced teachers. Some of my first-graders race…
Read More
First grade teachers really focus on reading comprehension in the spring. It’s that magical time of the year when our students are reading (finally) and we can really tailor our teaching to understanding what we are reading. If you haven’t read my post on reading comprehension, head here to catch up. Visualizing is an important reading comprehension strategy. Good readers…
Read More
