Last year, I taught The Princess Bride in my classroom, which is a fairy tale satire. To make sure my students understood what, exactly, William Golding was making fun of, we spent about six days taking a deep look at fairy tales. I was amazed at the conversations we had. Students were struck by how the place […]
Back to School
What do you do to get ready for back-to-school? Do you buy more school supplies? Take a vacation? Or maybe start to decorate your classroom. Articles in this category deal with all the things that parents and teachers do to get ready for back-to-school season.
Still Learning from Kindergarten to Say “Yes” or “No”
I watched as 18 sweaty kindergarten students filed back into their classroom after their first-ever outdoor recess period. Some walked confidently to a seat; a few hesitated, scanning the room before finding their assigned chair. Soft music played in the dimly lit classroom, and there were some papers and crayons laid out on each table. […]
How to Prepare for Your Best Year Yet (Self-Care Edition)
As I walk in Target (for no reason at all) to mindlessly scroll the candles, I am stopped in my tracks. I can’t believe what I’m seeing! The colorful, seasonal display for Back to school is set up. All I can do is shake my head at the reality that summer is ending (particularly here […]
Digging Into Learning: Using Archaeology in the Classroom
There are some subjects that fascinate us. Archaeology is one such subject. Archaeology can take us to Egypt and the tombs of the Pharaohs, or unravel the mysteries in our own backyards. Many people go through an archaeology phase, though few become archaeologists. Plus, everyone likes digging in the dirt. The Society for American Archaeology […]
Alternative Seating: Another Support
When most of us think of a classroom, we think of the traditional setup: several rows of desks all facing a blackboard, projector, or whiteboard. If we’re really being daring, those desks might be in pods, or in stadium-style rows. Sometimes, we have…tables! But there is a new trend that has come back around recently, […]
Marie Kando Your Classroom
What brought you joy last school year? That is a question teachers should ask themselves as they begin to prepare classrooms for the new school year. As they open those boxes that were stored over the summer, teachers might consider what lessons can be learned from the decluttering guru Marie Kando? More than likely, those […]
Teaching With Minecraft EDU
I’m one of those crazies that actually enjoy professional development workshops, at least the ones that we don’t have to do every single year like blood-borne pathogens and diabetes.  Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the best professional development: Minecraft EDU. This session was based on the popular game Minecraft but with an educational […]
Respect in the Classroom: Earned, Not Expected
There was a sub for one of my paras a couple of weeks ago and she set up shop in my classroom. We went through the day as usual, with her thoroughly enjoying her role after being out of the classroom for the past few years. At the end of the day, as I was […]