It’s almost Kindergarten readiness screening time for my school, and it is exciting to see the new faces that will walk through our doors come September. But it can also be a very frustrating time for Kindergarten teachers because it seems that our little angels with their shining eyes enter with an ever-shrinking knowledge base. […]
Elementary School
An elementary school is a primary school for children between the ages of 5-11 and between the grades prekindergarten and secondary education.
Posted inElementary School
Adding Depth in the Elementary Math Classroom
I’m at a new school this year and since the beginning of the school year, I have always felt that something was missing from my lessons but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I’m not a new teacher and I have taught many different kinds of students, but the students that I have […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Bringing Kids Together
Each teacher has a favorite. Favorite subject, favorite activity, favorite lesson. Three years ago I started one of my favorites. Each year we start January with “Where I’m From”. The students reflect on where they are from and what makes them who they are. While reflecting on themselves and where they are from, students can focus […]
Posted inUncategorized
Race and the Four Children of the Passover Haggadah
Each Passover, Jews around the world celebrate and reflect on the holiday’s meaning through a festive meal called a seder, which literally means order. Although the focus of the evening is meant to be the retelling of the Hebrew slaves exodus out of Egypt, there are a lot of additional discussions. One part of the […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Common Core, Elementary School, English Language Learners, ESOL, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Literacy, Special Education, Technology
5 Ways to Use Emojis in the Classroom
I realized almost immediately that I wasn’t getting through to my Kindergartners… again. I asked a class full of 5-year-olds to identify feeling words, and I got the same generic responses – happy, sad, mad. Year after year, I struggle with how to teach my primary students, especially my English Language Learners, to use precise […]
Posted inChild Development, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Middle School, New Teacher Bootcamp, School Improvement, Teacher Burnout
The Final Days of School
Charles Swindoll said, “Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, money, circumstances, than failures and success, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, ability or skill. It will make or break a business, a home, a friendship, an organization. The […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
5 Fun, Quick and Easy Elementary Classroom Management Ideas!
Disciplining students doesn’t have to be tiresome and stressful. It can be fun! Here are 5 fun classroom management tactics to use in your elementary classroom. Erase the Animal (2nd-5th grade)-Before each class I let my students decide what animal they want me to draw on the board. If they are showing positive behavior, I […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Child Development, Classroom Management, Confessions of a Teacher, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Middle School, Opinion, Parents, Professional Development, School Improvement, Special Education
The Mental State of Teaching
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James Is anyone else climbing into this boat and dropping anchor? I know I am. My life has been turned upside down since January with personal struggles, professional struggles and just day-to-day struggles that seem to be heavier than […]