Starting back to school after a break is always a mixture of emotions.  I am excited to get back into a routine and see my kids.  But I miss the lazy days of Christmas break, eating when I am hungry, using the restroom whenever I want, and snuggling on the couch reading.  This semester I have […]
elementary classroom
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Simple Scientific Method For Younger Elementary Grades
My class of first and second graders is working through the scientific method. We have been doing several science experiences a week for the past four weeks. I love how they ‘get it’. Several of my teacher friends think I’m crazy for introducing this concept so early. Those are the same friends who also think I’m […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum
Integrating the Arts
Budget cuts have been happening for quite some time and when programs are axed, the arts are usually the first to go. We live in a time when the arts aren’t appreciated as much as they used to be. Students are not given the chance to form opinions about art, music and theatre simply because […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
The Importance of History in the Elementary Classroom
This past week marked the thirteenth anniversary of 9/11. My first and second graders haven’t a clue about what this terrorist attack on the United States meant. Some adults still don’t realize it either, for that matter. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to remember that these kids are only six and seven. I liken it to […]