Planning and Curriculum

Archived posts from this Category

Those Tricky Report Card Comments!

Posted by Sharon M. Tresino on 19 Jan 2010 | Posted in: Inspiration and Motivation, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching

Recently I took my golden retriever, Max, to a new kennel while I was out of town. It advertised all the luxuries of home—soft bedding, TVs tuned to animal shows, playtime, and special treats for snacktime. Although it cost more than I wanted to spend, I decided Max deserved a little extra TLC since I was going to be enjoying a vacation. When I picked him up, the kennel staff presented me with a report card for Max.

What’s on Your Wish List?

Posted by Jen Bragg on 04 Dec 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Planning and Curriculum

Now that it’s December, you’re probably closing in on the halfway mark of your school year. Can you believe it? I remember the buzz in the classroom at this time of year---my students were so excited about the upcoming holidays! But I also remember feeling crunched for time. It was at this point in the school year that my wish for more teaching time would first surface.

May I Borrow Your Thoughts?

Posted by Kim Murphy on 24 Nov 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Planning and Curriculum, Preschool, The Mailbox

I’m hunched over a grid, sweat furrows my brow, and my brain aches with the agony of indecision. What could possibly be causing this intense stress and concentration? Why, I’m trying to decide what themes to put in next year’s issues of The Mailbox® magazine preschool edition! I’m only making the process sound stressful to garner your sympathy. I actually enjoy it very much.

Spooooky Times

Posted by Hope Spencer on 14 Oct 2009 | Posted in: Grades 2-3, Intermediate, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching, The Mailbox

Boo! I'm back with great seasonal ideas from the current grades 2-3 and intermediate editions of The Mailbox® magazine! Enjoy! Ready to Order To prepare this seasonal center, write each sentence of a step-by-step description on a different sentence strip...

Time for School

Posted by Jen Bragg on 18 Sep 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching

During a recent conversation with my brother, he mentioned that he was in charge of getting my third-grade niece, Carly, to school by 9:00 the next day. Since I’m settled at my desk by 7:30 most days, 9:00 seemed like a late start to me. But then, thinking about my teaching days, my start times definitely varied.

Let’s Go to the Movies!

Posted by Hope Spencer on 02 Sep 2009 | Posted in: Literature Connections, Planning and Curriculum, Teacher's Helper

I love it when Hollywood takes a great kids' book and makes it into a movie. Now don't get me wrong; they don't always make the movie the way I would like. But they usually get kids interested in the book. Anything that gets a child interested in reading is all right with me.

My Learning Curve

Posted by Sherry McGregor on 31 Aug 2009 | Posted in: Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching

I’ve been planning for the next school year. And, well, the spreadsheet format I’m using is a little tricky. So I’ve been learning some new processes, and I’m here to report—it has not been easy.

Establishing Routines

Posted by Hope Spencer on 17 Aug 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Management, Classroom Routines, Grade 1, Grades 2-3, Intermediate, Kindergarten, Planning and Curriculum, Preschool, The Mailbox

I know it sounds cliché, but I just can't believe that it's time to get ready for a new school year already! Preparing the classroom for my students' arrival was one of my favorite things about teaching. I know that establishing a routine can make all the difference in the classroom, so I've scanned the August/September 2009 issues of the Mailbox® magazine to find tips you can incorporate into your planning.

Short Summer?

Posted by Sharon M. Tresino on 22 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Life After School, Organization and Supplies, Planning and Curriculum

Summers are getting shorter. At least that’s the impression I got during recent trips to discount stores. While getting ready for a beach trip, I went shopping for swimming supplies. What I found was that the outdoor-living area, which had overflowed into several aisles in May, was reduced to one aisle. In its place was—you guessed it—every kind of back-to-school supply imaginable! This was early in July! I felt like summer was being snatched away from me.

Students in the Summer?

Posted by Amy Erickson on 15 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Inspiration and Motivation, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching

I’m curious—how many of you are working with students this summer? Many of my summers involve working with students in one way or another. For a few years, I taught a summer program for special education students. The goal of the program was to help kids maintain the skills they had learned during the year so they could pick up where they left off when they returned to school in the fall. The kids and staff worked hard, but we also had lots of fun. The summer atmosphere was relaxing, and it lent itself to activities that we couldn’t do during the regular school year. (Think sprinklers!)

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