A new school year always brings change: new students, new curriculum, new goals, staff changes, new district-wide policies and the list goes on. We all know that change is difficult. Yet, there is one change in our local school district of 69 elementary schools that has baffled teachers and ruffled quite a few feathers. In…
It’s that time, isn’t it? My guess is you’re either teaching students, preparing for the first days of school, thinking about the first days of school, or making the most of your last few days of summer. This morning I pinned an adorable bee craft to our Arts and Crafts Pinterest board. Before I knew…
Here’s hoping your students will have recess this year. Maybe even recesses! I think brain breaks are a super idea, however should brain breaks replace outdoor recess? My vote is no, they should not. Brain breaks are fun and active, however most are structured. Recess allows for unstructured play time which encourages creativity and fosters…
I suspect that you fall into one of these categories: You will be going back to school soon. You are already back to school. You don’t get a summer break and don’t want to hear others talk about back to school. You’re retired and spend most of your time smiling and thinking about how relaxed…
What’s 92% water, classified as both a fruit and a vegetable, and is available in roughly 1,200 different varieties? That would be watermelon! In case you’re wondering, the heaviest watermelon on record to date is a 350.5 pound whopper grown in Tennessee by Chris…
Some student names are more easily remembered than others. Most teachers have a few tricks up their sleeves for quickly learning student names. Some use association tricks such as “curly-haired Christy,” “glasses for Glenn,” and “Brian with a buzzcut.” These work well for remembering some student names, but not all. Desk tags are great too….
The start of a new school year means renewing a relationship with an alarm clock or another wake-up device. Dang it anyway! I don’t know about you, but for me morning minutes fly by super fast. This morning I found myself brushing my teeth and feeding my pooch at the same time. Ridiculous! How does…
Don’t worry, this back-to-school bulletin board isn’t going to run away. When I say it “has legs” I mean it can actually be an interesting part of your classroom for quite some time! To get started, use colorful yarn, string, or tape to partition a board like the one shown. In each section, attach a…
Am I right in thinking that every teacher has a locked desk drawer or another out-of-reach location where he or she keeps a collection of just-in-case items? I sure did. The more years I taught, the bigger my collection got. Now I’m not asking you to reveal any big secrets! I’m just thinking new teachers…
It’s the first Friday in August and you know what that means—it’s hot and it’s time for a giveaway! This month’s back-to-school prize pack includes a super fun “flip the flap” informational dinosaur book, a five-pack of colorful gel pens, a 24-pack of presharpened #2s, a pair of magnetic clips, a five-pack of colorful clothespins,…