It’s the first Friday in August and y’all know what this means, right? School supplies are on sale! Oh, and it’s time for a giveaway, too. I’m thinking one lucky blog reader will be tickled to have an extra $20 to spend on school supplies for his or her classroom. And guess what? That’s this…
Teachers and Teaching
#BeTheDifference and Win Weekly Prizes!
Teachers’ hard work can sometimes go unnoticed, including all the effort that goes into preparing for a new school year. That’s one of the reasons why I love what we do at The Mailbox! We’re all about celebrating the ways you make a difference in your students’ lives—and giving you the best tools to help…
Pop Poll!
In case you’re unsure of what a pop poll is, it’s a surprise poll. I considered a pop quiz, but it didn’t fit the bill, because there are no right or wrong answers to the questions I’m asking. And besides, who wants to take a pop quiz in summer, right? To thank you for taking…
Five Facts That Seem Fake but Aren’t
Trivia has a way of calling my name. So when I read a headline suggesting an unveiling of crazy-yet-true facts, I couldn’t resist. Here are five facts I learned. • In the mid 1800s, the city of Chicago literally pulled itself out of the mud by raising its elevation. Yes sirree, buildings, streets, and residences were…
Make a Difference to Children Giveaway!
July is a month every teacher deserves to celebrate with great enthusiasm! Yes, it’s summer vacation for most teachers, and that’s an awesome reason to celebrate. But here’s another first-rate reason for every teacher to celebrate: July is National Make a Difference to Children Month. I’d like you to stop in your tracks right now…
Why Children Can’t Sit Still (And Why I Can’t Either)
I’m a fidgeter. I wiggle around a lot, I tap my feet, and I play with Silly Putty at my desk. I hop up immediately to get every document I print. Every. Single. One. It’s unfortunate that I have a squeaky desk chair, because I’m probably causing my serenity-loving work space neighbors to tear at…
Something Old, Something New
Not long ago, several teachers chimed in when we featured an overhead projector on our Facebook site. Who knew (clearly not me!) that the military used this handy projector before it was introduced into the classrooms in the early 1960s. Here’s something else I didn’t know—the projector is still being used in classrooms across the…
Do I Have Your Attention?
I know you all have your favorite attention grabbers you use to get students’ attention in the classroom. But “One, two, three—eyes on me” and clapping random patterns can get a little old. Sometimes you may want to shake up your attention grabbers. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a crazy number of options? It…
What Are You Reading?
Can it really be this easy? Heck, it’s just four words! Why not give it a try? These thoughts were twirling in my head after hearing a father explain on national television how he encourages his children to read. Simply put, he asks his kids what they are reading. He doesn’t toss the question out…
Happy Fourth of July!
Here’s hoping your Fourth of July report card includes four Fs: family, friends, food, and fun. Oops, better add in some fireworks too. Wow, five Fs! I imagine these are your first Fs ever! I wouldn’t normally be blogging on my day off, and yet here I am tapping away at my keyboard. It’s all…