I don’t like coffee. I should clarify. I do like a toffee hazelnut latte with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. But that’s dessert, and by the time you add all that sugar, I’m not really sure it can be called coffee anymore. I can’t drink diet soda, so I started drinking regular soda in the…
Back-to-School
Editing Checklist
Posted by Jean Gentile on September 1, 2014 | Leave a comment Just what I needed, a quick edit checklist for the first week of school. It’s simple and a quick reminder of the basics! I’ll use this to ease students back into writing and help them be successful in the first few weeks. I…
Apples Aplenty!
Look around your classroom. I bet there is at least one apple-themed tchotchki sitting somewhere. If not, maybe you have an apple-themed poster on the wall or…wait, are you wearing an apple appliqueé on your shirt? You see, I know you. I, too, have numerous apple paperweights and necklaces and sweaters. An apple is a…
Green, Yellow, RED!
Happy Monday, y’all. I have a confession to make. I ran a red light on the way to work this morning. Yipes! It wasn’t a reckless move—well, I guess it ended up being reckless. I simply thought I was close enough to make it on yellow, realized too late that I wasn’t, and already had…
Just Let Them Read!
I took three graduate level reading classes this summer and the underlining theme of all three courses was to give students time to read and talk about reading. We have overwhelmed students with busywork: reading worksheets, reading quizzes and reading test, all of which take away valuable reading time. I am blocking out time just…
Let Students Know You Love to Help!
Sometimes students who need the most help are reluctant to ask for it. I always want to let students know that I care about them and want to help. I created these cards with the Card Maker Tool from Mailbox Gold 101 Tool Kit in less than a minute. I will print on card stock,…
Loving the Mailbox Toolkit!
I’ve been playing around with Mailbox Gold 101 Toolkit and loving it! I just created these labels for my collection bins. They are kid-friendly and will show students exactly where to put “incoming” papers and homework. It took me less than a minute to pick the graphic and font, and type the titles! I am…
Student Names Cards…So Fast and Easy
I just created these names cards for student cubbies. All I needed to do was click on the border I wanted, choose the font and type the names. Presto, in less than two minutes, great kid-friendly, personalized cards! You can make these just as quickly and easily as I did at Mailbox Gold 101 toolkit…
Getting to Know You
Year after year I greet students and families as they come to meet me and see the classroom at Open House. The first question I hear students ask their parents is, “Are my friends in this class?” This is a valid question, after all, school can be difficult! We all want friends nearby to love…
First Day Jitters
The first day of school can be very nerve racking. What will my classroom look like? Did I pick the right clothes? Will I know what to do? Will I have any friends? If this is what I’m thinking, I can only imagine how nervous the kids are! Here are a few tips I found…