Here’s a little known truth about classroom libraries—teachers who have well-stocked libraries often have fewer discipline problems. Whhhat? Yessiree, it’s true! Kids get into mischief when they have time on their hands, but not so much when they’re captivated by interesting reading material. So how might a teacher get a gold mine of reading material without spending…
The secret word for May 18, 2016, is listen. “Whaaaat?” you may ask. This is fun. Try it! Each time you read, hear, or speak the word listen, touch your right earlobe. Listen. Listen. Listen. Did you just touch your right earlobe three times? Hee, hee! Okay, now try it with your students. Tell your…
I love to learn new tricks to help teachers manage their classrooms. The more unique and witty tricks make me rub my hands together with glee and snicker at how skillfully teachers can mold their students’ behavior. (You can add a maniacal laugh in there to enhance the visual.) Unfortunately, a lot of classroom management…
I have boxes of cereal in my cupboard that have been there for at least 7 months. There, I said it. Oh, I see you making that squishy face at the thought of cereal so stale it could be used for road construction. But we all have our things! Maybe your bathroom vanity is filled…
Yeppers. There’s a full moon tonight. I know this for two reasons. First, my teacher buddies were bemoaning the fact this past weekend. Secondly, I checked the lunar calendar just to be sure they were correct! So here’s my question for you: do you notice a difference in your kiddos’ behavior on or around full…
I’m feeling a tad bit tired this morning. I don’t usually stay up past 10 o’clock, and last night, even though our North Carolina Panthers, were losing, I couldn’t give up on the Super Bowl. This morning, my tangled hair is clasped firmly behind my head and my beverage of choice—since I don’t drink coffee—is…
How annoying is it to receive a nameless student paper? It’s incredibly annoying. But, as a teacher, it wasn’t one of those serious management issues that I felt I needed to tackle immediately. I mean, teachers are busy, right? There were a million and one things on my list. Coming up with a method for…
Raindrops on roses? Whiskers on kittens? Bright copper kettles? Warm woolen mittens? These are great favorites but not the kind I have in mind for today. I’m talkin’ some classroom favorites for the month of December! Check out these suggestions for keeping students engaged and on task during the holiday season. Jingle Bells: Swap out…
It’s a little crazy how frequently classroom management articles have some application to my own life. Recently, I started Googling how to calm students and stumbled upon a bunch of blogs about mindfulness. Mindfulness: a state of being aware of the present; what is happening right now Holy cow, do I STINK at being mindful….
Happy first Friday, y’all! Ready for the long weekend? Me too! But first, we need to get you entered in this month’s giveaway! Today’s topic is pencils—you know that school supply that can bring a teacher to tears. Okay, perhaps I’m exaggerating. However, teachers face pencil predicaments on a daily basis. “Where’s my pencil?” “My…