So I tend to get songs stuck in my head, and once there, they cycle around and around until I want to scream. Lately, the song featured in my head is “What Does the Fox Say?” by Ylvis. I like the song, but it’s ridiculously catchy. A friend of mine forced it out of my…
The Mailbox
Favorite Classroom Themes
Favorite Classroom Themes This morning, I had my first cup of hot chocolate of the season. It’s finally gotten chilly enough here in North Carolina for a hot beverage in the morning to taste pretty soothing. (Being a Michigan native, I’m all about cold weather—bring on the sweaters and scarves!) “Hot Chocolate” is actually one…
Fall Leaf Activities!
What can you do with fall leaves (besides walk through them and listen to that fabulous crunch, crunch, crunch!)? If the October/November edition of The Mailbox Preschool magazine is any indication, the answer is a lot! Here are some of the things we did with fall leaves—and you can easily implement them in your early…
Simple Ways to Use Poetry
Today I have a super important request for my teaching pals. The Mailbox editors are wondering how teachers use poetry in their classrooms. In fact, the editors are soooo curious to discover the simple ways y’all use poetry in your classrooms that they are bribing me with chocolate! Okay, the chocolate part isn’t true. What…
Kudos to Dads
Let’s hear it for dads—the dads who spend time with their kids, the dads (and husbands) who tolerate the long hours teachers spend doing what teachers do at school and at home, the guys who teach, and the dads who volunteer in their children’s classrooms! Got something to say about your dad or husband or…
Class Memory Booklets
My students loved making end-of-the-year memory booklets. Honestly, as a teacher, I sort of dreaded the project. It wasn’t because I disliked the activity; it was really all about my end-of-the-year scramble to get everything else accomplished. That’s why, when I saw this idea in a past issue of The Mailbox magazine, I knew it…
New Green Goal
First of all, just let me say that I’m hard pressed to believe that next Monday is Earth Day! Good grief, April has been a blur! In honor of Earth Day, I have a new green goal. Like y’all, I do my best to recycle, reuse, and reduce. However, minutes ago, I realized that I’ve…
We Want Your Best Reading Ideas!
Teachers, today is your lucky day! Are we having a giveaway? Roger that! Are we purchasing ideas? Roger that! Here’s the scoop. The Mailbox editors are on the hunt for teachers’ favorite reading ideas! They’re looking for whole-group activities, small-group activities, partner activities, center activities, independent activities—you name it! Any ideas or tips for building…
Six Little Known Giveaways
First come August and September, and then come October and November. Next, there are December and January followed by February and March. Hooray for April and May, and hallelujah for June and July. Yes, I’m talking about the school year, sort of! More specifically, these are months paired in the six issues of The Mailbox…
Genie Follow Up
Thanks to all for sharing your thoughtful wishes for The Mailbox genie! I do have some great news for those of you who are currently or will be teaching with Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Beginning with the April/May issues, the activities in The Mailbox and Teacher Helper magazines will be labeled with CCSS correlations!…