Today is National Weed Your Garden Day. When I was young, my parents had an extensive garden, and we were always plucking weeds that had sprouted up between the rows. It was not my favorite chore. (Today as close as I get to having a garden is a pot with a tomato plant.) We know…
I did not win the genetic lottery when it comes to dental health. Even though I obsessively brush and floss, I have more crowns than any royal family. I do realize, however, that without my consistent dentist visits and detailed dental care, my teeth would be much, much worse. So I’m all about the month…
I used to make New Year’s resolutions each year. I loved the idea of starting over with a new year and improving myself in some way. Sometimes I would succeed with them and at other times I would fail. After a while, my failures caused the same resolutions to show up year after year. And…
I recently ran across a sweet meme that lists all the wonderful gifts the meme sender wants to give people for the holidays, most of which are delightful but impossible to give as gifts. It made me think about all the things I would like to give teachers, since you are deserving of so much…
Do you have good memories of trick-or-treating? I loved swishing through the crunchy leaves in the dark with my skull flashlight and pumpkin pail full of candy. I feel like Halloween involved all of my senses: the sound of the crunchy leaves, the feel of my costume, the sight of flickering jack-o-lanterns, the taste of…
July is World Watercolor Month. If you look online, you’ll find lots of painting prompts and giveaways. I love watercolor paints! They’re completely unpredictable, and that teaches me to let go of perfection and go with the flow. I didn’t always feel this way. As a child, watercolors were less than spectacular. I was unimpressed…
I spent this past weekend at a craft retreat with a bunch of like-minded people, and it reminded me of a few professional development experiences. Every once in a while, we would have professional development that helped address real classroom problems and gather helpful tips from coworkers. And the topics discussed helped us feel renewed…
Today is Humorous Day! There are few things as satisfying as laughing until your stomach hurts—and it’s even better when whatever made you laugh initially brings even more chuckles later in the day. Since laughter also reduces stress, I prescribe lots of it for teachers and students. We certainly need all the help we can…
The Mailbox® has five senses activities that are winter themed. This is actually a fun theme/topic combination because you can smell the hot chocolate, hear children playing in the snow, etc. But winter seems to have gone a little haywire recently, so my snarky brain imagines it more like this: I see snow drifts blocking…
If you’re a member of The Mailbox® Gold, you not only get access to our online library of thousands of ideas for your grade level, you also get new ideas every month through our online magazine. What is awesome about an online teacher magazine? Well, it means that I’m not bound by a certain number…