Tomorrow is the official beginning of winter. Do you welcome it with a “whoopee” or a “woe is me”? (I had one northern friend describe how she had to climb through her trunk to get into her car because all her door handles were frozen last week. I have a pretty good idea how she…
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Care For Yourself
It’s that time of the year—the time when self care goes out the window because you’re too busy. I too am guilty of treating myself badly in order to get things done. Take a look at the following statements and see if they apply to you. I went to bed too late, and now I’m…
Warm Fuzzies or Snarky Chuckles?
My name is Kim, and I create Facebook memes. It’s not all I do here at The Mailbox. I also write activities for our online monthly magazine, purchase activities from contributors, write blogs, and do other stuff I enjoy. But I do have to say that creating memes is one of my favorite tasks! Why?…
Plarn?
This past weekend, I went to a workshop for Operation Bedroll. That’s a group here in Greensboro, North Carolina, working to keep plastic bags out of the landfill and providing bedrolls for those experiencing homelessness. They create these bedrolls with plarn. (That would be a combination of the words plastic and yarn.) So a group…
Behavior Expectations
I was recently reminded, in a rather unusual way, of the many benefits that clear classroom behavior expectations provide. I’ll explain. This past summer, I moved into a home with a partially fenced backyard. As you know, I have a playful pup,…
The Bookshelves Are Full!
I know that you have a lot of books, magazines, manipulatives, caps, lids, cardboard tubes, and pom-poms, among other things. And it takes up a crazy amount of space. You probably have teacher stuff packed in your classroom, your basement, and in a storage shed. And that is why I want to tell you that…
Apples and Teachers
Why do we associate apples and teachers? I did a little snooping, and the most logical explanation I have found is that, before public-funded education, families often had a barter system with teachers so their children could go to school. Thus, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a teacher to get a crate of apples for…
May I Have Your Attention, Please!
Have you read about the high school teacher who, in an effort to gain the attention of his rowdy students, clutched his chest and dropped to his knees as if having a heart attack? After the fact (or act!), the teacher realized this wasn’t such a great idea even though it was quite effective. What…
Are Playgrounds Too Hot?
I will be the first to admit that I’m a little bit old school when it comes to playgrounds—so brace yourself. I think that playgrounds should have swing sets. (I still love to swing!) To be honest, I’m pretty okay with those old merry-go-rounds too. And they should bring back the playgrounds made from old…
Looking for a Page-Turner? Win These Award-Winning Books!
Our teacher judges know a page-turner when they read one, and so do their students. If you’re looking for books that motivate and educate, you’ll find that these books make their mark…and you could win them all! Post a comment to this blog no later than 11:59 pm EDT on May 30, 2016, to tell…