November 25th is P.D. Eastman’s birthday! He would be 110 years old if he were still with us. When I think of P.D. Eastman, the first thing that comes to mind is his book, Go, Dog. Go! He illustrated and frequently authored 18 picture books for children that are easy to read and often giggle-inducing….
Today is National Read in the Bathtub Day! Honestly…it really is! The house I lived in several years back had a jetted garden tub, and several evenings a week I would immerse myself in hot, bubbling water while reading a book. Just thinking about it now makes me long for that tub. Now I don’t…
Plug can mean a few different things. For some reason, I immediately think of a hair plug. No, I don’t have any—it’s just my slightly off-center sense of humor! The big ole plug I’m making today is filled with fantastic opportunities for teachers. For example, $750 worth of classroom cash (yes, you read that right!)…
Have you gone to see Disney’s Frozen at the movie theater? I went last night with a friend of mine. We managed to get to the 5:05 pm showing, and we were the only ones there. So yes, we talked too loudly, laughed in an unladylike manner, and attempted to sing along with the characters….
Into each job, a few extra responsibilities must fall. Here at The Mailbox, this is true for editors who are also social media gadflies, singers, Twitterati, and webcast hosts, just for starters. And this is certainly true for teachers. By the time I entered my second year in the classroom, I had become a technology…
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…
It may be Halloween, but it’s time to no longer be scared of cursive. I know I have visited this topic several times before, and I know that some states have removed cursive handwriting requirements from their curricula altogether. But I come here to praise cursive handwriting, not to bury it. According to a recent…
Are you familiar with the book series The Imaginary Veterinary? I’m only learning about the books now, and I’ve just added them to my list of read-soon books! I’ve been told that these books, in which veterinarians are heroes to animals everywhere—especially mythical, special-needs animals—are stuffed with adventure and high jinks. The chapter books are…
There are a lot of things you can do to feel good about yourself. One of them is winning the lottery. On a more practical note, you’ll feel good when you have the tools you need to do your best in your classroom. To help you, The Mailbox has created two new weekly e-newsletters, Literature…
Obtuse and acute, am I right? I mean, median and mode. On average, I’d say I only get a fraction of the decimals divided and the remainder carry on. Maybe we should table this discussion before it multiplies out of control. The cardinal rule I am certain of when it comes to math literacy is…