Are you smitten with mittens or gaga for gloves? I’m a glove gal myself on most days. When I wear mittens I have trouble hanging onto stuff. (Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) You’ll find a great selection of mitten and glove activities at themailbox.com. Search “mittens” and you’ll be lookin’ at…
teaching
A Fab First Friday Giveaway!
B is for books, D is for DVDs, H is for Halloween mini erasers (which make great manipulatives), and M is for markers. Does this sound like a fab First Friday Giveaway? I think so! To enter for a chance to win this fun collection of goodies, leave your answer to the following question right…
It’s all About Perspective
The next time you think teaching is unbearable, I encourage you to bring to mind this photo. Yipes! This past Tuesday five loggers (lumberjacks?) were in my backyard removing three trees that had thankfully stayed upright this past winter. I hated to see the trees go and at the same time I’m relieved they’re gone….
Recess—Yay or Nay?
Here’s hoping your students will have recess this year. Maybe even recesses! I think brain breaks are a super idea, however should brain breaks replace outdoor recess? My vote is no, they should not. Brain breaks are fun and active, however most are structured. Recess allows for unstructured play time which encourages creativity and fosters…
National Moon Day
Today, July 20, is National Moon Day. Just to be perfectly clear, I’m talking about the earth’s natural satellite. One of my kooky colleagues gave me a funny look when I declared it was National Moon Day. I have a sneaky suspicion we had different “moons” in mind! National Moon Day commemorates the day in…
An Interesting Poll
Every year the PDK (Phi Delta Kappa—a professional organization for educators) polls Americans to capture their current views about public education. The most recent poll is the 49th. Check out these results: Only 42% of the respondents feel performance on standardized tests is a highly important indicator of school quality. A whopping 82% of the…
It’s Winter Break!
Hooray, yippee-skippee, and bravo! It’s holiday break which means it’s okay to let your hair down! You know, flop down on the couch and not feel guilty. Join your friends for lunch in a real restaurant. Oh, and hang up (or bury) that teacher bag. The bag is off limits for at least a week….
One Thing Thursday
Since I have a thing for alliteration, I’m calling this idea “One Thing Thursday.” But honestly, the idea can be called “One Thing Monday,” “One Thing Tuesday,” “One Thing Wednesday,”—you get the idea. And here is the idea. Pick one day of the week and routinely invite students to respond in writing (or verbally for…
’Tis the Season for Fashion Mishaps
I’ve been guilty of arriving at work wearing two different earrings. One day, it was noon before I realized my top was on inside out—and it had a hood on it. Eek! Luckily, I was in my work space most of the morning. Yesterday, we had a good laugh over a colleague’s fashion mishap. Two…
And We Have a Winner!
Please join me in congratulating Linda C., the winner of this month’s First Friday Giveaway. Linda has won the ginormous scarecrow bag and all the goodies inside. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to drive a brand-new car (or a used car for that matter) inside the bag. However, I feel certain Linda will be pleased with…