and living life one day- and book- at a time
There’s always a downside to testing, whether it is MAP testing or state standardized testing. The one thing that I have enjoyed about our standardized testing is the ability to take the kids out to the ballfield and let them run around after sitting so quietly for so long. MAP testing isn’t like that. Our …
Is it really December already? Where did November go? This has been such a fast paced school year. Much of it has been due to the fact that I’ve dealt with a medical issue and have had medical tests and procedures each month. But December? 2021 is almost over? I was so ready for Thanksgiving …
One of the projects that I like to do every other year is to have my students create Poetry Lapbooks. I generally will assign the lapbook at the beginning of the unit and will teach my content throughout. By the end of the unit the students will have their list of terms and examples from …
At the beginning of the year it is important to get to know your students. It also helps to know what things that they are interested in so that you can plan your lessons appropriately for the best engagement in the classroom. One way to do this is to give the students a simple interest …
As the holidays fast approach, I am getting ready for the teacher gifting. I’ve seen lists on social media of things that teachers don’t want for Christmas, but I can honestly say that some of those things I don’t mind receiving. I think at the top of the list was coffee mugs or cups, and …
Each year at the end of the year, I assign the students a quest. They are usually apprehensive because they are unsure as to what is going to unfold, especially since I know what is about to happen: Someone is going to lose all of their gold that they have saved so carefully for a …
At the beginning of the year, there’s usually an icebreaker that I love to use. Many of the teachers that I teach with in middle school typically use the same one, and it’s Find Someone Who. I’ve use multiple versions of this. I’ve used it as a get to know one another activity for those …
There are various ways to group students up when cooperative learning is required. One way is to count off and hope that students remember their number, but another way is to set it all up at the beginning of the year and never worry about it again. I do this through an appointment clock. Students …
Over the years, I’ve learned that building a good rapport with my students is a priority when it comes to teaching. I have been in classrooms where students have continuously shut me out for one reason or another, and I’ve also been in classrooms where students enjoyed my class and were more than eager to …
What advice for new teachers would you give? Often teachers coming into the profession have an ideal expectation and are often hit with the harsh realities once they are in the classroom. Much of the work can be overwhelming, but over the years I’ve learned to focus my priorities and create a manageable schedule for …