Discover how to easily manage class jobs to help improve student engagement, responsibility, and classroom community. Incorporating classroom jobs can enhance the learning environment by helping foster a sense of responsibility and community among students. Class jobs are also an effective way to engage students actively in their education while teaching essential life skills. Do … Read more
Having student work displayed is a HUGE piece of my classroom decor, and classroom community. But figuring out where and how to display student work, and changing out work samples can be tricky. Why is displaying student work important? Displaying student work is important for our classroom community, for visitors to our classroom, and sends … Read more
Organizing classroom files has pretty much been the bane of my teaching career. If you’re looking for the easiest, best way to organize classroom files, you’re in the right place! Specifically, I’m talking about master copies of activities, interactive notebook pages, graphic organizers, worksheets, and craftivities. File Organization Systems I’ve Tried For one reason or … Read more
We all know that the beginning of any school year is crazy. There are more things to do, copy, print, and make than I can count. While I don’t spend a ton of my summer working on school stuff, there are 5 ways to prepare for a new school year that make my life easier. … Read more
I use a pacing guide to help me see the big picture for the school year. It’s what I pull out before I plan day-to-day lessons. If you’re wanting to know how to use a pacing guide, you’re in the right place. What is a pacing guide? A pacing guide is used to pace out … Read more
No matter what grade I’ve taught, or how many years I’ve taught, organizing a classroom library is a topic that comes up A LOT. Our classroom library is really the heart of our classroom. It takes up a big chunk of space, and we gather near it everyday for morning meeting, mini-lessons, and read alouds. … Read more
At any given time, there are approximately 7,392 things on my to-do lists. During the back to school and end of the year craziness, that number triples exponentially. Having planning lists for the classroom during the craziest of times is pretty much essential for surviving the back to school rush. My lists don’t start during … Read more
How to teach students to build reading stamina is a lesson we begin on the very first day of school (or close to it). Not only is teaching students to build reading stamina important for students as readers, but it’s important for me to keep guided reading running smoothly. Creating an environment where students are … Read more
A teacher could quite literally go broke buying all the things. But, let’s not actually do that. Supplies new teachers actually need doesn’t have to break the bank though. You just got hired for your FIRST teaching job! CONGRATULATIONS! Cue the confetti and music! But now, you start asking your teacher friends what you need, and … Read more
A few years ago, I wrote about the best planner I have EVER used, and I felt like it was probably time to give an update. You can read about it HERE. So here’s the question: Is an Erin Condren Teacher Lesson Planner really worth the money? I’ve been using an Erin Condren TLP for … Read more
I wanted to share how I use (and have used for several years) a token economy in my classroom. I taught at different PBIS/PBS schools for 7 years, and a token economy is the perfect addition to what your school is already doing! I’ve used this system in 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades, and absolutely … Read more
It’s no secret that I am a MAJOR fan of class jobs – I mean…many hands make light work, right? Aside from having 20 or so helpers around the classroom, there’s a whole bunch of other reasons I think class jobs are super important: Helps build a sense of community…this is OUR classroom Gives students … Read more
