If you’re looking for an easy back to school student gift you’re in the right place! I recently posted this picture on my Instagram account (follow me), and I got lots of requests to make it available! Aside from a welcoming smile, and warm environment, I think a small gift to give students is a … 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
It’s almost time for Earth Day (although we could argue that everyday should be Earth Day), and I want to share my favorite Earth Day read alouds with you. As I was putting my Earth Day read alouds on the shelf, and realized they were seriously lacking. Although I had a few goods books, I … 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 have all the heart eyes for author, Maria Dismondy! Her books are powerful, and offer real-life examples of how students can take ownership of solving their own problems. Throughout this post, you’ll find Amazon Affiliate links. This means I receive a small commission if you purchase something through that link, at no extra cost … Read more
Ask me about my favorite part of our school day? Morning Meeting. What (do I believe) has the biggest impact on my classroom culture/community? Morning Meeting. How do I build relationships with 25 different students? Morning Meeting. Where do I find the time for my students to build relationships with their peers? Morning Meeting. How … Read more
I sort of feel like Groundhog Day is one of those “holidays” the sometimes gets overlooked, but it covers so many different teaching and learning opportunities, it’s worth taking some time to incorporate it into your lessons. I especially love THIS informational reading mini-unit. Throughout this post, you’ll find Amazon Affiliate links. This means I … 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
As part of our folktale unit in 2nd grade, we spend about two weeks reading different versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. There are LOTS of different Goldilocks books out there, and a ton of activities you can do with those books. I’m sharing a few of my favorite Goldilocks books, and a few … Read more
I always like to think of January “back to school” as sort of a reset after Christmas Break. Everyone feels refreshed, and ready to tackle the second part of the school year. It’s also the perfect time to revisit some of the growth mindset books I shared with my students at the beginning of the … Read more
Every year I spend about two weeks reading gingerbread stories, and doing all the gingerbread things. My BEST tip: do your gingerbread unit AFTER Christmas. Say WHHAAAT? I know, I know. But seriously, I have so many Christmas books (you can read about those HERE) I want to share with my class, that there’s just … Read more
December is jam-packed with lots of holidays, and celebrations. Just with any other time of the year, I love having read-alouds that compliment whatever is going on. I split this post into different sections so you can easily find the topic you’re looking for. Plus, there’s lots of non-fiction books too, which I marked as … Read more
