The week before winter break doesn’t have to feel like survival mode. If you’ve taught elementary school for even one year, you know exactly what that mode feels like. Students are excited. Schedules are different. Assemblies pop up out of nowhere. More than half your class is talking about presents instead of paying attention. It’s SO tempting to throw on… Read More
If you’ve ever looked at your calendar the Monday after Thanksgiving and thought… “How am I going to make it until winter break?”, …I’m right there with you! In my opinion, the weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break are some of the hardest weeks of the entire school year. Students are excited. Holiday events start filling the calendar. And the classroom… Read More
By October, most teachers notice the same thing: it’s time to reteach classroom procedures. The honeymoon phase is over. Students are comfortable. Which is a good and challenging thing at the same time. Procedures that worked beautifully in August suddenly seem forgotten. The constant blurting, unfinished work, wandering around the room, and transition struggles start creeping back in. The good… Read More
If you’ve ever felt like your classroom dismissal routine is the most chaotic part of your school day, you’re not alone. Backpacks are scattered around the room. Someone forgot their folder. A student can’t remember how they get home. Another is still working on an assignment. Meanwhile, you’re trying to make sure every child gets to the right place safely…. Read More
A daily visual schedule for the classroom eliminates answering the same question 47 times a day… “What are we doing next?” “When is lunch?” “Is it recess time yet?” “Do we have library today?” Sounds too good to be true but it’s not! I used to spend so much time repeating our daily schedule and reminding students what was coming… Read More
If you’ve ever felt like literacy centers for kindergarten and first grade require a completely new setup every single week… You are definitely not alone. I used to think I had to constantly change everything to keep students engaged. New games, activities, directions and prep. And honestly? It was exhausting. I was spending more time prepping centers than actually teaching…. Read More
