By Rachel Lynette
Mentor Sentences A few years one of my students came up, obviously frustrated. “I just can’t seem to get my ideas down right,” she moaned. ELA, especially writing, often posed such challenges for many of my students. They had lots of stories to tell, but articulating those tales? That was another story. Enter the magic of model sentences! Think of model sentences, AKA mentaor sentences,
Classroom Birthday Ideas to Make Every Student Feel Special! There’s a magical moment in our classrooms that happens every so often. It’s not the “aha!” of grasping a new concept, nor is it the quiet hum of a room engrossed in a book. It’s the excited twinkle in a student’s eye when they realize that today, in this space, it’s their day. I’m talking about
Upper Elementary Back to School Resources Just for You! Welcome to our comprehensive back to school resource guide, specially designed to help you prepare for a new year. Our selected resources focus on bolstering critical areas such as math and English Language Arts (ELA) skills! From interactive math games and engaging ELA activities, to innovative teaching strategies and essential learning tools, we’ve got you covered!
If you’re like me, you know that the life of a teacher extends far beyond the final bell. As much as we love igniting those little sparks of knowledge in our students, we are well-acquainted with the after-school grading hours spent buried in piles of papers. From grading student work to keeping classroom materials in order, managing papers is an integral part of our daily
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, it’s this: understanding place value is absolutely crucial. It’s one of the most fundamental concepts in our number system, and without it, tackling larger numbers, decimal numbers, and mathematical operations could seem like solving a cryptic puzzle to our students. Throughout this post will be different resources for you to
Yes, Financial Literacy Can Be the Backbone of Your Classroom Management Strategy! How many times have you found yourself searching for classroom management strategies that not only keep your class engaged but also teach them valuable life skills? If your answer is “too many times to count,” then you’re in the right place! Today, we’re going to dive into a strategy that’s a game-changer: integrating
Make Your Students Responsible For Their Own Pencils and Other Supplies Let’s jump straight into something we’re all too familiar with – students misplacing their supplies. Every teacher, at some point, has experienced the constant cycle of a pencil gone missing, the mysterious disappearance of an eraser, or the vanishing act of a pair of headphones. It seems like we’re in a never-ending detective story,
Music Can Boost Your Child’s Mental Health- Here’s How! Music has some great benefits in our life! It helps to reduce stress. And also has the power to heal our mind and soul. Do you know that 92.1% of parents in the U.S. played music to their kids? Yes! Most of us know and appreciate the advantages of music. And we also make use of its
Finding The Right Coding Class (Freebie included!) We live in a world that is becoming more and more digital every day. One skill that’s super important is coding. It’s not just for tech wizzes anymore; it’s for everyone. Schools are adding more classes centered around coding each year, and we are seeing coding transition from being considered an elective class to becoming a core class.
Report Card Comments for Elementary Students I know personally the power report card comments can have on a student. When I was in 5th grade, my teacher wrote a comment on the back of my report card: “Cassi is a bright girl.” All these years later, I still remember that report comment and how good it made me feel. More than just a reflection of
Who’s the techy teacher??? You are!!! Let’s take a moment to marvel at the tiny marvels of technology – QR codes. These small, square barcodes full of tiny pixels and lines can revolutionize our classrooms, including the often tedious task of attendance tracking. Today, let’s explore how we can harness the power of QR codes with Google Forms to manage attendance seamlessly. Plus, check out
Ideas for Poetry Are you ready to embark on a whirlwind journey of teaching poetry that will stir your students’ creativity and boost their appreciation for this beautiful form of expression? Teaching poetry is much more than mere lessons from dusty textbooks. It’s an opportunity to instill a love for language, rhythm, and imagery in our students. And what better way to do this than
In case you haven’t heard, artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over the world. Maybe not in the Skynet/apocalypse sense, but the topic has been everywhere since the release of ChatGPT in November of 2022. As the leader of an EdTech company serving over 10,000 schools each year, it didn’t take long for me to realize AI would immediately affect our industry, the broader world of
As another school year beckons, it’s time to break out the welcome mat for our fresh batch of eager learners: getting to know you activities! If you’re like me and you love the hustle of going back to school, you know that the early days of the school year can make a huge difference. In particular, ‘getting to know you’ activities and first-day icebreakers play
Morning Meeting Questions to Get Your Day Started Right Another morning, another fresh opportunity to mold young minds and hearts, right? Today, let’s talk about a key part of our school day that deserves more spotlight – our morning meetings. These are not just regular meetings, but special events that set the tone for the rest of the day and play a vital role in
Summer Lesson Plan Ideas & Summer Projects That Make Learning Fun in the Sun! As the last school bell of the year rings and our students race off for their summer vacation, it’s easy to breathe a sigh of relief. We’ve made it! But as we all know, the learning never truly stops. I’ve spent two decades teaching bright young minds in 3rd, 4th, and
