By Rachel Lynette
Life is full of adventures! You never know what wonderful twists or turns lie ahead. A few weeks ago, I had applied to be a guest writer on Rachel Lynette’s blog, Minds in Bloom. With so many other applicants, I never thought I would even be considered! I was absolutely floored when I received an email from Maggie, Rachel’s assistant, letting me know that they were ready for me to submit
Today’s guest blogger is Ellen from Brain Leaders and Learners. She’s sharing her six favorite tips for helping students to overcome test anxiety. Spring sends a refreshing new lilt into some students’ steps. Daylight stretches into late evening, outdoor events replace closed-in classes, and young friendships tend to blossom into new life for many students. Have you seen it? Why, then, does winter’s melt into
Hi, Everyone! I’m Lessia from I am Bullyproof Music. Thanks so much to Rachel Lynette for inviting me back. Such an honor! Here’s hoping my tips inspire one and all. Teachers frame ideas for students daily. Videography is a natural next step. By making lessons visual and personal, we can make them truly memorable. Biggest piece of advice: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on hearts and minds.
Today’s guest blogger is Mrs. D, and she’s sharing some wonderful and creative ideas for incorporating more writing into math curriculum. It’s totally possible–but it requires thinking about math differently. 🙂 Writing across the curriculum has been a movement in education, and my school district is no exception. With the recent changes to Common Core and PARCC testing, I found myself at a loss for how
Today’s guest blogger is Lori from Teaching Tykes. She’s sharing her top eight tips for different ways to use clothespins in the classroom. I bet you’ll be surprised by some of her suggested uses! I love Clip Cards and clothespins! I have 280 clip card products in my TpT store! C’mon, who is not addicted to the way clothespins open and close? Clothespins are inexpensive and
Minds in Bloom welcomes Jenny, the owner of Art with Jenny K., with her post on art integration. We know you’ll find it useful! “The creative adult is the child that survived.” I came across this quote by author Ursala Le Guin a few months ago, and it has stuck with me ever since. It encapsulates why it is so important to integrate creative arts into
Minds in Bloom presents Renée Goularte, a former art-instructor, a working artist, and a writer, with her post on integrating art into your curriculum. If you are a teacher, chances are you’ve said it: “We have no time for art.” Chances are equally good that you believe that art is important. It is…and it’s worth making time for! Because you know what? Art education is important in and of
Minds in Bloom is excited to present Jenn Larson and her guest post on creativity in the classroom. She’s got some great tips we know you’ll love! NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. We all know that creativity is important. I mean, who doesn’t want to be one of those memorable teachers who not only teaches creatively but who encourages kids to think
Hello! My name is Jennifer Smith Jochen from Smith Curriculum and Consulting, and I am ECSTATIC to be here at Minds in Bloom with you today! I have been using interactive notebooks in some way, shape, or form for the past eight years and “officially” the correct way since fall of 2010. I have seen so many benefits with the usage of them over the
I don’t usually ever write about art, but recently a friend introduced me to Zentangle. I thought it was fun, so I ordered some materials, and when my soon-to-be step daughter came over the next weekend, she was thrilled because she had learned to tangle from her fifth grade teacher. So, I thought some of you might want to try it with your older students.*
Your students already love task cards, so why not have them create some of their own (if you don’t know what a task card is, click here)? This would be a great project to do in conjunction with a book your class is reading or for a science or social studies unit. There are many ways you could go about this. Here are some things
You are in for a treat! We have Lessia of I am BullyProof Music with us today to show us how to use lyrics to enhance our students’ learning and self-esteem. Thanks, Lessia! I’m tickled pink and very honored to be invited to guest post for Minds in Bloom. Thanks for the wisdom, warmth, and fabulous materials you share with us all, Rachel. You
Now that you have been in school for a few weeks (or in some parts of the country, longer), you have probably figured out who those fast finishers are in your class, and you might be looking for some activities to keep them challenged. Here is a free set of 20 autumn-themed, opened-ended task cards that will do the job quite nicely. Most of the activities are
Minds in Bloom is so very pleased to welcome Heidi Raki, of Raki’s Rad Resources, who will share some terrific ideas for using hands-on projects to promote critical and creative thinking. All too often, math and science concepts are taught from a book. Students read some words, look at some pictures, try some equations, and are expected to think about the problem at hand in critical and creative ways. However, many
I LOVE sidewalk chalk! It’s big, it’s colorful, it’s cheap, and if it comes in a bucket, it’s portable, too. There is sooooo much you can do with sidewalk chalk besides drawing pictures (though that is certainly an excellent use for it). Here are some ideas: NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Play Games: Hopscotch of course, but any game you can
Have you tried having your students write top 10 lists yet? I love top 10 lists for several reasons: Use for Critical Thinking Top 10 lists require higher level thinking, as students must evaluate different options, weighing one against another to decide not only what to include but also the order of the items they do choose. You can also extend the activity by asking students to justify
