For such a short month, February sure is busy! Black History, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, the 100th day for many, Presidents Day, and Dental Health Month make for lots of planning and celebrations. To help you plan, I’m sharing some of my favorite Dental Health Month activities for the classroom. Many are from my Dental Health pack, but you can… Read More
Teaching Tips
3 Steps to Incorporate Writing in Reading Lessons with Small Groups
Small group reading is such a HUGE part of literacy instruction. I often hear from teachers who are wondering what’s best to do in these small groups after they’ve read the text. My answer… reinforce phonics skills with writing! Reading and writing go hand in hand. Incorporating writing into your reading lessons reinforces these important skills! I talk a lot about… Read More
5 Tips for Kindergarten Personal Narrative Writing
If you know kids, you also know that kids love to tell stories… like, a lot. If you’ve ever asked a room full of Kindergarteners or 1st graders what they did over the weekend, you know! And, we don’t see all those memes out there about having to sit through your kids’ never-ending stories for nothing! (Hint: there’s something to… Read More
Christmas Classroom Activities to Keep Students Engaged
The holiday season is a time for family, friends, and fun. But teachers know it can also be a time of pure chaos! If you’re looking for ways to keep your students engaged in this busy and exciting month, here is a round-up of my Christmas classroom resources and activities that are sure to spread the holiday cheer! Now, although… Read More
Teaching Kindergarten Writing? Look Out for These 6 Mistakes!
I recently got the chance to sub in a kindergarten classroom. I love getting back in the classroom and spending time with the kids. And, best of all, I got to spend some time doing one of my favorite things… teaching kindergarten writing! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… teaching writing is not easy. And, with anything… Read More
5 Tips to Support Emergent Writers in the Drawing Stage
Teaching writing can be hard, especially in Kindergarten! I often see the initial focus of writing workshops placed on text as opposed to spending the necessary time supporting emergent writers in the drawing stage. I think this can be one of the things that makes teaching writing to these littles so hard. If you’re new to writing workshops, make sure… Read More
6 Critical Steps to Launching a Smooth Writing Workshop in Your Classroom
If you’ve been here before, you know I LOVE teaching writing. I think there are so many benefits to incorporating a writing workshop into your kindergarten or first-grade classroom! If you are not familiar with the writing workshop model, it is a method of teaching writing that consists of four main components: Mini-Lesson, where you teach and model a strategy Independent… Read More
15 Read Alouds For The Beginning Of The Year
It’s almost that time again. Time to head back into the classroom and prepare for a new year! One of my favorite things to get ready for the year is to look for a new back-to-school read-aloud or two. Read-Alouds are essential at the beginning of the year. They are a great way to have students practice coming to the… Read More
How To Set Up Your New Classroom Stress-Free
I absolutely loved setting up my classroom! I know I may be in the minority on this, but I was the one calling the office every day to check if the rooms are done, then going in any free moment to organize every millimeter. By October, it’s all a mess but I enjoy making a beautiful, organized space even if… Read More
ELEVATE Conference for Kindergarten to Second-grade teachers
Hey, teachers! It’s almost the end of the year for most of you and I know you can almost taste the saltiness of the beach air and the sweetness of a piña colada! The summer is a time when you hopefully get to relax, let loose, and have fun! But, it’s also a time when you can recharge your teaching… Read More