Teachers know assessment is key in planning instruction. BUT, it’s not easy finding time to assess in your already-busy schedule. I used to sit with each of my students for such a long time, then have to manually input data, look at charts across screens or notes…all times the number of students I had. And if I wanted to group… Read More
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Step-by-Step Decoding: When Kids Get Stuck on a Word
I had a student my first year teaching who had a habit of waiting for help before making any attempts on his own. He would start a sentence, get to a tricky word. . . and just stop. As I sat by him one day while he read, he got stuck on a word and looked up at me. I… Read More
Tips for New Teachers
Hey there, new teacher, and welcome! Right now, you are probably feeling so many different emotions and have tons of questions. My goal is to help answer some of those questions with this mini-survival new teacher tips kit and help make you feel more confident in getting started in this amazing career! Now, I said amazing, not easy! The first… Read More
How to Create Your own Sensory Path
It can be hard to keep kids away from screens active during this lock-down. Kids thrive with movement, so one way to encourage your students- or your own children- to move is to create an obstacle course, or a sensory path. What is a sensory path? Sensory paths are paths on the floor that have activities for children to interact… Read More
5 Anchor Literacy Centers and Management Tips
I used to spend HOURS planning new literacy centers each week: making, laminating, cutting, sorting, labeling, differentiating. . . you know the drill! SO. MUCH. WORK! A few years ago, I started using 5 anchor centers almost every week. These literacy centers were perfect year-round because they provided students with choice while being easy to manage. All I had to… Read More
Animals in Winter- Hibernation, Migration, Camouflage, Adaptation
If science takes the back burner in your school, a unit on winter animals is an exciting way to incorporate more science into your January plans! Since there is often such little scheduled time for science, I want to make sure my lessons are meaningful and engaging. I make sure they are well-planned and concise, keeping the big ideas and… Read More
Planning a Classroom Holiday Party!
I had a holiday paint party. In my classroom. . . With kids and parents . . . And it wasn’t a disaster! In fact, it was the best holiday party I’ve had in my classroom, ever! I mentioned it earlier this year and a few of you had lots of questions and were curious to know how it went,… Read More
Tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences
It’s almost that time! Getting ready for parent-teacher conferences can be time-consuming or stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips to help your conferences go smoothly. One important thing to keep in mind is to make sure to stay positive and professional at all times. It’s not always easy, but it will benefit everyone! Be sure… Read More
Guided Reading Tools Every Teacher Should Have
These are must-have tools for guided reading in kindergarten and first grade! I keep drawers with my fun tools to keep kids engaged throughout guided reading lessons. Can you guess what’s in the drawers? Read this post to find out some new, exciting ways to use materials you likely already have in your classroom! #tejedastots #guidedreading
Growth Mindset with Rosie’s Glasses
I need to share this book with you because it just has soooo many great lessons, including teaching growth mindset! Don’t you just love a good read-aloud you can use for many skills and strategies? I do! I read this book to my former students a couple of weeks ago. Here is a picture of me and some of the… Read More