Happy New Year! I had a great break and I hope you did, too! Or, maybe, you’re still enjoying one more weekend of relaxation. Lucky you! As we get back into the groove with our students, this is an opportune time to introduce a class pet! And as the title of this post says, not the real kind. I feel […]
Class Pets Made Easy! (Not the Real Kind)
Setting the Tone: Music in the Classroom
Music is such an awesome classroom management tool! I know a lot of teachers who already do this, but I wanted to share how I use music in the classroom. When I was a classroom teacher, I created a Spotify playlist that I played every morning as my students were arriving. In case you don’t know, there is a free […]
Top 5 Tips for Working with Military Students
Happy Memorial Day! We get an extra day off to remember those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country and all of us. I thought this would be a good time to take the opportunity to think about the military students and families I have worked with over the years and what I have learned over that […]
Budget-Friendly Holiday Gifts for Students
The December gift-giving holidays are right around the corner, specifically Christmas. I know I struggle year-to-year with what gift I’d like to give to my students that will be worthwhile, but not too expensive. I know it is not required to give a gift to your students, but those are “my kids” and I want to spread some holiday joy […]
October is Bullying Prevention Month
This past Wednesday, Oct. 19 was Unity Day and it was announced at my school for staff and students to wear orange to show support against bullying. So, I wore orange because I definitely support the cause, but I admit I didn’t really know much more than that about Unity Day. Hence, I am writing this post as I do […]
Keep Relationships Growing Throughout the Year
Now that you’ve spent some time building relationships with your students and between your students, how do you use the information you acquired during that time to keep your positive relationships growing? Just like how you take care of a plant by watering it and making sure it gets sunlight or the plant will wilt and eventually die; the same […]
Building a Caring Classroom Community: How and Why Building Relationships is Important
You may have attended a professional development or staff meeting on the importance of building relationships with your students. I know I have attended many and felt they were a waste of time. Same ol’ same ol.’ Just let me teach. However, building a quality relationship with each and every student in your classroom is very important! It will set […]