The Power of a Greeting
Every day as students enter my classroom, I stand at my door and greet them. Whether it’s with a handshake, a hug, a fist bump,
Classroom Management
New Year, New School, New Challenges, New Rewards
A new school year can be challenging, a new school…intimidating, but add in a brand new school building with a newly formed school and it
How to Run Secret Santa Activities in your Classroom
The holidays are the perfect time of year for lessons on gratitude and generosity, holiday cheer, and happiness. One great idea to help spread those
Classroom Organization with Colors Eases Anxiety and Creates Time
Classroom organization can be a struggle for many people. I know when I was completing my student teaching and just had papers to manage, I
6 Ideas for Building Positive Classroom Culture Throughout the Year
Establishing a positive classroom culture can be a tricky endeavor. You want your classroom to be a warm and inviting place for students to feel
6 Tips for Better Sub Plans
Let’s face it. Sub plans can be a real pain. You feel miserable or have somewhere else you need to be; instead, you must write
Overcoming a Fear of Failure: Growth Mindset in Action
Just recently, I talked about self-love, self-worth, and avoiding self-doubt. But today, I wanted to talk about failure, specifically a fear of failure. This blog
A Simple Guide to Classroom Setup at Sixth Grade
By mid to late July every year, I can’t wait to go back to school to get my classroom setup. I miss grading papers. I
Differentiation and the Brain: Chapter 3 – Curriculum
I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. One book I’ve been reading with my Tools for Teaching Teens Team is Differentiation and the Brain. It
Formative Assessments are Easy with Response Cards
Formative assessments, such as response cards, are a range of formal and informal assessments. Teachers use them during the learning process in order to determine
A Seating Chart Strategy to Increase Impact in the Classroom
I want to discuss seating charts, but first let’s start with some definitions. Heterogeneous is to be diverse in character or content while homogeneous is
