Teaching With Haley O'Connor

Let's build a better world together-one classroom at a time!

Behavior Puzzles for Positive Classroom Management {Reinforcement & Incentives}
Teaching Reading Comprehension Virtually

Teaching Reading Comprehension Virtually

Hi teacher! If you’re looking for some new ideas for teaching reading comprehension, I wanted to share some tips today! Teaching digitally, virtually, and hybrid is HARD. Teaching reading in the best circumstances is challenging, but it’s even more difficult during a pandemic. I hope these tips are helpful to you, and that it makes your reading instruction a little… Read More

My Favorite Digital Resources

My Favorite Digital Resources

I can’t believe we are coming up on almost 2 years of virtual learning. This pandemic has tested us in so many ways, and I wish I could offer more support to every single one of you. I wish I could write your lesson plans for you, and give you a well deserved mental health day. You deserve a BREAK…. Read More

Preschool Center Schedule

Preschool Center Schedule

Hi! As I’ve mentioned before, my daughter is in an amazing preschool program a few days a week. Recently I was chatting with her teacher, and asked if there was anything I could help with. I always try to offer assistance with organizing, cutting, sorting, etc. They mentioned they have a few kids who would benefit from a super simple… Read More

Behavior Puzzles

Behavior Puzzles

If you’ve been following me on social media, or have ready many of my posts, you know that I am ALL for intrinsic motivation. Our goal as educators, and parents, should always be to support our kids so that they can set their own goals and work towards making the best choices because they feel good! It feels good to… Read More

Teacher Favorites: Dollhouses

Teacher Favorites: Dollhouses

Today I wanted to share my favorite “dollhouses” for encouraging creative play. I wanted to create a few posts in case you are a parent or grown up in a child’s life and are looking for gift ideas. These lists are also great for teachers who are looking to add more play into their curriculum and day. Sometimes I let… Read More

Teacher Favorites: Pretend Play

Teacher Favorites: Pretend Play

Today I wanted to share my favorite toys for pretend play. I wanted to create a few posts in case you are a parent or grown up in a child’s life and are looking for gift ideas. These lists are also great for teachers who are looking to add more play into their curriculum and day. Sometimes I let my… Read More

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  • Are you trying to encourage student independence in the classroom? A great way to do this is with behavior puzzles. This blog talks about how to use behavior management puzzles to help set goals and increase positive classroom behavior. After your students meet a behavior goal like following directions or solving a problem they receive a piece of the puzzle. Once the puzzle is complete they receive a classroom reward. I like to use student rewards that help with classroom relationship building.
  • Looking for sensory toys for your elementary classroom? I am sharing some of my favorite sensory input toys that are great for students that need help staying on task. For sensory needs in the classroom, I love to let students use these at their desk, during morning meeting, or mini-lessons. You can use them in a calm down corner. I share sensory bracelets and pop it fidget toys which are great classroom management tools. Weighted stuffed animals are also great for students with anxiety.
  • Are you looking for ways to teach honesty in the classroom? Teaching honesty to kids is so important. It is easy for our elementary students to want to follow their peers or to not tell the truth in fear of getting in trouble but it is so important to teach kids all about honesty. Today, I am sharing 5 honesty activities you can use in the classroom. These activities are great for social emotional learning time or to use during classroom meetings or morning meetings.
  • Are you looking for digital activities for vowel teams and diphthongs that you can use during literacy centers, guided reading groups, or word work? This post walks you through the typical phonics progression and how students learn their letters and letter sounds and then I share several phonics activities for vowel teams and diphthongs. These are great activities for beginning readers. Use these digital word work activities for morning work or early finishers as well.
  • Are you looking to add building toys into your elementary classroom? They strengthen fine motor and gross motor skills, support problem solving skills, and encourage creativity and innovation. Today, I am sharing other benefits of learning through play with building toys along with 5 of my favorite building toys for kids. You will find magnetic clocks which are great for STEM, wooden blocks which are great for identifying shapes, and stacking blocks which are great for learning colors.
  • Have you read Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival to your early elementary classroom? This is a great read aloud book to teach your students about big emotions. This book also hits two important topics: kids dealing with worry and teaching kids about diversity. Read about why I love using this book about emotions and how to use this children’s book for social emotional learning. I even have classroom activities and printable handouts that you can use along with this children’s book.
  • Are you trying to find a way to talk about big emotions in the classroom? This blog talks about how to use Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival to talk about feelings with kids. Using books to teach about emotions is a fun and easy way to introduce social emotional learning into the classroom. Most SEL books talk about positive emotions but you can use this read aloud book for teaching kids about sadness. You can even check out my classroom activities and printables to use with this kids book.
  • I am very passionate about including intrinsic motivation in the classroom. This blog post talks all about using behavior management puzzles and how they can be used to help kids set goals and have positive classroom behavior. This positive reward system for students will also have them work towards more student independence. Once your students complete the behavior puzzles they can have a classroom reward. Read my list of classroom reward ideas that encourage classroom relationship building.
  • Building toys offer so many benefits. They strengthen fine motor skills and gross motor skills, support problem solving skills, and encourage creativity and innovation. In today’s post, I am sharing other benefits of learning through play with building toys along with 5 of my favorite building toys for kids. You will find magnetic clocks which are great for STEM, wooden blocks which are great for identifying shapes, & stacking blocks which are great for learning colors. Use for indoor recess!
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