So I don't know about you, but I remember pretty much every single award ceremony I had as a child. A few times I even got the "Golden Eagle" award. It was an award given to a few students each semester for conduct, attitude, etc. My parents weren't always able to attend, but they tried. I remember the pride I felt having earned honor roll and the excitement we all felt on those days. Looking ... read more
Alternatives to Dr. You Know Who
If you follow many teacher-authors on social media, you may have heard about some controversy surrounding Read Across America and Dr. Seuss. Over the past few months, I have really tried to lean into some uncomfortable feelings about racism, privilege, and being an ally. One thing I've learned is to listen. When black educators are telling me something is racist, I need to listen. This isn't the ... read more
Valentine Party Fun
It is FINALLY February! January felt like one long catch-up after the crazy holiday season and we are so excited to be settling back into a routine! I wanted to share some fun ideas for your class Valentine's Day party and hopefully make planning a little easier for you! Planning class parties can be overwhelming, but there are really only a few big things to think about! 1. Food! 2. ... read more
3 Things I Learned As A New Mom
On June 11, 2018 our worlds changed forever. I went to the hospital thinking they’d send us right home…we still had a month left of my pregnancy and I was able to talk through most of my contractions. But just a few minutes later the nurse told us my water had ruptured and we would be leaving the hospital with our baby girl. About 18 hours later, our sweet Everly Kate entered the world in the ... read more
Child Abuse Awareness Month
Did you know April is Child Abuse Awareness Month? I didn't until recently, and am so thankful such an important topic is being given news and media coverage! Personally, I wish everyday was Child Abuse Awareness Day...it's truly that prevalent! In honor of this important month, I wanted to share some important information for teachers about identifying victims, supporting them, and some general ... read more
Teaching in Dubai {What’s It Really Like}
Several months ago, one of my best friends and I posted this little freebie to hang outside classroom doors. Even though a poster "is just a poster" we wanted to do something small to help teachers make all students feel included! The vertical one is in my store here and the horizontal one is in Jessica's store here. A few weeks later, an amazing teacher named Lauren commented on my Instagram ... read more
Teachers Pay Teachers for Schools
Today I wanted to share a story about my first year teaching. I was hired to teach 3rd grade at a title 1 school in the same district I graduated from. I was SO excited to start this new journey, and couldn't wait to meet my students. I would be teaching ESL at a Dual Language campus. That meant that there were 7 3rd grade classrooms. 6 teachers were paired off in English/Spanish and shared two ... read more
Teaching Honesty in the Classroom
Have you ever had a student tell a lie to get out of trouble? Or tell a story to impress their friends? I think lying is something ALL children try out a time or two. Most of our students will have heard an adult say "be honest!" or "tell the truth." Unfortunately though, most children have never had someone discuss the importance of being trustworthy...or the effects of being dishonest. I am a ... read more
The First Week in First Grade
I wanted to stop by today and share some a few of my "go-to" activities during the first week of school to build our classroom community and set expectations for the year! During the first few days of school, we are setting the tone for the rest of the year. Our students are looking to see what kind of teacher we will be and making judgements about their school year. They're deciding if school is ... read more
Teaching Vowel Teams and Diphthongs
Today I wanted to stop by and share some strategies for teaching vowel teams and diphthongs in our classroom! It's always challenging to teach spelling patterns that aren't easily decodable! Growing up, I remember the rhymes "when 2 vowels go walking, the 1st one does the talking" and "I before E except after C and sounding as A in neighbor and weigh." Who else remembers those??? Here's the ... read more
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