Teaching With Haley O'Connor

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

Celebrating the Holidays

There are a few things you'll see in most American classrooms. Not every classroom will have all of these but they're pretty much main-stays in elementary classes. Some sort of cute, colorful markers or pens that the teacher likes to use At least one spunky student who says something unexpected when a visitor comes in Some sort of holiday unit in December In my room, there's always a ton of ... read more

Guided Reading Essentials

Hi friends! I just wanted to stop by tonight and share some of my favorite resources for Guided Reading! I've said before, and I'll say it again! I think Guided Reading is one of the most important parts of our day and also one of the most overwhelming! I wanted to provide some simple tools and tips for you to implement it most effectively! :)             I've broken this post down into a few ... read more

Promoting Great Character in the Classroom

Happy Sunday! I wanted to stop by today and share a bit about promoting and rewarding great character in the classroom! As I have been working hard on my Character Curriculum, I've been trying to think of ways to encourage our kiddos that are practicing the things we are teaching! Just like we praise their math thinking or handwriting, it's important to praise the choices they are making! I ... read more

Free Writing Graphic Organizer

Hi friends! I wanted to stop by with a quick but helpful little freebie! Today, I was able to go back to my old school and pull several small groups! I mostly did guided reading groups, but a 2nd grade teacher asked me to work with her kiddos on organizing their writing. They are working on small moments, and her sweet writers are having a hard time coming up with a beginning, middle, and ... read more

Respectful Conversations with Students

Hi friends! I am so excited to announce that I just finished Empathy in my Character Education Curriculum! It is my favorite packet so far, and I totally believe in the activities and discussions your students will have! As I was writing this curriculum, I was thinking about having empathy for my students. How often have I NOT taken into account their situation, their day, their ... read more

Painting With a Purpose

Hi friends! I wanted to drop by and share about one of the best nights EVER! If you follow me, you know that I LOVE Painting with a Twist. Probably the only thing I love more than PWAT is volunteering. When I found out about Painting with a Purpose I was thrilled and wanted to do one immediately! Each studio does it a bit differently, but they give 50-100% of the class proceeds to a specific ... read more

Classroom Survival Kit

Hi guys! Happy Friday! I'm sitting at Starbucks and wanted to stop by and share some must-haves for every classroom. When these ideas were originally spinning in my brain, I was trying to think of what would be most helpful for brand-new teachers! There is SO much to learn your first year and having a few simple systems in place can make all the difference! But as the ideas evolved, I realized so ... read more

Character Education

Hi friends! I wanted to stop by today and share all about Character Education. I believe that our students NEED us to model kindness and respect, and they also need explicit instruction on anything we ask of them. In this post, I'll have tons of ideas for you on character education! I hope you take away several ideas you can implement in your classroom tomorrow! Why Teach It?  I believe that ... read more

Teachers Give Back

Hi everyone! I wanted to stop by today and share a project that has been several weeks in the making! When we heard about floods in Louisiana, our hearts broke thinking about all of the families that were impacted! Soon after, it occured to us that were tons of teachers and classrooms who lost everything! Not only were these sweet kiddos displaced at home, they didn't even have a school to go to. ... read more

The Perfect Teacher Binder

Happy Monday! I wanted to stop by today and share one of my very favorite teaching tools, my teacher binder!! I just made one for my best friend, so I snapped a few pictures to show you how I set it up! :) Since I am staying home this year to focus on my family, and this little blog of mine, I made these pages for her! All of them I have personally used and LOVE and I hope she does ... read more

Latest on Pinterest

  • Get a year's worth of editable classroom newsletters! It is full of 115 adorable and eye-catching newsletters that you can send out weekly or monthly! | printable classroom newsletter, printable class newsletter, editable class newsletter, editable classroom newsletter, class newsletter templates, classroom newsletter templates, 5th grade newsletter, school newsletter, class newsletter template, school newsletter ideas, newsletter for teachers, newsletter ideas
  • Books about Jewish Holidays
  • This 275-page packet includes centers, activities, word lists and printables to teach vowel teams and dipthongs in your kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade classrooms! These games and activities are the perfect addition to your phonics instruction and can be used as a class activity or as literacy centers.
  • Holidays around the world is the perfect way to promote diversity and acceptance! This packet includes teacher discussion questions and prompts for 6 of my favorite holiday read alouds. I've also included printables for after reading to reinforce retelling, comprehension, and writing. These read alouds and comprehension activities talk about Hanukkah traditions and fun facts about the holiday.
  • Kwanzaa is a secular festival that observes and celebrates the cultural heritage and traditional values of African Americans. Kwanzaa takes …
  • Guided reading is one of the most powerful times of the day, and I wanted to make sure teachers had simple and effective tools at their fingertips to use! | guided reading survival kit, guided reading elementary, first grade guided reading, elementary guided reading, guided reading groups, guided reading first grade, guided reading activities, guided reading ideas, guided reading for first grade, guided reading organization
  • Before students are ready to talk about things like self-control and mindfulness, they need to be comfortable talking about their feelings. Kindness is a great place to start your social-emotional curriculum and I'm excited to share some of my favorite ideas with you! | lessons on kindness, kindness in the classroom, how to teach kindness, kindness lesson plans, character lessons #kindnesslessons #growthmindset #characterlessons
  • easy ramadan crafts for children, eid crafts for kids
  • Many of us have seen the infamous elephant toothpaste experiment before. But, have you ever considered turning that into a social-emotional lesson for the beginning of the school year? Check out my ideas for turning this exciting recipe for science fun
Follow Me on Pinterest