Creative Back to School Bulletin Board Ideas with a Purpose
Sometimes it is so hard to be creative when decorating our classrooms. Coming up with new ideas after teaching for a long time can be challenging. This year I decided to make my Back to School bulletin boards with a purpose. I wanted to use creative bulletin boards that taught a lesson. I also wanted […]
Preschool Activities to Teach Important Skills to Get Ready for Kindergarten
There are so many important skills for preschoolers to have to make the transition to Kindergarten smoother. Whether a child goes to daycare, preschool, or stays at home, there are many easy preschool activities that teach important skills to get ready for Kindergarten.
5 Tips For A Successful Back to School Night With Elementary Parents
This year was my 34th Back to School Night as a teacher! I tried many things over the years to make Back To School Night or Meet The Teacher Night successful. I want to share with you my five favorite Back To School Night activities and ideas that worked well in all different elementary school grades
Mentor Texts For “How-To Writing” for Kindergarten and First Grade
It is important to teach children with explicit instruction and practice, especially when working with new writers. When I plan a mini-lesson with a mentor text, I read it beforehand and add sticky notes with notes on what to point out to the students. My students think it is hilarious when I think out loud to model the how-to writing.
How Can Teachers Help Elementary Students Become Effective Writers?
How can we as teachers help students become effective writers? I must confess that as a classroom teacher, I often find it difficult to fit in writing time or writing workshop. That was until I agreed to teach a college course, Writing Across The Curriculum.
Teaching Important Skills Through Play-Based Learning and Dramatic Play
When I left the elementary classroom to become the director of a daycare and preschool, I was in a different world! One of my first responsibilities was to adopt a new curriculum for the entire daycare. As we adopted the Creative Curriculum, I was introduced to play-based learning and dramatic play.
What Is Project-Based Learning In The Elementary Classroom?
Project based learning is a method of teaching that teaches a concept while students acquire new information and knowledge as they are engaged in inquiry-based lessons. Project-based learning answers a driving question and is thought-provoking, uses higher-order critical thinking, and is open-ended. Students work in groups to answer an open-ended question, this is often called inquiry-based learning. PBL promotes critical thinking, communication, and creativity. It is a long-term student-centered project including feedback, reflection, and revision.
The Importance of Dramatic Play For Preschoolers
My dramatic play area is my favorite part of my classroom! I could spend hours setting it up and I love playing in it with my students. Dramatic play is a type of play where you give a child props or an “mini environment” to act out a role, for an example a doctor’s office. There are so many benefits of this type of play and as you watch them play, you will learn a lot about your students as well! So, what are these benefits ?
The Ultimate Trees Study for Preschool – Fun and Easy Ways to Cultivate Crucial Skills
One of my favorite preschool studies is the Trees Study. You can teach this study any time of the year with great success and fun ideas, but Fall lends itself to a lot of fun activities!
A Simple Idea To Teach Number Sense and Ten Frames To Young Learners
Teaching number sense to young children needs to be intentional and hands on if we are to reach all types of learners. In my Kindergarten class, I start teaching number sense and ten frames in the first few weeks of school which is the beginning of Fall.