This post was updated on 8-9-22 with some new titles! Here’s the link. One of the best first weeks of school activities is to read aloud to your students. The first week, especially, can be unpredictable in terms of planning and knowing how long everything will take when your students are new to your classroom.… Read More
My favorite way to begin math block at the beginning of the year involves focusing on fun math activities, building students’ confidence, and learning about growth mindset, all in the same task. Dr. Jo Boaler of Stanford University has done amazing work in this area. Her website is youcubed.org. I especially love the Week of… Read More
At the beginning of the year, teachers are establishing routines and helping students to feel comfortable and independent in the classroom. WRITING: Predictable routines and independence are especially important in the teaching of writing. I love this visual from Two Writing Teachers about how writing workshop should look: Source: Two Writing Teachers Even if you… Read More
The first day of school is a little unpredictable in terms of time. Since you will be introducing so many classroom routines and procedures and doing community-building activities, you might not actually start your academic work blocks on the first day. Still — you want to emphasize the importance of the subjects you teach, especially… Read More
Every teacher wants to keep kids engaged and help to build a growth mindset in their students. Today’s post is all about ways to do that. Here are 7 of my favorites plus a few more I want to try this year 7 FAVORITE ACTIVITIES 1 – Morning meeting or morning rituals are a great… Read More
In my last post, I shared ten of my favorite back-to-school activities. In this post, I’ll share ten more. You might also want to check out THIS post about building classroom community. I know that seeing lists of tons of ideas can be overwhelming. Just pick and choose what sounds like a good fit for… Read More