I have over 30 years experience teaching and instructional coaching in upper elementary grades. Clearly, I love it or I would not have lasted this long! Here are 40 of my best tips for teaching upper elementary grades. Student Relationships 1 – Building relationships with every single student is job #1. Every day. Even the… Read More
Six things you can do or plan before the school year 1 – Plan routines and procedures ahead of time. Some think upper elementary students shouldn’t need this review/practice, but they do. Go ahead and plan for that. Here’s a free resource for reviewing classroom procedures. 2—Consider creating a digital “hub” for your yearly scope… Read More
Summer is a great time to think about changing classroom routines for the following year. While we get caught up in our standards-based teaching during the school year (as we should), we don’t usually have the time (or the bandwidth) to think of ways to change the routine. I have collected random ideas from teachers… Read More
We’ve reached the end of another school year. Chances are, you are exhausted and ready for a break. You might also be thinking about what you want to do better or differently in your classroom next year. So this post will give you five tips for wrapping up the school year, but I’m also giving… Read More
“End of year testing is my favorite time of year!” said no teacher ever. (No student ever either.) Unfortunately, the tests are here to stay. Teachers know that part of our job is to help our students be as well prepared for the tests as possible. How do we do that? How do we do… Read More
You can reset your classroom any time. It’s never too late! But one of the best times to consider a reset is after a break of some sort. Try some of these tips to reset! CLEAN UP *Clean up your classroom. Get your students to help. Somehow, a messy environment encourages poor work habits and… Read More