With all new technology, I sometimes forget that some of the best study strategies for my students are the old fashioned ones. Making flashcards out of simple note cards is actually my favorite study strategy. It causes the student to be active in writing out the questions and answers by hand. This alone allows students […]
Incorporating Games into Reading Time
For many students, reading is a fun and enjoyable time where they can learn new things and build on their strengths. But for many other students, reading is a dreaded time. This is especially true if the student has a weakness or disability in the area of reading. It’s hard to make reading fun for […]
Helping Kids Get Organized!
As a middle school teacher, organization is one of the biggest areas that I see kids struggle with on a daily basis. As adults, most of us have already established our own routines that work for us and help us be organized. It’s our job as teachers to help students find those strategies and routines. […]
New Years – A Perfect Time for Goal-Setting
With New Year’s Day upon us in just a few hours, I thought about how right now is a great time for teachers to help students write meaningful goals. So many adults make their New Years Resolutions and our students should too! What is important is that students learn how to set goals that are […]
Last Minute Holiday Classroom Ideas
In my school, we are encouraged not to target any one specific holiday during this time of year so that no students are left out. Sometimes, this is challenging because many great lessons and activities are focused around Christmas. For the many teachers that have to teach in the next couple of days right before […]
Keeping Positive Communication with Parents
At this time of year, everything is so busy! Everything from planning for the holidays to planning lessons through December. It’s so busy that I sometimes forget to do something critical to each child’s success in my classroom – keeping an open (and positive) line of communication with parents. One very simple way to solve […]
Close Reading: Getting the students to ask the questions
As teachers move towards a style of “close reading”, it is more and more important to get students involved in their own learning when they read. The goal is that students are independent readers who can think critically about a text. Getting the students themselves to ask questions is one way that allows them to […]
The Teacher-Student Connection
I would say that the most powerful item in my certified “bag of tricks” is simple: really connecting with the kids. Kids can totally see when an adult is being genuine and cares about them. They notice if you remember what sports they play, who their favorite band is, or how many siblings they have. […]
Getting Kids to Really Read
One observation I’ve made over the years is that the students who actually enjoy reading make the most significant gains with reading. And yes, I mean “really read”. That means reading something they like, not just because a teacher said to read it. I know this sounds SO obvious! However, it’s always a struggle getting […]
Surviving December-
Besides June, I would say that December is the most challenging month for my students. We have just had several days off due to Thanksgiving Break, and now the holiday break is just weeks away. While I am excited, the kids are just plain restless. It’s hard to get them back into the groove for […]
