Classroom

15 Ways to Inspire Movement in Class

BevinJun 28

Parent Partnerships: Volunteers for Learning

BevinJun 16

13 Tips for a Talkative Class

I LOVE my class this year. Diverse. Capable. Sweet. Unique. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Hard-working. Funny. Lovable. These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my first graders. But one more word that also comes to mind is...chatty. Very chatty. We are a 'work in progress' with this. And thank goodness, we are continuing to improve each week. :-) Now, don't get me wrong, I believe a classroom should be FULL of rich, collaborative dialogue. Student discussion is vital, and our little guys need frequent opportunities to engage with peers and share their thoughts. I pride myself on having a dynamic, student-centered classroom that encourages this. To foster this kind of a climate, however, students also need to learn how to be effective listeners and independent workers. There are appropriate and inappropriate times for talking, and to get students to adhere to these boundaries, clear expectations must be set. Here are 12 ideas/strategies to try when working with a chatty class.

BevinOct 26

20 Dollar Tree Finds for Teachers

Dollar Tree is a thrifty teacher's best friend. I personally can't exit that place without a cart full of teaching supplies, organizational materials, classroom decor, readers' theater props/costume items, or prizes for my class shop. It's my go-to place when I'm in need of some retail therapy after a hard day's work. Sure, I'd LOVE to hit up J.Crew or Banana Republic, but Dollar Tree won't break the bank and it's always fun to do a little classroom revamping. Check out these 20 products along with ideas for cool classroom uses.

BevinJul 14

30 Brain Break Clips: Fight the Fidgeting!

Brain breaks have been all the rage for quite some time now. We've learned that regularly incorporating short movement activities into the instructional day not only allows children to get their 'wiggles' out, but energizes them and increases their ability to focus on the next learning activity as well. Let's utilize the technology we have to give the kids a healthy dose of pop culture and silliness all mixed into one. So, smack up one of these short clips on your SMART Board or Promethean Board and get to steppin'! These videos are sure to get your students (and maybe even you) moving and grooving!

BevinJan 5

50 "Community Helper" Jobs

As teachers, we want each child to feel special. We want each child to feel important. We want each child to feel like he/she is an integral part of our classroom community. Assigning a community helper job to every child not only promotes a sense of responsibility, but it can also help us maintain a smooth and successful learning environment. Here is a list of 50 possible community helper jobs that can be adapted to meet the needs of your specific classroom. If you have any questions as to what these jobs may entail, I'm happy to help. Now, time to put these kids to work! :-)

BevinSep 17