Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Word Work for First Grade: Our Weekly Routine

Word work for first grade kids should be fun and engaging. I used to think this also meant wacky and spontaneous, but I quickly learned children thrive within routines. Having predictable schedules and systems doesn't mean you have to sacrifice fun. In fact, most kids are more eager and receptive when they know what to expect. Wondering what's going to happen each day leaves many children feeling … [Read more...]

Classroom Jobs for Kids

I used to rotate my classroom jobs for kids. When I was a new teacher, this looked like changing the job chart each day, but that felt sort of random and like I was wasting time ... an expensive commodity in my busy teacher day. It didn't take long for me to realize that all I had to do was extend the schedule and change the jobs weekly instead. Duh. That was a little better, but I didn't like … [Read more...]

Teaching Kids How to Ask Good Questions

How do you teach kids to ask good questions? The standards are pretty clear. In K-1 classrooms, children need to be able to ask and answer questions about key details in a text. And in second grade, students should be able to ask and answer questions such as who, what, when, where, why, and how to demonstrate understanding. Many children naturally ask questions and LOTS of them. But some kids, for … [Read more...]

Teacher Planning and Productivity

It took me a long time (years) to wrangle my teacher planning routine into something that looked slightly healthy. When I began my career, it was a badge of honor to be the last car in the parking lot. Each day, I got to school when the head custodian opened the doors. And each evening, I was one of the last teachers to leave. On the weekends, I squeezed family time in between chores, errands, … [Read more...]

Outdoor Classrooms: My Summer PD Playlist

Outdoor classrooms and open-air schooling aren't new ideas, just forgotten. But the Covid-19 pandemic reignited the fire as teachers and parents got creative about redesigning safe learning spaces for kids. In some ways, history is repeating itself. At the beginning of the 20th century, the rising number of TB cases combined with the 1918 flu pandemic sent everyone in search of fresh air. It was … [Read more...]

Teacher Podcasts: A Summer PD Playlist

I love teacher podcasts. I don't always have to time to sit and read, but I do spend a lot of time walking and driving, and podcasts are the perfect company for those times. I've been keeping notes about my favorite episodes from this year, so I put together a summer playlist for teachers. I know ... It's only May. We're still in school. We're tired. And we certainly are not thinking about … [Read more...]