The kids are back in school! (Lots of feelings, I know.) It's an exciting time, but we also know it'll be a long year if we don't establish our core values right off the bat. I personally don't enjoy chaos, so addressing these topics as soon as we return is important to me. In fact, it's at the top of my teaching to-do list. And, if you've ever had recess duty for even five minutes, you already … [Read more...]
Character Education – Developing Positive Traits at School
Character education is always high on our back-to-school to-do list. I mean, who doesn't want to be surrounded by people who are friendly, fair, and patient? Especially if you're spending most of your waking hours with them. Establishing classroom management systems is important at the beginning of the year, and a big part of each system working well is having a community that acts with … [Read more...]
Hand Signals in the Primary Classroom
When I think of all the things I did (and didn't do) as a new teacher, yikes. It's a memory lane I sometimes detour around. But as you go, you grow, right? One of the changes I'm glad I made was introducing hand signals into my systems for classroom management. They're so simple. And even though we're obviously going to talk a lot in our classroom, these signals cut down on the need to chat about … [Read more...]
Voice Levels in the K-2 Classroom
Keeping kids' voice levels to a low simmer is no small feat. They're young, they're super excitable, and they have a lot to say. If you've spent even five minutes in a first grade classroom, you already know this. As an introvert, I need quiet time to get think-y things done, so I understand the importance of teaching kids how our collective voice levels impact the classroom … [Read more...]
A Letter from Your Teacher on the First Day of School
There are certain picture books teachers grab year after year because they're perfect for the first week of school. For us, A Letter from Your Teacher on the First Day of School is becoming one of those books. When you're working on setting the tone for your classroom and beginning to establish a healthy culture, this one's a great choice. There are so many directions you can take after reading … [Read more...]