Teacherof20

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Mistakes from My First Year Back in the Classroom

1. Being Too Friendly Students in 4th grade come across as very grown up. Even though their height may deceive you (especially in the 2nd semester), 4th graders are oscillating back and fourth between tweens that are exerting their independence by rolling their eyes at you and babies that look up to you and cry on your shoulder. This was quite shocking for me to see the disparity in behaviors, but now that i've done it once this year I know the subtle balance of being a 10 year old. This year I am going to know the balance between joking around with students and when students are expected to exhibit a certain behavior. As a first year teacher, you will have to play around with this and learn the difference between building relationships and rapport with your class and letting them walk all over you or cause you to be inconsistent in your expectations because you're trying to be the nice guy. An example: "Do I have to come to the carpet?" 2. Not Having Behavior Systems...

Strategies to Teach Cause and Effect for Elementary Grades

Meet Stephanie, the teacher behind School House Rap with over 20 years of experience and enjoys creating picture book companions. She's a picture book fanatic and loves using them to teach her elementary and middle school students. In fact, she's been known to break out with a spontaneous rap in the classroom, using picture book characters as her inspiration. Don’t worry; she won’t quit her day job. Understanding cause and effect is a critical skill in children learning to process the world around them. From recognizing that pushing a toy will make it move to understand that studying for a test can result in higher grades, grasping the concept of cause and effect forms the basis for problem-solving, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning. But how can elementary school teachers make this abstract concept more tangible for their young students? Let’s explore some engaging strategies to teach cause and effect to elementary students, making the learning...

Addition Fact Fluency

When I began my teaching career as a second grade teacher, there was one mathematical standard that frightened me the most. “By the end of second grade, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.” (CCSS 2.OA.B.2) I approached this standard in the same way in which I was taught my addition and subtraction facts by drilling my students with facts. I incorporated flashcards, games that required quick recall of the sum like knock out and around the world as well as weekly fact quizzes into my math lessons, but as the year progressed, there were two problems that surfaced. 1. My students were not engaged during fact practice time. To be frank, they were bored. 2. My students were not making progress on their weekly fact quizzes. Needless to say, I was feeling quite defeated. My second grade students were not going to know the addition facts to 20 from memory by the end of the year if I continued to employ the same strategies. Luckily, around this same time, I was a...

Embracing the Adventure: Math Back to School for Middle Schoolers

As summer draws to a close, it's time for students to pack their backpacks, lace up their shoes, and embark on a brand new academic journey. For middle schoolers, the back to school season is an exciting time filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and explore various subjects. in this blog post, we will dive into the world of math back to school activities specifically designed for middle school students. Additionally we will introduce a thrilling no-prep activity that combines math practice with technology, promoting engagement and a sense of adventure in the classroom. Making Math Fun Mathematics may not always be everyone's favorite subject, but it doesn't have to be boring. One of the key aspects of a successful math back to school experience is finding innovative ways to make learning fun and engaging for students. By incorporating interactive activities, puzzles, and games into the curriculum, educators can transform the traditional perception of math and ignite...

Back to School Classroom Decor

Looking for a cute new look to your classroom? Wanting to try something new this back to school season but don't know where to start? Last year I began teaching for the first time in 10 years! I wanted my classroom to be a space where I could relax and unwind, and an inviting space for my students. Teachers work long hours, so I knew this would be my home away from home. . First things first, I purchased a little coffee Keurig on sale with the themed color of my classroom. I needed to stay caffeinated for sure! :) The palate of my classroom is white, black, and succulents. Teal/turquoise is used as an accent color. The succulents have a splash of purples and greens as well. I didn't want to venture too far off from that palate. I created numbers for the backpack hooks , as well as inspirational posters (available in English and Spanis...

Three Easy Ways to Maximize Instructional Time

In my time in the classroom I've seen the teachers often spend so much time teaching routines and structures thereby neglecting the content. In this blog entry, I'll talk about how to leave routines the same, to free up time for teaching the content. 1. Teach the same game with different content. There are many games floating around that are all the same basic principle. Teach it, then change up the content it teaches. For example, in this October Freebie , there is a Spin n' Jump game. You can have this be an activity at a station all year, with different content. The Spin n' Jump game could be about 3D Shapes, sight words, vocabulary terms with non-linguistic representations...you name it! The game is the same, but you'd be reinforcing different content based on what you're learning that week. Likewise, with this Roll n' Graph game, found in the same freebie, you can use the same format, and change up the content in the game. I've used roll n' g...