Teacherof20

  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...

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...

  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...