Sometimes I really miss teaching in Hawaii

I was lucky enough to spend a year teaching amazing first graders.  I remember walking in on the first day being a bit out of my element.  For one, I get HOT when I teach and my room had no air conditioning, just fans and slats in the windows to let the warm Hawaiian air […]

Classroom Management Trophy

A Classroom Management Trophy is a great idea my students love and a way to get rid of some of your old trophies! I’ll randomly put one of these babies on someone’s desk who is deserving of it. It’s a real big hit in my classroom and my students take a lot of pride in displaying […]

Family Literacy Handbook

Are you ever scrambling for literacy activities for your students to work on at home? Are parents asking for more homework? Did you forget it was your week to copy homework packets and you need something…FAST? Do you wish parents were more involved with their child’s reading? I’ve got the perfect tool for you!!! DOWNLOAD […]

Sunday Sillies

There have been so many times throughout my years teaching where I think “Geez, I should really write some of this adorable stuff down.”  So time to start a new tradition to help you look forward to your work-week, introducing “Sunday Sillies!!!” Enjoy!

Teaching Tip: Being Honest

Source: Uploaded by user via C on Pinterest Here’s a good teacher tip I use with my kiddos if they are not being honest. I tell them that “teachers have a special power, we can see a purple dot on your forehead if you aren’t being honest. The magical thing is that only teachers can […]

Differentiating Reading Instruction…where to begin?

I remember when I first began teaching, I was overwhelmed with all of the learning styles, abilities, and outside influences that affected my students and their success.  After a few years, advice from veteran teachers and administrators, hours of PLC meetings, 300+ hours of training and workshops, I feel like I’ve finally got it down.  […]

Word Study

What is Word Study? Research suggests that the brain is a pattern detector, rather than an applier of rules (Cunningham, 2004). If our brains are indeed “pattern detectors,” then we should provide our students with plenty of opportunity to investigate and organize those patterns. Fortunately, we are now seeing dramatic and exciting changes in the teaching […]

Open Court: K and 1st

My school district uses Open Court as our core reading program.  Open Court Reading 2002 ensures that every child receives the best reading instruction available. This structured program teaches children through a systematic and explicit scaffolding of skills that build upon each other. By taking into account the individual needs of students and providing them […]