Figuring out how to maneuver different schedules is a fact of life as a teacher.   Between my recess and lunch times, the aide I am lucky enough to have, and the RSP teacher who also needs to schedule into my room to work with students (not to mention any specials we have throughout the week...I know, we are lucky to have them!), I have quite a ...

On the one hand, spending a morning with preschoolers can be lovely and simple.  Read stories, play, follow routines, talk, play outside, learn about interesting things. On the other hand, spending a morning with preschoolers can be made frustrating and complicated.  And that can be from outside forces, or it can come from me. I had my second ...

I wanted to share my new blog with all of you! Add it to your reader or follow it on google.  http://samcooltoolsfortheclassroom.blogspot.com/ Its all about cool and techy tools to use in the classroom. 

Last week I ran a giveaway, and the only thing readers had to do to enter was put a comment with an idea of something they'd like to read about in my blog.  I got some great ideas from readers' comments! More brain based ideas TechnologyDr. Seuss Mother's Day ideasIdeas for themesHow we share holidayIdeas to help the children feel ...

These are 26 Labels 2''h x 4''w each with cute graphics appealing to young students.  The labels are: Opposite Match, Today’s Pattern, Word of the Day, Calendar, Graph Question, Days of the Week, Months of the Year, Dateline & Weather, Hundreds Board, Clock, Coin Counter, Daily Depositor, U. S. Map, World Map, Problem of the Day, Place ...

These are 26 Labels 2''h x 4''w each with cute graphics appealing to young students.  The labels are: Opposite Match, Today’s Pattern, Word of the Day, Calendar, Graph Question, Days of the Week, Months of the Year, Dateline & Weather, Hundreds Board, Clock, Coin Counter, Daily Depositor, U. S. Map, World Map, Problem of the Day, Place ...

I used to read to my students every day for five minutes. We would set the timer, and I would begin five minutes of uninterrupted reading.  Sometimes, the students would be “Guest Readers”, and they would get a chance to read the book to their peers. They loved it, and so did I.  Then I [...]

This is the first card I’ve got posted above my meeting area blackboard.  Here’s what I do to help the children meet these goals: Copy/print own name:  The children are expected to sign in every day.  Some of them could write their names already, but others had no idea at all.  I showed them that they can scribble or do pretend writing, and a ...

Miss Mellow and I met at a coffee shop on Saturday morning to plan out our year.  We worked for an hour and a half and could have easily gone for another hour.  We were in the “flow” and having a great time discussing curriculum, how to balance all our frameworks and expectations (and all that is expected of us), and what really matters in ...

This morning I put on my lovely new red coat and went out to meet the buses as they arrived.  When bus 3 came, I caught Cherry and Chutney as they got off and had them wait with me.  When all the kids were gone, the driver got off, and I told her that I was their teacher, and that we were there to apologize to her for their behavior last ...