A few weeks ago a friend brought a book over to my house. Now, I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable on children's authors and books, but I had never heard of this one. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith have created some of my favorite books to use in the classroom like (affiliate links) Baloney, The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 … [Read more...] about Fables with Squids Will Be Squids
Terrific Testing Tips
It's that time of year again, and while there is no denying that testing season is the absolute worst, I wanted to offer up some testing tips for making it suck just a little less. Gamify Test Prep Gamification works! By turning the review into games it increases engagement and allows students, and you, to have more fun with it. To check … [Read more...] about Terrific Testing Tips
Helping Students Follow the Rules
Do you have that one, or maybe nine, students that want to follow the rules? They really do! They want so badly to please you, but there seems to be this force working against them. These are usually your students that are hard on themselves, struggle to maintain self-control, and have a tough time in the classroom. They can also be some of the … [Read more...] about Helping Students Follow the Rules
How to Lose a Student in Ten Ways
Relationships are everything, but there are many ways to go wrong too. Here is a list of how to lose a student's attention in ten ways. Lose a Student's Attention by Trying Too Hard to Identify With Their Pop Culture I know what you are thinking, "But we are supposed to identify with them!" Yes, and no. When there is something in pop culture … [Read more...] about How to Lose a Student in Ten Ways
6 Ways to Love Teaching Again
I know you have heard it before. Teaching is calling, not a job. While that may be true, just because you are called to be a teacher does not necessarily mean that you always love it. This time of year, the joy of teaching always seemed to fade. The time of year when our days seemed to revolve exclusively around a test, not authentic learning … [Read more...] about 6 Ways to Love Teaching Again