School is about to start where we live, and all teachers know that the beginning of the school year is all about teaching routines and expectations. Doing a good job with this, in the beginning, will help set up your classroom for success. When I first started teaching, I remember another teacher telling me she doesn't smile or laugh/joke around with the kids until around Thanksgiving. (Keep in mind this was 4th grade.) I never was able to do that, but I tried to be firm and set the … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Use a Timer for Classroom Management
Disclosure: I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore Learning and am compensated for my work. I received the product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. It's not a secret that teaching is hard work. One of the most challenging components of teaching is classroom management...especially for new teachers! Teaching kids to read and write is the fun part, but when you don't have classroom management under control, your day can derail quickly. Do you know what my favorite … [Read more...]
How to Remove Permanent Marker in the Classroom
One of the tricks I learned as a teacher is how to remove permanent marker in the classroom. It's so easy and it will help you reuse so many items. Now this trick only works on smooth, plastic surfaces. But don't worry, I'll also share tips for getting that stubborn marker off of other things, too! First up, the trick you need to know ASAP! It's only 2 steps, too! Steps to Removing Permanent Marker Scribble over the markings with a dry erase marker. Wipe away with a cloth or … [Read more...]
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
Are you worried if your child is ready for kindergarten? As a mom to three boys and a former teacher, I know that it's common to wonder if your child is ready for kindergarten. It's such a big milestone and exciting time for your child! I've talked with many parents who ask me these questions... "How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten?" and "What does my child need to know before going to kindergarten?" They want a checklist and I totally get that! (And if you scroll down, … [Read more...]
Christmas in July Giveaways
We're nearing the end of July, which means it's Back to School season! I'm one of those people who loves summer and wished it lasted a bit longer, but I do also think Back to School season is exciting! Every July and December, I love to host giveaways. It's a fun way to give back to you all and say thank you for reading my blog and for all your support. This year, I will be hosting 5 days of giveaways from July 21-25th. Every day there will be a new giveaway. All of the details will be on … [Read more...]
Elmer’s Gue Slime
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. See my disclosure policy for more details. Are your kids crazy for slime like mine are?! Last week alone, we played with 8 different slimes! We made four of them, but we also tried Elmer's Pre-Made Slime called Gue. Yep, you read that right. It's called GUE...not Glue. 😀 If you want to know if it's worth it, the short answer is YES! It really is amazing and probably the best pre-made slime I've ever tried. We've been … [Read more...]
An Easy Fireworks Craft
Here's a quick, fun craft to try for the 4th of July! These salt and glue fireworks are easy and so fun for kids. You can make salt fireworks with just black paper, water, food coloring, dropper, glue, and salt. To begin, draw some fireworks with glue on black paper. Before the glue dries, pour salt on top. You could even have your little one do this. Then brush off the remaining salt. Next, fill some jars with water and add food coloring. Have your child fill a dropper with colored … [Read more...]
Sight Word Reader for the Word ‘Like”
One of the most requested sight word reader booklets is for the word 'like.' Today I'm excited to share this free printable with you! This booklet is about gardening and all the things the main character likes about gardening. The booklet uses sight words and other simple words for the sentences. It is a bit repetitive, which is good for beginning readers! They can also use the pictures for context clues and to help them read the sentences. I recommend using a marker to … [Read more...]
Father’s Day Letter – Free Printable
Father's Day is just around the corner! If you're looking for an easy and meaningful idea, check out this free Father's Day Letter printable! Some of us won’t be able to see loved ones for Father's Day this year, such as grandparents, so sending them something in the mail is the next best thing! I created this Father's Day letter for children to fill out for a father, grandfather or someone special in their life. You can have your child fill in the blanks and sign it at the bottom. … [Read more...]
Last Day of School Questionnaire
Hooray for the last day of school! Every year, I have my kids fill in a simple questionnaire at the beginning of the year and then we do it again on the last day of school. It's so fun to read their answers! You can find the first day of school questionnaires here. Today I'm sharing the same questionnaire for the end of a school year. These questionnaires are for preschool through fifth grade. You can download the questionnaires by clicking the links below! Last Day of … [Read more...]