Category: Teaching Tips

Have you ever asked your students to write a story with their spelling words? It may not seem like the most original assignment, but the

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A class handbook is a great way to share your classroom guidelines, explain your policies and procedures, and communicate with parents. These editable classroom handbook files and templates from Laura Candler make it easy to create a class handbook that rocks!

I’m excited to be joining some of my favorite upper elementary teacher bloggers who have put together a Teacher’s Back to School Survival Guide with

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Guest blog post by Molly Phillips of Classroom Confections This post was inspired by a t-shirt. That’s right! While wearing a ‘smile’ t-shirt at the

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Making the Most of Math Homework

Is homework effective? Educators seem to be evenly split on this question. Some insist that homework is essential because students need to review and practice

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Who likes to sit in a hard chair all day? I know I don’t, and my students didn’t either.  Classroom carpets are nice, but there’s

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Math Games Make Learning Fun!

Spring is the perfect time to use math games with your students. Either you are finished with testing and the kids are restless, or you

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With the attention given to the Common Core Informational Text and Literacy Standards, it’s easy to overlook the other ELA standards, especially the Speaking and

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How well do you know your states and capitals? I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge gets rusty if I don’t review them

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Did you know that there’s a difference between cooperative learning and group work? You might have thought those two terms were synonymous, but they’re not.

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Who doesn’t love a game? In the mathematics classroom, games offer an engaging alternative to worksheets, allowing students to work with others and have fun while learning.

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Math Mindsets Matter: How Can Teachers Foster a Growth Mindset in Math?

The more I learn about growth mindset, the more fascinated I am with this topic, and the more I realize I have yet to learn.

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Making the Social Studies and Literacy Connection

September 17th is Constitution Day, and it’s a great time to integrate social studies into your literacy lessons. I discovered two outstanding informational text books

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Category: Teaching Tips

Spelling Stories – Creativity Unleashed!

Have you ever asked your students to write a story with their spelling words? It may not seem like the most original assignment, but the resulting stories are always tremendously creative! This assignment may not sound exciting, but it’s an extremely effective way of assessing how well your students understand

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A class handbook is a great way to share your classroom guidelines, explain your policies and procedures, and communicate with parents. These editable classroom handbook files and templates from Laura Candler make it easy to create a class handbook that rocks!

How to Create a Class Handbook that Rocks!

I’m excited to be joining some of my favorite upper elementary teacher bloggers who have put together a Teacher’s Back to School Survival Guide with some of our best tips! Most schools have a handbook of guidelines and district policies, but have you ever thought of creating a handbook just

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5 Ways to Make Your Students Smile

Guest blog post by Molly Phillips of Classroom Confections This post was inspired by a t-shirt. That’s right! While wearing a ‘smile’ t-shirt at the Vegas airport, a security guard came up to me and said, “Thank you for making me smile. I saw your t-shirt. It brought a smile

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Making the Most of Math Homework

6 Tips for Making the Most of Math Homework

Is homework effective? Educators seem to be evenly split on this question. Some insist that homework is essential because students need to review and practice skills at home. Others argue that it’s a waste of time and a burden on families, especially when some parents are not willing or able

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Tips for Using Camp Chairs in the Classroom

Who likes to sit in a hard chair all day? I know I don’t, and my students didn’t either.  Classroom carpets are nice, but there’s never enough room for everyone. Bean bags are fun, but they split and leave the room littered with little white styrofoam pellets! Camp chairs to

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Math Games Make Learning Fun!

Math Games Make Learning Fun!

Spring is the perfect time to use math games with your students. Either you are finished with testing and the kids are restless, or you still have testing ahead of you and your kids are restless! Math games will motivate your students, keep them on task, and also help them

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The Core of Effective Collaborative Discussions

With the attention given to the Common Core Informational Text and Literacy Standards, it’s easy to overlook the other ELA standards, especially the Speaking and Listening Standard. But even though this is not a tested area, speaking and listening skills are extremely important. Knowing how to participate actively in a

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Fun Games for Learning the 50 States

How well do you know your states and capitals? I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge gets rusty if I don’t review them from time to time. I’m fairly good with capitals, but some of those state locations can be tricky to remember! I guess it’s because I’ve

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Cooperative Learning – More Than Group Work

Did you know that there’s a difference between cooperative learning and group work? You might have thought those two terms were synonymous, but they’re not. Let me show you how they are worlds apart. Does this scenario sound familiar? The teacher assigns a group project, outlines the task, and gives

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Tips for Teaching with Math Games

Who doesn’t love a game? In the mathematics classroom, games offer an engaging alternative to worksheets, allowing students to work with others and have fun while learning. They’re perfect for practicing new skills or reviewing previously-learned content. Math games are extremely versatile and can be used in cooperative learning teams, in small

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Making the Social Studies and Literacy Connection

Making the Social Studies and Literacy Connection

September 17th is Constitution Day, and it’s a great time to integrate social studies into your literacy lessons. I discovered two outstanding informational text books to read and discuss with your students, and I couldn’t resist creating some freebies to go with them! Both books are perfect for upper elementary

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