Distance learning is a challenge for so many teachers, but I keep thinking back to the classes of first graders I spent so much time teaching in small groups, in a really responsive way as they navigated early reading. I got to thinking, what in the world could guided reading look like during distance learning? [...]

Recently with a shift in distance learning, teachers are working hard to give their students access to books without being in the actual classroom for the read aloud experience. I have always loved my fairy tales unit in the elementary classroom, and I used many of these comprehension activities to help teach comprehension skills with [...]

Distance learning is a real thing. It's a widespread real thing in our world right now. As I write during the Coronavirus/ COVID-19 outbreak, schools across the US have shifted to online learning activities. I have been chatting (Virtually) with my teacher friends, I have been a parent in the community, and I have been [...]

Ok... what in the world happened since I posted last! It feels like things have changed so quickly with long term school closures popping up amid this very strange time in our country and world.  I have been working from home since my little gal was born, and I'd love to share some things that [...]

When spring is in the air, we all know that our students sometimes require that "little bit extra" to stay engaged.  Designing and using spring themed literacy centers or activities is one great way to engage them during this time of year. I designed and used several different spring centers with my first graders. We [...]

Classrooms are busy places with such a wide range of learners. Differentiation can be quite a challenge, especially with the time constraints and classroom management challenges that come with teaching early elementary students. I absolutely LOVE using a center or station based approach for both reading and math. A center based approach, even for some [...]

Being a teacher is not easy... I'm guessing we pretty much all agree on that. But during my time substituting at the beginning of my teaching career,  I began to notice another job with its own unique challenges... paraprofessionals. In fact, my days substituting for paras were some of the most demanding and exhausting of [...]

St. Patrick's day is such a magical time where students are thinking about leprechauns, shamrocks, and treasure Oh My! It's such a great opportunity to capture that excitement in their writing. Since 7 is my lucky number, here are 7 St. Patrick's Day themed writing activities are great ways to get students thinking and writing [...]

  I've shared before that I'm a huge sucker for thematic units and them   atic activities. I think they're super engaging, and holidays are a perfect time for thematic resources! This year I've been working on creating resources for younger students at the preschool and kindergarten level. I thought maybe you'd like to try [...]

Whether it was our All About Me unit, or just a little something special to celebrate classroom birthdays, I often found myself looking for fun birthday themed books to add to my classroom library. Here are some of my favorite picture books about birthday which are great for preschool and early elementary students! This post [...]