HOT off the press!! The 2012 election is right around the corner! Regardless of your political views, this is a great time to teach students about American freedom and democracy at its finest. As an educator I am remaining neutral in all accounts, but it is very important that I lay the foundation for what…

My school mascot is the Bobcat. In our staff lounge we have a paw board that celebrates our Bobcat staff. The instructions are really easy: grab a paw, write an encouraging word to a staff member, and pin to the board. Voila! You have a positive brag board. I think this is a great way…

Remind 101 is a FREE fantastic tool for parents, students, and teachers. This product was introduced to me through one of my bloggy friends Erin Klein (in fact, I think she had a hand in developing it!). Anyways, I tried it for the first time this year and am totally hooked. Teachers, you gotta try…

This month’s character trait at my school is: Respect. Teachers are asked to discuss the trait in class throughout the month, encourage students to display that trait in their everyday lives as well as show some themed video clips here and there. My students know the word respect and were able to provide lots of…

My first year of teaching, it was all about ME. My next couple of years of teaching, it was all about THE KIDS. This past year, I realized it is not only about me and my kids, but their parents too. I never realized how much their support could help me in the classroom. Last…

Saturday afternoon, I was invited to join some amazing teacher bloggers! We met at the California Dreaming restaurant in downtown Columbia, S.C. (yes, the morning of a BIG gamecock game!). I loved finally meeting these ladies face to face and enjoyed some “real” talk about what was happening in our classrooms. The food was delicious,…

Since the Olympics have ended, I find myself realizing how symbolic the Olympic dream is… not only for athletes, but for students. Commentators interviewed athletes who shared their back-story, and it often lead them down a road of strife and struggle. But each athlete prevailed; sometimes with one less limb. Quite an AMAZING feat. This…

Oh the joy of teaching 3rd grade! The gap between 2nd and 3rd grade is as large as the Grand Canyon. Students walk in as babies and leave as mini-adults. The process is quite a metamorphosis (which is appropriate since we study life cycles in Science). Parents always question me when I begin assigning third…