Teachers love a spotless classroom but that doesn't mean that can only be achieved through constant cleaning by the teacher. There's a huge secret to achieving a spotless classroom - and it requires little to no effort! The Typical (and NORMAL) Classroom First...
Hacks to Calm Down Your Chatty Class
This year, more than ever, we are seeing comments in our Facebook groups concerning an overly chatty class. With a chatty class being the trend, we tapped into the wealth of knowledge in these online groups. Below is a list of top tier teacher hacks for talkative...
New Student? No Problem!
It has happened to all of us...a new student shows up on your roster with little to no time to prepare. But, no need to stress! We have a teaching hack to share that will have you ready for new students at the drop of a hat. The secret to being new student ready?...
Teacher Maternity Leave Made Easy
Welcome, fellow teacher moms and dads, to a topic that's close to the hearts of many of us: preparing for maternity leave as an elementary teacher. It's a wonderful, life-changing moment, and it also brings with it the need for careful planning to ensure that your...
New 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher Must-Haves
Have you just landed your dream teaching job? Are you moving to a new grade level? Or, are you returning after a restful summer break and ready to start fresh? If so, this post has all of the teacher must haves: resources to make your new year of teaching easier! Let...
The 5 Most Important Skills for the Beginning of 1st Grade
The saying "Go slow to go fast" was MADE for the beginning of first grade. If you take your time and narrow your focus down from ALL the beginning of year things to just the essentials from day one, you'll set the stage for building more independent - and more...
No More Repeating Directions! Tips for Increasing Student Participation
Getting and keeping student attention appears to become more difficult each year! Students are distracted by a wide array of things, so is there a way to get their attention, give clear directions and increase their participation?! We think so! This post will feature...
Bulletin Board Tips, Tricks & Ideas
If you're a new teacher and you're staring at those blank bulletin boards thinking, "What in the world do I put on these??" Don't stress. Bulletin boards are all about what is helpful for you and your students. They can serve as academic anchors to be used for student...
Planning Tools For 1st Grade/2nd Grade
If you're reading this while thinking, "How do I even begin planning for 1st or 2nd grade?" or "What I did last year didn't work and I need to try out something new!" this is the post for you! Let's start by going over the basics for planning for 1st grade/2nd grade....
The 5 Most Important Skills for the Beginning of 2nd Grade
Believe it or not, the beginning of the school year is right around the corner! The start of the school year is the prime time to cement routines, procedures and foundational academic skills. This post dives into the top 5 beginning of the year skills for 2nd grade,...