Here is a scene from my first years of teaching that I am not particularly proud of. I would often pack up a stack of student writing journals and take them home. I would pour myself something to drink, sit down at the kitchen table, and get to work marking up every misspelling, every missing period, every lowercase letter that had absolutely ... Continue Reading
A Step-By-Step Approach to Test Prep Opinion Writing
You know that feeling when test prep season hits, and you pull out practice passages? Half your class stares at the blank page like it personally offended them. The other half writes two sentences and declares, "I'm done!" And the brave souls who actually try? You get back a hot mess with zero text evidence and a conclusion that says, ... Continue Reading
How to Fit Science Into Your Already-Packed Week (Without Dropping Anything Else)
Let me guess. Science is on your schedule. It's on your plans. It might even be color-coded. And yet somehow, every single week, it's the first thing to go. Reading ran long. A math lesson flopped and needed a do-over. Someone cried. Someone else needed a bathroom break at the absolute worst moment. And just like that — Friday arrived and ... Continue Reading
How a Predictable Reading Routine Creates More Independence (Not Less)
I used to think routines were the enemy of creativity. Predictable? Boring. Repetitive? Snooze. I wanted my classroom to be exciting—full of fresh activities and Pinterest-worthy surprises that made my students gasp with delight. So I spent every Sunday creating brand-new reading activities. And every Monday? My students spent half the period ... Continue Reading
The Spelling Routine That Actually Works (and Only Takes 10 Minutes A Day)
Most teachers I talk to have the same frustration when it comes to spelling: it feels like a lot of time and effort for very little payoff. Students memorize a list, pass the test on Friday, and then turn around and misspell those same words in their writing the very next week. Others struggle all week and never really get the words at all. And ... Continue Reading
8 Simple Tips for Teaching Fiction Narrative Writing
I loved to teach fiction narrative writing at the end of the year. Students are always excited to finally get the chance to make up their own stories and they find fiction narratives fun to write. It’s so easy to engage kids in fiction writing, even when they are otherwise distracted by sunny skies, so this is a great unit to teach after ... Continue Reading
5 Easy Ways to Help Boost Writing Test Scores
It’s that time of year again. Every teacher’s favorite season . . . testing season. But preparing for standardized tests doesn't have to be difficult. Today I am sharing 5 easy ways to help boost writing test scores. I firmly believe that the best way to help your students become better writers is to make writing fun. Each of these strategies is ... Continue Reading
FREE Leap Day Activities
Leap Day is upon us! Get ready to celebrate Leap Day 2024 in the classroom with these FREE Leap Day Activities. What is Leap Day? February is the shortest month. It usually has 28 days. But every four years, an extra day is added to the calendar. And this is the year! It actually takes 365¼ days for the Earth to orbit the sun. A typical ... Continue Reading
3 Tips for Selecting the Perfect Texts for Teaching Close Reading
Close reading is an important component of literacy education. It’s essential not only for meeting state standards but also for deepening students' comprehension skills. However, engaging young learners in this repetitive and meticulous process can be a challenge. Today, I’m sharing 3 tips for selecting the perfect texts for close reading that will ... Continue Reading
FREE Spelling Activities for Students in Grades 2-5
Teachers are always on the hunt for easy spelling activities. You want something fun that students will enjoy. But it has to be simple to implement. No one wants to clean up sand or shaving cream every week. You also want it to be effective at helping students learn their spelling words. So, we created a FREE resource to help. This new ... Continue Reading
