For years, you have been asking for spelling tips, tricks, and strategies. I’d get questions all the time like “Jamie, how did you teach spelling?” "How did you make spelling fun?” “How did you differentiate?” “When did you teach spelling?” “Why don’t you share your spelling strategies with us in your ELA posts?” And the answer was . . . well, I ... Continue Reading
Carnival Week: An End of the Year Celebration Students Will Love
The end of the school year is a fantastic time to have a little fun with your students. But that doesn’t mean you have to watch movies or play 7-Up all day long. In fact, the days go faster (and kids behave better) when they are actively engaged in learning. So why not have a Classroom Carnival? I can already hear the questions, but I assure you ... Continue Reading
What does it mean to be a good teacher?
For the longest time, I believed three myths about being a good teacher. I started to believe these myths from watching other teachers in my school and reading Pinterest-worthy posts on social media. Maybe you've also accepted at least one of these myths at some point. Myth 1: Good teachers work long hours. They come in early, and ... Continue Reading
A Teacher’s Story of Infertility and Miscarriage
I’ve written hundreds and hundreds of blog posts; but this one is more personal, more triggering, and more challenging than any of the others. Please don’t continue to read if you are not in a place emotionally to do so. My feelings won’t be hurt. In fact, I understand better than most. Some days, even the word “baby” can send me down a spiral. I ... Continue Reading
Hooray! State Testing is Over–Try These 5 Fun Activities
Whew! You made it through testing season! It always feels like a relief when state testing is over. But now that the tests are out of the way, you might be wondering how to keep your students engaged until the end of the school year . No worries! I’ve got 5 fun (and mostly FREE) activities for you to try. These ideas will make sure your kids are ... Continue Reading
Teaching Opinion Writing: 8 Must-Do Tips
I love teaching opinion writing. And students love it too. Opinion writing is the third writing genre I teach. I recommend teaching writing in units, starting with personal narrative, informational report, opinion writing, and finally fiction. This approach allows you to spend eight full weeks practicing one specific type of writing so ... Continue Reading
Celebrate National Poetry Month with these 10 Easy Activities
April is National Poetry Month. This is a great time to introduce your students to the joys of poetry and help them understand why poets and poetry matter. These 10 activities make it easy and fun to Celebrate National Poetry Month in the classroom. 1. Sign up for Poem a Day Get a new free poem in your inbox each day with Poem a Day. This ... Continue Reading
6 Easy Easter Activities that You Will Want to Try This Year
Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin’ down the bunny trail. And your students are probably feeling dizzy with spring fever. They are likely consumed with thoughts of candy and Easter baskets, or at the very least a few days off to play outside. These fun Easter activities will keep them busy and learning. I’ve rounded up six easy ... Continue Reading
Close Reading: A Simple Classroom Routine
Close reading is an important skill for students to learn. Close reading is required by the common core and important for success on standardized tests. It is also a skill that students will use throughout their academic careers. As kids engage with more difficult texts both in literature and content areas, they will rely on close reading ... Continue Reading
4 Fun Test Prep Activities that Your Students Won’t Hate
"Hooray! It’s test prep season!" Said no teacher ever. But test prep activities don’t have to be boring. So skip the workbook and try these fun test prep activities instead. Test prep activities that are fun will actually help better prepare students for tests. These activities will keep kids interested and engaged. And when students ... Continue Reading
Grab these FREE 60 writing prompts for grades 2-5.