Books That Celebrate Love, Family, and the People Who Care
These books honor the special people in our lives—the ones who care, support, and show us love. These stories remind us that families comes in many forms.
“Page Turners for the Final Stretch”
May and June are packed with excitement, celebration, and sunshine! We kick off with tacos and traditions on Cinco de Mayo, take a galactic trip on May the 4th (‘May the Force Be With You!’), and honor our heroes on Memorial Day. As the school year wraps up, we celebrate all we’ve learned and look forward to sunny summer adventures. Whether you’re into history, fantasy, or fun-in-the-sun reads, there’s a book waiting to match the moment. Let’s celebrate the season, one page at a time!”
Awesome Picture Books That Will Inspire Perseverance
These picture books show young readers how to keep going when things get tough, how mistakes can lead to growth, and how effort matters more than perfection.
Test Time? Let’s Turn the Page with Confidence!
Testing season can bring big feelings, but the right stories can help students feel calm, confident, and ready to shine. These picture books are perfect for encouraging perseverance, easing worries, and reminding kids that trying their best is what truly matters. Let’s face those tests with brave hearts and strong minds, one page at a time!
Springtime Board Books that will Bring New Wonders
Spring board books have bright colors, playful illustrations, and rhythmic text that mesmerizes young readers while introducing them to the wonders of spring.
April Blossoms: Books to Nurture Confidence and Self Belief
Building confidence in children is one of the most important gifts we can give them. Confidence doesn’t just help kids believe in their abilities; it’s the foundation for resilience, independence, and a positive self-image. Here are some books that will support this growth in children.
Spring Into Stories: April’s Book Picks
April is a month full of possibilities, and for young readers, it’s the perfect time to dive into books that spark creativity and curiosity.
Cute Spring Style-April Showers Bringing May Flowers
Spring Fashion
April Teacher Styles-Bring on Spring!
March and April Teacher Styles-Bring on the Spring!
The Power of Kindness: Small Acts, Big Impact
In February, we focus on kindness as we celebrate Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. Here are some of our favorites..
January SEL Focus: Courage-Building Books for Students
Little Yellow Bus,
The Jar of Laughter,
Be Brave Little Penguin,
Brave Irene,
I Am Courage,
The Day You Begin,
A Little Spot of Courage,
When You Are Brave,
Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave
Helpful Books for Reading Development in the Early Years
These helpful books encourage future basic reading skills. Shop our helpful picks collated from the Southern Schoolhouse, then cuddle up and enjoy!
Reading Development; It’s Never too Early to Begin
There are plenty of easy and fun ways to support your child’s reading development—and it’s never too early to begin. These easy tips will help your future reader!
Easy School Outfits from the Southern Schoolhouse
Even teachers shop for their back to school outfits. Southern Schoolhouse has put together cute inspiration for your classroom style.
Easy School Rompers from the Southern Schoolhouse
Even teachers shop for their back to school outfits. Southern Schoolhouse has found some cute rompers, inspiration for your classroom style.
Top 10 Budget Must Haves for the Special Education Classroom
If you are just starting out as a special education teacher and have limited cash (hah!) you can adapt or create materials and deliver multi-modality lessons using these budget friendly items.
Greatest Tote Ever! Bogg Bag and Accessories for Teachers
The Bogg Bag is a stylish, durable, and washable tote made for life on the go.
Easy On the Go Calm Kit that Supports Students Anywhere
Having a portable calming kit ready to go is a game changer in the classroom. This simple tote holds everything you and your student will need.
Easy Ready to Go Sensory Bag for School Assemblies
A ready to go sensory bag for school assemblies.
Terrific Educational Games That Work in the Home and Classroom
Growing up, many of us played classics like Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly, and Scrabble. While those games are timeless favorites, sometimes we want something fresh games that truly spark excitement and bring the family together. In this article, I’m excited to share some fantastic reading and math board games that are not only educational but also a blast for everyone to play.
Turn Math into an Adventure with Math Start Books!
I use the Start Right books with my younger students to reinforce various math concepts, making learning both educational and enjoyable. I am still building my collection and have mostly Level 1 books because that is where a lot of my resource students fall. Below you will find some of my favorites!
Counting Made Fun with These Magical Counting Storybooks!
I love using these magical counting storybooks by by Amanda Sobotka with my younger students throughout the year! Whether it’s counting pumpkins in a Halloween tale, reindeer at Christmas, leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day, or counting turtles, bulldozers, and fish, these books make learning fun and engaging! Each story features vibrant illustrations and exciting themes that keep kids excited as they count, touch, and explore.
Poke-a-Dot Adventures in Reading
Poke-a-Dot books are popular and fun because they connect interactive play with storytelling. Kids love pressing and popping the colorful dots, which adds a tactile part to reading, making it more engaging.
Outfits that Score some Big Points on Game Day!
Game day is the perfect time to show off your team spirit! Explore these outfits to be game-day ready and flaunt your team pride in style!
ABC Adventures: Fun Learning for Young Minds!
Exposure to the ABC alphabet books supports building a foundation for early literacy and language development.
Wear Your Passion: Apparel for Specialty Area Teachers
Themed shirts have become a popular trend at our school, with teachers showcasing unique shirts for holidays like Halloween, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, and more. Now, we’re introducing everyday shirts designed just for our specialty area teachers! These shirts let Art, Music, PE, Reading, and Math teachers show their school spirit and add a fun, personal touch to their wardrobe all year round.
Teacher Tested Sneakers, Pain No More!
Walking and standing on the school’s tile floor and putting style over comfort, led to knee and hip pain. Wearing shoes with no support had to be discarded as I switched my focus to supportive shoes. I invest in my shoes because it invests in my body. When I first put on my On Cloud Monsters, I could not believe the difference they made. I was actually able to run with no knee pain. I have had three past knee surgeries and thought running was a thing of the past. Although a higher price tag, I believe in the product and would highly recommend buying a pair. The following shoes have been tested by myself or my family. They are my top choices for teacher comfort sneakers and super cute too.
Chapter Books for the Hesitant Reader
Most of my experience as a regular education teacher has been with the upper elementary students. As the students move into 3rd grade, they move towards reading chapter books instead of picture books. A pattern I noticed over the years is that students enjoy having that chapter book in hand whether they can actually read it or not. The thicker the better. Chapter books just become “the thing” when the students get into the upper grades.