Classroom Management – Start with the Small Stuff
Let me be honest – classroom management has never been my strong suit. I am soft! I admit it! As a young teacher I loved my students and I just wanted them to “like” me. I couldn’t be “mean”. Big mistake! I am also soft spoken so getting students to “hear” me was difficult. Being tough just didn’t come naturally, but slowly year after year I learned and improved.
Make Your Own Letter Formation Sand Tray and Letters
Prior to owning my sand tray. I used a plastic pencil box filled with a little salt or sand. I filled the entire bottom of the pencil box with about a half an inch of sand. These boxes were perfect due to the built-in lid.
How to Teach Letter Identification and Formation
Teaching letter identification and formation is a commonly taught skill in early grades and special education. All littles, including those with motor and attentional difficulties will benefit from a multi-sensory approach to learning this skill.
“It’s Time to Go!” How Morning Routines Save the Day
If you are a working mom or dad trying to get your children out the door in the mornings, you understand this title.
How our Homework Routine Saved my Sanity
In my morning routine article, I told you a little bit about my son, Jayce. He was my easy going, laid back, big hearted child; but when it came to getting things complete, he waited until the last minute. Being the opposite, I thought I would lose my mind. When it came to homework and our busy schedules, I had to come up with a routine to make sure everything was completed. This article will explain how I managed to do that.
“Dirty Laundry, Dishes, and the Never-Ending Spin Cycle!”
When the kids were younger, it was hard to manage cleaning the house during the week. In the beginning, I would wait and do everything on Saturday. Then Sunday rolled around and I was preparing for the week. It was as if I didn’t even have a weekend break. My Saturday was consumed with cleaning, washing and folding a lot of clothes. My Sunday was spent preparing for the week. All of my kids were active in sports and dance. When Kayla started playing soccer, her games were played on Saturday. As a result, my all day cleaning did not happen. At that point, I knew I had to come up with a better plan that worked for my family. I decided that each day after work, I would choose something to do. Of course there were things that needed to be done daily such as the floors swept, dishes, etc. The other items, I decided would be separated and one completed each day.
Tools, Not Traps: Harnessing Sensory Items for Success in the Resource Classroom
As a mother of four I have been blessed to see children grow through all developmental stages. Each child is different, but stages are similar. At each level and into adulthood, sensory input is important. It is how we learn, show and feel love, and regulate our emotions.
“What Time is Practice Again? Tips for Managing a Busy Schedule”
One of the most asked questions besides “What’s For Dinner?” at my house. My life is organized by a calendar. I have two that I use, one being my google calendar and the other being the calendar on my refrigerator. My google calendar is mainly for me because I get alerts about meetings, appointments and practices. The calendar on my refrigerator is for my family and it fills the need for them to ask me 20 questions about the schedule for the week. Originally, I had a wall calendar (nothing wrong with that) but I found the refrigerator is what is used the most and it is right there for everyone to see every time they open the refrigerator.
The Power of Greetings: It is the Little Things
I have realized over the years that students thrive when they are in an environment with established routines, clear expectations and a positive classroom culture. This is true for all the different roles in the school (classroom teacher, support staff, special area teachers and even administration). This may seem simple, but classroom management is one of the areas in which my mentees often ask for additional help.
The Pencil Problem
You know what I am talking about don’t you…
In a 4th grade classroom pencils disappear on a daily basis like snow when the sun comes up and the temperature rises, like snacks in my snack bowl when the clock strikes 9:30, like a piece of meat on the counter left unsupervised with a 90 pound German Shepherd in the house – well you get the idea.