Well, after several years of teaching, I figured it was time to update some of the posters and signs that I have made along the way. I went into my classroom the other day because I know that time in August will be limited and I dug through the things that I hang up every year. I pulled out a handful of hand written signs that were in desperate need of a facelift. I brought them home and got to work on the computer. Here's what I came up … [Read more...]
Reward Coupons: Incentives that Students Actually Find Motivating
Every year I wish that my students will come into the classroom on the first day of school with an innate desire to do their best all the time. They often do not. As the year progresses, I am often able to help my students become more intrinsically motivated. Motivating students often leads to the Prize Box. So many teachers have prize boxes which are a great way to get students' attention and motivate them in the classroom. While I usually … [Read more...]
Motivating Printable Classroom Posters
Here are my Reading Signs Like most teachers, I love to add brightness and motivation to my classroom, but I am on a budget! I can't go out and buy all new things to liven the place up. When I was was going to college, I had a teacher that told me it was important to put "good" things on the walls of my classroom for those students who might be zoning out. While I would prefer to think that my students will be completely engaged in every thing I … [Read more...]
Freebie!!! Classroom Behavior Plan That Works: Baseballs and a Clip Chart
Here's a freebie you can use for your class!!! Another thing that I am refreshing/updating in my classroom is my behavior system. When I first started teaching I went through many different behavior systems until I finally found something that worked best for me. My first year of teaching third grade showed me that students really need boundaries and they need clear expectations with follow through. I knew that I wanted to have a clipchart in the … [Read more...]
Multiplication “Multiples” Clip Cards
It has been a bittersweet summer this year. I am cherishing every minute with my daughter and I am working hard to get back into "teacher" mode. Summer is my favorite time of the year and I am looking forward to my family's yearly trip to the Outer Banks in NC...but that week borders on the start of the school year. One thing that I am doing to get ready for the school year is cleaning out and organizing my math centers and games. This … [Read more...]
Interactive Reading Journals/Notebooks: Starting The Year Off Right
A few years ago before the school year started, I stood in my classroom with two huge piles of notebooks. I knew there had to be a way to practice our reading standards and skills while creating a reference tool for my third graders. I had always used a writer's notebook, and I really liked the way I could teach mini lessons and my students could reference the information if they needed to. I looked around online and learned about the concept … [Read more...]
