Classroom management is a topic that teachers never stop discussing, no matter the school year’s time. Initially, you must establish your ground rules, expectations, and routines. In the middle of the year, you revisit procedures and rules after a longer holiday break. Finally, during those last months, you remind students of your expectations and routines…
Classroom management transitions, those brief intervals between activities, have the potential to either enhance or disrupt the flow of your primary classroom. As primary teachers, we understand the delicate dance required to manage these transitions effectively. They can quickly escalate into chaotic scenes, but with thoughtful organization and engaging activities, they can become opportunities for…
Welcome back, kindergarten teachers! As we gear up for another exciting year (oh, Happy New Year, by the way.). It’s important to think about the unique challenges of managing a kindergarten classroom after school breaks. Transitioning from the relaxed atmosphere of holidays to the structured classroom routine can be overwhelming for our little learners. However,…
Kindergarten teachers, are you searching for innovative ways to manage your kindergarten centers effectively? I decided I wanted an easy way for students to see and understand exactly what was expected of them at each center, and I finally found something that worked! Digital slides and visuals. Completely designed to streamline classroom management while enriching…
Today, I’ve decided I wanted to dive into a topic that I realize is often talked about but can still be one of the hardest parts of teaching kindergarten. That topic is behavior management. Picture this: a classroom where students confidently navigate tasks with ease and a classroom where you are not repeating directions and…
What I’m about to talk about is something that they just don’t seem to teach in your college-level courses, and it is something that can either make your year flow smoothly or turn it into the rapids in the Grand Canyon. Classroom management. Those dreaded two words are a topic that many college courses seem…
You’ve tried Facebook groups. You’ve tried coworkers. You had a mentor. Or worse, you’ve been all alone. Nothing has worked. Not the way you want it to. You still have chaotic parts of your Kindergarten day that keep you up at night. They may even be causing a gray hair or two. You need the…
Do me a quick favor. If you teach kindergarten, I want you to think about each of the following sentences. Do any fo these sound familiar? -You feel so wiped out by planning time, that you can’t get anything done -Your classroom is noisy and chatty, even when you feel you have given them clear…
The end of the year is the perfect time to start thinking about next year. Reflect on the things that worked well, and the things that didn’t. There were likely some big wins with your students this year…and maybe a few moments that made you think that you needed a new approach next year. If…
It’s March, and many of us around the country are dealing with one of two things. 1.) You have been in the classroom for a while already this year, and you are dealing with some antsy kindergarteners who are ready for a break. Or, 2.) You just recently transitioned to the classroom for the first…
At the beginning of the year it is important to introduce, model, and review expectations and routines on repeat, but it is also so IMPORTANT to… If we have been off for a long weekend, winter break, spring break, or any kind of break longer than our typical weekend (although let’s be real, sometimes after…
If you teach primary grades you know that it is incredibly important to establish clear procedures and routines with your little learners right from the beginning! This helps them understand exactly what is expected and also helps to keep your sanity, am I right?! In Kindergarten we spend a majority of our whole group instruction…
As elementary school teachers, one of the most crucial aspects of our role is fostering a positive and beneficial learning environment for our students. However, achieving this can sometimes be challenging, especially when faced with a variety of behaviors and personalities in the classroom. This is where classroom behavior management plans come into play. Let’s…
Establishing a strong sense of community within the classroom is super important when it comes to creating a positive and productive learning environment. When students feel connected to their peers and teachers, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and ultimately succeed academically. Furthermore, a supportive classroom community can help your classroom management, leading…
Capturing and maintaining students’ attention is a constant challenge in the classroom nowadays. It’s a dynamic space filled with diverse personalities and distractions, making it essential for teachers to have effective tools at their disposal. Attention-getters are one such tool—a repertoire of techniques designed to get students to focus and redirect their attention to the…
Classroom disruptions can turn even the most well-planned lesson into chaos. As teachers, we’ve all experienced those moments when unexpected interruptions suddenly throw off our carefully structured learning environment track. From noisy students to technological glitches, disruptions can disrupt the flow of instruction and hinder student engagement. In this blog post, we’ll explore common classroom…
We’re well aware of the challenges that come with managing classroom transitions. Whether it’s shifting from one subject to another, moving from individual work to group activities, or simply transitioning from one part of the day to the next, smooth transitions are key to maintaining a positive and productive learning environment. One effective tool that…
Creating a harmonious and productive learning environment in the classroom requires more than just engaging lesson plans and colorful decorations. Although I absolutely love both of those things. Knowing that those things alone do not make a classroom run smoothly is important. Classroom management is one of the most challenging parts of being a teacher,…
As primary grade teachers, we face unique challenges during the month of February, and sometimes, we just want to crawl into the corner and cry some tears while drinking our Starbucks, Dunkin, or water out of our Stanley cups. The long winter days and potential disruptions like indoor recess can test our classroom management skills…
I want you to imagine your classroom for a minute. Imagine not having a schedule. You can start reading and math when you want and send your students to lunch whenever you are ready. Each day would be different from the other, and if you already work in an elementary school setting, you know how…
Creating an environment where students thrive goes beyond traditional teaching methods. You want to create a classroom where students feel accepted, loved, cared for, and, for the most part, behave appropriately. Enter the world of Positive Behavior Classroom Rewards. A dynamic approach that acknowledges and celebrates our young learners’ positive choices and efforts. In this…
Building strong bridges between the classroom and the homes of our young learners is crucial. Effective communication with parents is a cornerstone of successful education and a powerful tool for creating a supportive learning community. One of the most impactful ways to initiate this connection is through well-crafted parent letters, newsletters, quick app updates, etc….
Congratulations, new kindergarten teachers! As you start this exciting journey, I know there’s a lot of stuff going on in that brain of yours! There is so much to get done before the year starts, and it can be challenging to figure out exactly where to start. I’m gonna help guide you through setting up…
Classroom affirmations are an important part of the kindergarten classroom. Students walk into a classroom they have never been in before and are expected to try and do hard things. They are often not used to the tasks in front of them, and getting students out of a fixed mindset and into a growth one…
