Student learning expectations begin the moment they walk into our classrooms on the first day of school. As experienced teachers, we all understand the importance of teaching procedures and routines. We set the bar high to stretch our students and help them grow. One of the expectations I set right
Daily classroom routines are a must in my life. I recently decided to go back to school seeking a Specialist degree. If I’m honest, that has kept me busier than I anticipated. So, I’m willing to try anything I can do to simplify things and make my life a little
Are you considering flipping your classroom? That’s where I was a little more than a year ago. And perhaps, like me, you aren’t sure where to start. You know the basics, but how do you get started? I wanted to flip my classroom as a move toward creating a student-centered
What do your students choose in math? Do you allow them the opportunity to have choices over their learning? Does that idea seem overwhelming? What if I told you that you could let your students have choice in the classroom, and as a result, they would be more willing to
You’ve made the decision. You are ready to start giving student choice in the classroom. You’ve gathered a few ideas, and you are feeling excited. Perhaps you have even downloaded my FREE choice board template and have already created weeks of choice board warm-ups. The only thing left for you
Let’s just go ahead and start off here with what is potentially an unpopular opinion. I don’t give Math homework. This is not to say that I don’t provide my students with practice. It just doesn’t look like traditional homework in my classroom. One of the many reasons I don’t
I may not have used the term student centered math activities as a new math teacher, but I knew that is exactly what I was looking for. See, math was not my best subject in school. Sure I could regurgitate what my teacher did, but I didn’t fully understand it
Gone are the days of big heavy textbooks. And to be honest, I’m here for it! I love that my students can take more ownership of their learning by creating their own textbook through setting up interactive notebooks. If you are just getting started with interactive notebooks, you might be
If you have been in the classroom for a few years, I am sure you have seen a variety of trends come and go. There is something you should know about me and educational trends. I am a self-identified sparkly object chaser. What do I mean by that? Whenever a
What comes to mind when you think about a math choice board? Do you immediately imagine hours of work creating the choice board followed by more hours grading it? I know that is a common myth. But it’s just that – a myth. Creating a math choice board doesn’t have
Would you recognize a student-centered classroom if you saw it in person? Do you have a student-centered classroom? If you are like me, sometimes we tend to overthink terms like this and what they mean. I would be willing to bet that there are aspects of your classroom that are
It’s the last 5 minutes of class. The lesson is over. The assignment is complete. How are you going to fill those last few minutes and avoid chaos from ensuing? Don’t worry friend. I got you. We won’t let those last 5 minutes of class go to waste. You can
Do you use exit tickets for math? Perhaps you tried before, but you struggle to be consistent with them. And does it even matter? Do they actually benefit your students or are they simply a time filler? Those questions and thoughts are just a glimpse into the conversations happening in
Creating a student centered learning environment can be scary at first. After all you are putting a great amount of responsibility in the hands of your students. For example, have you ever asked your students to give you a report card? Have you ever asked for their feedback on how
Confession: I’m a sucker for sparkly objects. What does that have to do with helpful websites to teach math? When I discover a new website or a new tool, I’m going to try it out. It’s a sparkly object that grabs my attention. And I’ll even confess I’m typically quick
You want to provide your students with choice so they will start to take ownership of their learning. You see other teachers doing it and it looks great, but you just don’t know where to start. It all feels so overwhelming. I get it. I’ve been there. But my guess
Creating a student centered classroom has completely transformed the way I teach. There used to be a saying that was all the rage… Be the guide on the side and not the sage on the stage. If I heard that once in my first few years of teaching I heard
What inspired me to create Valentines Day math activities? As a sixth-grade teacher in a middle school, my students ask every year if we are having a class party. They ask at Christmas time and again around Valentine’s Day. This is their first year without classroom parties and they are
Do you ever find yourself looking for new ways to help your students practice different math concepts? I like to change things up from time to time because I get bored. One of my favorite activities that I insist on keeping in the rotation? Math Scavenger Hunts. I love them.
Does the idea of giving your students choice in the classroom overwhelm you? Does it feel time-consuming? Or maybe it feels like you cannot possibly give choice without chaos? Neither one of those two things has to be true. Let’s start by addressing the time issue. We are busy people.
Does the thought of giving up control and allowing your students to have a choice in the classroom cause you to panic on the inside? I would be lying if I said this wasn’t me. Or at least it used to be me. Until I figured out that giving students
Using a choice board for Math has completely changed how my students feel about Math. Seriously. Do your students lack confidence when it comes to math? Do they lack the ability to persevere through those more challenging problems? The answer to those questions was a big resounding YES for many
Have you ever felt uninspired when it comes time to check for student understanding? Perhaps you have found yourself in the middle of a lesson and needing to gauge whether or not your students are grasping this new concept the way you hoped. Things are flowing pretty well, and you
Are you looking for Google Classroom tips to help you get organized? I feel you. It has taken me quite a bit of trial and error to find a system that works for me and my students.
For quite some time, my Google Classroom felt like a hot mess.
These Google Classroom tips have been a game changer for me.
This Middle School Teacher Gift Guide is filled with some of my favorite things and I’m sure your favorite middle school teacher will be pleased at punch to receive a gift from this gift guide. This Middle School Teacher Gift Guide is made by a middle school teacher for middle
What are Boom Cards? The short answer is they are self-grading digital interactive task cards that provide data for teachers.
Do you use Google Forms in the classroom? If you answered no, you are not alone. Maybe you answered “Every once in awhile.” or even “Yeah, they are great way to give a quiz!”.
I have 5 reasons why you should be using Google Forms in the classroom.
Are you the type of person who loves to set goals every January when the calendar rolls over to a new year? I’m definitely that type of person. I’ve always loved a new year, whether it be a new school year or a new
I wanted to give my students a formative assessment while providing remediation all at the same time? Is that even possible? It is!! Do you know those Choose Your Own Adventure books? My brother and I loved those books when we were kids! Are those even still around? I haven’t
A few summers ago I attended a training for a program called Capturing Kids’ Hearts! Let me tell you it was hands down the absolute best professional development I have ever had. I am such a believer in what they are doing and promoting. It is all about building relationships
Teaching integers is one of my favorite topics. Why? Because in the beginning students act as if they will NEVER understand Integers. Working with negative numbers is sooo hard and confusing. And then they get it!! Plus there are so many real life examples and activities that can be done
Welcome to Room 124! Allow me to show you around. I’m going to do my best to link all the resources so if you see something you like just click on the picture. I’m joining the #OBSERVEME movement this year. I’m a bit nervous to have this sign outside of
What is the best resource in your classroom? Is it technology? Is it your classroom library? Is it those interactive notebooks? When I asked teachers on Instagram what they believed was the number one best resource in their classroom, most of them answered with something related to physical environment. Anchor
Imagine your students just completed an Exit Ticket. Or maybe it was a quiz they just finished. You need to grade it quickly so your students can have that invaluable feedback. But you have plans tonight and there is no time for grading over 100 papers. It’s easy to imagine
Hey y’all! Who is ready for this week’s #TechTipsTuesday? This week’s tip is one requested by you guys. I am excited to show you how to create your own task cards using QR Codes. These task cards have the ability to shift the responsibility of learning from your shoulders to
Hey y’all! Happy Monday! Did you know Amazon Prime Day started today? I don’t know about you but I love a good deal. I tend to find and buy things that I otherwise would not have needed or even wanted. I just can’t resist those sale items. Today I have
Hey y’all! I’m Elaina, better known in the social media world as The Classy Teacher. I am blessed to get to teach my very favorite thing of all the things. Seventh Grade Math! But believe it or not, math as not always been my favorite. See, I was never the
I used to think elementary when I heard someone talking about math stations. Four or five years ago a mentor of mine taught me that math stations are not only doable in middle school, but middle school students still love them. And y’all I haven’t looked back since. I love