Simple Ways to Check for Understanding

We all know that it’s important to assess students. Assessment shouldn’t just come at the end of the unit or topic thought. Ongoing assessment, or formative assessment, should take place throughout the unit. Each day I like to do a quick and simple check-in on my specific objective for that day. I use the results to help me plan for…

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Massive List of Free STEM task cards

STEM task cards are cards that students complete to focus on a specific skill or concept. What makes them different from other learning activities is that each card focuses on one activity or problem. Students grab a card, complete the activity, and then start on another card. Some task cards can be completed quickly and students will work through an…

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What the Heck is STEM and How Do I Do It?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Concepts from these subjects are woven throughout the school day. STEM helps students develop key skills including: Currently, 75% of jobs in the fastest growing industries require workers with STEM skills. Part 1: Getting Started (Baby Steps) When teachers first ask me about STEM they usually feel really nervous. They think STEM…

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happy teacher

How to Eliminate 85% of Behavior Problems

When asking teachers what their number one challenge in the classroom is many, if not most, of them will say dealing with student behavior. Student behavior can make a teacher love or hate coming to school. It can turn a teacher from someone with joy and patience to someone who is angry and stressed all the time. Yes, those “challenging…

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Boys fighting at school

Teaching Kids to Problem Solve and Fight Fairly

Problem solving is a very important skill for students to learn. It’s not only important for their future but also the overall peace and management of your classroom. The more you train your students how to solve their own problems, the less you have to get involved in solving them yourself. Win Win! Here are three activities to get you…

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Engage Students with E-Tools from Flippity

I love when I find free interactive websites I can use in my classroom. Integrating technology not only saves you paper and time, it also engages students and builds 21st century skills. Flippity.net is a really cool website with different tools for teachers. You don’t even need to sign up for an account! Spinner This tool is called “random name…

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rubric

Taking Your Rubrics to the Next Level

In my first post about rubrics I defined what a rubric is and the parts of a rubric. Assuming you now know the basics, I’m going to talk about how to make your rubric even better. Here are some common problems people have when they first start developing rubrics: I have a student who falls between two boxes on the…

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Communicating with Parents from School

Having open and regular communication with parents is so important. Teachers should communicate often to parents regarding events in the school, student’s academic progress and their behavior progress. This post focusing more on ways you can communicate with parents about student behavior. If you haven’t read my post on my favorite classroom management systems, check it out by clicking the…

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Google calendar

6 Google Calendar Organization Hacks for School Principals

Principals often struggle with how to organize all the tasks and meetings they have in a typical day. It can easily be overwhelming. So, I want to share with you six calendar hacks I’ve learned that have helped me. If you’re not very familiar with Google Calendar or would like a refresher on the basics, check out this video from…

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7 Tips to Get Organized and Save Time

Time!! There never seems to be enough of it. No matter what you teach or how long you’ve taught, there’s always the need for more time . Over the years I’ve discovered several ways of organizing myself and my materials that create much more efficiency and ultimately SAVE ME TIME. I’ve compiled my top seven time saving tips below. 1.…

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