There are many skills that are learned in early childhood that are the foundation for skills that will be learned as they grow. Learning the alphabet, for example, often comes before letter recognition, learning how to put on a shoe comes before knowing how to tie the shoe, knowing how to count is typically learned before number recognition, and so on. Once those foundational skills have been learned and practiced, it opens the door for the next level of complexity to be learned.
There are many ways to teach these various skills and strategies. I’ve made a scavenger hunt game that you can play with your child or class as they are learning to recognize numbers. It’s quite simple— you cut out the squares with pictures, hide the pictures, then send a child on a hunt to find them. As they find each square, they can count how many pictures are on the square, then match and glue the picture square next to the corresponding written number.
If you want to reuse this activity, simply laminate the papers to protect them. You could put velcro dots on the back of each picture square and next to each written number. If you wanted multiple children to participate in this, you could assign them each a number, print off the worksheet on different colors of paper and have them find only their color, or encourage them to work with a partner to find each picture square.
This printable is free, but please only use for personal or classroom use. This is not intended for resale.
We can all agree that there are pros and cons to giving kids homework, and that it really should only be given if it’s meaningful. Reading, for example, is homework I’m never mad about. Building reading skills is crucial for life long success, and the more kids do it, the better they will be at it. Sending home a coloring page, however, doesn’t seem as meaningful to me. Fun? Sure. But a good use of precious after-school time? Not so much.
I saw a social media post the other day that got me thinking about things that aren’t assigned as homework, but maybe should be. Skills that are important for every day life, people skills, and problem solving skills. Grading them would be subjective, and participation and effort would matter more than the outcome, but what is learned/gained would set kids up for long term success beyond the walls of the classroom.
How would something like this be assigned and evaluated? I suppose it depends on the skill being practiced. Perhaps teachers can create a “menu” of possible skills for students to choose from. Maybe some teachers would want to assign everyone in the class the same task to work on. Some might even want to create “task groups” where small groups of students are all given a certain task and can help each other and cheer each other on. Evaluation might look like parents signing a log, pictures, written reflection, or some other tangible or observable result of the student’s practice.
What kinds of things would be assigned? I think this depends on your students’ needs and situations. Obviously, a high school teacher is going to assign some things that are geared more toward older kids, such as learning to balance a bank account, whereas a kindergarten teacher might assign something like learning to tie shoes.
Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
Learning to balance a bank account
Learning to make a phone call and set an appointment or order food— not everything has to be done through an app
Going to the store to make a purchase— selecting your items, conversing with a cashier, and sticking to a budget are great skills
Cooking a simple meal (with adult supervision)
Spending time outside— fresh air does wonders for both the body and mind
Doing a puzzle or playing a board game with at least one other person— teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship are essential
Sitting down to eat a meal as a family— a great chance to have good conversations
Helping with household chores— those skills are needed!
Helping people
Learning how to write a letter, address an envelope, and send it in the mail
Go to the library, get a library card, and check out some books
Free play— giving kids unstructured play time is SO important for their imaginations
If possible, learning how to maintain a yard
Learning how to give and receive compliments
When it’s an appropriate age, learning to ask someone out on a date, face-to-face
Finding a good sleep routine
Screen-free time— it’s good for so many reasons
Spending time at a retirement or assisted living facility— the older generation can teach us so much
Meditation
Some might argue that parents should be incorporating these skills into their family’s routines and lives, but not all family situations allow for things like this, and unfortunately, not all parents are supportive and involved in their children’s lives.
And yes, teachers already do so much, using their days to teach core subjects. But I don’t know of a single teacher that wouldn’t mind devoting at least a little bit of time to helping their students build skills that will set them up for life long success.
Regardless of where you stand regarding these things being assigned as homework, I’m sure we can all agree that the rising generation needs support, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate life and learn essential skills.
Sometimes kids get a little mixed up when trying to understand the difference between fact and opinion. In their minds, their opinions make sense, and seem like fact to them. They often cannot grasp the idea that other people might think differently or have different preferences. A fun way to introduce the concept of opinion is by using “would you rather” or “this or that” type activities.
In order for students to understand that people can have differing opinions, they need to see and hear it. Students need to also be able to defend their opinion with more than just a “because I like it” as their reasoning. If given a choice between the ocean and the mountains, and the ocean is chosen, the student should be able to explain what it is about the ocean that they prefer.
To help you with this activity, I’ve created a worksheet for you download for free! I’ve made two different worksheets— one to be used as a writing assignment, and the other to be used as a math assignment.
On the writing worksheet, you will find several pairs of words. Have students read through each pair and circle which of the two words in the pair they prefer. Then, have them choose three (or more if you want) of their choices to defend. On the back of the worksheet, have them write a short paragraph about why they prefer the word they circled, giving concrete examples and solid details.
On the math worksheet, you will find the same pairs of words. Again, have students read through each pair and circle which of the two words they prefer. Next, students will ask each classmate what word they circled, then put a tally mark next to the corresponding word. Once they have asked all of their classmates, they will total the tallies for each word, then fill in the bar graph accordingly. Finally, students will write three questions that could be answered using the data displayed on the bar graph.
If neither the math or the writing worksheet fits your needs, you can always just use the “This or That” pairs as an ice breaker or conversation starter. It’s also an excellent self-starter for the beginning of class or a time filler when you have just a few extra minutes left in class.
However you use it, I hope you enjoy it! As always, my downloadable worksheets are strictly for classroom or personal use only. Please do not resell, repost, or claim as your own.
I typically only have one of my kids home with me each afternoon, but yesterday my kindergartner was home sick. My preschooler was excited to have a buddy at home with her, and insisted they play with our magnetic tiles. I got them out of the closet and expected them to start building and creating with them. Instead of doing that, I was surprised to see that they had begun to sort the tiles by size, shape, and color. My teacher heart leaped as I watched them unintentionally engage themselves in a pre-math activity. Learning without them knowing it’s learning? Yes, please!
These kinds of activities are a win-win for both kids and teachers (or parents). The kids are going about the task, having fun playing, all the while learning or practicing skills or knowledge they have learned. Oftentimes as teachers, we purposely set up these kinds of activities for our students. We try to plan and execute fun, engaging ways to teach our content. We intentionally create opportunities for fun in our classrooms— sometimes students can hardly believe that they are actually having a fun time at school!
Sometimes these kinds of activities and learning opportunities happen naturally, without us even trying, such as what happened with my kids and their magnetic tiles. These unintentional lessons can be a gateway to further learning as kids experiment with methods, concepts, and ideas. They can lead to increased problem solving, hypothesis forming, and further investigation.
If we can get students to become active participants in their learning, they are more likely to remember what is being taught. Connecting an experience to a concept allows for the brain to create a new synapse or neural pathway. It’s amazing! Allowing the brain to work cooperatively with the hands, eyes, ears, and other senses heightens the learning experience and makes it more memorable.
When we allow kids to push the limits of learning on their own, amazing things happen. If we let go of some of the control over an activity or task, oftentimes students will take control and learn more than we had planned for— which is never a bad thing! It’s hard sometimes to let go and allow students to explore, but the reward can be great if we do.
Giving students the opportunity to take initiative with what they are learning lends itself to students becoming more engaged and interested in the learning process. It’s especially amazing if they get to a point where they forget or don’t even realize that they are learning or doing school work. Having fun and learning? A golden combination, for sure!
Today I’m spotlighting another one of our incredible Build A Better Future Scholarship awardees, Maria Avila-Silva. Maria’s project, called Pathfinders, was founded with the goal to help immigrant and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students like herself build confidence and find access to the resources needed for post-high school education.
Maria resides in Florida, where she recently graduated from high school. She also completed two semesters of the Innovation Academy Program at the University of Florida. She will be attending Santa Fe College this fall, with plans to major in economics on the pre-med track. Maria and her family immigrated to the United States from Venezuela when she was in middle school, and her favorite treat is Cri-Cri, which is a chocolate bar from Venezuela.
When Maria and her family moved here to the US, she remembers feeling isolated, alone, and unseen. She didn’t know the language and felt intimidated. Because of her experience, she had the desire to help other immigrant students so they did not feel the same isolation and confusion she did. She told me, “I didn’t want anyone to feel as unseen or unsupported as I once did. I wanted to make sure that every student, no matter where they came from or what their background looked like, could have a fair and equal chance at going to college and pursuing something they love. I knew that without guidance, that dream could be out of reach for many so I became the person I once needed.” Thus, the idea of Pathfinders was born.
Maria began by speaking with teachers to get their feedback, then researched strategies on how to teach and motivate students. She wanted to create a safe space for the students who would come through her program. While her project didn’t have any large expenses, there were some costs that needed to be covered. Maria wrote, “I… covered the costs myself, from snacks to materials, using money from a part-time job. I wanted students to know someone believed in them enough to invest in them personally.”
Projects like this don’t come without their difficulties. For Maria, that meant trying to balance her project with her own academic responsibilities. She quickly learned strong time management skills, learned to prioritize, plan ahead, and ask for help when it was needed.
As she learned to balance it all, the project grew and so did its impact. Not only did Pathfinders make a difference for immigrant and ESOL students, the general student body began to take notice, bringing more understanding and respect for the immigrant ESOL students. The students involved with Pathfinders became more confident— asking questions, getting involved, and finding a place in their school community. With Maria’s guidance and help, students in Pathfinders were able to apply for (and some even received) scholarships, apply to college, and find the resources they needed to be successful. This program created a family of students, who came together from different backgrounds, all with a common goal— to feel seen, included, and successful.
Though she is preparing to begin her college courses, Maria plans to maintain contact with her students, and to continue to be available to answer their questions about college, scholarships, and housing, or to simply talk through their concerns. Maria’s goal was to help students find their way and purpose, and in doing so, she also found hers. She said, “I made lifelong friendships and learned the true value of showing up for others. It taught me that action speaks louder than words, and that change doesn’t have to come from a big organization or a massive budget, it can start with one person deciding not to stay silent. It deepened my love for community work and affirmed that my purpose lies in using my voice to empower others. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would, a thousand times over.”
What an amazing project, Maria! I have no doubt you made an incredible and lasting impact on the students you worked with and helped. Thank you for sharing your talents and passion with the students involved in Pathfinders, and for allowing us to get a glimpse into the amazing and powerful change you brought. We wish you the best of luck as you move forward with your college career!
We’re just over a week into the new school year, and one of my kids has already pushed back over required reading time. For the past several years, his teachers have set a required time for reading every night, ranging from 20-30 minutes. As an avid reader and former teacher, I’ve obviously been on board with these daily reading requirements. It’s a no-brainer for me.
This year, however, his teacher won’t be assigning a specific amount of time or number of pages to read each night. Instead, students have a chart on their school computers where they can log any minutes they read, though it’s not a requirement or an assignment. Naturally, my son took that to mean, “I can read for even just one minute and put that in my log!” Fourth graders, right?! You can imagine his dismay when I told him that even though his teacher wasn’t going to assign reading time, my husband and I were. Despite his nightly protests, we have held strong to this boundary, and most nights, after his 30 minutes are up, he asks if he can read just a little bit more— and who am I to say no to that?!
You might wonder why I choose to pick this battle. After all, it would be much easier to give up the fight and not have to listen to the whining and protesting every night. I’d probably even gain “cool mom” status with my son if I didn’t have him read. But honestly, I am not out to win “cool mom” status, and pushing through the whining is 100% worth it to me.
You see, I’ve encountered so many teenagers who struggle to read. Kids who really are very smart and capable, but just are not where they “should” be in regards to reading. Kids who are terrified to read out loud in front of their peers because they are not confident in their reading abilities. One way to combat this is to have kids read regularly— even a short 15 minutes a day can make a world of a difference in reading ability.
Reading goes so far beyond opening a book and following along. It opens doorways to many other skills! Reading increases vocabulary, improves writing skills, boosts confidence, encourages imagination, and increases knowledge, among other benefits. Reading is a life long skill. I know not everyone will continue to pick up a novel and read as adults, but the foundational skills gained through reading in the younger years are vital. Even on days I don’t pick up a book to read for fun, I am still reading things all day long— a menu at a restaurant, a recipe as I cook dinner, the labels on food at the store, road signs, texts, social media posts, and so on. The ability to read is one that cannot be put on the back burner.
In order for young kids to become better readers, they must keep reading. If someone wanted to be a better football player, they would continue to play football. The same goes for reading. It is simply a skill that must not be ignored. I might even go as far as to say that reading is one of the most important skills that can be learned. It is, after all, something that is used in every other subject they will learn. It is a skill that they will use no matter what career path they use.
So the next time your child or one of your students complains about reading time, remind them that you are actually helping them— Helping them become better readers, writers, thinkers, and doers, because reading is the key to opening doors to the future.
3….2….1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there. It’s August, not January.
You know the routine: a new year comes, and you excitedly set some goals or resolutions for yourself, only to have that excitement and motivation die out by February. I know I can’t be the only one who is guilty of this pattern.
Now, I know that it’s August, and most people aren’t even thinking about their goals for next year quite yet, but hear me out. What if, as teachers, we encouraged our students to set a goal for this new school year? A _______ Grade Resolution, if you will (you fill in the blank with whatever grade you teach). What if we take the time to teach our students how to set a goal, plan an appropriate attack strategy, and execute said plan so that they can see how powerful goal setting can be? What if our students gained more confidence in themselves and reached goals they didn’t think they could? What if?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t see a lot to lose here. Even if the goal isn’t reached, think about all that would be gained by trying! Confidence? Determination? Planning skills? I know I wouldn’t be mad if I made improvements in all of those areas!
Before you go forward with this, let’s remind ourselves about effective goal setting. It isn’t super beneficial to simply say you want to achieve something; you need a plan of action on how you are going to achieve that something. The goal needs to be realistic, progress needs to be measurable, and there need to be some parameters established. Essentially, the intended end result should be planned out in SMART goal style, with the goal being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. If students can plan a goal with these five areas in mind, their overall success will be much greater.
Most of us teachers know what a SMART goal might look like in relation to our jobs, but what might a SMART goal look like for a fourth grader? Let’s look at an example and see what each step might involve.
SMART Goal: I will improve my reading level by two levels by the end of the school year.
Now, let’s break this goal apart by looking at each of the five areas:
S: Specific. This means that the goal is detailed, the parameters are clear, and there isn’t any confusion about what is to be achieved. In this example, this student wants to improve their reading level by a certain amount by a specific date.
M: Measurable. A solid goal is one that can be tracked or measured. You can create data of some kind to see where you started and where you end up. In this case, the goal is to increase reading level by two levels. This is an easily measured goal, as progress can be monitored, recorded, and charted.
A: Attainable. When setting a goal, you need to be realistic. It would not be beneficial to set a goal that is so far out of reach, there is no possible way it can be achieved within the time frame you set. Using our example, if this student had said that they wanted to be reading on a college level by the end of fourth grade, it might not be super attainable. However, setting a goal to improve by two reading levels is going to be reached much easier.
R: Relevant. A goal needs to be relevant to the person or situation. If setting a goal to exercise more, you wouldn’t want to include anything about increasing your reading level. The goal needs to make sense for the time, place, and person. In our example, it makes sense that fourth grade student would be setting a reading goal to improve their reading skills, because that is something that would be worked on in that area and at that time.
T: Time-bound. Good goals need to have time limits. Obviously, it behooves all people to continually improve, but if a goal is to be measured and tracked, setting time limitations is helpful. In the example above, the student sets a time by which they want to have their goal achieved— the end of the school year. Having a clear end date can help the goal setter to plan accordingly. If they achieve the goal before the end date, great! If they need the full time they have decided upon, great! Setting a schedule can help motivate the person to continue working toward their goal, and to take steps along the way to push them toward their end goal.
Having students create and plan their own SMART goals is a great way to start the new school year. It will give the students something to work toward and look forward to. Goals give a sense of purpose and direction. You might consider creating an outline of some kind for students to follow as they create their goals. Have them do regular check-ins regarding the progress they are making. Track that progress so that they can see that their work is paying off and really is moving them toward their desired end result.
When they reach the end of their set time frame, have them evaluate themselves— did they achieve their goal? What kind of, if any, set backs did they encounter? If they didn’t make it to their goal, why? What kind of progress did they make? What did they learn along the way?
Celebrate their efforts, and encourage them to continue setting and working toward goals. Perhaps you might even consider setting a class-wide SMART goal that you can all work toward together, fostering class unity and purpose. However you do it, consider incorporating SMART goal setting in your curriculum! Goal setting is a great life skill to have, and knowing how to properly set and achieve a goal will give students an advantage as they get older.
