Tag: elementary

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Start Low to Grow

Recently, my seven year old has started (loudly) expressing his disgust with me every time I remind him to do his assigned chore, pick up his room, help fold his laundry, etc. He is not interested in anything other than having fun, and honestly, sometimes I don’t blame him. In the midst of one of his defiant moments, he (again, loudly) said, “Mom! Why do you always have to boss me around and tell me to do things like clean my room?!” 

What I saw as a simple request for him to pick up his toys, he saw as me being mean and bossy. He saw it as a threat to his ability to choose for himself. And while that couldn’t be father from the truth, I can see why he might have thought that. As the adult, I can see the bigger picture at play here, and can see that teaching him basic skills when he is young will help him greatly as he gets older. As the kid, he only sees play time being taken away.

As his mom, part of my job is to teach foundational skills that will be built upon and that are necessary for successful adulthood. I wouldn’t expect him to plan, prepare, serve, and clean up an entire meal by himself– it would be a recipe for disaster! But, I can involve him in and teach him step by step. I can have him set the table, get ingredients out, or have him unload the dishwasher. Those are all skills he is capable of and can safely do. Learning a little here and a little there paves the way for bigger tasks later.

Teachers have a similar role with their students. We start at the bottom and work our way up. No one would expect a kindergartner to solve a three digit multiplication problem, nor would you expect a fifth grader to solve a complex equation designed for a high school senior. Doing so would just lead to frustration on all sides. Similarly, one wouldn’t expect a first grader to be able to write a detailed multi-paragraph research paper with properly cited sources, simply because they lack the necessary skills to do so. 

Providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully move forward is a crucial part of being a teacher. In order for teachers to know where to start, they need to know where their students are. This is why assessments are so important in the classroom. Teachers don’t have to give a big, formal test to see where their students are, though those do have their place. Informal assessments that are done along the way can be absolutely crucial to how a teacher moves forward with what they are teaching. 

As teachers gather formal and informal data, they are able to pivot and make any needed changes to how or what they are teaching so that they are able to help students succeed. It’s similar to when you are driving a car. Your mind is constantly making observations about surroundings, then telling you to make any needed corrections to keep your car where it needs to be. Paying attention early on and throughout the process can save you from going the totally wrong direction or worse, crashing.

It’s also important that we help students see why we are teaching the things that we are teaching. Like my son not fully seeing why I was asking him to clean up his room and do his chore, students also often miss the why behind what they are being taught. As we teach them and guide them into new material, we can remind them of what they’ve already learned that will make this new content more accessible, and we can also help them see that what they are going to learn will help them in the future as they build upon their knowledge.

Teaching can be overwhelming at times, sure. But so can learning, and it’s important that we keep that in mind as we prepare lessons and teach our students. We must meet them where they are, sometimes even back tracking a little if needed, to make the progress that we know they can make. When we do this, magic happens, and things begin to click in students’ minds. And that, my friends, is when the real progress is made.

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Cold Climate Memory

Gamification has started making itself more known in today’s classrooms, and it has proven to be a fun, engaging way to teach new concepts or review old ones. As I’ve talked about before– any time you can merge learning and fun is a bonus! 

These colder winter months are the perfect time to teach your students about cold weather climates and the animals that call these places home. There is so much to learn about these habitats and climates! I’ve created a simple, yet fun Cold Climate Memory game for you to use in your classroom as you teach about colder climates. 

Click on the file below to download your copy of this fun, engaging game to use with your students. 

** This file is intended for classroom or personal use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own. **

Cold Climate MemoryDownload
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Sub Plans? Ugh!

Your alarm goes off in the morning, and you can barely roll over to hit the snooze button one more time. Your head is pounding, your entire body aches, and your throat is on fire. You have a decision to make: call in sick or suffer through the day? For most employees, it would be an easy choice– call in and go back to bed. But you’re a teacher, so the choice is a bit more involved. You’ve got to call in, log in to the sub system and request a sub (and hope that someone will pick up the job), and then…

Sub plans. Ugh. 

The ever dreaded sub plans. The last thing you want to do when you feel like you’re on death’s door is write out lesson plans for the day with enough details that a non-teacher can carry them out without any problems. Sometimes it feels easier to just go to work anyway and hope you can make it through the day. 

But sometimes, life happens, and there are simply days that you will have to write last minute sub plans. Occasionally, you luck out and the lesson you already had planned for the day is simple, like a test day or computer lab day for research. More often than not, though, your already planned lessons and activities are too complicated to leave for a sub. When this happens, it’s best to have a back up plan. It may not have to do with the content you are currently teaching, but that’s okay! If it’s educational, keeps students engaged, and is simple enough for anyone to pull off, it’ll do! 

Being prepared can save you a lot of hassle in the event of an emergency sick day. Create a folder of emergency sub plans that a substitute can easily get to. This folder should contain a couple of different lesson plans, complete with full instructions and any worksheets or activities they will need. 

If you don’t want to have a physical folder with lesson plans and worksheets, another option is to create a digital lesson that students can access on their ChromeBooks. Have a webquest, digital assignment, or other task ready to be sent out in the event of an emergency. 

Another option is to have a fellow teacher help you out. Sometimes, circumstances just don’t allow you to spend much time prepping a last minute sub plan, and you have to rely on others to help you out. I remember one Friday morning, I had a fellow teacher text me in a panic because her baby had decided to come two weeks early, and she was unable to write out an emergency sub plan, as she was at the hospital. She asked me to make some extra copies of the lesson I was teaching to my students for the day, and to run them down to her sub.  Make sure to have at least one contact from your team at school that you can send a quick text to should you need some help. 

No one ever plans for sickness, but it happens. Rather than risk getting our students sick, or risk being sick longer because you aren’t resting, it’s best to be prepared and to have a plan for when you need a last minute sub. Sure, it’s not ideal, and it’s kind of a pain to submit sub plans when you’re not feeling great, but if you’re prepared, it’ll be easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

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January Might Be the Longest Month of the Year

January is one of those months that seems to drag on and on and on. There aren’t any big holidays to look forward to, and the weather is usually cold and dreary. As a teacher, inclement weather typically means indoor recess, and depending on your class, that could mean extra chaos. If you need something to keep your kiddos entertained in such an event, look no further! Attached below are two Winter Find & Count worksheets– one in color, and one in black and white– that you are welcome to print off and use in your classroom. (Parents, also please feel free to use in the event that the dreary January days get a little extra long and you need a quiet minute!)

** This resource is strictly for classroom or personal use. Do not resell it, repost it, or claim as your own. **

Winter Find & CountDownload
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Restoring the Peace

Teachers wear many hats on any given day, and sometimes even have to wear multiple hats at a time. It’s a constant balancing act, requiring a teacher’s mind to always be in “on” mode, ready to switch hats and act in a new capacity. One of those capacities is that of a support person in times of crisis or distress. 

Dysregulation is, by definition, when there is an imbalance or disruption to the regular function of a system. Typically when we see this manifested in students, there has been some sort of trigger that has upset the regular balance of emotions and/or behaviors. This can lead to outbursts, heightened emotions, muddled thinking, and even physical reactions. 

When a student becomes dysregulated, a teacher must often step in to offer assistance, comfort, and guidance. A teacher’s priority is to keep their students safe, so in a situation where a student has become dysregulated, the teacher must ensure that the struggling student, as well as all other students in the room, remain safe. The specific actions taken to restore balance and calm can look different in every situation, but there are a few steps that remain consistent across the board. Employing these tactics can help to deescalate a situation quickly so that the classroom can return to a safe space for everyone as soon as possible. 

Remove Triggers

If possible, remove whatever it is causing the student to become dysregulated. If it is another student, separate them. If it is frustration over an assignment, remove the assignment from their desk for a bit. Whatever it is, try to find a way to put some distance between the dysregulated student and the trigger.

Stay calm & Reassure

A dysregulated adult cannot effectively calm down a dysregulated student. Remaining calm– as difficult as that can sometimes be– is incredibly helpful when you are attempting to calm a student down. They can sense your emotions and will mirror them. Remember, we don’t need to add our chaos to their chaos!

Offer Space

A student who is feeling out of sorts often needs space to regroup. If they feel cornered, it could potentially escalate their already heightened emotions, leading to a worse situation. If, however, a student is being physically reactive, intervention may need to be made to remove the student from the situation so as to prevent themselves and/or others from getting harmed. 

Validate Feelings & Actively Listen

Name to tame– identify the emotions and feelings so students know what it is they are feeling. Once they have named what they feel, it is easier to identify ways to regulate those feelings. Let the student know that feelings aren’t bad– we all have them! It’s how we manage them when they feel out of control that matters most in a situation like this. Take time to listen to what the student has to say, and use good listening strategies so they know you hear them– nod when appropriate, make eye contact, repeat back key points or phrases to show you’ve understood them, and ask questions to clarify as needed. Students are more likely to calm down and feel safe if they know they have a trusted adult who cares about them.

Give options and choices for alternatives

Find an alternative activity for the student to do until they feel calm enough to engage with classmates again. This might look different for every student. Perhaps you might offer some time in a calm down corner, or maybe allowing the student to put on some headphones and listen to a meditation exercise. Other students might respond well to a coloring activity or perhaps even a sensory activity like play-doh or kinetic sand. A fidget toy or stress ball might be a great alternative activity for an escalated student as well!

Choose your battles

As a teacher, you reach a point where you realize that some battles just aren’t worth fighting. Assess the situation, and make a choice. If the cause of the dysregulation really is an issue, address it and find a solution. If the cause of dysregulation really isn’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, learn to let some things go. You as the teacher get to make that call.

Know when to ask for extra support

Occasionally, you may find that you have a student so dysregulated that you can’t handle it on your own. Learn your limits and learn to recognize when you need an extra hand. It might be that you need someone else to come remove the student from the room, or maybe you need someone to come sit with the rest of your students so that you can step out and help your student resolve whatever it is that is triggering them. Schools are full of other teachers and staff who are willing and ready to step in should the need arise. 

Teachers can do so much when it comes to helping their students learn to manage their feelings in appropriate ways. When a teacher takes the time to walk through deescalating techniques, students can learn methods and techniques to calm themselves down. As they practice these methods, they begin to realize that they can handle their triggers on their own and that they have the tools needed to regulate their own emotions without outside help, and that becomes a skill that they can use the rest of their lives. 

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Classroom Management: A Tale of Trial & Error

Managing a room full of students can be challenging. You quickly find that what works for one student doesn’t work for another, and sometimes you feel like you are spinning in circles trying to find something that works. It can be frustrating, for sure. 

Management styles and methods vary from teacher to teacher, and can be dependent on many factors. Teacher personalities can influence the kind of management techniques that are used. Student personalities can also largely determine how a teacher manages the classroom. Another factor that definitely plays a role is the grade being taught and managed. Kindergarteners and first graders are typically going to eagerly respond to management techniques that involve silly, catchy little rhymes or actions, such as “One, Two, Three, Eyes On Me!”, sticker charts, and so on. Younger grades tend to also be very highly motivated by external motivators: give them a chance to earn a tootsie roll or a sticker, and you will grab their attention quickly! Upper elementary grades also usually respond to similar methods, but often aren’t as quick to do so. 

Secondary classes can be trickier to find successful management techniques. For the students who truly need behavior management help, offering a sticker or piece of candy probably isn’t going to do much. Forming a connection and being kind, however, will go a long way.

I recently surveyed a handful of teachers about their classroom management techniques. I found a good variety of answers and ideas. Keep reading to see what they had to say!

What is one classroom management technique that you have found great success with?

  • Connection (9th grade)
  • I have a 120 chart and kids put small sticky notes on it as they are caught being good. When the chart is full we spin a wheel for the winners! I pick 5 or 6 kids. Then we take them all off and start again! Winners get a prize from the prize box! (1st grade)
  • Focusing on positive behaviors, having a type of behavior system for individuals, groups/tables & whole class (4th grade)
  • Reinforce positive behaviors (Kindergarten)
  • Classroom money with a class store linked with prizes they actually want. (2nd grade)
  • My students absolutely love being called out for making good choices and signing a chart. Once the chart is full we do a class drawing to win prizes or other things. (3rd grade)

What is your biggest struggle with classroom management?

  • Adapting systems to each class. Every year is different! (4th grade)
  • Students unable to communicate. (9th grade)
  • When I cannot find what motivates certain kids and it seems like NOTHING works! (2nd grade)
  • It is so hard to give a consequence to a student you know will not take it well. (3rd grade)
  • Defiance- straight up telling me no. (1st grade)
  • Noise level. (Kindergarten)

What classroom management advice would you give to new teachers?

  • Consistency is key, even when you know the student might take a consequence badly. Also sometimes what’s fair for one isn’t fair for the other. It’s ok to make tweaks in expectations for students that need it. (3rd grade)
  • Have class, individual, and group systems. (Money, table points, whole class parties they work together to earn) and just know these kids are built different so it is harder! (2nd grade)
  • Connect with your kids, they will do anything for you if you form that connection from the start. Set high expectations, but give grace. (9th grade)
  • Think of your behavior management plan and then explicitly teach it to kids! State expectations clearly and then hold them to it. (4th grade)
  • Keep at it! It takes time and patience! (1st grade)
  • Keep kids busy and working. (Kindergarten)

Great advice all around! These teachers shared some great ideas as well as some encouragement– something we can all benefit from!

When it comes to finding what works for you as a teacher, it can be a lot of trial and error, and it may take some time to settle into a groove that works for you and for your class. But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned about teaching, it’s that any time spent trying to help your students be their best selves and to succeed is time well spent!

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Paid Prep Time for Teachers

At this point, you’re likely into second and final week of your Winter Break. You’re probably at a point where you are still enjoying your time off and don’t really want to think about going back quiet yet. But yet, somewhere in the back of your mind, you’ve got a quiet voice reminding you that you only have so many more days until you’re back in the swing of things in your classroom. I lovingly refer to that feeling as the “end of break yuckies” and know all too well how they feel. So believe me, I get it! 

We drove past a school yesterday while heading out to the grocery store, and there were several cars in the parking lot. My daughter immediately asked if they had school today. When I told her that they still didn’t have school for another week, she then wondered why there were teachers at the school. I mean, it was a valid question. A question that made me start to think about my time in the classroom and how much of my break time had been used to prep for future lessons at home or actually going into the building to get my classroom in order for my students to return. While I tried to avoid going into my classroom or prepping lessons over breaks, I usually had to in order to avoid chaos on the first day back. 

As was evidenced by the cars in the parking lot yesterday, I know I’m not the only one who has had to use break time as work time, and that begs the question: why are we not giving teachers more paid prep time around big breaks? 

What if, instead of teachers and students returning all on the same day, we gave teachers a paid prep day before students return? That way, teachers would be able to more fully enjoy their break without having to sacrifice a day of their time off to get things ready for their students to return. A professional development day of sorts, but no meetings, no trainings, no “team building” exercises. Just a day for teachers to come to the building— in their comfy clothes if they want— to get stuff done: make copies, make worksheets, plan lessons, sanitize their desks, reorganize supply bins, change their bulletin boards, and so on. If budget allows, the school could provide lunch for the teachers, and teachers could simply get stuff done without having to take breaks for meetings. 

I know there are teachers out there who would greatly appreciate a day like this, and would have such a relaxing yet productive day. So, I want to know— does your district offer a day like this every now and then? If not, would you utilize it if it were offered? Let me know in the comments!