One of the coolest parts of being a parent is the chance to be an active participant in their education. I love knowing what is happening in my kids’ classrooms, hearing about their days, and getting to know their teachers. But… my all time favorite ways to get involved are by going on field trips and volunteering to help with class parties. They both offer such a fun glimpse into where my kids are all day and who they are with.
Volunteering serves a few purposes for me— first, it lets me connect with my child and lets me get to know their peers, and second, because I have personally been a teacher, I know how valuable parent support is, and I want my kids’ teachers to know I support them and am willing to help shoulder some of their already too heavy load. My third reason is, admittedly, a little bit selfish: I love going on the field trips because it is a fun way to experience different fun things around my community that I might not get to experience otherwise. Sure, I could take my family to the aquarium or the pumpkin patch, but when I get to go with the school, there is almost always an educational class or presentation for the kids to participate in. I enjoy learning new things, and find it fascinating to hear what they teach the kids.
Just yesterday, I got to walk with my son’s kindergarten class to a local donut shop, where we got to see where the donuts are made, watch the machinery in action, and hear all about the donut making process. It was an hour out of my day that was well spent, and I know the teacher was appreciative to have extra hands to help with students.
Volunteering has allowed me to learn really cool things at the farm, the aquarium, museum, zoo, donut shop, dentist office, post office, dinosaur museum, children’s museum, police station, and more.
From a teacher’s point of view, parent support is crucial. Knowing that your students’ parents have your back makes such a difference. Every classroom has different needs. Many, especially secondary classrooms, don’t have much need for in-person volunteers. Elementary classrooms, however, often have great need for in-person volunteers. Regardless of what kind of help teachers need, the support parents can give is immeasurable and is so appreciated.
Parents, if you don’t know how to support you children’s teachers, might I suggest a couple of ways?
Send an email letting them know you are thankful for what they do for your child. CC the principal on the email.
If finances allow, add a container of cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, or box of tissues to your next grocery order to donate to the classroom.
Volunteer for class parties or field trips. If you can’t be there in person, offer to donate supplies for activities.
Learn the teacher’s favorite snack or treat and send one to school the morning of Parent-Teacher Conferences (or any random day!).
Volunteer to help assemble learning packets, cut lamination, grade papers, or to come in and help with reading.
It doesn’t take a lot to show your support for the teachers in your life. They are overworked, underpaid, and often completely exhausted. A little appreciation or support really does go a long way!
And teachers, if you find yourself barely surviving, don’t hesitate to reach out to the parents of your students and ask for help. I guarantee you’ll have at least one willing volunteer to help shoulder your load and make your job easier.
It’s officially Fall! The leaves are changing where I live, and the morning air is crisp. It’s a beautiful thing! New seasons bring all kinds of changes, and those changes create great opportunities for exciting learning opportunities as well as lots of fun, creative art activities. Below you will find a few suggestions and ideas for some Fall fun in your classroom! Feel free to modify any activity to fit your students’ needs.
Science:
Learn about the life cycle of an apple from seed to fruit. Taste test different kinds of apples.
Learn about why the leaves change their colors. Talk a walk outside and see how many colors of leaves you can spot.
Investigate why the temperatures start to drop. Discuss the Earth’s rotation and position this time of year.
Art:
Go outside and gather some leaves from the ground. Use them to create leaf rubbings, stamps with paint, or press them and make a bookmark.
Draw a fall scene.
Gather small leaves from outside. Draw a tree trunk and branches on paper, then glue the leaves onto the tree.
Language Arts:
Read some books about Fall.
Write an acrostic poem using FALL or AUTUMN.
Write a descriptive paragraph describing a fall scene.
Math:
If available in your area, collect fallen acorns or pinecones. Sort and count in several different ways.
Conduct a class-wide survey about favorite Fall activities. Create a bar graph with the results.
Use fall themed candy as math manipulatives.
Print out and have students complete the Fall Find and Count printable at the end of this post.
Students learn best when a learning experience is engaging. And honestly, from a teacher’s perspective, teaching is much more enjoyable when the material you are teaching is fun and engaging. Play into the seasons, holidays, and other special occasions— I bet you’ll have as much fun as the students do!
** Feel free to download the free Fall Find and Count worksheet— it is only for personal and classroom use. Please do not distribute, sell, or use as your own.**
When I was growing up, there never really was any question about which school I would be attending— whichever elementary or secondary school I was living in the boundaries for is the one I would attend. There weren’t many other options; if there were, they weren’t widely known and weren’t talked about much. The thought of having a choice to attend anything other than a traditional public school was foreign to me.
Fast forward many years, and there are a plethora of options for parents and students to choose from. While the majority of students today attend a traditional public school, there are many who choose otherwise. Not all schools are created equal, thus providing opportunities for unique learning experiences for all kinds of learners.
So what even are the differences between the various types of schools? We’ve got public, charter, private, magnet, boarding, parochial, and home schools. That’s a lot! Until I became a teacher, I honestly didn’t really fully understand the differences between each of these types of schools. If you find yourself in the same boat, look no further— I’ll explain!
Public Schools
Traditional public schools are the most widely attended across the United States. These types of schools are open to the general public, and service all children within their geographical boundaries. Students are not charged tuition, but sometimes are required to pay fees. Schools are funded by taxpayer dollars and other government funds, and are held to certain standards set by school boards and education departments.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are a type of public school, but unlike traditional public schools, they are free from many of the regulations and rules that traditional schools are held to. They also do not have the weight of the school board’s scrutiny over them. They do not charge tuition. Charter schools are open to the public, and are typically founded by parents, teachers, organizations, or for-profit groups. Charter schools are known for being more rigorous than traditional schools, and often push the boundaries on how learning is structured and delivered. They also often require a uniform and have a strict dress code.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are fairly new to the education game, and are becoming more popular. These kinds of schools are a type of charter school, but they specialize in specific areas, such as STEM, arts, music, etc. Students must still receive general education, but the main focus of study lies in how the school is specialized. Magnet schools tend to be very competitive and very selective about who they let into their programs. Since magnet schools are a type of charter/public school, they are tuition free. However, because they are specialized, they can require students to be at a certain aptitude level to be admitted. Magnet schools tend to have higher standards for their students, expecting great things academically. Magnet schools are really cool in that they give students a chance to be surrounded by likeminded peers who all share an enthusiasm for learning the particular area of focus for the school.
Private Schools
Private schools are as they sound— private and very selective. Private schools often require an entrance exam of some form, and students must apply to be let in. These schools are funded through tuition as well as other grants and donations from private entities. Typically, private schools require a uniform and are also quite rigid in their standards and expectations for their students.
Boarding Schools
Boarding schools are a type of private school where living arrangements are provided on site. Students live, eat, and learn on campus.
Parochial Schools
Parochial schools provide a private education that is heavily influenced by religious beliefs. We typically see these kinds of schools run by Catholic parishes, Protestant denominations, or other religious groups. Religious teachings are integrated with general education subjects.
Home Schools
Homeschooling has gained more popularity over recent years, with a large surge in interest happening after the COVID pandemic of 2020. Home school is as it sounds— students are educated at home, typically by a parent. Requirements for home school vary by state. Some states are very strict on how home school is run, requiring the parent to be a credentialed teacher and have regular check-ins with the school district. Other states are very lax in their requirements, not even requiring notification that a student will be homeschooled. Most states will fall somewhere in the middle. Homeschool offers a unique opportunity for students to be taught at a slower pace in the comfort of their own homes. Parents and students can join forces with other homeschool families and create cooperatives to allow for more opportunities for homeschooled children. Many students participate in a hybrid school experiences, where some of their subjects are taught at home or online and others are taught in person at a school.
It’s incredible that there are so many kinds of schools to pick from! There truly is a type of school for every kind of student. Having so many options allows for students to thrive as they attend the type of school that suits them best. There is no wrong or right type of school— all provide educational opportunities, and all give students the chance to challenge themselves academically and prepare for their future!
We’ve all been there as teachers— we plan the perfect lesson or activity, anticipating that it will fill as much time as possible… and then it doesn’t, and suddenly, you’re left with time to fill. A few minutes of “free time” at the end of class isn’t so terrible, but too much time? You’re going to end up with chaos and mayhem!
If (when) you find yourself in a situation like this, or find that you need a short brain break in between tasks or activities, it’s always good to have an idea or two in your back pocket to quickly pull out for your class to do.
Sure, the Internet is teeming with ready-to-go brain breaks and time fillers, but sometimes, you just need something that is not tech related and is still fun and engaging. I remember playing “Heads Up, Seven Up” or “Silent Ball” and having so much fun. If there is an element of mystery or challenge to the game or activity, it makes it even more fun.
I’ve created a fun “Challenge Game” full of different kinds of challenges to engage students and targeting several areas of learning. As a teacher, you know how much time you have available, so you can choose the type of challenge— some are super quick, while others take more time. Choose a challenge card, then pick one (or more if you have time) challenge activity and have your students complete the challenge. Split them into groups or do the challenges as a whole class— whatever fits your needs!
Have fun and enjoy connecting with your class. Parents, you can use these challenge cards, too! We all know that sometimes you just need a few minutes to reset at home. These are even great to cut out and keep in your car! Tuck them into your purse and pull them out while you wait for your food to come, the doctor to see you, or to keep the whining to a minimum when they claim they are bored.
As always, the printable is free, but is intended for classroom or personal home use only. Do not sell, distribute, or repost as your own.
You wake up and feel great, until you start to think about the things you will be doing during the day. Suddenly, you don’t feel so great anymore. You start to sweat. Your throat feels tight, and your mouth gets dry. You can feel your heart start to beat faster and faster. Your tummy feels like it’s doing somersaults, and your mind is going as fast as a race car. You convince yourself that staying in bed is the best option, because then you don’t have to face the day, and that is certainly easier than confronting the things you are worried about.
Perhaps you have found yourself in this situation a few times. Maybe this is your reality every day. Or, maybe you are one of the lucky few who doesn’t ever really worry about things to this extent. Whatever the case may be, there’s no denying that anxiety and worry are real. As adults, we can usually pinpoint what it is that is making us worried, and can take the necessary steps to cope with it. For kids, however, it might not be the same. Since kids are still trying to figure out what different emotions feel like, they may not recognize anxiety for what it is; they may see it as a big, scary monster inside of themselves.
Thankfully, there are a lot of resources at our fingertips for helping our students and kiddos who deal with anxiety. One of those amazing resources is picture books! I love using picture books to teach about abstract concepts— they give kids a visual way to see the idea, and they tell about it in a way they understand. A trip to my local library presented me with several children’s books about anxiety. The following are ones that I particularly enjoyed:
Wilma Jean the Worry Machine written by Julia Cook and illustrated by Anita Dufalla
Wilma is a cute elementary aged girl who wakes up every morning and pretends to go back to sleep so she doesn’t have to face the day. Her mind is full of ‘what if’ questions— What if they serve buttered carrots at lunch? What if she gets chosen to do a math problem in front of the class and she gets the answer wrong? What if her friends don’t want to play with her at recess? What if she doesn’t get picked for a team at PE? What if her mom gives her a gross snack after school?
The ‘what if’ questions consume Wilma and make it hard for her to do things and enjoy her day. Her mom notices this happening and decides to take action. Together, Wilma, her mom, and her teacher create a plan to help quiet Wilma’s worries. They talk about the worries Wilma can control and the ones she can’t. The teacher introduces the “worry hat” that Wilma can put on whenever she feels worried— she can ‘think’ her worries into the hat, then take it off knowing the worries have left her mind.
The illustrations are just perfect, and this story does an incredible job of describing what anxiety feels like and offers some great coping strategies that kids can easily use.
My Monster and Me written by Nadiya Hussain and illustrated by Ella Bailey
This book follows a little boy as he talks about his Monster. This Monster has been around as long as he can remember, and seems to follow him everywhere he goes. His Monster shows up at interferes with just about everything the boy does. He can’t seem to escape it.
One day, the Monster gets so big that the boy just can’t take it anymore. Frustrated, he goes to his grandma’s house, where grandma helps him talk through what is bothering him. The more he talks about it, the smaller the Monster becomes, until the Monster is small enough to fit in the boy’s pocket. Now that he knows how to make the Monster smaller, the boy is able to go out and enjoy things and have fun with his friends.
I loved the analogy of a monster for anxiety. It really can feel like that— like a huge, fuzzy mean creature trying to take over everything, and it can be consuming. In the story, the boy turns to a trusted adult to sort out his feelings and make sense of everything.
The illustrations are darling, the story is simple, but the lesson is deep!
Pig and Horse and the Something Scary written and illustrated by Zoey Abbott
Pig wakes up one morning not feeling herself, so she decides to go see her friend, Horse. She tells Horse that she feels something scary inside of her, but she can’t say what it is because she is trying to ignore it. Horse is a helpful friend and suggests that they go for a bike ride. When that doesn’t work, she suggests that they go for a swim. When swimming doesn’t take away the feeling, she has the idea to get Pig to laugh really hard. But even that doesn’t work.
Horse thinks for a minute and suggests that Pig just let it all out. Pig is afraid and hesitates, so Horse comes up with the idea that they invite the scary feeling to tea. Together, they whip up some yummy treats and tea and sit down to have a tea party. When she feels ready, Pig lets out her worries— first, the night, then the idea of being alone, and lastly, the character from her bedtime story the night before. Each of these fears is represented in the book by a different colored “cloud” of sorts coming from Pig’s mind.
As she releases each fear, Pig and Horse try different ways to make each worry become smaller and smaller until it vanishes. Ultimately, Pig feels much better for having let her worries go.
I loved this book for a few reasons— first, Pig recognized that she felt different, so she sought out the help of someone she loved and trusted. Second, the fears were given a color and description to make them feel tangible. Third, Pig and Horse came up with coping skills together, and Horse did them right along side Pig as she let her worries go. The idea of not having to face worries alone would be so comforting to a child dealing with anxiety. Imagine already feeling out of sorts and worried, then having to cope with it alone! The thought of that would increase anxiety, which would put a child back at square one. Having someone to help makes a world of difference!
Way Past Worried written by Hallee Adelman and illustrated by Sandra de la Prada
Brock is past worried. His heart is pounding and his mind is racing. He has been invited to his friend Juan’s birthday party, but he has to go alone, without his brother. Brock is worried that the other kids at the party won’t like him, won’t play with him, and will laugh at him. He’s worried that his superhero costume isn’t good enough and that he wouldn’t have anything to say to the other kids.
His anxiety takes over and causes him to freeze up as he enters the party. Rather than going to join the other kids, he retreats to a tree, where he finds a new friend, Nelly, who is also experiencing anxiety. Together, they talk through their worries then decide to be brave like superheroes and join the party.
Nelly and Brock join the other kids and have a great time, glad that they decided to not let their worries get in the way of their fun day. This book is so great— the illustrations are super cute and the story tells of a kid in a situation that is familiar to most kids. Because most kids know what it’s like to attend a birthday party, they can imagine what it would be like to have to go alone, and can more easily put themselves in Brock or Nelly’s shoes.
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I hope you’re able to use one or more of these books if you ever find yourself in the position that you’re helping a student or your own child make sense of their anxious feelings!
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.
Where were you on that fateful day In September 2001? Were you busy at work or learning at school Or had your day just barely begun?
Did you watch it unfold As it aired on TV? Was your heart uncertain and scared? Did you ask yourself, “How can this be?”
The world stood still and everyone watched; We sat in disbelief and in shock. How could there be such evil? Our faith and trust they did rock.
Shaken and battered, Afraid and unsure, Forward we moved, Knowing unity could cure.
People all over stepped in and stepped up. Amidst all the sadness, the terror, and pain, Selfless heroes helped others, Not seeking any personal gain.
While some ran away to escape the debris, Others ran in, one objective in mind: To help who they could whatever the cost, And do their best to save lives.
As the dust settled down, And we began to restore, As a country we came together, Unified and changed evermore.
As those who did witness The events of that day, We must never forget And must teach our children to do the same.
Teach them to love, to be kind, and uplift, Show them how to lead with kindness and grace. Ensure that they know that hate never wins, That love conquers all, and everyone has a place.
Teach them to care, to listen, and help. To look out for others, to lend a hand when they’re called. Above all else, let them never forget: United we stand, divided we fall.
-Logan Nielsen, 2025
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As today marks 24 years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001 took place, may we all take a moment to reflect on that day and the people whose lives were forever changed because of those events. May we teach our students and our children about this day, just like our parents and teachers taught us about previous wars and history-making/changing events. Let us encourage all we come in contact with to be a little kinder, a little more gentle, and a little more helpful. May we spread kindness and love whenever we can, and may we never forget this day.
