Math centers, also commonly referred to as math stations or math rotations, are a great way to offer fun and engaging learning experiences to elementary students during your math block. They fit neatly in the math workshop with guided math framework, but can be used without the implementation of that
What is vertical alignment curriculum? Why is it important? What is vertical team planning? There are lots of questions surrounding vertical alignment education in schools. It is great that these conversations are happening currently! Vertical alignment has the power to transform an education system. This is true in all content
Integrating morning meetings or class meetings into your daily schedule is one of the best investments of time you can make as an elementary teacher for your students. Some teachers hold a morning meeting by following the responsive classroom format, while others create their own custom class meeting routines that
There are so many common misconceptions about math fact fluency: What it is, if it’s really that important for elementary students, the best practices for how to teach it, how to properly assess it, and more. These fact fluency misunderstandings lead to a heavy focus on math fact automaticity and
If you are looking for fun ways to start a lesson in your elementary classroom, then you found the right place! In this post, I share tons of information about do now activities, also known as bell ringers, and offer specific examples of how to implement them in your classroom.
The 8 standards for mathematical practice, which are also commonly referred to as the math practice standards or the math practices, are often overlooked. The focus tends to be more on the grade level specific standards outlined in the Common Core (and their vertical alignment). However, it is important to
Teachers who use strategies for increased student engagement in the classroom will find that not only do their children learn more, but that the overall school experience is better for students, teachers, and parents. Engaged students are actively involved in lessons and activities. Their increased involvement results in a much
Are your elementary students lacking enthusiasm about math? This might sound like groans or silence and look like kids zoning out or being off task. One strategy you can use to increase engagement and get your students excited about math is by discussing how what students are learning applies to
Informative writing gives student authors a way to teach others about a topic using writing. This is such an important skill for students to have. This is because it’s the most common type of writing we use in our everyday lives. An example of when we use this is when
I receive a lot of questions from new elementary teachers looking for classroom calendar ideas. They ask about what to include in their calendar area, what resources they should scoop up, what to consider when selecting a location in their classroom for their calendar time, and much more. It can
There are so many math tools out there that have the potential to transform your elementary math instruction. This blog post focuses on 5 of them. It doesn’t matter if you teach first, second, third, fourth, or fifth grade – you need these tools! 5 Math Tools All Elementary Classroom
As the person running the classroom, you will need an organized space to do your work and easy access to the tools you need for tasks like grading papers, planning lessons, communicating with parents, etc. Not only is it important that you model good organization to your students, but it
