Has the art of teaching empathy gone by the wayside? In this day in age, it can be argued that the exact opposite is true and we need now, more than ever, to teach our children why empathy is important. It is no secret that it seems like the concept of having empathy for one’s … Read more
**This activity is not currently available on my Teachers Pay Teachers store as the timeline from National Geographic is not active at this time** One of the most difficult aspects of teaching history is making it relevant. If a student doesn’t have a natural interest in a subject, it can get really dry, really quickly. … Read more
The term growth mindset is on fire in educational circles today. But how does one go about teaching growth mindset? What does growth mindset actually mean? The true definition of a growth mindset has been investigated for decades. With the original intent of researching how individuals responded to failure in mind, Dr. Carol Dweck was … Read more
Over the past few years, “testing” has become a bit of a dirty word in education. What used to be for placement or just checking to make sure students were hitting certain benchmarks has become an orchestrated production. Different states have different requirements, but the sheer volume of testing has increased greatly. With the focus … Read more
Throughout our brain breaks series, we have been discussing various ways to incorporate brain breaks into the classroom. We have discussed books (ad), classroom activities, and places like YouTube. There is one place that we haven’t discussed, and it is versatile in more ways than just with brain breaks. It is by using an Amazon … Read more
Kindergarten is such a fun age. As each school year progresses, the pure desire to learn and the love that is exerted from these children can make anyone who witnesses this happens heart burst. However, anybody who has been to any kindergarten class with several students in it knows one thing: these children are not … Read more
Odds are, no matter what topic you’re discussing or what grade levels you teach, you will not have 100% of your students master the skill the first time you teach it. This isn’t because we’re all terrible teachers; it’s because students learn in different ways and at different paces. This means that you will always … Read more
I’ve spent a lot of nights lying awake thinking about consequences, as I’m sure you have as well. Not the kind you read about in classroom management books…the tidy hierarchies that look great on a free poster but fall apart the first time a 2nd grader throws scissors or a high school student refuses to take out … Read more
We know peer pressure often carries a negative connotation in our classrooms, but can it actually be used for good? I regularly bring up the concept of positive peer pressure, and it consistently earns me a few sideways glances. “How can peer pressure be positive…and can you give examples?” they ask. As always, I’m happy … Read more
There’s a moment that happens somewhere around the sixth week of the school year. You’re not thinking about it when it occurs. It just happens. A student drops their pencil case, and without a word, three others are on the floor helping. Another child shares something personal during morning meeting, and the room sits in … Read more
(This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but will share some commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclosure policy for more information.) I started teaching high school history in 2007, back when smartboards were still novel, and most of us were just trying to … Read more
I’ll never forget my first real test with classroom management. It was back in 2007, and I was standing in front of a packed high school history class at a nationally ranked academic school, convinced I had everything figured out. I’d spent weeks planning my lessons, designing my PowerPoints, and organizing my classroom rules into … Read more