I remember my first years as a new teacher in 2011 and tracking student performance with data was fairly a new practice. Now in my 10th year teaching the art of tracking data is commonplace and expected by admins all over.  At first, it can seem like a daunting task (and it can be if you're new to it and haven't found the right system), but with a little preparedness and tweaking things as you go...you'll find the system that works for you and your kiddos. So, with that being said...here's how I track my students. Keep in mind this works for me and it may be something you can find use ..read more

Although we're currently in the middle of our school year, I am already beginning to think and plan ahead for next year! Crazy, I know. But being that sort of personality (read: type A) I am always looking to make my following year a little more organized and be able to kick off the year on the right foot. This year, with it being my very first in a new state, a new district, and a brand-stinking-new school I went with a pre-made calendar set purchased from Michael's. It's been a good little set but I missed using my own cards. So, when I took to go print them I realized I haven't updated t ..read more

  Here we all are...heading into yet another school year navigating the waters of Covid...and more recently the Delta variant. This year I'm heading back to work teaching kindergarten here in Texas - previously had been in San Diego, CA as an English kindergarten teacher. I'm so excited for this new chapter and to once again return to public school service. This post shares a glimpse into what I had prepared last year as I began the school year at my previous school. We were among the first of the independent schools to reopen under strict protocols and offered both on-campus and virtua ..read more

  2020 taught us a lot as a teachers.  It taught us how resilient our students are (and how we are!), how to adapt within any given moment, and get back to the basics which is the social-emotional wellbeing of not only our class but with our colleagues and ourselves. That's why I couldn't stress play enough - especially for kindergartners - and how it's ever more important as we all begin to welcome students back to campus. We all know that as teachers we need to maximize academic time in our classrooms; that ever changing requirements and expectations are being placed on us by adm ..read more

  Years ago when I set out to develop an interactive notebook for Eureka Math's curriculum I had no idea how much it would impact other classrooms! I'm so excited that I am not the only one out there who was looking for a more streamlined way to present the lesson material. It's a great curriculum, but oftentimes the activity pages are not developed by actual teachers - and if they are I'm sorry for that criticism!  In math it's so important that students are presented with a skill, have an opportunity to work with it in an environment where the teacher is there to support, pract ..read more

  It's that time of year again where we can all do a little more to support our favorite teachers. Whether it be loving on your child's teacher in the coming week or helping out your teacher spouse, there's no greater way to show them you care than simply recognizing their hard work. When Covid first hit this time last year, I remember my team and I had to scramble to somehow pull together weekly lesson plans that students could do from home...in a matter of mere days. It was one of the most stressful teaching experiences I've ever had, but much like any hard circumstance, I grew strong ..read more

  The final module is here!!! I have been working on adapting these modules for over 2 years (because, life happens) and I am beyond thrilled to finally be able to offer up the ENTIRE set of modules for second grade. You see, the inspiration behind this resource stemmed from my time as an assistant teacher for second grade back in 2017. I had just returned from a time away from the classroom to raise my son who, at that time, was about 18 months old and ready to go to school. I didn't realize I was ready, too! So, I connected with a few friends of mine who worked at my previous scho ..read more

  Last year was the very first year I learned about snails alongside my students. I was excited for this unit - a part of our study of the garden/plants - because I had always taught about butterflies. Although fun, it's been done so many times and to have the opportunity to learn about snails was something new...even for me! When I taught as a kindergarten English teacher for a French-American school, my French colleagues taught the science and French language aspect of this unit whereas I was responsible for teaching my ELA objectives, but through the theme of snails. You can read al ..read more

  Summer break will be here before we know it - ending yet another unforgettable year. Today I am excited to finally share the final break activity packet as a part of my year-round bundle! Each break from school I always try to send something home with my students as a means to keep kids thinking and engaged with the concepts we've learned in class. Parents also really appreciate this packet because it allows them to see what their child is learning and have something to take on family vacations. The "summer slump" can definitely impact a child and often us teachers see a little bit o ..read more

  When I taught second grade we had an entire Social Studies theme on ancient civilizations. We explored maps and developed map reading skills, geography (continents and oceans), climates, and the other obvious stuff like culture, religion, language, and contributions or inventions. Learning about ancient cultures are always a hit with my students and today I'm excited to share the newest workbook for students! Ancient Egypt As a kid I was obsessed with ancient Egypt - I even wanted to become an Egyptologist at one point. I found the entire civilization to be fascinating and couldn't ..read more