I recently saw a film adaptation of a popular fairytale. I am sure you can guess which one by the photo below. If you need a brush up or the kid version is confusing you - think ugly stepsisters and glass slippers, and a mean ol' cat who chases poor unsuspecting mice. While I have heard this story so many times, it has never had a strong impact on me until now. Throughout this … [Read more...]
Circle Count – A Fun, Easy Game to Practice Math Skills!
We all love to have fun when we are learning - in fact, it could be argued that we learn MORE if we are enjoying the process! Many teachers know this, and we all play learning games in our classrooms (at least, I sure hope we do!) This year I decided to take our daily calendar/number talk time and revamp it a little to include "Circle Count." The game is simple once your kids know … [Read more...]
10 Things Your Kindergarten Student Wants You to Know
This post has been on my heart for sometime. As a teacher who has taught multiple grades, I really do feel that kindergarten is really it's own world. Kindergarten is often inside elementary schools and expected to be just that - elementary. However, Kindergarten students are NOT elementary students yet. This is still early childhood, and at the beginning of the year, preschool. I imagine … [Read more...]
Managing Water in the Classroom
Looking at the title of this post, you may be thinking, "Really, that needs an entire blog post??" Yes, yes, it does. Trust me and the beginning years of the great water battle that I experienced in my first years of teaching. If you are a teacher you probably know what I am talking about. I am talking about the water fountain lines after recess that are 18 miles long with the horrible chants … [Read more...]
Student-Led Conferences in Kindergarten
Student-led conferences have become a big thing lately in the education world. How can they be effective for even our youngest learners? What can they look like in kindergarten? How can necessary information about a child's progress be relayed to parents effectively? How can I, the teacher, still have time to talk with parents individually about any concerns? Do you have the same … [Read more...]
Number Talks in Kindergarten
One of my goals this year was to really focus in on developing a strong number sense in my kindergarteners. I want them to really grow in their understanding of how numbers work, what they mean, and how they relate to one another and to the world around us. As with most anything, the best way to become stronger at something is to practice! I wanted a fun, simple way to incorporate more number … [Read more...]
