Blog Updates
Classroom Exit Tickets: A Quick Routine with Big Benefits
If you walk into my classroom, one routine you’ll probably see is students either completing or reviewing exit tickets. I use exit tickets almost every
Easy Scaffolding Strategies for Teachers
As teachers, we hear the same buzzwords all the time; words like differentiate, formative assessment, and scaffolding come to mind for me. We hear these
3 Easy, Engaging, & Fun Review Games for Your Math Class
Happy October! You’ve survived the back-to-school rush, teaching all the expectations, and are now probably deep into your first units – you deserve a whole
3 Easy Teaching Strategies that Really Work!
Throughout our preteaching education programs and years of teaching experience, we learn so many strategies, but not all of them truly add value to the
Must-Have Math Board Games For The Classroom: Engaging Games Your Students Will Love!
My students love board games, and to be honest, so do I! I have a stockpile of games in my classroom to play before field
5 Easy Activities For The First Week of School
Recently, I was talking with my student teacher, and she asked me a question that I am sure a lot of new (and old) teachers
Back to School Math Activities: 3 Fun & Easy Ideas to Start The Year Off Right!
Now that summer is in full swing, many teachers are swapping their ID badges, work computers, and teacher planners for sleeping in, beach days, and
Time-Saving Tech Tips for Creating Classroom Resources
Over the last few years, I’ve made countless digital activities for my own students (and yours – check out my TPT store here!). Over the
5 Time-Saving Tech Tips for Busy Teachers
I am known around my school as being a ‘tech wiz’ – I know A LOT of time-saving tips, tricks, and hacks that leave my
Insightful Interview Questions for Your Student Teacher
Whether you are looking to host your first student teacher, or have hosted many, you may feel anxious about starting on the right foot! After
Resource Round-Up: Must-Haves for Mastering Equations!
In my 7th grade math class, we are in full swing of our equations unit – one of my personal favorites! I consider integers and
5 Quick Tips for Selling on TeachersPayTeachers!
Many teachers that I talk to share their interest in starting their own shop on TeachersPayTeachers to sell their resources, but many times, they have
Not Just Another Worksheet – Easy Digital Activities Your Students Will Love!
With copy limits, limited time, and absent students, printed paper copies of assignments can truly be a hassle! During Covid, a lot of teachers were
Tips & Tricks for Stress-Free Parent Communication
Depending on your past experience, some teachers find parent communication one of the most daunting parts of the job! Here are my tips for making
Paragraph of the Week: Quick & Easy Writing Intervention Strategy
My biggest issue as a resource teacher? Time! It’s the one thing I can never get enough of, so I am all about quick classroom
3 Quick Ways to Get Students Talking in Math Class!
Sometimes, my math classroom can feel like it’s all teacher-directed instruction. I’m guilty of being the main talker in my classroom – I have so
How to Prepare for End-of-Year State Testing: Tips & Tricks for Teachers
April and May bring many things – flowers, warmer weather, field trips, and fresh air. However, they also bring the dreaded end of the year
Celebrate Reading All School Year Long – Fun & Easy Ideas for National March is Reading Month & Other Reading Holidays
March is a popular month to celebrate all things literacy in your school! After all, positive thinking about reading is a huge factor in student
Mastering Fractions: Effective Intervention Strategies
Fractions are one of the most difficult math concepts for students to master. Each year, I see students in 7th and 8th grade who struggle
A Guide to IEP Goal Progress Monitoring: What Special Education Teachers Need to Know!
I have to be honest – the concept of IEP progress monitoring was something I was very unprepared for as a first-year resource room teacher.
Building a Strong Team: Tips for Setting Your Teacher Assistants Up for Success
As a special education teacher, having a teacher assistant can be a lifesaver! Maybe your school calls them paraprofessionals, teacher aides, instructional assistants, or something
Engaging Resources & Strategies to Make Fractions Stick in Your Classroom
In my opinion, fractions are the hardest concept for elementary and middle school students to truly understand – and many students agree with me! Each
Resuming the Classroom Routine: Essential Activities for an Easy Return After Winter Break
Returning from Winter Break can feel almost more difficult than the beginning of the school year. In August, you feel rested from the summer off
Add a Dash of Holiday Spirit to Your Math Class: Easy Tips & Effortless Ideas
As soon as the first snowflake falls here in Michigan, my students are thinking about winter break. This makes it really hard to hold their
5 Quick Tips for Setting Up Your Classroom
Setting up a classroom, especially the first classroom that is all your own, is overwhelming! It’s tough to know where to start, and many teachers
An Attitude of Gratitude: 3 Quick & Easy Classroom Activities for Thankfulness
Thanksgiving is a great time of year to focus on class routines around thankfulness, but that doesn’t mean it is the only time to practice
IEP Goal Writing Made Easy: Tips & Tricks for Educators
A quick little disclaimer: The following information is what I have personally learned through 8 years of teaching special education in Michigan. It should be
Resource Round-Up: Must-Haves for Mastering Integer Operations
Let’s face it, integer operations are an essential math skill. However, they can be incredibly difficult to truly cement into the brains of middle school
Unlocking the Joy of Reading: Proven Strategies for Teachers & Parents to Cultivate a Reading Habit in Reluctant Readers
Reluctant readers, unmotivated readers, whatever you call them, parents and teachers alike are running out of ideas to help increase reading scores around the country
Using Digital Task Cards in the Classroom: A Quick How-To Guide for Teachers!
Since the pandemic, teachers everywhere have been incorporating more technology into their classroom practice. It makes sense – digital activities have a lot of benefits
5 Quick Tips to Set Up A Stress-Free Classroom
Setting up a classroom, whether it’s your tenth classroom or the first classroom that is all your own, is overwhelming! It’s tough to know where
How to Easily Teach Technology Skills in Your 21st Century Classroom
“Wait, how do I copy and paste again?” “I didn’t mean to do that!” “Can you show me how to…” Sound familiar? I love using
I Taught it but They Still Don’t Get It! – 3 Easy Strategies to Stop the Cycle & Make Your Lessons Stick!
“I taught it but they still don’t get it!” Sound familiar? You’re not alone! Millions of teachers every year run to their teacher BFFs to
4 Effortless Ways to Celebrate Halloween in your Math Classroom
Halloween is right around the corner, and if your students are anything like mine this time of year, they are bouncing off the walls! My
The Fraction List Strategy: A Frustration-Free Strategy for Adding & Subtracting Unlike Fractions!
As a math interventionist, one topic that I see students struggling with year after year is adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Earlier in
Successful Co-Teaching Practices for Happy Teachers and Engaged Students
Coteaching is becoming a very popular arrangement in education. It is a way for special education students to receive support in their general education classrooms