Category: Teaching Ideas & Inspiration

Classroom Organizaion

Creative Classroom Bulletin Boards You Must Try!

We spend a lot of time making sure our classroom is bursting with color and creativity in order to stimulate our students and make them excited to learn.  I personally enjoy coming up with creative ways to design my classroom so that students feel a sense of care, while also learning something from the classroom itself.  Therefore, I came up with a list of some of the most creative classroom bulletin boards I’ve seen.  You’ve got to try these out! 1. Did you know?   There are so many interesting facts and tidbits in this vast world of ours, and often times we don’t get to share these with our students.  So naturally, I lovedContinue reading

My Writing, Reading

Crafting Connections – Guest Post

I recently stumbled upon a wonderful blog called Crafting Connections.  Since then I’ve frequently visited it and found wonderful ideas and lesson inspiration.  There are some amazing posts that you must see, such as: Proficiency Scales and Author’s Purpose. Anyways, I enjoyed this blog so much that I requested to do a guest post for it, which was graciously accepted.  I wrote about the importance of asking questions as a reading strategy, as well as how to get your students asking critical thinking questions.  Take a look at the post here, and let me know your thoughts! Here are more ways to check out Crafting Connections: Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Facebook I hope you all enjoy this blog find andContinue reading

Centers, Games, Math

Division Games & Activities – Learning with Fun!

*This post contains affiliate links for convenient viewing* Students are always ready to play, aren’t they?  Why not use that passion to your advantage?  This is especially useful when dealing with curriculum topics that students may find difficult, such as math, and in this case: division.  Here are some division games that will have your students playing and learning! Division Jenga: Tape division equations on jenga blocks and have students solve each equation before they’re allowed to use the block.  You could make it even more beneficial by telling students they have to state the answers to all equations the block would be touching as well.  The same applies for when they remove a block.Continue reading

Art, Classroom Organizaion

8 Unique Ways to Display Student Artwork

Creating Art is a time for celebrating free thinking, creativity and workmanship.  Often times, when students complete an art piece they feel proud about it and want to display it.  Of course teachers love to display student artwork as a way to liven up their walls.  However, with time and experience that form of displaying art can get dull and predictable.  So, I present to you: 8 unique ways to display student artwork.  Your students will be thrilled to see their artwork this way! 1. Create An Art Mobile This is an awesome way to give your room some umph! An art mobile adds a 3D element to the work, and allows the artwork toContinue reading

End Of The Year

4 Gifts For Teachers That They Actually Want

*This post contains affiliate links for convenient viewing* At the end of the year, some students & parents opt to give their teacher a small token of appreciation.  So I’ve put together a list of 4 gifts for teachers that they actually want & find useful.  As a teacher, I can tell you that (even though it is dearly appreciated) some personal items are not relevant to all teachers.  For example, a box of chocolates may not be suitable for a teacher with an allergy or dietary constraint.  However, I can tell you that we certainly appreciate the thought and admire the effort.  Check out the list below if you’re interested in getting your child’sContinue reading

Classroom Management, End Of The Year

Top 4 Creative Student Awards

*This post contains affiliate links for convenient viewing* Throughout the year, and especially as the year ends, we often look to acknowledge our students’ strengths as a way to give them encouragement and keep them motivated.  It’s also common to hand out student awards for overall achievement at the end of the year as a way to celebrate their efforts. But, in all honesty, this can get kind of boring.  So, I give you: the top 4 creative student awards that you MUST try! 1. Ribbons This is unlike your typical certificate because students can wear them and display them with pride to all their classmates.  There is something so rewarding in receiving a ribbon!Continue reading

End Of The Year

8 Amazing End of the Year Activities

*This post contains affiliate links for convenient viewing* The end of the school year is a special time.  It’s brimming with excitement and promise, while also garnering reflection over the year that passed.  When this time rolls around teachers are mostly done with their core curriculum and find themselves with more time to try new and creative lesson ideas they couldn’t otherwise do.  However, this time shouldn’t be squandered or eagerly passed, there are really useful lessons to be had.  Here are 8 amazing end of the year activities every teacher must try! 1. Go Out with A Bang… or a pop? Leave a lasting impression of your creativity with your students.  Make the last fewContinue reading

Classroom Organizaion, End Of The Year

7 End of the Year Classroom Clean-up Tips

*This post contains affiliate links for convenient viewing* Ok, so I know it’s not quite time to start clearing your desk, walls and student belongings, but getting an early start on your end of the year classroom clean-up is imperative!  It makes life so much simpler.  You’ll be more organized, productive and frankly happier for taking these steps early on. 1. Before all else, take pictures: You’ll definitely thank yourself later for this step.  I used to pull up old pictures of my classroom when I was stumped on how to set up a specific section for the new school year.  This is really helpful because sometimes you either want to avoid or follow specificContinue reading

End Of The Year

7 Steps to EQAO Test Success (and other standardized testing)

Standardized testing is quite the ordeal for teachers and students alike.  It really can cause undue stress and anxiety to our students and often cuts into our curriculum time as we prepare our classes.  I wont discuss the merit of standardized testing, but since it is part and parcel of our schooling system, I’ve listed 7 steps to EQAO success (and other standardized testing), which can be used in any grade.  I’ve implemented these steps in my classroom and really found that they helped to both prepare and calm my students.  Take a look at these steps, and let me know which steps you use in your classroom in the comments section. *Please note that, as perContinue reading

Reading, Writing

4 Steps To Effectively Teach Point of View!

Teaching point of view/perspective in narratives is one of my favorite units!  After following these four steps, your students will be pros at identifying and describing points of view in various texts and also create unique perspective pieces.  These 4 steps to effectively teach point of view are meant as a guideline, you can use and expand them to cover many more lessons.  Take a look: 1. Define & Identify Start off by discussing point of view and who exactly is narrating the story.  Are they speaking in the first person? Do they have abilities to know all sides of the story?  Is their view limited?  Some of these questions may be philosophical but your studentsContinue reading