Here’s a truth bomb for your Tuesday (or whenever you read this): You can’t teach responsibility in a day. In upper elementary classrooms, responsibility usually shows up as students following directions, managing their behavior, and getting their work done without constant reminders. You can create the world’s best-designed mini-lesson. You can introduce it and teach […]
Finding effective classroom management strategies for older grades – specifically upper elementary and middle school – can be tricky. Most classroom management strategy advice is written with younger students in mind. This isn’t because students in grades 4-8 magically learn how to behave over the summer; it’s because behavior in older grades becomes more complex,
7 Classroom Management Strategies for Grades 4–8 (That Don’t Fall Apart by October) Read More »
Finding rewards for older students can be challenging, especially when the students are older. (Although a surprising number of them ask for coloring pages.) While second graders would sell their soul for a pencil or sticker (metaphorically speaking, of course), older students just don’t seem to care. This doesn’t mean you should give up on finding
31 Easy (and free) Rewards for Older Students Read More »
Let’s be honest: No matter how much you plan, the day never goes exactly as scheduled. Assemblies end early, specials get canceled, the fire alarm goes off, or testing throws the whole routine off track…and suddenly, you’ve got 15 minutes (or 40!) to fill. That’s when having a set of filler activities ready to go
7 No-Prep and Low-Prep Filler Activities for Grades K-8 Read More »
Remember the other day when your students kept talking over you? They were yelling across the room, and the noise level just kept rising. You didn’t want to yell, but you needed their attention, and you needed it 3 minutes ago. Here’s the thing: Most teachers try quick fixes – fun signals, hand claps, or
The K-8 Teacher’s Guide to the Best Quiet Signals for Noisy Classes Read More »
Starting a new school year is the best, isn’t it? The gleam of freshly waxed floors… The scent of pencil shavings in the air… The quiet thrill of brand-new markers… And then – the terror. You don’t know these kids. Not yet. Not their names. Not their strengths. Not their quirks. Not what they remember
10 Back-to-School Writing Prompts (and What Each One Reveals About Your Students) Read More »
