Winter break is finally here! We hope that you enjoy every minute of your time off and enjoy the holidays with your family and friends.

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Today, let’s dive into a game-changer for classrooms everywhere: the LCD writing tablet. As teachers, we're all about finding tools that spark excitement and boost learning, and these nifty gadgets are rocking the chalk-dusted socks off traditional whiteboards.

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In the world of literacy education, phonograms are foundational tools that enable young readers to decode and understand written language. Teaching both single letter and multi-letter phonogram sounds is crucial for developing strong reading skills. Here’s why focusing on phonograms can make a significant difference in a child’s literacy journey.

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It’s that time of year again…December. Such a hard month to engage students when they are so excited for the festive holidays and winter break. December and May are the hardest months to teach, but at least May offers an end in sight. Alas, we are in the midst of December yet again.

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We love this time of year. The air grows crisp and cold and sweater weather is in full effect. It is also when we begin our unit on the Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. If you are anything like us, you have started to decolonize your curriculum. We have put serious thought into the texts we use for our teaching and have made sure that we no longer cling to texts that only represent the white dominant culture. You may be asking, well then, why are you teaching A Christmas Carol?

This year we have focused on the theme of systems and power. We got the idea from Matthew R. Kay’s Book, Not Light But Fire. We have been trying to center each of our units of study with the frame: “How are systems created and defined? How do systems shape the world? What is the role of the individual in systems?” We have discussed the ideas of systems in history, and A Christmas Carol is a great intro into these systems when it comes to English Language Arts.

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One of our favorite week long units of study focuses on character analysis. It is a sure fire lesson to increase student engagement. They love learning more about themselves and others around them. Some of the topics we teach with our students involve character analysis vocabulary, direct vs. indirect characterization, and emotions vs. traits.

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A heartfelt thank you!

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So, here’s a weird concept. My  husband has been working in the construction field as an electrician for the past five years. He has wired offices from Sales Force to Facebook, Twitter to We Work. A common thread amongst a majority of the office projects has been overhead sound machines built into the ceilings. The speaker system emits a hum throughout the common work space. One barely even notices the steady thrum unless it is unexpectedly turned off. This got me thinking, what if I added a sound machine to my classroom?

Read on for the results…

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Teaching syntax is not just about grammar; it's about unlocking the potential of every student to articulate their ideas clearly and confidently, setting the stage for academic and professional success.

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Teaching syntax is not just about grammar rules—it's about empowering students to convey their thoughts clearly and confidently. In this blog post, we’ll explore what writing syntax is, why it is crucial to teach it, and how educators can effectively incorporate it into their classrooms.

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The beginning of the school year is well underway, and your knowledge about each of your students is growing. If you have not done so already, now is the time to begin instilling clear expectations for your students about how you want your class to run. Whether you’re a veteran teacher or this is your first year, aside from building strong relationships with your students, classroom management is the most important thing you can do to keep your classroom running smoothly for the rest of the school year.

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