Looking for some simple and fun name games and name activities for the classroom that are cheap and easy to prep? The real question is what Kindergarten teacher doesn't?! Check out these simple and fun name games your little learners will love! We love to teach students to learn their own names but also to learn the names of others in their class. Easy Name Games and Name Activities These … [Read more...]
The Best Back-to-School Book List
Back-to-School Book List: Check out this list of excellent Back-to-School Books list that is perfect for Kindergarten and lower elementary classes. I want to strongly encourage teachers to grab some actual books and read them to their learners. Students need to see the parts of a book, see how to turn pages, and learn how to track text. But the reality is, even if you read aloud to students, you … [Read more...]
Easy to Use GKIDS Readiness Checklist
Georgia Kindergarten Teachers, I have something just for you. I want to share with you some support and assistance that only another Kindergarten teacher in the trenches could do. I created Individual Student GKIDS Readiness Checklists. GKIDS stands for Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills. What is GKIDS Readiness Check? Every fall, Kindergarten students in the State of … [Read more...]
Kinder Friendly All About Me Ideas
A classic start of the school year is Kinder Friendly All About Me Ideas. We love to focus on learning about our students and allow them to learn about us. What a great start to building relationships in the classroom! Let me share with you some of our Kinder Friendly All About Me Ideas. All About Me Reader First, we use this fun "all about me" reader to have the students learn about … [Read more...]
Things to Remember for the Beginning of the Year
Things to Remember for the Beginning of the Year: We talk all about how hard the first few months of school are. We talk all about how hard we work to tackle the to-do list. And we talk all about the hurdles we face. But what if we take the time to talk about that light? Remember there is light at the beginning of the year tunnel. Remember... They Need You First, keep in mind that your … [Read more...]
9 Easy-to-Prep Back-to-School ELA Activities
Check out these engaging back-to-school ELA activities for little learners Here is a great way to save time and sanity with these easy-to-prep back-to-school ELA activities. It is that time when we welcome new little learners into our classroom and our hearts. Time is precious as we have all the things to do and a growing to-do list, but not a lot of time to get things on the list checked … [Read more...]
Must Dos for the First Day of Kindergarten
Must Dos for the First Day of Kindergarten: We know the first day of school is coming soon and you want to make sure you are ready to rock and roll on day number one. A smart teacher once told me that the goals of a full day of Kindergarten are simple: feed them and get them home. So let's break down the must-dos for the first day! Let's dive into the must-dos for the first day of … [Read more...]
Must Dos for Preplanning for Teachers
What are the Must Dos for PrePlanning for Teachers? Preplanning is usually a time filled with meetings, required training sessions, and beginning-of-the-year prep. It is a fun time to catch up with my wonderful coworkers and their summer festivities. It is also a great time to start to bond with new faculty members. There is always a rush of fresh start excitement! And there is a buzz about … [Read more...]
Simple Meet the Teacher Tip Using Google Forms
A few years ago I posted this tip about using Google Forms for Meet the Teacher. Over time, Google Forms has been updated and I have been able to make this tip better and more efficient for teachers and parents. What is Google Forms? Google Forms is a great Google way to make forms easy to fill out for the user and easy to read for the maker. You can gather information and data so easily and … [Read more...]
Back-to-School Math Activities
Back-to-School Math activities are a part of this bundle of activities that will be hit in your classroom because the first month of school is a blur. Teachers need time to set everything up to become functioning and meaningful while learning for their students in their classroom. Don't let math the first month be exhausting! Don't get lost trying to complete initial assessments of your students … [Read more...]
Thanks Back-to-School Helpers
We need to thank our back-to-school helpers. It is that time of year when we teachers need to spend a moment to thank those people who are the back-to-school helpers. Those who help and support us as we make the shift to ready our classrooms. Summer Self Vs Back-to-School Self Back-to-school time transforms me. During the summer I am a full-time wife and mommy who organizes activities and … [Read more...]
Why Do They Need All Those School Supplies?
Why Do They Need All Those School Supplies? One reoccurring topic at the end of every summer is school supplies! Why is that list so long? Do we really need to bring EVERYTHING on the list? WHY? Why Do They Need All Those School Supplies? First, let me inform you guys of a little secret. Supply lists are a HUGE pet peeve of MANY teachers. That is right... we hate them too. So why do we do … [Read more...]