An important Reminder as the School Year Begins...

This was my classroom door a few years back. 

I love the message it sends my students. We're here for THEM. That means that they are important. It also means that we are all in this together - a student's job is to learn and a teacher's job is to provide opportunities for learning. We're really just guides to support students in discovering who they are meant to be.

One thing I struggled with early on is eliminating "guys" from my teaching vocabulary. I loves that I could use this door as my guide. I called the kids scientists during science. Readers during a read aloud. It makes sense - when you see a child as an author, they do, too!

So, as the year gets going, I know this is the tiring time. The time that you just want to get into the curriculum but also need to lay that solid foundation of rules, procedures, and routines. It's also a really nice time for you as the teacher to bond with your class and show them that they truly are your priority. Enjoy the getting to know you phase of the year. Sprinkle in some fun between practicing lining up! :)

Happy beginning of the school year to all!

LEGO Building Brick Challenges for Kids of ALL AGES!

You know what I really love about STEM challenges? SO many of them can be posed for kids of all ages. You'll always be surprised by the responses from kids! They can truly be thoughtful, innovative, and motivated!

I have created LEGO Build Brick STEM Challenges for seriously all ages. Using them in school for our STEAM program, as well as for myself as a classroom teacher and a summer school teacher, I continue to be dazzled by the new ideas kids come up with. (I even test some of these challenges out on my 3-year old, pictured below!)

STEM challenges create a community - kids love sharing and reflecting on their creations, supporting each other through hiccups, and cheering their peers on when there are successes. It also builds on the collaboration of classmates. I oftentimes hear kids say, "How did you build that?" or "Can you help me with this?" or "Wow, I never thought to try that! Great idea!"

Now, when I use these challenges in my own classroom, I have always used plastic pencil boxes or larger plastic totes to house the actual LEGO building pieces, and typically each child gets their own. Each tote may have a varied assortment of pieces, and kids are allowed to share, but they have their own place to store their pieces. From there, I usually project the quick challenges on the Smart Board, discuss them, and set a timer for building. We have a share time, and move on. For challenges that take longer, I have written responses for kids to plan, build, reflect, and revisit their build. But really, the beauty in using STEM challenges like these in your classroom or home is that you are able to tailor it to fit your specific needs!

Click here for ideas to incorporate LEGO STEM into your home or classroom today!

Just Reintroducing Myself, for Those Who Need it!

My name is Meagan!

Currently, I am a reading interventionist and instructional coach for grades 2-4. In the past I have taught fourth grade, second grade, third grade, looped from third to fourth, and was a reading teacher a long time ago, too! Yes, I have done it all. My school has provided me with a lot of opportunities to grow professionally, and I am grateful.

Isn't that funny? Before actually becoming a teacher, I thought I would find a grade level I loved and stick with it forever. Then, I started teaching. I moved schools a few times. I moved grade levels and classrooms a lot. And I realized that I actually LIKE change. I like switching things up because it makes me more flexible and a better teacher. I know the standards and expectations for every grade level because I realize how helpful that is. Funny.

Anyway, I also have two lovely children. They're small. Toddlers. They're the reason I left the classroom and went into coaching and being an interventionist. I thought I would have a different kind of workload, and I do. There are less parent needs from me - no more late night emails and text messages or mountains of grading and report cards. There are definitely different expectations. I feel like I answer to my administration more and that can be stressful. But I love my job and I feel like I can be successful at it while still being present at home with my children.

And who are you? :)

SUM BLOX - Make math hands on again!

Have you heard of Sum Blox?

We got them for Christmas last year and they make me want to go right back into the classroom. (I am currently an instructional coach and reading interventionist in my building.)

Currently, I use them with my three-year old. They are BEAUTIFUL wooden blocks that are shaped like numbers. The bigger the number, the bigger the block, which makes the concept of 5 being greater than 2 a lot easier for small kiddos to understand. That's a basic way to use Sum Blox, and that's where we are right now with the three-year old, but there are plenty of other ways to increase the rigor!

Primary:

- Adding or subtracting becomes visual! the 2 block and the 3 block will match up with the 5 block! Create some number bonds to connect it to math in school.

Intermediate:

- Multiplication and division are suddenly interactive! Stack up four 2 blocks and match it up with an 8 block! Deconstruct numbers!

The Sum Blox also come with challenge cards! These are STEM cards that any age can work on, such as stacking the numbers from 1-10, and then reversing the order!

Anyway, if you are looking for HIGH QUALITY blocks that will last forever and engage your kiddos in math, check out Sum Blox!

Click here to check out the Sum Blox website!

 

LEGO BUILDING BLOCK CHALLENGES GALLORE

I love all things STEM! 

Currently, I am an instructional coach and I encourage the teachers I work with to incorporate STEM into any part of their day possible - soft start morning tubs, STEM bins, Brain bins, recess, whenever! But also, the subject areas! STEM is not always a separate activity. It can fit right into your current curriculum.

Now, at my house, we have bins of LEGO build bricks from when my husband and I were kids. Like, TOTES. Tons. So I used them in my classroom as a teacher.

Below are some really fun, ready to go ideas for incorporating LEGO building bricks into your teaching, whether you are in the classroom or teaching little ones in your own home. (Believe me, I have a three-year old who I test many of these challenges out on and she is a little bit obsessed.)

Click here for more LEGO building brick STEM challenge ideas!

FOCUS ON WRITING:

There are so many opportunities to ENGAGE kids during writing with a STEM challenge. Sometimes, when they have the opportunity to break up the physical act of writing with some building (as long as the building does not take over), the writing is actually better. There's true purpose there because it is tangible.

I used these STEM challenges for YEARS during Summer School as our STEM initiative and I was always impressed by the creativity and perseverance of the students. They're special challenges because you can present them to primary learners or intermediate learners, and they can all be successful in their own way.

Station Rotation during MATH!

Set up a challenge station during math to review concepts previously covered in a new and motivating way! Such a simple area - task cards and a tub of LEGO building bricks!

Click here for more LEGO building brick STEM challenge ideas!

State Test Prep - FOCUS ON WRITTEN RESPONSE

I have taught in a testing grade level for 8 years of my career and I had test prep down to a science. I integrated it throughout the school year so the kids never really knew that they were prepping - they were just learning strategies that would help them to be successful.

The short response writing dominated our state assessments in New York, so that was always a huge focus for me. I like the strategy RATTS: Restate the question, Answer the question, Text-based detail, Text-based detail, Summary statement.

Now, not every kiddo can handle this strategy. I loved incorporating short response writing in my small group reading, which meant that some groups that still needed a lot of writing support might start the year using RAT. Then add another T when they were ready, and the S by the end of the year. Hopefully. Others might be ready for full-blown RATTS right away! It depended on the learners and their needs.

I like having check lists for the kids when we are learning the strategy and then gradually moving away from that because there won't be a check list on a test - the kids will be making their own check lists at that point.

I also love having rubrics so that when we move away from guided practice to independent writing, kids can score themselves and reflect on how they answered the questions using our strategy.

Another idea? COLOR CODING! For me, I have a variety of pens in small group reading. The kids use a different color for each letter of RATTS. It makes the strategy very visual. When they are ready to move away from that, they respond in all one color but check their response by HIGHLIGHTING each letter and the written component that matches up with that letter. It shows them if they are missing a letter, detail, summary statement, etc. And who doesn't love pens and highlighters? Get that motivation!

Seriously, after years of scoring state assessments and seeing SO MANY strategies for the written response, this is BY FAR my favorite. And the strategy that kids have had the most success with.

Click here for a state test prep short response writing resource!

Click here for a state test prep short response writing resource!

Happy teaching!

Tell me you're a teacher without telling me you're a teacher...

Tell me you're a teacher without telling me you're a teacher...

Every time my 1-year old makes a mess with food, my 3-year old yells out, "SENSORY PLAY!"

That's it. Now, I'll go get cleaning.

Throwback to My Favorite Picture

I had a beautiful little baby girl a few years back. When I was pregnant with my second, I thought I wanted another girl. It would be easier - I knew girls (I just had one and I have 3 sisters), plus I had all the clothes and girl gear!

But I knew that it was a boy from the beginning - everything about that second pregnancy was different from the morning sickness to the fatigue. Sure, I tried to say that it was just being pregnant with a toddler at home, but I just knew it was a boy before he was even born. (We waited to find out until the birth - the only real surprises I've ever experienced in my life, and very difficult for Type A teacher moms like myself, but I would do it again.)

Anyway, they say that there is something special about boys and their moms, and I do see it. I mean, let's be real, there is also something special about boys and their dads- running around crazy, throwing the kids in the air, racing around the house until they run into a wall, laughing their faces off...you know.

But this picture will always remind me of how sweet that little boy is with his mama.

Sometimes it is nice to take a moment in our busy lives and appreciate all that we have. 

It's been a crazy year in education, and I anticipate the crazy continuing for a long time. Teachers have gone from worshipped when parents were teaching their own kids at home to dumped on again as we go through the great teacher shortage (Yes, we are taking on WAY more responsibilities and roles in schools because there is literally no one willing to enter the field of education right now. And do we blame them?)

So, when you're feeling a little overwhelmed and worn out this year, just take a minute to appreciate those little moments that make everything else worth it. Because there are plenty of those moments; we just need to notice them.

Mentor Text Suggestion: Jabari Jumps

THIS IS AN AWESOME BOOK!

I found this book, Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, on First Book Market Place. (If you don't know about First Book, go explore their website. They offer discounted books for teachers in Title 1 schools. It is amazing and I always load up - as an instructional coach, I am ALWAYS lending books to teachers for various needs so my classroom library has come in handy.)

Jabari Jumps is about a boy who wants to jump from the high diving board. He is excited but then extremely frightened. This book is all about facing your fears, building up the courage to try something new, and ultimately discovering that you can do it!

Check out a few excerpts and then GO BUY IT for your classroom or home library to encourage your littles to  try new things because they just might like it!

Benefits of PUZZLES

Why incorporate the use of puzzles into your child or students' day?

There are plenty of benefits!

- mental exercise

- visual-spatial reasoning

- attention to detail

- improve memory

- increase your IQ

- improve problem-solving skills

- better collaboration and teamwork

- increased productivity

...and the list goes on!

Currently, my kiddos at ages 2 and 9 months, use wooden puzzles almost every day. They love them! My 2 year old has also graduated to 70-100 piece puzzles. Our favorites are the Mudpuppy brand of puzzle. She has Mudpuppy puzzles about the USA (She has learned a lot of states this way), animals in the African Savannah, woodland animals, rainforest animals, and more. I highly recommend these puzzles. They are beautiful, engaging, and an excellent learning resource. They come with information sheets on the animals.

So, go grab some puzzles on Amazon or a local yard sale! They're great for purposeful play!