Beginning of school year

As Parent Teacher Conferences near each school year, I am always reminded of my first year as a teacher, and my first experience with Parent Teacher Conferences. I have to tell you, I was absolutely terrified at the thought of talking to each of my students' parents individually that first year. Sure, I can talk to a roomful of six year olds all day long...but adults? Just the thought had me over-indulging in the stash of M&M's I'd secretly been keeping in my desk for a little snack here and…

Classroom callbacks are a fantastic way to get the attention of your students while keeping them engaged. I use different classroom callbacks for different

Before the start of each school year, I spend a lot of time reevaluating the routines and procedures that I use in my classroom. Establishing routines and procedures early on, sets the stage for a well-managed classroom and helps ensure "smooth sailing" for rest of the school year!! Below is a list that I refer to each year when establishing routines and procedures for my classroom.... {Click here to download!} Like anything else we teach our students, these routines and procedures need to…

Prepping for the Upcoming School Year Tips & Tricks 13 comments End of Year, Tips and Tricks Are you a planner? I am! With that said, I have already started prepping for next year. Please don't think I'm too wacky, I just really like to be ready. If you're interested in planning ahead, read on! Prepping now saves me time and hassle when we report back to work in August. Our photo copiers are limited in number, but high in demand. Not to mention, they always seem to malfunction or give us…

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a part of The Primary Chalkboard! This is such a wonderful group of teacher bloggers and I am so honored...

This social media profile all about me activity is a great way to welcome students back to school. In this post, I share FREE lesson plans, a student welcome letter, lunch choice cards, and all about me activities for those first days back to school. Perfect for students in a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grade classroom. Includes first day of school ideas for year 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The lessons you teach at the beginning of the year are crucial for laying the foundation and setting the tone for the rest of the school year. During the first week, your schedule should be a mix of teaching procedures and expectations as well as building a strong classroom community. Download o

Two weeks from the day that I am writing this blog post, I will be heading back to school. I’ve spent a decent amount of time this summer getting my room set up, and I felt good about walking away for a while after a few days of setting up. But now, my brain has turned to: What in the world are the

When I looked at my last post and realized it was Christmas themed, I realized I was long overdo for a blog post. This new year has brought a lot of changes for my district, and one of those changes was the requirement to have all objectives posted. My grade level already had them posted, so we felt like we could check this off our list. They worked great and I loved that they took up very little space. This smaller set is editable, so you do have the option of typing your objectives. I used…

Friday letters offer so many insights into your students and keep parents connected to your classroom. See how I teach students to manage them themselves.