teacher notes

  • Best Amazon Teaching Products

    Preschool Teacher Products 2023

    I’m giving you even more ideas for your Amazon Big Deal Days wishlists today! Over the years I’ve narrowed down my absolute favorite products that I, as the teacher, NEED to have. Here’s my list: (all links are affiliates, your support is TRULY appreciated!) I use these zip pouches for literally everything. They are one of my all-time-favorite Amazon purchases. This size can fit a whole notebook or legal pad, so I can easily keep all of my notes, projects, and copies organized. I’m obsessed with my Bogg Bag and this leopard print one is definitely on my wishlist. I love the structure of this bag, and that it can…

  • teacher back to school

    Expectations for the first week of school

    TPT shared this image on their instagram this week and it really stuck with me – probably because it’s exactly the kind of reminder that I always need during the first week. There’s so much pressure to jump back into a full-on routine and do all the things, but that’s not healthy for us as adults, and it can create a lot of stress for our students. Setting realistic expectations for the first week of school makes such a difference! I’m a planner, you know that, so for me this looks like getting out my calendar and really assessing what each day will look like and what I can actually…

  • preschool behaviors

    Managing Challenging Behaviors

    I promised you some real solutions to the tough stuff that you have to deal with everyday, and the number one thing on that list is challenging behaviors. These are the kinds of things that can derail the entire class and make you feel like nothing you do will make a difference – I’ve been there. I’ve put together a resource that will help you understand, manage, and change these difficult preschool behaviors step by step. I’m also giving you a FREEBIE so you can try it out right away! Behaviors are so tough because we aren’t always able to understand exactly where there coming from, and even if we…

  • Friday Freebie – Post-It To Do Lists

    Happy Friday! We’ve almost made it to another long weekend, just one more week – and since I know that next week will feel extra long, I’m especially excited to enjoy this weekend.  Did that sentence make any sense? I usually try to make sure that my Friday Freebie goes with whatever topics I’ve written about all week, usually.  This week’s freebie has nothing to do with playgrounds, so if you want to check out those posts be my guest, after you download this super cute freebie! The list-maker in me could not resist sharing this editable To Do List for Post-It notes from Brooke Brown.  I think I’m in…

  • Sharing Positive Messages with Families

    Kids do great things during the day - they share, they tell funny stories, they help without being asked, they melt our hearts with their sweet comments. In an effort to share these great moment with parents I created Happy Notes, which you can download for free! I really need to be better about sharing great stories with parents, so the idea behind Happy Notes is that you can write down something great right when it happens, then share the note with the child, and they can take it home and share it with mom and dad. These are a great way to reinforce positive behavior, and a perfect way to let…

  • One Word Resolution

    Resolutions. Love them or hate them, it’s time to consider goals for the new year.  I tend to make general goals for the coming year, so when I read Primary Powers’ post on one-word resolutions, it really resonated with me.  It also reminded me of One Little Word, something that I had read about last year, and am looking forward to implementing in my life this year (check out Ali Edwards’ Blog for a great explanation). The idea that one word can shape the way you view the entire year is refreshing – it reminds me that everything is a matter of perspective.  So this year my word is: I’m…

  • My documentation process

    Documentation is something that has become a natural piece of my job as a teacher. I am constantly taking notes about what my students are doing. It’s one of those things that I do without thinking, those notes are so important because I can take my scribbled notes and turn them into a polished documentation, having the notes already written down cuts my panel-making process in half.  Even though my notes save me tons of time, the role that I’m in at my new school doesn’t leave a ton of time for creating panels and other items that I really want to do for the classroom. I’ve solved this problem…