teacher tips
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Teacher Costumes from your Closet
I love Halloween, but I’m not a huge fan of dressing up – it’s the introvert in me that doesn’t want any extra attention! I also don’t love the idea of spending a ton of money on something that I’m only going to wear once. I’ve gotten really good at creating fun, comfortable costumes from my own closet. The fact that they’re made from clothes I already own means that they’re also very school-appropriate. Here are some of the ideas that I’ve used in the past, just in case you’re looking for a last minute teacher costume that won’t break the budget. Gardener – Pull out a pear of jeans or…
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Stress Relief for Back to School
This time of year can be soooooo stressful! The calendar is packed with end of summer celebrations, meet the teacher nights, sports practices, and all of the to-do lists. It might not be the perfect time to squeeze in a little self care BUT you can definitely pick up a few stress-relieving products now so that when there is a free moment it’s really easy to put them to use. Self care is not one-size-fits-all, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite products to offer a little inspiration. All links are affiliates! Lavender eye mask – This brings all of the sensory input. You get the aromatherapy,…
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Favorite Teacher Supplies
Since we’re talking supplies already I wanted to share this post from last year – these are all still my favorite items as a teacher! ver 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…
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All Things Assessment for Preschool
On Friday I shared a video that shows my early childhood assessments and how to use them. As you consider these and prepare to complete your own assessments I wanted to make sure that you had all of my resources in one easy place! Here are all of the posts that I’ve shared on assessments and portfolios over the years: Using assessment results to inform lesson planning Explaining assessments to families Sharing assessment results with families My favorite assessment products What does assessment evidence look like in preschool? Assessment strategies for preschool Collecting assessment evidence Google drive student portfolios Anecdotal Notes Please reach out if there is anything that I…
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Easy Portfolios and Assessments for Early Childhood
It’s almost spring (I’m trying to be optimistic here…), and in many places that means that it’s time to think about finishing up assessments and portfolios for the end of the school year. If you’re about to jump into that, let me help! I’ve got another video for you today that walks through why I created my own assessments, and how you can take advantage of this for your program – they really do make life so much easier! If you want to read more about these assessments and some of the different ways they can be used, then this post is exactly what you’re looking for!
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Teacher Christmas Must-Haves
We officially have one more week until Christmas! If your calendar looks anything like mine, then it’s probably packed with all of the festive events – and if you still need some last minute outfits or accessories for all of these, then I’ve got you covered. All of these picks are from Amazon, so they can save the day really quickly (and the links are affiliates, but I truly do love all of these products). Christmas-shaped stud earrings – I’m not a fan of wearing dangly earrings in the classroom, there’s far too much opportunity for them to get caught or grabbed by a little hand. Large, dangly earrings seem…
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Printable Christmas Thank You Cards
Here’s a super helpful resource for this time of year! Printable thank you cards have saved me more times than I can count. While I love stationary, and admittedly have a much larger stash than is necessary, I never seem to have enough thank you cards. These can be printed as needed, making it really easy to get those thank you’s out for any student or co-worker gifts before everyone leaves school for the holidays. You can grab your set HERE!
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Finishing the Year Strong!
We’re so close to December! Can you believe that it’s nearly the end of another year already? This can be such a strange time when it comes to teaching – everything is a bit of a whirlwind because there’s so much going on, it’s the end of a calendar year, but not the end of the school year, and it many cases it feels like you’re surviving until a holiday break. Is it possible to be intentional as we head into December so that everyone enjoys this season, while feeling some closure to 2023 and prepared to start fresh in the new year? Of course it is! Here are my…
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Google Drive Student Portfolios
I originally shared this post a couple of years ago, and it has been the most popular post that I’ve ever written. I can understand why – we all want easy solutions to conferences and documentation, but no one wants to pay for the expensive platforms that curriculum companies have available. This system is my DIY version of that kind of system. Since most parents are a lot more comfortable with google drive and PDF documents it’s been the best way to share information! Here’s the rest of that original post: I’ve always used three-ring binders to compile my students’ portfolios, but this year my classroom did not have the…
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November Lesson Plans!
It’s officially here! The November Month of Preschool set is available! This collection of activities just my be my favorite month yet. It can be tricky to navigate Thanksgiving and all of the different family and historical aspects that come with it. The learning experiences included in this set cover the holiday and related themes in developmentally and culturally appropriate ways, while still being tons of fun. There is a heavy focus on the holiday, including themes of families, gratitude and thankfulness, traditional Thanksgiving foods, and baking. I’ve added some brand new activities, and even a few that are only available as part of this set. Here’s a sneak peak…
