You know that question that asks, "If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island and could only take three things with you...?"  Well this is sort of like that. Except it is the teacher version.  The bloggers here at Upper Elementary Snapshots have teamed up to bring you some new ideas, book suggestions, resources and other "must haves" for your classrooms. Each of us is sharing a FREE RESOURCE we have created and have found to be useful in our own teaching. We are also spotlighting three of the things we can't picture ourselves teaching without. Visit each of our blogs to grab a total of 13 FREE resources and learn about all our favorite classroom tools, books to read aloud to students and printable resources. ...
Classroom management is essential throughout the school day, but it is especially important during math workshop. With planning and consistency, your classroom will “run itself “ and your students will be focused and on task even when you are working with a small group across the room. Here’s how to get there: 1- Determine the procedures and routines that will be effective for your classroom. The key to classroom management is establishing clear procedures and routines within an organized and structured environment.  This is especially true for Math Workshop.  Before the students arrive you’ll need to think about your classroom layout and your vision for how your workshop will run. I  recommend putting your procedures into writing. This will help you be consistent, allow you to tweak your routines, and provide clear expectations to substitute teachers and parent volunteers.  Offer lots of verbal praise and recognition as students beg...
We know that "assessment" is a buzz word that we can't get away from...we talk about standardized testing.  About rubrics.  About standards-based assessment tasks.  About--YOU fill in the blank. One of the often under-used assessment strategies is SELF-assessment.  This can be something as simple as a "thumbs up" if a student understands but can be far more involved and useful.  Interested in some of the brain research on this?  Check out this GREAT article by Jo Boaler!  Today I want to talk about some of the issues related to self-assessment--and to give you some suggestions on how to create a culture where students will be able to make the most of the opportunities you provide them. Culture for honesty and risk taking One thing I have definitely discovered is that if students don't feel "safe" in our classroom environments, there is no way for them to open and honestly assess themselves.  It's hard to admit that you don't und...
Analyzing writing curriculums,  planning writing workshop  and teaching writing lessons can be overwhelming.  You might think, how am I going to fit everything in and produce successful writers? Where do I start?  What skills do they need?  This post will share the 7 BASIC WRITING LESSONS that every teacher should teach! With this basic knowledge, students will be able to perform other writing assignments more effectively. The following skills are not only effective in upper elementary, they are often needed at the middle school level for review or the primary level for differentiation.  So yes, every teacher should teach them! If you start with these  7  fundamental skills, it will set the expectations for your writing lessons and assignments throughout the year! Frequently Asked Questions What are the basic skills and what order should I teach them? Sentence Structure 1.  Complete Sentences          Lesson for complete sentences 2.  Fr...
Even in the middle of the summer, I still find myself thinking about the upcoming school year and what I can do to make it even better than the last. Today I thought I would share one of the routines that I use that keeps me in constant communication with my students' parents: Weekly Take-Home Folders!!! Take-Home Folders have been such a valuable tool for me ever since I started teaching. They serve as a way for me to communicate with my students' parents throughout the year.  They allow me to share their children's work habits, behavior, and grades on a weekly basis, while also sharing important school and classroom information. I prep them every Friday, send them home every Monday , and ask for them to be returned before the end of the week, so they can go home all over again!! Here is how I use them in my classroom.... On the LEFT SIDE of the folder, I include graded tests, assignments, projects, etc. Attached to the top of these, I staple a Weekly P...
As teachers, we strive to improve every year. If you had an usually rough year last year, or just want to improve, this post is for you! I've tried a lot of different things to prepare for going back to school. These 4 have made the biggest impact! 1. Overhaul your classroom management system. One of the major things I've done recently is to make changes to my classroom management system. I used to save hundreds of classroom management pins to Pinterest every summer, and then spend weeks getting it all set up.  Keep it simple. A complex reward system makes it easy to fall behind, and then students don't take it seriously. The best rewards are ones you can prepare before school starts and use seamlessly within your instruction. Keep it positive! I hate behavior plans, and so do my students. Get a form ready for next year that has an area for student goals and self reflection. Ditch anything that has bad behaviors listed or negative consequences. Keep rewards...
If you do guided reading, you've probably encountered the problem of "the bad book." You know, a piece of literature of sub-par quality, an outdated or boring informational text, or a leveled reader from a bleh literacy program. Maybe you're stuck with the text because it's part of your mandated curriculum. Maybe it was the only set of books at the level you need. Or maybe you were short on time and just grabbed the closest thing that looked like something to read, and now six pairs of eyes are staring up at you while you mutter, "Aw, crap," under your breath because you now realize you're holding a stack of books called What is Cyberspace? from 1995. All hope is not lost. You can still pull off a great guided reading session using a bummer of a book. Remember What's Important In these situations, the most important thing to remember is to teach the reader, not the book. This will help you think of the book as simply a tool. It migh...