I have never been the type to do things for the sake of doing them.  Not just with teaching, but with everything.  It is important that I see the value in what I do, and I get the most value possible.  Basically, I always want to make sure I'm getting the most "bang for my buck".  This same mentality follows me into the classroom.  One area, in particular, is independent reading time. In my classroom, my students read daily, usually during guided reading time.  There is at least a 45-minute block where students are reading or writing about their reading.  This time in my room is not for games, centers, or anything else.  It is just about reading! Over the years, I have found a few simple activities that I incorporate into my students' reading time to make it more meaningful.  Don't let the word "simple" throw you off.  By "simple", I do not mean easy or tedious.  These activities are simple for the teacher to implement, yet......

Good classroom organization is a MUST for any successful teacher!  No matter what organizational tools you are using to keep organized (book crates, teacher binder , student binder , filing systems, etc.) having a solid system in place can make or break your year.  Throughout my time in the classroom, I developed a few key classroom organizational systems that I know will help you get your papers in order, and keep you and your students organized all year long! Don't forget to grab my FREE Checklist! 1.  EVERYTHING NEEDS A PLACE Before I start organizing my classroom, I use the idea that "EVERYTHING needs a place" and start from there.  If everything has a place in your classroom, it is easier to keep everything in its place...Simple, right?  I make a list of everything I need in my classroom and build my "Organization Plan".  This is a great time to think about how you will store resources in your classrooms, such as math centers......

Did you know that your personal life has a direct impact on your success as a teacher?  Yep, it's true.  The more chaos we find ourselves in at home, the harder it is to focus on being the AMAZING teacher we all know we can be. While some of the chaos may be out of our control, there are so many things we can do to make our lives simpler and more enjoyable. Here are my TOP 3 essential life hacks for all teachers:  Plan Your Meals! Planning out my meals for the week is a HUGE time saver and stress reliever! When I started meal planning, and I mean REALLY meal planning, I couldn't believe how much easier life became. If you don't believe me, try this plan for just 2 weeks and see what a difference it makes in your life.  Here is what I recommend... Every Saturday, make a list of the meals you are going to eat or cook for the upcoming week.  TIP: Try to include a recipe or two that uses only one pot or can be cooked......

There are lots of trends in education, but using technology in the classroom is not one of them. Google Forms is just one-way teachers are making learning more meaningful and simplifying the process of teaching.  Yes! That's right! Google Forms are actually making the lives of teachers less complicated while also benefiting the student. If you are thinking about using Google Forms in your classroom, you are in the right place. I'm going to walk you through what they are, the benefits of using them, and how to get started.  Once you are ready for the next step, check out my blog post "Tips and Tricks for Using Google Forms in the Classroom." Let's get started! What are Google Forms? Chances are, you've used Google Forms when filling out a survey of some sorts. Google Forms were created so that the user can quickly ask questions and collect information from others. That's it! Simple! Benefits of Google Forms (in the classroom) Don......