Archives November 2022

The holiday season is here, and the Preschool December Morning Bins are sure to bring some cheer! This month is packed with hands-on activities to teach letters, shapes, name practice, rhyming and so much more!

Most preschools have a scattered drop-off time, so mornings can be chaotic. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a consistent plan of activities for these young students to participate in as they trickle in. The Preschool Morning Bins are exactly what you need to start the day off in a positive, focused and stress-free way! These hands-on activities provide an ideal opportunity for preschool students to practice basic skills to warm up their minds and be ready for the day.

PRESCHOOL MORNING BIN BUNDLE AVAILABLE HERE

KINDERGARTEN MORNING BIN BUNDLE AVAILABLE HERE

FIRST GRADE MORNING BIN BUNDLE AVAILABLE HERE

SECOND GRADE MORNING BIN BUNDLE AVAILABLE HERE

What are Morning Tubs / Bins? 

These age appropriate Preschool/

/ November 22, 2022

Isis Idiokitas is an online entrepreneur with own her handmade necklace line. The most impressive part about it? She’s running her own business all while only in the fifth grade!

Isis: The Business Owner

Isis created her company, Tu Snaps, from her bedroom in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was spending a lot of time building her Legos and realized how many pieces she had just lying around after, so she put her creative mind to the test and found a way to make use of the extra blocks.

“I have heard of jewelry made from Lego but not as unique as Tu Snaps, so I thought I could create necklaces that are more like art,” says kid entrepreneur Isis, whose family and fans often rave about her confidence in opening up her own business at such a young age.

“I want kids to

I’ve been on a bit of a reading kick with a foodie theme this month, so it seemed fitting to continue the trend with The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, by Rachel Linden.

The book blurb sums this one up perfectly…”An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose“. Swoon.

Oh my word how I ADORED this book. One of my favorite comfort reads this year. Right off the bat, you need to know that I LOVE magical realism. It’s one of my favorite genres, especially when done well. And this one is definitely that. One Italian Summer meets This Time Tomorrow meets The Midnight Library meets Sliding Doors. A story about lost love and second chances. I loved every second.

Lolly (the main character) was so lovable and the supporting

I saw this question on Quora recently and then most-upvoted response was curious to me, so I thought I’d offer my .02 as a teacher who sometimes struggled with this in practice.

And while I’m not sure it’d be widely useful for TeachThought readers and doesn’t really fit in with our typical content that focuses on critical thinking and innovation in education, I decided to share it here as well for any teachers who’ve been on either side of this scenario.

Question: What do other teachers think of the ‘cool teacher’ in school?

It depends on the nature of the ‘cool.’ It also depends on the school culture and the relationships the ‘cool’ teacher has built not only with students but other teachers and administrators. Content areas and grade levels would probably be factors as well–a ‘cool’ 2nd-grade teacher versus a high school drama teacher, for example. But broadly speaking,

In a successful strength observation, you will ask questions, expect unconventional answers, and learn about the students’ worlds. Searching for strengths in your students might seem intuitive, but it’s not. Since most of us educators were trained to identify students’ deficits, we have to actively work to identify their strengths. Pay attention to the following:

• Does the student work better independently or in a group?
• When does the student show excitement, boredom, more energy or less energy, frustration, or sustained focus?
• How easily do they initiate tasks, shift between tasks, and stay on task?
• Are they inspiring or motivating others?
• Are they creative in how they approach a given task?
• Do they leverage resources or social capital in a meaningful way?
• What was challenging for the student?
• What seemed easy for the student?
• What patterns did you notice throughout the observation?

After the observation, review your findings with the student.