Category: Tips

Happy Friday! Enjoy Your Weekend!

February 10, 2023February 9, 2023 PassionateAboutTeaching 2 Comments

Happy Friday! It’s the weekend, and that means it’s time to relax and unwind. But sometimes, it can be hard to find the motivation to do something productive. Here are a few tips to help you get motivated and make the most of your weekend.

First, start by setting goals. Decide what you want to accomplish and make a plan. Break down the tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and schedule them into your weekend. This will give you a sense of purpose and direction.

Second, set aside some time for self-care. It’s important to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Take a long bath, go get a cup of tea or coffee (☕️)read a book, go for a walk, or just spend some time doing something that relaxes you.

Third, find activities that make you happy. Whether it’s playing your favorite sport, crafting something, DIY project, cooking, or just watching your favorite movie (yes, I love me some Netflix), make sure to do something that brings you joy. 🥰

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay if you don’t accomplish everything you set out to do. Just do your best, and don’t forget to have some fun!

I hope these tips help you find the motivation you need to make the most of your weekend. Have a great one!

Until next time,

Self-Care, TGIF, Tips

How Do We Show Students We Care?

February 9, 2023 PassionateAboutTeaching No Comments

How do we show our students we care?

As teachers, we all know it’s very important to show our students that we care about them. Why? Doing so can help create a positive learning environment where students feel safe, respected, and supported. Our students are dealing with A LOT these days. They need to feel that at least one person is in their court.

Here are a few ways that teachers can show their students that they care:

Get to know them: Take time to get to know your students on an individual level. Ask them questions about their interests, hobbies, and goals. Showing that you care about their interests can help build meaningful relationships with your students.
Be available: Let your students know that you are available to help them. Make yourself available to answer questions or just talk about their day. This can help create a sense of trust between you and your students.
Show appreciation: Recognize your students’ achievements, both big and small. Give genuine compliments, encourage them to keep trying, and remind them of their potential. This can help build their self-confidence and make them feel valued.
Show flexibility: Be flexible with assignments, deadlines, and expectations. Show your students that you understand that everyone learns differently and that you want to help them succeed.

By taking small steps to show your students that you care, you can create an environment of trust and support that can help your students learn and grow.

Happy teaching!

Classroom, Tips

Back to the Basics in Reading

February 7, 2023 PassionateAboutTeaching No Comments

Back to the basics in reading? Yes! I work as a reading and writing interventionist in a middle school. We might tend to think at this age, our students should know all the vowel sounds, blends, digraphs, consonant clusters, vowel rules, etc. Well, they don’t (and for many reasons, which is a whole other blog post). 😂

Therefore, I’ve gone back to the basics. Yes, even in middle school! We all need a refresher every now and then, especially when it comes to the basics, right?! Phonics is an important building block for a strong foundation in reading, writing, and language arts. That’s why it’s essential to go back to the basics of phonics to gain a better understanding of how language works. As teachers, we know there are HUGE debates right now between leveled literacy and the science of reading. I find that incorporating both into my class is extremely beneficial for my students.

What Is Phonics?

Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing that focuses on the relationship between sounds and letters. It involves teaching students to recognize and use the sounds that letters and groups of letters make. This is an important skill for reading, as it allows students to decode words and gain a better understanding of them.

Why Is Phonics Important?

Phonics provides students with the fundamentals of reading and writing and helps them to understand the relationship between sounds and letters. This knowledge can be used to help decode unknown words and to increase fluency. Additionally, phonics can help students to spell correctly and improve their overall writing skills.

How Can We Go Back to the Basics with Phonics?

Going back to the basics of phonics can be done in a few different ways. One way is to review the sounds that each letter makes and the different combinations of letters that create a particular sound. Just today, we worked on digraphs and long/short vowel sounds. We practiced reading words out loud and breaking them down into individual sounds. Finally, have them practice writing words from their sounds, as this will help them gain a better understanding of how the sounds and letters work together.

Overall, phonics is an important building block for literacy skills. Going back to the basics with phonics can help your students to gain a better understanding of the relationship between sounds and letters, which will ultimately help them to become better readers and writers.

Until next time,

Classroom, Classroom Activities, Tips

Tips to Staying Motivated

February 2, 2023 PassionateAboutTeaching 1 Comment

If you’ve been on any social media platform these days, there’s A LOT of negativity and talk about quitting the field of education. I get it! I’ve taught since 1994, and it’s a totally different rodeo these days – some days seem unbearable. How can we stay motivated with all of this constantly surrounding us?

Here’s a few tips that help me:

Set a goal (big or small) and visualize yourself achieving it – Visualizing your end goal can help motivate you to stay focused and motivated.
Make a plan – Break down your goal into smaller, more manageable pieces and create a plan to help you stay on track.
Take breaks – Breaks are essential for staying motivated. Make sure to take regular breaks throughout your day (in teaching, this might just be a minute of breathing to decompress) and reward yourself with something enjoyable after completing a task (even just a cup of tea or coffee after school is rewarding). Take “mental days” off when needed. We all deserve a day to ourselves!
Find a colleague (don’t be on an island by yourself) – Finding someone to collaborate with can help keep you motivated and accountable for reaching your goals.
Stay organized – Create a system for organizing your work, students’ papers (graded/ungraded), test materials, IEP’s, 504’s and more that will keep you on track and motivated.

We are teaching in a tough world – no doubt about it! I hope you’ll find these tips helpful! Most importantly, take care of you! There are many years I forgot to do this, and my health suffered! You’ve got this!

Until next time,