As if teaching mid-pandemic wasn’t already hard enough, this past year my district moved to block schedule. I went from over a dozen years of teaching 50 minute classes to being thrown into 93 minute classes. Over an hour and a half! It turned my world upside down. Here’s the problem. NO ONE can pay ... Read more

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Theme is such an important concept when teaching reading. Students are asked to determine the theme of a text over and over again. However, many students struggle with how to identify the theme. That's why I'm sharing some of my favorite ways to teach theme. You'll find theme lesson ideas, theme activities, and theme passage suggestions to help your students finally figure out how to find theme! Sometimes when thinking about theme it is easiest to think about what it is not. Theme is NOT the subject of the text. The subject would be a single word like "childhood" or "friendship." It is NOT a summary. A summary would be several sentences describing the text. Instead, it is the underlying idea of a text. It is what the writer wishes to convey about the subject. Therefore, it is usually written in a phrase or clause. When teaching theme, I find that it's best to introduce the critical components of theme through notes and a class discussion. My favorite kind of notes are theme doodle notes, of course. Since doodles are more engaging, they're a great way to get students focused as you begin teaching about theme. Once students have a general understanding of theme, you might want to have a discussion with students. During the discussion ask students to think of texts that have a theme like "Be careful what you wish for" or "Never give up on your dreams." Then, have students discuss the theme of fairytales or fables like "Beauty and Beast" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." The notes and discussion will drive home the idea that the theme is not a single word subject, nor is it a multi-sentence summary. Students will realize that the theme is a truth about life revealed in a phrase or clause. A work's theme can apply to multiple texts. When you teach about theme you'll want to help students realize that themes need to be general enough to apply to many different texts. Take the theme "Be careful what you wish for." That theme can apply to "The Little Mermaid," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and even "Macbeth." It's important for students to realize that themes are universal. You'll also want to expose students to different genres of writing so that students understand that themes are evident in all writing including fiction, nonfiction, prose, and poetry. I've compiled different genres in this theme unit. Since poems are short and compressed, I love using poems to help students develop an understanding of theme. Take a poem like, "Life Doesn't Frighten Me" by Maya Angelou. In Angelou's poem, the speaker is a child. Angelou's message and the poem's theme is to "be brave when faced with your fears." You might share poems like this or some of my other favorites to help students read several texts and practice determining universal themes. The theme is the message that the writer wishes to reveal about its subject. It's what the reader is supposed to learn about life after reading the text. Therefore, it is usually not directly stated in the work. Instead, students will need to think about the plot, conflict, characters, and setting and then make an inference or educated guess. When students consider all the elements of the text, they'll need to infer the theme. One way to help students understand that the story is built around the theme is to have them develop their own stories with a theme in mind. At first, you can have students do this by providing them with themes that they will need to portray in a comic strip or skit. For instance, you might have students doodle a comic for the theme "Two heads are better than one." Or, you could have students work in small groups to come up with a skit that has the theme "Friends always show up when you need them." By writing their own texts, students will begin to see how the theme is infused throughout the work. As students determine the theme of a passage, they'll need to consider a text's plot, characters, conflict, and tone. In other words, they need to think about the entire writing piece and reflect on its message about life. That can be challenging for students. That's why I like to give students many opportunities to practice finding the theme. Task cards and mini-passages work especially great for this. I've taken the idea of theme task cards even further with Learning Take Out activities. Students read fiction and nonfiction passages that they grab from take out containers. The passages are the perfect way for students to develop the ability to identify a text's theme. ------------------------------------------------- As you can tell, there are many ways to teach theme. I think the more chances we can give students to develop their reading skills, the better! If you're looking for some ready-to-teach resources, grab these THEME resources: ⭐--- FINDING THE THEME MINI-UNIT - Doodle Notes and Activities ⭐--- THEME UNIT - 3-Day Theme Unit ⭐--- LEARNING TAKE OUT - Theme Task Cards Thanks for stopping by! Mary Beth P.S. Here's my latest resource for teaching theme!

Practical tips, ideas, a FREEBIE, and a product! Click here for more:

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Does anyone else remember division being SO CONFUSING as a child?! My teacher always used to ask questions like "How many times does 8 go into 48?". I often found myself thinking, like what does that even mean?! When I became a teacher, I "relearned" math from how I was taught so that I could better teach my students. I didn't want for my students to ever be confused and wonder "what the heck?!" like I often did as a child. Every teacher knows that the teaching of division is no joke. But the great news is that it doesn’t have to be difficult. By using consistent language and making learning relevant, your students can learn division like that (audible snap). I always begin my division instruction by asking students if they’ve had experiences where they’ve had to share something with a sibling, cousin, friend, etc. Inevitably, their answer is yes. I then proceed to ask them if their parents would allow them to give their friend only 2 cookies but give themselves 5. via GIPHY This usually gets an astounding "NO", when I ask why, they tell me "because it's not fair!". We talk about the concept of fairness and I have the kids explain it to me. I then take that explanation and tell them that since they understand the concept of sharing and fairness (sharing equally), they already understand the concept of division! I then jump into a read-aloud with the wonderful children’s book The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. This classic book tells a story that perfectly pairs with the concept of division, and the kids love it! While Sam and Victoria are waiting to devour hot, chewy chocolate chip cookies, some friends stop by. As the doorbell keeps ringing from more and more visitors, their hopes of eating lots of the cookies continue to dwindle. Once we’ve finished reading and discussing the book, I hand out paper cookies to the students. We use these cookies to illustrate division problems from the book. Math concepts are so much easier when manipulatives are involved. Since I know that many of you are currently using a distance learning model, I have also created a digital resource to go along with this book and lesson idea. Simply have your students complete the same activity by physically manipulating and moving the cookies to represent the division problems. Emphasizing the connection between multiplication and division is so necessary to get kids to become proficient with this skill. Anytime students are required to figure out the quotient, I always ask them 8 times what equals 40? This gets students always thinking about division in this way so that they can quickly and easily figure out the answer. Continue to provide guided practice to students as they are just learning this concept by using the I do, We do, You do model. The goal of doing this is so that you know students are ready to go off on their own to practice independently. You DO NOT want students to practice the concept the wrong way and get that way stuck in their heads. As you are practicing, ask your kids questions and begin to release the responsibility of modeling off to your students. As you are ready to connect to division word problems, it's essential to practice alongside other word problems (at least multiplication, too) so that students are forced to think about the context of the problem and not just assume every answer will be division. I love having task cards on hand to be able to provide my students with a variety of word problems at any moment. These multiplication and division task cards are perfect for providing your student guided practice and then following up as center rotation or independent work. If you're interested in more ideas on how to use task cards in the classroom, check out this post. Literature is a great add-on to math instruction, and manipulatives always help make the learning stick. Whether 3-D manipulatives or online, young math students benefit greatly by using them. I hope that these tips for teaching division help both you and your students. If you enjoyed the ideas in this post, be sure to follow me on Instagram! I will update you there when new posts are released :) {Affiliate Links were used in this blog post}

If you’ve had the joy of teaching an Autistic child, you’ll know just how critical a supportive environment can be. But sadly, for so many Autistic kids, the right environment and support measures aren’t in place. And the impact of this is profound - as we know, a child’s experience at school can shape their self-identity in real and lasting ways. So BFFs, today I’m sharing five ways to support Autistic kids in your classroom. I’m sharing some of the resources, experts and questions you can draw upon to build a neurodivergent affirmative classroom. 1. Be Guided by the Experts Who are the greatest experts when it comes to Autism? Autistic people! Listening to the lived experience of Autistic people is paramount. The Autistic voice needs to inform any work to implement accommodations or supportive practices. So, to kick us off, I reached out to Cherie Clonan - a proud AUDHD’er (that’s Autism + ADHD) and Mum to an amazing Autistic son. She explained, “The biggest thing is that every Autistic experience is different. And therefore, learning experiences will be affected differently. Every single day an Autistic child goes to school they are heading into an environment not really set up to include their neurotype, no matter how inclusive the school is.” “The environment alone isn't designed for neurodistinct individuals, like the sensory overwhelm of a classroom or playground. The changing rules and expectations. The social communication challenges. Autistic children are impacted from a mental health and wellbeing perspective, and many have to ‘mask’ in order to survive.” There are so many wonderful Autistic folk online who are proud and keen to be advocates in this space. Never underestimate the value of a simple convo when it comes to understanding others’ lived experiences. Reach out to your Autistic mates and ask their thoughts on school, you’ll learn so much. The importance of a personalised approach and understanding was backed up for me, as I chatted to Support Education Consultant, Jenni Heffernan. She said, “The biggest trap for teachers is to generalise their understanding of Autism, instead of understanding the individual. You can’t just plonk Autistic kids into an artificial classroom and expect them to be motivated. The more you know the individual the more you can support them.” 2. Seek Trusted Professionals In addition to the expertise of everyday Autistic people, there are some fantastic professionals who work in this space. And when it comes to building safe and supportive classrooms, engaging professional support is so important. One Autistic person who does incredible work in this field is Sonny Jane Wise, aka livedexperienceeducator. BFFs, I can’t recommend their work enough - take some time to check out, support and engage their offerings. It’ll be a game-changer for you, no doubt about it! Another powerhouse is Sandhya Menon. She’s a Neurodivergent Paediatric Psychologist, and much like Sonny, she has online resources, workshops and services that are just groundbreakingly good. If you’re looking for fantastic professionals in your local area, my hot tip is this: pay close attention to the language they use. Do they talk about Autistic traits or challenges as deficits? Do they use problematic and outdated terms like ‘Aspergers’ or ‘high-functioning?’ These are red flags, my friends! Neurodivergent affirmative practitioners will be deeply conscious of the language they use and will advocate for others to do the same. Sandhya Menon, @onwardsandupwardspsych. 3. Consider Sensory Needs and Dysfunction Thankfully, the awareness that Autistic kids have specialised sensory needs is growing each year. And every day I see your gorgeous classrooms fill my feed with breakout spaces, sensory play stations and sensory tools like the ones Sonny describes below. Sonny Jane Wise, @livedexperienceeducator But there’s more we can do! After thirty years in Support Education, Consultant Jenni Heffernan shared some simple accommodations that made the world of difference for her students. She said: Ask your student and their parents to send you an introduction letter outlining the ways they like to be supported. Provide prompts like ‘I learn best when…’ or ‘You’ll notice I’m stressed by…’ or ‘My current passion is….’ Invite your students to visit the classroom before they settle into it. Ask their feedback on air conditioning, light, seats, visual clutter and more. Similarly, for older students, invite them to choose the ideal spot in an exam room. Speak with examiners to advocate for your students. For some students, the middle of the room is hell! The right space will make all the difference to their performance. Provide a green card or a symbol that signals, for example, that the student needs to walk outside around the building twice. Wordless aides can help when a meltdown or overwhelm is building. Above all else, build strong relationships with students with Autism, and keep an open door for them to pop in as needed. They can often feel so trapped in an environment that’s a poor fit. From my own resources, I’ve found that the Home Routine and Daily Schedule Cards, and the Visual Timetable Displays can be really useful for Autistic students. Planned, controlled and consistent environments can often be super helpful for kids with Autism. Image via @learningwithmiss_campbell, featuring the Spotty Brights product range. Similarly, the Voice Level Displays and Hand Signals can help with the management of noise, which is so important for an Austistic-friendly classroom. Hand Signals and Voice Level Displays can help cut through the noise that can be truly unsettling for some Autistic kiddos. Images via @misslass_class and @thanyoungeducator, using Spotty Neutrals and Boho Rainbow ranges. For many Autistic kids, routine, predictability and clarity are essential for their happiness, security and success in the classroom. These visual displays can play a small but mighty part in that! 4. Educate Yourself about Differences In addition to sensory needs, there’s a range of experiences that Autistic people can face, and knowing how to support these experiences will make a major impact. I’ve popped together a little list of these differences, linking to some amazing content from people with lived experience or specialised expertise. So, here are some common Autistic differences and traits to learn about, via the amazing @onwardsandupwardspsych and @livedexperienceeducator: Interoception and the tendency to be undersensitive to hunger, thirst or tiredness cues Hyposensitivity and hypersensitivity to sensory input and how to manage them The triggers and causes of meltdowns Emotion coaching to recognise that neurotypical and autistic children display emotions differently How to recognise meltdowns vs tantrums Monotropism, a processing style of hyperfocus which makes switching focus tricky Now, of course, it bears repeating that none of these experiences or strategies will fit all Autistic kids. And there are so many more differences to learn about. Like… *checks notes*... absolutely-every-human-ever, we all take time to learn who we are, how we thrive and what we need. Ms Chyna has such a gorgeous IG account sharing the ways she supports primary kids in support education. Source: @especiallysped When I think back (with horror!) at how little time my uni degree devoted to neurodiversity, it really drives home the need for self-led education. There’s so much we can learn from each other too. I reached out via IG stories recently to ask you guys about your approaches, and your responses were fantastic. I’ll share one below. I always love hearing your approach, and the lovely Ami from @mumma_makeup_and_me shared some of her thoughts over on IG. 5. Celebrate Neurodiversity Every human is completely unique - irrespective of where they lie with neurodiversity. But as I chatted to parents, teachers and Autistic folk, there were some descriptive words that just came up again and again - passionate, loyal, empathetic, detailed, and funny. There is so much to celebrate when it comes to neurodistinct kids - whether it’s their creativity, enthusiasm, analytic thinking, tangential thinking - the list is endless. Cherie put it best when she said “Autistic children have intense special interests, which can positively impact not only their own learning experiences ... but that of their peers as well. If you've ever wanted a classmate to go on an incredible adventure to deeply unpack the educational curriculum? Buddy them up with an Autistic child who has an intense special interest within that area.” I have to say, throughout writing this blog post, there was one thing that kept coming to mind - and that was elephants. (Bear with me on this one BFFs!) I kept coming back to the thought that you can tether a circus elephant - capable of clearing trees in the wild - to a thin pole if they’re conditioned the right way. They can go their whole lives not knowing the power they have. And I see our classrooms as having that same kind of potential. The wrong environment tethers kids to the belief that there’s something ‘wrong’ with them or that they’re inherently flawed. But with the right support and neurodiversity affirming practices, we rip those thin poles out. We help kids unleash their true potential.After all, helping students see their strengths clearly and their differences without judgement is my favourite teaching superpower. Another must-follow and a beautiful note to end on. Source: The amazing Esther at @gatherandplayau.

Despite the joys of our profession (and there are so many!), there are also so many things which can drain our energies and motivations in the classroom. One

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