Scaffold your instruction with these teaching scaffolding strategies to help bridge readiness and mastery for your elementary students!

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The 5E Model of Science Instruction was exactly what I needed to streamline the process of planning and implementing a student-led inquiry-based learning

PEOPLE WILL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES Narcissism is addressed in the Bible in Paul’s second pastoral epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:1-7) in the fall of A.D.67. Paul seems to be concerned about the …

Have a chatty class? Do your talkative students get louder and louder during small groups until it feels like chaos? Do they talk when you'r...

I LOVE my class this year. Diverse. Capable. Sweet. Unique. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Hard-working. Funny. Lovable. These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my first graders. But one more word that also comes to mind is...chatty. Very chatty. We are a 'work in progress' with this. And thank goodness, we are continuing to improve each week. :-) Now, don't get me wrong, I believe a classroom should be FULL of rich, collaborative dialogue. Student discussion is vital, and our little guys need frequent opportunities to engage with peers and share their thoughts. I pride myself on having a dynamic, student-centered classroom that encourages this. To foster this kind of a climate, however, students also need to learn how to be effective listeners and independent workers. There are appropriate and inappropriate times for talking, and to get students to adhere to these boundaries, clear expectations must be set. Here are 12 ideas/strategies to try when working with a chatty class.

Have difficulty dealing with trauma, anxiety, or demands of life. Learn to recognize your window of tolerance and self-regulate with these simple steps.

I recently blogged about how I created policies and procedures that incorporated character education in my classroom. My post also includes a checklist of policies and procedures that teachers can use when planning for the new school year. Use this checklist as you review your own policies and procedures for the upcoming school year if ... Read More about Classroom Policies and Procedures Checklist

If you've ever been confused about what to eat because of your Hashimoto's then this is the article for you. I'm going to take away the guessing game that is your diet... Reduce your stress

A Tarot spread to help you clear blocks, connect and work with your spirit guide or spirit animal.

A little fennec fox braces against the wind and she makes her way through a storm. I drew this piece one night when I needed some encouragement and am glad to know that others connect to it as well.  Size: 5"x7" Back: blank Frameable. Medium: pen and ink on toned paper. Printed on 120lb card stock paper. Art by Meg Lemieur

The fear of imperfection. The fear of not being good enough. Crippling inaction. Stuttered words. No self-worth. The fear of failure causing failure. Not inability, talent or a lack of opportunity…

Pieces for your bone set will come into your life, some will move on. Your relationship to the spirits that you’re collaborating with may change. You need to be open to this and know that your relationship with your set is a working one and it will be a fully unique experience for each reader.

Lightroom is an absolutely amazing program for image editing and image organisation. It has saved me countless hours in post-processing, due to the fact that I can do so much in one little program! (If you don't yet know the full beauty of Lightroom, check out this post with 8 Reasons to Love Light

It is simply impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator. I hope you noticed the previous sentence didn't refer to being a great talker - big difference. The key to becoming a skillful communicator is rarely found in what has been taught in the world of [...]

How are you? Really. How. are. you? (Let it out. You might even want to speak your truth in the comments of this post today. I'll catch your words over here from this place of loving silence. Yes.)

We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world,

We grew up reading the cartoons, but did we realize how much wisdom was woven into each slide? Enjoy the wisdom of the Peanuts Cartoon characters.

Elementary teachers need this quick classroom management strategy that increases attention rate during insurrections. Revamp classroom management.

Behavior Plan That Works!

This resource is #1 for a reason! I almost always use graphic organizers to teach reading comprehension. I find them to be highly effective because they are

Chair of the judging panel encouraged people to read all of the longlisted works

Summer is a time of reflection for me. How about you? I was reflecting today about a term I recently read about called "Toxic Behavior". Hmmm. I decided to revisit the definition of "toxic". www.toxicavengermerchdise.com TOXIC - def. 1. containing or being poisonous, 2. extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful, 3. relating to or being an asset that has lost value. Synonyms: poison, injurious, malignant, unhealthy, hurtful. Lord knows, I don't want anything to do with anything that is toxic. Is there anyone who would like to be described as having toxic behaviors? I think not. Do people with toxic behaviors exist? I believe so. Now, being honest to with myself......have I ever exhibited a toxic behavior? Yes. I mean, yes. We all have at one time or another. None of us is immune. But most people are evolved, balanced, aware, and it happens only rarely in their lives.* Toxic behaviors are damaging. They are attached to a harsh word like "toxic" for a reason. They can cause havoc and chaos within a group of people who work together. We all make mistakes. But, a person with consistent and perpetual toxic behaviors can make you want to retreat to your classroom or even find another job. Toxic behaviors damage relationships, professional success, and the well-being of the individual behaving this way, and to everyone around him or her.* * Quoted from "6 Toxic Behaviors That Push People Away: How to Recognize Them In Yourself and Change Them" by Kathy Caprino, Int'l Women's Coach, Speaker, & Writer But, let's shine the light on the darker side of the coin. Perhaps YOU are the cause of a toxic behavior. If so, know that you are doing more damage to yourself than anyone else. This is not an easy thing to reflect upon. The reality of admitting you are "the cause" of toxic behavior can be a bitter pill to swallow. But the sooner you reflect upon it, the sooner you can neutralize it. Keep this in mind: toxic behavior is negative emotional energy in motion. Whether you are the giver or receiver, it drains energy and adds stress to you and all who are affected. So what is the solution? I wish I came up with this myself, but it was listed in the comments to the original article about this topic. "Environmental pollution does harm biological life. Negative, reactive, and defensive behavior does not happen in a vacuum. The solution to achieving the right ecology is the generosity of understanding, support, and love." - Dennis Brinkley Ecology....I love it! Plant kindness. Nurture it while it grows. Water it. Shed light on it. Fertilize it. But keep in mind....pestilence will kill it.

This freebie is a reminder that sometimes I-messages can be tricky because they can often come off as blaming and accusatory. Just because a sentence starts with "I" does not make it an assertive, non-defensive I-message. .Assertiveness means expressing your point of view in a way that is clear and ...

As I mentioned with the worksheet I shared last week, it's often easier to work backward when we're framing our story. At the very least, knowing the ending often makes it easier to see our character's arc.

This is the *digital version* of an 11x17in. "placemat"- style worksheet that I created in order to help folks connect with what they may be feeling in their body and how that relates to what they may be needing to experience a greater sense of emotional regulation. The worksheet guides you through six different categories of emotions and offers some examples of how those emotions may manifest as sensations in the body. Underneath each list of sensations is an offering of some "needs" your body may be asking for. These categories line up with the emotion words illustrated on my emotion wheel chart, which you can also find in my etsy shop or learn more about on my website: https://www.avanmuijen.com/watercolor-emotion-wheel. This worksheet may be helpful for: - Anyone looking to get more in touch with their body and their emotional self - Therapists, counselors & other mental health providers to use with clients - Teachers & parents to use with children (or for themselves) - Partners, family members and other loved ones to use with each other Please reach out to me directly if: - The cost of this print is too high to allow you to purchase it. I am happy to explore the option of a discounted rate or free print. Additionally, if you would like to donate or contribute to a free or discounted print for someone else, please send me a note. Additional Notes about this file: - file dimensions: 3400x2200 pixels - this worksheet is best printed as an 11x17, but can be printed as 8.5x11 as well Licensing and Usage: Purchasing this license gives you permission to use this image for personal use. Please contact me if you would like to use it for any commercial or other professional use or to include it in a larger work. To learn more about this wheel and how it was designed, check out https://www.avanmuijen.com/watercolor-emotion-wheel. Please note that I am not a therapist or mental health professional. These worksheets have been designed based on my own personal explorations and healing work. Thank you for your support and I hope you are well, Abby

Struggling spellers. If you teach one, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And you know how frustrating it can be for you and the student. Today, I’m sharing 5 things struggling spellers need. Before I get too far, I just want to say that every child is different. There isn’t a single solution that will ... Read More about 5 Things Struggling Spellers Need

Ya! Who said anything about needing help? I just love this picture of Jesus and a gay man on a love-seat. So... do you need help? Or is it others saying

If you work with children, I can promise you that you will come across at least one student that has these difficult behaviors. Not only are they really stressful for the teacher but they impact the student’s life in many ways. Behaviors like disrespect and defiance can make classroom's chaotic.

“I just need something that gives me a quick sense of a coach’s skills,” wrote a coach from Florida.

If you've ever been confused about what to eat because of your Hashimoto's then this is the article for you. I'm going to take away the guessing game that is your diet... Reduce your stress