One of my favorite projects of the year is our End of the Year Memory Book. It's a special keepsake for students and parents that features photos, drawings, writing samples, and more. It's a project the class works on periodically throughout the year. I love it because it shows how much the kiddos change over the year. It gives parents a memento to remember the year by, rather than trying to save everything the child brings home. #guiltyofthat This is Ellee. She was in my very first class. She just started 10th grade! Her Mom sent me these pictures of her looking back on her Kindergarten Memory Book before school started last month. It made me so happy to know that she was reliving all of the fun we had in Kinder. Crazy to think 10 years has come and gone! You can see in the photos that Word Art was all the rage back in 2007. LOL. I've made some updates to my Kinder Memory Book since 2007, and I've also created a Preschool and 1st grade version. I have some tips for creating these Memory Books that will make them manageable. 1. If you have active parent volunteers, find a parent that will head up this project. My first year in the classroom, I had 26 kids in my morning class and 25 in the afternoon. 51 memory books! Thank goodness I had an amazing aide and some super parents that helped out. 2. Two options for binding the memory books... You can copy all of the pages you need and bind them over the summer/at the beginning of the year. However, I think it's better to wait to bind them until the END of the year. To keep it all organized, I have a file folder for each student. As we complete a memory book page, I file the completed page away in the child's folder. Then at the end of the year, all the pages are in order and ready to be bound. 3. Print extra copies for potential new students or for "Uh Oh" mistakes. 4. If you forget to take a photograph of a student for a certain page, they can draw a picture instead. The combination of photographs and illustrations will make it extra special. 5. You can send a page home for "homework" every now and then if you just don't have time to get to it in class. Be sure to tell your students how important these pages are so they come back in good condition. I would recommend sending them home in an envelope or file folder so they don't get ripped, folded, or destroyed on the way home. :) 6. I've included extra pages at the end for photographs. Students can personalize it, color it, add stickers, get autographs from friends, etc. The teacher can write a special note to the child in the back of the book as well. These Memory Books will work great for Homeschool Kiddos and for the crafty Mamas out there. Just print and use the pages you need. I'm thrilled to be making one with my preschooler.

I'm the kind of person that likes to get ready for the next year before the end of this year. I know. You can call me crazy. It's ok. I understand. But it's the way I am. So what am I getting ready? Forms to send home during Meet and Greet: My Parent Survey (it's free!). I keep this in my communication folder. This is what I send home so that I can take pictures for my blog. I know it has my information on it, but if you need it for something else, then maybe you can use it as a template. Click HERE to download it. And I send this home so that I can show some movies that are apparently PG. Click HERE to download it. Click the picture below to get all these forms in my {TPT store} I'm also restocking my calendar bins for next year! Head over to {THIS} post to see how I organize all of my monthly calendar-type activities. I already have my calendar pieces done...but I'm getting ready all the pages that I want to use IN the calendar bundle. Check out my post on the calendar bundle HERE. Our monthly poetry covers are printed up for the year. Find out how I use poetry in the classroom and download the covers for free {HERE} I also have our monthly writing journal covers ready to go... the journals themselves aren't done yet, but hopefully I'll have a wonderful parent volunteer next year to do them for me. See how I use the journals and download the covers for free {HERE}. I've also sent my Spelling Journals to the Print Shop. I'm opting to use these this year instead of doing my phonics notebook, only because it's my first year in First grade AND at my new school, so I want to see what they can handle before I dive in full force! haha. But I used my Phonics Notebook this year and LOVED it...You can check that out HERE. I've also sent my Vocabulary Journals to our print shop (I like send things to the print shop because they copy off a whole class set, with a cover and back cover AND bind them with a spiral thingy.... to me, NOT having to do it is worth me paying for it! lol) Check out my vocabulary Journals HERE. I also have copied off all the writing pages and family notes for our Monthly Family Projects! IF I have enough time, I might even get frisky and run off all the templates for the crafts! I'm also getting ready our Memory Books for next year... as we're finishing up this year's Memory books! lol You can read more about them {HERE} There are "All About Me" pages for the beginning of the year and the end of the year, so you can see the difference between the 2 times of year. It's always so fun to see the changes! Then, there are monthly writing pages, so the students can write about what they learned that month. The kids have really been having fun with this. Check them out in my TpT store {HERE}. You can grab a FREEBIE from these memory books {HERE} I have also printed out and laminated my personal behavior charts that I use from Rachelle. You can read my post on how I use them {HERE}, although, I must say, I am thinking of changing the plan...again! haha! I've also printed up my name tags for next year - I love that I don't have to go on a hunt to buy them every year! They have everything I want on them! You can download them for free on {THIS} post. I've had my wonderful parent volunteer trace and cut out my jerseys for me. In the beginning of the year, the kids decorate their jersey with their number on it and I leave them up all year. Why do they have numbers? FOR SO MANY THINGS! I have a post on what I use numbers for {HERE}. And last but not least, I got all planned out for next year! I came across Traci's curriculum planner, and I knew it would be perfect for me since I don't use the district adopted series. I have my whole year planned out! This is such a beautiful sight. I wish I had this for this year as a first year 1st grade teacher. but now I won't be so "lost" next year - haha! Check it out on Traci's blog {HERE}! WHEW!! That's a lot! And I still have more on my list to do for next year! And, um, this year isn't even over yet - haha! Oh well. I will be thankful next year in the beginning of the year.

Use this Student Snapshot Google Slide to focus your grades and observations on a student, guide discussion, and present during virtual Parent Teacher Conferences! Organize all of your data, notes, and thinking around student report cards onto 1 slide per student! This also includes a student and teacher "Glow and Grow" goal setting slide. This goal setting slide can be used when conferencing with students OR assign the student slide for student's to complete about themselves while reflecting on their work and growth throughout the reporting period. Check out my other GROOVY resources! > FREE Groovy Door Signs > My Teacher Over Break Writing > GROOVY Binder Covers > GROOVY First and Last Day of School Signs Check out my other DIGITAL and DISTANCE LEARNING resources! > Digital Autobiography Student Project > FREEBIE Digital End of Year Memory Book > Digital Back to School Student Activities > Digital Meet the Teacher Slides > Digital and printable Meet the Author (Back to School writing!) > Digital Monthly Class Calendar and Newsletter > Back to School Digital Bundle (has many of the resources listed below!) > Digital Daily and Weekly Schedule > Digital Class Info Slides (Virtual Open House) > Editable Zoom/Virtual Meeting Rules > Editable Back to School Parent and Student Forms > Digital School Tools (student resources) > Digital Word Wall > Digital Theme and Story arc slides (lesson and student graphic organizer) > Digital Multiplication Flashcards > Digital End of the Year Letter to Future Students Please email me with any questions at all! [email protected] ................................................................................................ How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: * Go to your "My Purchases" page > make sure you are logged in. * Beside each of your purchases you'll see a "Provide Feedback" button. *Click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give easily give a rating and leave a comment for the product. **Here's the best part, each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you can use on your future purchases.** Be the FIRST to know about my freebies, new products, and any discounts: *Find the green star next to my store logo where it says "Follow Me" and click it to become a follower. >> The green star will now say "Following" ................................................................................................

Defiance is an inevitable and generally not a welcomed part of a classroom. You are spending your day getting through your content, building community, and regularly demanding that students do tons of tasks. From time to time, they are going to have different ideas. Even walking down the hallway can be a struggle without one

Tweet We are 7 weeks into the school year and gearing up for parent teacher conferences later this week. In our school, we try to schedule all conferences on a Thursday evening or Friday morning. This way if multiple folks need to be involved in the conference, we are all in the building at the same time. The evening hours also work much better for parents. As the math specialist I get invited to attend the difficult conferences. If a student is behind or in some cases very ahead of their peers, I will often be asked to join the conference. Classroom teachers also invite me when they know parents have specific concerns or when it is a student I have a lot of contact with. Sometimes I am asked to sit in on a conference because the parents are very difficult or have expressed opinions about their students math learning that do not show understanding of how or why we are teaching math as we do. Depending on the reason for the conference and what the concerns are, I have many approaches but here are a few things I always do in conference situations. - I like to start on a positive note by sharing a recent piece of student work that illustrates something they can do well or something that shows how far they have come. Because I do so much formative assessment, I have a lot of student work samples available to choose from and can always find something positive. - I then like to have parents share how they think their child is doing and any concerns they have. - I am all about data driven decision making so then I will share any assessments. For primary students this often includes individual interviews, especially if a student is behind. I go over the current assessment results and show their progress over time if applicable. - I show other student work and point out specifically how the work illustrates them progressing or not progressing toward meeting the standard. I also like to explain what the next steps are in terms of what we are working on next. - I prepare myself to answer the hard questions. Why are you teaching it this way instead of that way? These big questions parents have when they are new to my school or my way of thinking about math used to really challenge me. As I have become more experienced and read more research on math education I have been better prepared to answer these questions. I like to show parents that it isn't MY way of teaching that I am going for but rather what the research says works. - I focus on the big mathematical ideas for that grade. For each grade level I can think of 3-5 things that are the most important things kids have and understand in order for them to be successful in the next grade. If a student is behind, I focus the conference on the most important skills and make sure my discussion focuses on how to move a student forward with these big ideas. This year, in addition to my role as a math specialist (part interventionist and part coach), I have 2 groups of students that I am doing the primary math instruction for. This means that I will hopefully get to meet with the parents of kids in these groups because their classroom teachers don't see them for math. To help out with ones I might miss and to keep the classroom teachers up to speed on what their students are doing in math, I have been gathering data and putting together some things that can be shared with parents. One of the things I created for my fourth grade group was this quick reflection on their learning. I loved seeing their responses and it gave me great information about how they are feeling about math! Want to use this with your students? Click on the picture to get it from Google Drive.

I met a HUGE summer goal yesterday and entered all of my Professional Development hours online! I'm not sure what the requirements are for other states, but to renew our license, Indiana teachers are required to submit the number of hours, a brief description, and scanned documentation for each professional event on the "LVIS" site. Thanks to my principal, the organized person she is, she suggested we keep a log of hours/meetings we attend throughout the school year. It wasn't fun entering all of those hours, but it sure was a lot easier with everything already documented! I recreated my PD Log for next year. Feel free to download the form below if you could find it useful! Free Fuzzy Bump Border from Frog Spot graphics On another note, I wanted to share a few of my fun purchases! I have always wanted a microphone/speaker system of some sort for my classroom. The possibilities for its use are endless (i.e. sharing Star of the Week, reading, presentations, etc.). I also think it could be a really good motivator. I did a little searching online last year, but couldn't find anything wireless or affordable. Well, I found a system on Amazon last week for only $70! Since it was so inexpensive, I was a little worried about the quality, but it came in yesterday and works perfectly! I'm so excited to use this in my classroom next year!! Here's the one I bought: I sure hope it lasts......yikes... Also....did you know that Skippyjon Jones is at Kohl's!?? It's a $5 Kohl's Cares item by the checkout lane! They have books, too! If you love Skippyjon, you better make a trip soon! :)

Start your year of right with these activity ideas for the first week of school for secondary special education classrooms.

Teaching behavior expectations in kindergarten is important, especially in the first few weeks of school. This often sets the stage for yo...

Imagine welcoming parents to a conference armed with personalized insights that highlight their child's shining moments (Glows) and offer thoughtful guidance for their growth (Grows). These report card comments go beyond the usual grades, giving a comprehensive view of the child's progress in subjects like Math, Language Arts, Science, and more. But that's not all – they also dive into learning skills and social development, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of each student’s journey. Get ready to engage in fruitful conversations with parents, set inspiring goals, and create a supportive learning environment that celebrates achievements while nurturing improvement. With the Glows and Grows Report Card Comments, you’re not just hosting a conference – you’re igniting growth, fostering partnership, and making a positive impact on each child’s success. So, why wait? Let's embark on this exciting journey together and bring out the best in every child's education!

I've had such a love-hate relationship with data notebooks over the years. I've always worked in "Baldrige" schools that have required every teacher to have a data wall and every student to have a data notebook. My first few years in the classroom, this would be something that I spent my first week of school

Every summer we see the startling stories. The statistics are gut wrenching. As a parent, it makes our stomach turn and our heart breaks for the victims' families. I'm talking about the number of drownings we see every year in the U.S. Water safety is more prominent these last several years with the help of

We have been in school for almost a month. (I can't believe it either!) So far, this is the BEST year yet! My kids love art and I love teaching through the arts. I am always on the look-out for amazing art resources to use with my kiddos, but they are hard to come by. This summer, I found an incredible resource that was created by Whimsy Workshop. She does ALL of the work for you! There are background information sheets for each type of art that she includes. There are 3 art projects for each country, and each project has step-by-step directions with pictures! Not only are we learning about cultures from around the world and geography, we are also creating lots of art and learning about different techniques. Here are some of the projects we have completed already this year. Surfers from Australia Boomerrangs Chinese Dragons Chinese Flower Blossom Fans (before we folded them) Koi Fish Pretty amazing, huh?! The techniques that Whimsy Workshop shows, are easy enough for kids of all ages and abilities to be successful! My kids are so proud of their work! Check out her product, Art Around the World.

5 easy to implement challenges to help improve your relationships with your students.

Are you a new teacher looking for how to get to know your students? Let me show you some proven ways of getting to know your students!

THIS BUNDLE INCLUDES SET 1 AND SET 2 OF HASHTAG BLOCKS SPEED BUILDS FOR A TOTAL OF 48 CHALLENGE CARDS! ***Compatible with "Hashtag Blocks" that are found seasonally in Target Dollar Spot! Please note that these blocks are a slightly different shape than "Plus-Plus Blocks." Hashtag blocks and these cards are not compatible with Plus-Plus Blocks.*** Ready to add a competitive edge to your STEM Bins while your students practice problem solving, spatial reasoning, and logical thinking?! With Hashtag Blocks STEM Bins Speed Builds, groups of 2-4 students race to complete leveled puzzle challenges! STEM Bins Speed Builds are designed to supplement my original STEM pack. They are ideal for hands-on morning work, early finishers, enrichment, and team building. Two different difficulty levels are provided: “Build it Flat” and “Build it Up” to accommodate a range of learning levels. "Build it Flat” cards are recommended for Pre-K-2nd Grade and "Build it Up” cards are recommended for 2nd Grade-5th Grade. There are 24 cards provided per difficulty level. OPTIONS FOR USE: 1) PARTNER OR SMALL GROUP SPEED BUILDS: Groups of 2-4 students race to build each challenge card the fastest. The first student to complete the build hits a buzzer or bell and “wins” that card. Play continues for the full set of cards. 2) INDEPENDENT SPEED BUILDS: Students work through each challenge card independently. They may choose to time themselves with a stopwatch. INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: How to Use Organization What are My Students Learning? Hashtag Blocks box covers 24 Hashtag Blocks challenge cards – Build it FLAT 24 Hashtag Blocks challenge cards – Build it UP

Practical impulse control strategies to assist both you and your child to cope better with this executive skill weakness or improve it.

Behavior is one of the biggest classroom management problems teachers face and another is communicating to parents. Use these reporting behavior forms!

Dealing with oppositional defiant disorder at home or in the classroom? We've got 18 ODD discipline tips to help with problem behaviors in a positive way!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a part of The Primary Chalkboard! This is such a wonderful group of teacher bloggers and I am so honored to be a part of it. I know we all have Back to School on the brain, even though some of us don't actually go back for another month. August is always the beginning of the end of summer, which is actually crazy to say because I actually have almost half a summer left. You know what I mean though! We're thinking, we're creating, we're organizing, and yep, we're dreaming about it too. So why fight it? :) Something that is so important to me is getting to know my students and making that connection with them. I always feel like once I've made that connection, everything else falls into place. So today I have two little ideas to share with you all about how you could get to know your students. The first one I recently created. I have to admit, I made this as a parent. Yes, I always want to get to know my students, but now that I have one going into kindergarten, I have a whole new perspective. My son is a little shy but has a lot to say if you take the time to listen and get him comfortable. He's just not that kid that's going to be chatty right away. I was thinking about how I hope his teacher takes the time to chat with him at recess or during down times because it would be a game changer for him. He would just blossom in class if he developed that relationship sooner rather than later. If only she knew to ask him about space, or swim lessons, or sea creatures, or dragonflies. So then it got me thinking... if I feel like this, maybe other parents do to. That is the inspiration for this first get-to-know-you idea. It's just is a simple half-page that goes home with parents or that you can have out on desks during Meet the Teacher/Supply Night. It should only take them a second because they only have to write one(ish) word. Parents will write something that their child loves to talk about. Anything that will get them chatty. You've probably seen it, right? The moment when you've finally said something that a quieter student wants to talk about. They just light up. Simple, but hopefully effective. :) The next thing is a little more generic, but it has been a staple in my classroom for all the years that I've been teaching. I finally took the time to redo it in PowerPoint and cutesify it with clip art and fonts. Oh my, the one I've used for almost a decade has (EEK) Comic Sans and no clip art. Not pretty my friends. Yikes! Don't worry, I've remedied that and it's ready to share with you all. I seriously use this throughout the WHOLE year. I send this home on the first day for the parents to fill out. BUT it doesn't end there! You can download both of these pages for free here. How to do you get to know your students? I'd love to hear more ideas! :)

In this simple Back to School Activity perfect for any time during the first week, students are given the opportunity to tell YOU what you should expect from them. Included questions help students tell you what different behaviors mean, their learning preferences, and the most important information ...

I love to use this Student Self-Reflection assessment the week before conferences so that I can use this as a lead in to conversations at Parent Teacher conferences. Seeing their child write about their strengths and weaknesses in their own words is always a genuinely eye-opening experience and great conversation starter. Students reflect on their academic & behavioral strengths in order to better understand themselves as a learner. JUST ADDED: Side-by-Side Reflection where the teacher completes one side and student completes the second side. I recommend folding the paper in half and let student do their side first! This is a student self reflection form for elementary (1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade or 5th grade). This Self Reflection Evaluation is also available in my Conference Forms Bundle. Enjoy and happy conferencing! Looking for more CONFERENCE FORMS? - Parent Teacher Conference Form - Conference Thank You Note - Progress Report - Conference Reminder Note - Student Self Reflection Evaluation **Buy all 5 Forms Together and Save 50%!** Looking for more CLASSROOM FORMS? -Beginning of Year Parent and Student Survey -Free Homework Pass -Test Retake Request -Student Reading Log -Missing Homework Note -Behavior Alert and Behavior Praise -Apology Letter -Absent Student Form -Weekly Homework Agenda ❤ Click HERE to view 750+ resources by Happy Teacher Happy Students ❤ ************************************************************************************************ ⭐Happy Teacher Club Join for Exclusive Freebies, Tips & Tricks ⭐Happy Teacher Happy Students Blog Visit My Blog and Chat All Things Teaching! ⭐Instagram: Let's be friends! Use one of my resources in your class or homeschool? I want to see it! Tag me @happyteacherhappystudents in your photo I’ll send you a special freebie. ⭐ Questions? Looking for something not already in my store? Contact Me @ [email protected] ************************************************************************************************ ** Visit my STORE and click on the 'green star' to follow me and be the first to know about new products, sales & freebies! ** Please remember to rate this product so that you earn TPT Credits for future purchases! Copyright © Happy Teacher Happy Students. All rights reserved. This file is intended for classroom and personal use only. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: **You may print for your personal, classroom use, and non-commercial use only. **Clipart, graphics, photographs, found inside this product are copyrighted. They may not be extracted from this file without written permission from the original artist(s).

This is such an exciting time of year - all around the world millions of children are getting ready for their first day of ‘big school.’ (And if they have a uniform, we can be sure they’re popping it on at every opportunity!). Of course, millions of teachers are also behind the scenes, getting ready to welcome these little ones into their classrooms. It’s only natural that many children will feel nervous and unsure, so what can we do to help them feel welcome? So glad you asked, metaphorical reader! Here are three of my favourite tips for introducing yourself to your students. And the best part is, these tips count whether your students are in their first year or final year of school. Nothing says welcome like a little rainbow decor! Create a Meet the Teacher Flyer One super simple way to introduce yourself to your students and parents is to create a ‘Meet the Teacher’ flyer. This gorgeous letter can be emailed or posted before the school year starts, so the students can get a sense of the (amazing!) teacher they’re about to meet. Miss Zienter and Ms Riso got the memo with their Boho Rainbow templates. Gorgeous images via @misszandthefirsties @teachingwithms.riso. My ‘Meet the Teacher’ templates are available in a range of different designs and aesthetics to match your overall classroom theme. In the flyer I’ve made space to list some facts about you, your favourite things and a meaningful quote, but you can really take it in any direction. They’re fully editable (no fancy software required - Powerpoint will do!) so you can communicate the things that are important to you. This is always one of my favourite things to make - that’s the Boho Rainbow collection on the left, and my new Boho Plants collection on the right! As a fun bonus, why not send a blank copy for your student to fill out and return to you! It’ll give you a head start on knowing them, and they’ll love that you’re excited to meet them too. Just change the heading to ‘My name is’ and you’re good to go! Host a Meet and Greet Another popular idea at many schools is to host a ‘meet the teacher’ evening where parents and students come in to meet you. These can be a little nerve-wracking the first few times, but BFF - I’ve got your back! Talk about a warm welcome - SUCH a stunning space from @miss_grosse_! My biggest tip is to prepare a fantastic slideshow to kick off the evening. Use it to introduce yourself, share your values and provide and insight into the kind of teacher they’re entrusting their kid’s ones to. Share details of what parents and students can expect from you, and really use it as a chance to start building trust with the children and parents. Absolutely adore the way your slideshow matches your decor, @miss_grosse_! I have a range of different Google Slides templates that work perfectly for this, and they just so happen to match my classroom decor ranges. These little details - like a cohesive aesthetic and slide decks with a little extra personality - can really showcase the effort, care and attention you bring to your work. No matter your aesthetic, there are Google Slides to match! The slide templates are completely customizable, so you can photos, videos, illustrations or anything you like. Approach this kind of session as an investment - the more you can reassure parents that their children are in great hands, the more you can avoid situations where they may otherwise assume the worst. A little extra effort now may just prevent a few of those kind of emails later! Love the Boho Vibes in these shots. Right hand image via the wonderful @firstieswithmissm. After your slideshow you’ll likely have a Q&A session, or time to mingle with the parents 1:1. So, I’d recommend having some fun play stations ready to occupy the children. Now I’m not talking about PlayStations (though I’m sure the kids would love that!) but little discovery setups that encourage tangible play-based learning. Set up sensory stations where they can dig for hidden ‘bones’, or reading nooks where they can curl up with a book. The spaces we create form part of our first impressions - wouldn’t you feel so welcomed by @kelseyholloway’s reading nook, and @myteacherlibrarianlife’s Affirmation Station? Clever, play-based learning stations present yet another opportunity for parents to see that they’ve won the teacher lottery with you. Don’t you just love the brilliant play station via @teachingwithmissblechynden and the Boho Plant reading zone via @mrslanderlearns? And much like sneaking veggies into kids’ dinners, you can even plant a fun little writing exercise to provide a benchmark for comparison later in the year. Consider Personalised Accommodations There are some really powerful actions you can take to support neurodivergent children before they start the school year, that will set you both up for success. One simple action is to invite the child and their parents to the classroom (perhaps right before the info night) and ask them to choose their own seat. Have you sorted out your welcome displays or name tags yet? For Autistic children and children with ADHD, their position in the classroom can make a big difference to their comfort, ability to focus and their resultant performance. Similarly, seeking their input when choosing appropriate chairs, desks and sensory tools is really important. When everything has a place? Magic happens. And when that place is beautiful? Even better! I also find that labels are helpful for orienting children - whether it’s helping them find their chair, office supplies in a trolley, their reading group books or little stationery items. A little real life label-inspo via @i_spy.mrs_i and the Boho Rainbow range! These kind of simple accommodations show children (and parents) that they’re entering an inclusive, safe and tailored classroom. And there’s no better introduction than that! These may be my favourite labels ever! I hope these tips help BFFs! Whether you’re brand new to teaching or a little more seasoned, it’s safe to say we all want to make a great first impression. Take a browse through my resources to see how I can help you save time, and if you get stuck, reach out via my socials - I’m always here to help!

I love starting the school year with this activity. It’s easy, parents love it, and it immediately gives the children a little boost of self-esteem by identifying a part of themselves that they like…

Don’t get me wrong — I love candy. And, a jolly rancher, a tootsie roll, or a starburst can work wonders in the classroom for student motivation and enthusiasm. So can pizza parties, and cupcake days, and brunch, and…I’ve had so many types of food parties I can’t even keep track! Recently, however, I’ve been […]

Download these Free Special Education Planner Inserts to create your own IEP binder. Perfect for parents and teachers handling IEPs.

Want the best methods for teaching a nonverbal autistic student? Here are 15 neurodiversity-affirming strategies for non-speaking kids.

These sensory red flags and toddler behavior red flags support parents and guardians with questions about their child's needs.

How to teach ELL students to read challenging, on-grade level texts through Visible Reading, a differentiated, process-driven reading strategy.

Seesaw is a fantastic online tool for teachers, parents, and students! This post walks you through how to get started and to use it in your classroom!

If you are reading this, you are probably either a school PTO leader, principal or room mom trying to figure out how to get more parents involved! Know this, you are not alone! Schools across the country struggle to get the participation that they want and need everyday! I've been there too. Here's the scenario... My son attended a middle school with approximately 700 kids that was in need of a PTO leader. Sure, why not! I love education, kids and planning so how bad could it be? Right?!?! Wrong! I almost immediately realized that getting people to actually come help with anything was difficult. Honestly, it felt impossible. I had a mini pity party and decided that wasn't going to cut it! These are good people that love their kids. I knew that! Now, I just needed to come up with how to get them involved! That leads me to the topic of this post! How to Increase Parent Engagement at Your School First and foremost, remember that you were willing to step up. Whether that was out of guilt, because there was no one else or you are part of an amazing school that has an active PTO, someone cares about the PTA group! The reality is, while it may not seem like it, everyone wants it to work. They just aren't jumping up and down saying

Focus on building relationships with students to improve classroom management #clasroommanagement #relationshipswithstudents

As special education teachers, there are a few red flags to avoid during an IEP meeting. Here are 10 things not to say in an IEP meeting.

What Makes a Parent Love a Teacher ... and it's not what you might think! Read this terrific post by Jennifer Gonzalez to find out what really matters to parents. Be sure to download her free "deep data" chart for organizing your student data!

Strategies, interventions, and techniques that teachers and parents can use to help kids with dyslexia improve their reading skills.

There are a few elements to building influential student relationships. Keep on reading to find out the six keys to fostering strong connections in your classroom.

Think of working memory like a mental sketch pad; a place to store information for short periods of time while we're working through a task. Kids, teens, and adults use this skill on a daily basis to completely basic and complex tasks. For students, these tasks range from completing simple mental ma

I am back today for Week #2 of my Tuesday summer blog series called, "Getting Ahead of the Game." Each week I will give you a little project to help you be ready for August.

Connecting families to the classroom and giving them the tools to work with students at home is a huge part of our jobs as teachers. Although I use many modes of parent communication (you can read about them in this blog post), I love having a ‘landing’ where families always have access to the information...