I talk quite a bit about classroom management on my blog. I have to be honest here. I have tried so many different things. I have tried the clip chart, I have tried check marks, I have tried the “flip the card”. NONE of them work for me. The book Dream Class really changed my thoughts on...

As teachers begin planning for back to school, I see an abundance of creative classrooms filling my Instagram and Pinterest feeds. I love seeing how other

Classroom jobs work great in middle school, too! Learn about the 10 jobs I use in my classroom and the system I use to keep everything running smoothly.

Exit tickets are valuable classroom tools. Here you'll read 7 reasons to use exit tickets in the classroom and...

These 5 geometry projects for middle or high school are a great alternative assessment for your student. Project-based learning is so important to...

Classroom management and thinking through how my classroom will run is more important than the decorations and arrangement! Do you agree? My classroom has several different strategies set up; and as needed, I will adjust accordingly as my students arrive and I learn their needs. Today, I have 8 Classroom Management Tips for you to […]

If you have an extra-chatty class, check out this post with tips for how to get your students to stop talking in just one week!

As teachers, we have an unending to-do list. One task that can easily swallow up our time if we let it, is grading. We all understand the importance of knowing where our kiddos stand in their learning

All of these organizational printables shown on this blog post are FREE! This page contains affiliate links. Read Full Disclosure

An Elementary Teaching Blog with tips, ideas and freebies for your classroom. For new teachers and seasoned teachers alike!

This product contains: A printable header for a cell phone charging station A printable rules & expectations sheet (could easily be turned into a student facing contract as well) Printable pocket labels (so that students know exactly which pocket their phone is in) I was inspired to create this resource because I wanted an organized cell phone management system in my classroom that students were authentically incentivized to participate in! All you need to get this up and running is a pocket chart, a power strip, and a multipack of lighting cables (or you can ask students to bring in their own chargers). Thanks again, and please leave feedback if you have any suggestions or comments for either this resource or future resources.

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 […]

Teaching students rules and procedures is a skill in itself. You have to learn to teach it and then reinforce them while doing it in an engaging way. In this article, I'll give you some ideas of how to teach your students your classroom routines and expectations in a fun and engaging way.

Explore the perfect blend of pride and aesthetics with our Amazing Work Displays. More than just bulletin boards, these student work displays are intentional spaces crafted to recognize and honor the unique accomplishments and efforts of each student. From eye-catching designs to interactive elements, our collection offers a variety of options to transform your classroom into a dynamic exhibition of student achievement.  Make every piece of student work a masterpiece with our Amazing Work Displays. Whether it's showcasing artwork, written assignments, or collaborative projects, these displays contribute to a positive and affirming classroom culture where every student's contribution is valued and celebrated. File Type: PDF  Page Count: 2 What's Included: Amazing work coming soon sheets, Large pencil cutout, & binder clip cutouts! Sold as:  UPRINT ~ digital PDF and/or PPT file sent to your email Welcome to UPRINT, the printable classroom decor category at Schoolgirl Style.  Our UPRINT collection is a treasure trove of creativity, offering educators the power to customize and personalize their learning spaces with ease. Elevate your classroom aesthetics with the convenience of printable decor that brings style, organization, and a touch of magic to every corner of your educational haven. Introducing "Saved by the Pastel," the charming 2024 classroom decor collection by Schoolgirl Style. Inspired by 90's nostalgia of school supplies, pastels, and checkerboards, this collection brings a playful twist to the classroom. Dive into a world adorned with happy smiley faces, iconic apples, pencils, Stanley cups, and delicate pastel bows. Immerse your space in the beauty of gradient pastel rainbows paired with a 90's aesthetic, creating an atmosphere that's both reminiscent of pop culture and fond memories of the bright pastel trend! At Schoolgirl Style, we understand that when it comes to classroom decor, every detail matters. Shop in STYLE with our diverse selection of Classroom Decor, Bulletin Board Borders, Classroom Rugs, Bulletin Board Paper, and Printable Classroom Decor, personally curated by Melanie Ralbusky, Founder and Creative Director. Whether you're in search of Teacher Resources, Seasonal inspiration, or delightful Teacher lifestyle additions, Schoolgirl Style stands as your one stop Teacher Shop.

Are you looking for a calm classroom theme? I have five beautiful and unique classroom decor bundles that will help create a peaceful, engaging, and beautiful home away from home in your classroom! These five bundles will be a perfect way to create a calm classroom vibe!

If there is one I have learned in my years of working with paraprofessionals, it is that paras are teachers too. My paraprofessional is my right hand and my left hand. She is the glue that keeps us together. I realize that sometimes it is our first instinct to give them passive work because their

Download free teacher printables now – our 100% free educational resources can help you create engaging lessons for your students.

Track student behavior the quick, efficient way: use a checklist. Free, editable trackers can be used to document and graph behaviors.

Amazing classroom decoration ideas including how to add a class fireplace, a beautiful teacher space, a classroom fridge and more!

Time to inspire and motivate your students with these 4 fun bulletin board ideas that are perfect for schools, classrooms, or libraries!

Fun Friday in the classroom is a great way to celebrate the week of hard work! Find 6 tips and free resources for having your own Fun Friday!

This in-depth, editable IEP Folder Snapshot, otherwise known as an IEP Audit Form. It is perfect for keeping track of what is inside a student's IEP folder, cumulative folder, or audit file, without having to sift through all of the paperwork inside the folder.

Geometric Art

Visual boundaries are a vital part of classroom setup. Let me show you how I utilize these visual boundaries in classroom!

If you haven't yet heard about desk pets, you are missing out! If you are asking, "What is a desk pet?" You've come to the right place!

Setting up a kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the year can be an exciting, yet overwhelming. Whether you are a student teacher, or this is your last year teaching elementary school, I'm here to share

The first week of school generally consists of getting to know one another, in addition to discussion and practice of classroom procedures and routines. We also got our creative juices flowing by creating summer reflection writing pieces, squiggle stories, and "All About Me" mini-posters. Students are getting to know one another and me, and we are learning to work together to build a successful and positive classroom environment. On Wednesday, I wrote out six questions, all having to do with how to make our classroom and ourselves function to the highest level, on six pieces of chart paper. Students, in groups of three, spent two minutes at each chart, collaborating and responding to each question on a sticky note. After all groups visited each chart paper station, I hung all of the charts up and we discussed each answer and noticed some very interesting trends. Here's the finished product, which you can click on to enlarge: Inspired by Life in 4B To tie into the previous activity, I was inspired by my wonderful teammates, Mrs. Fadden and Ms. Mattox, to develop at class pledge with my students. We reviewed our responses to the above questions, and then we put all of the ideas together to form a cohesive paragraph that we have all agreed will help us to remember why we are here at school and what our common goal is. Below is the rough draft of our class pledge (which I will type up, make pretty, and have all of my students sign): Since we were able to develop a class goal (to achieve success in third grade), I also had each student determine an individual goal after reading the story Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni. I displayed our "Hopes and Dreams" for third grade near the classroom door, so that we can refer to, and revisit, them throughout the year. Lots of students are interested in learning how to sharpen their cursive skills, multiplication and division skills. I was very impressed by the number of students ready to take on our 40 book challenge! More on that later! Here's our class display of our hopes and dreams for third grade: Lastly, I read a book called Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The premise is that everyone carries an invisible bucket everywhere they go. When your bucket is "filled" you feel happy.When your bucket is "empty" you feel sad or upset. People can fill buckets by lending a helping hand, smiling, being kind, including others in games, and more. People can empty buckets by teasing, being ungrateful, acting disrespectfully, and more. I encourage my students to recognize the actions of bucket-fillers by writing them quick note and sticking it in their bucket display. This helps make everyone feel good. When we feel good, we want others to feel good. Therefore, kindess is passed from person to person. This is our bucket-filling display, complete with ways we can fill buckets and ways we can empty buckets: I look forward to more of these types of meaningful activities that promote teamwork, kindness, and achievement with your child!

I have always assigned nightly reading. Why? I don't assign nightly reading because I want to give students "reading homework." I don't assign nightly reading

Creating a middle school syllabus doesn't sound difficult, but I know from experience how hard it is to condense all of your classroom guidelines and

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.

3rd grade teacher Deanna shares how she saves time and works more efficiently.

Have you thought about having a class pet, but don’t want to add one more thing to take care of in your classroom? Well, I have the perfect solution---a take-home stuffed animal! Kids love it and there is no cage or tank to clean out! Having a traveling class pet was by far the most popular class pet I ever had. Kids couldn’t wait for their week to take home the pet and have it be part of their life for a few days. Of course, I had to include a journal for the kids to write in through the week. Tips for having a take-home class pet. 1. Choosing a stuffed animal is the easy part because kids love them all. But, keep the size of the pet in mind. Too large and it's difficult to transport home and then back to school. Too small and it feels too much like a toy instead of a real pet. 2. Pick a traveling bag for your pet. I like clear plastic bags so everyone can see the adorable pet inside. Make sure it's large enough to hold the pet and the journal. I found this bag on Amazon for under $10. (Search "clear plastic tote" for lots of choices.) 3. Decide on the requirements for the journal. The requirements should be based on the writing level of your students. Kindies can have a drawing journal where they draw a picture or two that shows what they did with the pet. Firsties can write a few sentences along with illustrations. For older students, they can write paragraphs and add illustrations. Make sure all requirements and suggestions are included in the journal, so kids know exactly what is expected. 4. What will you use as a journal? I like using a composition book. It's sturdy and will last the whole year. You can glue on a cover and then glue all instructions and suggestions to the inside cover. Click here to download this freebie from my TpT store. (Click on this image.) 5. Make sure you share the journal on the day it's returned and before it goes home with a new student. 6. A letter home at the beginning of the year, explaining the Take-Home pet is a good idea. That way, parents know what to expect. I also let parents know the take-home schedule a few weeks in advance. That way, the schedule can be adjusted if a family needs to reschedule the pet's visit to their home. Above all, have fun. Just like a live pet, the stuffed animal pet is a great way to teach responsibility.

The ultimate list of classroom management strategies, organized into verbal and non-verbal strategies, parent communication tips,rewards and prizes, games, brain breaks, and visual strategies.

FREE Call Backs and attention getters for the kindergarten classroom! Great classroom management tool!

Attention Getters will cut out your classroom chaos and work for all grade levels. Attention getters in the classroom are the perfect solution if you are...

Do you search for a teacher planner every year? I don’t. Well let me start by saying I use to but then I stopped. Year after year, I would hunt for the perfect planner to use as my day book and year after year I would spend way too much time filling it out. I...

Desk Pets are a fun way to promote positive behavior and get students excited about learning. With a little creativity, desk pets can be used in many different ways to support your classroom community of learners. There are so many different ways to use them in the classroom. Here are some great ideas for using ... Read More about Desk Pets in the Classroom: Free Printables and Ideas

Hello! I am already seeing lots of posts in Facebook groups asking what to do in the first few days of art class. In this post, I will walk you through what I plan to do this year in my classes. This is very similar to what I have done in other years. First, I start all classes with basic introductions and talking about the room and art class. We go over the rules and expectations. I use a video … Read more... →

The Art room offers an extra set of challenges to teachers as students are no longer facing the front in rows and are often given more freedom.