If you've been with me for a bit, than you know I like to keep my teacher community updated on new projects that I'm working on, new podcast episodes that drop and even personal life-updates. But, I've actually been keeping a secret for a while now... 've been working on a HUGE project that has been a year in the making (and longer if you count how long I've been dreaming about it!) You ready...??? I have found a way to to make audio accessible for ALL students using LINKtivity Interactive Learn...
Feb 17, 2021•8 min
It's undeniable. Students love to talk. Sometimes is hard to get them to stop talking. But, not all “talk” is created equal. It’s one thing to have your students discuss what they did over the weekend, or what new video games they are in to. But - what teacher hasn’t observed students sitting in a small group trying to discuss a new topic they are learning about or a book that they are reading. :::Crickets::: The truth is, when it comes to having deep, meaningful conversation - the kind of talk ...
Feb 14, 2021•15 min•Ep. 57
All teachers would agree that asking questions is (usually) a good thing. Yes, we have the those students who seem to ask endless questions, or questions that seem off topic or irrelevant, but — overall, we know that students use questioning and wondering as strategy for learning about the world. AND - when it comes to reading, asking questions is a reading comprehension strategy that needs to be explicitly taught to students to help them learn and engage with the text. It helps the reader to cl...
Feb 07, 2021•21 min•Ep. 56
Imagine If you could increase student participation & build classroom community… at the same time. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? So often, teachers focus on teaching the content that our curriculum requires, but we often forget a very important core element of teaching. Relationships . Students learn best when they have a genuine relationship with their teacher and their classmate. If we fail to set that foundation, we are passing up incredible opportunities for learning and growth in our class...
Jan 31, 2021•12 min•Ep. 55
ARE YOU ALWAYS ON THE HUNT FOR A GREAT READING RESPONSE ACTIVITY? As an upper elementary teacher, you probably spend a good chunk of your time reading novels with your students. Am I right? Well, I’m here to give you some activities to use with your students during your next novel unit. Whether your students are reading the novel as a whole-class, in guided reading groups, in literature circles, or even as individuals, there are some activities that work great with almost any novel. Tune in to t...
Jan 24, 2021•14 min•Ep. 54
We like what we like. I will ALWAYS order the same chicken dish at my favorite Indian restaurant. It's delicious and it's not worth the risk to order something different and end up not liking it. Are you like that, too? It's human nature to gravitate toward what we know we will like. But, if I'm being honest, every time I order take-out from said restaurant, I wonder what I'm missing. So…why am I talking about Indian food on a podcast for teachers? Am I closet foodie? ( Well, yes, but that’s a t...
Jan 17, 2021•9 min•Ep. 53
Are you guilty of spoon feeding your students ideas for what to write? I’m right there with you! We have all done it. We all have those students who just sit there, stare at the wall and say, “I don’t know what to write.” Often we just intend to give them a quick idea or two as a spring board for their writing pieces, but more often than not, we can find ourselves verbally writing the whole piece for them. Of course we do it because we just want them to be successful. We don’t want them to feel ...
Jan 10, 2021•14 min•Ep. 52
Wouldn't it be nice if we could predict what the future holds? …especially as we head into 2021. Wow, that’s a loaded question! Maybe we would rather not know. (wink, wink) Predicting in reading, however. Now THAT’S a necessity! Proficient readers make predictions naturally, without even knowing it. They predict what a book will be about based on the title, they predict why characters act a certain way, and they guess what will happen next when they get to the end of a chapter. It’s important th...
Jan 03, 2021•20 min•Ep. 51
Let’s be real. We have all been there. …flying by the seat of your pants from unit to unit — Not a curriculum map in sight! There were several years of teaching that I, for SURE, was flying by the seat of my pants when it came to my lesson plans. I didn’t know what I would be teaching next week, let alone a month down the road. Forget about mapping out the curriculum for my entire year — it just didn't happen. Oh don’t get me wrong — I most DEFINITELY had that cute teacher planner — spent hours ...
Dec 27, 2020•17 min•Ep. 50
Do you ever wish you could start this whole school year over? Yes, please! Remember that "fresh year, fresh classroom" feeling that you had at the beginning of the school year? Your classroom was so organized, wasn't it? Everything was crisp and new. You had BIIIIG plans for curriculum and classroom management, right? If you're like me, you often get to January and just wish you could restart and reinstate all those great plans, ideas, and most DEFINITELY that crisp, clean classroom that welcome...
Dec 20, 2020•12 min•Ep. 49
Let me set the scene: It’s almost time for lunch, you’ve just finished up your math lesson. Your students miraculously put away all their materials quickly, just as you asked ( hey, a teacher can dream, right? ). You have 5 extra minutes before your students need to line up to head to the cafeteria. Now what? You know that if you allow your students to just chat with their classmates for a few minutes, your students will likely take that inch you’ve given them and turn it into a mile ( read: cal...
Dec 13, 2020•10 min•Ep. 48
As adults, it’s so hard to imagine NOT visualizing while reading. Visualizing is what makes the characters, settings, and events pop off the page. Visualizing makes us want to keep reading. And - it’s visualizing that allows us to leave reality for a moment and escape into another world. But - for young readers, it may not be that easy. They may not have been taught to focus their mind in that way - to create that moving in their mind. That’s where clear reading comprehension strategy instructio...
Dec 06, 2020•17 min•Ep. 47
It’s that crazy time of year! Holiday crazed kids, trying to keep your students focused, and a million things to do inside AND outside the classroom — all while maintaining your sanity ( if that’s even possible! ) Good News! I am here to help you feel less stressed and more prepared for the hectic weeks ahead. Although your to-do list is likely a mile long, you don’t have to feel like your spinning 10 plates in the air. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing some helpful tips and tricks to not just...
Nov 29, 2020•17 min•Ep. 46
Assessment drives instruction. As teachers, we’ve heard that over and over. Teachers need to make sure that the tools they are using to assess their students are effective in giving the teacher insight into student understanding. You’ve likely already use rubrics for assessment. And,- when the rubrics are written in kid-friendly language, students, too can fully understand how they performed and where there are areas for improvement. However, have you considered using rubrics as an INSTRUCTIONAL...
Nov 22, 2020•13 min•Ep. 45
We’ve all been there. We all have started teaching a new lesson, only to notice the students staring at you with glazed over eyes…probably thinking about lunch. In this episode we are going to talk about some surefire ways to grab your students attention and keep their attention throughout the lesson. Whether you’re in person or virtual, these 13 quick and engaging ideas will help you start your lesson with engaged students whether it’s beginning your lesson with a story, debate, or my favorite ...
Nov 15, 2020•7 min•Ep. 44
Who doesn't love a good bulletin board display? But - I just might love a good bulletin board set a little too much. I’ve been guilty more than once of creating a bulletin board more for ME than for my students. I loved the finish product. I loved seeing the display up in all its glory. But - I rarely actually used a bulletin board for my STUDENTS’ benefit. I rarely referred to the bulletin board to reinforce student learning. When I was in the classroom, I would obsess over every detail on my b...
Nov 08, 2020•15 min•Ep. 42
Wouldn’t it be nice if reading comprehension just magically happened? Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t! Although as adult readers we use these reading strategies to help us understand what we read without much effort, young readers need to be explicitly taught what the strategies are and how to use them. Over time, readers will learn to weave in and out of these strategies to fully comprehend the text that they're reading. At the upper elementary level, students have likely been introduced to all seven...
Nov 01, 2020•14 min•Ep. 42
What makes someone a great reader? Ask any elementary student and you’d likely hear responses like: “Great readers can read fast.” “Great readers use expression." “Great readers can read all the words correctly.” These answers are all correct, however, we want students to understand that reading is more than just being able to read the words on the page. What we really want students to be doing while they read is thinking ! That’s where reading comprehension strategies come in. Reading strategy ...
Oct 25, 2020•19 min•Ep. 41
Teaching during a pandemic is something we have never done before. There’s no book we can read written by expert teachers to prepare us for what to expect. We are all learning on the job — taking it day by day, moment by moment even. But, you know what we do have? Each other. And, in this week’s episode, I asked teachers who are in the trenches, just like you, to share their best tips for what has worked for them so far. You’ll learn what THEY are doing to deal with things like not being able to...
Oct 18, 2020•13 min•Ep. 40
What happens to you when you get overwhelmed? For me, my head goes into a tailspin as I think about everything that has to get done. Teaching is hard but it's even harder if we don't give ourselves room to try out new things, make mistakes, and learn from them. We are learning that lesson so clearly now in 2020 with the pandemic. This week's episode is sure to leave you encouraged and feeling inspired to head into your week, unafraid of what lies ahead and confident to be your best teacher-self!...
Oct 11, 2020•15 min•Ep. 39
Technology is like ice cream. Uh, Wait! What? Using technology can make learning super sweet, just like ice cream! Technology in the classroom is here to stay so we need to embrace it and learn to love it. In this episode, I give tips and best practices for teaching your students how to use technology in the classroom so that you don't lose your mind! BUT - I also believe that as much as children enjoy technology (& ice cream!) they also enjoy crayons, glitter, glue, and “hold in your hand” ...
Oct 04, 2020•19 min•Ep. 38
Tired of all the loose paperwork floating around your classroom, on your desk, or at home? Let’s tackle the paperwork trail once and for all. If you’ve listened to my podcast for a while, you know I love organization! Today, I get to indulge a little bit as we talk about organization in the form of creating a simple yet effective student data binder. A student data binder can be your one-stop-shop to all the important documentation that you need to keep track of. From parent communication to pro...
Sep 27, 2020•14 min•Ep. 37
Being a teacher is a lot of work, but in the middle of a pandemic…it’s even harder. I’m here today to focus on the positive and point out some reasons why it’s the best time to be a teacher even during a pandemic and virtual learning. Did I get a few eye rolls? Maybe a few chuckles? That’s okay. I’m here to put a little happiness in our lives as well as a new perspective on teaching in 2020. For full show notes, visit classroomnook.com/podcast/36...
Sep 20, 2020•11 min•Ep. 36
Whether you co-teach or just work closely with your grade-level team members, successful co-teaching requires you to be specific and intentional. The year I had a co-teacher was my worst year teaching, but it was also the year I learned the most about myself as a teacher. I learned to be more patient with the students and be more compassionate toward the students that were the hardest to love. I had a LOT to learn. In that challenging year, I also learned how to share my classroom with another t...
Sep 13, 2020•14 min
We know it’s important for our students to have routines and procedures to provide predictability, order, and peace in your classroom. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s important for teachers to have routines and procedures as well. Listen to this episode as I discuss how to plan out your day from the morning to the afternoon. Enough with feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list and daily tasks. Learn how to have success in your routine. For full show notes visit: www.classroomnook.com/podcast/...
Sep 06, 2020•15 min•Ep. 34
We all look back on our first few years of teaching and cringe at some of the things we have done with our students. Sometimes, we just don't know any better...until we do. Now, I won’t waste your time telling you all about my mistakes, but I do want to share a few things that you can change about your teaching practices today to make a bigger impact with your students. In today's episode, I'm share 4 things that you might want to consider to STOP doing...AND what you can do instead for a bigger...
Aug 30, 2020•15 min•Ep. 33
Hosting an open house or "Meet the Teacher" night is YOUR time to shine! It’s your time to meet your students’ families whether in-person or virtually, of course you want to be the hostess with the mostess! Whether you’re starting the year in-person or virtually, planning an open house doesn’t have to be difficult. In this episode, I’ll give you practical tips and fun ideas for making your students and their families feel comfortable and thrilled that they get to be part of your class. See full ...
Aug 23, 2020•14 min•Ep. 32
If you’ve ever needed a simple, yet effective way to organize your students' reading & writing materials - then, it’s time to start using a reader’s & writer’s notebook! Ever feel overwhelmed by papers on your desk? Have you looked inside your students' desks only to see papers shoved here and there? Me too and I’m here to help. This episode gives you practical tips on how to organize your reading and writing resources so that you and your students will have everything you need in one ea...
Aug 16, 2020•25 min•Ep. 31
Want to get more out of your writing time with your students this school year? Then, take your time at the beginning of the school year to build your writer’s workshop from the ground up. A solid writer’s workshop begins with establishing writing routines and procedures with your students BEFORE launching into your first writing unit. In this episode, we’re walking through how to get started with writer's workshop at the beginning of the school year. You'll learn how to structure your workshop a...
Aug 09, 2020•17 min•Ep. 30
Learn how to intentionally and thoughtfully launch reader's workshop in your upper elementary classroom in this podcast episode. Rachael walks you through the MOST important things to focus on during the first month of school. You'll learn what you need for a successful reader's workshop and some of the best tips and resources to make it happen! For full show notes, visit: classroomnook.com/podcast/29...
Aug 02, 2020•33 min•Ep. 29
