Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Word problems… Yuck! They can be such a struggle.  Today, we are going to be chatting about math word problems and I am going to give you a fantastic strategy to use with your students.  This strategy will become a routine in your classroom that I think will help your students resolve more problems with any operation.  I used this routine in my classroom and it made a huge difference and that’s exactly why I want to share it with you too!  Episode 93 Takeaways:  Don’t use keywords as a strategy when solving word probl ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Today we are talking all about how to give students feedback about their writing.  You know how much I love to talk about writing, but did you know that when I was a new teacher, I actually dreaded teaching writing? I just didn’t know how to help my students be better writers. No one taught me that in college. My lessons were too broad, and I really struggled to give good feedback to my writers that would help them grow and make changes.  Do you also struggle with this? If you do, you’re not alone!  Today I want to share some ti ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Are you excited for Valentine’s Day this year?  If you told me a year ago that I’d be doing a Valentine’s episode about socially distant Valentine’s Day activities, I probably would have laughed at you. Now it is totally normal though and something we have to talk about! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Whether you’re teaching online or in-person this year, it’s going to look a little different. Just because we’re socially distant, doesn’t mean we can’t share the love. If you need some ideas for virtual or socially distant Vale ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! You asked for an Inauguration Day resource, so I’m delivering.  Today on the podcast, I am walking you through a resource for you to use with your second, third, fourth or fifth graders on Inauguration Day. Talking about anything political can seem uncomfortable, but when it comes to the inauguration, you don’t have to be political. This is a historical event! The idea behind teaching isn’t to tell students what to believe but rather give them the tools and the opportunities to decide what they believe on their own. That is what this reso ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Do your students forget everything over winter break? I think that’s pretty normal for all of us.  You’re likely going to need to review classroom routines and procedures with them anyway, so there is no better time to refresh your writing instruction with them as well. I want to chat about starting your writing instruction fresh in the New Year. A fresh start is exactly what I want this year. Does that sound good to you too? Don’t worry about what happened before break because we’re leaving that in the past and taking this opportunity to ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Do you think of centers as time-wasters?  Today we’re talking about centers and why I’ve loved them ever since my first year of teaching.  I love an activity that stretches my students’ learning, but they also think it is fun, and centers do that for me. I’m going to teach you how to improve the quality of student work in your centers so that you don’t have to worry about them wasting precious classroom time.  By the end of this episode, you’ll know when and how to use centers effectively in your classroom.  Episode 87 Take ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! I have a special gift for you today.  I have 60 free writing prompts for you in two different formats. A printable PDF or Google slides that you can use in the classroom.  Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Jamie, you HATE writing prompts!” It’s true. I’ve spent years teaching you why I don’t use prompts in my writing workshops. However, I recognize that there is a time and place for them, especially in a year like this.  I also want to help you understand when and how to use them in your classroom, so that’s where this episode ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Are you a teacher who spends a little too much time at school or even a little too much time working at home? Then this is the episode for you. I want to challenge the idea that the only way that you can be a good teacher is if you work really long hours, and that only the teachers who work really long hours are doing a great job.  News flash: your value is not tied to the number of hours you work. Your value is what you do with those hours. I’m going to share a little of my own story as well as some strategies that I used to take back my ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! I have a really special treat for you today. If you are teaching students online, whether it’s virtual or hybrid, this is the episode for you. Today’s guest, Jennifer Serravallo, is a literacy consultant and speaker and has three New York Times best-selling books! Her latest book is called “Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching and Learning.” I asked Jen to join me today to talk through the idea of connecting with students online.  We’re covering everything from how to form relationships with students to having r ..read more

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast! Word problems… Yuck! They can be such a struggle.  Today, we are going to be chatting about math word problems and I am going to give you a fantastic strategy to use with your students.  This strategy will become a routine in your classroom that I think will help your students resolve more problems with any operation.  I used this routine in my classroom and it made a huge difference and that’s exactly why I want to share it with you too!  Episode 93 Takeaways:  Don’t use keywords as a strategy when solving word probl ..read more