I began interactive notebooks (INBs) as subject journals in my classroom before I knew they were a thing. I loved that kids could have pertinent information, notes, and practice all in one handy composition book.  Through the years, I devised a list of tips to manage these INB journals. I discovered setup was key in creating a successful, useful interactive notebook experience.  I've compiled a list of 8 tips for managing interactive notebooks in the classroom. 1. Use Composition Notebooks I like Composition notebooks (also known as marble books) over spiral or the quick page tear-o ..read more

The nice thing about a blog is that I can post my fondest desires for education, and it will either fly away like bubbles in the wind or hit home for anyone who reads it.  Today is one of those days I feel like sending bubbles out to the universe.  Here goes... During my time in the classroom, I had the opportunity to work with a wide range of ability levels.  I see you nodding your head. I know many of you have shared that same experience.  In the schools I was in, gifted students were sprinkled around like the sugar on the top of a donut.  Teachers were up in arms ..read more

I have found the best way to engage learners is to make it real for them. The five teaching strategies listed below offer varying levels of independence and exploration for kids. And really, it makes teaching so much more fun to see kids fired up as they make connections in their learning.  1. Cooperative Learning/Group Investigations Characteristics A teaching activity in which the teacher purposively uses small group interaction to forward new learning and accomplish academic and social skills. My Recommendations Groups should be flexible, ideally, 3-5 students, created by a teac ..read more

One year I had a student teacher who was a former lawyer and wanted to leave law to become a classroom teacher. ... I'll let that sink in for a moment. ... OK... moving on. I had just graded an abysmal group of papers where it felt like I was grading number roulette. Clearly, they didn't understand the concept, and I needed to reteach. No problem. That happens a lot with new concepts. But this was an ongoing problem with this particular group. OK, truth be told, it was a problem almost every year. Learned behavior - If I turn in a paper with something written on it, it's good enough. There ..read more

Classroom games are a powerful resource in my teacher toolbox. I begin every new year from day one, teaching at least one new game. As opportunities present themselves, I'll continue to add additional games to our repertoire. Before long, I have built a working library of games to use for the rest of the year! There are many beneficial reasons to use games in the classroom. Games make great icebreakers. They are one of the quickest ways I know to grab kids' attention and change the classroom dynamic. Check out how I used a simple game to build community in a potentially challenging situation ..read more

In today's society, we are constantly bombarded with data.  While data can be very useful, it is often misleading, used incorrectly or skewed to meet a particular need.  This month, for my example of Math Is Real Life, I would like to share two pieces of data that we receive each month- our water bill and our gas/electric bill. Each bill has all kinds of useful information on it: how much it costs, when payment is due, and information about consumption. Below is a graph from our water bill comparing usage from year to year. I find this data to be useful, as it indicates a potential issu ..read more