Tackling the Test: Begin with the End in Mind

Avoid the stress of testing and create an actionable plan to prepare for the testing in August, rather than April.

Tackling the Test: Meaningful Review

Once you have the objectives selected, let the fun of the review begin. Keeping reading for some of my favorite test time review activities.

Tackling the Test: Identifying Your Testing Priorities

When preparing for the state test, it can pretty daunting to determine which are your priority objectives.  Best case scenario, you have been tracking student progress all year and have a good approximation of how your students will perform on a standardized test. Worst case, you are just prepping for the test and it is days away. If for some reason I was thrown into a class room with 10 days until the test, this would be my go to plan to help my students.

Tackling the Test: Tips and Tricks to Prepare for Standardized Testing

Testing season right around the corner? Test prep not as organized as you would like? Keep reading for more tips and strategies to make your life and that of your students easier. 

Halloween Treat: Student Created Problem Solver Craft

Don't you love it when education and cuteness merge? 

Owl Hour Freebie

FREE Telling Time to the Nearest Hour Bingo Game

4 Books to teach Elementary Students about the Fourth of July

Four texts to help students learn more about Independence Day!

Writing Wednesday: Using Mentor Texts

Sharing ideas for writing using elementary mentor texts!

The Next Step in Guided Reading: Chapter 1

June/July Book 2016 Book Study:
The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson

End of the Year Ideas and Activities for Elementary Classrooms

Hi Friends!

As the end of the school year is wrapping up, its time to think about how the end of the year will be wrapping up!

Keep reading for more ideas and activities!

Currently May!

Hello Friends! Time to dust off this blog and get back to sharing information that can help teachers in their classrooms.

Using Learning Passports to Improve Student Writing

Hi friends! 

Today, I wanted to share about learning passports and how we have been using them to improve student writing at our after school site.

Haven't heard of them yet? Well, keep reading to learn more. :)

February Freebie! Writing Prompts

Love is in the air! I'm sharing the love with these free Valentine's Day Writing Prompts!

Have You Heard About...Creative Market?

Need creative design materials, designs, and fonts? Then you need to know about Creative Market! I recently learned about this fantastic site and thought I would share about it and my recent purchases!

January Pinterest Pick 3

To help you gear up for the second semester, here are 3 great Pinterest projects/activities to try!

2016 Goals and Objectives

Hi Teacher Friends! I hope you had a wonderful Saturday, filled with rest and relaxation before returning to the classroom on Monday.  I had lots of rest and even more reflection as I link up with with Schroeder Shenanigans and Lucky Little Learners to discuss plans and goals for the new year. 

My one little word is "Refine". I talked a bit about this yesterday and how I want to refine small elements of my life to make improvements. The following post is not to make grand statements or resolutions, but to instead put my aims out into the universe and remind myself what I am working for, and what I am striving to achieve. In order to scale and increase my impact and my support of teachers, I have to do what I do well. Thus, I am applying the word refine to how I create, learn, and collaborate with others in 2016. 

Currently January 2016: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! To celebrate, I am linking up with Oh Boy! Farley to ring in the new year!

Trick or Treat Blog Hop

  So happy to link up with Rachael Parlett at the Classroom Game Nook Blog! Halloween comes during my favorite time of the year and I am so happy to share these tricks and treats with you!

Currently October: Lovin' Life

Hi Teacher Friends!

So glad it's October! The nip in the air, changing color of the leaves, and of course, ME! because it's my birthday month :)

Today, I am linking up with Oh Boy Farley!

1. I am listening and loving, loving, loving Spotify. My favorite playlist is Lush Atmospheric. I am so incredibly productive when listening to this playlist, my favorite song being "In Time" by FKA Twigs. I absolutely love that song! Twice a day at least on repeat lol.

2. I am also loving surrounding myself with positivity! I have been reading, meditating, and praying about my purpose in life and my place within this world. I have already seen some AMAZING results from being positive in both my work, my relationships, and my business. I am being tremendously blessed and I must attribute this to my focus on gratitude, belief in abundance, and a plan that is bigger than myself.

3. I am thinking as a result of my positivity and belief in abundance that I must treat and take care of myself better. I work really hard and often neglect to make myself #1. I often forgo doing nice things for myself and that ends immediately. I have set up a schedule to get my hair and nails done regularly and a regular clothing budget that I MUST spend every month. Last week, I got my nails done (Pedicure was perfect but the gel nails came off three fingers FOUR days later! URGHHH!) (I took a deep breath and had to shrug it off, After, all it could have been all of them lol) and today, I got my hair did. Yes, did. See the BOO-tiful section for evidence lol. 

4. I am also wanting to see the Avengers Age of Ultron movie. A little fact about me is that I will always wait to see a movie or show. I will not watch a show for the whole season, just so I can binge watch it all at once. I mean, I have work to do. I cannot be addicted to my TV and a watching schedule. Anyhoo, I have been watching Captain America: Winter Soldier on REPEAT on Encore in the mean time. My husband hates it but I love action movies. I think I have seen it 50 times. He sees it on, sighs, shakes his head, and heads downstairs to watch more football lol. He will probbaly feel the same way once I get the Avengers movie from Redbox. 24 Hours of the Avengers lol. I will owe him big. 

5. I am thinking what I want for my birthday, It's the big 29 and last year in my 20s. Hubs keeps asking me to write a list of things I want so he can then choose and "surprise" me with them. I really only NEED perfume. I have really been blessed in the past couple of months from my family, the wedding, raises at work, growth in Knowledge Mobile, and creating my consulting business. I really just want to continue to be thankful and grateful for those blessings and all that is in store for us. 

6. BOO-tiful......Me!

I have been wanting to dye my hair burgundy for the longest time and I finally took the plunge today. It's a violet red that is different colors in different lights. I love, love, love it. I feel like it is fitting big girl hair lol. 

See! Much less red here! 

Hubs loves it :). 

At least that's what I made him say after asking him a hundred times lol. 

I hope you have a wonderfully happy, healthy, and harmonious October!

Tips for Coaching Teachers

Hi Teacher Friends!

Want to try your hand at coaching? I have been working at developing the content and coaching that I share with teachers. So far this year, I have worked with 10 teachers individually to support their classrooms and trained 45 new teachers through my summer training work. Coaching/helping teachers is my true passion. In my new vision board, I outlined my vision of being a full time teacher coach/TPTer #dreamjob!

In that time, I have learned a bit about problem solving and trouble shooting with teachers. The tips below have helped me to be more purposeful and strategic when working with a new teachers and their needs.