Let me start by saying that my kids LOVED this review game. They laughed, learned, and helped each other throughout the entire game!What you'll need: 9 Hula HoopsSome kind of marker. We used Frisbees, but you can use bean bags, fabric, paper plates, and more. Use something that's not bouncy so that it stays in the hula hoop.Optional: scooter boardsHow to play review game style:Have the students separate into two groups. My classes are roughly 15 students in each, so it worked out really ... VIEW POST
Hula Hoop Tic-Tac-Toe Review Game
Why You Should Call Their Parents
I could be wrong, but I don't think that any of us LOVE calling parents. Sometimes those calls can be awkward or confrontational, but other times, they can be AMAZING!Positive phone calls home are equally if not more important than the negative ones. I recently started using reward coupons in addition to lollipops. I assumed that my teenagers would always want the lollipops, but surprisingly, there have been two clear coupon winners: the option to listen to music while they work and positive ... VIEW POST
Questions and Answers on the Desk!
I've seen a lot of posts on Instagram of teachers writing on student desks. I love the idea, and let me just say that it was actually FUN to write on their desks with an Expo marker!I wish that I could leave little individualized notes/compliments to the students, but I have five back-to-back classes, and I don't do assigned seating, so that strategy wouldn't really work well in my classroom.I decided to instead write review questions on their desks and leave a post-it for them to write down the ... VIEW POST
Teaching Students How to Write an Email
I was never taught how to write an email. I just knew that I should include a subject, address the recipient, format it like a mini-letter, and close it. One might think that our current students, having grown up in a digital world, would have adapted accordingly and write something resembling a normal email. I don't want to speak on behalf of all of us, but this is certainly not the case from what I have experienced over the last few years. From what I recall, I have never received a properly ... VIEW POST
New Semester, New Rules!
For many of us, the start of a new semester means the start of new classes. New classes, content, and students can be great. I have year-long classes, so I wondered how it would go if I tried to introduce new expectations midway through the year. Well, I did, and you should too!The three images on my door were three PowerPoint slides that I reviewed prior to the start of class. They saw the large "Positive Vibes Only" as soon as they walked into the room. After that, we reviewed the new ... VIEW POST
Musical Chairs in the Classroom
Musical chairs is a great brain break because it gets everyone moving, it's fast-paced, and it requires no prep or money. That's my kind of brain break! I'm not lying when I say that my students constantly ask to play this game. There are two ways that we play in my classroom:Option 1: My students and I have recently been playing musical chairs with a twist, and they LOVE it! Instead of counting the chairs and students and moving chairs to the side, we keep all of the chairs in the game. I play ... VIEW POST