Classroom Connection

Flexible Seating with Students

August 31, 2016 No Comments

Whew, we all survived the first few days of a new school year! It has been a great start to a new year in a new grade thanks in part to flexible seating. Although it has only been a few days, flexible seating is proving to be the best thing I could have done in my classroom! Students are engaged, working, and seem happy with the flexibility and responsibility of picking how and where they sit. After practicing using different seats, I thought it would be fun to graph what students think about their choices so far. After our morning meeting, students […]

Classroom Connection

Positive Points

August 22, 2016 No Comments

As I gear up for another school year I am excited at the opportunity to try out new things. New seating styles, new room arrangement, and new approaches to classroom management. When I traveled to Spain on a professional development trip last February, I had the privilege of meeting with teachers and watching them in action. In a second grade classroom I visited, a teacher use a positive behavior system where my immediate thought was, genius! During lessons the teacher would call on students. After the student had participated she would call out “point”. The student would then quietly stand up, walk […]

Classroom Connection

Flexible Seating for Flexible Learning

August 15, 2016 No Comments

As a new school year approaches I am preparing for new challenges and new adventures. This will be by first year teaching 2nd grade, so there is a lot for me to learn before my students come through the door for the first day of school. This summer, besides pouring over curriculum to familiarize myself with the differences between 3rd grade and 2nd grade skills, I am also preparing my classroom space as well. Deciding on classroom layout is one of my favorite things to work on over the summer. It is a time when all things are possible and all […]

Classroom Connection, Social Studies, Travel

Making History Come to Life

June 7, 2016 No Comments

There is nothing better in school than a field trip. It is a chance to get out of the classroom for authentic hands on learning. This spring students in the third grade took a trip to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth and another field trip to local Governor Winslow House and Daniel Webster Estate in Marshfield. Both trips were a huge hit with students. Visiting these places made textbook readings jump off the page. Things that students had only read about became crystal clear as they roamed these historic sites. Students were also able to make connections they may not have been […]

Classroom Connection, Travel

Spain Day Round Two

June 2, 2016 2 Comments

Today felt like Spain Day all over again. Between the arrival of our class Spain book and pen pal letters from Spain, it was all Spain all the time in our room today. Yesterday afternoon the class book about Spain finally arrived. For several days/weeks now there have been inquiries of when the book would arrive, and low and behold here they are! Students anxiously awaiting their arrival were made very happy students. (Thanks Student Treasures!) They didn’t arrive until after students had left for the day yesterday, which of course meant a big surprise for this morning. Each student who had […]

Classroom Connection

Travel Back In Time

May 23, 2016 1 Comment

This week kicks off one of my favorites of the school year, tax week! I know, I know, your thinking taxes? How can taxes be fun?! Well, for the entire week students in my third grade class get a first hand look at what taxes were like for colonists around the time of the American Revolution and it couldn’t be better. Today began with a greeting from King George III (me) dressed up with a paper crown. On each students’ desk was $5 of play money to use to pay for taxes. We gathered as a colony at morning meeting […]

Classroom Connection, Science, Travel

Virtual Trip to the Galápagos

May 13, 2016 No Comments

On Friday my class took a virtual trip to the Galápagos Islands. Students learned about a new place in the world and the animals found there, as I reminisced on a fabulous trip and shared what I learned from traveling there. We are gearing up the start of our big animal adaptations unit in science. In class, each student selected an animal to research from places I have traveled to around the world. Over the years, I have gathered resources for students to use for research. Books, websites, brochures, pictures, videos and stories of the animals and the places they live […]

Classroom Connection, Food, Travel

Easter Treats

May 5, 2016 No Comments

I know what your probably thinking, Easter was weeks ago, why is she just now talking about Easter? Well, Greek Easter was just last weekend, and I happen to have a student in my class this year who is part Greek. When she found out I was traveling to Greece in April she was excited to share with me a few Greek words she knew and a little about how she celebrates Easter. It was wonderful to make a connection with a student in a global way. After returning from Greece, early last week, I shared some pictures and stories […]

Classroom Connection

Greek Teachings

April 29, 2016 No Comments

Another week come and gone. I can’t believe just one week ago I was sitting on my cave house patio in Oia. Where does the time go? Anyway, now it’s back to reality and the fast paced life that is the end of the school year. This week tucked between math prep for our state test coming up in two weeks, writing our Spain classroom book, poem in your pocket day, and the usual lessons, I managed to share some pictures and information from my trip to Greece. Students knew I was traveling to Greece for April vacation. We talked briefly before […]

Classroom Connection

World Flags, Student Style

April 8, 2016 No Comments

Happy Friday! As we prepare to sail into the weekend I thought I’d share a quick story of a favorite moment I had a few weeks ago. Our school had recently participated in Spain Day, and students were still talking about the different activities they did including coloring Spanish flags. Later that afternoon, before dismissal a student came up to me and asked if he could draw some flags from around the world for me because he knew I liked to travel. I was flattered, what a sweet gesture. I love to encourage global learning, so I told him if […]