What math curriculum does your district use?

How do you teach students how to self asses themselves in your classroom?

How do you know when to and how to refer a student to a study team?

I have a single student in my class with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This student demonstrates needs in developing empathy. At this time, I do not have outside support in addressing these needs for this student so any efforts will be my own, alone (hoping to look into additional services soon). My content area is language arts and finding time to address these specific needs is a challenge.

How might I support this student’s social emotional needs with so little time to invest?

Introducing essays to 3rd graders can be a rewarding experience when broken down into manageable steps. I’ve found that starting with personal narratives works best since kids are more comfortable writing about their own lives. Using tools like graphic organizers to help them structure their ideas, and modeling the writing process as a class, are key ways to ease them into it.

For example, teaching them the basic structure of an essay (introduction, body, conclusion) is crucial, but I focus on just a few sentences at first so they don’t feel overwhelmed. Sentence starters like “One time I…” or “In my opinion…” also help students get over the hurdle of that first blank page.

Peer review sessions are another great way to make writing feel like a shared experience instead of a solo task. This also gives students a chance to see how others express their ideas and can encourage growth in their own writing.

What strategies have you found most effective for getting students excited about writing?

How do you set up your classroom gathering spaces?

I was having so much trouble with finding some pattern block task cards to help students who are struggling with geometry skills that I decided to make my own! Attached you will find 16 task cards and all you need is some pattern blocks! What other activities do you do with student to help understand geometry standards?

Are your states requiring any additional coursework related to the Science of Reading? In Indiana, we have to take an 80 hour course on our own time to renew our Elementary licenses. Just curious what other states are requiring.

Last year, I had a bulletin board up outside my door with questions for each grade level. Since moving rooms, I don't have as much room outside my door so I was looking for some ideas on how I can engage students. I was thinking of doing some of these boards with questions. I love the idea of them proving me wrong -- that was the premise of what I did last year too. Have you used something like this before? Any suggestions or tips? (It probably goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, this is not my photo.)

What are some common accommodations & modifications you make in your classroom?

How do you keep parents informed about their child's progress in school? I make sure that I keep my grades current so that my parents can see how their child is doing in our portal.

What’s a good assessment for a standard in deaf education about second grader’s learning colors in sign language?

How do you manage difficult parents that seem to blame teachers for their child's behavior and absences?

Today I created a parent/caregiver letter for families that highlighted intervention and Title 1 using ChatGPT -what family documents or the like have you created successfully using AI for communication?

How do you hold students accountable during centers? Specifically for second through fifth grade. Some teachers at my school are struggling with this and would love some additional ideas to share!

How would you teach fourth grade students how to write an argumentative essay using and citing evidence?

How do you make learning Fry words or sight words fun/engaging for students? I have created game boards for my students to color in the words that they know. I have 20 words on each sheet. If the student does not know a word, I put a x on it and make flash cards for the student. The students really enjoy coloring the words that they know. It is also a great way for them to track their progress.

What is tough for kids about writing an argumentative persuasive essay with logical reasons supported by evidence from relevant sources?

What are your favorite end of year or ABC countdown ideas? We want to change up what we do this year and would love to hear what you enjoy to celebrate the end of the year!

Vocabulary is such an important part of any instruction. What are some creative ways you use to help students retain vocabulary knowledge more than just word walls?

One of the ways I do it is something Talk a Mile a Minute. I put a topic on the board (example: multiplication) and then list 5-6 words that are associated with the topic (example: product, factor, array, repeated addition, equal groups). Students partner up facing each other, with one student facing the board and the other facing away. The person facing the board will give clues about the different words (think $100,000 Pyramid) so that their partner can guess. After that round, the partners will switch. It only takes about 5-6 minutes but it has been a game changer in my room! Would love to hear other ideas as well!