AI may be scary at first. Actually, it is a very useful tool in the classroom. I have used AI to write poems about topics so students will have information to read across genres. A HUGE win this year has been communication. I have a student who does not speak English. I have used AI to translate worksheets, compose emails, and create activities for the student. It has been a tremendous resource in helping this student in the classroom. It cuts down on time with using a pocket translator. I can explain the directions with the translator as the student is reading in their language. It also has helped with a "side by side" analysis of words and word structures.
How do you include science in an already crowded day? Here’s one way I do it!
What are some of your favorite sites or stores to purchase classroom ready supplies and materials?
Does your school or district plan an open house prior to the first day of school, on the night of the first day of school, or sometime afterwards?
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One of the things that do to help keep a positive mindset in the class is telling the students that Monday is actually the best day of the week. It is the day we get to start off fresh and work on fixing all the mistakes we made the previous week. Most of the time, helping students see the school day in a different light helps their success. What are ways you help students with positive thinking?
What end of the year activities does your school do?
My school likes to do ABC countdowns and field day.
Do you have students in your classroom who have difficulty staying on the lines when writing? You can buy spiral notebooks that have every other line highlighted in blue or you can easily create your own: https://pin.it/7JnnPXr1Q
I'm having a lot of anxiety about starting the school year! What are some tactical things I should do over the summer to feel more prepared, and what can I deprioritize?
As I was reading an educational article recently, I saw this idea, and I loved it! I will definitely implement it at the start of next year:
Have students write down (or tell you if they are little ones) what they want to hear on hard days. Collect those notes and hand them back out to students when you feel like they need to be reminded.
What are some ways you help students persevere on hard days?
How do you set up your classroom? How do these decisions influence and prioritize learning?
In Kentucky we have really focused on “belonging” in the DEIB model. How do you ensure all students and families belong in your schools?
Do you have any exemplar resources to help teachers track accommodations in the classroom?
What are some ways you help students to calm their bodies throughout the day?
For example, sometimes we stop and take a few minutes to breathe deeply in quiet pose and reset for the next task.
One concept that has come up in our math curriculum is the idea of inclusive and exclusive definitions. For example, our curriculum states that a trapezoid is a 2D quadrilateral with AT LEAST one pair of parallel sides. This inclusive definition would make a square to be classified as a trapezoid. What other concepts have you come across that might cause some anxiety for parents who have said, “That is not how I was taught?”
How do you ensure that students with severe speech and language articulation or receptive or expressive disabilities take appropriate routine assessments? For example a student that struggles with speaking fluently i.e. stutters may be omitted from one minute oral reading fluency benchmark testing. Students with specific articulation errors should also not be penalized for these errors during early literacy screeners and benchmark tests. Our district writes the articulations errors on the Acadience test booklet to avoid such penalties.
What is your favorite reward for students? What do you celebrate? In first grade we set many small goals to get to a larger goal like learn 10 sight words or read 10 books. Each Friday as goals are met I give an invitation to lunch club. Students eat with me and we chat or watch a quick show while we eat. It has been a favorite for many years.
