Firstieland - First Grade Teacher Blog
Where learning feels like play.
Classroom behavior expectations can be especially tricky when it comes to talking. If you feel like you spend your entire day saying, “Stop talking” and “Shhh,” you’re definitely not alone. One of the biggest challenges in elementary school is getting kids to understand when it’s okay to talk and when it’s time to listen. The thing is, I don’t think… Read More
If you’re constantly reminding your students to listen, follow directions, or stop talking, you may be wondering what you can do to make classroom management a little easier. After 35 years of teaching, I learned that some of the most effective classroom management strategies for teachers are actually pretty simple. You don’t need a complicated behavior system or a rule… Read More
Did you know that morning meeting activities in first grade can build a stronger classroom community, practice academics, and even make your entire school day run smoother? And you can do it in just 15 minutes a day! After three decades of teaching, I found five things that made morning meeting time one of the most valuable parts of our day. Morning… Read More
Wondering what the first day of school routines and procedures should be in first grade? After 35 years of teaching, I learned that the first day isn’t about jumping into reading and math. It’s about helping your students feel safe, teaching important routines and procedures, and showing them exactly how your classroom works. If you spend the first day teaching… Read More
If you feel like you spend your entire day repeating directions, stopping interruptions, or reminding kids what they’re supposed to be doing, you might not actually have a student behavior problem. You might have a classroom routines and procedures problem. After 35 years of teaching first grade, one thing I learned is that most classroom management problems don’t happen because… Read More
Teaching Students To Work Independently In First Grade One of the biggest frustrations teachers have during literacy centers is constant interruptions. You finally sit down with your small group, and within a few minutes someone needs a pencil, another student doesn’t know what to do, someone can’t find the glue sticks, and another child is already finished and asking, “Now… Read More
