One afternoon in late October, my third grade class laughed together for the first time this year. It happened as we were getting ready to transition from science to math. "Okay," I said, "we need to...

Reading aloud can be a powerful way to build community and shared understanding at the beginning of the school year. My classes and I used to laugh and talk all year about the picture book Table...

Do you work with 4th graders? If so, I'd love to know what you think of "The Leap into 4th Grade," my article in the new issue of Educational Leadership.The theme of the issue is "The Transition...

One key to success with routines is helping students understand that by following routines, they make their classroom and school a better place to be. When students understand this, they're more...

I love visiting bookstores, especially children’s bookstores, when I’m traveling. This summer, while I was on the road for work, I discovered lots of new books. (Truth be told, I also spent a little...

I’ve been thinking recently yet again about how important joy is to classroom life and learning. My ten-year-old niece got me started down this path when she returned from visiting a school her...

Students are often a bit out of the routine of the classroom after a vacation, making this a good time to do activities that reaffirm the group's sense of community. Here's an excerpt from an article...

Singing a familiar tune or chant in another language can enliven a Morning Meeting, be a fun energizer, and help meet the needs of the growing number of second language learners in our classrooms....

Here's a beginning-of-the-year project that helps classmates get to know each other by "advertising" their strengths:Each student thinks of things they are good at in school and could help other...