The end of the school year is always an exciting time—full of opportunities to celebrate and reflect. The students we met in August and September have grown in innumerable ways—they’ve Read More »
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MAY
13
2022
Pause, Ponder, and Reflect: Six Ways to Celebrate School Year Success
The countdown to summer can be bittersweet as fond memories of activities, moments, and achievements from the school year intermingle with the excitement of summer’s many possibilities. As our minds Read More…
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MAY
06
2022
Five Ways to End the School Year With Joy!
The end of the school year is approaching, and with it comes a flood of thoughts and emotions, from relief to reflection to anticipation of summer’s promise of rest. One Read More…
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FEB
25
2022
Teaching Diversity Beyond Black History Month
Growing up, I always looked forward to Black History Month at my public school in New York City. My teachers taught lessons about Black people who made notable contributions to Read More…
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FEB
11
2022
Beyond the Heritage Month: Teaching Black History All Year Long
Black History Month is a critical time to acknowledge the systemic oppression and racism that Black people have experienced in this country while also celebrating their incredible contributions to American Read More…
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DEC
31
2021
Seven Tips for the Transition Back to School From Winter Break
For so many teachers and students, returning after winter break can feel like the first day of school all over again. The routines, rules, and procedures that were once so Read More…
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DEC
17
2021
Use Responsive Advisory Meeting to Lend a Helping Hand
The holidays are a time everyone looks forward to. Some of us cannot wait to relax and binge watch our favorite TV shows; some are ready to eat delicious holiday Read More…
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DEC
10
2021
Handle the Holidays With Morning Meeting
As the holiday season gets into full swing, maintaining a productive and pleasant classroom atmosphere can become a difficult task. During this time of year, students are frequently distracted by Read More…
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DEC
03
2021
Inviting All Winter Holidays Into the Classroom
Q: The students in my classroom come from many different traditions and cultures. I know the winter holidays could be a great opportunity for students to learn about each other’s Read More…
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MAR
19
2020
Maintaining a Positive Community Remotely
Over the weekend, a friend shared a video with me that you may have seen as well, as it has been widely shared on social media. The video was taken Read More…
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JUN
03
2019
The End of the School Year: A Time to Pause and Celebrate Successes
The walls of the classroom look emptier than they looked a month ago and a few remnants of the presence of students remain: a pencil here or a sticky note Read More…
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APR
25
2019
Six Ways to Celebrate Poetry Month in the Classroom
Did you know that according to poets.org, National Poetry Month is actually the biggest literary celebration in the world? It’s never too early to start fostering a love of the Read More…
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DEC
21
2017
The Natural Learning Cycle
It’s the perfect time of year to pause and reflect on your personal teaching and learning goals—the hopes and dreams you set when school began. First, let’s take a step Read More…
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JUL
20
2017
Getting Started with Responsive Classroom
No matter where in the year you are, when you’re feeling ready to start using the Responsive Classroom approach, that’s the right time to begin! But where do you start? “It’s all…
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APR
12
2017
Academic Engagement in the Home Stretch
You’ve made it to the last few months of the academic year! From spring fever to state testing, there are lots of reasons why students might need a nudge to stay engaged…
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DEC
06
2016
Engaging Middle Schoolers During the Holiday Season
With interrupted classroom schedules, school vacations, and increased disruptive student behaviors, managing the classroom can feel like a daunting task during the winter holiday season. With a little strategizing, you can help…
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APR
30
2015
Joyful Endings: The Last Few Weeks of School
Although we hope that our students’ learning won’t stop just because school does, it’s good to help them reach a sense of closure during the last few weeks of the year. Good…
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MAY
29
2014
Class Memory Books
On Move-Up Day, a rite of passage for the children at my school, I tend to feel a bit wistful as the second graders I've been teaching head off to meet their…
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MAY
19
2014
Reflecting on Your Teaching Year
At the end of another school year, it's tempting to count the days left, wave goodbye to my class, pack up my room, and mentally check out for the summer. I've earned…
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FEB
10
2014
Making Up for Lost Time
"Maybe we'll get to teach in February." That's been the joke at my school after snow, ice, and extreme cold, plus holidays and teacher workdays meant that last month we had only…
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NOV
11
2012
November Blues
What teachers have to deal with at this time of year (in addition to teaching, of course) can be daunting—writing report cards, meeting with families at conferences, grading papers, adjusting to a…
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AUG
01
2012
When the Teacher Is Away
For years, I had wanted to travel with my father to India, his native country. Finally, I had the opportunity—but the trip meant I would miss five days of school Read More…
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APR
10
2012
Wrapping Up the School Year
You can do this one in conjunction with packing up the classroom library: each child chooses a favorite book and tries to convince classmates to read it over the summer. There are…
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NOV
16
2011
Need a New Mattress?
At this time of year, people who work in schools often start feeling a bit frayed. Now that the school year is well underway, the "honeymoon period" of the first weeks is…
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MAY
20
2011
Celebrating Friendship
Take time at the end of the school year to help children reflect on how they have worked to get to know each other, efforts they have made to be kind, and…
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MAY
18
2011
Reflecting on Hopes and Goals
As the school year winds down, how will your students reflect on the hopes, dreams, and goals they set for this year? Many books could inspire this sort of reflection, including those…
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MAY
18
2011
Read-Alouds for Remembering
How has your class grown this year? What acts of kindness have they done for each other? What have they learned? What do you hope they will remember? Children's books can be…
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