Engaging Curiosity

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! I had a student who was so disinterested in school that he intentionally scored low on assessment just due to lack of engagement. Over the course of that school year he learned to enjoy school, and my classroom library was an important part of that journey. We used the Words Their Way Spelling Program which really made differentiating spelling easy. But imagine my surprise when one of my top readers ended up in the same group as a student who came into...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! I still remember the day things clicked in the classroom. I was on my practicum, and suddenly I figured out my teacher voice. Calm, pleasant, low and confident. I had stopped finishing every sentence sounding like a question. I am not going to say I stay in my calm well modulated voice all day every day, but I had identified it. After that any time I noticed myself rushing or stressing I would just give myself a mini-break of 10 seconds or so,...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! My husband has boxes and boxes of trophies, award certificates, slides and ties from his era as a varsity athlete for the University of British Columbia. Actually, that's not true, they are from high school, team tours, teams that he coached, and his life as a varsity athlete too. He never looks at them, but we must, and I mean must, keep them. I get it, most days 🥴 . I have sentimental things I hold onto as well. Photo albums anyone? He wants to keep...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! As the end of the school year approached I was always very focused on what I wanted to accomplish during the summer (not too much, but something), and my goals for the following year. Each year I taught I looked for ways to tweak my curriculum and classroom management based upon what I had been successful, and what had not been. Initially I was very keen on rewards, and then I realized that, evidence-based or not, I had better ways to spend my time....

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! And with the rain comes Spring! We are officially there folks!! Spring is here. We here in the Okanagan are on a storm warning for the rest of Spring Break (our two week break). Fortunately, I love the rain.☔️ I have other quirkinesses (like sometimes inventing words because I love words), and one of my other quirks (other than liking storms⛈️ and inventing words 😁) is I enjoyed successfully managing students with behaviour challenges in my classroom....

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Happy Spring Reader! My photo doesn't seem very springlike, but we have been getting more snow the last two weeks than we have all week. I love snow, but I am also excited for crocuses. However, Spring is also when the kids get antsy in the classroom. All that Spring Fever everywhere. This is the time of year to really dig into the social-emotional instruction to support strong classroom management. This blog post and video are a rerun from last year, but they are fan...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! This morning I had a thought, and I decided it was best kept to myself. It wasn't rude, or unkind; just unnecessary. I decided it would not progress the conversation. This, as I am sure you know, is impulse control. Impulse control has been a work in progress in my life, and I am glad that I can control these areas of my life way better than I once did. Blurting is another form of impulse control, and we can teach our students self-control. This will...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! Have you ever had an Educational Assistant (EA) give up in frustration? A student who was so hard to get to focus that is seemed even one-on-one support would not help? When I was the Special Ed Coordinator at my school I remember greeting an EA in the hallway, only to ask her why she was not working with her assigned student. Her reply; she could not get him to focus on the work in front of him. Although this did support the teacher's determination...

TPT STORE YOUTUBE BLOG Hey there Reader! This Friday I am doing something that I dread. I don't like to, I don't want to, but I will. What am I doing you may wonder? I am going to a Newcomers Dinner. I am friendly enough, and I know how to make my way when there are random table assignments, but still it is tough to go to anything on my own. Yes, I like to have a friend, my security blanket, with me. But on this particular occasion that is not an option. At Christmas I had a similar adventure...