Being a teacher can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet.  I get to watch students learn to fall in love with learning.  I love the moment when the ‘light bulb’ goes on, and they understand something for the very first time.  However, teaching can also be completely and totally draining.

While I have the privilege of hearing about every happy moment, I also enter into each of their hard times as well.

Even in third grade, there are so many tough moments to walk through.

I consider it such a privilege to come alongside students and their families in both seasons of joy and sorrow, but, at times, they can leave me feeling so physically and emotionally exhausted.

When I first began teaching, I used to give 110% all of the time until I had absolutely nothing left to give.

I think I felt that if I wasn’t always going, always moving, always trying to do more, it wasn’t enough.

What is it about our culture that seems to see stillness as a synonym for laziness??

I learned pretty quickly that this is just not sustainable. I cannot be the teacher I want to be if I have nothing to give.

Slowly, I have been learning that taking time to rest, relax, recharge, and spend time away from school, teaching, and little people actually makes me a better teacher.  I don’t have to feel guilty for stepping away for a moment, because recharging my own ‘batteries’ gives me life to invest into those around.

I have found a few ways to be particularly life-giving in this past season.

Read (but nothing educational)

Each night, before bed (whether I’m “ready” for the next day or not) I stop at 8:30 and tell myself that the day is done. Then, I cozy into bed with a book and start reading.

Although there are always more pro-D books that I could be reading, and ones that are on my to-read list , I make the choice not to read them when I need to relax.  I love teaching, but I need to purposefully unplug in the evenings.  This is my signal to my brain to stop thinking about my class and my to-do list and start trying to relax.  You can't pour from an empty cup, and my cup can't refill if I'm constantly trying to do more and more.

Plus, I tend to sleep more soundly if I can turn all of my screens off, and read something that has nothing to do with the next day. I have way less classroom-themed dreams if I've read something good before bed! 

Netflix (No chill, No guilt)

I love Netflix.  In a deep, I should-feel-guilty-about-it, kind of way.  I don’t watch shows casually. I am a binge-watch-only kind of girl.

Royal Pains? Yep!

Prison Break? Of Course!

Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, Scandal, and White Collar… Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes.

All Seasons.

I used to feel bad (slash guilty) when people asked: “Have you seen X show on Netflix?” And my answer was always yes.

I do watch a lot of binge-able TV… because it is such an escape. I can turn off the rest of my life and immerse myself in the characters and the drama of a storyline that has nothing to do with my own.

I’ve noticed that the amount of Netflix I watch directly correlates to the stress in my life: the more stressful the situation, the more I gravitate to cuddling-up with a show when I get home from work.

The Beach

My soul feels best when it is outside, near the water.

I love the ocean, but I can make due with a lake in a pinch! I live on the west coast, mere minutes from so many amazing beaches.

When I stand next to the ocean I feel small. My problems seem to shrink in comparison to the immensity of the body of water next to me.

I tend to stand next to the water and just breathe. There is something about salty ocean air that is good for the soul.

Getting out of the City

Sometimes a quick trip to the beach, or an afternoon of Netflix just isn’t enough to recharge.

I am learning how vitally important it can be for my mental health, and my marriage, to take the time to stop, rest, and focus on something other than the day-to-day in the classroom.

This past weekend my husband and I headed to Kelowna to take advantage of some amazing beautiful weather in BC (20 degrees Celsius, 68 Fahrenheit).

We spent the weekend at a small B&B, toured wineries, and just spent time together.

It’s amazing how time away can prepare you for getting back to regular life.

I’m not sure that I always realize just how exhausted and empty I am until I remember to take the time to rest and recharge.

I’d encourage you to do the same, rest, relax, take time to recharge. You cannot be the teacher your students need when you are running on empty.

Trust me, you deserve it.

- Rachel

OH DEER... WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

If you've been around children for any period of time at all, you know that they have little (or no) filter.  For better or for worse, the things that they are thinking just come bubbling out.  As teachers, we get to be privy to some of the most hilarious spoken and written comments.  

For this weeks' post, I asked around the blogosphere for stories, photos, and quotes of teachers' favorite things students have said or written that made them laugh out loud.  I got so many great responses!  

In no particular order, here are the first 10 in my new series...

Oh Deer... What did you Just Say?? 

#1 - Underwear Issue

"Can I go to the bathroom real quick? I have a really bad wedgie and mom told me not to pick it around everyone."
-Chloe Campbell

#2 - A Lesser Known Miracle

One of Lindsey Paulson's students writes about how "Jesus Rows Again."  
- Lindsey Paulsen

#3 - Dinner Table Conversations

I remember asking a kindergarten student whether he'd told his parents what I'd said to him the day before. 

His response: "It's not like we sit around the dinner table talking about you." 

Um ok, I didn't realize five-year-olds had more important things going on than their day at school!
- Primary Teaching

#4 - Math Logic

Me: Your answer is right, but directions say to explain your work.

Student:  Explain my work?! The answer just flew into my head.  I can't explain the flight.

Me:  Well...try.  Tell me each step of how you solved it.

Student:  Well, first I thought about it.  And then there it was!

-Grade 5 Greatness

#5 - Oversharing

I had a student walk up and announce to me one morning: 

"Mrs. P. , my dad slept on the couch last night." 

Well, thanks for sharing, buddy.

-Poet Prints

#6 - Life is Over

I had misplaced something, as usual, and I said the words: "My life is over," and a student said to me:

"Your life isn't over until you have kids...oh, wait we are your kids." 

So true.   

-  Little Human Resources

#7 - Teachers at AA

Student: (eyes wide) I just heard some teachers talking about going to an AEA meeting!

Me:  Uhhh yeah.  Lots of teachers go to those meetings I guess.

Student: (eyes even wider)  WHAT?!?!

Me:  What do you think the Alabama Education Association is?

Long pause.

Student: Oh!!! I am thinking about AA!

- Grade 5 Greatness

#8 - Thoughtful Thanksgiving Reflections

- Poet Prints

#9 - More Review Necessary

I work for a public school service, but I'm in a Christian school (confusing, I know). 

The kids quickly learn to answer "God" or "Jesus" for many questions when they don't know the answer. 

I was working with a group of kindergarteners and one little cutie responded, when I asked who that was on the penny, "That's easy! That's Jesus!" I had to laugh. 

-Ashley's Brainy Centers

#10 - Kindergarten-isms

This final section comes from the lovely Daisy Designs , who sent in a hilarious collection of things that she has said while teaching kindergarten.  I dare you to not laugh out loud while reading them.  

"Get your shoe out of the water fountain."

"We don't hit our friends with apples."

"Get the graham cracker out of your pants... NO, don't eat it!!!"

"Do not use the foil to make a bra..."

"Why did you put the Q-tip in her boot?"

"Eating shoelaces is bad for you."

"I hope nobody pulls their pants down tomorrow."

"I think that it really is dog poop in your shirt."

Do you have any cute funny quotes or pieces of writing from your students? Do you want to be featured in my next "Oh Deer" blog post?  Write a comment below, or send me an e-mail to poetprintsTPT (at) gmail (dot) com .  I would love to see you in an upcoming post!

- Rachel

I teach third grade, and I love it!

I love how my kids are big enough to have “real” conversations about life and tougher issues, and how they are still small enough to race inside and tell me about the special leaf that they found at recess time.

At this age, there is such a great opportunity to integrate play in the classroom.

Our students are already familiar and eager to play, so why not use purposeful play activities designed to engage students in our curriculum.

Here are two of our current favourite ways to play!

Painting the Room

One of my favourite “exit ticket” type activities is Painting the Room.

Although a traditional exit-ticket takes only 3-5 minutes, this one can take 30-60 minutes.

This play based activity combines Art and any other subject you would like.

I start by taping up large banner paper around the room, and dividing students into small groups.  Then, I set goals.  Depending on our current unit of study, I may ask them to paint the answer to a guiding question (“Show me how plants grow and change.”) or show what they have learned (What promises do you have from God).  They are then free to express what they know using paints.  In this time I will go around and be assessing orally as well in casual conversations while they paint. 

Play and Talk

Play and Talk was born out of a need for my students to break out of their “cliques” and get to know other people in our classroom.

Students are divided into pairs, or groups of three, and pick a board game of their choice.

They then pick two Question Cards.

(I bought mine from another store on TpT - Bright Stars Learning) Throughout the game time, they must figure out the answer to these cards about each member of their group.

At the end of the playtime, we meet as a big group to present the new things we learned about group members.

The only rule is that you may not talk about yourself, you may only share new things you learned about someone else.

In doing this, I am easily integrating Oral Language, Social Responsibility, and Health and Careers outcomes into one fun activity.

Plus, students have started to make connections with people that they don’t usually play with on their own.

Win for both of us!

How do you play in your classroom? Do you integrate the curriculum into playtime? I would love to hear from you!

- Rachel

This is Part Two in my series on using task-cards in the elementary classroom.  Hop on over and check out part one ("Why I love Task Cards!)

Task Cards are the ultimate versatile resource for teaching any subject. Apart from the answer sheets, they are not consumable, so they can be used time and time again.

Consider printing them out on heavy paper, and then laminating them to make sure they last through many uses. In my classroom we use task cards for more than just small group work.  Check out all of the different ways we use these flexible-use cards!

• Go paperless - Allow students to verbally quiz each other on the task card concepts prior to a quiz, or when they are finished an assignment.
  

• Use the task cards as a whole-group activity by projecting them using a document camera
  

• Set the on each desk and play a game of scoot. Have the students stand behind their chairs so that they are ready to move. Give students 1- 2 minutes at each card to write down their answer on the Answer Sheet, and then call “Switch!” Students then move onto the next desk and begin to solve the next question.
  

• Give the cards to a parent volunteer to work with struggling students
  

• Set up centers with various sets of task cards.
  

• Use task card sets for early finishers. (Consider using task cards that are a challenge to the students)
  

• Task card scavenger hunt - Hide the task cards around the room. Give each student an answer paper and instruct him or her to find all of the cards and solve the problems. My students love this one because they think it is hilarious when they can “beat” me and find all of the cards that I have hidden.

In my TeachersPay Teachers shop, I have a number of ready-to-go task card sets.  

How about you? Do you use task card sets in your classroom?  What works for you?  I'd love to hear in the comments below, or send me a message on Instagram (@poet.prints)! 

Happy Monday!

- Rachel

I have to be honest, I had never heard of task cards before this school year.

I know, I’m way behind on this one!

I found out about task cards as a necessity, I had a student who was struggling, and I needed a way to find extra practice for him on that particular topic.

A little bit of googling led me to ... task cards!

What are task cards?

For those unfamiliar, task cards are cards (4-6 usually fit on one 8.5”x11” piece of paper) that have educational ‘tasks’ on them.

Task cards can be created for all subjects.

A set of math task cards would usually come in a pack of  about 20, and would be geared for a particular subject.

They might have questions for a student to solve, things for them to find around the room, or mental math problems for them to figure out.

The great part about task cards is that the cards themselves can be re-used for years to come!

I have to say, I am now one of the biggest advocates of these teaching tools as a method for easily differentiating learning in any classroom.

It is so simple to put together a series of cards for any subject, and then to give them out to different students, as they need to work on a subject.

In my room, we do this most often with math.

(Above: 3D Shape Task Cards easily used with our unit on geometric shapes!) 

Need some extra practice with geometric shapes?  No problem, grab those cards! 

Having difficulty multiplying with tens... no problem, grab the cards and work on that with a buddy who already understands the concept! 

I can easily divide my students into small groups and tailor the lesson for exactly what each one needs, without having to continuously photocopy worksheet after worksheet.

I love that once task cards are laminated, they are reusable and kid-friendly.

I keep mine in a colourful bucket on the carpet and my students have been known to grab a pack in their spare time just to “see if [they] can do it!”

Have you ever used task cards in your classroom? Do you have a go-to pack?

- Rachel

Check out PART TWO of this series, “What to do With Task Cards” for more ideas of how to creatively incorporate task cards into your classroom routines.

Of all of the holidays, Easter is one of the 'big ones' in my classroom.  Teaching at a Christian school allows me to stray further from the theme of bunnies, eggs, and chicks (however cute they may be) and focus my kids on the story of new life through Jesus' sacrifice. The Bible lessons that we teach at Easter are, hands-down, the ones that I wait for all year.

I work in a Christian school and I love it. I love being able to talk about my faith all day and play my favorite worship songs as my students work.  I have had so many incredible conversations with students about their big questions, and worries, and it's great to be able to point them back to the Bible in all things.

This year, to tie our Bible lessons into our Language Arts, we are going 'in depth' into the symbols seen in the Easter Story in the New Testament.

Following this complete plan, we have been learning about Jesus by actually reading our Bibles, and spending time in Bible study! All of the reading is from the New Living Translation of the Bible, and it's the perfect level for my third-grade students.  I love that they can 'dive into' The Word on their own!

Then, we craft!  In my third grade classroom, Art is a tie-in to almost every subject, and my students love getting crafty.   Check out our Symbols of the Easter Story mobiles

The whole Easter unit is available HERE  from my Teachers Pay Teachers store .

I've also created a special free version of the craft for my lovely blog readers.  You can find that HERE.

Let me know, how do you prepare for Easter in your classroom?  Any tips or great resources to share?  Sound off in the comments below!

- Rachel 

Making spontaneous pairs is one of my least favourite parts daily classroom life, but it is so, so necessary.  We know that cooperative learning is a key component of success at the elementary level and beyond.  But when it comes to the inevitable "Think, pair, share...." , or "Work in partners...", or "Grab a buddy..."  I know that someone will be left out.  

I can always see my students making eye contact with each other, signaling 'Will you be my partner?'

Sometimes I have partners assigned ahead of time, and other times they are told to talk to an 'elbow buddy' (someone they can touch with their elbow without moving from their current spot).

This year, I added in Animal Pairs to randomly assign partners, and it is going so well!

This does not work as well if you don't want random groups.  If you are looking to strategically pair up strong/struggling students, or chatty/quiet students, you may want a different system.  But if you want a way to pair up students that is completely random, gives a quick brain break, and forces students to step outside of their friendship comfort-zones, look no further!

First, grab some large craft sticks.  I bought mine at the dollar store.  I have 24 students, so I took out 24 sticks.  Then I chose 12 animals.  I wrote each animal's name on a stick twice.  (Two zebras, two elephants, two kangaroos, etc.)

Place all of the sticks in a jar, and mix them up!

Then, allow each student to draw one stick out of the jar and tell them to find their animal pair.  You may want to set a time limit.  Sometimes, I give them an action as well.  

"Find your animal buddy while hopping on one foot!"

 This helps to get out some of their wiggles while they find their partner.

It's not a perfect system, but I rarely have any complaints.  In fact, they often beg for the animal sticks.  If we are going to have partners for a project, discussion, or quick pair/share my class would far prefer it be through random animal pairs.

I would love to hear how you choose partners in your classroom?  Do you have a method that works well to keep students from being leftout, or the same pairs from being chosen each time?  Sound off in the comments below!

- Rachel

This has been an up-and-down week for me as a teacher. I have been away for most of it... sick... ugh! Man do I miss my kiddos. I had some amazing Valentines activities planned for them, but had to leave them in the hands of a very capable substitute teacher. Thank goodness for wonderful subs, I don't know what I would do without her!

Does anyone else feel like being away sick is more work than being at school?  I know I need to take the time to rest and heal, but planning for a substitute is just so much work.  There are so many good grab-and-go sub plans out there, but sometimes I just want things to continue my way, and I know that's not always possible.

In this season of colds and flus, it never hurts to be over-prepared with sub plans!  I try to have a binder of writing assignments, math projects, and classroom routines all prepped and ready to go just in case I can't be in the next day.

Am I alone in this anxiety over leaving my class with a sub?  How do you plan for your inevitable days off?  Let me know in the comments below!

- Rachel

Subtraction in Third Grade is not always as easy as it looks! 

There are parts I love about teaching.  Reading? Writing?  Speaking?  All over those!  Creative centers and integreated learning? Check and check!

But math?  Sometimes I feel like I am totally 'rocking it' and other times it seems like my lessons go in one ear and out the other!  I have to work extra hard to make sure that my students are getting the best possible math education.  Finding strategies that work for everyone in my class is a constant juggling act! 

Am I alone in this?

I spend my evenings on Pinterest, and reading other blogs about strategies that work for other teachers, and I try to implement them in my classroom.  I desperately want my kiddos to succeed.

Recently, our math curriculum introduced subtraction with missing numbers.  Boy, were we lost.  Do we add?  Do we subtract?  What is the question even asking.  There are so many times when the materials we have (especially the text book), are just not enough!

So I started from scratch.  I made new worksheets, new posters, and a new "cheat sheet" to help guide my confused bunch of third graders.  After a bunch of repeated practice... I think we have it!  Praise the Lord!

So, I am sharing it with you.  Use it, try it, let me know if it helps your kids to master this concept.  Although this is available on Teachers Pay Teachers blog readers can have it for FREE as part of my Free Resource Library (See the link at the top of the page that says 'Resources') when they sign up for my mailing list.  

Once you sign up, the password to the library will come straight to your inbox. PLUS there are other great units and printables in there as well!  

I promise not to spam your mailbox (nobody likes multiple e-mails a month, or even a week!), but it's a great way for us to stay caught up, and for me to send more free lessons and units your way.

Sign up form is below.  Once you've subscribed, let me know what you think in the comment section!

- Rachel

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When I first began student teaching, my mentor teacher always used to say that there were three things that must happen each day in an elementary classroom.  First, students need to write something.  Second, students need to actively read something.  Finally, there needs to be a point in each day where the teacher reads out loud to their students.  

No matter how busy or crazy the school day, he always emphasized the importance of reading out loud, and students loved it.

I've carried those three rules into my own classroom, and reading out loud is something that both I, and my students, always look forward to.  I try to pick from a variety of texts as I read out loud: novels, picture books, information texts, silly poems... almost anything!  Here are a few of my favourites books to read out loud: 

The Book With No Pictures (by B.J. Novak)

This book is one of the silliest read alouds I have ever purchased, but even after reading it a dozen times (no exaggeration) my students are still begging me to read it "just one more time."  Make sure that you're ready to be a little bit goofy, and play along with the story in the book! 

My Mouth is a Volcano (by Julia Cook)

This one is my favourite "teaching" books.  It has a lesson, and my third graders find it easy to connect to the story.  In My Mouth is a Volcano, the main character has difficulty with 'blurting' his thoughts and answers during class, and finds help in visualizing his words as a volcano erupting!  I have a class of excited 'blurters' this year, and it's been great to find a book that helps us to see how blurting may hurt other classmates' chance at sharing their ideas. 

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (by Chris Grabenstein)

This book is a few levels above my third grade students, but I read it aloud for a class novel study.  It's a great book and has about a hundred chances to make text-to-text connections while you read! It follows the adventures of a group of seventh grade students as they explore (and escape from!) a brand new library designed by an eccentric master game maker.  Think The Amazing Race meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Note:  The first quarter of the book is a little bit slow, and introduces a lot of smaller characters, but stick with it, it gets a lot better! 

How about you? What is your class reading right now? What inspires you as a teacher?

- Rachel

*All images of books are from Amazon.com

Please note: This post was written in 2016. Much of the technology referenced in this post is now outdated. The post has been left up for archive purposes.

In the fall, my school did an in-school Professional Development day.  It was a 'best practices day' and a few teachers were asked to present on something that was working well in their classroom, or something they felt confident to teach to others.  I love technology!  My classroom has a projector and an iPad, and I was asked to present on how I effectively use a single iPad to instruct and teach in an elementary classroom. 

There are many ways to use a single iPad effectively in an elementary classroom. 

I was nervous, but I have to say, it went really well!  So well, in fact, that I'll be giving another pro-D talk later on this year to a larger group of staff!  (Wish me luck!)  Our school may not have a huge technology budget for the elementary department, but with a little creativity, there are still many ways to use technology to make students' classroom experiences better.  Even before I was given a projector for my classroom (only two years ago now), I was finding creative ways to use a single iPad, or an old iPod touch to add to the learning environment.  

This is the PDF I handed out at my presentation.  It walks through hardware needed to set-up, apps for teachers, apps for students, and effective classroom uses.  Please feel free to use it at your school, keeping my logos and copyrights in tact. 

Guide to the One iPad Classroom 

- Rachel

Around this point in the year, I like to do something a little bit different with my classroom organization.  This is more than putting students in groups.  Physically, we move our desks around, and we also lightly restructure a few of the ways I interact with the students in my class.  In our room, we are now divided into five learning communities.  (Loosely based off of this book) The point of these groupings is not to pit one group against the other in a reality-show-style standoff, but rather to build a tight-knit mini-community within our already close classroom community.   Let me explain…

By now, we have spent a good portion of the fall learning how to be bucket fillers, and what it means to show expected behavior . Students know my expectations to be kind, gentle, put others first, and follow the rules of the classroom.  We have done this in the context of the whole classroom where each child has been asked to generically look out for everyone else, and the teachers are the ‘overall’ support system if something goes wrong.  We are now switching up the model

With the introduction of community groups, I’ve explained that, within the classroom, each group is like a family.  (Of course, if “family” is not a safe word, you may want to use something different).  A group works together to do their best, to work hard and most importantly, to take care of each other. If one group member is upset, or frustrated, or confused, it is first up to the rest of the group to try and help them before they go to a teacher or someone outside of their group. 

At the beginning, we use a points system.  This is not intended to be used as a competition, but to encourage group to work together in a kind, respectful, and cohesive manner.  As a group, they are supposed to show expected behavior and be bucket fillers.  When I notice a group is encouraging each other, speaking kindly, helping a friend who is not understanding an assignment, all on-task, gently reminder a member to focus, etc.  they receive a point for their group.  (I also make a big deal that bragging, especially in the context of points, is not okay).  Then, on Friday, we have a points ceremony, and it is a big deal.  We have envelopes, and prizes and everyone wins something.  And then it re-starts for the next week.

Gradually, the points system is phased out, and just the groups remain.  But every year, my hope is that the cohesion and community will remain.  Some years it does, other years it takes more work, but overall, I have found that working in groups tends to yield incredibly positive results. 

Other things that we do to build community within groups:

• Group journals: each group member writes an encouragement sentence in every other group members journal (more on this later!)

• Group leaders, one person per week is the group leader

• Play time in group groups – either ‘free time’ or structured play with specific outcomes, a chance to have fun is a great bonding experience

How do you feel about grouping your students in groups?  Have you tried something like this? How has it gone?

- Rachel