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Books for your Middle School Library
I currently teach inclusion special education in the eighth grade. When I am picking books for my classroom library, I always want to make sure I’m picking books that suit the needs of my students. Many of my students have difficulties with reading. Because of that, when I am looking for books for my classroom I like to make sure that I have books that are high-interest and 5-6 grade reading level. I do also keep books that are on grade level because I do have students who are reading on grade level. These books I have listed are high interest, but lower than eighth-grade difficulty. Harry Potter Box Set by…
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Benefits of Color-Coding for your Middle School Students
Do I show signs of OCD because I’m a teacher, or am I a teacher because I show signs of OCD? Really it’s the chicken-or-the-egg debate all over again. But, to get down to business, I color-code EVERYTHING! Color-Coding Color-coding is a tool that adults use to keep themselves organized. If this works so well for us, why don’t we use this tool for our students too? Color-Coding in Math I use color-coding when teaching multi-step equations. I will update this post with a picture to illustrate this but I am writing this post from home. We teach the students to use “DCVS” when solving multi-step equations. DCVS stands for…
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Tips to Spring Clean Your Classroom!
It’s April! The weather hasn’t seemed to catch on yet, but it is officially spring-time! Here are some ways to spring clean your classroom. Wipe down everything! There are so many germs that have come through our classrooms this winter. I personally feel like I am wiping down all of my surfaces every day. But, take the time to thoroughly wipe down every surface in your room with a disinfectant. Don’t forget all of your student computers, your markers, and everywhere that the little hands touch. But also, wipe down your teacher desk. This winter you have had substitutes, paraprofessionals, and other adults in your room. Don’t forget to clean…
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Why I Email Parents Everyday
In the past, I have shared other posts about parent communication (see: 5 Things to Remember when Talking to Parents and Using Social Media for Parent Communication. To have a successful special education classroom or any classroom for that matter. Having a positive relationship with parents is so important. So I am going to tell you why I email parents EVERY DAY! That’s too much! I know, it sounds crazy to email parents every day, but it is a simple email every afternoon. I send home a mass email with all of the need to know information. Every day, I send home an email with that day’s homework and any other valuable information. …
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My March 2018 Book Reviews
I read two pretty good books this month and one dud. I was very excited that it was my turn to pick a book for book club and it was pretty well liked! And we never agree! The Identicals by Elin Hildebrand I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. In the past, I was a huge fan of Hildebrand’s work. She writes books that are fun, light, and entertaining. After reading many of her books, I started to get bored with them. But, I keep reading them. After reading The Rumor last year, I started falling in love with her work. The Identicals was an entertaining story of…
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5 Ways to Bring in Extra Cash
As a teacher, we’re not known for being in a profession where we’re making a ton of money. But like everyone I have bills to pay and want to still live a life I can enjoy. Because of this, I am always looking for ways to pick up some extra money. I have compiled a list of all the things I do or have done to bring in some extra spending cash. None of these are going to make you instantly rich, but if you put a little time into them, you can earn some side cash. 1. Start a Blog If I can start a blog, then anyone with…
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Special Education – Providing Services Discreetly
I am an eighth-grade special education teacher. One of the more difficult parts of my job is finding ways to provide my students with their accommodations, without making them self-conscious. Working in a middle school, often the students’ main priority is being cool and fitting in. The last thing that they want is to be identified as someone with a disability, or to have their friends think that they’re “stupid” (their word, not mine!) Constantly getting extra attention from teachers, or being pulled out of the classroom is a definite way to put a target on students’ backs. I work hard to give my students all the help that they…
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Fidget Toys for Middle School
Fidget Toys? When kids are little, their lessons tend to be highly interactive. We build time into our lessons to let them get up, move around, and burn off some energy. In elementary school, students are given recess where they get to go outside and play for a while after lunch. But, once students get into middle school, they are often expected to sit down and focus for longer periods of time. A fidget toy can help! As middle school teachers, we work hard to keep our lessons interesting and interactive, but there is so much content that we have to get through that it can be difficult. These long…
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My February 2018 Book Reviews
This month I threw a little non-fiction into the mix, so I read two non-fiction books as well as the book I had to read for my book club. It’s Not Okay by Andi Dorfman I read this book because I am a huge fan of The Bachelor. Andi Dorfman was a former contestant on The Bachelor who became the Bachelorette after her season ended. She is a strong independent woman (in my opinion). And hearing her stories about her tumultuous relationship with the seemingly big-hearted dreamboat that she chose was surprising and soap-worthy. If you enjoy the series and are looking for an enjoyable, easy read, I recommend this…
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How I use Tailwind to Boost my Blog Traffic
What is Tailwind? Tailwind is an inexpensive service, where you can schedule your pins ahead of time, it also allows you to track your pins, repins, and followers. I use Tailwind so that I can schedule all of my pins for my blog and my TeacherspayTeachers.com store. This allows me to know that my content is getting out there without being attached to my computer at all times. How it Works Tailwind does most of the work for you; you just have to spend a little time setting it up. You connect Tailwind directly to your Pinterest account. This gives Tailwind the ability to access your boards and do your…
