08/17/2024 / Education

I'll admit I am like a kid when back to school time roles around. I love to peruse the new selection of planners and purchase one for the new school year. However, after much reflection upon how I've planned in the past, I made a change, and I am very excited to share my choice of planner and my thoughts! Read on for some inspiration in choosing a new planner! 

I remember my very first "teacher" planner came from an idea a colleague had shared with me. Each school year she would buy a large spiral bound notebook and then create planning sheets from  her daily subject times, specials, etc. on her computer. Printing out the daily planning sheets, she then cut and paste each one into the notebook. Now let me tell you, at the time I LOVED this idea and created one for myself. This was before Google Suite and Google classroom, so to me this process worked, and I used it for several years.

Eventually, I fell in love with the Happy Planner, with it's discs and cool "special" paper cutter. The planners would range in price, $20-$35+, depending upon whether you found one on sale or had a coupon to a local craft store that sold them. I loved using the stickers and decorating my planning pages throughout the school year. Additional sticker packs could run you $16-$20. The special cutter I would use to add any district memos or resource pages into my planner. It was pretty useful, but also an additional cost of about $25. The planning page paper quality was pretty good, and I used this disc planner for a few years.

 From time to time a few teachers would talk about the ErinCondren planners. They are truly  beautiful, and you could have one personalized with your name, planning page style, etc. However, they were expensive ranging from a basic planner, with no personalization starting at $49 to a highly personalized planner in the range of $70. At first I avoided the temptation, but as time went on I kept seeing them on my social media pages. Then one day, as I was flicking through YouTube, I came across a video about the ErinCondren planner. I watched this video, and then another, and then another until I just had to go online and check one out for myself.

Going to the ErinCondren site was an eye opener. Not only do they create planners, but they offer beautiful notebooks, journals, and other supplies. I went to the "Teacher Planner" page and began to do my research. The description of paper quality and the ability to customize the planner to the smallest detail was intriguing.  Eventually, I began to design my very first ErinCondren Teacher Planner! I chose the Yearly Wildflowers Teacher Lesson Planner, which begins at $57.50. You can personalize the coil of the binder and depending on your choice it could be an additional $10, but I was fine with the platinum color with no additional expense. You can personalize your name at no additional cost, choose your layout on the planning pages of vertical or horizontal, choose your interior design and calendar options, and decide if the number of 20 checklist pages is sufficient.

Finally, the planner comes with a nice selection of stickers that are high quality, one sheet protector, but you can purchase three more for $3. There are optional add-ons such as 20 additional checklist pages for $5 and +20 extra curricular pages for $5.

In the end, I did personalize my planner with my first and last name, but I did not add any additional add-ons. My final cost before taxes and shipping was about $58. It really was not that much more than the cost of what I had put into my Happy Planner. When my Teacher Planner arrived I was definite that I made a great investment in this planner. It is absolutely beautiful, high quality paper, checklists, and layout. I love the inside cover with a "whiteboard like" dry erase page that can be used over and over again for quick glance planning or lists. There is a two sided folder and a sheet protector where I can put notes or quick reference papers. Additionally, it had 4 colorful sticker sheets and 3 holiday sticker sheets along with a snap in stencil ruler.

I was so pleased with my teacher planner that I ordered a personal planner for my desk at home. Again, high quality, individualized build, and great layout. So, while the initial look at cost may seem high, It's well worth the research and, eventually the investment. Check out my article on Middleweb where I share planning along with other key elements for new middle grade teachers.

04/01/2024 / Education

Each year as the math curriculum unfolds, it becomes evident that the number one area where many students struggle is computational fluency. The term “computational” to me has always meant strategies students use to solve a mathematical equation.

The importance of math fact practice cannot be overlooked. It’s the foundation for every conceptual skill we ask them to learn. Without good fact recall, many students become discouraged and disengaged with building their math knowledge.

In the past, it was common practice to stage “Math Minutes” where students rushed to demonstrate how well they knew multiplication or division facts. For many students, this rote way of “learning” was more stressful than helpful and did little for their math confidence. And it did nothing to help students with understanding place value.

This discussion from NCTM’s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics frames the work teachers need to accomplish:

“Computational fluency refers to having efficient and accurate methods for computing. Students exhibit computational fluency when they demonstrate flexibility in the computational methods they choose, understand and can explain these methods, and produce accurate answers efficiently.

“The computational methods that a student uses should be based on mathematical ideas that the student understands well, including the structure of the base-ten number system, properties of multiplication and division, and number relationships” (p. 152).

Where do we go from here?

In my 5th grade math class I have used music and movement to engage my students in computation fluency. What does that look like? I noticed a few years back when I inserted music into math, the rhythm and repetitive lyrics engaged my students.

I took this a step further and began to change lyrics in popular music, replacing them with math terms and multiples of numbers. My silly songs became a hit with my students, and they begged to make their own, which in turn helped them lead our “music and movement” for math class.

Multiplication songs are easily available just by doing a Google search, and many can be found on YouTube. Here are a few that have been well received by my students:
This video uses songs that were popular a few years ago and works through multiples of 12.
What math class wouldn’t be engaged by learning the multiples of 6 to a cover and beat of Taylor Swift’s song “Shake It Off?”

 Combining Math Facts and…P.E.!

Then I came across several videos on YouTube that offered a physical education component to math fact recall/practice. Crash Course: Multiplication 📚 Math Fitness Run 📚 PE Game to Stimulate Mental + Physical Development is a favorite in my math class. The creators state the goal this way:

“Solve relatively simple multiplication questions while also having to dodge obstacles and move your body! This game is perfect for children of all ages, it forces them to move while also engaging their brains. Our goal with games like this is to stimulate mental and physical development while still having lots of fun!”

Students look at the expression on the bottom of the screen and move to the side that shows the product. Here’s the video:

Division Facts Math and P.E. Workout – “Exercise your mind and body as you practice your division facts!” The students stand and watch the equation come up and perform the exercise that is under the correct quotient. This is a much longer video, but can be stopped at any point. It also provides a great incentive to do more at the end of math class.

Several studies have found that including movement in lessons shows promise as a way to boost student interest, motivation (Vazou et al., 2012), and learning (Braniff, 2011). Movement has been found to lead to improvements in content knowledge, skills, and test scores in mathematics as well reading fluency (Adams-Blair & Oliver, 2011; Erwin, Fedewa, & Ahn, 2015; Browning et al., 2014).

The Results So Far

Recently I have begun to ask my students math facts as they enter the classroom in the morning. I am careful to differentiate what each student is asked as I work to build their math confidence. Each morning they come running up to ask me for a “harder” problem and have reportedly been practicing their math facts much more at home.

Incorporating fun ways to engage students in learning math facts – including songs, movement, and conversational fact checking – has proven successful. I enjoy jumping in and moving along with my students’ learning, too! Give it a try – I’m sure you’ll have many more smiles in your math class.

Works Cited

Fedewa, A. L., Ahn, S., Erwin, H., & Davis, M. C. (2015). A randomized controlled design investigating the effects of classroom-based physical activity on children’s fluid intelligence and achievement. School Psychology International, 36(2), 135-153. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034314565424

Browning, C., Edson, A.J., Kimani, P., & Aslan-Tutak, F. (2014). Mathematical content knowledge for teaching elementary mathematics: A focus on geometry and measurement. Mathematics Enthusiast, 11 (2), 333-383.

01/20/2025 / Education

True confession....I am a bookaholic. Yes, it is true. I am surrounded by books in my home and in my classroom. My home office has been designed to hold two large built in wall shelves and three generous bookcases. All of these shelves contain beautiful books that I have collected for years, and I can't bear to part with, as well as new reads from beloved authors. I simply love books. However, I don't always have the time to read all of these books. What's the solution? 

Over the years I have borrowed audio books from the library for when I was going on a long trip, or simply to listen to while I was working, trying to multitask. However, many times for the new and trendy books, there is a wait list that could tell you that you are #25 for one  copy of that particular audiobook. Uggh now what?

 I already had an Amazon Prime account, which by the way is a time saver in so many ways,  I found the Amazon audiobook program, Audible and decided to give the free trial a try. I was able to get the books I wanted immediately, with no wait, and enjoy listening while I did a multitude of different tasks. It was a definite win win situation. When the trial was up, I happily signed up for the monthly subscription earning credits that helped me get the audiobooks that I would have otherwise purchased anyway. The monthly subscription was less than the cost of a book. I eventually enrolled in the Audible Premium Plus Annual taking advantage of a great deal. 

What I truly enjoy is listening to the personal development/mindset offerings. I have found myself drawn to Gabrielle Bernstein, who is a #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author, spiritual self-help coach, and has the  weekly podcast Dear Gabby .  I am a reader and researcher of mindset and in the ways that what we think helps us to build our best life. As an educator, I am a huge proponent of teaching students to have a growth mindset and to be a continuous learner. So in living my truth, I am always in search of ways to expand my mindfulness, mindset, and overall outlook to enhance my life and those around me.

My #1 love when it comes to Audible is being able to find a quiet space, hit play, and listen to the soothing words and at times meditations from books such as Gabby's. I've also purchased her latest book, Self Help This is Your Chance To Change Your Life in hard copy because I love to highlight and resonate with particular quotes or steps. I just finished listening to Gabby's The Universe Has Your Back, and I am currently listening to her book, Super Attractor.

These books have helped me start off 2025 with a wonderful sense of mindfulness. I have many more books to share.  I am releasing my first video discussing these books and many more in the very near future. Stay tuned, stay in touch, and find time to enjoy a good book. 

04/02/2024 / Education

Educators at all levels know that stress is real. Whether you are preparing for an observation, dealing with the politics of the curriculum and process, or with the never ending emails,meetings, etc.  stress is inevitable and leads to educator burnout. There is no ultimate cure to rid this, but there are ways to help alleviate the stress we feel. 

A while back I reviewed the book First Aid for Teacher Burnoutby Jenny Grant Rankin. Jenny Grant Rankin, PHD, is a former award winning educator with two doctorates in education who helps other educators through her lectures, books and as a Fulbright Specialist. You may be thinking “Great, another book with a lot of psychological nonsense”, but I promise you this book provided “easy to implement steps for alleviating burnout problems so you can enjoy peace and success in your teaching”. Check out my review for much more on the ways to prevent and recover from burnout. 

Recently I was researching ways for helping myself and others to find pathways to well being. To my surprise I came across the course The Science of Well Beingtaught by Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos. This course explores how to be happier, to feel less stressed, and to flourish more. It applies the science of psychology providing ways to “make wiser choices and live a life that is more fulfilling by implementing a few simple research based methods to your own life.” The course itself through Coursera is free, however, you can pay $49 to earn a certificate of completion. There is also the  Happiness Lab Podcast hosted by Dr. Laurie Santos. The podcast is based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale, which has proven to be, “The most popular class in the university’s 300-year history.” I have been taking the course and listening to the podcast and can highly recommend both. Taking time for yourself is so important and these are two tools that can truly help you think about the practice of happiness. You don’t have to be an educator to relate to the content as every career pathway has its share of stress, so please share this with family and friends who may find ways to destress and be happier.

I get a weekly email which is a gentle reminder of habits to create happiness and less stress from Annette Quarrier, a life and healthy mindset coach at AnnetteQ.com. Annette believes that our mind is our most powerful asset. What we think determines how we live. I enjoy her free weekly moments of thoughts and inspiration, and I encourage you to check out her site using the link provided above. Annette is also the author of Mind Yoga “Make your mental health stronger one thought at a time”. 

Finally, give yourself some down time. The Calm app is a wonderful way to find a quiet time and listen to a library of tools to help you to calm anxiety and stress relief. There are meditative tools and guided content that can help you relax. In addition it provides soothing music and daily guided programs to help you build healthy habits for your mind. You can try Calm for free by visiting the site https://www.calm.com/. NYSUT (New York State United Teachers) offers the premium Calm subscription as a free benefit for all NYSUT in-service and retiree members. 

Carve out time to relax and unwind. In addition to the tips I’ve provided for your mental health and happiness, here are a few of my favorite things I use to relax: 

Relaxation teas from Yogi 

Long Lasting Relax Soy Candles

Desk Decor “Things I can control”

Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt Soak Sleep Blend with Melatonin, Lavender, Chamomile Essential Oils

*The links provided are an affiliate link from which I receive a very small commission from purchases and do not increase your cost.