Posts tagged Classroom expectations
Tips for Adding New Students to Literacy Center Stations
Tips for Adding New Students to Literacy Center Stations

New student starting TOMORROW. Cue the feelings of panic, overwhelm, and excitement. When a new student joins your class mid-year, it can feel like someone tossing a pebble into a perfectly calm pond.  Because there’s just so much to do! Yes, it can feel overwhelming But here’s the thing, it’s about making sure that new students feel like they belong from the moment they walk in. With a few thoughtful strategies, you can be ready for that moment before it even happens. Pre-planning new student activities for your classroom and literacy centers helps streamline this process and ensures that everyone feels prepared and included. So, let’s talk about how to make that happen.

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Molly WheatleyDaily 5, Reading Stations, Classroom management, Classroom expectationsComment
Mid-Year Classroom Reset: How to Improve Your Daily 5 Centers
Mid-Year Classroom Reset: How to Improve Your Daily 5 Centers

Let’s face it… teaching isn’t a “set it and forget it” type of job. Systems that worked beautifully in September might not hold up as your students’ needs evolve.  And with so much of the year still ahead, it’s worth checking in and reflecting to ensure routines and expectations you set aren’t just surviving - but thriving.  “Something needs to change…but where do I START?” It starts with REFLECTION.  Reflecting on current Daily 5 expectations, systems, and routines can uncover valuable insight into what’s working and what needs addressing in your mid-year classroom reset.

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Molly WheatleyDaily 5, Classroom management, Classroom expectations, Literacy stations, literacy, Reading StationsComment
Strategies to Master Daily 5 Expectations with Whole Brain Teaching
Strategies to Master Daily 5 Expectations with Whole Brain Teaching

Mastering how to clearly explain expectations - and ensuring students actually follow them - is the key to a well-managed classroom, especially during independent work time (the heart of the Daily 5 framework!). However, getting students to stick to expectations without feeling like you're constantly nagging can be tricky. When I incorporated Whole Brain Teaching strategies, everything shifted for the better…

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Molly WheatleyDaily 5, Classroom management, Classroom expectations, Literacy stations, literacyComment
Why Pencil Box Name Tags are a Game Changer for First Grade
Why Pencil Box Name Tags are a Game Changer for First Grade

When I first started teaching, share buckets were used at my school. I was a first year teacher so I went with what the other teachers in my grade level were doing. Share buckets weren’t something I remembered from elementary school. In fact, I remembered having my own personal pencil box. I continued to use share buckets for years and once I moved schools, I noticed my students were even more territorial with their supplies. I even had parents ask why their child’s supplies weren’t separate. So, this year, after teaching virtually all last year, I decided to make the switch to pencil boxes and I’ll never go back to share buckets. Keep reading to find out why pencil box name tags are a game changer for first graders (and kindergartners too!)

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Molly WheatleyLiteracy stations, Classroom expectations, Classroom management, First gradeComment