Tips for Learning at Home - From a Teacher-Mom

I don't know about you, but it felt like Remote Learning came into our household like a tsunami. When we first got word that schools were closing, there was that brief moment before the tsunami hits. It was that strange calm when the ocean recedes, and for a moment, I was like, "OK, yeah, we've got this!" I mean between my husband and I, we have over 30 years of teaching experience. So, while I knew we were going to be faced with the challenges of the new routine and all the sad ripple effects of the pandemic, I felt like the "home school" element was definitely within our wheelhouse. I had visions of home school being just like this...

And then the tsunami waves came crashing down on us. Reality hit hard. Day one of home school actually looked like this:

Yes, that's our son wrapped in a blanket refusing to do any more work. As you can imagine, he's crying. I'm yelling. My husband is demanding. Our other son is giggling. The dog is barking. It's chaos. The storm has hit!

Day one was a disaster, but I did come to one realization:

It's HARD to teach your own child. All of the patience that I normally have with every other child on the planet goes right out the window when my own children write in a sloppy manner or rush through their work. I needed to get a system together so that we could all be successful...and fast!

So...little by little, we made changes. We're inching towards success. We're not there yet, our home school days are still not perfect, but there are moments that give me hope! Here's what we're trying now.

1. Set a Schedule 

I thought we could be carefree about home school, but that doesn't work for us. So, we put "school hours" in place. The boys each get to work when they wake up and they can access their technology once "school" is over. We work in the morning and "play" in the afternoon. Our oldest writes his schedule out in his school planner each day. So far, so good!


2. Get Organized 

When we were one week into home school, I realized that we needed to create a portable "learning zone" and get organized. Here are some of the items that are helping us stay sane:

1.  White Board with Markers    2. Pencils    3. Supply Box    4. Pencil Sharpener    5. Clipboard    6. Hanging File Folder Box and Folders     7. Storage Bin   8. Erasers

3. Give them Choices 

As a teacher, I know all about the power of "choice." So, I decided to give our own kids choices, too. When putting together their daily schedule, they chose the order that they wanted to do their subjects. 

I also wanted to give them choices while they worked, so I put together a reading response choice board for our sixth grader. Each day, after he reads, he can choose which prompt he responds to. For our eighth grader, I made a set of writing prompts filled with choices to complete. The choices give them a say in their learning, and that helps so much! 

If you want to give the reading and writing choices a try, download the FREE reading response choices here and the FREE choice writing prompts HERE. 

4. Have some fun!

1. Free Silly Task Cubes    2. Fake Glasses   3. Grips   4. Witch Fingers    5. Read Aloud  6. Flair Pens

It didn't take us long to realize that we needed to "amp up" the fun factor while learning at home. So, I got out some of my old classroom motivators to try out at home. The silly task cubes are FREE and they're perfect for spicing up a regular assignment. Kids just roll the cube and complete their work in a fun way like writing behind their backs. Speaking of writing, our boys' handwriting is a mess! So, I put grips on their pencils to help them get back on track.

The fake glasses and witch fingers make reading more fun. Let kids put them on and you'll love how excited they are to work.

I've included a book because our family has started reading a book together every night. It helps with the long days at home. We're reading Fort by Cynthia DeFelice right now. 

Oh, and flair pens. Do not underestimate the power of colorful pens when trying to get kids to work!


5. Snacks and Stretches 

While teaching our boys at home, we've realized that we need to take some intentional breaks with them. So, we've instituted "snacks and stretches." During their "school day" we like to put out snacks for our boys. Also, we pause their learning occasionally for a little stretch break. You could even take this one step farther and have a moment of mindfulness. Here are some free quotes and activities to get you started.

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So far, we've grown a lot from this experience. There are still so many things that we can improve, but for now, we're going to take it one day at a time. I hope you know that you're not alone. If you're a "mom on the edge" like me, then at least we're in this together!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. - I've put together a BUNCH of "Learning at Home" resources for teachers and parents. Check them out right here!

This post contains affiliate links.

Lessons, Activities, and Projects to Support Remote Learning

If you're a teacher or a parent looking for fun ways to help kids learn at home, then you're in the right place. I've put together a list of the 10 best ELA activities, lessons, and projects for kids to complete at home. To make it on this list, each resource had to meet this criteria...

--- Kids can complete the work independently.
--- The lessons require no additional planning for teachers and/or parents.
--- The activities are fun and engaging.
--- They are easy to share with families.
--- And most importantly...they tap into critical ELA skills like reading, writing, and grammar.

Some of the resources can be completed digitally. Others, require just a piece of paper and a pencil. And...many of the resources I'm sharing are FREE. 

These FREE READING PROMPTS are perfect for tracking kids' reading and helping them to think deeply about their reading. First, students read for at least 20 minutes a day. Then, they report out on their reading on the tracker. Finally, they respond to a reading prompt. 

The prompts are in a "choice board format" so that kids can choose what they'd like to do. This does wonders for motivation. I'm using this at home with my own son, and it's going really well. He completed the movie poster prompt yesterday. Download it all for FREE RIGHT HERE.

Here's another free lesson that has a craft element. First, kids learn about couplets and poetry writing. Then, they write their own poem. Finally, they turn their work into a pinwheel. The "craft element" makes this especially fun for learning at home. Imagine these displayed on the kitchen table! Download the lesson and poetry writing materials HERE.

Learning at home lends itself perfectly to book projects. This file folder book report is designed for kids to do all on their own! The resource includes all the directions and even rough draft materials that kids can review before making their final copies. Check it out HERE.

I made this FREE set of 10 writing prompts the very first day my own sons were set to learn at home. I knew that I wanted them to keep writing, but I also knew that getting them to write might be a little like pulling teeth. That's why this set of "This or That" writing prompts works so well for kids learning at home. Kids get to choose which prompt their complete each day. The element of choice makes the task of writing a lot more fun. Download the FREE writing prompts here.

If you're looking for an "all-in-one" resource for English Language Arts, this is it! It's designed specifically for learning at home. That means that there are paper pages, digital pages, and even links to PDFs to share via email inside the resource. 

With these practice pages, students complete a grammar, reading, and writing task each day. It's the perfect way to support kids and keep them learning at home! Learn more here.

One of my friends inspired me to include these FREE mindfulness quotes in this "round-up." Since my friend started teaching her kids at home, she's instituted a "moment of mindfulness" before they get started on the day's work. I love that idea! If you'd like to give it a try, check out this post about mindfulness and find links for the free quotes and finger labyrinths. 

You knew that digital resources were going to make the cut, right? I've filled my shop with reading, writing, and grammar resources that students can access via Google Classroom. Check out over 50 resources that include digital options right here.

This set of 5 FREE choice boards is filled with tasks that allow kids to choose different ways to learn. Each choice board is developed around a different category. You'll find a choice board for creative writing, spelling, vocabulary, reading, and social studies. The tasks encourage creativity and innovative thinking, which makes them perfect for learning at home. Download them all for FREE right here.

OK...I'm not sure why I waited to so long to share about these writing videos, because I'm kind of nuts about them! They're short videos that kids can watch. Each video prompts them to write creatively. I actually made them with my two sons, so they are definitely kid-approved. There are several videos, but you might want to start with this one about personification. (Find it on YouTube HERE.)

Here's one last idea. Get kids completing a mini-research project with this hands-on resource. Kids can research a person, place, animal, or event. Then, they turn their research into a 3-D frame with their learning tucked inside. Everything kids need to be successful is inside. Check it out HERE.

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I hope you're found an idea...or two...or ten...that you can use to help support remote learning. We're all in this together, so please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you or your kids. Feel free to email me at marybeth@brainwavesinstruction.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Wait, I've got one more idea...check out this round-up of ideas from Art with Jenny K!

Ideas for celebrating National Poetry Month in the Classroom

National Poetry Month takes place every April. I'm pretty sure I love the month-long celebration of poets and poems as much as students love a snow day!

National Poetry Month first began in 1996. It is organized by the American Academy of Poets as a way to build awareness and appreciation of poetry.  Since its creation, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world. Wow! Pretty cool, right? Publishers, poets, libraries, and book vendors celebrate National Poetry Month, so it only makes sense for teachers and students to celebrate too.

I've put together a list of really easy ways to celebrate National Poetry Month all April long. In addition, I've compiled my favorite poetry lessons (many of them FREE) --- just click right here. I hope you'll find an idea or two to bring into your classroom.

Ready to get celebrating National Poetry Month? It's easy, you can...

1. READ POEMS. During the month of April challenge your students to read and analyze poems. You can easily do this, just...

--- Compile poems to share at the beginning of each class. Check out the Poem-a-Day poetry at poets.org.

--- Challenge every student to find a poem to read to the class and take turns sharing them each day.

--- Teach students how to actively read and analyze poems with detailed (and fun) lessons. Find a set of 5 poems and 20 analysis tasks right here.

2. SHARE POEMS. Make poetry extra special by finding poems that you think each student might like and share them with each person. For instance, give this poem to a student who loves basketball, or this poem to a student dreaming of a vacation. Give poems away in fun ways...

--- Tape poems for particular students to their lockers or desks.

--- Slip a poem into a colleague's mailbox.

--- Dedicate a poem to a particular person in the school and have it read over the school's loudspeakers. Some of my favorite poems are right here.

3. WRITE POEMS. There's no better way to celebrate National Poetry Month than to create new poems. Poetry writing lessons can be so fun! Here are a few of my favorite lessons...

--- Extended Cinquain Poem - I love this poem lesson because students experiment with a traditional form and make it their own! Download it for FREE here!

--- Spring Poem - Combine parts of speech and poetry with this FREE poetry lesson.

--- Pinwheel Poem - This lesson is also FREE! Students write a poem filled with couplets and turn it into a pinwheel.

4. RESEARCH POETS. When I was in 6th grade, I researched Maya Angelou. That biography report changed my life. I was inspired by her triumphs and profoundly impacted by her poetry.

--- Give students a chance to have a similar experience by letting them research poets. After they are done learning about the poet, they can compile their learning onto this fun Doodle Biography Book Report.

--- Learn about poets and their poems with these unique Poet and Poem Studies. Students can learn all about Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughes with the doodle articles and notes. Then, they can analyze a poem by each poet.

5. LISTEN. The beauty of poetry is often how lovely or terrifying or melancholy it sounds when it is read out loud. Celebrate listening to the poetic form by...

--- Listening to poets read their own poetry. Check out 65 videos here.

--- Playing music with poetic elements like the rhyme in Joe Jackson's "Summer in the City".

--- Sharing poems with incredible sounds devices like "Cynthia in the Snow" by Gwendolyn Brooks.

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National Poetry Month is a wonderful reminder to celebrate poetry. I hope you and your students find ways to enjoy poetry all April long! If you're looking for some ready-to-go poetry lessons, sign up to receive 5 exclusive "Poet Treats" in your email inbox.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

5 things Happy Teachers Do!

Since teaching can be one of the most challenging, exhausting, and downright difficult professions, I thought it might be interesting to figure out exactly what happy teachers are doing to meet the challenges of the teaching profession. I went on search for 5 things happy teachers do. You actually probably do a lot of these things, but I hope that you'll find an idea or two to help you feel a little happier in the classroom.

It's a fact...happy teachers laugh. That's no surprise since science has proven that laughing can lower your blood pressure, improve concentration, and reduce anxiety. Teachers need opportunities to laugh. Of course, it's great if you can laugh at work, but if you really need a quick laugh, you can actually get the same positive effects of belly laughing with friends by pretend laughing. I know, it sounds crazy. However, if you force yourself to laugh all on your own, you can reap the benefits of laughter.

Here's a technique that you can try to make yourself laugh. It's an idea from author Lesley Lyle's book Laugh Your Way to Happiness. It's called Aloha Laughing. To do it...

--- Raise your arms over your head.

--- Give a little stretch while saying, "Aloooo" long and loudly

--- Then, lower your arms and say, "Ha, ha, ha."

According to Lyle, the anticipation factor gets us laughing and feeling better. So, the next time you need a stress relief, you might try fake laughing. Or, just imagine if you did this with your students. Your entire class would be in stitches!

It's also a great idea to laugh with your students. You can infuse laughter in the classroom with silly voices, improvisation games, jokes, or funny videos. Find more ideas and an EXCLUSIVE FREEBIE here.

A happy group of students almost always leads to a happy teacher. And...what makes students happy? That's easy! Fun and engaging lessons! Giving students a chance to be creative is a sure-fire way to increase engagement in the classroom. In Dawn Dupriest's article "Creativity in the Classroom," she wrote that, "students of all ages need to learn by creating. It helps to synthesize information and bring joy and meaning into their educational experience." I couldn't agree more!

Planning fun lessons doesn't have to be overwhelming. Instead, adding a creative element to a rigorous lessons can easily amp up the "fun factor." Here are some simple ways to plan fun lessons:

--- Connect vocabulary to doodling. When students connect their learning to simple sketches, they're not only more engaged, they are also making powerful connections in their brains.

--- Teach engaging creative writing lessons. Creative writing lessons are inherently fun and super educational too! (Find out why I love teaching creative writing and grab 5 free lessons here.)

--- Set up a literacy cafe after a writing unit. Get students excited about sharing their writing pieces with a literacy cafe. It's easy! Arrange the chairs in your classroom to look like a coffee shop's "Open Mic Night." Play some soft jazz music. Bring in a podium for students to stand behind. You might even bring in some sweet treats or serve some hot chocolate.

Want to set up a Literacy Cafe in your classroom? Find a FREE printable banner right HERE.

The idea is to plan lessons that you are excited to teach. Then, your students will be excited to learn...and that makes every teacher very, very happy!

According to a study on "Global Work Connectivity," over half of employees today feel isolated and lonesome at work all or most of the time. When I read this, I was reminded about just how lonely teaching can be. It's true that teachers are surrounded by students all day, but often they are alone in their work. That's why happy teachers make a conscious effort to connect with their coworkers.

Michael Stallard, an author, says that connecting with coworkers is one of the keys to fruitful work. Therefore, it's important to build bonds with others while teaching. Making an effort to develop relationships with teacher-friends or other staff members can be as easy as...

--- Leaving a treat or note for a colleague. (Find a free set of positive notes here.)

--- Inviting a colleague to go for a walk before, during, or after school.

--- Checking in with new teachers.

--- Seeking advice from seasoned teachers.

Happy teachers also make connections with their students. When teachers build bonds with students, it can have a profound impact on them. Connecting with students helps teachers feel happier, too. You can connect with students through writing journals, attending school events, or even infusing your students' interests into your lessons. 

Happy teachers build meaningful relationships with others. It helps them feel less lonely and more satisfied in their jobs.

Practicing self-care can be hard for teachers. With crazy, busy jobs and stressful lives, taking time to take care of yourself isn't always easy. However, it's important to check back in with yourself. Here are some ideas that Dr. Tchiki Davis suggests...

--- Sleep (develop a nightly routine, use meditation apps, stay away from sugar at the end of the day)

--- Exercise (Daily exercise can boost our moods and reduce stress.)

--- Say "no" to others (Politely decline the next obligation or committee to give yourself a break.)

When teachers take time to nurture their own needs and interests, they become less stressed and more able to enjoy their jobs.

There is so much pressure on teachers these days. Often teachers feel misunderstood, unheard, and disrespected. Teachers sometimes feel like they have critics around every corner...and sometimes...their biggest critic is themselves!

How many times have you thought: Am I creating the right lessons? Do my students feel supported and loved? Have I done enough to prepare them for state assessments? Are my students' parents happy with me? The list of self-doubt is endless for a teacher. It seems that if the world is hard on teachers, teachers are even harder on themselves. That's why happy teachers give themselves grace.

Giving yourself grace means that when everything seems to be falling apart, you give yourself a gesture of kindness. Happy teachers remind themselves that they are doing important work to the very best of their ability. They know that perfection is an illusion. In fact, successful teachers make lots of mistake. Happy teachers let themselves mess up, and they forgive themselves for their errors.

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I hope you've found a few strategies for infusing a little more happiness into your teaching days. Even if it's just taking a walk around the building at lunchtime or sending your co-worker a sweet message, each little thing you do can create happier moments in your day. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Don't forget to grab the Literacy Cafe banner here. It's free and ready for your classroom!