It's STILL March - grab a book to relieve stress!

 

It’s STILL March.   Our clocks have sprung ahead and allegedly, the seasons have switched from Winter to Spring.   Yet so many of us feel the days dragging on and feel what many have termed to be “Teacher Burnout”.   Oh it’s real alright.   The stress of Testing, the pressure of the year counting down and so much material still to cover, and quite frankly, simply the monotony of the daily routines can be enough to make March feel like the month that never ends.   But what if we could change all of that and help your students too?

Why not try?

Sometimes Reading can feel more like an accumulation of skills to be assessed (fluency, accuracy, word speed, comprehension, reading level) than the Gift that you are passing along and refining for the next generation.   We, as Teachers, have to step back from time to time and remind ourselves that Kids Who Read Regularly Become Better Readers.   So how do our students do with the love of Reading?   Elementary Teachers are tasked with igniting a Love of Reading that needs to be blazing because it frequently dies out as kids reach 8th grade and beyond.    In all honestly, most kids these days read very little because they are on screens.   Pages in a book are supposed to compete with social media, video games, short texts and posts exchanged between friends, and the increasingly popular graphic novels.   Consequently, attention spans are becoming shorter and books are losing their intrigue with this generation.

We need to work to change this while we can!

So what does Reading have to do with alleviating Teacher Burnout?   It’s simple.   Great Novels can transport us to new places and introduce us and our students to new people and sweep us off onto wonderful adventures!   

I will never forget the first time that I read Because of Winn Dixie.   It was over a decade ago and I had not yet seen the movie.   I had wanted to preview the book to see if my students would enjoy it.   It didn’t take me long to get caught up in the book and I literally read it cover to cover in one sitting!   What a fabulous story!   Even if your students have seen the move already, I guarantee that the book will still delight them!     I love this book so much that I have all kinds of great resources on my TpT store just ready for you to jump right in!  

Maybe you teach older kids, who like you, are bothered by the ever changing weather from snow to rain and often gray and chilly, then you might appreciate being transported to a society that has figured out how to make everything just perfect.   It feels so ideal… so predictable… so problem free.   But things aren’t always what they seem.    Readers will soon discover that there is a peculiar old man who can unlock a whole new perspective for all of us.   He is known as The Giver.   Lois Lowry is a master at storytelling in this classic and unforgettable novel.   Dive right into a great Novel Study with my The Giver Novel Study Resources available on my TpT store!  

Another great way to expose your students to great books is through a class Read Aloud.   If you’re not sure what books to read out loud to your class, I highly recommend the book entitled The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.   It’s a game changer for Educators and Parents.   (Note:  the book has gone through significant changes in recent years as Jim was no longer able to oversee it.    Despite newer editions being available, the older 6th edition is still my favorite!)  

I hope that diving into some timeless classics will help alleviate some burnout for you.    Books can be very therapeutic for teachers as well as students!   Novel studies can be amazingly refreshing for everyone!   Open a book and enjoy the adventure!

Let’s Get Reading!

Martha

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The Tests are Coming! The Tests are Coming! 

It just doesn’t seem fair, right? At this time of the school year, we’ve already passed the 100 days hurdle and so many of us are feeling the struggle to hang in there. There used to be a donut commercial which featured an employee who would roll out of bed early every morning and utter, “It’s time to make the donuts.” Sometimes we can feel that way at this time of the year. “It’s time to go teach.” And then just when we’re battling to stay focused and passionate about teaching, that tiny season called Testing emerges between Winter and Spring and forces us to rethink our strategies. 

Yes. The Tests are Coming. But let’s get ready NOW. 

We’re going to explore some practical strategies that you can put in place to help your students feel prepared for testing. Some of these are just common sense, but we all need simple reminders! 

1. Your Students are Special, Unique Individuals with Intrinsic Worth that is not tied to test results or even grades. REMIND THEM OFTEN. Many kids suffer from test anxiety every year and so many of them have inferred that since there is so much hype about Testing, then surely their test results must be a reflection of their worth. They need trusted adults to help them think rightly about the tests. These tests are just tools that help educators determine how teachers and curriculum are working towards our shared goals of educating. 

2. Introduce your Students to the Common Test Vocabulary. Make sure that your students regularly see and more importantly, UNDERSTAND the common test vocabulary. Deliberately define and explain words like: Choose, Define, Compare, Contrast, Summarize, Describe, Explain, Conclude/Conclusion, Infer, and even Most Likely and give them lots of practice answering questions with them. 

3. Provide lots of opportunities for Test Practice! Everyone does better with practice. Practicing different types of questions will allow your students to feel more at ease when they sit down to take their tests. (If you’re looking for an easy way to practice, check out my Test Prep Task Cards over at my TpT store!) 

4. Equip your Students with Practical Tactics for Tackling Multiple Choice Problems! These simple steps help students feel equipped to tackle each problem! 

    * Reread the question. Make sure that you know what it is asking. 

    *Try to silently answer the question on your own before you look through the choices provided. 

    * Read through ALL of the answers given and (if allowed to mark on the test), cross out the answers that you know aren’t right. 

    *(If you’re allowed to mark on the test booklet), underline the part in the text that seems to support your choice of answer. If you can't mark on the test booklet, or your students take their tests digitally, make sure to teach them how to use the highlighting tools and other functions of your testing site.

    *Watch out for similar-sounding answers! Read them through and select the one that is the best answer. 

    *Choose “All of the Above” if it’s an option and you feel that 2 or 3 answers are correct. 

I hope that these strategies have you excited to start some test prep NOW! We’re going to continue to provide more strategies for test prep and for rallying our best so that we can finish the year strong in the coming weeks! Don’t miss out! Don’t forget that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! You don’t need the luck of the Irish to grab my FREE St. Patrick’s Day Mystery Picture resource! While you’re there, check out my other super St. Patrick’s Day downloads! 

Take A Deep Breath! We’re in this Together! 

Let’s Chat Again Soon, 

Martha

3 Simple Easy Ways to Minimize Math Phobia

 

3 Super Easy Ways to Minimize Math Phobia! So last time we established that Yes! Math Phobia (the fear of Math) is a real thing. Contrary to popular belief, students can suffer from it too.. It’s NOT JUST THE TEACHERS! In my last post, we explored some reasons why our students might have Math Phobia as well as some practical teaching strategies with how to help them. (Did you miss it? Click here to catch up!) 

Today, we’re going to get into 3 super easy (very practical) ways to minimize Math Phobia for your students! AND don’t miss out on the Math Freebie!! Here we go! 

 So I want you to understand that your students with Math Phobia literally have locked doors on their brains from anxiety. This means that they have shut down and basically prevented themselves from learning before you have even started teaching. It’s not their fault and most of them couldn’t even tell you that… all they know is that they feel defeated before the lesson begins. So what do you do if you come across a locked door? Well, you have to find another way in. Stop trying to go through a door if it’s locked (unless you can “unlock” it with the strategies from my last post!) So this brings us to Math Phobia Teaching Tip #1 

1. FUN and GAMES!! I just can’t begin to describe the POWER of calling something a “Game” (even when it’s not really one!) As soon as you mention that Math is going to be “Fun” today and then you kick your Math lesson off with an unconventional method like a Game… you have immediately found a way back into engaging with your students’ minds. It’s super easy and it’s super effective! It really only takes a few minutes to tweak your lesson plans to allow for a Fun way to shake things up. Games can be integrated as part of teaching a new concept or as a fun review! However they are used, they will lessen anxiety and maybe, just maybe motivate your students to look forward to Math everyday (gasp!)! But if your brain doesn’t naturally think “fun” and if need some help getting there, don’t worry! I have taken the time and done the work for you! Hop on over to The Owl Spot at TpT to find all kinds of Math Games including: Math Puzzle Races, Math Boggle, Emoji Multiplication Mystery Pictures, a Decimal Game Pack and SO MUCH MORE! Remember structure and routine are so important for learning but it can also be those times when things are out of the routine that you have piqued curiosity and generated some enthusiastic attention from your students. Use Fun and Games to your advantage and you will minimize Math Phobia for sure! Here’s a super fun Math FREEBIE on Division Practice to get you started! 

2. Use Food Whenever Possible. Yes. I’m absolutely serious. (Just remind them that there is no eating until the end of the lesson!) Are you teaching a lesson that requires manipulatives? Bring out the goldfish crackers and just watch your kids become the most motivated math students ever! M&M’s work great for sorting, for teaching fractions in relation to parts of a set as well as all the operations! (Just remember to have them do their addition and multiplication before the subtraction because subtraction means EATING!) If you’re worried about food allergies, use mini marshmallows or even the time old classic Cheerios! (Don’t want to use food? Try substituting your boring paper manipulatives for Legos, or Hot Wheels cars, mini erasers, or other mini toys. It’s out of the ordinary so it will grab your students’ attention FAST!) 

3. Create Personalized Word Problems. So even your students that don’t feel Math Phobia for regular math lessons, may begin to feel their hearts race when those word problems surface! There is something about applying math that makes it especially overwhelming! Remembering this about your students can further motivate you to find ways to get them to relax (maybe even laugh a little!) so that they can strategically think through how to solve a problem. Take some time and write out your own word problems with silly storylines or with names of people that you know (including yourself or maybe have the principal buying donuts for a staff meeting!), or with fads or trends that the kids are all talking about anyway! Some kids love to see their own names used in word problems! (Just be sensitive about what the problem is about and remember that some kids wouldn’t like their name included!) 

I hope that these 3 super easy teaching tricks can help you to minimize Math Phobia for your students! Teaching math so that all of your students understand can be a challenge. I once read a reminder that if your students are willing and eager to learn, then it is up to us as teachers to FIND A WAY to help them understand and learn. That’s a pretty powerful perspective. I hope that these strategies will help you help your students! 

Join Me Next Time for More Teaching Tips! 

Martha

Math Phobia

 

MATH PHOBIA!!! It’s Real. And for some of your students, it’s keeping them from succeeding. 

Math Phobia It’s that terrifying fear of Math that plagues some kids. But what is it REALLY? Well, it really boils down to that fear of failure and that fear of not understanding. Each year, more and more kids suffer from Math Phobia. I would argue that this is because so much of Math builds on previously learned concepts. Many students who have Math Phobia have somehow fallen through the cracks in Math Mastery in previous years. Thankfully, we have an opportunity to help them by reviewing basic concepts before moving on to new material. 

Today’s strategy for minimizing Math Phobia is to Review the Basic Building Block Operations. Since so much of math can be dissected down to simpler concepts, we need to review those concepts with our students in order to provide immediate feedback on which concept is giving them trouble. Believe it or not, one of the most important concepts to review, and one of the best starting points, is the time honored Basic Math Facts. Helping your students master those math facts will help them get one step closer to feeling confident in their math skills. Please don’t assume that your students know their facts… even if they’re in upper elementary grades! ALL of your students can benefit from some math fact review, especially as those standardized assessments are drawing near! To save you some time, I’ve already created some fun and non-threatening ways to review those basic operations! You can check them out here. If those state assessments are already weighing heavily on your mind, feel free to use my great math test prep resources! 

Helping your students master those math facts, reassures both you and them that they are ready to then apply those basic math operations in more advanced concepts. Remember that your students’ math negativity could be caused by Math Phobia, so they might just need someone to make sure that they have mastered all of the basic math concepts needed before they tackle the more advanced ones. 

Sometimes if we’ve been teaching math for a while, we can lose sight of what it’s like for our students. For example, have you ever thought about everything that is wrapped up in understanding fractions? Mastering fractions really means not only knowing your math facts, but also understanding the difference between factors and multiples as well as how to find both of them, memorizing when you need to find a common denominator and when you don’t (and how to find one!) plus understanding when the denominator stays the same and only the numerator changes and when they both change. And of course then there is how to simplify fractions! Somehow kids also have to learn that dividing fractions is solved by multiplying by the reciprocal! WHEW! There is A LOT that kids need to keep track of and build upon. We as teachers are prone to over simplify and think that our students might struggle with “fractions”, but in reality, they might not understand a number of the key foundational concepts. Remember that so many math concepts are foundations built by much smaller building blocks. It doesn’t take too long for a motivated teacher to figure out just where the breakdown in mastery is. It’s a wise use of time to Review the Basic Building Block Operations. 

Sometimes teachers actually work a lot more like detectives when it comes to remedial help as they look for clues and solve the mystery of what is hindering mastery. Remember that a lot of Math Phobia can be addressed by simply working with your students step by step (giving timely feedback) to make sure that they understand each building block of their foundational math. It’s worth that extra time to review! Join me next time as we discuss another strategy for tackling Math Phobia! 

Teach in order to Transform Lives, 

Martha 

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MATH TEST PREP FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS 

Do you struggle with finding resources for math to get your students ready for state testing? 

Here are some links from "The Owl Spot" on Teachers Pay Teachers that you may want to check out. Just click the image for a direct link to the product.

I created them for my students to review skills before testing. My kiddos were engaged during class, and they rocked the test!

Multiplication Football Partner Game

Division Riddles and Worksheets

Color By Code for Addition and Subtraction

Color By Code for Multiplication and Division

Coordinate Pair Graphing Game (similar to Battleship!)

Place Value Riddles

Equivalent Fractions Snowman Activity

Digital Multiplication Charts - Whole Class Game

Multiplication Task Cards

Fractions Conversions Pizza Activity

Fraction Task Cards

Classifying Angles Activities

4th Grade Whole Number Place Value and Operations Task Cards 

3rd Grade Whole Number Place Value and Operations Task Cards

5th Grade Place Value and Operations Task Cards

Order of Operations Task Cards

Order of Operations: Truth or Lie Partner Game

Order of Operations Partner Games

 

95% of people have a great fear of this… are you one of them? Will your students be? 

I recently read that 95% of people have a great fear of Public Speaking. Does that describe you? Chances are, if you're an Educator, you're probably comfortable getting up in front of SOME people because you do it on a regular basis! But what about your students? If this statistic is accurate, and I believe that it is, then that means that the remaining 5% of people will rise to the top as leaders among their peers. That 5% will have an edge academically and socially and will carry influence with their thoughts and opinions. Have you ever thought about how important it is to give your students opportunities for Public Speaking, even at the elementary ages? You're giving them a head start when you make time for Readers’ Theater in your classroom. Readers’ Theater is an excellent tool to introduce public speaking in a non-threatening way! 

We’ve spent the past few weeks in January talking about Readers’ Theater. Hopefully, you’re excited to put Readers’ Theater to work in your classroom transforming your students into readers for life and helping them to take that important first step towards becoming comfortable with public speaking! Last time we covered my 6 Steps to a Rewarding Readers’ Theater Experience. Now I want to build on those essentials. 

So how can teachers really get the most out of their Readers’ Theater time? 

*Make sure that you start with a great high interest script. I’ve taken the time to create wonderful scripts for both primary and middle grades. One of the most popular Readers’ Theaters is the timeless classic The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. You can find it here.

*Take some time to pull out some vocabulary words that you want to emphasize throughout the week. Write them on the board, or on a poster and have them readily visible throughout the week. Teach the words before you introduce the script and refer to them often. You could also have the students underline the vocabulary words in their own script. 

*Establish your guidelines for expectations for working in the groups. One of my go-to guidelines is requiring that all students must be following along with the script in front of them as others are reading aloud. This strategy helps your students familiarize themselves even more with the words, phrases, characters because they are hearing it AND reading it at the same time. This also ensures that all of your students are on task and engaged learners who are paying attention! 

*Take a few minutes each day to kick off your Readers’ Theater time with some reading skills mini lessons! You could do one on punctuation and how it changes the way that a sentence is read. (So fun to put some silly sentences on the board and have students read them differently as you change the punctuation at the end!) Or you could focus on elements of literature in your script by allowing them to develop empathy with the characters, or thinking through conflicts in the story and how they are resolved. Build their vocabulary by having them describe how the characters are different from one another. 

*Remember to give your feedback when your students are in the small groups rather than in front of the entire class. Students will be more receptive to it when they don’t feel like they are the center of attention for the entire room. 

*One of my favorite Readers’ Theater strategies is hyping up their performance day. Invite some younger students in to watch your students “perform” their scripts. Allow your students to create some fun props or character name tags. Why not have popcorn for your audience? This day is where your students really get to test the waters of Public Speaking. You have an opportunity to make it fun and memorable. 

*When your Readers’ Theater week is over, have your students KEEP their scripts in folders in their desks. These scripts become a super fun way to fill those random free minutes at the end of a day, or after an assembly, or they can be perfect for a substitute teacher to use if she needs some constructive time filler! (It’s always wise to have materials on hand and ready for a substitute teacher to use in a pinch! We ALL have last minute illnesses or emergencies when we just can’t get in to leave sub plans! I have taken the time to create some winter themed sub plans for intermediate and primary grades for you to have on hand… just in case! Feel free to check them out!) 

 I hope that you have a FABULOUS time using Readers’ Theater in your classroom as you seek to create lifelong readers and equip your students to be comfortable with public speaking! 

Please join me next month as we tackle how to motivate those students with Math Phobia! (Hint: Time to get Strategic and Creative! Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe to my email list to get all the latest tips and tricks from The Owl Spot! ) 

Hope to See You Then, 

Martha

6 Strategic Steps to a Rewarding Readers' Theater Experience

Sometimes we all just need what my neighbor likes to call “Fresh Eyes”. We need a new perspective for what we’re doing, a renewed purpose for how we’re persevering through our days. Remember that we are ideally equipping our students to be Readers for LIFE!

6 Strategic Steps to aRewarding Readers’ Theater Experience!

A few years ago, I heard a staggering statistic that most kids (especially boys!) will stop reading for enjoyment by 8th grade! 8th grade! That means that this Elementary and Middle Grades window of time is CRUCIAL to winning kids over to becoming readers for life! Of course, WE KNOW that becoming lifelong readers will help them to be more successful overall in so many areas of life, but they don't know that and they aren't able to think that far ahead. 

That's why creative strategies like Readers’ Theater are so important! We as teachers can build our students' fluency and strengthen their internal reading voices alongside them, while demonstrating that reading can be FUN! I’ve heard a lot of teachers say that they hear a lot about Readers’ Theater, but they are just not sure how to actually pull it off in your classroom. Honestly, successful Readers’ Theaters always start with a solid, usable script! I've created some of my own for both primary and upper elementary that I think work very well. (You'll find them over at The Owl Spot ) 

So I want to give you 6 surefire great steps towards a rewarding Readers' Theater experience! Here we go! 

1. Do some planning ahead of time! Choose a high interest script and make sure that everyone gets their OWN copy. Plan your timeframe. (Most teachers like to start on Monday and wrap up on Friday! Just 15-20 min per day works great!) 

2. Model reading the script out loud for your students. (Feel free to pull in some colleagues like a librarian, lunch aide, secretary, or principal to add that extra boost of fun!) 

3. Divide your students into Readers’ Theater groups so that everyone in a group has a part. (Plan your groups ahead of time and assign parts ahead of time! Most teachers prefer for each group to have at least one strong reader.) Encourage your students to go ahead and highlight their own individual part. 

4. Read through the script several times to ensure correct pronunciation and to model fluency, intonation, and good oral reading practices when there is punctuation. Students should always be following along with their own script to build their own sight word recognition. 

5. Allow each group to practice at their seats and then again in front of the class. Provide appropriate, constructive and helpful feedback to your students. Remind them that there is no need to memorize their parts! The whole concept behind Readers' Theater is that they will be READING their parts and working through a script! 

6. Allow for your students to perform their Readers' Theater as a wrap up. There is no need for costumes, but some simple fun character name tags or simple accessories seem to go a long way to boost enthusiasm and interest! (We all have those students who love to be creative! Why not task them with some simple character tags for the different parts?) Feel free to invite a younger grade in to enjoy your Readers' Theater. Audiences give a greater sense of purpose to the readers. 

I hope that you are as excited as I am to get my students improving their reading skills through Readers' Theater! Next time, we'll be looking at more specific strategies to squeeze out even more benefit from the time spent using Readers' Theater in the classroom! 

Have Fun and Get Reading! 

Martha 

 ****Because you have been a loyal follower, I want you to be one of the first people to know my big exciting news!! The Owl Spot is opening on Etsy! My Etsy store is currently under construction, but I am so excited for all of the phenomenal resources that I will be able to make available to all of my teacher friends! Check out The Owl Spot Shop on Etsy!

I just can’t believe how fast this school year is flying by! Here we are and it’s somehow 2023! I’ve been trying to work in my annual Dad joke of immediately saying on January 1st that I haven’t done that or seen people since… wait for it… LAST YEAR!!! I still think it’s funny every time I say it, whether or not the other person laughs along, looks confused, or rolls their eyes! But as teachers, it can be very easy to lose track of just how long it has been since we have done something with our class.

For example, when was the last time that you surprised your class with a Readers Theater?   

It’s probably been a while. And yet research is consistently supporting the concept that repeated reading boosts fluency, comprehension, and even sight word vocabulary!  So why don’t more of us do more of Readers Theater? I’m guessing that it’s that age old Educators’ Albatross of too much to do and not enough time to do it. I totally get it, but I know that Readers Theater has great value in grades k-12, so it’s worth making time for! My niche is elementary, although I know that Speech classes use Readers Theater in middle and high schools. I love to use it in primary grades and upper elementary to practice oral reading, increase reading with expression, and if we’re honest, it’s FUN!   It’s a boredom buster for sure! Somehow kids feel like they are getting away with something everytime I bring out a script to do!   I love seeing their faces light up and the immediate engagement with the scripts.That kind of enthusiasm means that you have their full attention and they are ready to get started!   

But how DO you get started with Readers Theater? Sometimes it’s not knowing where to start or how to find good scripts. (I can save you some time and effort there if you want to check out my selection of great Readers Theater scripts over at my TpT store The Owl Spot!!) But sometimes it’s just not knowing what to do with the script once you have it.    

Stay tuned and I’ll walk you through an easy can’t miss approach to Readers Theater over the next couple weeks!   

Martha 

The Owl Spot