ELA The Miss M Way

As teachers, we have a million and one things one our plate on any given day -or at least it feels that way.   Using a planner is the way that I stay organized and prioritize items on my to-do list.   Your planner can be a physical book (if you are "old school" like me) or a digital document (if you prefer to use tech).   You can use the planner to think ahead and even loosely map out lesson plans, grading, deadlines, the end of each marking period, teacher observations, school events, holidays, etc. Using planners to keep you on track   I also like using a planner for my personal life to hold myself accountable for activities such as exercise and laundry, as well as to remind myself about appointments, bills, events, and plans with family and friends.  My planner also includes handwritten daily affirmations and positive messages to keep myself grounded and internally balanced 😊   One of my reasons for using physical planner books i...

To circle back to the makeshift whiteboards created using the plastic sheet protectors and the construction paper, the next piece of invaluable supplies is dry erase markers. Be sure to get these markers in an array of every color imaginable 😊   Having a variety of colors allows you to write on the classroom's whiteboard in a visually appealing manner.   Plus, having numerous colors allows you to color-code those notes and diagrams to aid in clarity and understanding.   It also grants your students with the near-guarantee that they will have marker colors that will be visible on their "construction paper whiteboards." The excitement of dry erase markers   To change things up for your students’ Do Now activity, these colorful dry erase markers will come in handy.   Have a question posted on the whiteboard and invite your students to write their responses on the board as well.   Students tend to jump at the chance to write on the board – for...

All that talk about plastic sheet protectors in the previous post connects to the multiple uses of construction paper.   Keep in mind, construction paper isn’t just for elementary school classrooms.   Regardless of what grade you teach, you will want to have this colorful paper in your classroom.   Of course, construction paper can be used for art projects, decorations, bulletin boards, and signs throughout your classroom, as well as for those makeshift whiteboards mentioned in the previous post.   The whiteboards will be explored further in a moment. Uses of construction paper beyond just arts and crafts   Sticking with the topic of whiteboards, let's say you split your students into six groups for a review game or a random trivia game.  Each group will be provided with a different color “whiteboard”.   How is this accomplished?   Simply put six pieces of construction paper, each of a different color, each into a plastic sheet prot...

This next item is a multipurpose resource.   That resource is a pack of plastic sheet protectors.   I like to keep binders to store my lesson plans and handouts to reference in the future, so I put these papers in plastic sheet protectors.  Even though I have digital versions of everything, I find it convenient, though old-school, to have a physical archive to revisit and flip through.   The sheet protectors help to maintain the condition of the papers and aid in the prevention of tearing, hence surviving for years - well, until I give those lesson plans the boot 😊 Plastic sheet protectors can also serve the role of makeshift lamination of papers.  One example, which I have done, is to "laminate" instructions at learning stations that (ideally) needed to remain durable for several days.   These plastic sleeves do the trick of preserving the instructions, at least the directions remain legible enough for all classes to complete the stations....

As a follow-up to my previous blog post, a companion to masking tape is a collection of Sharpies.     These pens are perfect for creating the on-the-spot labels mentioned in the discussion about masking tape.   Sharpies write with ease and make for stellar visibility.   The bold markings of the Sharpie pens make writing visible from nearly anywhere.      That is why they are perfect for creating informative anchor charts.   The content on each chart can also be color-coded, as Sharpies are available in nearly every color imaginable.   Another tip is to have Sharpies with various tips – no pun intended 😊   There is a standard-size Sharpie tip, and the other options include fine and thick.   Depending on the size of the content you are writing or outlining, one particular-sized Sharpie may work better than others.     When it comes to artwork, Sharpies are a helpful tool.   The bright, bold...

The item I am about to mention may seem insignificant.  Drum roll please.   I recommend having masking tape in your classroom.     Masking tape is one of those items that you won’t realize you need until that moment that you need it. Where and how to use masking tape   If your classroom’s walls are made of that tile-like substance ( you know what I’m talking about ), masking tape will stick well to it.   Use the masking tape to display posters, reference sheets, decorations, students' work, and anything else your heart desires.   Masking tape can also be a quick-fix for creating labels.  It came in handy for me one year when, on the last day of school, my students had to turn in the locks from their lockers.  I wrote each lock's combination on a piece of masking tape and stuck it on the back of the appropriate lock for the next school year's recipient.     I have also used masking tape to create ins...

The next item on the list is s omething you will thank yourself for having when the timing of your lesson falls short.  This something is "early finisher" activities. Having “down-time” can be a recipe for disaster, especially when your students are pre-teens or teenagers.   Oh, the teen years!   When you remember that you have “early finisher” activities prepared, you will feel like a miracle was just performed.     These activities can be directly connected to the subject-matter or can be something random yet educational.   Mine are a combination of both 😊 Device-free activities   Because kids spend so much time in front of screens in today’s world, between their phones and their computers, all of the “early finisher” activities I offer are in the form of papers or books.   I believe it is helpful for kids’ brains and eyes to get a break from devices.   Also, often times students’ default is to go to bright-screened...