February Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Welcome to our February Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a Happy Valentines Day.  We have so many fab things this month from Field Trips and ELA and reading ideas, to celebrating Black History Month and President's Day, you don't want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators. 

If you're interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs and blogging buddies and our blog linky, sign up here....The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names. 

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Have I Ever Told You?
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning 

 Adding more to the air than love this February.
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Ya Gotta Love Field Trips or Not!
By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

I was inspired to write this blog post after listening to my 3 podcast buddies tell about their Field Trip Follies: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, on our podcast, We Teach So Hard. I, too have stories to tell. So pull up a chair, sip some wine and read on…

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Black History Month Celebration
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Showcase your students' learning with a black history month celebration. Show your students learning creatively, inviting parents along the way. 
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Design a Monster: A Makerspace Activity
By Laura Cripe of Under One Roof 

 Makerspace activities are all the rage these days. Learn how my kids used our makerspace to design and create their own Halloween monster. This is the perfect activity for elementary students who are too excited about Halloween to do any kind of regular school work.
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How to Choose Between Eager of Anxious
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Be sure to say what you mean when choosing between "eager" and "anxious."

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 Writing with Colors

By Erik Arndt of Insights to English 

 I've found that using colors when writing on the whiteboard can be helpful in multiple ways. Colors can be used to create associations in the minds of learners, and the more you repeat the same method of color usage, the more those associations will strengthen in the learners' minds. Using these associations, students are quicker to find mistakes or identify what they're supposed to do.

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Is Dyslexia a Gift?

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight  

 Can dyslexia be considered a gift? Read this post before you decide.

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Put Your Heads Together to Brainstorm

By Sally Hansen of Purposeful Plans

Brainstorming can be an intimidating and daunting task for many students.  It's hard for young writers to come up with ideas for a topic without having a lot of life experience.  It is necessary to brainstorm WITH your students in the beginning, then gradually hand over the responsibility to students once you have taught them strategies and skills to use.

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Valentine Tabletop Decoration Gift for the Family

By Margo Gentile of Margo Gentile 

 Your older elementary(gr.4+) can make this beautiful Valentine tabletop decoration gift for their family. Part construction/part craft, the kids will enjoy making this project. It even lights up.  

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Differentiation in the Classroom
By Marcy Howe of It's a Teacher Thing

Differentiating in your classroom can be a lot easier than you may think. Learn five easy ways to differentiate in your 4th through 8th grade classroom and help all students succeed.
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Valentine's Day Help
By Lisa Robles of LisateachR's Classroom

  Here's your go-to for some Valentine's help!!
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3 Questions to Get You Through Teacher Evaluation Season
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 It's that time of year...You're going to be observed and evaluated. What will you teach? Sometimes, it feels like a dog and pony show. These 3 questions will help you authentically reflect on your growth.
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 Tried & True Bookmaking: Pop-Up Book
 By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Here's an oldie but a goodie: the pop-up book. Kids (and adults) never get tired of making these because there are so many options for creativity.
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