Classroom Supplies

Unfortunately summer is ending fast and those of us who teach are starting to think of new things we can add to our classroom to not only make it more productive but more fun as well. I have found that adding some fun ways for children to take control of their own education can help provide an easier year for the whole class. Some great classroom supplies that you can add to your classroom include a yacker tracker. This is a stop light that enables the children to see when they are getting too loud. I love active classrooms but I hate being a noise monitor too. With this classroom supply, children can be in control of their own noise and you will be amazed at how it works. The children love it. I think it is a great investment. You can even set the stop light to your comfort level. Children really learn well when they are given the opportunity to explore and chat with one another. If you like group work in your classroom this classroom supply is a must! Enjoy!

Class Room Games and Class Room Activities

I am about to start teaching again after being home with my kids, I am so excited but feel I have been out of the loop for a while. The biggest concern I have is when the kids finish their work, what are some good ideas for them to do so they are still learning and not just wasting time?

One of the best things I have found as a Math teacher is to have great puzzles and games for them to do. You will find that puzzles are a great challenge for the mind. I have found a few puzzles that have shapes and you have to recreate pictures. It is a great usable time filler. Also try some class room games and class room activities. A great thing that I have recently found is Early Finisher Cards from Mailbox. You will love these sturdy pre-made subject specific cards for the kids to do. You can even use these cards for work station activities if you are running out of ideas and need some small group instruction time. You can group them according to skill and let the kids go through at their own pace. Blocus is a great class room game too. Giving children freedom and time to manipulate challenging games and activities will prove to not only make your classroom fun but increase their brain power too.

Active Play Toys

We all loved playing actively as a child and we didn't even know it was a valuable need in our development. Children need to play actively for many reasons. Active play toys enable children to develop gross motor skills. They also enable children to predict and follow through. Active play toys can also aid children in eye-hand coordination as well as allowing them to try new things and even sometimes fail. All of the skills mentioned above can be accomplished with active toys like: bean bags, tricycles, ball games, and kind of throwing games, jumping or balancing tools and much more. You may not know exactly what skill is being encouraged when your child is playing with active play toys but encourage them to do it any way! If anything they are getting some exercise and trust that other skills are being encouraged as well. Enjoy the spring and summer months. Get your kids active and outside!

Mathematics Teaching Aids

Math can be a really boring subject when students are just asked to drill and practice over and over again. It is easy, though to make math fun. Getting various mathematics teaching aids can really spice up the math classroom. Some examples of some fun mathematics teaching aids are:

* Wiki Sticks: let the children create 3-D objects with these wax sticks so that they can see for themselves what 3-D really means. They will also gain a hands-on understanding of the attributes of certain figures.

* Movie clips: if you are studying proportions let them watch a movie clip and find certain proportions in it like: boys to girls, chairs to tables, etc...

* Go outside: let the students find geometric shapes or even mathematical concepts outside. You would be amazed how math is in the real world every day!

* Blocks: blocks can be used to explain graphs, probability, more or less, and just about anything else. Be creative with blocks.

* Nerf Basketball: stick a nerf basketball goal in your classroom and give them the chance to shoot baskets -you can make fractions, probability, chance, integers with ones made and ones missed. The list is endless.

These are just a few options of some great mathematics teaching aids. It never hurts to add a little creativity to the math classroom. Who knows, your kids may actually find Math their favorite subject.

Teaching Aids for Teachers

The year is winding down and I know most teachers are not thinking about what they will do differently next year. They are probably just trying to close this year up and feel somewhat successful. I have found in my years of teaching that it is helpful in your plans to write down what worked and what didn't while it is still fresh in your mind. That way when you do return to it later on the next year, you will remember if it was a successful lesson or not. Constantly be looking for teaching aids for teachers. You will find that when you are in the dollar store this summer or at Walmart in a small town visiting family that there are many things you can find to make your classroom more successful! Keep an eye out for new ways to bring life to your classroom and to your teaching. Well done this year, looking forward to new things next year. That is why we are all teachers, isn't it? We don't like for things to be the same - change is fun and healthy! Have a great summer!

Teaching Math to Kids

A lot of children do not like Math. It could be for various reasons but most of the time it is because they do not understand it and feel it is "beating" them. When you are teaching math to kids, make sure to keep that in mind. I remember my dad getting so frustrated when I didn't understand something in math. Now that I actually teach it, I understand his frustration but I also understand that every child learns a bit differently.

Try to have various ways to explain something in your classroom when presenting a new mathematical concept and when teaching math to kids. For example: hands on items, games, seeing the math concept in real life examples, and even having them act it out. These are different learning styles that will enable most children to learn a new math concept. Granted, this is not a cure all and since we didn't go in to specifics here, I understand you still may be frustrated like my dad! Don't give up, keep showing them the same concept over and over again in different ways and you will be surprised when one day it clicks!