August 2019 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It's August Teacher Talk Time.....Hopefully those of you who are back to school this month are off to a great beginning with the best classes ever.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you're interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or 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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 Is Summer Vacation Over Already?

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Someone posted on Facebook that August is like Sunday for teachers! We're elated when the weekend comes around, and love Saturday, it's one of our fun days, but then the dreaded Sunday comes, you have to correct papers, do lesson plans, and go to bed at a reasonable hour, you know the routine.  Then there's the month of August, it just seems to zooooom by and before you know it your summer vacation is like a dream gone by.  But you do Love teaching, it's your calling. Read on for some first day teaching tips.

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How Morning Meeting Can Become a Sacred Space
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning 

 Adding new practices to make Morning Meeting a peaceful and calm transition to your teaching and learning day.

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 5 Meaningful No-Prep Activities for the First Week of School
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

If you're frantically planning for your first day or week of school, here are five tried & true activities (not busy work!) to keep your students engaged while you get to observe and learn more about them. And be sure to download all the FREEBIES!

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 Developing Powerful, Enthusiastic Readers

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

 Every teacher wants a classroom filled with powerful and enthusiastic readers. This is a terrific goal for the new school year…and it can be accomplished with

this design.

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 Free Video to Teach Prepositional Phrases
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Here's a FREE video to teach prepositional phrases.

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 Developing and Writing Effective Lesson Plans for Math
By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

 We often hear of research based strategies and how to use them in our classrooms. Having worked at two colleges in the past ten years, I have discovered that some who are doing this research have never been in a classroom or taught anyone under the age of 18! (Sad but True) 

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  Using Math Centers in the Upper Elementary Classroom
By Kris McWilliams of Mistakes Allow Things to Happen

 Thinking about adding Math Centers to your classroom math block? This article will help you take steps to implement a plan in an upper elementary school classroom.

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 Ease New School Year Teacher Anxiety
 By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Tips to ease Teachers' back to school anxiety.

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 Math Games: Observing Your Students Makes Back-to-School a Breeze!
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 Want to know an easy peasy way to really get to know your kiddos at the beginning of the year? Play some math games with them and sit back and watch. This is one teacher's approach to collecting student data.
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Recommended Reading Board
By Erik Arndt of Insights to English

Create a wall display of books (or better yet: series of books) that your students should consider reading. Make sure to have a variety of formats and genres so that there’s something for everyone!
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 This is the Time to Start Your Year Off Right With an Amazing Close Reading Lesson
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR's Classroom

 This is the time to start your year off right with an amazing close reading lesson. As the school year starts, this is the best time to start with close reading.
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Be sure to click the links and mosey on over to all the fabulous blog posts submitted by our members. Lots of tips on back to school activities, mathematics, reading and so much more.

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Click here to enter

The Star of the Show....Teacher Talk's Featured Author...Vicky Rauch!

It's TEACHER TALK'S Featured Author

August 2018

Vicky Rauch
Scipi

I've been teaching since "the earth cooled". My husband also teaches, and together, we've been doing it for 80+ years! I currently teach "mathphobics" at a local community college. Math is my specialty, and I believe anyone can learn this dreaded subject if taught correctly. My classroom is always energetic and includes many hands-on activities. Occasionally I sing, show math movies, and even do a few math cheers! I currently teach mathphobics on the college level. (Students who failed to qualify to take College Algebra.)

I have been married to the same handsome man for 48 years and we have three grown children and 13 grandchildren from all over the world. (5 biological and 8 adopted)  I am the one with the sunglasses. All of our children and grandchildren (except one) live within 20 minutes of our house. Since our oldest grandson now lives and works in another city, we represented him with his “big” head.

The Name of my store is Scipi Products (Sci is for science because my husband teaches science, and pi is for math because I teach math). As you may have guessed, we sell math and science products!

My Favorite Free Product...

Number Tiles is a FREE seven page resource containing four different math problem solving activities for the grades 5-8. The activities extend from addition and multiplication, to using the divisibility rules. Students solve the Number Tile Math Activities by arranging ten number tiles, numbered 0-9. Each problem is given on a single page, and each activity varies in difficulty which is suitable for any diverse classroom. 

 My best-selling (and loved) product...

           
My geometry crossword puzzles sell very well. Because they are so popular, I made a bundle of them that contains seven different crossword puzzles that emphasize geometric vocabulary. Included are two crosswords about circles, two that highlight polygons (quadrilaterals and triangles), two concerning angles and one with an emphasis on lines, points, and angles.

My favorite product...

My favorite item in my store is a Math Dictionary which took me forever to make. I found the glossaries and mini dictionaries in the back of most of the math books were inadequate and lacking in visuals; so, I created one. It is 30 pages and uses easy and clear definitions as well as formulas and examples so that students can learn and understand new math words without difficulty or cumbersome language.  Most definitions include diagrams and/or illustrations for the visual learner.  Over 300 common math terms are organized alphabetically for quick reference.

The best thing about being a TBOTEMC member...

I love the sense of community this group gives me. I finally met seven of the members (including Vicky which is also my name) when we had lunch together at the TPT Conference in Nashville. They are a fun group with a passion for teaching.

                                     

Where can you find me?

TpTStore

Blog

Pinterest

Email

Stop by for a visit!

August Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It's AugustTeacher Talk Time.....Hopefully those of you who are back to school this month are off to a great beginning with the best classes ever.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you're interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or 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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Qigong,The Healthy Body Routine that I Fell In Love With
By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

If you’re anything like me, you just don’t love exercising, no matter how much you try to like it, you just don’t. Of course you want to eat that delicious cookie, ice cream, or chocolate, but you don’t dare because it goes right to your hips and you’ll feel oh so guilty! 
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August 
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Aaaaahhh....August! August is the Sunday night of a teacher's year. We are looking forward to our learning and teaching days to come, yet longing for just a little more summer.
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Back to School & The First Days' Razzle Dazzle ...Feathers & Sequins Not Necessary
By Tracy Wills of Wild Child's Mossy Oak Musings

I used to feel a lot like Billy Flynn on the first few days of school. Billy Flynn is the flim-flam lawyer character in the musical "Chicago." The first day of school felt like opening night at the theater...a little bit of grease paint, some sequins, some feathers... and JAZZ HANDS! 
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3 Tried and True Tips to Start the Year off like a Boss!
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

In my earlier years of teaching I used to spend the time before school focusing on the physical aesthetics of setting up my classroom (and it sure was cute!), but my focus has shifted over the years. Read on for 3 tried and true tips to start the year off like a boss!
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Integrating Contemporary Algerian R and B Music in the French Classroom
By Lorraine Sabio of Urbino12

Algerian R and B in the French Classroom
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Back to School 2018
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Here's an idea for the first week of school.
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Common School Irritations
By Scipi of Scipi

Have you ever noticed that the same old problems keep resurfacing year after year in your classroom? Isn’t it funny how the little things sometime put us over the edge?
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How to close read a novel with your whole class.
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR's Classroom

Step by step instructions on how to close read a novel with your whole class.
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4 Easy Steps to Master Buttoning
By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Teaching children to button is easy and straightforward, but is a skill that is often overlooked.  
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My Five Favorite Apps for the Classroom
By Katie DeLeon of A Basket Full of Apples 

Do you want to know what awesome apps to use in your classroom? This is the blog post for you! Learn all about my favorite apps. 
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Easy Ways to Reduce Your Grading 
By Marcy Howe of It's a Teacher Thing

Learn three easy ways to help reduce your grading and increase your valuable time with students. 
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 Students are Busy as Bees earning Brag Bracelets
By Sally Hansen of Purposeful Plans

Brag bracelets provide a fast and easy form of positive reinforcement for students’ behavior and academic effort in school. This immediate award is a positive boost reminding students of their worth. You can use them throughout the school year to encourage students to apply their best work ethic while boosting self-esteem.  
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First Week of School Activities
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching

Great tips for activities to do with your class the first week of school.
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Be sure to check out all of our wonderful teacher authors' posts by clicking the links below.

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