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Second Grade Smiles

A Teaching Blog by Amanda Taylor

advice for new teachers

First Week of School Read Alouds and Activities That Help to Build a Strong Classroom Community

Thoughtfully selected first week of school read alouds can help to set a positive and welcoming tone for the school year. With this in mind, I look for inclusive titles that will support me in honoring all students as valued members of our classroom community. For me, this means books that feature diverse characters with […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School, Classroom Community, Favorite Read Alouds 2 Comments

Making Flexible Seating Work for You

Let’s talk about why teachers are investing in flexible seating! What’s all the buzz about? Research shows that our brains form maps from the body’s “relationship scenery”. That means that changing a learner’s position in the room throughout the day can provide more unique “learning addresses”, which can contribute to better recall of learning. Further, […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School, Creative Teaching Ideas Leave a Comment

My Best Advice for New Teachers

Looking for advice for new teachers? If it is your first year teaching, congratulations on landing your first teaching job! As you embark upon this amazing journey, you will impact the lives of twenty-something little people in countless ways this year. It is an awesome responsibility and a privilege. There will be smiles, moments of […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School Leave a Comment

Tips for Stress-Free Learning Center Activities

I love that running daily learning centers in my classroom gives me the opportunity to work with small groups and differentiate my guided reading instruction. It also encourages my students to build independent and partner work skills. Over the years, I’ve learned that thoughtful planning and routines are key to setting up my classroom for […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School, Learning Centers 4 Comments

Building Relationships with Students Beginning Those First Weeks of School

You’ve heard it before – building relationships with students is key to both your students’ academic success and successful classroom management. It makes sense. Students perform better and behave better for teachers who they feel a connection with, the people they know care about them and have made an effort to get to know them. […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School 3 Comments

Math Manipulatives You’ll Need to Teach Second Grade

There are so many options out there for teaching second grade math using hands-on manipulatives. It’s easy to feel like you need it all, but if you’re like most teachers, you’re on a budget. Here are the math manipulatives I couldn’t live without and some tips for making your own or finding them at affordable […]

Filed Under: Advice for Teachers, Back to School, Math Leave a Comment

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