Setting Up My Planner for Summer Break

It's summer break and that means no lesson planning for a few months, and a much more relaxed schedule in general! But I've learned I still function best using my planner, even when I have far less to write down- I end up more stressed when I try to put my planner away! Here's how I switch up my teacher planner in the summer months.1. Remove old monthly...

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3 Kitchen Organization Tools and Tips

After moving into my new house recently I've been working in getting everything organized, and the kitchen was definitely a top priority! Today I'm sharing 3 of my favorite organization tools that have made a huge difference in my kitchen organization without breaking the bank (don't miss the last one, it's definitely my current favorite!).This post...

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Making a Summer Bucket List

How many times have you walked into school on the first teach work day of the new school year saying, "I meant to do ___, where did the summer go?" Having a place to write down goals for things I want to happen over summer break helps me get so much more out of my time off and I feel so much more satisfied, refreshed, and ready for a new year when...

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Bedroom Storage & Seating Upgrade: Yaheetech Storage Ottoman Bench

So I recently moved into a new house and that means a fresh opportunity to organize and design every part of my house- I cannot wait to bring you along as I look for ways to set up our home in ways that are functional and aesthetically pleasing on a teacher budget and a busy mom schedule. I had to start off with my favorite addition to my bedroom that...

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Thematic Units in Concept-Based Planning

If you've read any of my lesson planning content you already know I am forever and always a proponent of concept-based planning. I map out what to teach when based on the skills and concepts that I'm teaching through the lessons. But that doesn't mean I don't teach thematic units that are centered around a topic rather than a skill or concept! Today...

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Building Your Elementary Choral Program

I teach a 5th and 6th grade chorus class, and a 4th grade chorus class, that are both elective pullout classes during the day. When I first started in my current position, there were 12 students total in the 5th and 6th grade combined chorus and 15 in the 4th grade chorus- 27 total singers. That number has grown to 116 total this year (that's 80% of...

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