Blog - Mrs. Winter's Bliss

Valentine’s Day in the Classroom

Hi Friend! I don’t know about you but I find Valentine’s Day to be one of the best holidays to celebrate with kids! My heart just bursts when I see all the sweet (and often hilarious) ways they choose to express their love for their family, friends & their teachers on this special day. ❤ While I am excited for Valentine’s Day, doesn’t it feel like we JUST finished celebrating all those December holidays?! We hardly had a breather! So to ... read more

Let’s Talk Math! Implementing Math Talk in the Classroom

Hello Friend! For almost two decades the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has been pushing for more writing and talking in math instruction and learning. While this is an obvious focus in literacy instruction, it seems it has been slower to catch on in math. Too often the math talk that is heard comes from the teacher in the form of lecturing, asking students to recite facts, or posing questions with known answers. The Common ... read more

Teaching Story Retell and Sequence Writing

Hi Friend! From very early on in life kids learn that one thing follows another. Young children come to recognize patterns and routines that help make the world more predictable for them. Parents establish routines at home for bedtime; first we brush teeth, then we read a book, and finally lights out! (it’s that easy, right??😉) Teachers set routines for the school day so students know what to expect and what is expected of them. As ... read more

Process Praise : The Importance of Giving Students Effective Feedback

Often when we hear about successful individuals we hear about their final product- the record they broke, the award they won, or the new position they attained. Their success sometimes seems automatic and inevitable, especially to children. What we don’t hear enough about is the process- the the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the perseverance and effort it took to achieve that success. The process for many things can be frustrating, ... read more

The Importance of Challenging All Students

Years ago challenging work was something teachers saved for only their top students. It was an extension activity or something to keep those early finishers busy while they waited for their classmates to catch up. It wasn’t for everyone, it was saved for the “talented and gifted” students. Fortunately, times have changed and teachers are now encouraged to ensure that students of all levels are appropriately challenged. Thank goodness for ... read more

Turning Mistakes into Opportunities for Learning

As September approaches and students return to the classroom many teachers will ask students to set goals for what they’d like to achieve this year. On the list you’re likely to see things like, “make new friends”, “get good grades,” and “learn new things”. One you are less likely to see is, “make mistakes”. I guess that’s no surprise. Students often feel shame when they make a mistake. Too often success in the classroom is determined ... read more