Blog - Mrs. Winter's Bliss

St. Patrick’s Day in the Classroom

Oh, March...the month when the novelty of snow and cold weather has worn off but the warmth and green of spring has not yet arrived; when winter break feels long ago but spring break is not yet within reach. It can be a long month for teachers. Knowing this, I try to spice things up by making the most of one special day, March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day! Smaller holidays like St. Patrick's Day are fun because it doesn’t take a lot of ... read more

The Power of Morning Greetings

One thing that I love about teaching is that no matter how my morning starts at home (wahhh... spilled coffee!), on my way to school (argggghh...terrible traffic!) or in the school building before the students arrive (seriously, the copier is broken AGAIN?!), when my students arrive to my classroom it feels like it’s the start of something positive and new, our day together. I want my students to feel that same sense of “fresh start” when they ... read more

Encouraging Students to have a Growth Mindset

Hi Friend! Growth mindset is surely one of the biggest trends in education right now, but I think it’s fair to say that the the impact it's making in our classrooms is more than just a buzzword. When students believe that dedication and hard work can change their performance in school, they grow to become more resilient, successful learners. From a young age, it is essential for us to teach our students that their intelligence can be ... read more

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 ... read more