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🦋 Here’s a simple sprint art project you can do wi

🦋 Here’s a simple sprint art project you can do with your students:

You’ll need watercolor paper (computer or construction paper works fine too), watercolors, and black crayons or pastels.

Directly show students how to draw a half butterfly on their papers. I’d recommend they use pencils first, the. Trace with the black crayon or pastel.

Then students can use watercolors to pain the butterfly and background.

You can suggest that they use warm and cold colors to contrast the painting. You can also start the lesson by showing your students pictures of real butterflies so they can see the differences in colors and the intricacies of their wings.

This is a great way to end the day and to give your students a chance for mindfulness and creativity!

#teacherlife #classroomtips #classroomideas #elementaryschool #elementaryart

When I taught in California, this time of year alw

When I taught in California, this time of year always came with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

Our district had us fill out a form indicating whether we planned to return the following year, if we wanted to stay in the same grade level, which other grades we would be open to teaching, or if we wanted to transfer to a different school as part of what was called transfer rounds.

We never knew who would be moving schools, switching grade levels, or leaving altogether, which made the anticipation feel like a waiting game.

Does anyone else’s district do the same thing around this time of year?

#teachertips #elementaryteacher #teacherinspiration #classroomideas #teacherresources

One of the most powerful things we can teach stude

One of the most powerful things we can teach students is how to evaluate their own learning.

But self-assessment doesn’t happen automatically.

Students need:
• clear learning goals and success criteria
• examples of strong work
• structured reflection questions
• opportunities to identify next steps

When students learn how to reflect on their learning, they become more independent, more motivated, and more aware of their progress.

And the bonus?
Teachers gain incredible formative assessment information along the way.

Save this post for later and try one of these strategies this week. You can also comment SELF and I’ll DM you the link to my blog with more info and resources!

#teacherclarity #formativeassessment #learninggoals #successcriteria #visiblelearning

When school data looks like this, the conversation

When school data looks like this, the conversation usually goes straight to intervention.

More tutoring.
More programs.
More test prep.

But one question often gets skipped.

What are students experiencing in Tier 1 instruction every day?

I spent time working with school and district data at the Idaho State Department of Education, and one pattern showed up again and again.

When results were significantly lower than district and state averages across subjects, it rarely meant students couldn’t learn the material.

More often, it pointed to something else:

• learning goals that weren’t clear
• success criteria students couldn’t see or articulate
• instruction and assessment that weren’t fully aligned
• small groups disconnected from core instruction
• too much independent work before students had a foundation

Intervention cannot carry an entire system.

Strong schools start by strengthening core instruction.

When instruction becomes clearer, students understand:
what they’re learning, what success looks like, and how to improve.

And that’s when we begin to see the data change.

If you’re a teacher, coach, or school leader…

What is one thing your team has done to strengthen Tier 1 instruction this year?

👇 I’d love to hear.

Save this post if you’re working on improving instructional clarity in your school.

#teacherclarity #instructionalleadership #instructionalcoach #tier1instruction #formativeassessment

One of the simplest ways to start using AI is by a

One of the simplest ways to start using AI is by asking it to help you clarify what you’re already teaching.

Try using AI to:
• turn standards into student-friendly learning goals
• draft success criteria students can use to check their work
• generate questions to check understanding during a lesson

When students understand the learning goal and what success looks like, the impact on learning is significant. Research around teacher clarity continues to show how powerful that visibility is for students.

AI can’t replace instructional expertise.
But it can help teachers draft, refine, and streamline the thinking work that goes into planning.

That means more time spent on the part that matters most:
responding to students and making instructional decisions.

Start small.

Use AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement for teaching.

Save this post so you have these prompts ready the next time you’re planning.

#teacherclarity #formativeassessment #instructionalcoach #teachertips #educationleadership

There’s a lot of conversation in education about “

There’s a lot of conversation in education about “student-centered learning.”

But research reminds us that structure in instruction still matters. A lot.

Students benefit from opportunities to explore and think deeply.

But many students also need clear explanations, modeling, and guided practice before independence.

Structured instruction isn’t about limiting learning.

It’s about making learning accessible.

Two questions you can try tomorrow before independent work:
What are we learning today?
What will success look like?

Your students’ answers will tell you a lot about the clarity in the room.

What’s one small way you build structure into your lessons?

#teacherclarity #explicitinstruction #teachertips #instructionalcoach #visiblelearning

Testing season is coming up.😅 Something that l’v

Testing season is coming up.😅

Something that l’ve done in the past is to ask families to write their child a “you’ve got this” note. 💪🏻

I ask them to write the letter and put it in an envelope so their child doesn’t see it. I collect all of the letters and pass them out on the first day of testing. 👏🏻

I also make sure to keep track of students who may not get a letter from their families so I can write them a letter or ask the principal or another teacher to write a letter to them.

Students love opening these up on testing day. ❤️ Just something little that can brighten all of our days.

Comment LETTER and I’ll DM you free letter templates.

#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachtoo #teacherlife #teachersofig

It’s time for spring doodles! 🐰 Have your students

It’s time for spring doodles! 🐰 Have your students choose from peeps, rainbows, Easter eggs, or butterflies! These are a great way to practice mindfulness and creativity.

Comment DOODLE and I’ll DM you the link. 😍

#teachersofig #teacherlife #elementaryschoolteacher #teachertips #elementaryteachers

Testing season can be stressful for both students

Testing season can be stressful for both students and teachers, but with the right strategies, we can make it more manageable and date I say, fun! 🎉 From practicing with released test questions to boosting confidence with brain breaks and incentives, there are plenty of ways to ease anxiety and keep students engaged. 💪

Check out my blog for more details, resources, and helpful tips for upper elementary test prep! Comment “TEST” below, and I’ll send you the links! 🔗

Save this for later and tag a friend who could use these strategies!

#testprep #upperelementary #teachertips #endofyearprep #growthmindset

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🦋 Here’s a simple sprint art project you can do wi

🦋 Here’s a simple sprint art project you can do with your students:

You’ll need watercolor paper (computer or construction paper works fine too), watercolors, and black crayons or pastels.

Directly show students how to draw a half butterfly on their papers. I’d recommend they use pencils first, the. Trace with the black crayon or pastel.

Then students can use watercolors to pain the butterfly and background.

You can suggest that they use warm and cold colors to contrast the painting. You can also start the lesson by showing your students pictures of real butterflies so they can see the differences in colors and the intricacies of their wings.

This is a great way to end the day and to give your students a chance for mindfulness and creativity!

#teacherlife #classroomtips #classroomideas #elementaryschool #elementaryart

When I taught in California, this time of year alw

When I taught in California, this time of year always came with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

Our district had us fill out a form indicating whether we planned to return the following year, if we wanted to stay in the same grade level, which other grades we would be open to teaching, or if we wanted to transfer to a different school as part of what was called transfer rounds.

We never knew who would be moving schools, switching grade levels, or leaving altogether, which made the anticipation feel like a waiting game.

Does anyone else’s district do the same thing around this time of year?

#teachertips #elementaryteacher #teacherinspiration #classroomideas #teacherresources

One of the most powerful things we can teach stude

One of the most powerful things we can teach students is how to evaluate their own learning.

But self-assessment doesn’t happen automatically.

Students need:
• clear learning goals and success criteria
• examples of strong work
• structured reflection questions
• opportunities to identify next steps

When students learn how to reflect on their learning, they become more independent, more motivated, and more aware of their progress.

And the bonus?
Teachers gain incredible formative assessment information along the way.

Save this post for later and try one of these strategies this week. You can also comment SELF and I’ll DM you the link to my blog with more info and resources!

#teacherclarity #formativeassessment #learninggoals #successcriteria #visiblelearning

When school data looks like this, the conversation

When school data looks like this, the conversation usually goes straight to intervention.

More tutoring.
More programs.
More test prep.

But one question often gets skipped.

What are students experiencing in Tier 1 instruction every day?

I spent time working with school and district data at the Idaho State Department of Education, and one pattern showed up again and again.

When results were significantly lower than district and state averages across subjects, it rarely meant students couldn’t learn the material.

More often, it pointed to something else:

• learning goals that weren’t clear
• success criteria students couldn’t see or articulate
• instruction and assessment that weren’t fully aligned
• small groups disconnected from core instruction
• too much independent work before students had a foundation

Intervention cannot carry an entire system.

Strong schools start by strengthening core instruction.

When instruction becomes clearer, students understand:
what they’re learning, what success looks like, and how to improve.

And that’s when we begin to see the data change.

If you’re a teacher, coach, or school leader…

What is one thing your team has done to strengthen Tier 1 instruction this year?

👇 I’d love to hear.

Save this post if you’re working on improving instructional clarity in your school.

#teacherclarity #instructionalleadership #instructionalcoach #tier1instruction #formativeassessment

One of the simplest ways to start using AI is by a

One of the simplest ways to start using AI is by asking it to help you clarify what you’re already teaching.

Try using AI to:
• turn standards into student-friendly learning goals
• draft success criteria students can use to check their work
• generate questions to check understanding during a lesson

When students understand the learning goal and what success looks like, the impact on learning is significant. Research around teacher clarity continues to show how powerful that visibility is for students.

AI can’t replace instructional expertise.
But it can help teachers draft, refine, and streamline the thinking work that goes into planning.

That means more time spent on the part that matters most:
responding to students and making instructional decisions.

Start small.

Use AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement for teaching.

Save this post so you have these prompts ready the next time you’re planning.

#teacherclarity #formativeassessment #instructionalcoach #teachertips #educationleadership

There’s a lot of conversation in education about “

There’s a lot of conversation in education about “student-centered learning.”

But research reminds us that structure in instruction still matters. A lot.

Students benefit from opportunities to explore and think deeply.

But many students also need clear explanations, modeling, and guided practice before independence.

Structured instruction isn’t about limiting learning.

It’s about making learning accessible.

Two questions you can try tomorrow before independent work:
What are we learning today?
What will success look like?

Your students’ answers will tell you a lot about the clarity in the room.

What’s one small way you build structure into your lessons?

#teacherclarity #explicitinstruction #teachertips #instructionalcoach #visiblelearning

Testing season is coming up.😅 Something that l’v

Testing season is coming up.😅

Something that l’ve done in the past is to ask families to write their child a “you’ve got this” note. 💪🏻

I ask them to write the letter and put it in an envelope so their child doesn’t see it. I collect all of the letters and pass them out on the first day of testing. 👏🏻

I also make sure to keep track of students who may not get a letter from their families so I can write them a letter or ask the principal or another teacher to write a letter to them.

Students love opening these up on testing day. ❤️ Just something little that can brighten all of our days.

Comment LETTER and I’ll DM you free letter templates.

#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachtoo #teacherlife #teachersofig

It’s time for spring doodles! 🐰 Have your students

It’s time for spring doodles! 🐰 Have your students choose from peeps, rainbows, Easter eggs, or butterflies! These are a great way to practice mindfulness and creativity.

Comment DOODLE and I’ll DM you the link. 😍

#teachersofig #teacherlife #elementaryschoolteacher #teachertips #elementaryteachers

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