A Simple Trick for Learning Students’ Names

Learning every student’s name, and pronouncing it correctly, is one of the simplest but most powerful ways to build community in the classroom. On the first day of school (which was just 2 days ago) I always use a little trick to help me get it right every time and it will help you, too.

Why Names Matter

Names are more than labels. They’re part of our identity. When we pronounce a child’s name correctly, it shows respect, builds trust, and communicates that they belong in our classroom. Even the youngest students notice when we get their names right and families deeply appreciate the effort.

My Go-To Trick

On the first day of school, I ask each student to say their name while I record it on my phone. Later, I take the recordings home and practice. Hearing the names directly from my students helps me master pronunciations quickly and confidently.  (I admit to still writing down a few names phonetically based on how THEY pronounced it on the video to help me the next day!)  I tape everyone even though it's only about 5-6 student names that I need help with. A quick 30 second total video is all that's needed!

The Payoff

This small routine makes a big impact. Students smile when they hear their names spoken correctly, and it sets a positive tone for the year. It helps establish strong relationships and a sense of community and belonging from the start.

Try It Yourself

If you struggle with names or teach a large group of students, give this simple trick a try. A few minutes of listening and practicing can make all the difference in helping your students feel valued and seen.

NOTE:  Earlier on in my career, I would say the child's name on the first day and they'd tell me it's correct when it wasn't.  Many don't want to contradict a teacher. I'd find out later that I wasn't saying it properly and would feel terrible.

I hope your year is off to a good start.  I've only had two days but I'm already feeling a sense of community.  Sweet kids!  I have 20 this year.  How about you? 

Make Morning Meetings the Best Part of Your Day (And Save Tons of Time!)

LET'S BE REAL: There’s a lot on your plate at the start of a new school year. Between prepping supplies, organizing your classroom, and learning a whole new batch of personalities, it’s easy to let routines like Morning Meeting slide to the bottom of the to-do list. This is especially true if YOU need to come up with your own components. All. Year. Long.

But what if I told you that Morning Meeting could actually make your days smoother, your classroom community stronger, and your lesson planning easier?

Let me show you how easier your Back-to-School season can be! 

🌟 What is Morning Meeting and Why Does It Matter?

Morning Meeting is a simple but powerful daily routine that sets the tone for learning. It helps students feel seen, safe, and connected and when kids feel connected and part of a community, everything runs more smoothly.

Each Morning Meeting lasts around 15 minutes and includes:

• A Greeting to build connections

• A Share to build confidence and communication skills

• An Activity to promote teamwork and laughter

• A Message to set expectations and/or spark conversation

I’ve written in-depth posts on each of the four components, so if you're looking for ideas or inspiration, you can dive deeper here:

• All About Morning Meeting Greetings

• Meaningful Share Prompts for Morning Meeting

• Quick & Easy Morning Meeting Activities

• How to Write a Morning Message That Matters

⏱️ Save HOURS with These Ready-to-Use Slides

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every morning! 

My Monthly Morning Meeting resources give you 25 complete days of slides you can project or print. All are aligned with social-emotional learning and perfect for Kindergarten, First and Second Grade. (Each month is DIFFERENT with about 5 repeat activities/greetings that are favorites. When they pop up, the kids get very excited!)

So no more scrambling ten minutes before school starts each day. Just click and project.  Here is a closer look at some of my September Slides.

🗓️ Use It How YOU Want

Teachers have told me they use these slides:

• As part of a Responsive Classroom model (But if not RC, they still are perfect for MM!)

• During Afternoon Meeting/Closing Circle, Circle Time, or SEL blocks

• For sub plans (They’re that easy! I print out one of each and leave for Sub.)

• As a reference tool. Some display only the message but still use everything else in the meeting...just not projected.)

And because there are some slides that are editable, you can add a greeting, share or activity to fit your class needs.

💸 HUGE Back-to-School Discount Coming!

Next week during the sitewide sale, this BUNDLED resource will be an additional 25% off! The bundle is already discounted everyday from $60 to $48 and next week, the bundle will be on sale for $36.

The sale will start on Tuesday, August 5, at 12:01am ET and end on Wednesday, August 6. Use the promo code BTS25.

👉Still not convinced this can make your life easier?  Want to Try Before You Buy? Grab the Free Week of Morning Meetings to see how simple and powerful these can be! 

Whether you’re new to Morning Meeting or just want to start fresh this year, this is the best time to jump in.

✨ Final Thought

Morning Meeting doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, when it’s simple, consistent, and meaningful, it becomes one of the best parts of the day.

Let this be the year you jump in and take the plunge. Less planning. More connecting. That’s a win-win!

Happy teaching,

The One Phrase That Turns Students Into Problem Solvers

As elementary teachers, we’re constantly asked to solve problems whether they are big or small. But for the past few years, I’ve been using one simple phrase that has transformed my classroom culture:

“I can’t wait to see how you handle that.”

When a student comes to me with a minor issue like a broken pencil, a missing crayon, or a table partner who is disturbing them, I pause before stepping in. Instead of solving it for them, I hand it back to them with, "I can't wait to see how you handle that."

And guess what? It works. It’s not dismissive. It’s empowering.

This simple line encourages independence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills which are all essential parts of a growth mindset classroom.

By giving students ownership of small challenges, I’m helping them (my Fabo Firsties!) build confidence and resilience. They start to see that they can handle things on their own and and that their solutions often work. It sends the message: “You’ve got this.” And more often than not, they really do

And over time, I’ve seen real growth. Students start thinking through solutions on their own. They take ownership. They become problem-solvers.

Of course, I’m always there for the big stuff. But for the day-to-day bumps? This one phrase shifts the power back to the kids.

If you’re looking for simple ways to build student independence, promote critical thinking, and strengthen problem-solving skills in your elementary classroom, give this phrase a try. (With lots and lots of modeling/role-playing at first.) It’s a small shift that leads to big growth.

Why Did I Wait So Long?! The Poetry Binder Hack That Saved My Sanity

I've finally figured out a classroom poetry binder system that actually saves me time—and I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner! If you’re a teacher looking to simplify monthly poem organization, you’re going to want to try this.

The Struggle Was Real

Every month, I’d print out our classroom poems, pass them out, and watch 20 tiny humans try to line them up with the three rings in the binders.  Of course I'd help but by the time I got all the way around the room, poems were upside-down, backwards and out of order. 😅

I did this September-June!  Every. Single. Month..

I thought I was doing things efficiently. I really did.

Spoiler: I was not.

Enter: My New Binder System

This year, I did something wild — I printed the entire year's worth of poems ahead of time. Yup. All of them. Double-sided. Sorted by month. Dividers which were simply labeled, "September Poems, October Poems, etc. included.

I handed out binders in September and said to my colleagues, “I'm done.” And guess what? I really was!

Here's What I Do Now

• Copy/paste just the poems I want into one master document (Thank you, Google Slides link in my TPT packet ).

• Number every poem so we can find them quickly

• Print double-sided and sorted by month (include Month dividers!)

• Put into binders just ONE TIME!

• Done and done.

Bonus: A Google Slides Shortcut!

If you're using my TPT poetry packet, grab the Google Slides link. I just drop the poems I want into one doc, and it's way easier to edit and prep for print. Then when I'm introducing a poem, no more scrolling. They are in the exact order I need them and display perfectly on my projector.  (I also have PDFs included which I used for display for years.  But while helpful, not ideal.  Slides much better!)

Seriously, Try It

I feel like an idiot for not doing this sooner — but also like a genius now. 😂 If you're still doing the month-to-month chaos, consider giving this full-year method a try. It’s honestly one of the best time-saving shifts I’ve made.

And don't forget, my September Poetry Packet is FREE!  

Birthday Celebrations in the Classroom (Update)

This is an update to the post Birthday Celebrations in the Classroom.

What's different?

No.

More.

Making.

Individual.

Cards.

They are so stinkin' cute though, aren't they?

Then why did I stop this year? My class was taking FOREVER (and a day!) to make them.  Seriously!  

Our schedule is SO TIGHT this year (don't get me started!) and all the kids were taking WAY more than the 15 minutes "Do-Now" time. I mean WAYYYYYY more than 15 minutes.  Heck, some kids are still making a card from October as I write this...

Seriously, it became a huge time suck and I found myself getting agitated.

Way.

Too.

Agitated.

What do I do now?  

Yep. That's what they get. Nothing fancy, I know. (They still do other things in the original post. This replaces cards.)

What do they think? They LOVE IT! They get to take it home and hang up in their room.

What do I think? I LOVE it because kids can sign name and draw a small pic if they want throughout the day and it doesn't take up really any time since kids sign during "down times."

Note: 3/4 of my class took F-O-R-E-V-E-R. The other ones took about 2.2 seconds and Id have to remind them to put in effort, etc. Their final card never changed much. So, this change, for me, was a "good for all" change.

Honestly, I sort of feel like the Birthday Scrooge by not allowing them to make cards but it works,  For me.  What works for you?  I'd honestly love to know!

COMING NEXT WEEK: SQUASH THE BUG: A Writing Workshop Tip.

Welcome to My Classroom Part 1

A peek into my classroom during the first two days of school:

Don't all First Graders love dinosaurs?  Next week, kids will finish "I think First Grade will be Dino-Rific because..." and I'll add their writing under their names. While most kids will write their response, a few children will most likely choose to draw and color in their response. Choice is important.

Sharkey Mullarkey was a gift to me from my Second Grade class years ago when my first book (about the beach) came out. It used to be in my foyer, then used by our pool and now, I think it's found its forever home right ourside my classroom.

I'm going to shrink the odd/even posters that I got for free on TpT so I can fit a free Friends of Ten poster. Do you see those magnetic "dice" on the board? I work on having kids memorize the dice dots so they don't have to count them when we play games this year. Subitizing practice is always a must and dice dots should be included.

My brother and sister-in-law gave me a Target giftcard for my birthday so I bought this lightboard.

Not sure how I'll use it but for now, I love it!

You can see in the other pictures that I have books all over my classroom. If interested in learning HOW EASY it is to organize your library, watch THIS VIDEO.

If you need to get more books in your library, I can help you! Check out this video.

I'm in a new classroom ths year. It is at least 3 times the size of my old one. I cannot believe the storage. For first time, I have a large coat/cubby room, water fountain/sink in classroom, a HUGE bathroom with another sink, and a TON of storage. This is WAY more than I had in my other room and this is only about 1/3 of the storage in my current room that I'm showing you. My Affirmation Station is new. Do you say affirmations with your students? Lots of power in those words!

I love how I do my jobs. If interested to hear how I implement this EASY program, watch this video.

Magic Play Clay available for FREE in my store! Can do anytime of the year!

Although I had two great days with my students, it was EXHAUSTING! (I've been on medical leave the last 18 months.) I was glad for Saturday to roll around!

Hope your year got off to a super start!

Henry at Home Picture Book Review

Henry at Home is such a fantastic Back-to-School book. Truly a lovely, realistic story that will resonate with a lot of little ones. (I highly recommend for K-2.)

Henry, at first, has a hard time adjusting and is angry that Liza went on to Kindergarten without him. How will he swing with no one to push him? But he does manage to pump his feet and discovers his own independence.

I love how the author, Megan Maynor, keeps it real. After Henry adjusts to the change, he still misses Liza BUT also sometimes wishes she could go away and leave him alone.

The illustrations, by Alea Marley,  are adorable and they capture this sweet sibling relationship perfectly. It's a terrific read-aloud and perfect for not only Back-to-School, but for Family (transitions) and Friendship units.

This will be a must-read first day of school book for me.  I predict this is going to be a major player in the book world.  It should be! 

Can I share two fun products I just posted in my store?  I was so excited to make this Affirmation Station last week and hang it up in my classroom. 

I've used my Rock the Rug rules for years in my classroom.  Although we have our Responsive Classroom rules, I find carpet rules to be a must for my First Graders.  Take a peek!

Goal Setting With Students

Do your students set goals for themselves?  

In my classroom, we have weekly class goals. After we had a student trip over a chair that wasn't pushed in, we made our goal, "Let's push our chairs in every time we get up."

By having the whole class involved, this goal was easy to reach. I'd see kids motion for a friend to push in their chair or see them get up and push in a chair when needed.

A small goal but it solved a safety problem.

I find that my kids love these weekly goals as long as I circle back to them daily and they're purposeful. They need that auditory reminder as well as the visual Weekly Class Goal board. When we revisit their goals frequently- just for a minute or two a day, I find the goals tend to be reached. 

Now I have my class make monthly goals for themselves...in First Grade!  Yep. They can do it! I like to make it into a small "book" and hang up (WITHIN REACH!) so it's a visual reminder and one they can reread and revisit.

Book on Goal Setting

I start off by reading them some books involving goal setting.  Here are a few I like a lot:

Realistic vs. Unrealistic or Not Yet Goals

Next, we talk about REALISTIC goals and what they look like.  I make a chart of goals I set and reached in the past year.  

Then I share some silly UNREALISTIC goals I made in the past.  Often these are silly goals BUT can also be NOT YET goals.

Before we make individual goals, I spend two weeks making class goals.  JUST TWO GOALS...one for each week.  We brainstorm the problems we're having and decide (vote) on the one goal we want to set.

I write it on the board and refer back to it several times throughout the week.  Each day, I reread it with the kids during Morning Meeting.  Then, I refer back to it when I see/notice our class working toward that goal.  "I noticed everyone at this table pushed in their chairs when we lined up for art. I'm so relieved no one tripped over a chair and got hurt. I'm so glad we picked that goal. (Then I'll motion toward the goal ot actually read it)

Making Our Own Goals

Then we make this simple booklet to display in the classroom.  Here's a peek at a sample:

Note: These two videos might not load on mobile.

Revisiting Goals Daily

Then, each day, I'll ask the kids to close their eyes and think about their goals they made for the month.

"Are you getting closer to reaching the goal?" "Is there something I can do to help you reach your goal?" "Is there a problem your having that surprises you?" "Did you reach your goal?" 

Then I have the kids share out sometimes with a friend, deskmate, or the whole class.  This takes 3-5 minutes a day but is essential to staying FOCUSED on the goal and keeping it in sight.

This year, I'm making the books a bit more "formal" like above so they can double as a room decoration! Why not?

It's been a goal of mine over the last year! :)

Happy goal making!