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 I Keep the Same Bulletin Board Up Every Year (And I’m So Glad I Do)

Confession: I used to stress about bulletin boards. I'd spend way too much time trying to make the layout work, only to realize the board was in a weird, hard-to-reach spot where nothing ever looked quite right. I’d try to divide it. Make it “seasonal.” Rotate displays. It never really worked.

Then I stopped.

A few years ago, I created a board with one simple, powerful message: "The Power of Yet." Bright colors. Big, bold letters. It looked great, and more importantly, it meant something.

At the start of the year, I use it to teach a lesson about growth mindset and the “magical yet.” You can’t read… yet. You don't know how to use a number line… yet. We talk about how our brains grow, and the board becomes a visual reminder of that all year long. I use this book before introducing the board:

And here’s the best part: I leave it up all year. I even leave it up over the summer. (I didn't ask...just did it!)

No more climbing on chairs to staple borders. No more second-guessing a theme. No more back-to-school panic about decorations.

It’s become one of the best classroom decisions I’ve made. Time-saving? Yes. Meaningful? Absolutely. And honestly, the message never gets old.

So if you’ve been thinking about simplifying your bulletin boards, this is your sign. Pick a message that matters—and let it shine all year long.

My New Favorite PD Hack: EdWeb

If you need PD hours and haven’t checked out EdWeb yet… do it! I just discovered it and I’m honestly impressed. It’s completely free, super easy to navigate, and packed with informative sessions on everything from classroom management to tech tips.

You can watch live or catch the replays, and it even tracks your certificates for you. No stress. Just solid professional learning from the comfort of your couch. 🙌

Here is a screenshot of just a few of the offerings so you get a sense of what they are all about.

I just finished the Webinar Top 3 Techniques for Engaging Math Lessons with High-Quality Instruction.

I did come away with some new ideas to implement and a different perspective on my how I implement my Math Warm-Up session. Nothing crazy earth-shattering but helpful. Reminders. I enjoyed it. Felt like I was listening in on my friends sharing some teaching ideas. Best of all? I felt relaxed. No stress whatsoever. My district requires a lot of PD and I am thrilled to have discovered these high quality Webinars. No more scouring for PD...problem solved!

Go peek at edweb.net if you need some hours (or just want fresh ideas). You're welcome! 😉

My Favorite Low-Prep Literacy Hack (Especially for Sub Plans!)

Ever feel like your read-aloud just needs something after it’s over?

You know the moment: your class loved the story, everyone’s engaged, and then… crickets. Do we write? Do we draw? Do we move on?

Enter one of my favorite grab-and-go solutions:

Book It: Retell It, Write It, Make It!

These printable mini-packets are the perfect follow-up to your favorite picture books—especially the ones featured on Storyline Online (Yes, the free site where celebrities read books aloud 🙌).

They’re a total lifesaver when:

• You need something quick but meaningful

• You're prepping for a sub

• You want students to practice literacy skills without extra planning

💡 What’s Inside Each Packet?

Each Book It! packet includes:
📚 A Retell-It page (oral and written)

 

✏️ A Write-It prompt (A story-connected writing activity

🔤 A Make-a-Word phonics page – built around a key word or theme from the book

They’re print-and-go and student-friendly for Grades 1-3!

📚 Which Books Are Included?

So far, the Storyline Online Growing Bundle includes 16 titles:

• Henry Holton Takes the Ice
• The Empty Pot
• Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch
• Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies!
• When a Dragon Moves In
• Trombone Shorty
• Strega Nona
• A Bad Case of Stripes
• Maddie’s Fridge
• I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared!
• Enemy Pie
• Chester’s Way
• Jabari Jumps
• Arnie the Doughnut
• Stellaluna
• The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen

New packets are being added every week!

Try One for Free!

Want to see what they’re like?
Grab the free Book It for The Sandwich Swap
It’s perfect for character-building and discussion, too.

💰 Snag the Growing Bundle Now!

The Growing Bundle currently includes 16 packets (a $32 value)
But right now it’s only $12 — just 75¢ each!
And every new addition is included automatically. 🎉

➡️ Storyline Online Book It Growing Bundle

Whether you’re lesson planning at midnight (we’ve all been there) or prepping an emergency sub tub, Book It! packets have your back. Easy, engaging, and done for you. ✅

Let me know if you try one—I love hearing which books your kids connect with most!

✏️ Teacher tip:

Make a few copies, pop them into a plastic sleeve, and store them with a QR code to the read-aloud video. Instant sub plan or early finisher bin!

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!