The national curriculum wants children to learn poems by heart. Having recently done a great poetry lesson, where the children had so much fun trying to learn ‘Tomcat’ by Don Marquis, it got me thinking about the immense benefits of such an activity. Read on to find out five ways children can benefit from learning poetry by heart. Increases brain’s…
Being punctual shows your respect for others and their time, it sets first impressions and is a character trait that is important for you to instill in your child, from a very young age. It will undoubtedly play an important role in their future success. Read on to see why it’s important for your child to be punctual, especially at…
There is nothing more important than for children to feel safe in a school environment, so that they can be open to learning. Creating a positive classroom environment, is the first step in ensuring that everyone brings out their best. If you’d like to learn how you can do this, then read on! Here are some tips to help you…
Teaching in December can be challenging. For all those teachers on their winter break, here is a fun post for you enjoy during your much deserved break! Teachers on Christmas break be like… Going to bed over the Christmas break and remembering that you don’t need to set your alarm clock until January! 2. Going to the restroom whenever you…
Reading is an essential skill for children to acquire and once mastered, it acts as an important source of knowledge and pleasure that lasts a lifetime! As you help your kids appreciate the magic of reading, you’ll find that there’s a whole wonderful world full of children’s literature out there that might even be enjoyed by you, too! Many times parents…
It’s the giving season for pupils and teachers, Christmas time! I decided to keep last year’s goodie bag idea with a twist. I just love this idea as it is so versatile and can be adapted year after year. To make them you will need: bags, my free downloadable bag toppers, bubbles and any other goodies of your choice! My…
Any teacher can wholeheartedly tell you that planning and teaching lessons in depth, during the last few weeks leading up to Christmas, is a real struggle! Below are my top 5 reasons why teachers hate the Christmas term… Deadlines: Reports, assessments, tests all have to be packed in before the Christmas holidays. Teachers are running left right and centre to…
After the popular post about literacy sites, many asked for some good maths sites for children to practise their maths skills at home. Below are some of my favourite ones. Math is fun: Great for introducing and explaining maths concepts. You can find a large number of lessons and activities provided by various math faculties and global math groups…
Poetry should be a curriculum priority in English classes, as it can help students become more versed in writing and literature. Many teachers shy away from poetry because they find it hard to teach or they don’t see a place in the curriculum for it. I have not regretted a single poetry lesson I have taught so far, and I…
Immersing children in literacy activities can help them improve their literacy skills. Many times, I get parents asking me if I can recommend any sites to help their children strengthen in a variety of literacy areas. There is a large number of sites on the internet that provide online activities, teaching tips and free books for children. Below are my…
