5 Easy Math Centers for First Grade
Growing up, math was always my favorite subject as a student. Now as a teacher, it's one of my most challenging areas to teach...
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The power of learning is contagious. Our blog serves our teacher community by offering innovative ideas, activities, resources, and advice that gives you new ways to connect with your students and create a more impactful classroom.
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35 Teacher T-Shirts You'll Want This School Year
There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and already knowing what you are going to wear. Having a repertoire of...
9 Reasons Your Students Will Love Interactive Notebooks
I'll admit... I wasn't on the interactive notebooks train when it was presented to me (read: mandated with zero background or f...
180 Jokes for the Classroom
Knock, Knock!? (Who's there?) Jokes! (Jokes who?) 180 JOKES FOR THE CLASSROOM THAT'S WHO!Alright, so I promise the followin...
All About Desk Pets!
Can you even imagine? Those little mini erasers that teachers have given out to their students for years are suddenly a TikTok ...
Second Grade Teacher Must-Haves
What's on your must-have list for Second Grade? By this time students have had experience writing and reading. They are compre...
The Journey from Newbie to Veteran Teacher
So, it has been over 30 years since I was a newbie at my school. Throughout my journey, I do notice the difference: veteran tea...
20 Tools to Include in Your Guided Reading & Math Baskets
Guided reading and math groups are where all of the magic ? happens. You get to hone in on the specific skills your students in...
A Dive Into the C.O.R.E. Binder
I may not be at the level of Marie Kondo or The Home Edit, but I am an obsessive neat-freak. Everything has its place and it go...
20 Tips for Teaching Without Losing Your Mind
...often. If I’m being honest, you’re going to lose your mind. If you’re a teacher, you will lose it, probably more than you’d ...
Setting Up Your Classroom Library
What is one area of the classroom that you can spend hours and days creating and organizing, only to have it look like a tornad...
30 Rhyming Activities for Kindergarten
Developing phonemic awareness and mastering rhyming is crucial for our kinders, but do you ever feel you repeatedly do the same...
First Grade Must-Haves
First grade isn’t just another year in school. And, we know there are tons of first-grade must-haves for the first weeks of sch...
35 Books to Teach Emotions
Have you ever had that one student who just seemed angry about everything? Or the one that just cries at the drop of a hat? L...
23 Teaching Writing Books
When it comes to teaching writing, I didn't learn a whole lot in my teacher prep program. It is a skill I have honed over time....
30 Morning Tub Ideas for Primary Students
Mornings seem to come way too fast! I know in my classroom that my kiddos need time to eat their breakfast and complete somethi...
11 Ideas for Creating Community in Your Classroom
Creating a learning community where students feel a sense of belonging and connection is so important in order to maximize the ...
What Should I Put on my Classroom Walls?
Are you a brand new teacher staring at those blank classroom walls? Or perhaps you are a veteran teacher looking to mix things...
Kindergarten Teacher Must-Haves
So much prep goes into creating a great learning space. There are countless things a teacher has to remember to make the schoo...
25 Books for the First Weeks of School
Starting your 1st year of teaching and don't know where to begin? Starting your 20th year of teaching and need some new ideas? ...
They Brought What? 100 Crazy Backpack Stories
Have you ever smelled some peculiar odor coming from a backpack before? What if I asked, have you ever observed a backpack mov...
17 Tips for Meet the Teacher Night
The time has come... 🥳 your classroom is set up, copies made, student seats ready, and lesson plans prepped. It is time for Me...
22 Reasons Why School Shouldn't Start in August
So, it is happening again! ? Some of us just finished up teaching six weeks of ESY, and boom, August is approaching so fast! D...
9 Morning Meeting Ideas to Wake Up Your Routine
Have you ever heard of MORNING MEETINGS? (Also known as, the couple extra minutes to take attendance, submit lunch counts, read...
Setting Up Your Classroom
Congratulations! You just landed your first teaching job with your own classroom! Who knows what you could be walking into. Or ...
15 Activities to Strengthen Fine Motor Skills
When students begin the school year, many of them have never held a pencil or colored with a crayon before. This can make it re...
Social Emotional Learning or Character Education
What are your initial thoughts about returning to the classroom this upcoming school year? Do you have any concerns or reserva...
20 Free Teacher Worksheets to Start the Year
The beginning of the school year is a time of excitement and eagerness to meet your new students. It is also a time of stress a...
30 Reading Comprehension Activities for Kindergarten and First Grade
Reading is everywhere. As an adult, you have to read books, lesson plans, emails, texts, posts, blogs, recipes, directions, etc...
Your First-Year Teacher Questions ... ANSWERED!
We asked first-year teachers in our Fearless Teachers Facebook groups to ask their burning first-year teacher questions and som...
30 Activities for Early Finishers
I'm sure you've experienced this with your early finishers: you are helping little Jake with his reading while also scanning th...
25 Educational Netflix Shows for Students
There are some things that can only be properly conveyed to students through the delivery of the one and only — Netflix. Much ...
33 Attention Grabbers for Kids You Need to Try
?SHARK BAIT... ...OOH! HA! HA! Raise your hand if you’ve heard that before ^^^. ???♀️ (Probably too much if you teach primar...
10 Ideas for Teachers to Recharge and Relax this Summer
It's been a LONG and exhausting year and summer is finally here! Summertime is YOUR time to recharge and relax. Be sure to take...
9 Reasons Why Journaling is So Important
Journaling with students... Who's got the time? My love for journals started with the locked journal in the Scholastic Book Cl...
7 of the Best Classroom Management Systems
Classroom management... it is always the big elephant in the room. ? You know that if you don't have a grip on the daily runnin...
Everything You Need to Know About Data Binders
As you know, data binders, data worksheets, and data tracking are a big part of teaching. Plus, we often must give assessments ...
20 No Prep Math Activities
Looking for No Prep Math Activities? Or more ways to incorporate MATH into your daily schedule, but need ideas that are NO PRE...
25 Phonics Activities for Summer School
Are you a Summer School Teacher looking for some fun and engaging phonics worksheet activities? It doesn’t matter if you are te...
35 Classroom Jobs to Create Community
Do you assign classroom jobs to your students? You may be thinking... "This is more work than it's worth." But I promise you th...
25 Amazon Must-Haves for the New School Year
You've packed up your classroom and inventoried your leftover supplies. So, what's next? Shopping on Amazon is next, of course!...
Organizing Ideas for Teachers
Bins, Boxes, Buckets, and Bags... Are you a pile of papers all over your desk person, or does every marker and pencil have its ...
10 Ideas to Encourage Your Child to Read this Summer... That Aren't Books
As parents and teachers, we know it is important to encourage children to read books. Both fiction and non-fiction books help f...
You Know You Teach Kindergarten When...
Can you relate to phrases like “I have to go to the potty” or “use your walking feet” in a public setting with your peers? The...
17 Books for Teaching Social Skills
Social skills - all the other stuff that we need to teach students aside from the content - and wow, is it a lot of stuff. It s...
24 Amazon Prime Day Deals for Teachers
Here we go again, Amazon Prime Day. The day where teachers get to save money on things that will make their lives just a little...
Resources to Celebrate Juneteenth
I like to think I’m a progressive, someone who is cognizant of social justice issues today, someone who celebrates diversity. B...
25 Reading Activities for Summer School
Are you a Summer School Teacher looking for some fun and engaging reading activities? Then you found the right blog for you! ...
35 Dollar Store Deals for Teachers
Teaching littles can be expensive on a limited budget. You are given limited funds and make a fixed salary. Ugh!! So, teachers ...
TIKTOK TEACHERS (That You're Going to Want to Follow!)
I am an admitted TikTok fan, but this was not always the case. Just three months ago, I was a firm believer that TikTok was for...
16 Fabulous Father's Day Crafts
Let’s be honest, Father’s day gets forgotten when it comes to school crafts. At the end of the year, we are rushing to test, cl...
25 Must-Reads for Teachers this Summer!
We are constantly urging our students to read at home as often as they can. But when was the last time you were able to sit dow...
Education to the Core is Showing Its PRIDE!
The month of June brings with it the celebration of PRIDE! This is a celebration of all that the LGBTQ+ community has accompli...
15 End of the Year Review Activities for Your Students
Testing is over!!! ? And it is smooth sailing to the end of the school year. But what do you have your students do these last f...
25 Summer Learning Activities for Kids
Summertime is full of fun! It can be full of learning too...learning that is fun! We know that parents want their children to h...
Everything You Need to Know About Teaching STEM
As a teacher of little people, my co-workers and I panicked when someone mentioned teaching science or technology. We did not ...
17 Fun Friday Activities for Students
Fun Fridays are a great way to end a week of hard work and reward your students with some free time and fun activities. It's an...
19 Sight Word Activities to Try Today
Let’s talk SIGHT WORDS. Words you recognize by sight, a.k.a, little turds. Just being honest and I know I’m not alone. (I see y...
20 Books for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. A time when we celebrate Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in th...
30 Ways to Support Sensory Needs
Have you noticed more children struggling with focus and attention? Although you provide all of the bells and whistles to make ...
22 End of the Year Gift Ideas for Teachers
Oh crap, you forgot about an end-of-the-year gift didn’t you? It’s okay, we’ve got you covered with 22 End of the Year Gifts fo...
Would You Rather Questions for Teachers Edition
Would You Rather Tie Wet Shoelaces OR Wipe A Runny Nose? How about if we asked you the choice between an Amazon gift card or ...
What's in Your Teacher Bag?: 25 Must-Haves
I have not 1, not 2, but 3 teacher bags that I am toting to and from school each day and on the weekends. Yes, that's right: 3....
60 Spelling Activities for Elementary Students
How many hours a week do you spend prepping spelling activities? ? What if you had a resource that would allow you to create 60...
Comprehension Questions: Beyond the 5 W's
Teachers like myself sometimes have to scramble to find the right ways to use comprehension questions and the right materials f...
Are You an Introvert Teacher? {Take the Quiz}
Many people assume that teaching is a profession only extroverts fall into, but there are many introvert teachers out there. A ...
13 Projects to Celebrate the End of the School Year
You made it! Well, almost, but now is the time to start planning your End of the Year Celebrations! Let us celebrate that am...
32 No Prep Activities Perfect for Individual Centers
Individual centers are nothing new...whether pre/post-COVID or in the thick of it, I use them with my students. Center learning...
30 Teacher-tested Websites You Can Use Today
Teacher-tested websites are important, but I am always looking for new websites for my students in this digital teaching age. S...
5 Ways to Grow Your Students’ Libraries
Libraries... as teachers, it is usually the first part of the classroom that we create. We strive to make it a safe, and comfor...
15 Art Ideas for Every Subject!
Art is a passion for me and such a huge part of a child's education. Not only am I a blog author, but I am also an illustrator....
Things Teachers Don't Miss Pre-COVID
It goes without saying, the pandemic and COVID have changed our course in education. In a career where we are dealing with con...
25 Creative Mother's Day Crafts
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, May 14th to be exact. Every year I see my colleagues rushing to figure out what to do ...
25 Hands On Spelling Activities for Any List
Memories flash back to me standing alongside my peers in Elementary School. My fingers are crossed behind my back, standing st...
13 of the Best Springtime Science Activities
Science is my jam. I live for the opportunities to take my students' curiosity and help fan the flames. I love introducing them...
15 Gift Ideas for Student Teachers
Student teachers are the future of our profession. To me, they have always been a welcome presence in my classroom. Having a st...
18 Things That Remain the Same After 30 Years of Teaching
Sometimes it is hard to believe that I have now taught for 30 years. WOW! Over the years, I never imagined some teaching change...
Restorative Practices
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present another addition to our Vlog series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Ch...
A Peek Inside the SPED Community: Resources on How to Become a More Inclusive Classroom
The month of April brings more than just showers and flowers. It is a time when we celebrate our autistic students and children...
33 Must-Reads for Earth Day
Make every day Earth Day with Must-Reads for Earth Day. I've grown up hearing this and firmly believe it. If you know me at all...
12 CVC Activities to Get Your Students Reading
So your students now recognize their letters and associate these letters with their individual sounds (phonemic awareness). And...
19 April Fools Pranks for Teachers
April Fools Day is the time when the jokesters of our class get to have their day. But what about us teachers...? We can defini...
When Our Students School Us -- Amazing Things We Can Learn From Kids
We are always hearing amazing things we can learn from kids. I, every single day, leave school slightly smarter thanks to my pr...
Say You're A Teacher, Without Saying You're A Teacher
Oftentimes our “lingo” spills out into the real world. You know that one sentence that says you are a teacher, without saying “...
17 Reading Intervention Strategies You Need to Try
Struggling readers need the right support to build confidence and skills. Whether you're a teacher, tutor, or parent, having a ...
Students Say the Sweetest Things... Sometimes
Students... the real reason we get up each morning and go to school. They shine a light and make our days enjoyable and excitin...
13 Fun Ways to Get Reluctant Writers Writing
As educators, sometimes we need to get creative! In one of my first years teaching First Grade, I found myself standing in fro...
11 Activities for Emergent Readers to Practice Fluency
While activities for emergent readers to practice fluency can look slightly different, the basic concepts are the same - helpin...
20 Interview Questions that New Teachers Want to Prepare For
Whether you are a brand new teacher looking to land your dream job as an educator or a veteran teacher that could be looking fo...
YouTube Videos that Teach PHONICS
Phonics videos are great to use in a variety of settings! I use phonics videos to get my students started in the morning, duri...
11 Ways to Kickstart Your Math Block
I absolutely LOVE math. There’s something about numbers and figuring out solutions that thrill me as an educator. Figuring out ...
28 Famous Inventors Your Students NEED to Know!
Where would we be today without some of the most famous inventors in history? We owe board games, the way we plant crops, autom...
Things Teachers Say That Aren’t Heard at an Office Job
Frequently heard by teachers at my school: ‘you won’t hear that at State Farm’. You know what I am talking about; those silly t...
13 Digital Resources and Games for Sight Words
Sight words. While there is disagreement on what should make up that list and at what level, we know that they are important t...
15 Poem Resources To Share With Your Students
Poetry is fairly short and can be used as a gateway into a deeper conversation. In my homeschool, I like to read a poem each da...
Celebrating Women: Past, Present, and Future
Watching Vice President Kamala Harris be sworn into office as the first female ever to do so was a moment in history that we (a...
Distance Learning Tips for Special Ed Teachers
IEPs, 504s, Goals, and Objectives. Work Jobs, 1:1 Minutes, Oh My! Questioning how to do any one of these things crossed my min...
Equity in the Classroom and Beyond
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present another addition to our Vlog series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Chr...
Tips for the Socially Distant Classroom
I am heading back into the classroom for face-to-face learning and I am nervous! I teach first grade and the last time these s...
23 Fantastic Read Across America Books
Reading with my students is my passion. I love seeing where their imagination takes them, what tickles their funny bones, and w...
25 Items For Any Teacher Who is Type A
Sticky notes cover my desk. I have lists everywhere that I am constantly checking and crossing off or adding items to. My calen...
15 Spotify Artists and Playlists for the Primary Classroom
Music. It has the ability to make us feel emotions like joy, inspiration, gratitude, and more. We listen to it at home, in our ...
Turn Those Co-Workers into Teacher Besties Today!
I love my job. I really do. But teaching isn’t made for the faint of heart as it comes with such a rollercoaster of emotions an...
25 Digital Resources for Teaching Grammar
Teaching grammar doesn't instill a sense of joy in the hearts of many teachers. Likewise, you don't hear students often raving ...
Black History is American History
Make no mistake...Black History is American History and should be taught year-round. Sadly, in classrooms across The United Sta...
Gym Teacher’s Free YouTube Fitness Lessons
Many educators were forced by the Covid-19 pandemic to change their daily instruction. We were tasked with the challenge of no...
Creating a Behavioral Plan That Works For You
Preventive? Check! Instructive? Check! Responsive? Check! Okay, now what? Creating a Behavioral Plan with tons of interventions...
17 Weather Activities for the Primary Classroom
Do your students ever wonder why the sky is blue or where rain comes from? Maybe they’re curious about how to read a thermomete...
15 Amazon Products Under $15 That Teachers Need
Next to teaching and Netflix, shopping on Amazon is my next favorite hobby. Through COVID restrictions and the holidays, I am c...
27 Netflix Shows for Teachers to Binge-Watch
Who is ready to binge-watch some Netflix shows?! ??♀️?? There are some great shows out there, so I asked colleagues who follow...
15 Responsive Strategies To Do After A Behavior
One may think once a student’s behavior is over you’re in the clear. Let’s face it you’re probably feeling exhausted, stressed...
Spread Smiles, Not Germs! Easy Ways to Teach Fairness in the Classroom
“That’s not fair!” “How come she gets that and I don’t?” “Why doesn’t he have to do it?” “You’re not being fair!” How many t...
SEL & PBIS: Your Journey Starts Here!
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present another addition to our Vlog series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Ch...
Using Positive Affirmations in the Classroom
Have you ever found yourself repeating a positive statement enough that you finally believe it? For example, I can do this! I w...
13 Simple Ways to Practice Addition and Subtraction
In my day, we just memorized math. I don’t know that I ever really truly understood much of what math was nor was I able to com...
20 Instructive Strategies To Do During A Behavior
One of my most stressful moments of teaching is when a student is involved in a behavioral episode. I feel helpless, alone, fr...
12 Strategies for Teaching Students to Edit
Let’s be real. Editing can be exhausting. So why do it? We do it to improve our writing craft in a way that takes our writing f...
Viral TikTok Teacher Praised By President
We, at Education to the Core, see you, we hear you, we understand you. Guess what? So does the President of the United States...
23 Alphabet Activities for Primary Learners
As a former kindergarten teacher, learning the alphabet was the first thing I taught every year. Over time, I have collected mu...
Keeping Your Teaching Assistants Involved During Distance Learning
Many of you are blessed with a teacher assistant while in the classroom but may be struggling with how to best utilize your TA ...
10 Spring Books and Crafts for Your Classroom
It's that time again where we put together a list of books and crafts for you to share with your kiddos! Many of these books si...
Extra Teacher Tasks (I Never Thought I Would be Doing)
Temperature checks... hoping students log into class... cleaning all day... reminding students about masks all day... becoming ...
30 Preventive Strategies To Do Before A Behavior
What’s one thing I can do for student behavior that I can see almost an immediate response? Incorporating quick and easy preven...
Relationships Through Team Building: Teaching Trailblazers VLOG
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present another addition to our Vlog series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Ch...
27 Fun Kindergarten Writing Activities
While so often we feel the pressure to push the standards, push the benchmarks, push the curriculum down to a point where we su...
Helping Students Deal With the Loss of a Loved One
Covid-19 has changed our world that we live in completely. Unfortunately, this includes a possible higher probability of havin...
Data Collection ... More Than Just ABCs
Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs), Suspension Rates, Attendance, Academic Grades, and Progress Monitoring are just a few diffe...
18 Emotional Regulation Games for Kids
Have you ever experienced a student who has difficulty with waiting in line or taking turns? What about those students who may ...
The Best Teaching Hacks We Learned in 2020
2020 has been a year of teacher flexibility and innovation. We have come up with the Best Teaching Hacks we Learned in 2020. Te...
10 Amazing Apps for Preschoolers and Early Learners
As a homeschool mom, I am always on the hunt for great educational apps. Both educational but still fun and entertaining for my...
11 Tips for Communicating with Parents
“Call them.” The two most terrifying words for most teachers. But why? We’re worried that our calls will be met with unwanted r...
The A to Z Handbook for Primary Teachers
Teaching can be so very complicated between paperwork, planning, grades, and meetings that we NEED a handbook! And, we haven’t ...
Inspiring Teacher Stories: I Became A Teacher Because...
Teachers inspire our youth on a daily basis. They live to ignite a love of learning and foster an exploration of subjects. But ...
Professional Development Teachers Actually Want to Attend
We all have to attend professional development, usually at least once a month. What if we could wave a magic wand and create pr...
What's the Function of Behavior?
After moving the student to the front of the classroom to keep a better eye on them, you continue observing them placing their ...
Creating a Calming Corner for Your Primary Classroom
Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or both; creating a Calming Corner is a great addition to any primary classroom or home en...
Teachers Are Not Okay Right Now... Here Are Ways to Support Them
“This is not a typical year”... how many times have we heard that said to us or even spoke it ourselves? Well, you and all tho...
Activities to Celebrate 100 Days of School
The 100th Day of school is right around the corner. I am very excited to celebrate 100 Days with my students. Completing 100 da...
17 Icebreaker Videos for Virtual Teaching
If you are like me and many other teachers, you may be tired of the same daily routine for your virtual teaching. I am ready to...
13 Ways to Kick Off the School Year Right
Our alarm clocks are set, bags are packed, and we are ready to take on the rest of the school year! To help you kick off the N...
15 Fun Ways to Review Rules and Procedures After a Break
Returning to school after any break can be challenging, as our students often forget routines, procedures, and rules. Taking ti...
If Only My 2020 Self Had Known
2020 has been the year that has just kept on giving. ? As we get ready to ring in a new year ~ Yay for 2021, I think back to th...
YouTube Videos that Teach Calming Techniques for Kids
Included in this blog are YouTube Videos that Teach Calming Techniques for Kids. By providing these calming activities for your...
Hilarious Things Kids Have Said During Virtual Classroom Meetings
Kids say the most hilarious things in class, sometimes being brutally honest, other times sharing secrets from home, or just be...
20 New Year STEM Activities
Collaboration and problem solving are just two of many skills gained from STEM activities within the classroom. What better wa...
To The Teacher At Their Breaking Point
To the teacher at their breaking point, I see you. I hear you. I understand you. Lately, on social media, I have been notici...
15 Inexpensive Ways Teachers Can Relax Over Winter Break
Who wants to relax over winter break?! ??♀️?? Well, I don’t have to tell you, but this has been an exhausting 8 months of tea...
11 Homeschool Supply Must-Haves
One of my favorite things growing up was going school shopping! I loved going to Staples or Walmart to pick out my cute folders...
10 Centers that Get Kids Moving
I have been working on centers that get my kids moving (especially since we don't get to leave the classroom for lunch or speci...
15 STEM Websites to Keep Students Learning at Home
Teaching STEM virtually sounds almost impossible right? Well, we have found 15 STEM Websites to Keep your Students Learning at ...
35 Chapter Books for Boys
Picture this... a student is sitting in your library center, quietly reading a chapter book. They are completely engrossed in t...
STEM in the Digital World: Teaching Trailblazers VLOG
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present another addition to our Vlog series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Ch...
17 Ways to Use A Doorbell in Class
The Wireless Doorbell has been an amazing addition to my classroom! There are so many great ways to incorporate this into your ...
Student Holiday Gifts That Won’t Break the Bank
Each year I like to give my students a little something before sending them off for winter break. This year especially, I am se...
10 Reasons Why Teachers are LOVING Individual Centers
Have you been wondering how to incorporate centers this school year? We had the same concern and decided to develop individual ...
10 Crafts and Winter Stories for Kids
Wintertime in our homeschool classroom means lots of Crafts and Winter Stories for Kids! It's a time where we slow down a bit a...
15 of the BEST Sight Words Activities
I am constantly looking for Sight Word Activities to use in my small groups, independent centers, and as homework. I use sight...
17 Teacher Resources You Might Not Know You've Been Missing Out On
This year has me scatter-brained and trying to stay organized with everything being thrown my way. I keep coming across some aw...
20 Ideas for Socially Distanced Indoor Recess
It is those dreaded words, ‘indoor recess today’, that make all of us teachers cringe and roll our eyes right now. How are we g...
25 Reasons Why Teachers Deserve a Raise in 2020
2020... a year that will fill an entire volume in the history books. For teachers, 2020 has brought numerous challenges, but we...
10 Ideas For Your Winter Morning Tubs
One of my favorite things to do for our homeschool is changing out our morning tubs. I usually theme them depending on the seas...
35 Best Read-Alouds to Help Students Understand 2020
How in the world can we help children understand and start to cope with the major changes we’ve experienced throughout the year...
Holidays Around the World in 15 Minutes or Less
Holidays Around the World has always been one of my favorite units to teach. There is something magical about traveling the wor...
10 Fun Poetry Activities for Elementary Students
Poetry in the classroom can be very fun.There are different activities for everyone.Your students will love it and always shout...
19 Fab Footwear Recommendations for Teachers
Education to the Core has listened to teachers’ opinions and done the research to find the 19 best shoes that won’t leave you w...
Teaching Trailblazers VLOG: Mindfulness and Movement
Hello ETTC Teaching Trailblazers! I am thrilled to present our first interview of the series: “Teaching Trailblazers with Chri...
Holidays Around the World: Take a Trip With Me
As a homeschool mom, finding diversity in education can be a struggle at times. Not to mention finding great diversity surround...
Teaching Tips from Veteran Teachers
Veteran teachers have a lot to offer, but the thing we newbies appreciate the most are the valuable teaching tips from veteran ...
What Teacher Evaluations Should Really Consist Of
Imagine this... what if teachers were able to design classroom observations? What would those teacher evaluations consist of? W...
Be Your Own Author… Create a Social Story
Have you ever dealt with a student or child who has meltdowns every time you are going to a specific place? Do they have diffi...
19 Items to Help Students Sit Still
As teachers, we want our students to remain in their seats during the day, but not all students can handle this task at times....
25 Brain Breaks that Keep Students Socially Distanced
Brain breaks that keep students socially distanced will be much needed this year. We've heard many teachers say that their stu...
Tips for Returning to the Classroom After Distance Learning
The feeling is surreal as I turn the key to my classroom door. I am finally returning to the classroom after months of distanc...
7 Ways to Write Without a Pencil
As educators, sometimes we need to get creative! One of my first years teaching First Grade, I found myself standing in front ...
How to Help Your Child Stay Engaged in Class
Distance learning has definitely taken its toll on the relationship I have with my middle child. Let's face it... learning on t...
Boards, Menus, and Choices, Oh My!
Choice empowers students as well as provides a tiered approach for teachers to differentiate allowing for more of a challenge a...
Building Community in the Virtual Classroom
Building Classroom Community is always first and foremost at the beginning of the school year for me. But... this year looked ...
17 Fall Read-Alouds for Primary Students
One of the things I love to do as the seasons change is to get books inspired by that season. It’s a great way to share the sea...
25 Mindful Breathing Exercise for Students to Stay Calm and Focus
If you are noticing that you are have been using breathing exercises to help you stay calm and focused, then more than likely ...
I Made a Bitmoji Classroom... Now What?
If you were anything like me during the summer months of quarantine and social distancing you spent your time scrolling throug...
Writing Tips From REAL Teachers: Letters Strings to Sentences
Writing... it can be quite the beast to teach! Especially when you have students who write only letter strings. How do you ta...
Teaching Tips for the Hybrid Classroom
"Starting next week, we will be moving from all virtual to hybrid instruction. Please refer to your guidebooks for next steps...
Moving and Grooving with ADHD
How can "Dancing With the Stars" lead me to write a blog about Moving and Grooving with ADHD?! Well, let me give you a bit of ...
4 Fantastic Learning Activities for Preschoolers
We have put together 4 Fantastic Learning Activities for Preschoolers that you can use in the classroom, or at home. Preschool...
5 Fun Learning Activities for Fall
Fall is a time of change. Changing of the seasons, the leaves, time, and sometimes inner change. It is my favorite time of yea...
Online Teaching Tips for Primary Teachers
When I first heard that I was going to be teaching remotely for the entire first semester, my heart dropped. I panicked and qu...
35 Chapter Book Series for Elementary Students
Finding the right chapter books that could help in increasing your students vocabulary and reading comprehension, especially fo...
"Hands-On" Ideas for the Digital Classroom
No computer screen necessary for this one... let's share some Hands-On Ideas for the Digital Classroom. I found over my years ...
10 Tips to Instill a Love of Reading in Students
One of the main goals we have as teachers is to use Tips to Instill a Love of Reading in Students. We make them do read-a-longs...
Dear Tired Teacher...
Dear Tired Teacher... we are here for you. This year has brought with it more demands on teachers. We are spending countless h...
20 Best Read-Alouds for Elementary STEM
As educators, we know how important STEM is for our students at any age. You probably have STEM boxes, like I do, on the shelv...
Hilarious Teacher Moments in Distance Learning
Lately I find myself feeling overly stressed, depressed, and unsure whether what I am doing is working for my students. Dista...
Reward Ideas for Distance Learning
Rewards and positive praise are a common thread in brick and mortar classrooms. But Reward Ideas for Distance Learning?... much...
20 STEM Challenges for Kids
Start your year out right with 20 STEM Challenges for Kids! We have listed 20 inexpensive activities you can try with your stud...
Reading Strategies for Elementary Students
Reading is a fundamental skill that we all use every single day. Teaching reading strategies for elementary students is so very...
30 Fun Spelling Activities for Primary
We spend countless hours creating spelling practice activities for our primary students that are fun and not just writing the w...
NO PREP Phonics Activities
Why No Prep Activities? I find that teaching virtually and face-to-face has me working around the clock. Time is something I...
No Prep Centers Your Students Won't Have to Share
Who wants to bring back centers for students? ??♀️??♂️ I know that I sure do! Our small group centers are going to have to ta...
10 Ways to Socially Distance Your Small Groups
Social Distancing while teaching is a huge concern teachers have as we start going back into the classroom. We have come up wi...
The 5 Types of Teachers From ETTC
Teaching is a profession that relies on the collaboration among peers. We thought about it and came up with 5 types of teacher...
No Prep Alphabet Activities
Kindergarten and preschool teachers and parents... we have made No Prep Alphabet Activities just for you! So simple to use......
Distance Learning Setup Tips and Tricks
Whether you are teaching virtually from your classroom or home, we have some Distance Learning Setup Tips and Tricks. I want t...
No Prep Numbers 1-20 Activities
Looking for fun, engaging, NO PREP activities that teach your students number concepts?! Education to the Core has created sim...
Virtual Classroom in 10 Simple Steps
The Virtual Classroom has become the Pinterest classroom of 2020. ? We've all seen the outstanding classrooms that teachers ar...
9 Inexpensive Alternatives to White Board Erasers
Whether you are teaching virtually or in person, a lot of our student work is being done on white boards. And replacing the er...
25 Classrooms Items Every Teacher Needs From Amazon
Which classroom items do I need? This thought runs through my mind every year. At Education to the Core, we want you to be th...
19 Ideas For Your Morning Meeting
How do you start your morning each day? Do you walk into your classroom, drop your bags, and make a beeline for the copy machin...
Distance Learning Tips from REAL Teachers
Distance learning comes with lots of questions and unknowns. We have real teachers from the Fearless First Grade group that ha...
20 Recess Items for Social Distancing
Agh!!! The playgrounds are not available at school and I have to come up with Recess Ideas for Social Distancing on top of my ...
10 Strategies for Distance Learning Success
"My kids learning at home on computers for a semester? How am I going to make distance learning successful for them?" These ...
Celebrating Names: Editable Student Name Activities
As a kindergarten and past preschool teacher, writing students' names is one of the first things we work on when school starts...
Be Prepared: Distance Learning Grab and Go Packets
❤️ Team Education to the Core wants to help in any way that we can, so we have put together FREE Distance Learning Grab and Go...
Individual Hands-On Centers for Primary Students
Who wants to bring back centers for students? ??♀️??♂️ I know that I sure do! Our small group centers are going to have to ta...
Read Alouds for the Beginning of the Year
Our students have gone through unimaginable times over the past few months. Now we are starting a new school year that looks ...
25 Brain Break Videos for the Classroom
Brain break videos for the classroom are a necessity for any primary teacher. Our young students need to have some downtime to...
A New Way of Looking at Small Groups
We know that small groups in literacy and math are where the true magic happens. But how do we continue small groups while so...
Interactive Digital Phonics Booklets
Our interactive phonics booklets have taken on a new look! Now, totally digital, every activity is easily completed using the ...
No Prep Alphabet and Number Booklets
Kindergarten and preschool teachers and parents... we have made no prep alphabet and number booklets just for you! So simple ...
Teaching Writing in Primary
For years, teaching writing in primary was a subject that I always struggled with. I had a nice curriculum for reading and ma...
30 Traits of Exceptional Teachers
We are surrounded by great teachers every day. But what makes an exceptional teacher?! We polled our colleagues from the Fea...
Bring the Zoo to Your Home
That annual zoo field trip brings memories of anxiety and laughs. This year, those memories are most likely not going to happ...
Digital Reading Comprehension: Zoo Animals Reservation
Congratulations! We will let you know as soon as we launch our Digital Zoo Animals Reading Comprehension Unit!
Digital Reading Comprehension Activities for Primary Students
Distance learning has become the new method of teaching for now. So... We now have an awesome set of digital reading comprehe...
27 Math Videos For Primary Teachers
Math videos are great to use in a variety of settings! I use math videos to get my students started in the morning, during in...
17 Totally Relatable "Distance Learning" Memes
Who is ready for some "Distance Learning Memes"?! It’s finally that time, teachers! Late nights, chaos, and bittersweet emot...
Teaching Tips When on a Tight Budget
Covid-19 and quarantine will continue to take its toll long after we are allowed to return to our classrooms. With immense...
10 Tips to Get Ahead for Next School Year
Do you ever try to get ahead for next school year during the summer, and for some reason you're unable to get it all done? I ...
19 Ways Kids can UNPLUG this Summer
These days, kids are spending more time tapping on screens than playing outside, building forts, or using their imaginations. B...
19 Ways Teachers can UNPLUG This Summer
It is so important that we teachers UNPLUG this summer and spend some time participating in activities just for us! This spri...
24 Digital Reading Activities for Primary Students
In the age of distance learning, interactive digital activities for my primary students are a MUST! They are able to manipula...
How to Create a Digital Memory Book
Need a DIGITAL End of the Year Memory Book for Distance Learning? We’ve got you covered with templates for every subject! Belo...
How to Upload a PDF into SeeSaw
Have you ever needed to upload a PDF into SeeSaw? We get this question a lot and we want to help you! First up, we wanted to ...
Amazing Virtual Field Trips for Distance Learning
The spring semester usually brings out our best loved units and field trips. With school closures, those field trips had to b...
Ways to Connect with Your Students During Distance Learning
Connecting with our students during distance learning has been a struggle for many of us. As teachers, we have an innate ...
9 Reasons Why Teachers Love Virtual Learning
We've all been thrown into the high-stress situation of having to teach our students virtually. To lighten the mood and put a ...
Activities to Teach Phonics and Math
Little hands need to be manipulating items during learning. And I'm not talking about a touchpad or mouse... What if you could ...
Tips for Using Google Classroom
At ETTC, our mission is to serve elementary teachers in the best way we possibly can, no matter what. We have been working arou...
Create a Discovery Museum in Your Home
"Mom, can we go to the children's museum?" My boys have been asking this question every day since we've had to stay at home....
47 Boredom Busters for Kids at Home
For many of us, school is happening at home to help keep our students, staff, and families healthy during the Covid-19 pandemic...
10 No Prep Activities to Include in Your Send Home Packets
So you found out you need to make 1-2 week's worth of send home plans, and you need to put something together ASAP! Education t...
9 Ways to Increase Fluency in Students
Increasing reading fluency in our students is one of the main goals of any elementary school teacher. If they are not fluent ...
30 Spelling Activities for ANY List of Words
We work hard to teach our students how to spell words correctly—and we spend countless h...
End of the Year Teacher Hacks
The countdown to summer has begun! But before we can close up our classrooms and enjoy some rest and relaxation, we have to ma...
Handling Parent-Teacher Conferences Like A BOSS!
Whether you are a veteran, or a newbie, parent-teacher conferences are something all of us have to do at some point. After my ...
7 Informational Text Activities for Primary Students
It is easy to create or search for activities related to fictional literature, but what about informational text?! Most of th...
13 Classroom Management Tips for the New Year
The alarms are set, the bags are packed, and a fresh start is here! As we kick off the second half of the school year, I’m shar...
5 Tips to Manage Independent Reading
Every teacher knows that independent reading is a crucial part of a well-balanced literacy program. Independent reading allows ...
19 Phonics Videos Your Students Will Love
Phonics videos are great to use in a variety of settings! I use phonics videos to get my students started in the morning, duri...
How to Get Going on Your Grammar Wall
Let's face it... teaching grammar can be pretty boring... LOL With that said though, Grammar Walls are becoming a necessary it...
Grammar Wall Games for the Classroom
We all have those times when we only have 5 minutes before going to lunch, specials, leaving for the day, etc. Here are some q...