What is one of the biggest lessons you have learned since becoming a parent or caregiver?

I would answer this question by saying: “I never expected to learn so much about myself and regulating my own emotions, reactions, and feelings in any given situation.”

While I am not quick to react to something, I do know that 13 years spent in a middle school classroom has made my default responses to things sarcastic and short. Now that we have a little one, I want to make sure she is raised understanding her feelings matter and are validated no matter what.

Feelings are a huge topic of conversation in all aspects of parenting. You will find this type of work almost everywhere in the multiverse that is mom blogging. This next week of activities focuses on a theme that holds immense importance in every conversation I have had so far that talks about motherhood– 'All About Feelings' activities for our little ones. From joyful giggles to big tears, this week will be about helping toddlers understand, express, and embrace their emotions. While some of the toddler tantrums are indeed “terrible,” some of the best words I have heard are that it isn’t a tantrum; they are not able to regulate their bodies, emotions, thoughts, or feelings. This idea of regulation made so much more sense to me because when we are upset, angry, or sad, often our own adult bodies seem like they are struggling for stability. Enter into the chat a 2-year-old with a limited vocabulary, shorter attention span, and increased need for control.

So, how do we help regulation?

I think the first step is by talking about what those feelings are and being able to label them as they come up. This post outlines some introduction activities you can use to start talking about feelings, labeling emotions, and making some ridiculous faces along the way.

MotherhoodStephanie HamptonAugust 21, 2023feelings, emotions, toddler, toddler activitiesComment

Mastering Dialogue: A Guide to Using Quotation Marks and Rules in the English Language Arts Classroom

Dialogue is an essential element of storytelling, bringing characters to life and adding depth to narratives. As English Language Arts (ELA) educators, it is crucial to teach students the proper use of quotation marks and rules of dialogue. By mastering these skills, students can effectively convey conversations, enhance their writing, and develop a strong command of punctuation. In this blog post, I explore the importance of using quotation marks and the rules of dialogue, along with practical tips for teaching these concepts in the ELA classroom. Quotation marks serve two primary functions in writing: indicating direct speech and enclosing titles of short works. In this post, let’s focus on dialogue as it shows up in works of fiction or narratives.

The Teaching of WritingStephanie HamptonAugust 17, 2023dialogue, quotation marks, quotes, quotations, narrative writing, mentor textsComment

The Grab and Go Back-to-School Planning Guide

July and August mark the beginning of a new season of school. While many view this time of year with mixed emotions, the idea of back-to-school planning is often met with a particular groan. It is hard to narrow down what to teach our kids when we haven’t met them yet. We want to create activities that will help us get to know them, but we also have to balance building expectations, district expectations, curriculum needs, and any pre-assessments or standardized testing. The time blocks can fill up, and it can be easy to feel like time is running away from you.

This post contains 5 areas that you can consider when doing your back-to-school planning. Specifically, I will be talking to literacy teachers in classrooms grades 4-10, but everyone can pick up some of these ideas and apply the concepts to their own classroom. You can also feel free to steal my first two weeks of school already planned out in detail in this post.

Toddler Activities Ages 1-3: All About Me & Affirmations

The first week of working in a more structured routine means that we HAVE to start with identity work. I would do this type of activity if the kids were toddlers or in high school, and it seems even more important that this little one is my own. Anything that we are learning has to start with her interests. This week’s theme is a heartwarming topic that's close to every parent's heart: All About Me and Affirmations. I wanted to include the activities that we were going to focus on for the week and how they connect to each other. The goal is to keep those tiny hands busy but also lay the foundation for a strong sense of self-confidence and positivity. This post includes an overview of morning activities for Monday-Thursday. So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, get ready to dive into the world of imaginative play, and let's celebrate our toddlers as the incredible individuals they are!

MotherhoodStephanie HamptonAugust 14, 2023toddler, toddler activities, ages 1-3, motherhood, affirmationsComment

Work-from-Home Mama and Toddler Learning Routines

When I spent over a decade in the classroom, it never occurred to me that I would use those lesson-planning skills as a new mama. However, as our little one gets bigger and bigger, I can see my role as a teacher start to creep into the picture a bit more as we are moving to have more structured mornings in terms of activities and having some goals. Our little one is two, so we aren’t in a rush to get into a full-blown lesson schedule, but she really loves a schedule. I think her mama does, too.

The main goal of our time together is always to play, be outside as much as possible, and have fun.

But, with her being home with me, my teacher brain also needs the outlet of doing lesson planning and looking at different activities for our little one. Part of what fuels teachers is the creative input and output of ideas surrounding learning. I wanted to focus on the morning time after breakfast when we got back from being outside and before lunch. If she were enrolled in a 2’s program, she would be attending a class 2-3 times a week that would work with her on a “get-ready-for-preschool” curriculum. This isn’t that.

This is more so open-ended learning with goals and themed activities to have some fun each week. This morning routine strikes the perfect balance between work commitments on my end and those precious moments with my little explorer. From storytimes that spark imagination to the sensory bins and water tables that ignite their curiosity, we'll journey through different creative crafts, drawing, baking, and grooving to music and movement throughout the week. I have figured out by now that each mama is different and each kid is different, but I am hoping to share our learning routines and journey along the way as we figure out how to work, play, and grow together!

MotherhoodStephanie HamptonAugust 13, 2023toddler, ages 1-3, toddler activities, work from home, wahmComment

How to Start Using Mentor Texts in Your Classroom

At each step of the process in this post, I will stop and show you some things I consider when I plan for that part of the lesson. These considerations come from the questions and experiences from teaching the mentor text routine to sixth graders. I teach these lessons to students with third-grade level reading and eleventh-grade level reading in the same room. I have coached teachers that have ranged from 4th grade to 10th grade with this process. The results are the same, but you may have to adjust the strategies for your content and level.

These considerations are not meant to be overwhelming, but I want to share what has worked for me along the way. I have also broken them down in terms of estimated time. When I was doing mentor text work daily it took 5-10 minutes each day because of the routine that I chose to implement in my room. One single mentor text lesson taught alone might take 20-25 minutes.

This quickstart guide walks you through everything you need to get started with teaching mentor texts in your classroom right away. There are 7 key elements to teaching mentor texts. At the end of this post, download the free template to get started with a book of your choice! You will also have access to my mentor text work. This includes 180+ slides and sentence frames featuring 55+ books.

Read Like a Writer: Using the I Am Series as Mentor Texts

The I Am series by Susan Verde and Peter Reynolds is one of the most identifiable book series in classrooms and stores. The art by Peter Reynolds is so specific to him, and the books have almost become synonymous with social & emotional text lists, mindfulness, and meditation for young people. There are 7 books in the series. This post covers 4 of them and how to use them in your classroom for teaching mindfulness through read-aloud and also writer moves for kids through mentor texts. While the recommended reading age for the books often states 3-7, these mentor texts could be used in any level classroom.

Let’s dive into using the I Am series as a whole group mentor text, and then let’s take a quick look at how 4 of the books can be broken down further for writing moves.

August Resource Round-Up: Sub Plans, Back-to-School Plans, and More

August content that focuses on planning for a new year, getting inspired, and focusing on poetry and narrative writing to build your classroom community.

The Teaching of Reading, The Teaching of WritingStephanie HamptonJuly 31, 2023Comment

Book Study Materials: Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

Grab your copy of Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab! Let’s get started for the month of August!

Upon reading this book for the first time, I was immediately drawn to the strong connections between wanting a work-life balance and constantly feeling disappointed by my past attempts to try to put anything that resembles self-care into place. I have always thought that self-care was an elusive idea that people aren’t ever really able to achieve. I thought this way until the moment that I read this book. Then, I realized that self-care (or the lack thereof) was largely the boundaries that we hold within our own selves, other people, and our time. While personal boundaries are something that I often do not struggle with in my life, I do struggle with work boundaries and creating a separate space for my life outside of teaching and learning.

Self-Care & WellnessStephanie HamptonJuly 31, 2023boundaries, self-careComment

Unlocking a Fresh Start: How to Effortlessly Move Your Bullet Journal to a New Notebook

New notebooks may be a form of journal lovers’ addiction. There is nothing like a new notebook to make you feel like you can conquer the world or take on a new project. A new notebook purchase would logically take place when one notebook is filled up and can’t be used any longer. If you are an avid journal lover; however, you will often find yourself making up a new reason to jump into a new notebook.

Whatever form of journaling you use, I find that most people who carry some form of an everyday notebook or journal or more likely to need to move over to a new notebook for whatever reason. This journal could be a planner, feelings journal, diary, or bullet journal. Bullet journaling has become an incredibly popular method for organizing your life, tracking goals, and unleashing your creativity. However, there may come a time when you need to move your bullet journal or just your everyday journal from one notebook to another. Whether you've filled up your current journal or simply want to switch to a new one, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of migrating your bullet journal seamlessly.

JournalingStephanie HamptonJuly 28, 2023journaling, new notebook, migration, bullet journal, bullet journal migrationComment

Engaging the Senses: 10 Sensory Writing Activities for the English Language Arts Classroom

I feel like having a toddler around has helped me understand the role of sensory work and play far better than before parenthood. I even look back on my own childhood and remember moments where I can recall feeling dysregulated or something was off. I never liked the feeling of itchy socks on my toes. I hated having my hair done because of how it felt. When I initially started learning more about sensory play, one of the most powerful pieces was that everyone has sensory needs. Sensory regulation does not require a diagnosis, label, or “special” treatment. We all have the power to feel regulated or dysregulated by the work of the senses. Incorporating sensory experiences into the secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classroom can ignite students' creativity, deepen their understanding, and make writing come alive. By engaging multiple senses, educators can create a dynamic and immersive environment that inspires students to express themselves through writing. We can also help our students regulate their own systems and challenge behavior issues that are tied to classroom management. In this blog post, we will explore 10 sensory writing activities that can transform the ELA classroom into a hub of sensory exploration and literary expression.

The Exact Steps You Take When Your Classroom Feels Like Chaos

I think every teacher has been in a situation where they wanted to run from their own classroom. Perhaps, if you are reading this, you want to currently bolt. Leave the keys on the desk. Grab your cold coffee and dreams of teacher inspiration and speed out of the parking lot. Tire tracks left behind you. This would be more than easy to do on many days throughout the school year.

But, the thing is you really, really care.

The fact that you care so much is the perfect starting point.

Teacher burnout is evident and almost inevitable, and sometimes we have particular classes that are more challenging than others. In my time in education, the repeated conversation of “what hour” was your rough hour or what grouping of students seemed to present the most challenges, both academically and behaviorally. This one class or grouping can be a contributing factor for teacher burnout but also presents a challenge because there is a mental block to tackle when working with a hard group day in and day out. This post has 5 steps you can take to reset any challenging class or group of students. It is meant to serve as a place of inspiration and hope because sometimes all we need to do is figure out some sort of a game plan to come back and try again tomorrow.

Read Like a Writer: Using The Food Group as Mentor Texts

What could be better than working with mentor texts AND talking about food? I love The Food Group series from Jory John and Pete Oswald. All of the picture books in this series feature a type of food and then a description that hints at the story behind the food. The whole series can be used in a variety of ways in any classroom grades 4-12. These books would also make great introductory activities and back-to-school mentor texts because kids love talking about food (I mean, most of us like talking about food). This post is a breakdown of how to apply The Food Group series to lessons as a whole, and then it includes details in a few of the books so you can see the mentor text examples. I will also remind everyone of the mentor text process of how to use books to teach writing to kids.

Hope you are hungry! Let’s write.

Journal Fixer Upper: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Journaling Inspiration from Joanna Gaines

It is no secret in our household that we love HGTV. I personally love anything with Fixer Upper, Fixer Upper: Welcome Home, Magnolia brand, and Joanna Gaines. If we are in Target, we are going to take a stroll through the Hearth & Hand section to get some ideas. Joanna, the renowned designer, author, and co-star of HGTV's hit show Fixer Upper, has captured the hearts of millions with her impeccable style and eye for design. Beyond her expertise in home renovations, Joanna Gaines also provides endless inspiration for those seeking to incorporate her unique aesthetic into their own creative endeavors. In this blog post, I will delve into the world of drawing and journaling and explore how you can draw inspiration from Joanna Gaines to transform your creative spaces.

Read Like a Writer: Teaching Tips for The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Reading like a writer is a skill that allows us to delve deeper into the intricacies of storytelling, characters, and the art of crafting meaningful prose. It invites us to go beyond simply enjoying a story and instead, to analyze the author's choices, techniques, and writing style. We can unravel the layers of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown to uncover the secrets that make this book a remarkable mentor text for the middle school classroom, and learn how to apply these insights to the teaching of writing. From grammar to writing moves, the published books kids are already reading can be one of the most powerful tools for teaching kids to write in any genre.

Peter Brown's The Wild Robot is an extraordinary adventure alongside Roz, a robot thrust into a wild and unfamiliar environment. This post outlines the writer's moves throughout four different parts of the book including figurative language, character development and description, and the interplay between plot and setting.

You can also check out my daily/weekly lesson plans for using this book as a mentor text and my corresponding slide presentation.

Supercharge Your Teaching: 25 Ways AI Can Take Your Secondary ELA Classroom to the Next Level

Teachers have been asking for help for years all the while doing the work of multiple professionals in one work week. Between lesson planning, grading, communication to home, activities, and the actual working with kids during the school day, teachers have long been burning out. The newfound trends with AI (Artificial Intelligence) have taken the world of business by storm, with many saying that “you are behind if you aren’t using AI.” Yet, as a former classroom teacher, I was hesitant to check it out. It felt like plagiarism. It reeked of cheating. But, then I adopted a new approach:

What if AI can help teachers do the tasks that take up so much time so that teachers can actually focus on the work of teaching kids?

This post explores the transformative potential of AI in the secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. AI has rapidly evolved, paving the way for innovative educational tools and resources that can empower educators to create dynamic and personalized learning environments. In the realm of secondary ELA, AI can serve as a virtual assistant, offering a plethora of benefits ranging from lesson planning and differentiation to supporting English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL) students. With AI by your side, you can unleash your creativity, efficiency, and effectiveness as an ELA educator. Specifically, let’s look at how AI can help out with the everyday tasks of teaching including lesson planning, activity preparation, and differentiation to be inclusive of all types of learners.

Hooked from the Start: Unleashing the Power of Narrative Hooks in Personal Narratives

This post is for anyone who judges a book by the cover or the first page. When it comes to narrative writing of any kind, the opening lines can make all the difference in captivating readers' attention. Narrative hooks are the secret ingredient that sets the stage for a compelling narrative. In this blog post, I provide a step-by-step guide to teaching narrative hooks in the secondary ELA classroom, empowering students to craft captivating beginnings that hook their readers from the start. You can take from my own lesson examples, or use the stories I use to design your own lesson.

Battle of the B5 Notebooks: Archer and Olive vs. Dingbats - Which Reigns Supreme?

If you are journaling and not playing around with notebook sizes, I highly recommend trying different sizes out to see what fits your style! I recently have been working the most in B5 sizes (Roughly 7.48 × 9.84 inches). It is the largest notebook I have ever worked in because the typical notebook I grab for is an A5 (5.70 × 8.26 in), B6 (4.9 × 6.9 in), or traveler’s notebook size (4.33 x 8.25 inches). All three of these notebooks are smaller and can easily fit into a bag with the rest of your materials. I always thought B5 was too big, but what I am finding out is that I stick around longer in a B5 notebook and it fits just fine in a bag or tote. This post explores two of my favorites: The B5 Archer and Olive Notebook and the B5 Dingbats Notebook. I will give you insights into their similarities and differences including paper quality, size, feel, and durability. You can’t go wrong with either notebook-it all depends on personal preference!

Enhancing Speaking and Listening Skills: 25 Activities for the English Language Arts Classroom

I think one of the hardest things to implement in any classroom, let alone an English Language Arts classroom, has got to be incorporating opportunities for students to speak to one another about content. Talking with teachers, many of them voice concerns about the management of speaking and listening activities and being afraid of the “chaos” that might ensue when we put students in charge of talking about what they are learning. If we as teachers are brave enough to let out students focus on speaking and listening skills and strategies, it might just be the key to unlocking great reading and writing learning. Effective communication lies at the heart of language arts education. Developing strong speaking and listening skills is crucial for students to express themselves confidently, comprehend information, engage in meaningful discussions, and collaborate effectively. In this blog post, we will explore 25+ strategies that all educators (not just ELA) can implement in any classroom to promote and enhance students' speaking and listening abilities.

Mastering Summaries: Skills & Strategies for English Language Arts Classrooms

The summary assignment in the upper elementary and middle school classrooms often doesn’t get talked about much in professional development materials, but it is one of the MOST assigned assignments during a given school year. Teachers are focusing on skills surrounding retelling, comprehension, and checking for understanding regarding genre. Summary writing is one of the cornerstone types of assignments that need to be mastered before moving to more complex material. Often, as a new teacher, you may not know where to begin. This post is an introduction to teaching the narrative summary and the nonfiction summary in grades 4-8. You will find the difference between narrative and nonfiction summaries, strategies for tackling both assignments, and then example assignments you can use now.

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