Enlightening Young Engineers
One of the biggest concerns I get from teachers and media specialists is the lack of space (and time) for a full-blown Makerspace. I completely get it, y’all! I’d be lying if I didn’t say it takes a lot of time, space, patience, and commitment to ensure that our Makerspace runs properly, which is why I wanted to create something… Read More
We are SO over-the-moon excited to share that our Maker Shop furniture design for Makerspaces is now being sold through our partnership with Cooper Systems in Oklahoma City and is officially available for preorder!! What started out as the perfect vision and original design by my amazing husband, Andy, turned into the perfect all-in-one, interactive storage solution for Makerspaces, STEM… Read More
My most frequently asked question in emails and blog posts is how to start, schedule, and manage an elementary Makerspace. I’ve had a Maker area for K-2nd Grade in my classroom for the past five years, and for almost two years, my room has served as a full blown Makerspace for two days per week, serving close to 300 early… Read More
This year, I spent a tad bit too much time on Pinterest and came across several varieties of wooden Christmas trees that I thought would be absolutely PERFECT for my classroom! I asked…(ahem, begged)…my incredibly talented husband, Andy, to build one for my Makerspace, and of course, he got to work in his dad’s workshop and followed through with such… Read More
I’ll be 100% honest. Five years ago, the concept of Robotics at the early childhood level scared me to death. Truthfully, the concept of Coding did too. And I’ve always considered myself a pretty “techy” teacher. But not THAT techy, right?! What I very quickly realized is that coding is the future for today’s kids. Currently, there are over 500,000… Read More
I’ll never forget Ellie trying the Wind-Powered Maze challenge for the first time when she was only 4.💗
I just knew my students would love it!
Can’t wait to do this challenge with my firsties very soon!! 💨💨💨
bit.ly/marchstem
Today, our amazing principals kicked off staff meeting with a video montage of Jerry Harris and his epic “Mat Talks” from the Netflix series Cheer. We were then challenged to play this game that EVERYONE should immediately bring to your next staff meeting or PD:
1️⃣Find any colleague in the room and play Rock-Paper-Scissors.
2️⃣Whoever wins gets to find another winner to challenge, BUT the loser then becomes that person’s “cheerleader,” and follows them around with over-the-top Mat Talks to encourage them. (cheering wildly, complimenting, clapping, woo-hooing, you name it)
3️⃣As the winners are narrowed down, the cheering sections and Mat Talks get louder and more exciting and encouraging, until only one winner remains.
The game only lasted a couple minutes, but we all returned to our seats with huge smiles on our faces and out of breath. It was the perfect burst of positive energy at the end of a busy Wednesday, and reminded us of how powerful it is to lift each other up, even when teaching can seem so overwhelming at every turn.
If you’re in need of a pick me up, chances are that teacher friend next door just might too. Pop on over tomorrow and surprise her with a Mat Talk.💗
“Life begins when you get back up.” -Dan Santat
💗✈️🥚
I always get #allthefeels when I share this book with my students because it has so many underlying messages that apply to all walks of life. My second graders absolutely loved After the Fall and ROCKED the Air Mail challenge like engineering pros! I love how this challenge requires so much perseverance and positive growth mindset, just like Humpty Dumpty in the book as he overcomes his fear of heights and learns to fly.
If you’re looking for the perfect paper airplane tutorial site, FoldNFly is the best! ✈️
(Air Mail Challenge found in my Valentine’s Day STEM pack)
“If you’re anything like me, you might wait until far too late to ask for help with anything. I’m typically on the verge of a mental and emotional breakdown, attempting to keep all my plates spinning, and then one by one, the plates start to fall and I end up angry with one of my family members or throwing myself a tearful pity party. As an added bonus, this often happens around busy holidays, parent teacher conferences, when one or both of my kids are sick, or state testing.
Teacher moms and dads have to learn to hang up our superhero cape, swallow hard, and accept that we are human. We must ask for help, from our colleagues, from our spouse or significant other, and from friends and family members when we need it most. Whether it be a load of laundry, a nap, a diaper change, wrapping presents, or emergency sub plans, just ask, and do your best to return the favor during a time when they might need it most.”
More on the blog:
teachoutsidethebox.com/2016/04/7-ways-to-survive-the-teacher-mom-struggle/
