Not every teacher knows how to get their class to line up, and that’s OK! Between squirrelly children and numerous distractions, lining them up can be a feat. But don’t worry—we’ve got your game plan right here.

1. Say, “OK, cats and kittens! It’s time to line up for the library.”
2. Watch as all but four of your students start crawling on the floor and meowing.
3. Say, “Ah. Wrong choice of words. Human students! Please line up for the library.”
4. Say, “Jasmine, please stop cleaning Ava’s ears with your paw.”
5. Say, loudly, “WE ARE DONE BEING CATS.”
6. Say, “Yes, Wyatt,” since Wyatt is raising his hand.
7. Thank Wyatt for sharing that his cousin adopted a cat last month.
8. Have a brief side consultation with Jackson, this week’s line leader, who’d like to renegotiate his Line Leader contract as this Friday is early dismissal, thus curtailing his Line Leader net worth.
9. Observe

Kwanzaa, officially observed from December 26 to January 1, might be one of the most misunderstood and overlooked winter holidays. But as a secular observance that focuses on concepts such as creativity, hope, and collective responsibility, it is one of the more appropriate and fun ways to bring these themes together in the classroom. Created in 1966 by Professor Maulana Ron Karenga as a way to reaffirm and restore identity and heritage in the African American community after the Watts Riots, the celebration is rooted in African diasporic traditions and practices.     

As an art teacher and parent, one of my favorite things about Kwanzaa is that the traditional symbols of the holiday—the mat, the candles, and the gifts—can be easily (and inexpensively) created with art supplies you already have and can be updated or reimagined to fit into your classroom and community.  

Organized around the principles called the

Have you ever been in the middle of delivering a great lesson that’s full of important information only to look out and realize none of your students are taking notes? It’s not surprising—many kids these days expect handouts or other materials they can refer back to later. But taking notes is actually a pretty important skill for kids to learn. Here’s why, along with some note-taking strategies they should try.

Why are good note-taking strategies important?

Study after study has shown the importance of actively taking notes rather than passively reading a handout later on. The act of writing engages different parts of the brain, forging new pathways that help students retain information in long-term memory.

What’s more, the studies show that the more detailed the notes, the better. And using different note-taking strategies helps too. In some cases, a general outline can be effective. But when you want students

All the conversations happening about literacy learning and the science of reading definitely encourage teachers and schools to look carefully at their instructional practices—and, often, to explore new ones that help kids. One of these is the sound wall. Check out these fantastic resources to get you started using one in your classroom.

What is a sound wall?

This student resource shows the 44 phonemes (sounds) in the English language. It includes consonant sounds and vowel sounds and the various ways to spell each sound.

How is a sound wall different from a word wall?

A sound wall is not a word wall. These two resources are different because:

• To use a word wall, one must be able to read the words, so kids often need teacher help. A sound wall encourages independent use. It helps kids progress from what they can do—say sounds—to what they are learning to do—spell