Teaching With Inquiry

Have you ever wished that you could have your math program done for you so that you could spend more time with your students?   If so, Ignited Math is exactly what you need.   Ignited Math is a spiralled math program for those of you teaching grades 3-6 and following the Ontario math curriculum.    In this episode, I’m introducing you to Ignited Math and giving you a brief walkthrough of all the things included in it. I’m sharing what you can expect from every single week of the program.    If you’ve been thinking about signing up for Ignited Math but want to know more about it first, this is for you.    If you already know you want to be the first in the door to start using the program, stay tuned to the end of this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/Ignitedmath   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/215Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your

How do you assess your students in math?    Some of the traditional methods of assessing math don’t give us the most accurate idea of a student’s abilities. Answers are often seen as black and white and right or wrong, but that doesn't tell the whole story of how a student has interpreted and worked through a question.    In this episode, I’m talking about how to assess your students in math, use the four levels of the achievement chart with different math problems, do a summative assessment in math, and mark math in a way that accurately reflects your students’ abilities.    I’m also sharing different examples as I go along to demonstrate each suggestion so that you can see how they would work in your classroom.    If you’re looking for a better way to assess your students in math, this is for you.    Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/ignitedmath   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/214Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how t

What are the components that you always include in your math program that work for you?   In this episode, I’m sharing the components that I include in my math program to help me structure the program from beginning to end.    There are four main components to my math program that I’m walking you through and I’m explaining each one and how they all fit together as we go along.    Most of us are dealing with a mix of students who are confident in their math skills and those who feel like they aren’t good at math. With the right systems in place, your math program can work for all of them.    If you want to create your best math program yet, this episode is for you.    Resources Mentioned: Sign Up for the Ignited Math Waitlist: https://madlylearning.txfunnel.com/IMwaitlist   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/213Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences

Did your school board switch to Microsoft products or restrict your access to Google resources when working with students?    In this episode, I’m walking you through how to use Microsoft products with some free online tools to help you create digital resources for your online or in-person classroom.    These days, a lot of us are being asked to create resources that work for students online, in person, or both. I want to share some tips and strategies to make sure that your resources work well when they are printed or viewed on a screen.    There are a lot of resources out there for using Google Drive, Docs, Slides, and Sheets, but what if you have to use Teams, PowerPoint, or OneNote? I’m here to help you figure it out.    If you’ve never used Microsoft before, or you need a refresher, this episode is a great place to start.    Resources Mentioned: QR Code Generator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/qr-code-generator/afpbjjgbdimpioenaedcjgkaigggcdpp?hl=en Canva: https://www.canva.c

You need to stop spending so much time writing your report cards. There, I said it.    Writing your report cards does not have to be this huge endeavor that takes hours and hours outside of your contracted time.    Trying to write personalized comments for each of your students while also meeting the requirements of your administrator can be a challenge, to say the least. This is what ends up taking teachers so much time.    I’m teaching you how to systematize and simplify report card writing so that you can complete them in far less time. There are three myths that are eating up your report card writing time, and we’re busting them in this episode.    If you’re ready to save yourself some time, you’re going to love this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/assessment   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/211Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share you

I am constantly looking for ways that I can simplify my report card writing so that it takes less time. The last thing I have is an additional 40 hours a week to be writing my report cards, and I bet you feel the same way!   In this episode, I am telling you about how I simplify the process of writing report cards and how I systematize writing learning skills for each student.   I understand that learning skills should be personalized and tailored to each and every student, but that could take days. For a busy teacher and mom, that is not realistic!   I have found the perfect program to help me write learning skills that take half the time and are still personalized - it is called Student Evaluator.   Tune in to learn how and why I love to use this learning skills generator program to save myself time and energy and how you can get 10% off of Student Evaluator to use it for yourself!   Resources Mentioned: Student Evaluator: Get 10% off! Report Cards Made Simpler How a Comment Bank Can Help You Write Report C

We are all anticipating remote teaching sooner rather than later…   In this episode, I am discussing the 4 things that you absolutely should not be doing when pivoting to remote.   We can make the shift to remote teaching really easy and cost-effective by simply finding alternative ways of teaching or using what we already have. Remote learning is not ideal for any student, but we can do the best we can to make it as effective for our students as possible.   For example, we do not need to have everything digitized, we do not need to overcomplicate the technology we use, and we also do not need to feel like we have to be the band-aid for the inevitable problems that arise.   With that being said, listen in to hear the 4 things that I really recommend avoiding for this eventual shift, how to avoid them, and what to do instead.   Resources Mentioned: Schedules and Lists: Remote Learning   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/209Remember to Subscribe for

Here’s my challenge for you as we approach the holidays: don’t take any work home with you on the last day of school. No marking, no schoolwork, and no planning. Do you think you can do it?   I don’t know if you need to hear this, but you deserve a break and that means you should be taking your two weeks over the holidays completely off. It’s not a chance for you to catch up on everything. It’s a chance for you to rest.    In this episode, I’m teaching you what you need to do over the next week to make sure that you’re not taking anything home over the holidays. It might sound impossible, but I promise it’s not.    If you want to take two weeks completely off, tune in to find out how to make it happen.    Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/ELAforholidays https://studentevaluator.com   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/208Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Sha

Let’s talk about holiday concerts.    They might look a little different during the pandemic, but I know a lot of you are still expected to get the whole school involved which means you’ve got a lot to think about!   Holiday concerts can be a fun opportunity to have students present things to their families and to engage families in the community of your school. However, it does take away from your instructional time, and I know you’re already pressed for time, so I want to make sure that your holiday concert can be tied to curriculum expectations.    In this episode, I’m sharing holiday concert ideas that will be fun for your students while also covering the curriculum. Your students get to enjoy the holiday spirit, and you don’t have to worry about fitting everything in in even less time!    This episode will help you if you’ve been struggling to come up with holiday concert ideas, so tune in!   Resources Mentioned: Holiday Concert Dance Ideas   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes

Are you trying to mark every single thing your students touch? Why? It’s too much!   I’m here to give you permission to stop. Trying to mark every single thing your students do is completely overwhelming.   In this episode, I’m sharing what you need to stop marking and giving you some tips on what you do mark so that you don't feel like you're drowning in a pile of paperwork all the time.    We are covering why you shouldn’t be marking everything your students do, how to assess practice work without spending too much time on it, the importance of checking on students during class time, and more.   Once you stop marking the few things I mention throughout this episode and implement some of these tips, you’ll free up so much time to spend on more productive tasks.    Believe it or not, there are a lot of ways to make sure your students are receiving accurate assessments without pouring over every piece of work they do. Tune in to learn more about this!   Resources Mentioned: www.teacherspayteachers.co

How do you prepare for parent-teacher interviews?    Let’s talk about some of the best things you can do in advance and on the day to have your parent-teacher interviews run as smoothly as possible.    I know they can cause some nerves because you don’t always know what you’re walking into when it comes to parents, and after two years of irregular schooling, there are a lot of things to address with them. I want to share my tips for covering everything you need to and keeping it within your time limits.    Prep starts at the beginning of the year, but even if you’re just getting started as you near parent-teacher interviews, there are still things you can do!    If you have parent-teacher interviews looming, it’s time to get prepped and ready for them, and this episode will help you get started.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/205Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact

What are your favorite teaching tools?   In this episode, I’m sharing four tools that have changed my teaching practice (and they’re probably not the kinds of tools you’re thinking of!)   I’ve used a lot of different tools in my classroom over the years, but some of them stand out from the crowd. There are certain tools that I reach for over and over again that I know have made me a better teacher, so of course, I want to share them with you!    If you want to know how to read more books, where to find a community of like-minded teachers, how to make your classroom more interactive, or how to create activities more easily, you’ll be interested in some of the tools I’m sharing in this episode.    Tune in to add some teaching tools to your toolkit.    Resources Mentioned: Join the Madly Learning Facebook Group     I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/204Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficie

What’s holding you back from using inquiry in your classroom?   A lot of teachers tell me that inquiry is too hard for their students, so I want to tell you a story about my class to show you how open-ended inquiry is and why it can work for students at all different levels.    This quick story will also give you some ideas on how to introduce inquiry to your classroom and how to get things started.    You might think your students aren’t ready for inquiry, but I think this episode will help you to see that they are.    What’s more, inquiry-based learning will get your students more invested in their work than ever before. How? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out!   Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/store   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/203Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the co

How do you deal with a badly behaved class?   In this episode, I am diving into the very important topic of classroom management. Specifically, I am talking about how to manage that class that the rest of the school says is one of the most difficult classes in the building… you know the one!   I am sharing what I’ve learned over the years so that you can go home at night without stressing about your kids’ behavior.    These tips and strategies will help you lay the foundation for your classroom management. Trust me, foundational work is the key to success here.    If you have a class that eats supply teachers alive, chews them up, and spits them out so that they never want to come back, this episode is for you. If you know a teacher that does have that kind of class, pass this episode along!   The more teachers that have these strategies, the better!   Resources Mentioned: www.kudosclub.com    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/202Remember to Subs

Do you struggle with assessment?   I think every teacher does. Assessment is one of those things that you know you need to do but never have enough time for. I want to change that for you.    In this episode, we’re talking specifically about assessing reading.    I’m answering all your burning questions about how to find time for assessment, what to assess, what not to assess, and how to come up with those marks for report cards at the end of the year.    Assessing reading doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming. By the end of this episode, you’ll be armed with ideas to help you assess easily and effectively throughout the year.    If assessing your students is a challenge for you, you’re going to love this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/201Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experience

Can you believe this is the 200th episode of the podcast?! Me neither.    Thank you so much for being a part of this journey. To celebrate, I wanted this episode to be an opportunity for you to ask me anything. I asked you guys to submit your questions to me, so in this episode, you’ll hear my answers.    I'm reflecting on things we’ve covered in the last 200 episodes and answering questions about finding balance, supporting students, and so much more.    The journey doesn’t end here. I can’t wait to see what the future of the podcast brings and I hope you’ll be here for it!    If you’ve ever wanted to pick my brain, you’re going to love this episode. Don’t miss it!    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/200Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.To find our highly effec

Did you know that good classroom management can lead to more respect between you and your students?   Let’s talk about what classroom management is and why it’s important. It’s the thing that’s going to set the tone for your classroom as you get back into the swing of things this school year.    You can put whatever system, program, or philosophy in place that you like, but it won’t be as effective as the values at the foundation of how you run your classroom.    This episode is about classroom management strategies that determine whether your classroom fails or succeeds.    Let's dig into the fundamental values that should be at the core of any classroom management program.   If you want to learn some simple strategies to foster mutual respect in your classroom, tune in to this episode.    Resources Mentioned: https://www.madlylearning.com/kudos-club/ www.madlylearning.com/200   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/199Remember to Subscribe for

Do you focus more on teaching the writing process or teaching writing form in your classroom?    In this episode, we are digging into the difference between teaching the writing process and teaching writing form. You might not have given this much thought before, but I have some pretty strong feelings about it that I want to share with you.    If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I’m passionate about teaching the writing process first and then getting into form differently from traditional teaching methods.    I think that students need to learn how to write first. We need to teach them how to communicate their thoughts effectively. Throughout the episode, you’re going to hear me talk all about why that is and how to make it a reality in your classroom.    If you want to teach your students to be well-rounded writers, you’re going to love this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com/freeweek I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.m

Do you have a plan for your guided reading this year?    I know that sometimes as teachers we guilt ourselves if we can’t get guided reading started right away, so I want to lift some of that burden from your shoulders. Guided reading doesn’t need to start right away, and I’m going to tell you why in this episode.    I want to walk you through my plan to get guided reading started in your classroom as soon as possible in a way that’s easy and attainable for you and your students. I know you have students with different reading abilities and you need a plan that works for everyone.    You’re going to learn how to set up your guided reading, prepare your students for guided reading, and assess your students during guided reading time all in this episode.   If you’ve been looking for help with your guided reading plan then look no further! This is the episode for you.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/196Remember to Subscribe for more insights on

Do you use literacy centers in your classroom?   In this episode, I am talking about what literacy centers look like in my junior classroom because they look a little different from centers in my primary classrooms. As junior students go through the year, they often develop more independent skills, so how you use centers can change depending on their skill and comfort levels.    Because centers can be so different in junior classrooms, I think it’s helpful to talk about the differences and how to adapt to make them work for you.    Something that you’ll hear me repeat in the episode is that there is no one right way to do centers. I just want to give you an idea of how I make centers work in my classroom so that you can get some inspiration and guidance for yours!   If you could use some help getting your literacy centers set up, this episode is for you.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com/IL2021SP EP 159: Literature Circles vs. Literature Centers – Which is Right for You?   I would love to connec