March Madness in the Classroom

March Madness is only a few weeks away which means it's time to start thinking about how to incorporate March Madness in the classroom with the content you're currently teaching!

If your mind is going blank on what you could do, don't worry, I have a few ideas already prepped and ready to go!

March Madness Word SearcH FREEBIE

First things first, who doesn't love a good word search? This Free Basketball Word Search is perfect for a fun Friday, bell ringer, early finisher, to hand out with a sub, etc. And did I mention, it’s completely free!

Your students are going to cruise through that word search though, so you might want something a little more substantial!

I absolutely LOVE playing trashketball in the classroom year round, but there is just something about playing it in March during March Madness!

CLASSROOM Trashketball Review Games

These NO PREP multiplication trashketball activities are perfect for you if you're just looking for a quick grab and go no-prep multiplication activity, but I also have editable trashketball templates so that you can create your own trashketball activity for whatever subject you teach!

These blank templates are perfect classroom review games for inserting the questions from a recent quiz, to prep for a test, to review a novel, to practice a specific skill, etc. They are seriously so great for any subject or content area!

March Madness Book Bracket Freebie

I LOVE a good ol' book bracket, but not all of us do read-alouds, which is why this freebie is perfect for every teacher. I have created a quick-to-print March Madness bulletin board template so that you can create a March Madness bracket for whatever subject you teach.

If you're learning about different philosophers right now or studying a specific topic in science, simply use the heading provided to create a March Madness bulletin board bracket that works for you! I’ve even seen counselors use this to go over different calm-down strategies, fidgets, etc.

The options are ENDLESS!

If you decide to use any of these in your classroom, I would love a shoutout on IG @mrskayladurkin so that I can see your unique spin on how it's working in your classroom!

Enjoy,

Kayla

How to sell on TPT

Want to learn how to create and sell your own resources on TPT?
Join me for the TPT Beginning Seller Basics Workshop!

What we'll cover:

Choosing a Store Name
Setting Up Your Store
Copyright Laws
Product Creation
Design Ideas & Inspiration

How do you feel about teacher podcasts? I’ll admit, I wasn’t super into them at first either. However, once I realized the impact they can make, I was hooked.

Sometimes, the best teacher PD we can receive comes from having conversations with other educators, which is what the Let’s Talk Teaching Podcast is all about!

Whether you’re driving to school, driving to the gym, or folding some laundry at home, if you’re looking for a new teacher podcast to listen to, this is surely one you do not want to miss!

What’s Happening on Instagram with @mrskayladurkin

How are we feeling about your first year of teaching?

🤩 - Can't come soon enough!

🙃 - I'm so ready but also crazy nervous

😅 - Seriously can't wait, but I just don't know what to focus on first

🤯 - Umm HELP ME!!

To be honest, you might be fee

Let’s talk about the supplies you’ll actually want on hand at all times in your classroom, that you probably didn’t think about.

Are these items super cutsey and fun? Not really. Are they super practical though? You bet!

There a

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Featured

What to Bring to a Teacher Interview

When thinking about what to bring to a teacher interview, I will always suggest bringing a teaching portfolio. Though it might not be required, or won’t even possibly come up, in the chance it does, you’re ready! Plus, you can use your portfolio to share specific work and examples, which is always a plus when answering interview questions.

Here are just a few suggestions of what you might want to include within your teacher portfolio:

Cover letter (minimum 5 copies)

What to Wear for a Teacher Interview

When thinking about what to wear for a teacher interview, it’s important to dress for success. We want to wear something that we feel confident and comfortable in, but also something that is going to help us look presentable and fit to be a teacher. There are a few things that it’s important to make sure we don’t wear to a teacher interview as well, such as

March Kindness Challenge for Behavior Management

March is here, and if I know anything about teaching in March, it's that this is when things start to get a little chaotic! It's such an exciting time during the school year though too! The weather is getting nicer, state basketball is underway, spring sports are right around

March Madness in the Classroom

Who's already thinking about March Madness?

It will be here before we know it!

Check out this blog post for a few FREE ideas on how to incorporate March Madness into your classroom!

5 Teacher Tasks to Complete for a Stress Free Winter Break

You did it! You are officially just a few days away from Christmas break and that means you’re about halfway through the school year, which is absolutely crazy! Did you think you’d even make it this far? I’m sure some of you didn’t.

Today we are talking about what to do before you head off on break so that you can enjoy the time off, hang out with your family, do whatever you want to do, and just enjoy life. And hey, I am t

7 Affordable Gift Ideas Students Will Actually Love

When you think about buying gifts for your students, your holiday spirit may take us straight to the toy aisle. But when each typical toy ranges from 5-10 dollars on the low end, big dreams sometimes don’t make it too far. Don’t let hefty price tags kill your holiday joy! There are ways to think outside the box and make sure every one of your students feels loved and special this holiday season. These 7 budget-friendly gift ideas can be twisted to work for any classroom, making sure your wallet and your students stay happy.

10 Practical Teacher Tips for Surviving this Holiday Season

Ready or not, the holiday season is here!

December can be an overwhelming time for many teachers. From the end of year tasks that need to be finished up to finding time for holiday shopping and family gatherings, it’s a lot!

Let’s be proactive during these next few weeks so that you can stay on top of your to-do list and feel your best during these last few weeks of school!

Teacher Batching Part 3: Five Simple Ways You Can Save Time Grading

Would you rather have someone do all of your lesson planning or all of your grading? How about taking your recess duties for the week or taking over your grading for the week? Or, would you rather have someone make a difficult phone call home or do a day's worth of grading for you?

Today, we are covering part three in our three-part series which has been all about how you can cut down on your planning and prep time and stick to your contracted hours by using a little hack I like to call, “Teacher Batching.”

Teacher Batching Part 2: How to Define Your Goals and Use Your Time Efficiently

As classroom teachers, our plates are always full and it seems nearly impossible to get caught up in our ongoing to-do list. With limited time and growing responsibilities, no task ever seems to be quite finished, and tasks always seem to take much longer than they should.

As a first-year teacher, I was trying to do every single thing, every single day. Grading, planning, making copies... it was all happening on a daily basis and I really was just surviving day by day.

I got to school nearly an hour before the day began, always stayed at least an hour late, took school home nightly, and came in on the weekends. But it really wasn’t a big deal, because we get summers off. Haha, just kidding. It really wasn’t a big deal though because I was wholeheartedly invested in doing whatever I possibly could for my students.

Teacher Batching: 5 Ways to Optimize Prep Time and Stick to Contracted Hours

Today I am hoping to make all of your teacher dreams come true by sharing simple tips you can use that will help you optimize your prep time and stick to your contracted hours. As a teacher, we want to do all the things and we all know that just because we aren’t physically at school, doesn’t mean we aren’t thinking of school. From lesson plans to grading, to thinking about our students, our minds are always on teaching, especially as a first or second-year teacher. These 5 tips will teach you a simple way to organize your life and how to be better with time management so you can live your best life, both in the classroom and outside of school.

Kayla DurkinFebruary 23, 2023