My posts are due here on Thursdays....it is not Thursday. It seems like for the past few months something has gone wrong on a Thursday that has made me late or miss a post. You would think that I would have learned, but alas I have not. What is interesting is I got to use myself as an example recently to teach my 3rd graders about taking ownership. Read more...

Spring is quickly approaching and with that comes Spring Break. Spring Break usually means TRAVEL! As parents, we all know that traveling with kids can be daunting. You want to be able to bring things to keep them busy but not have to lug a 40 lb bag onto a plane. Over the years, I feel like I have traveling with my daughter down to a science. Yes, she is a bit younger but I think that all of my ideas can apply to any age! Read more...

"Mrs. Freitas, I couldn't finish my homework because I had baseball last night." I heard phrases like this all the time in my classroom. I get it. Families are busy, kids are involved in lots of activities but it is really not a good excuse. The problem is not the student, but the parent!!! Yes, you read that correctly. Read more...

Lately, I am seeing a new trend in birthday parties here in Silicon Valley. The words "No Gifts Please" seem to grace the bottom of many invitations. Is this happening everywhere? I thought that the best part of birthdays was gifts!?! Why do you think this is becoming the norm? Read more...

When I was in 3rd grade, I had to learn times tables. I struggled to commit my table to memory! To help me along, my mom started raping them to me while cooking, etc. We would sing them, rap them, what ever sing-song way we could until I had them all memorized! Read more...

Every summer while I was growing up was spent with my grandfather quizing my cousins and I on our history facts. He would ask us the captials of states and information about other countries. He would often bring out the atlas and have me search for places in it. My grandfather was a history teacher. As I was growing up he instilled a love of history in me and none of it was from a book. Read more...

Experimenting at home is a way to expand what kids are learning at school while spending some quality time together. Science is one school subject that naturally exciting to most kids because it is hands-on and fun!! Toy stores are chock-full of chemistry sets and science kits, but it’s easy to create science experiments at home, even without the fancy equipment. Plus, it’s cheaper! Read more...

I have to admit something. I have never liked math. I always struggled with math and in high school I really gave up on it. I majored in something that require a lot of math. You get the picture? Once I became a teacher, I started to hear how so many girls often don't feel adequate in math and so they shut down to it. The take on the, "I can't" mantra. It opened my eyes what I had done for so long. Read more...

This is the time of year that many teachers call "crunch time." We are trying hard to get all the curriculum in so that when it comes time for the yearly test, our students are ready. Sometimes the pace in class quickens and it can be a little overwhelming for 2nd and 3rd graders. This is also the time of year that I try to really remind parents that "They're Just Kids!!!!" Read more...