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    • comprehension
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      • predicting
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    • word consciousness
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    • creative writing
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    • numbers
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    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
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best of teach mama countdown: #8 — gem jars

home / family life / parenting / best of teach mama countdown: #8 — gem jars
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gem jarsBeing a parent is a totally rewarding, completely fun, and continually changing job, but yes, it’s sometimes crazy, difficult, challenging, and frustrating.

No two days are ever the same, and what begins as a great morning for one kiddo can be a rocky, awful, stressful one for another.

It’s the hardest J-O-B I ever signed up for, and I sometimes laugh recalling that I once thought that having kids would be easier than teaching English to 140 ninth and tenth graders.

It is the greatest joy, however, watching your little ones learn and grow, and that is a fact. I am grateful every day for Maddy, Owen, and Cora, though not a day goes by when I don’t learn something myself thanks to these three little ones.

But one thing that has helped us keep our parenting sanity is managing our home in some of the same ways my husband and I managed our classrooms way back when.ย  Not always perfect, mind you, and a constant work in progress, using teeny, tiny little gems has really made a difference.

This post has yielded the most personal emails to me than any other, so I thought it was worth sharing. It’s a definite top 10.

And though it requires some serious thinking, the effects of playing on positive behavior versus reacting to negative behavior are well worth the ‘gems’.

Here we go. . .

  • teach mama’s top 10 all-time best countdown, #8: Gem Jars

 

gem jarsGem Jars — helping parents keep their sanity, one day at a time.

Our Gem Jars are just thatโ€“glass jars I picked up (on sale) at the craft store and from our recycle bin, and the โ€˜gemsโ€™ are those clear glass beads that we love over here and have used time and time again as bingo markers.

I bought black letter stickers so I could put each family memberโ€™s name on a jar. Maddy, Owen, and Cora each have a jar, and thereโ€™s even one for Mom, Dad, and Brady.

The deal with the Gem Jars is simple, and itโ€™s one thatโ€™s been supported by research over and over and over again: rewarding positive behavior.

Read more about Gem Jars . . .

Tomorrow: teach mamaโ€™s top 10 all-time best countdown, #7.

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

Previous Post:best of teach mama countdown: #9 — building words, names
Next Post:best of teach mama countdown: #7 — me on the map

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UMD Womenโ€™s Basketball ROCKS!! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ€

We absolutely love watching you play, @terpswbb !

We love watching you perform, @marylandcheer !

And @mightysoundofmd we love your music and your hilarious signs! ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ณ

See you in Greenville! 

#terpsbasketball #terpswbb #umd #familyfun #marylandcheer #umdfamily
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Tomorrow is St. Patrickโ€™s Day!

Are you ready? 

https://shop.teachmama.com/

#saintpatricksfun #stpaddysforkids #familyfun #classroomactivities #teachmamashop
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This is how we use the St. Patrickโ€™s Day Brain Teaser Scavenger Hunt! ๐Ÿ€

Super easyโ€”and makes kids work a little for their golden chocolates! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Grab them here: https://shop.teachmama.com/product/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-4-pack/

<< Tag a pal who needs to know about this and would LOVE to use it with kids or students! >>

#stpatricksdayfun #saintpaddysday #stpaddysforkids #stpatsfun #linkinbio
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and then there were six
๐Ÿฑ๐Ÿฆ๐ŸฆŠ๐Ÿฆ„๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฐ

thank you @thewoobles for giving my mind, heart, and hands something fun to do during a really challenging few months. 

#crochet #thewoobles #brainbreak #teachersanitysaver #shescrafty
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With great sadness, I'm writing to share that my brother-in-law, Jeff Mascott passed away from pancreatic cancer earlier this week--at home, surrounded by family and friends. 

The family is very grateful for the community's immeasurable help, encouragement, and prayers over the past several months since Jeff's diagnosis. 

Jeff's obituary will run this weekend in the Post: 
https://www.collinsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Jeff-Mascott?obId=27420280&fbclid=IwAR2YTRooCyaLTikfjLeqF4gM-GaB1amZI2OmVl1VtKLUOjWj3Wo4URD8lC8#/obituaryInfo
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Flowers and a basket of @traderjoes faves are salve for a tired and weepy soul. ๐ŸŒท

Thankful for great, longtime friends ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

#itshardtobeahuman #thankfulheart #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs
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Almost 30 years of friendship!! I love these smart, beautiful, strong and creative women who walked with me through my early days of teaching. 

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Thank you, Wilde Lake High School, for bringing us together way back when. 

๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

Missed you, jigofjoy ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

#weareteachers #andoneprincipal #wildelake #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs #wildelakehs #teachersofinstagram #celebratewewill
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Today marks the 4th time in 3 weeks that I have had to hang new Kindness Reminders Tear-off Sheets! 

Makes my heart ๐Ÿฅฐ!! 

Some kids come by every day and give one to a new person. Others take a bunch for the week. One 2nd grade girl comes by evey morning to tell me who she gave hers to the day before. 

Every little bit helps, friend. And every interaction matters!

#kindnessrocks #adoormadeforme #teachersofinstagram #makeadifference
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Best crew for one of the best @terpswbb games weโ€™ve seen all season! 

And of course super job by @marylandcheer and @mightysoundofmd too! 

#terpswbb #terpsbasketball #familyfun #marylandcheer

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