ALEXIS MARKAVAGE - BLOG

ON CONCEPT MAPS

10/11/2023

These days, we might laugh if someone asks if we take a map with us on the road. We have our phones! But, of course, generally speaking, most of us would never "wing it" when going somewhere important and on time.

A few years ago, I completed a certificate as part of my master's degree with Johns Hopkins called "Mind, Brain, and Teaching." The program was developed from the book The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model by Mariale Hardiman. Among the 6 "targets" is creating an optimum physical classroom learning environment and evaluating learning. This book is a series of practical, research-based steps to support teachers of students of all ages.

3 THINGS VOLUNTEERING HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT COLLABORATION

10/11/2023

I started volunteering at my church's food pantry a few weeks ago. I now have some extra time to volunteer because I'm not teaching. It's been humbling.

I've received more from volunteering than I feel I've given. For one thing, I've learned how to collaborate.

6 THINGS TO DO WITH PUMPKINS IN KINDERGARTEN

9/21/2023

My pumpkin has grown so much! This is the first time I've grown a pumpkin in my garden. It takes a LOT of water, but seeing it grow is oh so satisfying! It's got me thinking about the activities I used to do with my kindergarteners with pumpkins.

THE PROMISE OF A WINDOW

9/18/2023

Every morning when I entered my classroom, I opened the shades to our large windows. I don't know why that's the first thing I did, but it became a habit I enjoyed. Few people were at the school when I arrived, so opening the window shades became a personal, quiet ritual.

THE CASE FOR PHYSICAL GAMES OVER DIGITAL

9/14/2023

During parent conferences, I always asked if the kids were playing math games at home. The response was a blank stare as if to say I was questioning if their kid was brushing their teeth. Then they would list the many iPad games they downloaded, everything from Prodigy to Geometry Dash, stopping to say that they only get 30 minutes of screen time daily. (And no, I wasn’t familiar with many of their games.)

KINDERGARTEN MATH, SCIENCE, AND ART WITH APPLES

9/8/2023

It’s that time of year again—fall! That means we have apples falling by the bucket load in my backyard.

A few years ago, I took a bunch of apples to school to cut up for snacks. My kindergarteners loved them. The next day, I had apples from a different tree in my yard. They were more tart. Naturally, my students had many opinions about the apples.

7 THINGS I LEARNED FROM REMOTE TEACHING

9/5/2023

Years later, it’s easy to forget what having to go remote taught us during the lockdown. Some things may be better left forgotten, but I think it’s worth learning from the positive changes we adopted at the time. These are the things I’ll take with me.

MY GROWTH MINDSET COLLECTION

9/3/2023

Over the years, many parents have asked me for my favorite storybooks to help kids build their growth mindset.

IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE

9/1/2023

I've been a teacher for almost a decade now. I taught kindergarten and first-grade for the past seven years. This past year, I experienced burnout, so I decided to take time away from being a classroom teacher.

My burnout was due to many reasons. These include changes in policies at my school, increased student social-emotional challenges, lack of opportunities to advance and grow, and more.

STEM PROJECT: THE NIGHT SKY

1/22/2023

I created a mini-science unit on space for my first graders, inspired by Mrs. Myer's Kindergarten.

We made moon paintings, calculated our moon jumps, made constellation art, and completed a lunar space shuttle STEM challenge.