Citrus Teaching

07/19/2026

✨ Hey, I’m Rebecca! ✨

If you’re new here (or you’ve been around for a while), welcome! 🍊

I’m the face behind Citrus Teaching, a third grade math and science teacher with 10 years in the classroom, a UCF Educational Leadership graduate student, and an aspiring school administrator who believes data can transform learning.

A few fun facts about me:
🍝 Pasta is absolutely an essential food group
☕️ Caramel coffee is my love language
📚 You can find me reading a romance novel
🎶 Taylor Swift is almost always playing
🦀 I’m a Cancer
🧡 My mission is to lead with compassion, inspire others, and support teachers along the way.

Around here you’ll find:
✨ Third grade teaching ideas
📊 Data driven instruction tips
🤍 Classroom inspiration
📓 My educational leadership journey
🍊 Real life moments from behind the scenes

Now I want to get to know YOU!
👇🏻 Tell me two things:
1️⃣ Where are you from?
2️⃣ Coffee, tea, or energy drinks?

I’ll start:
📍Central Florida
☕️ Caramel coffee, always

Thanks for being here. I can’t wait to connect with this amazing teacher community! 🤍

Save this post so we can come back and get to know each other!

07/18/2026

There’s something special about welcoming your team on the first day of preplanning in August ☀️ From hand-drawn notebook lines to thoughtful essentials, every detail says, “We’re so glad you’re here!” 🤍

These little gifts might seem simple, but they carry a big message: you belong here and we’re excited to spend this year together! 🦋

Ready to inspire your team this year? What’s your go-to team building idea? 💡

07/18/2026

Classroom setup for the 2026-2027 school year is underway! 🦋🌼 This year, I’m bringing a little extra beauty to our space with handmade paper daisies (folded, cut, and hot glued petal by petal) and butterflies to match.

The butterflies are especially meaningful this year as a way to honor my grandmother, who adored butterflies and passed away recently. She’s with me, even in the classroom.

Still so much to do, but I’m loving how it is coming together! Part 2 coming soon 🤍

05/16/2026

Want stress-free test prep that actually works?

In my latest blog, I share creative strategies to keep parents and families involved, motivate students to try their best, and turn review into purposeful games. From family-friendly activities to motivation hacks and anxiety-reduction ideas, this post has practical tips that are ready-to-go!

Preparing third graders for the FAST PM3 Mathematics test can feel like a challenge. The goal is not just to review math content but to build confidence and make testing day a positive experience. Over the years, I have developed several creative strategies that helped my students feel ready and mot...

04/19/2026

With stress, comes panic and within the panic, mistakes are made that actually end up hurting our students learning!

Every year, I see teachers
❌ Overloading students with tests: the continual practice tests don’t lead to higher achievement, they lead to burnout
❌ Isolating test strategies: If testing strategies, like the process of elimination, are taught separately, there’s no real world application. And that just means that students won’t use them and instructional time was wasted.
❌ Ignoring data trends: It’s all in the numbers! Don’t just guess and hope that your students will do well, KNOW IT!

So, how do we fix it?
✅ Use your data to drive small group instruction
✅ Spiral review the skills you’ve taught in the fall and
✅ Include testing strategies WITH content (exit slips, common formative assessments, quiz reviews)

What would you include in this list?

04/08/2026

Teacher joy is found in the little things — fresh markers, clean data, and watching students get it. That’s the real magic. ✨📊

If you know, you know. Drop your “it’s the little things” moment below ⬇️ 💛

🍎

04/06/2026

When I see my students walk into testing season feeling calm, confident, and actually prepared…that’s when I know the strategies are working ✨🍊

Test prep isn’t just about content — it’s about giving students the tools to manage their thinking, their time, and their mindset 💭💪

This bulletin board set from has quickly become our go-to reminder for strong testing habits—and I love that it’s something students can actually use in the moment!

And yes…even TPT sellers are out here buying gold from other creators 👀👏🏻

Save this for later, share with a teacher bestie, and tell me below—what’s your go-to test prep strategy? ⬇️

04/03/2026

Front-row seats to history + delicious blondes = an unforgettable night 🚀✨

We finished our final in-person Clinical Supervision I class for the semester and stepped outside to watch the Artemis II launch from Central Florida — talk about timing!!

The launch was a beautiful reminder: keep working, keep trying, and keep aiming high. ☀️

Our amazing professor surprised us with homemade goodies, which made the whole evening feel cozy and celebratory.

What moment made you feel like anything’s possible?

03/08/2026

Feeling the weight of a tougher semester as both a student and a school leader? You’re not alone — I’ve been there. That’s why I created a new motto to keep me grounded and motivated: “Be Comfortable, Being Uncomfortable.” It sounds simple, but it’s become a practical guide for how I show up every day.

What it means to me:
✅Lean into hard conversations instead of avoiding them. Difficult talks often lead to clearer expectations and stronger teams.

✅Take on stretch projects even when I’m unsure of the outcome. Growth happens outside comfort zones.

✅Build small daily habits (short reflection, quick check-ins with teammates, micro-goals) to stay steady during chaos.

✅Practice self-compassion when things don’t go perfectly — resilience isn’t about never failing, it’s about recovering and learning.

This semester has tested my time management, decision-making, and patience. But choosing to be comfortable with discomfort has helped me prioritize what matters and lead with more clarity. I wrote a blog post sharing specific moments from this term, the small rituals that kept me moving, and some tools I’m using to stay balanced.

What’s one uncomfortable thing you tried recently that helped you grow? Or, if you’re struggling now, what would help you take that next step? Share below — let’s support each other. ✨

It’s been a little over a month since I last shared an update, and this semester has truly tested my balance, perseverance, and resilience. That’s why I’ve embraced a new motto for this chapter in my life: Be comfortable being uncomfortable.