Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Welcome to our brand new advice column! Over the years we’ve received a wide range of questions from fellow educators. So we decided to ask some of our writers to respond. Today we’re helping a teacher who feels like […]
new teacher advice
Teacher Confession: The Student I’ll Never Forget
I have a teacher confession to make. I failed him. Not “gave him an F” failed him but failed him as a young man. A student with a future ahead of him, someone who could one day be a father, a councilman, or even president. But I failed him. It was my second year as […]
Extending A Helping Hand: Mentor
Teaching is a blending of science and art. Colleges across the nation prepare teachers to write lesson plans, understand discipline and teach content. Interwoven in a great classroom, however, is experience and heart. If you are a new teacher, find veteran teachers in your building who have strengths and ask questions. If you are a […]
October Is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] On October 11, 1985, our then President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5385 making the month National Learning Disabilities Month. We have come a long way, yet we still have so far […]
How to Decorate Your Secondary Classroom
At the end of last year, I changed positions. The difficult part of that was being expected to “replace” one of our best teachers in the entire district. Part of this involved his fun, learning-based classroom environment that he’d created over the 30-odd years of being there. I still remember one of my colleagues saying […]
If You Become an ESL Teacher…
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] When I became an ESL teacher I was not prepared for a lot of what happened my first two years. It is very true when they say that you aren’t really […]
Take a Moment to Stop – And Enjoy the End of the School Year!
“Hey Jake,” Bill, our school custodian, stopped me as I sped down the hallway with a list of things to accomplish, “did you see the beautiful, blooming dogwood out in front of the school?” “Yeah, it looks great,” I said as I shrugged him off in ways only busy teachers understand. “I’m serious man, come […]
Willing To Do Difficult Things
Recently, Jake Miller and I wrote two articles that were simultaneously published, entitled “What Frustrates Me About Non-Public Schools” and “What Bothers Me About Public Schools,” respectively. Many comments were made on both of these articles, the theme of most being in agreement with a majority of the issues listed in both arenas. My question […]