No, this is not an article on helping your dating life, though if you are a teacher and are dating, my heart goes out to you. Speed dating is a strategy to “spice” up your classroom. The concept is to have two rows of students each with a concept or person to teach. Put a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Legal, Literacy, Opinion, Uncategorized
Teaching in Kansas: How Much More?
A teacher friend of mine was attending a conference and upon learning that she taught in the state of Kansas, someone asked her the question, “Why would you want to teach in Kansas after all that’s going on in your legislation?” My friend was taken aback by that question, and as she began to form the words to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, English Language Learners, Instructional Strategies, Technology
Flipped Learning: My Apology to Veteran Teachers
Eight years ago, I walked into my first classroom armed with my English Education degree, an American Literature book, and the state Comprehensive Curriculum. The only experience I had was my student teaching, but I wasn’t worried thanks to a mentor teacher and my state comprehensive curriculum which I thought was the greatest thing since […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies, Special Education
20+ Ways to Check for Understanding in a Special Education Classroom
You’re a special education teacher, so you know that not all students are created equal. In fact, you know that even within a disability category, you cannot count on students behaving in a “typical” way. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism.” You […]
Posted inHigh School, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Uncategorized
The Pros and Cons of Advanced Placement
Brace yourselves, Advanced Placement exams are coming. Advance Placement and Pre-Advance Placement classes have flooded our schools. Are they here to stay? Well, only time will tell. Just like any curriculum or whim the government decides to implement in our schools. We need to take an honest look at AP courses and what they can […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, From the Front Lines, High School, Literacy, Uncategorized
Testing a Thousand Madelyns
My niece is a beautiful little girl. She is a beautiful girl on the outside, the kind of little girl who cannot take a bad picture. She is also beautiful on the inside. She is her mother’s helper, fiercely loyal to her older brothers, and a wonderful example for her younger brother and sisters. She […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, How to Fix Education, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, School Improvement, The Student Teacher Diaries
Student Teaching Diaries: Outside the Classroom
Teachers use multiple resources to learn and strengthen their craft. There are online resources, educational journals, district level in-service, networking groups and educational conferences. This week Lauren and I were both able to participate in conferences offered outside of our school district. There is so much value to networking and learning offered at conferences. Mentor Teacher: […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Professional Development, The International Teacher
What Makes a Good Lesson? The Beauty of Absence
Staff Writer: By Melissa Kandido What makes a good lesson? A plan. Yes, of course. But even with the plan, we know there might be issues that arise that keep our plan from being executed ‘just so.’ We have to be open to technology mishaps, schedule hiccups, etc. So the plan is just a base […]