Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I like to debate the issues with my colleagues, and one debate I had with one of my best of friends was over his choice to allow his 8th-grade students to chew gum. I, on the other hand, am fervently opposed to […]
Posted inElementary School, English Language Learners, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Science, Social Studies, Uncategorized
Avoiding Round Robin in All Subject Areas
I am always amazed that the Round Robin reading still exists. The empirical evidence has shown that it is an ineffective teaching method. Just being an observant teacher would make you realize the kids are bored and off task. Worst of all, it brings humiliation to students who struggle with reading or English. So how […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies, Special Education
Money Talks: Classroom Incentives That Work
Let’s go ahead and get real right here and now. You probably have a handful of kids in your classroom who are intrinsically motivated. We can lament all day long about yesterday’s kids and how we used to just do our homework because the teacher said so and complain about the fact that kids these […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies, Mathematics, Special Education
Using Food to Teach Fractions: Math You Can Eat
Like most students I teach, my students all got taught multiplying fractions the classic way. You multiply the numerator by the numerator and the denominator by the denominator. You either learn the method or you don’t (just like any other procedural method you learn in math). Many kids take to concrete methods of learning better […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Teaching Expenses: Cutting Costs
[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”] I have always spent a ton of out-of-pocket money on classroom expenses. Always. And I know a host of my teacher friends do the same. With the way budgets have been […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Why I Say “Yes” to Santa
[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”] The holiday season can be stressful for some children. When your students come from a background that isn’t as wealthy as other students, they can be left without hope. I’ve often […]
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies
The Great Homework Debate
How many of us remember sitting down to complete 40 math problems, write spelling words 10 times each, plus read a section of history or science and answer the questions? How many of us remember the fights and tears that this homework caused? Would you believe that this is a nightly occurrence at my house? […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies, Social Studies, Technology, Uncategorized
STEAM Inspired Spin on Social Studies
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – the STEM subjects joined forces with Art (Design) to become STEAM, the acronym which stands for education that deliberately promotes 21st-century transformations in thinking. Social studies skills are not included as a focus and I like to think it’s because it is at the root of the original STEM. As […]