[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”] December 14, 2012 is a date most teachers will never forget. This is the date of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary where 20 students and 6 teachers were shot in […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, The New Teacher Chronicles
The New Teacher's Survival Guide: Managing the Workload
Welcome to The New Teacher’s Survival Guide! This is part two of a five-part series. Read the first installment on creating a support network here. It was 6:30 p.m. on a Wednesday – and I was still at school. I was getting better at leaving at a reasonable time—I really was!—but this lesson was […]
Posted inBook Review, Featured, Literacy, Middle School
Fluency Fix-Up Strategies Part II
In my previous post, I wrote about the importance of fluency instruction and the benefit of explicit teaching of phrases to improve fluency. According to Timothy Rasinski: Reading fluency refers to the ability of readers to read quickly, effortlessly, and efficiently with good, meaningful expression. (The Fluent Reader, Pg. 26) Good readers need to be […]
Posted inClassroom Management
Parent Teacher Conferences in an Elementary Classroom
Each new school year I start with lists. I have lists of school supplies I buy and hunt down at sales. I have a list of things to do to prepare and organize my classroom for a new set of students and families. Then there is the class list. When I receive my class list […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Child Development: Seven- and Eight-Year-Olds
This article is part of a continuing series on Child Development. To see Paula’s other articles, click here. You gotta love the life of seven- and eight-year-olds. Let’s take a look into the child developmental areas of these kiddos. Cognitive development: For the most part, in this child development stage, these kids are fairly well-established […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, From the Front Lines
A Fresh Recipe for Managing Difficult Students
I call them my Whack-A-Mole class. In a group of 26 children, I had eight with an ADHD diagnoses. One of them was on medication for it. I had two more who were undiagnosed with wiggles extraordinaire. Some of these ten children were part of the three students with IEPs or one of the twelve […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Teaching Writing to English Language Learners
An English as a second language student will need extra guidance and encouragement to write. Depending on the various stages of English acquisition in your classroom and the grade you teach depends on how you ask for a writing piece and what you can expect the student work to look like. These are some general […]
Posted inFeatured
10 Ways To Deal With The Negative Teacher
You know. I know. He knows. She knows. The kids know. We all know who the negative teachers are. Every school has at least one of them, and they fit many different molds. Here’s how to “deal” with the Negative Neds and Sour Sallys in your midst First, ask yourself if Mr. / Ms. Negative […]