The Solar Eclipse-A Unique Teaching Opportunity On August 21st, 2017, we will see something amazing. For the first time in over 30 years, there will be a total solar eclipse. This is when the moon comes between the sun and the earth, blocking the sun. This year, the total eclipse will travel across North America. Other […]
Back to School
What do you do to get ready for back-to-school? Do you buy more school supplies? Take a vacation? Or maybe start to decorate your classroom. Articles in this category deal with all the things that parents and teachers do to get ready for back-to-school season.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Back To School Hacks: Digitize Your Syllabus and Lesson Plans!
This year I’m going back to school with a twist – I’m going to digitize my syllabus and lesson plans! A few years back, I experimented with different ways to engage students on the first day – and first weeks – of school. Building relationships, engaging my classroom, and creating a sense of excitement helps […]
Posted inBack to School
Want to Be Ready for Middle School? Start With These 4 Skills
Other than the first day of kindergarten, the first day of middle school may be one of the most anxiety-producing days for students and parents alike. The good news is that you and your child CAN and WILL survive this transition – especially if you help develop these 4 skills your child needs before starting […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
What’s in Your Teacher Desk Drawers? Building a Survival Kit
Do you happen to have 63 pipe cleaners (aka chenille sticks)? Or a bottle of ketchup? You never know what you may find yourself needing as a new teacher. We are masters of thinking on the fly, especially when it comes to putting together a bang-up lesson, which means a lot of unexpected supplies. As […]
Posted inBack to School
Going Bare: Forget the Pinterest Ready Room
I love scrolling through all the beautiful Pinterest classrooms and seeing just how beautiful a classroom can be. However, when I looked at my classroom, I saw it was never really Pinterest-ready. I felt a pang inside me wishing I had the money or ability to do this. I realized that I had something better. My […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Motivating The Unmotivated Middle School Students
I have been working as an RTI Specialist in my current district for seven years. This means I have helped students who perform below average, or are very close to performing below average (based on Standardized test data) for seven years. Over the course of these seven years, I have noticed a few things about […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Science Under Fire: A Day After the March for Science
In the morning hours of April 22, 2017—Earth Day—scientists, teachers, students, concerned citizens, and activists gathered in Washington D.C. to show their support for a single subject: science. There were no shouts for NGSS, no calls against Common Core, no jeering at climate change. Instead, all who gathered for the March for Science were attempting […]
Posted inBack to School
New Beginnings: Learning to Swim Without Calling the Lifeguard
By Guest Writer Salvatore A. Barcia Jr. On a clear morning in late August, I entered the classroom for the first time . . . and it was time to sink or swim. I had been a sub on and off for a few years, grabbing a few days a month in-between an office […]