Tomorrow is my 23rd first day of school. Unlike the past five years, I will not be in front of the classroom; instead, I will be behind the scenes as a building administrator at a university. Even though the setting has changed, the feelings remain the same. The night before the first day of school […]
Opinion
Posted inChild Development, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Group Work and the Introverted Student
“As children, our classroom desks are increasingly arranged in pods, the better to foster group learning, and research suggests that the vast majority of teachers believe that the ideal students is an extrovert.” -Susan Cain Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking (pg. 6) How often do we as teachers assign group projects and […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
Teaching Class (With Class)
In the past, we’ve explored the “10 Ways to Fix Education” mini-series. We’re resurrecting this topic, and one way I’d like to fix education is teaching class (with class). This homophone highlights two items that should be at the forefront of our working memory and, well, our work. The first association – class, a noun […]
Posted inBack to School
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Believing in ALL Students
Tell me if these statements sound familiar to you: “Johnny will never understand how to divide with fractions.” “Andre scored a Level 1 on his test last year…we really need to focus on the students we can move to proficiency.” “Victoria doesn’t even know how to write a sentence. There’s no way she’ll ever write a […]
Posted inBack to School
The Teacher Olympics – 35 Summer Events For Every Educator
With Rio upon us and, for some, the advent of another school year, I wondered what it would be like if our first days of in-service were summer Olympic-based… if only we could compete in: [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″ […]
Posted inThe Student Teacher Diaries
Student Teaching Diaries: Before We Start
Teaching is about learning. Teachers take classes to learn about content, strategies, behavior, classroom management and more. In order to move our educational system forward, however, the knowledge, experience, and expertise of master teachers needs to be shared with those entering the profession. Each college has its own path for how this learning takes place; […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
40+ Tips for New Teachers – From Veteran Teachers (Uncensored)
As a new teacher, you try your hardest to learn all of the new procedures and cultural norms of your school, but many times it can be hard but what if all of the veteran teachers poured their knowledge into you? Well, we’ve compiled the best advice from veteran teachers and here you go. Don’t […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Death of a Teacher’s Husband: My Lesson Plan for Survival
My husband of ten years just passed away. School starts in three weeks. My husband has always been right there with me in the trenches, whether I was teaching or acting as administration. He encouraged me, he was proud of me, and he kept me sane; now he is gone. While death isn’t the only […]