We all know that the best way to manage the classroom is to create a positive, structured environment. That’s an adorable concept — but it is downright difficult to figure out what the heck that positive, structured environment ought to constitute. We learn a handful of suggestions in Teacher School; but in practice, these suggestions […]
Teacher Leaders
Posted inTeacher Leaders
The Age Of Entitlement
When I first started teaching years ago I was gifted with classes that had almost 100% parent involvement. If I needed items for activities, my parents signed up. If we had classroom parties parents not only volunteered to organize them, but they also showed up to help. Over the years, this participation slowly declined. Parents were […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
The Myth of Teacher Planning Time
The contract between my local education association and school district regarding Teacher Planning Time specifically states that: “professional employees shall be scheduled for a minimum of 200 minutes per week of planning time during the student day. Planning time shall be scheduled in blocks of not less than thirty (30) minutes. In the elementary schools, […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
A Leader is Not Always a Leader
Oh my goodness! I have an abundance of, how shall I put it, VERY STRONG LEADERS in my classroom this year. You know that point where you feel like your class is completely autonomous and could run smoothly without you? Yeah, we haven’t gotten to that point because if I wasn’t present it would be […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Why you need a Classroom Mission Statement
A mission statement. The best businesses use them to guide direction and lead to success. Our classrooms are definitely not businesses — but I believe, like in business, that a classroom mission statement can lead us and our students toward a clear outcome, guided by a defined purpose. I’ve created a teaching philosophy before. I’ve […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Traveling Teacher: National Museum of African American History and Culture
I was recently able to attend a conference earlier this February in the nation’s capital, and the hottest ticket in town is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or NMAAHC for short. In the span between its opening (September of 2016) and Valentine’s Day, 2017, 1 million visitors have walked through the […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Fostering Responsibility
My class still works off of a weekly job chart. I have always tried to incorporate community responsibility into our classroom lives. We have the basics listed as jobs, such as computer helper, line leader and light helper. But I also have not-so-standard jobs listed as well, jobs like trash helper, a vacuum-er and a […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
10 Steps to a Positive Classroom Culture
Creating a positive classroom culture is hard work. We are living in a time of high anxiety and our students can feel that tension. Many no longer feel safe or welcomed in their communities just as many no longer feel safe expressing themselves. As educators, it is our responsibility to create classroom environments that are […]