I am daily reminded of how much of an impact I have on my students. For instance, I have a parent who is always in a hurry to drop off their student. This parent doesn’t stop to look at poetry I have displayed on the wall or work that has gone home with great big stickers and […]
classroom management
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Opinion, The Unemployed Teacher
Substituting – The Not-Quite-Teaching of Teaching
One of the new adventures I’ve embarked upon since my layoff in 2011 is substitute teaching. Many unemployed teachers I’ve spoken to have been substituting for a very long time, sometimes half a decade or more, waiting to get back into a permanent position. Substituting can be one of the worst – or best – situations in which an […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Opinion, Parents
Educating the Uneducated: 10 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew
I’ve been on both sides of the fence: the educator side and the parent side. I’m sure most of you have been there also. We’ve all had the families come through our classroom doors that we cannot wait to develop relationships with. You know the ones: they fill out every line on the volunteer form then add […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy
The Biggest "No-No" in Reading Instruction
What was your reading instruction like in grade school? If you are anything like me, you remember participating in these lengthy oral readings of the weekly text where each student read a paragraph aloud.  Most of the time, you went in order – straight down the row, a method commonly referred to as the Round […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy
The Reading Paradigm: Equity Does Not Mean Equal in Reading Instruction
One of the qualities of an effective teacher is to be fair and equitable. But what does that really mean? How can you be fair and equitable to every single student in your classroom? As a child, I’m sure if your sibling got a scoop of ice cream, you wanted a scoop of ice cream. […]
Posted inOpinion
Consistency is Key: 4 Tips to Ensure a Successful Learning Environment
I clearly recall being paddled in front of my entire 3rd grade class. I was an excellent student who always followed the rules, so [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”] Why/how could such a punishment be inflicted […]
Posted inParents
But Class is Boring! A Survival Guide for Students
As a parent, I’m sure you often hear stories of how boring their classes are in school. They are not lying school is boring -you attend a set number of classes for 180 days, with the same instructors many times covering the same content. However I’ve mastered the art of keeping teenagers engaged. So when […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Instruction & Curriculum
How to Implement Deep Learning Characteristics in the Classroom
Deep learning is the foundation on which I instruct my students; whether it is through the use of practical thinking skills, human dimension activities, and/or data gathering. There are other deep learning characteristics I implement daily, but these are most commonly used in my classroom. These strategies help to keep me focused on one common goal […]