I remember my first classroom. It was bursting at the seams with posters, fairy lights, rugs, artwork, and anything that I could squeeze onto the walls in hopes of inspiring students to want to learn. My sweet Guinea pig students were not only dealing with me trying to find my feet as an educator, but they also had to battle the distractions they were fighting in trying to pay attention to me amongst the collage of my excitement suffocating them; on all sides!
discipline
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
[Opinion]I’m Tired: The Cultural Burden of a Being the Token Assistant Principal
“White people can be exhausting.” That’s the first line in Austin Channing Brown’s book titled, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. While this line is most likely jarring for some, I must say, as an African-American woman in a space of Whiteness as an Assistant Principal, it is true. Embarking […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
5 Fun, Quick and Easy Elementary Classroom Management Ideas!
Disciplining students doesn’t have to be tiresome and stressful. It can be fun! Here are 5 fun classroom management tactics to use in your elementary classroom. Erase the Animal (2nd-5th grade)-Before each class I let my students decide what animal they want me to draw on the board. If they are showing positive behavior, I […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Three Things that Make Me Tired About Teaching
I have always loved learning. Not the sit in a desk and absorb everything from a lecture, but hands-on interactive discussion that is true learning. In my 19 years of education, I have seen three things that slowly are breaking down our education system. These three things make me exhausted each day before I even […]
Posted inFeatured, Special Education
What to Expect During a Manifestation Determination Review
Last week, TER writer and educator Paula Glass wrote an article about how daunting a Manifestation Determination can be from an educator’s standpoint. The consequences of such a meeting weigh heavily on everyone involved, from the student all the way back to the educator in the classroom. For that reason, it’s extremely important that when you […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Opinion, Uncategorized
Manifestation Meetings: Have You Experienced One?
I recently had a crash course in what is called ‘Manifestation Determination’ or ‘Manifestation Meetings’. I had never heard of these until this week. Now mind you, I am by no means a special education teacher, nor do I claim to know much about all of the forms and paperwork that these saints endure. I […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured
Develop Habits, Don't Discipline
[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”] Discipline, as defined by Google, is a noun or verb which is the practice of or to train (someone) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, Middle School, Opinion
Rethinking Discipline
My first teaching assignment was in an urban middle school, where I was fortunate enough to have several excellent colleagues as mentors. I learned to handle most classroom problems myself, reporting only major violations to administration. Here are a few techniques I used during my 30 year career. 1. Have a sense of humor. If […]