One of the biggest contemporary challenges of teaching is a classroom that is not only significantly overcrowded, but also packed full of students at all levels of learning abilities, English language speaking and reading skills, and emotional maturity. Mix all that together in one classroom and any teacher, new or veteran, has the potential to become very […]
effective teachers
Posted inClassroom Management, New Teacher Bootcamp
The Curriculum Map: How To Find Your Way Through Lesson Planning
One of the greatest challenges for new teachers and veterans alike can be lesson planning. For new teachers, getting to know the curriculum and finding ways to enliven it for students can sometimes be daunting. For veterans, keeping lessons fresh and new ideas flowing, even when you’ve taught the same thing for years, can be […]
Posted inClassroom Management, New Teacher Bootcamp
The Curriculum Map: How to Find Your Way Through Lesson Planning
One of the greatest challenges for new teachers and veterans alike can be lesson planning. For new teachers, getting to know the curriculum and finding ways to enliven it for students can sometimes be daunting. For veterans, keeping lessons fresh and new ideas flowing, even when you’ve taught the same thing for years, can be […]
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 inOpinion, The Unemployed Teacher
Education Myths that Eliminate Good Teachers
Teachers are among the many casualties of this faltering economy, especially young, motivated teachers. So many promising educators –who have chosen a career path of little financial reward because they want to help growing young minds — are waiting in the wings, wondering when they’ll get their opportunity.  Those new teachers now must compete with […]
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 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. […]