Going into the classroom to finish up the second decade of my career I still learn. Â My room and my style are different from that first class 19 years ago, but the philosophy behind what I do has not changed. Â I believe in active learning. Â I believe in appreciating differences. Â I believe every child has […]
management
Making a Good First Impression on the First Day of School
The excitement, and exhaustion, of the first day of school cannot be matched by anything else. Â It’s the first opportunity to meet your students and set the tone for your year. Â When my students walk through my door I want them to know they are loved. Â This is a space for learning which is messy […]
How to Own the Leadership of Your Classroom: Craft a Vision
It’s no secret that teacher burnout is a problem. A commonly cited statistic is that as many as half of teachers leave the profession within their first five years. As retention of teachers gains attention in policy circles, teacher leadership has emerged as one possible solution. Generally teacher leadership means an opportunity to extend a […]
100 Kindergarteners: An Experiment with Our Children!
100! 100 children were placed last year in a Kindergarten class as an experiment in learning. Of course, this isn’t being tried at a private school whose students are children of our country’s top earners. It is being tried in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Detroit. The students are all placed in the […]
Student Teaching Diaries: It’s Not Just Teaching
Teaching is more than lessons, assessments, and children.  It involves extra work outside of the classroom.  Seasoned teachers know there are many “extras” that come with the job.  We attend board meetings, committee meetings, planning meetings, curriculum meetings, after-school clubs, summer school sessions, PTO and Site Council presentations, school plays and school-sponsored events outside of the 7:45-3:45 daily […]
21st Century Classroom Management is… Fun?
Recently a veteran colleague and a teacher in training posed questions concerning classroom management and power struggles with students. Years ago the approach to dealing with students who test the boundaries of rules was quick and strict reprimand. Â Students were graded on neatness, orderly and timely manners, for being quiet unless called upon. While there […]
Elementary Classroom Hacks for Back to School
Classroom teachers have tricks and shortcuts we use each day.  We need things to help manage and protect time, supplies, organization and classroom management.  According to Merriam-Webster “Hack is to manage successfully or a creative solution.”  Here are some classroom hacks to help with a variety of things in your elementary classroom. * Use old (clean) […]
6 Ways to Make Your Room Work for You
Every summer teachers rethink their classrooms. I am no exception. It just can’t happen during the school year beyond rearranging desks. I have a couple of friends who are urban planners and I pretend to be them, thinking about my space as if it were a small city. After all, classroom arrangement includes more than […]