Why do we have to read The Sea Wolf? William Shakespeare is dead, what does he have to do with us? These are all common problems in any class in 2018-, especially for a newer teacher. Before I began teaching in the classroom setting, I worked in non-traditional education. Non-traditional education is learning through different methods, […]
new teachers
Building Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the ability to read something, process what is saying, and understand what is saying. As an English teacher, I feel like teaching reading comprehension is one of the most important things that I teach my students. While students can be strong readers, sometimes they struggle with understanding the deeper meaning behind the […]
Teacher Self-Care: Great Tips PLUS A Hyperdoc To Share!
How often do you think about self-care? At the beginning of the year? During grading periods when you’re stressed out and wondering why you’re teaching? When you’ve had a fabulous weekend/day/month off and you think about how awesome it feels? When you’ve had enough and decide to take a ‘mental health sick day’?s That’s what […]
Mrs. Brown, Should I Become a Teacher?
It is the end of a long school day when two former students enter my classroom smiling. My eyes are burning. When not instructing, I have been reading thematic essays. I probably need new eyeglasses, but my health insurance does not cover much of that expense. I want to keep grading because there is dinner to […]
A Teacher’s Gratitude
I am a teacher. I give thanks for dry erase markers that work and pre-sharpened pencils, for chocolate and caffeine. I meet canceled meetings, bathroom breaks and snow days with gratitude and I am thankful for forgotten fidget spinners and silly bands that’ve come and gone, thankful for completed paperwork, planned fire drills, and a […]
5 Things I’d Tell Myself in My Earlier Teaching Years
My first few years of teaching were spent scrambling to assemble the perfect lesson plans that would engage my students and still be fun. I spent hours at work instead of with my family. I was completely dedicated and yet afraid of failure. Sometimes, I felt a little lost and sometimes wondered if I had […]
Making Sense of Special Education Paperwork: 3 Systems That Save Me Each and Every Time
I took a new position this year, one where the teaching I’ve been doing is the same, but the paperwork is not, I am a special education teacher in a resource room for kindergarten through third grade. For those of you are new to the special education area (like me) and are literally wallowing in […]
The Off-Duty Teacher: What I Do to Feel Relaxed and Refreshed
It’s Monday afternoon, you’ve just spent the last 9+ hours on your feet teaching 130 students. You’ve barely had time for lunch and now two hours after dismissal, you’re ready to go home. However, you find that it’s hard to program your time at home because you’re still processing the events of the school day. […]