Preparing to head back to school? Establishing clear expectations and procedures will lay the foundation for a calm productive year. When I mentor new teachers, the most important way I can help them is in supporting them to set clear expectations and procedures. A teacher can have the most amazing academic lesson planned, but if […]
Books to Help Begin a Dialogue about Race
Kids are talking about race right now. Many of them are scared. Many are repeating things they’ve heard on TV and at home. As teachers, we should bring those conversations into the classroom to provide a safe place to discuss and learn. Let’s work to build a welcoming classroom community. This post contains affiliate links […]
Do you lie to your students?
Do you lie to your students? Most peoples gut reaction is a quick no. I challenge you to take a moment to think about this. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and issues. Some of these we know about. Some of them we don’t. If a person is raised in an environment […]
Early Finishers for the End of the Year
As the end of the year approaches are your early finishers getting into mischief? Here are a couple of simple ideas to focus students on early finisher activities that will keep your classroom running smoothly at the end of the year. Early Finishers: Being Thankful Teaching gratitude helps students learn an important life skill. In […]
7 Springtime Survival Strategies
Spring has sprung! As the weather warms and you your students become restless, try some of these springtime survival strategies in your classroom and let me know how they work for you. 1. Keep it Novel At this point of the year, the students are used to all the awesomeness in your classroom. Introducing something […]