Teacher Resources Education Articles for Teachers - Page 3
Goal Setting for Success Part Two: English Language Learners
Are you reaching all of your students? Teaching in an urban middle school with a high ELL (English Language Learner) population has pushed me to rethink my curriculum and better tailor it to my non-traditional students. This year, with more English language learners than ever, my second major goa...
Navigating Fishbowl Discussions
To be completely candid, I suffer from a common teacher malady: I am a control freak. In my perfect mental image of a classroom, students sit quietly, in perfect rows, while I impart wisdom to them. In my first few years of teaching, any attempt to give control to a horde of high school-aged chil...
Substitute Plans: No Longer a Wasted Day
Do you ever feel like taking a day out of the classroom is more work than it’s worth? That it would be easier to just go in and teach than to create sub plans? Or do you just throw in a movie and call it a wasted day? It is highly likely that at some point during the school year, you will need to...
Clearing Curriculum Clutter
How do you keep all of your curriculum organized? Building and delivering curriculum is the foundation of the teaching trade, and it takes time—lots of it. How do you ensure that your hard work will not go to waste, and that you will be able to reuse your lessons and assignments time and time aga...
Stop School Violence Before it Ever Begins
When an early elementary teacher meets a new bunch of starry-eyed, rosy-cheeked kids whose backpacks are still too big for their tiny frames, the last thing to cross his/her mind is these little ones’ potential for future involvement in violent crimes. The issue seems entirely irrelevant. Yet the...
Back to School—Going Beyond the Classroom
One of the great things about being a teacher is getting to know a class of students at the beginning of the year. Learning about each individual’s likes, dislikes, needs, and desires are all a part of the ritual of building a positive rapport. Once everyone is set on the path of becoming a worki...
Don't Let Them See You Smile
How many of you have been told, “Don’t let them see you smile until Christmas?” This slogan has become doctrine amongst our profession, and whether it is proclaimed as dogma or a punch-line, we have to ask ourselves, is it warranted? A stern teacher may be getting results in one forum, but be com...
High School: It's for Parents Too
When one thinks of parents volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, and going over the nightly homework, usually images of elementary-aged children appear. By the time students reach high school, parents have been booted to the sidelines—quite literally—of the football fields and b...
DIY Webpage Part 4: Tips for Your Class Website
Have you decided to create a website? Are you looking at improving your website? Consider these tips as you build or update your website.
Visual Tips
Keep graphics to a minimum. Too many graphics can be overwhelming. They can also detract from your message, choose graphics sparingly and caref...
DIY Webpage Part 3: Page Suggestions
Do you ever look at another teacher's website and find yourself feeling both impressed and overwhelmed at the same time? For me, even though the actual task felt a bit overwhelming, the interesting and creative content inspired me to try to make my own site. I didn't know where to start, but now ...
DIY Webpage Part 2: A Guide to Weebly
Are you still a bit afraid of trying to undertake a class website? Try it, you'll find it's simple—just follow these instructions using a resource called Weebly. As I mentioned in my first article, be sure that you have thought through whether you want to use a blog, static website, or a combinat...
Staying Organized While Substitute Teaching
Have you recently graduated with your education degree? Are you one of many who have been affected by reductions in staff? Do you want to get back into education after being gone for several years? Many people who fall into these categories turn to subbing as a way to stay connected with educatio...
Incorporating Cell Phone Use in the Classroom
Relinquishing the “no cell phone” policy can seem daunting. It is much easier to have a blanket rule for the classroom that eliminates cell phones from being used. However, at what point do we as educators reverse the system from one of punishment to one of resourcefulness? If the educational com...
DIY Webpage Part 1: Blogs vs Static Websites
How do you establish and maintain the lines of communication between home and school? As educators, we all know that communication between home and school is essential, but actually ensuring that consistent communication happens can be challenging. One easy way to communicate is through a class w...
Easing into a New School Year
Ah, the first days back at school—a whole year lies before you, full of anticipation and potential. While it may be tempting to jump into a week of thought-provoking lessons, young brains coming off a summer binge of sleepovers and late night video game marathons need time to ease into the new sc...