What Growth, Innovation and Collaborative Mindsets look like for Students and Teachers. If you are reading this, you’ve very likely lined up your stuffed animals in alphabetical rows and taught them how to write, or add, or all about history.
Better yet, you may have commandeered the entire basement setting up your ideal school. If you fall into this category, you may have an inordinate love of new notebooks and dry erase boards—just like me. Many of us become teachers because we love learning, in addition to teaching. It is often far into a teacher preparation program before actual students, with real needs, talents, and expectations, are placed before you.
Suddenly, you are gazing at a classroom filled with all types of students—some begrudgingly there, some anxious, probably quite a few social butterflies, maybe someone who is painfully shy, a fair number of perfectionists, maybe some ENL students (English as a New Language), and there are those with IEPs or 504s. Truth be told, standing up there and “teaching” is outmoded and ineffective. Edutopia. Back-to-school content is usually focused on teachers and students, and as these two groups will have the largest workload ahead of them, that makes sense.
But for students, the ultimate support system is not an expert teacher, but an informed and supportive family. One of the most significant challenges facing formal education in the United States is the chasm separating schools and communities. The more informed a family is, the more seamlessly they'll connect to so many other edu-constructs, from extracurricular activities and tutoring to reading programs and school-related events.
While schools (hopefully) work to update themselves and the way students learn within them, many parents have to work with what's available to them. With the exception of in-depth content like Edutopia's guides, much of the "parent stuff" you'll find through Googling is decent enough, but it can be surface level or otherwise completely unrelated to process of learning. 5 Teaching Practices I'm Kicking to the Curb. So many of us teach the way we were taught.
We may not even realize we’re doing it. And that means certain practices get passed down year after year without question, methods that are such a normal part of the way we do school, we perpetuate them without realizing there are better alternatives. Today I’m going to roll out five of these for your consideration: five teaching practices used every day that are not backed by research. In many cases, these practices are not only ineffective, they can be downright harmful. A few caveats before I start: First, I have used every single one of these methods. Positive, Not Punitive, Classroom Management Tips. This article is adapted from Larry's new book, Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation.
Let's start with a question I've been asked on more than one occasion. "I know my content and like my students, but sometimes it's hard to get them under control so I can teach my lesson. What tips for classroom management can you give me? " Organization. Welcome!
Here is the view of our first grade hallway at Wayland Bonds Elementary! This year we decided to go with a camping theme. We made our doorways look like log cabins by making logs out of butcher paper. 25 Ways to Make Grading Less Painful. There's no way around it.
No matter how much formative assessment you did, how much feedback you gave early, how aligned or focused your rubric is... you still have to grade it. Others have talked about how to make it easier. There are infinite articles on TeachHub, Scholastic, and Edutopia, just to name a few. Carol Jago commiserated with us in her book, Papers, Papers, Papers. Secondary Solutions wrote a popular blog post with 10 tips for essay grading. Teaching Maths with Meaning: 10 Steps to Setting Up Your Classroom For the New Year. It is the start of the school year and you have so much to do.
You might be a brand new teacher, have changed year levels and classrooms or be looking to arrange your classroom in a different year to last year. You walk into your empty shell of a classroom, the cleaners have been through and piled everything in the corner and you might be wondering just what to do! Don’t be overwhelmed – this is when the fun starts! Personally, I have either changed schools, grade levels or classrooms every year but one, so after doing this a few times, I finally have a system down pat, that works for me every year! Following this system means I am not spending all day, everyday at school towards the end of the summer vacation and ensures I have a smooth start to every school year.
Edutopia. When I was a new teacher in middle school several centuries ago, I occasionally said things to students that I later regretted.
In the last few years, I have witnessed or heard teachers say additional regretful things to students. Recently I asked students in my graduate courses (all practicing teachers) if they ever told their students anything they regret. After hearing these regrets and talking with children about what teachers said that bothered them, I compiled a list of things that never should be said. 5 Ways to "Remove the Walls" From Your Classroom.
After the first day of school this year, I couldn't believe my luck!
My seventh grade math and science students participated eagerly, worked well in groups, and followed our agreed-upon classroom procedures. With the deck stacked in my favor, I was sure that this was going to be my best year of teaching thus far. However, after three to four weeks, the on-task behaviors waned across the grade as students seemed to focus more on personal squabbles than their classwork. Simply put, the students were getting tired of one another. Even when I changed up the seating chart, planned purposeful groups, and taught interactive differentiated lessons, the students' bickering continued to get in the way of their learning. 10 Things All Teachers Need to Know When Teaching Handwriting « Miss Mancy's Blog. I wanted to share a few tips of the trade when teaching handwriting to young children.
There are several approaches but mine has always been eclectic and varies greatly depending on the child’s strengths. But here is a little bag of tricks I like to use! 1-Do not look at the final product, look at the process that the child uses to make sure the approach is correct. 2- Teach letter writing from top to bottom, left to right (for lefties it’s ok to go from right to left) How to Tell if Your Student Could Benefit From Speech Therapy.
Posted 07/09/2015 9:28AM | Last Commented 08/05/2015 6:57AM Speech is an integral part of being human, and while it comes naturally and easily to the majority of the population, language is not so effortless for some. Luckily, when speech disorders are caught early in childhood, it is much easier to make improvements than when neglected with the hopes that the child will "grow out of it". The majority of elementary teachers are aware that they should be on the lookout for children who might benefit from speech services, but it is not always obvious what to look for. Especially with the range of different speech pathologies, one student’s problem may look nothing like another’s, though both may be suffering from a speech disorder. There are, however, some common signs, so watch for them.
Common Speech Development Issues Numerous speech and language disorders exist, stemming from physical conditions to learning and behavioral problems. Language disorders affect children differently. 10 Back-To-School Tips For Teachers Using Google Docs. 10 Back-To-School Tips For Teachers Using Google Docs by Google Collaborate with colleagues. Edutopia. We all know that the back-to-school season is exciting -- not just for students and educators, but for parents, businesses, and the media as well. It's a time when the greater community is primed to pay attention to its schools. As Nora Carr, Chief of Staff for Guilford County (NC) Schools and former president of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) has written, "In terms of PR heaven, it doesn't get any better than this. " Research Trends: Why Homework Should Be Balanced. Homework: effective learning tool or waste of time?
Since the average high school student spends almost seven hours each week doing homework, it's surprising that there's no clear answer. Homework is generally recognized as an effective way to reinforce what students learn in class, but claims that it may cause more harm than good, especially for younger students, are common. Fun for Spanish Teachers: First Week of School: Two Songs for Teaching Greetings & Introductions. The Perfect Classroom, According to Science — Bright.
It’s bright, quiet, and 72 degrees. And it makes every student feel valued. By Sarika Bansal. Using "I Can" Charts to Make Learning Visible. How to Watch YouTube Videos Safely with Kids. Guidelines for Practical Life Skills for Kids! Clarity is Key. The new school year feels well underway, even if for some of you it only started 15 days ago. Room Setup - The School Supply Addict.
Curriculum Binder: A Teacher's Right Hand Man... Developing a Growth Mindset in Teachers and Staff. The New Psychology of Success (2000), Dweck developed a continuum upon which people can be placed, based upon their understandings about where ability comes from. For some people (at one end of said continuum), success (and failure) is based on innate ability (or the lack of it). Deck describes this as a fixed theory of intelligence, and argues that this gives rise to a ‘fixed mindset’. At the other end of the continuum are those people who believe success is based on a growth mindset. These individuals argue that success is based on learning, persistence and hard work. According to Dweck: In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits.
The crucial point for individuals is that these mindsets have a large impact upon our understanding of success and failure. Needless to say, this idea of mindsets has significant implications for education. Crockett's Classroom Forever in Third Grade: Help your kids SPARKLE. Bravo behavior (FREEBIES!) - a year of many firsts. Freebies Galore for your Meet and Greet, Orientation or Open House!! - Little Warriors. 6 Reasons Why Puppets Will Change Your Classroom Forever. Child development: 5-6 years. Advice for a Kindergarten Teacher ~ Linky Party. Señora Speedy: Whole Brain Teaching - Part One. What do I do on the FIRST day? 8 Tips and Tricks to Redesign Your Classroom.
What Does Transformational Teaching Look Like? New Teachers: Designing Learning Environments. 4 Big Things Transformational Teachers Do. 10 Great Classroom Icebreakers. What If Everything You Knew About Disciplining Kids Was Wrong?
Why No One Reads Your Classroom Newsletter. TEACHER TIP: The tool that can increase classroom productivity in less than 10 minutes. Frog Spot: Bee Busy - A system for your Fast Finishers. Teach123 - Tips for Teachers: Meet the Teacher. All Students Can Shine: Ideas For A Calm And Happy Classroom. 12 Unexpected Ways to Use LEGO in the Classroom. 36 Clever DIY Ways To Decorate Your Classroom. Teacher´s Clipart: DIY Make fun "First Day of School" Pictures in 5 easy steps. 19 Ridiculously Simple DIYs Every Elementary School Teacher Should Know. Lights, Camera, Action! More Than a Worksheet. Name Stick Holder. Why I Took My Behavior Chart Off My Wall! - Simply Kinder. Hollywood Theme. Hollywood.
36 Clever DIY Ways To Decorate Your Classroom. Tips and Tools for Classroom Management. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard: A Kindergarten Smorgasboard Submissions For Smorgie: Routines and Procedures. 30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class. 2 Quick, Inexpensive Ways to Add Collaborative Space to Your Classroom. 8 ways to redirect off-task behavior without stopping your lesson. 30 Classroom Procedures to Head Off Behavior Problems. New Teachers: Lesson and Curriculum Planning. My Behavior Management Plan. Tips for Creating Wow-Worthy Learning Spaces. 29 Awesome Classroom Doors For Back-To-School. 100 Classroom Organizing Tricks. Five-Minute Film Festival: Classroom Makeovers to Engage Learners. 8 Tips and Tricks to Redesign Your Classroom. 17 Ways to Find Free or Cheap Stuff for Your Classroom.
A Teeny Tiny Teacher: I Don't Use a Clip Chart. Please Don't Throw Rotten Tomatoes. How Much Performance Pizzazz Does a Teacher Need to be Effective? Should Teachers Grade Homework? 19 Ridiculously Simple DIYs Every Elementary School Teacher Should Know. 4 Tips to Build Student Confidence. How to Create Effective Homework. Unexpected Tools That are Influencing the Future of Education. 2014 nmc horizon report k12 EN. Diary of a Not So Wimpy Teacher: Active Learning. What If Everything You Knew About Disciplining Kids Was Wrong? Using Pre-Needs Assessment for Effective PD.
Concealing the Clutter. The Applicious Teacher: Interactive Anchor Charts: Now Even BETTER! What Makes a Parent Love a Teacher. Mrs. Bremer's Class: alphabet activities. Setting Up My Classroom. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard: A Kindergarten Smorgasboard: Submissions For Smorgie! Turning Bulletin Boards into Classroom Games. Let's Get Organized - Tales from Outside the Classroom : Tales from Outside the Classroom. Managing Your Turn-In Tray Using Clothespins. Focus Issues in Children. Peace, Love, and First Grade: Meet the Teacher.
Preschoolers and Praise: Messages That Can Help Kids Grow. Making A Solid Case for Realia (2): In Defense of the Handmade. Kindergarten Summer Blog Posts - Simply Kinder. Your Substitute Teacher Folder Checklist. Why a Teacher Cannot have a Normal Life...The Educator's Room. 10 Steps for Avoiding Teacher Burnout. Be Extraordinary: How One Teacher Dodged Burnout and You Can Too. 37 Insanely Smart School Teacher Hacks. 5 Highly Effective Teaching Practices. The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home. Less Is More: The Value of a Teacher's Time.