Encouraging students to be responsible learners can oftentimes be a challenging task. It's wonderful when our students come to us with experience in responsibility (like doing chores at home!), but oftentimes that just isn't our reality. So it's our job, as teachers, to TEACH our students HOW to be responsible. Teach them what it means. What it looks like and what it doesn't look like. Model responsibility. Encourage it. Most of all...provide them with opportunities to be responsible!!! One of the most effective ways to instill within our students a sense of responsibility is by trusting them with a specific job. A task for which … [Read more...] about Help Wanted: Classroom Jobs!
classroom management
Managing Parent Communication
Prior to the start of the new school year, I always like to reflect on my relationships with my parents from the previous years. What could I have done better? How can I improve? How can I deepen my relationships with both parents AND students? These aren't always comfortable questions to ask myself because at some point they lead me back to my mistakes and weaknesses and confronting my shortcomings isn't always easy. However, being willing to recognize and admit my areas of weakness always leads to change and improvement and that's ALWAYS a good thing!!! While I think my parent relationship game is pretty strong, I will admittedly tell … [Read more...] about Managing Parent Communication
Back to School Tips – The Readers Edition
I know at the beginning of the year I need all the help I can get. I don't have all the answers. I don't have the best ideas. I never have and I never will. I absolutely LOVE brainstorming and getting help from other teachers! I mean, I'll take any help I can get to make my year start off smoothly!!! Especially when SO many of you have such AMAZING ideas!! About a month ago, I asked my Facebook readers to give me a few back to school tips and I got some great ideas! These are the kind of ideas that made me go, "DUH!!!! SO simple!! Why didn't I think of that?!?!?" Hopefully … [Read more...] about Back to School Tips – The Readers Edition
Managing Station Time
Truth be told, I’m a bit of a *control freak*. I’m sure there’s a little bit of that in all of us. Mine tends to reign when it comes to managing my classroom. And it gets EXTREMELY stressed out when I’m flying, but that’s beside the point. Yes…I like to be in control in the classroom. It would be scary if there were no control….we all know that. I’ve worked with lots of teachers who were masters at letting go of control…in certain aspects, of course. I’ve dabbled in it here and there, but I’ve always been a little nervous to find out what it would be like if I let my kids choose instead of me. … [Read more...] about Managing Station Time
