TheApple

“In the world of classroom gardening, I can change that weed into a flower. How do we do that as teachers? By doing exactly the opposite of what I did for the first few days. Concentrate on the good behavior. Look at the flowers. Don’t ignore the weed, but don’t make him or her the focal point of your room either. ...

“The words that are chosen by a teacher carry so much meaning and power. I think we all forget just how much power we have. When a kid falls down in class and forgets homework, does poorly on a test, or even is the biggest thorn in our side, we have a choice to use words that beat them down or ...

This year, we have done things quite a bit differently in our band classes. We have not spent any time really outlining classroom rules. In fact, we really have been operating on a rule-free teaching model. Earlier this week, I clarified my don’t talk to me policy. Beyond that though, we really haven’t gone over anything specifically. No lists of rules ...

All teachers need a user-friendly system to help stay on top of the endless marking, checking and workpages. Plan as thoroughly as you can and if you don’t already have one, develop a system of organization. It’s truly amazing how much paperwork and marking goes into the first year. It’s easy for a new teacher to feel overwhelmed and confused. Try ...

1. Word Wall Example: How to Use a Word Wall 2. Weekly Contest 3. College corner (featuring your alma mater) 4. Examples of great work from your former students 5. Artwork, pictures and notes from your former students 6. Class job postings 7. Subject-related news articles 8. Subject-related career articles 9. A PostSecret-style project - My students came up with something ...

I consider these items to be absolutely indispensable in the classroom. They have multiple uses and help you avoid problems that you probably haven't thought about. 1. Painter's Tape This special tape doesn't stick to anything permanently, but sticks strongly enough to leave until you're ready to take it off. You can use this to section off your board, floor, walls, ...

Building trust: I share a lot of stories about myself so that the students can learn more about me. When I don’t know someone, I don’t feel comfortable expressing myself because I am afraid they will judge me or think badly about me. My students probably feel the same way so I try to take the first steps in getting to ...

Today I went on a field trip with my friends. If you are a faithful reader, you are amazing. AND, you also know about my issues with field trips based on the ghosts of Horrific Field Trips Past that continue to haunt me. However, I am dedicated to my calling, and therefore, continue to subject myself to that yellow school bus, ...

Anyone? No? As most schools are, we are currently on Swine Flu Watch. Unfortunately, my classroom has turned into something resembling a hospital waiting room what with all the allergy issues, asthma related breathing problems, spring colds and hacking coughs. But I am vigilant. Vigilant in my search for Swine Flu-esque symptoms. Or really, any symptoms that say Why the Heck ...

With just a few months left until the end of the school year, you may already be wondering just how it is possible to get to the end without becoming batty. With spring and warmer weather still to come, students continue to have their own excuses for not putting 100% effort. And of course, there are more non-school related activities that ...

I went to UC Berkeley for graduate school. One would assume that most UC Berkeley students have a working knowledge of social rules. But I was always amused that in the bathrooms in the Education building, they had clear signs posted that read: _Please Flush the Toilet When You Are Finished_ Really? You have to post that? Does that mean that ...

The following little tidbit is going to outline “one of those days” when I wonder what I am doing and how this wasn’t included in my job description. But I guess if we just stuck to our job descriptions, nothing would get done!! Picture it. It’s morning meeting. One of my favorite times during the school day. Frequently I am a ...

Whether you're a new teacher stepping foot in the classroom for the first time or an experienced teacher, managing a classroom full of students can be challenging. Each set of students and each new day bring about situations that require careful attention and sometimes quick action. Experts agree that planning your management strategy before you get in the classroom is ...

As a school psychologist, I help teachers and parents craft behavior plans for students who are having difficulties in school. Without fail, the top two behaviors that are the most problematic for teachers are not following rules/directions and lack of work completion. Here are some tips for teachers (and parents) to increase compliance with requests. *1)* Start with requests that the ...

It is no secret that there is a rise in student disputes for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is as simple as shouting unkind words to each other or as severe as breaking into a physical fight. Teachers are often faced with students who do not gel, students who are tough, and students who do not regard school entirely as ...

What classroom doesn't have at least one or two students who constantly disrupt the class with their antics? In order for students to be able to learn effectively, there needs to be consistency and order in the classroom. Often new teachers do not know of ways on how to handle the ongoing battles with disruptive students, and this makes their job ...

Being a teacher means that you have many things to juggle, and if anything tips the scales, you may find yourself backlogged in a hurry. There are things that you can do to make sure that you stay on schedule, and complete tasks in a timely manner. Situations will come up that are beyond your control, but implementing some of these ...

Do you worry about the noise level in your classroom? Even the best-behaved and high-achieving classes can occasionally be too noisy. And while classroom noise can mean productive learning is taking place among students, here are some tips to help you keep the noise to an acceptable level. • Never talk over noise or shout to be heard in your classroom. ...

“Penny Pingleton, you know you are punished. From now on you're wearing a giant P on your blouse EVERY DAY to school so that the whole world knows that Penny Pingleton is permanently, positively, punished! Well that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? Well this is clearly something that only happens in Full Feature Film Turned Tony Award Winning Musicals Turned ...

Classroom management is never deleted from my list of ongoing concerns. Each new group of students and each new school day brings a very different dynamic to the classroom depending on many variables such as what went on at home the night before, what the student ate or didn’t eat, and whether or not my lesson is as educationally sound as ...