TheApple

Schools are notorious for enormous copy budgets.  Between parent/home communications, student work, and staff communication, schools are drowning in a sea of paper.  Transforming the school into a paperless environment is eco-friendly, budget friendly, and can increase productivity.  With all of the free online options, going green is easier than ever.   Paperless students and teachers: 1. Spelling City www.spellingcity.com  Spelling ...

For as long as I can remember, we have always cited that "education" is a top three issue in the eyes of the American people. While we may debate whether it is a subject on which we cast our votes (and there is little to show that education policy has any effect on national campaigns), it is supposedly an issue that ...

At the close of each school year, we all find ourselves doing what all good teachers should: reflecting on what we did well the past year and on what we can do differently in the future to heed more positive results. This year, I find myself taking extra time thinking about how I can improve the behavior in my classroom. I’ve ...

I was checking my various email and social networking sites this past July during a break at the College Horizons program, when I stumbled upon some horrific news: four teenagers from my hometown of Santa Fe had been killed the night before in a drunk driving accident and another was in critical condition. I had personal connections to all these kids ...

I was recently eating lunch with a group of my closest girlfriends, who also happen to be my coworkers. We started talking about the topic that is clearly unavoidable: the beginning of the school year. Since most of us have been spending the past few weeks at the pool, on family vacations, cheering our kids on at swim meets, and the ...

Of all the celebrity deaths over the past few months, the one that hit me the hardest was TV pitchman extraordinaire Billy Mays. Mays was the one who I always thought had the most to teach us, because when you break our profession down to its core, we are all salespeople. The only difference is that instead of selling OxiClean, Kaboom, ...

Field trips can be amazing learning experiences.   They provide students with the opportunity to actively participate in education, offering learning possibilities that aren't readily available in the classroom.  Unfortunately, it isn't always practical or possible to take students on field trips.  Tight budgets, location, transportation, time, and resource restrictions can keep your students school-bound.  Virtual field trips can fill this void. ...

On the heels of more than 10 years as a professional journalist, Heather Lalley has found herself back in class. After taking a buyout from The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, then moving to Chicago to work as a freelance writer for a year, Lalley decided it was time to go back to school -- this time to become a classically trained ...

The importance of a good high school didn't hit home with me until just recently. My husband and I are relocating and had to think about where our daughter, who is only 1, would ultimately go to high school. This kind of list is not only important for parents, but for teachers who strive to find a work environment that is ...

The top 10 things I've learned from being a substitute teacher. 10. You can always be more organized. 9. You can never be too detailed in your sub plans. Don't assume subs know anything. Seating charts, bathroom breaks, teachers they can ask for help, students who know what's going on, switching classes, phone and computer use, school rules, are just examples ...

Do you know what your true talents are? What really motivates you? Why you can’t figure out the “right” job or career? Or how can YOU make your work more rewarding? Learn more Familiar questions? The vast majority of us have asked them from time to time. Now how and where to find the answers that fit YOU is the real ...

Last week was teacher appreciation week.  Each year when this week rolls around, I am reminded of the amazing teachers I had in my life who helped shape me into the learner I am today.   In my life, my favorite teachers always seemed to land on the odd grade levels.  My first, third, and fifth grade teachers were particularly memorable. ...

This may seem like a strange title coming from a technology evangelist and integration specialist. But it is true, it isn't all about technology in classrooms. Don't get me wrong, technology can and will do amazing things to increase student learning, differentiate instruction, and meet students where they are. Understand, technology alone can't do this, it isn't the golden ticket that ...

Every year, thousands of new teachers pass through hundreds of different teacher preparation programs and are hired to teach in our nation’s schools. Most new teachers come from traditional route to certification (TC) programs, in which they complete all their certification requirements before beginning to teach. In recent years, however, as many as a third of new hires have come from ...

Report cards have been a part of the educational experience for decades. They are essential to informing parents of student progress and traditionally serve as the overall measure of assessment of a child’s success in school. Currently, the teachers and administrators at my elementary school are taking a closer look at our report cards. Elementary school report cards often include a ...

A dear friend once asked me this question: “If you and the person most dear to you were on a sinking ship and there was only one life preserver, would you give it to your loved one, or keep it for yourself?” Taken aback I thought for a moment, and then replied, “give it to my loved one?” His response, “then ...

My writing about teaching started while I was substitute teaching. I drafted a list of 10 to 12 rules for subs. My list included things like, “Don’t read the newspaper in class,” and, “Be prepared to DO SOMETHING when the lesson plan is missing.” I’ve long ago lost the file, but I vividly remember number 1 on the list, “It’s not ...

Every year in late January or early February one of my favorite milestones in the academic calendar occurs – the day when you realize that your instruction has finally taken effect. At this point in the year It is suddenly apparent that the hard work of the past five months has paid off and the pieces have fallen into place. This ...

Sponge activities came about in response to teachers’ need to fill time when left with just a few minutes before transitioning. We have all faced those moments, and if you are like me, the perfect sponge activity never comes to mind. The easiest trick for me to pull out of my bag is a simple game. Although the students never sense ...

I teach college prep, advanced, and certification computer multimedia courses to 9th through 12th grade students in a 1:1 computer classroom. Every day is different when teaching high school. There are so many activities, meetings, and events going on before, during, and after school that it is impossible to keep up with all of it. Here is my schedule for a ...