and living life one day- and book- at a time
Quite a few years ago, I attended a conference where the guest speaker was Kim Campbell. Her presentations that day were a gamechanger for me. I had struggled to reach a few a students, but I didn’t quite know what to do. Without reaching them, there was no way I could control the classroom the …
Six years ago, I decided to implement classroom jobs as part of my classroom management. You would think that middle school students would be against it, but the truth is they enjoy having an important responsibility. Whether it was for a nine weeks or a month, it gave them something to do and they felt …
At the school where I work, one of the teachers with the best classroom management also has the best entrance and exit procedures. Before students even enter into the classroom, she makes them aware of what is expected of them by having them stand in line quietly before they come into the classroom. She does …
At the end of each school year, I like to reflect on what I did that worked, and what I did that did not work. When it comes to lesson reflection, I generally do that as I go along, but classroom organization is a whole other issue in itself. In the past, I have tried …
It is almost Thanksgiving Break, and I am in survival mode. Not only am I in survival mode, but I can sense that many of my students are as well. The holidays are coming up, and some seem to need extra attention. Survival mode during the holidays can mean many things for many people. For …
This year I’ve been reminded that bullying is a terrible experience. I have students bullying me the same way that I was bullied in school growing up. I used to hate my last name because being called Miss Thirsty or being asked if I was Thirsty was plain torture. And leave it to my students …
In all my years of teaching, this is the first time I’ve ever wanted to just walk out and quit. Between the full moon and the Spring fever, it was absolutely chaotic in the classroom this week. It is awful when Spring Break feels like it is just too far away. We know that these …
When it comes to adapting your instruction to fit student needs, do you do it before instruction, during instruction, or after instruction? Prior to this year, I always managed to foresee changes and adapt my lesson plans/instruction prior to teaching. This year? This year brings all new challenges. In a class with multiple reading abilities, …
There’s something that happens in schools when the weather starts to warm up. You see, as the weather warms up, the students get restless. Sometimes it has to do with hormones (thirteen is that wonderful age where many begin to feel the fluctuating hormonal roller coaster as their body begins to adjust). Sometimes it is …
I’ve seen bullying in the classroom. I’ve seen one or two students bully another. I’ve seen them start the others in the classroom to follow their agenda toward students. This year, though… My last class period has a student that most seem to target. He is a likable young man. Well-mannered, thoughtful, and polite. He …