90% of the behavior problems you have in your class can be eliminated by changing your routines and environment! 1.Establish clear expectations. Let’s use the example of getting in line. I want to take a minute to close your eyes and imagine how you would LIKE a classroom of students to get in line. Imagine the noise level, how quickly…
1. Class Meetings Set a time(s) each week (perhaps a few mornings during homeroom, or right after lunch) for whole class meetings. This is an ideal time for learners to share about themselves. It can build awareness and trust with classmates. The teacher asks a question. Learners reflect and share their thoughts and opinions openly while listening respectfully to others.…
We all know that it’s important to assess students. Assessment shouldn’t just come at the end of the unit or topic thought. Ongoing assessment, or formative assessment, should take place throughout the unit. Each day I like to do a quick and simple check-in on my specific objective for that day. I use the results to help me plan for…
STEM task cards are cards that students complete to focus on a specific skill or concept. What makes them different from other learning activities is that each card focuses on one activity or problem. Students grab a card, complete the activity, and then start on another card. Some task cards can be completed quickly and students will work through an…
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Concepts from these subjects are woven throughout the school day. STEM helps students develop key skills including: Currently, 75% of jobs in the fastest growing industries require workers with STEM skills. Part 1: Getting Started (Baby Steps) When teachers first ask me about STEM they usually feel really nervous. They think STEM…
When asking teachers what their number one challenge in the classroom is many, if not most, of them will say dealing with student behavior. Student behavior can make a teacher love or hate coming to school. It can turn a teacher from someone with joy and patience to someone who is angry and stressed all the time. Yes, those “challenging…
Problem solving is a very important skill for students to learn. It’s not only important for their future but also the overall peace and management of your classroom. The more you train your students how to solve their own problems, the less you have to get involved in solving them yourself. Win Win! Here are three activities to get you…
I love when I find free interactive websites I can use in my classroom. Integrating technology not only saves you paper and time, it also engages students and builds 21st century skills. Flippity.net is a really cool website with different tools for teachers. You don’t even need to sign up for an account! Spinner This tool is called “random name…
In my first post about rubrics I defined what a rubric is and the parts of a rubric. Assuming you now know the basics, I’m going to talk about how to make your rubric even better. Here are some common problems people have when they first start developing rubrics: I have a student who falls between two boxes on the…
Having open and regular communication with parents is so important. Teachers should communicate often to parents regarding events in the school, student’s academic progress and their behavior progress. This post focusing more on ways you can communicate with parents about student behavior. If you haven’t read my post on my favorite classroom management systems, check it out by clicking the…