What Works in Teaching
18 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
Below are some tips for teachers on what works in the classroom. This list can save new teachers a lot of trial-and-error.
- Brainstorming, composing, revising, and editing is an effective way to teach writing
- When the words students study are related to familiar experiences and the knowledge they already possess, children learn vocabulary better
- For young math students, physical objects are used in their lessons helps them learn more effectively
- Teachers who ask questions that require students to apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information in addition to simply recalling facts increase student understanding and achievement
Read the complete list here: Quickies on What Works in Teaching
Free Technology for Teachers
15 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Technology Tags: tech for classrooms
Free Technology for Teachers offers a ton of tech-related resources to educators.
Lesson Plan: The Story of Jeans
29 Nov 2011 1 Comment
in Lesson Plans: Reading Tags: Jeans, lesson plan
The Story of Jeans
(nonfiction), 720 words, Level M (Grade 2)
“Blue jeans are as American as it gets, but do you know who invented them, how they became fashionable, or how they are made? The Story of Jeans answers these questions, taking the reader from the San Francisco Gold Rush to modern-day closets.”
Download The Story of Jeans (pdf)
Lesson Plan for Story of Jeans
More resources including worksheets and quiz (must give email address)
This is a great book for students. I’ve used it with older students as non-fictional filler material. They enjoyed learning a bit of history.
10GB Free Cloud Storage thru Nov 16
14 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Technology Tags: Android, CNET, Pogoplug
Image via Wikipedia
Pogoplug Cloud provides users with a secure online space to store personal content and instantly share and stream it to your mobile devices. For 3 days only, CNET users will get double the storage–10GB–free for life. CNET membership is free.
Offer Ends Nov 16 @ 11:59PM
See the Pogoplug Cloud Walk-Through
Related articles
- Pogoplug Cloud Floats Free Online Storage [Storage] (gizmodo.com)
- PogoPlug Cloud targets Dropbox with hybrid storage (gigaom.com)
- Pogoplug Mobile: Cloud Free Media Streaming for iPhones, iPads, and Androids (macstories.net)
Protected: My Child HATES Writing . . .
23 Oct 2011 Enter your password to view comments.
[Teach the Teacher] Visual Instruction Plans
23 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in A+ Teaching Stratagies, Behavior Management Tags: visual instruction, visual instructional plans, visual learning
Visual Instruction Plans
VIPs are a way to present new information to students who don’t seem to understand what to do after you have just finished explaining the material.
VIPs present instructions to a student in “picture” format one step at a time.
The purpose of a VIP is to reduce the amount of time you (the teacher) spends in one-on-one “tutoring” mode. It also helps students to become more independent workers.
First read Weaning the Helpless Handraisers, Part 1 . This will prepare you for the Visual Instruction piece Weaning the Helpless Handraisers, Part 2
And finally, read A More Detailed Article on VIPs with Sample Lesson Plans.
JoAnn Teacher Appreciation Days
06 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
JoAnn’s Teacher Appreciation Day:
- Save 20% off your total purchase
- Saturday & Sunday Aug 13 & 14
Take your ID from your school, your contract, or pay stub. You will also have to show some ID, like a driver’s license.
Home Schoolers
Home schoolers have to provide either an affidavit to home school, a letter from your district, or a membership number from either HSLDA (pricey), or PEAH. You can get free PEAH cards by submitting a curriculum review HERE. And, you can get free PEAH home educator access code to get the JoAnns card. You must sign up online for the access code and for JoAnns discount card. The present your driver’s license in the store.
Teacher Rewards Program
Enroll in the reward program is free. Go HERE to register online. Then take all your IDs (given above) to the store to finish the process.
- You get
20% off your next purchase bonus coupon
15% discount off every purchase you make online and in the store
[Summer Assignment] Prepare Your Welcome Back
03 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Be An Effective Teacher Tags: homeschool help, how to be a good teacher, how to homeschool, how to welcome students
All students should be welcomed back into the classroom. Home school classrooms as well.
While you have a little bit of time this summer, develop and finalize a welcome back. Not sure how to do this? Here are a few ideas:
- Hold a First Day of School celebration
- Go out and greet them when they arrive at school/homeschool
- Be visible in hallways
- Mark your classroom clearly with your name and room number
- Assign hallway guides and hang directional signs
- Hang a welcome banner in the classroom –
- Banner Tutorials:
- Welcome Back Banner
- Welcome Back Garland
Harry Wong, author of The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher, says that effective teachers (and schools) welcome students back after their summer breaks. And that everyone –teachers, parents, school administrators, principals, janitors, business people, and the community at large– need to be involved in this.
If schools do not begin with the proper, positive expectations, there may not be a Graduation Day for a student.
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