Tag Archives: Best Practices

Getting ready for back to school: A list of tips

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Back to School

As much as we all would like summer vacation to go on and on, we cannot deny that the end of summer is rapidly approaching. The start of a new school year is just around the corner. Getting ready for the upcoming school year requires a great deal of planning. Here is a dandy list of tips to help you prepare. Some are more suitable for elementary teachers, others are better for secondary teachers, and some are useful for both levels. Adapted from ThoughtCo. Enjoy!

  • Write and mail or email a welcome letter to parents and students
  • Create name tags for students and their desks
  • Read through student files to help determine placement in groups and activities
  • Determine desk arrangement and create seating charts
  • Decorate and put up bulletin boards
  • Decorate the front door
  • Determine the rules and consequences or how you will have the class decide upon the rules
  • Organize first-day ice-breakers
  • Collect activities and design lessons for the first week of school
  • Become familiar with the class computer and other technology needed for the classroom
  • Decide how to welcome students and introduce them to the rules and procedures
  • Develope a substitute folder
  • Create a list of classroom jobs
  • Introduce yourself to fellow teachers and staff members
  • Set up your classroom calendar
  • Organize the classroom library, if you have one
  • Make copies of forms and worksheets you want to send home the first week
  • Have all systems in order (homework basket, paperwork basket, etc.)
  • Create or purchase a lesson plan organizer and calendar
  • Gather teacher materials and supplies
  • Set up a class web page to communicate with students and parents
  • Purchase or acquire any classroom supplies that are needed
  • Obtain a copy of the district curriculum standards for your courses
  • Prepare a folder for faculty meetings and information
  • Make copies of materials for the first couple of weeks
  • Post emergency evacuation map and procedures
  • Acquire or stock a first aid kit
  • Decide how to manage homework
  • Decide how to manage using the restroom (bathroom passes, etc.)
Source: ThoughtCo

Five teachers inducted into the 2019 National Teachers Hall of Fame

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Five new teachers have just been inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame located in Emporia, Kansas.

Five American teachers were newly inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame on Friday, June 21, 2019. Among the new inductees is high school math teacher Mary Jo Murray from Florida. Also inducted was Dyane Smokorowski, a technology and innovation teacher from Kansas. Fourth-grade teacher Christopher Albrecht from New York and social studies teacher David Bosso from Connecticut are also in the group. The last inductee for this year is career and technical education teacher Richard Knoeppel of Nevada.

“Great teachers have the ability to change lives like no one else does,” Emporia State University Provost David Cordle asserted at the induction ceremony. “With these five inductees, we are celebrating the best of the best. But the great thing about it is, they represent what teachers are doing in their classrooms every single day, all over the country.”

To read more about these amazing educators, see this article by Linzi Garcia printed online at the Emporia Gazette.

The National Teachers Hall of Fame states their mission is to recognize and honor exceptional career teachers, encourage excellence in teaching, and preserve the rich heritage of the teaching profession in our country. The organization states their vision is to be a prominent national organization that promotes the appreciation of the vital role of education in our society. To this end, the organization works collaboratively with national education organizations They also strive to strengthen connections with other national teacher recognition programs.

In addition, the Hall of Fame preserves the careers of celebrated teachers in their brick-and-mortar museum located in Emporia, Kansas, and in virtual formats. Most importantly, the organization promotes the work of inducted teachers to elevate the quality of teaching practices and the learning of students nationwide by sharing their skills and experiences with other educators.

To learn more about the work of this important organization, click on National Teachers Hall of Fame.

Kirkland Babin describes a powerful lesson in valuing yourself

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Kirkland Babin, a fourth grade teacher at Ellinwood Grade School in Ellinwood, Kansas, describes a lesson in valuing yourself which he taught to his class on the last day of school.

I saw this on Facebook yesterday. It appears to have been written by Kirkland Babin, a fourth grade teacher at Ellinwood Grade School located in Ellinwood, Kansas, in May, 2019. Such a powerful lesson for kids. Here’s what the post said:

“Today was bittersweet. My last day of my first year(semester) of teaching ever. My last day with my 4th graders. My last chance to leave an impact on them since unfortunately, I might not ever see them again. In order to hopefully leave an impression on them that would last a lifetime, I went to the bank last night and asked for the most crisp, without flaw, never been folded $100 bill they had. I would be using that $100 bill today in my final lesson of the semester. After our awards ceremony this morning, we returned to my classroom where I delivered my final lesson for this school year.

I took the $100 bill out of my wallet, held it up, and asked the class to tell me what it was. Obviously they knew what it was, who wouldn’t? I then asked them how much it was worth, to which they responded, “$100!” I began to explain how $100 is a lot of money, no matter how rich or poor you are in this world. I then asked them who wanted the $100. 14/14 students raised their hands before I could even finish the sentence.

The next part of my lesson required me to explain how a simple $100 bill can be related to our lives. I explained that this perfect $100 bill is like all of us when we’re born. No flaws, no imperfections, no negative thoughts being thrown at us by others. I had the students pass the $100 bill around and share something mean someone has said or done to them and how it made them feel using the $100 bill as visualization. If it was something minor, they’d fold it maybe once, if it was something more hurtful they’d maybe fold it a couple of times.

At the end, when all students were done sharing, I looked at the $100 bill(now crumpled, folded to what looked to be a million times) and held it up again. I asked my class “How much is it worth now?” They replied, “$100 still”. I asked, “Who wants it?” Again, 14/14 hands flew up. So I asked “Why? It’s all crumpled, folded, and it doesn’t even look like a $100 bill anymore.” I explained to them that no matter what anyone, or this world says about you, your abilities, your worth, your value or your flaws, you’re still worth something. The same as you’ve always been worth.

I ended my final lesson by saying this, “What you say and do to people matters. You may not see it, but I can promise you it matters. No matter how many times this $100 bill was folded or crumpled up, it’s still worth $100. It’ll still spend the exact same as to when it was brand new, with no folds or imperfections. That’s the same with all of you. You’re all still very valuable. My task for you is to find someone around you who doesn’t feel so valuable, pass on this lesson I’ve taught you, and be the difference. Be the difference you wanna see in this world. Be hope to those whose lives are far from easy.

By the end of it, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.”

Love it, Kirkland. Thanks for sharing! To see Kirklands Facebook page, click here.

Massachusetts teacher Jonathan Hall experiments with AI in his classroom

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Every classroom teacher knows that it is sometimes difficult to hold the attention of the students during a lesson. In Plymouth South Middle School located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, civics teacher Jonathan Hall experiments with using Artificial Intelligence tools to help keep his students engaged.

To learn more, view the video below. (Faith Lapidus reports for Voice Of America News.)

Free internet resources for Women’s History Month

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March has been officially designated Women’s History Month, an annual event which celebrates the many accomplishments of women in all fields of endeavor. To aid you in your lessons as you observe Women’s History Month, you can download and share with your students these free colorful STEM Role Models posters and information about each of these inspirational women from this website: STEM Posters. Enjoy!