Teachers Need Teachers

You can almost consider students as your “customers” in that they’re the ones that have to sit through your lesson, participate in your activities, and prove whether or not they learned anything. While you don't have to entertain them, I’ve mentioned several times that having engaging and relevant content is crucial and that every activity, handout, lecture, etc. you do has to result in learning....

As teachers, we constantly give feedback to our students. We usually do it verbally or written, and the intent is to help students improve and grow. However, when it comes to receiving feedback, it’s a different monster.  How did we progress to a state where we feel we’re too good for feedback? How can we become better at asking and receiving it? In this 4-part series, I’m going to discuss the dif...

Every teacher has had that one student that refuses to do their work. No matter what you do, you just can't get them to do anything. This problem only gets worse when you decide to write them off. The thing is, these students typically have a very logical reason for not working, and it's up to us to figure it out and help them move past that. Here are seven reasons why your students aren't doing t...

Facing a room of blank stares and unwilling participants is a teacher's nightmare. For some teachers, it happens every year, while for others it might be just one year or one period of students. Either way, it can be really deflating as a teacher when you’re trying to do everything to connect with your students. Here's how I intentionally structure my class to facilitate discussion and participati...

It's an understatement to say that there just isn't enough time in the day for teachers to get everything done. There are emails to answer, assignments to grade, lessons to plan, and so much more. Naturally, many teachers use their breaks or lunchtime to get work done or check social media, but often to the detriment of their professional growth. Getting out of the classroom is essential to make t...

New teachers are repeatedly told to seek out help from their colleagues, but what if it's really uncomfortable for them? What if they suffer from social anxiety and have a hard time talking to anyone at their school? How can they get the support they need if they'd prefer to hide in their classroom? If this describes you, then here are strategies for overcoming those obstacles and becoming a true...

We often find ourselves slaving over creating lessons, only to feel deflated when it seems like our students didn't understand the lesson at all. What's going on? Is it the lesson? Is it us? Is it the students? How can you tell? Here are three aspects of your teaching to evaluate when trying to figure out whether or not your students are actually learning, and how to improve your teaching if most...

Here are some questions I frequently see in teacher Facebook groups and on Twitter: I feel bad for using Teachers Pay Teachers. Is this a disservice to my students? How do others deal with unannounced observations? What are your go-to sub plans? Love this show? Become an AWESOME SUPPORTER! Don't forget to leave a voicemail! Let your voice be heard! Click here how to find out how you can be a part...

When teachers are just starting out, they often feel like they can't do anything right. Many well-laid plans go awry, they struggle with classroom management, and there's always more to do than there are hours in the day. To make things worse, they feel so inadequate and are convinced that they're the only ones with these problems. Here's the thing: they're NOT, and in fact, everyone survives thes...

New teachers often feel stressed out and depressed their first few years. Aside from struggling with so many aspects of the job and worrying about job security and pay, they often feel like they're doing a horrible job. Teaching is definitely tough and it can be difficult to know how to improve, but the best way to do it without going insane is to work on one aspect of teaching at a time. Here are...

Second semester or the time after Winter Break is a great time to make adjustments in your teaching. You know your students and have some systems in place, so why not pick something small but significant to change and improve? These small changes add up over time and will lead to longer lasting results. So here’s the process I’ve found to be successful time and again, as well as what I plan to adj...

You've finally made it to the point where you're ready to student teach! You're filled with excitement, anticipation, and ANXIETY about how to prepare. Yes, your teacher preparation program has prepared you for this moment, but you still can't help but feel like you don't know what to do the weeks leading up to it. Here's practical advice on how to frame your thinking to get the most out of your s...

There's never a shortage of teachers who feel overwhelmed and stressed by all of the demands of teaching. It honestly feels like there's no time to get everything done AND have time for family, friends, and self-care. That's about to change. Angela Watson shares her candid insight on how new teachers can finally learn how to prioritize and do what will have the most impact on their teaching. We al...

It’s not unusual for a teacher to suffer from a case of the “shoulds” – a ubiquitous and harmful affliction that affects ALL teachers (ok…everyone). When images of Pinterest-perfect classrooms and abundant sharing on social media are paired with less-than-ideal student work or a miserable teaching environment, teachers start thinking about the things they should be doing. Here’s my personal experi...

This idea of students needing to fail, it seems counterintuitive, right? But what if it's actually in the best interest of the student? Why should a teacher "allow" a student to fail a class? While teachers are charged with ensuring that all students learn and grow academically, there are times when it's just not possible for a student. In this case, letting a student fail gives an accurate pictur...

Every teacher is faced with one or several students each year who just refuse to do any work. No matter what they try, these students slouch in their seats and avoid all attempts to produce any evidence of learning. Many teachers give up on these students eventually and just let them fail. But what if they didn't? Here are some reasons why YOU as their teacher deserve much more from these students...

Do you have piles of assignments that need grading? Are you feeling overwhelmed by it? You're not alone! All teachers find themselves buried in grading at some point, and it can seem like there's no way out of it. While there's probably no way around having to sit down and do the dirty work, here are some tips to do it efficiently as well as avoid getting into this situation again.  Steps for gett...

Math teachers are tasked with teaching students concepts that they'll use for life while also getting past students' fixed mindset of, "I hate math, and I suck at it." How can teachers keep students motivated and engaged in a Common Core world? Ray Steinmetz explains how personalizing learning, setting up strong systems for formative assessment, and using targeted interventions will produce huge m...

Regardless of how long you've been teaching, there will be many moments when your lessons just don't seem to be working. This is especially frustrating when you've taken time to plan the "perfect" lesson or unit, and the students still can't grasp the concept! When this happens, it can be a valuable learning experience if you take the right steps to correct your course. 5 steps (in order) to makin...

Every teacher will receive at least one (if not more) emailed from disgruntled parents. Regardless of who's at fault, it can be a nerve-wracking experience and have lasting negative effects if not handled properly. How can we address the email in a diplomatic way without having to compromise our class policies and dignity? I provide 10 steps on how to handle the email so that the situation doesn't...

Many teachers come into the profession with one of two extremes - they have no idea what they're supposed to teach and have to plan everything themselves, or they're given a completely scripted and planned curriculum and have no autonomy. Both of these scenarios can be frustrating especially when these teachers are given little to no direction. Here are three areas to consider when determining wha...

All teachers know that they need to differentiate, but what does that look like in a classroom? During the planning stages? In real time? How can a teacher be expected to plan for students performing two grades below and those performing two grades above in the same class? Laura Kebart describes how this doesn't have to be a daunting task, and gives tips on how to streamline and even make grading...

The Next Generation Science Standards, or NGSS, have been rolled out the past few years with much confusion and anxiety. Veteran science teachers have been grappling with how to shift their way of teaching while new teachers are still attempting to fit all of the pieces together. Erin Sadler and I discuss the continuing struggles with implementation, as well as how to reframe our idea of how scien...

In this final installment of my series on examining student data, we look at how preassessment data and Lexile scores can really illuminate gaps in learning for students in any subject area. Getting baseline data in the form a preassessment can help teachers know what skills students come prepared with, and what they may need to reteach. Tie this together with Lexile scores, and teachers can fully...

Students with disabilities that are mainstreamed have unique educational struggles that all teachers must address. New teachers often wonder what they're required to do with students with IEPs, and how to balance that with the million other things they need to take care of. Latisha Chisholm, LICSW dispels myths and misconceptions about teaching students with IEPs, as well as breaking down just how...