I was a very green first-year teacher when I stumbled upon a helpful assumption about human nature. It seemed to me that neither the students nor the teacher could do our best work when we felt lost in the shuffle. I had three grades with sixteen students total, …Read More

After several years of teaching, I compiled a list of basic classroom management survival tips.  They have served me well, helping me to have order and respect in the classroom, and helping me avoid many troublesome problems that could have arisen. Respect your students. I like to answer …Read More

Over the years I’ve read various classroom management books. Many of them had excellent tips. I’ve also noticed that some ideas seem to contradict each other. Many of the ideas and methods outlined by various proponents are not silver bullets by themselves. They are only as good as …Read More

Before the students enter on the first day you will want to know what routines and procedures you want to see in your classroom. Routines are the things you do everyday and how you do them. Efficient routines work for the teacher and help keep life in the …Read More

  In this mid-summer moment, my classroom looks like a disorganized storage room. Opening the door is a chore, not an invitation of welcome. The walls are either bare or have bits of last year hanging on them. There are boxes of workbooks sitting there for the next …Read More

Back-to-school supplies are stocked in stores, teacher meetings are beginning, and school cleaning is happening. We are preparing for another school year! As you think of getting ready for school, maybe this is your first year and you’re not sure how to prepare. Perhaps you’ve taught multiple years …Read More