At the beginning of the year, do you get so excited about sharing books you love that you forget to take the time needed to get to know your students as readers? I know when I first started teaching, I made assumptions about what my students knew about books and what I thought they should …
Getting ready to return for the new school year? Or maybe you’ve already settled into a few days or weeks? Whatever the case may be some of our ELA MATTERS contributors have some tried-and-true advice to share to help you. Take a read through for some simple helpful advice whether you are a new or …
I (Lesa from SmithTeaches9to12) always joke that teachers are lucky to have at least two new year ‘celebrations’ in which they can make a fresh start – a regular new year for the change in calendar year and back to school! And to make a fresh start there is nothing better to me than making …
By Missy Davis from ABetterWaytoTeach The beginning of the year can be overwhelming as a teacher. You want to build routines and norms while establishing clear expectations for your students. You want them to get to know you and each other. You want to establish a safe space for risk-taking. And if you’re anything like …
When I first started teaching AP Capstone we did an exercise with the book Zoom by Istvan Banyai. It is a picture book without words that tells the story of perspective. The basic question that it asks is: what would the world look like from outer space with an amazing zoom function? It is an activity …
Whether you’re a first year teacher or a veteran teacher with decades of experience, back to school season is always a busy time. From breaking the ice and getting to know students to establishing norms and setting boundaries, there is SO much to get done. That’s why I’m sharing my list of the top 5 …
Next to building student relationships, establishing consistent routines and procedures are the best classroom management tools you can introduce to your students. Creating predictable routines for students decreases behavior issues and increases student engagement in class. After a year where many students were online for most, if not all of their learning experience, it will …
Before it’s time to officially unwind for summer, Jennifer Berry (@mrsjmberry) always makes sure the long-term schemes of work are complete for the up-and-coming school year. After nearly 15 years of teaching, Berry likes to start with the big picture to see how everything fits together leaving wiggle room for assignments, projects, and lessons depending …
They say two heads are better than one, so it stands to reason that students working in pairs or groups can yield greater learning outcomes than individual performance tasks. Learning from our peers is usually more memorable and impactful than traditional lecture style teaching, even for us as adults! Before we assign writing tasks to …
We made it! Hooray! With most schools done or wrapping up in the next week or so, it’s time to rest, to relax, and to recharge. After such a year we know it may be more important than ever to make time for this. Here you’ll find suggestions from some of our contributors about apps, …
