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Lunch book clubs provide opportunity to challenge advanced readers

 • Classroom Tips

When students want to challenge themselves more in their reading, advanced book clubs are a great way to lend them the support they need to be successful.

My middle school doesn’t offer an honors language arts class, so all students are grouped together in regular classes. The challenge as a teacher is to meet the needs of the ELL and SPED students reading well below grade level as well as the ALP students capable of reading high school literature.

This past year I decided to offer a lunchtime book club for my advanced 8th graders using the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I figured if students were asked to read it again in high school they would benefit from a closer examination, and if they didn’t read it later (my son’s high school skipped it), they would at least have some exposure. I thought the book’s social issues about injustice would be easy to connect with contemporary issues in society….
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Reading tops the list of daily habits observed in wealthy, successful people

 • Issues in Education

You encourage students to read and teach them to set reading goals because you know it will help them later in life.

But, did you also know it might make them financially well off?

Tom Corley, an accountant and financial planner, researched the common habits of wealthy people for his book Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals. He discovered the difference between self-made millionaires compared to people making less than $35,000 a year came down to seven regular habits. And guess what? Reading tops the list….
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End-of-Year Surveys help teachers motivate students, maximize learning

 • Classroom Tips

Remember the course surveys at the end of every college class? I’ve often wondered why they’re not more commonly used in middle and high school.

Isn’t a student’s voice important to improving education?

As teachers, we collect data throughout the year about student progress on various standards we track. We know what our students can produce, but do we know how they feel about their learning? Do we know what activities they enjoyed most or what they think they learned the most from?

That’s what I set out to discover this year. I gave all of my 7th and 8th grade students an end-of-the year reflective survey and implored them to take it seriously. The information I gained was invaluable, and I’ll use it to help shape changes for next year….
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Feeling burned out? Maybe it’s finally time to seek a better work/life balance

 • Issues in Education

Last week my father died.

He had been unwell for quite awhile, but the end still came much too quick. What troubles me the most is the time I didn’t spend with him. We lived 600 miles apart, and while I sent fairly regular emails (my father didn’t text), I rarely picked up the phone to call him. My dad was a talker, and I knew if I called I would be on the phone for an hour at the very least. It felt like I didn’t have the time. I was tired after spending 11 hours at work each day; on the weekends, there was always grading and planning and household chores.

Now when I think about how I’ll never speak to him again, my heart aches, and I’m filled with regret. I’ve been asking myself: Why couldn’t I have just set aside an hour a week to call? Why couldn’t I find the time?

I can’t turn back the clock, but I can make a change in my life going forward….
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Student photos help build community, tell visitors about your classroom

 • Classroom Tips

“Smile! Say cheese!”

In the age of digital photos, selfies, Instagram and the like, students today are used to getting their picture taken – a lot. Surprisingly, though, many students – especially those from low-income homes– are less familiar with seeing printed copies of photographs since their pictures often live exclusively on electronic devices.

When you take and post pictures of students engaged in various activities in your classes – reading, writing, presenting, working in groups – they really love it! It builds community and shows you care enough to capture what they’re doing….
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Diffusing a ticking time bomb in email: How to deal with an angry parent

 • Classroom Tips

What do you do when you open your inbox and discover an email from an unhappy parent?

If you’re being blamed or attacked, your defenses likely go up. It’s natural to want to defend yourself, but that only makes the situation worse. You might even send off a quick email that could escalate the situation and lead to involvement from your administrator.

Through the years, I’ve perfected a simple email format that diffuses almost any situation. If you follow a few simple tips, you can resolve parent concerns and even have angry parents thanking you in the end….
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Analysis of reading habits pushes students to challenge themselves more

 • Classroom Tips

Do you have students who only read books in one genre? Or others who read volumes of “holiday” and “just right” books but avoid “challenge” books like the plague?

I realized this quarter that making my 8th grade students aware of their reading shortcomings was the first step toward meaningful change. I only wish I had done it sooner.

As part of a larger planned reading project fourth quarter, I started by giving students a reading reflection sheet. I wanted students to take stock of what they had accomplished this year as readers and look for developing patterns about themselves and their reading habits….
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5 reasons teachers need to try Tieks

 • Classroom Tips

Tieks are without a doubt the best flats I have ever owned in my life.

I coveted Tieks flats for three years before I took the plunge and ordered my first pair. Now I only wish I had done it sooner. I think I read every review I could find on the Internet, and scoured as many comment sections as possible. Honestly, Tieks sounded too good to be true, and I’m a skeptical person by nature.

One night with a little unexpected birthday money in my pocket, I went online and made my first order. I started safe – ordering matte black – because I figured they would match with everything. In hindsight, I wish I had ordered something more bold the first time. My second pair (yes, I couldn’t wait long) were cardinal red, which I’ve had a lot more fun wearing.

Both pairs arrived quickly in a signature Tieks blue box with a lovely silk flower on top. I read many reviews that mentioned each order contains a personalized handwritten note enclosed in the box, but it was still a thrill to open mine, and it showed the company’s personal touch with customer service. Tieks also come with a small black pouch for carrying the shoes and a larger blue bag for carrying heels if you want to switch to Tieks to rescue your feet before a day (or an evening out) is over.

Why should a teacher consider investing in Tieks? Here are my top reasons:…
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Tuning in or tuning out: Does listening to music help or hurt students in class?

 • Issues in Education

“Please can we listen to music while we work?”

How many times have you heard that plea? Students say the music helps them focus, and they will do better. But is that really true?

According to most research studies, the answer is no. Although motivation increases, performance on literacy tasks decreases when students listen to music with lyrics. Since language-processing centers are activated while listening to music with lyrics, reading and writing activities become more difficult. The brain fights to process two types of stimuli at once, and students struggle later to remember information they read….
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Seven ways to stretch your book-buying dollars to build your classroom library

 • Classroom Tips

Acquiring books for your classroom library can be both expensive and time-consuming. The spring and summer months, though, offer some great opportunities to stock up!

Tip 1: Shop during Teacher Appreciation Days

Most bookstores, whether chain or independent, offer special days several times a year with bigger than normal discounts for teachers. These discounts frequently occur in the spring and summer, so this is a great time to purchase new books. Many stores, like Barnes and Noble, will offer as much as 25 percent off. While that’s generous, sometimes it’s still not the best deal on new hardbacks (Amazon beats nearly everyone on most hardback copies), but paperbacks are typically a great bargain.

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