I still remember it like yesterday. I stood by my door, sweating profusely, waiting for someone to emerge at the top of the stairs. This was me waiting for my very first parent conference my first year teaching. Luckily for me, this parent was sweet as could be, and they had an awesome student, but not all conferences go off without a hitch. In … [Read more...] about Parent Conferences
Sharing Control of the Classroom While Maintaining Order
So many of our students have so little that is in their control that they latch onto the things they can control. As teachers, this can make it difficult to keep these students engaged rather than entering into a battle of the egos with them. While it is difficult to strike the balance between sharing control while still maintaining order, these … [Read more...] about Sharing Control of the Classroom While Maintaining Order
Pack Your Classroom Like a Boss!
Ugh packing your classroom. Am I right? While I am all about cleaning and organizing there is something about the extra step of packing it up that really grates at my nerves. When it involves the classroom it seems to get even worse. Maybe it is because you are expected to pack your room because of course, you have to be out of the way for summer … [Read more...] about Pack Your Classroom Like a Boss!
Breaking the Cycle of Disengagement
We have all had a moment in which we just can't continue doing a task. Our students face these moments every day. It can be frustrating for both them and their teacher because disengagement means that we can't move on to some of the stuff we want to do until we get through the stuff we have to do. This can often lead to a cycle of complete … [Read more...] about Breaking the Cycle of Disengagement
Empowering Students…Without Giving Up Yours!
So often our students are left feeling helpless. This can lead to a power struggle in the classroom that means engagement goes down and disrespect, in both directions, goes up. By empowering our students to take control of their own learning we are showing them that they are an important part of the classroom. The balance is tough though because we … [Read more...] about Empowering Students…Without Giving Up Yours!