Let’s jump right in – I LOVE having activities that are ongoing throughout a good chunk of the year. Most of them are SUPER SIMPLE, and students love to revisit them over time. They’ll often check them out or talk about them as they enter the room or when they’re on a break, and it’s …
5 Easy Ongoing Science Activities to Engage Students All Year Read More »
The school year is starting, and that means one thing is certain….ice breakers. Did you just sigh? Audibly moan? Throw up a little? I feel you. I haven’t met a lot of teachers who love icebreakers – either participating in them during staff events or facilitating them with our students. So can we just skip them? …
Low-Pressure Icebreakers for the Science Classroom Read More »
In my recent post on 7 Super Helpful Tips for New Science Teachers, one of my suggestions was: When you’re doing your long-term planning for the year, build in opportunities that will give you a bit of a break. For example, I like to include a documentary in each unit. Movies are not a waste …
Cell phones are one of the top obstacles that teachers face these days. And it’s no surprise – adults are just as guilty in terms of being addicted to their technology, and smart phones haven’t always been a part of our lives! But we’ve got to do something, right? We can’t just let students be …
A Surprisingly Simple Way to Deal with Cell Phones in Class Read More »
Are you a new teacher who’s excited to share your passion for science? Teaching is THE BEST career, but it can also become really overwhelming really quickly. I’ve put it a lot of years, made a lot of mistakes, and wasted A LOT of time…so I’m here to help you learn from my mistakes and …
Psst…click here if you already know that you’re ready for some classroom management tips to come to your inbox! If you’ve kept up with my Classroom Management series to date, you’ll have seen that there are 3 main pillars that need to be mastered in order to enjoy a stress-free classroom: Reacting in the moment …
Classroom Management Series #3: Tips for Reacting in the Moment Read More »
Psst…hey, you! If you already know that you want to receive classroom management tips to your inbox, click here! Most teachers go into teaching at least partially because they like working with young people. These relationships are the fun part! Hopefully this is YOU, because the second pillar you need to master in order to …
Classroom Management Series #2: Tips for Building Relationships Read More »
Psst…click here if you already know that you’re ready for some classroom management tips to come to your inbox! I’ve been teaching since 2009, and many of these years have been abroad in several different schools. Even as a young teacher, I knew that I had strong classroom management skills. There were groups of kids …
Classroom Management Series #1: Tips for Creating Systems Read More »
I’ve been teaching for 10+ years now, and I’ve consistently heard the same sentiment from colleagues: Teachers College doesn’t focus enough on the things that we actually need to know as educators. I’ve heard it so often that I decided to pose the question to hundreds of middle school and high school educators in …
The #1 Thing Teachers Wish They Learned in Teachers College Read More »
You’re in the last couple of weeks of school and you have those ONE or TWO classes that you’re not sure how to fill. Haven’t we all been there? Go for the low-prep, relaxing option. Here are 3 ways to fill a couple of science classes when your only supplies are markers/colored pencils and access …
