Thinking of becoming a teacher? Every teacher devotes his or her life to education for reasons as individual to them as any other part of their identity. Still, it usually isn’t the money or the three-month summer vacation. Reasons for becoming a teacher are deeper than that. And while each individual’s reasons are personal, almost all teachers are united by the desire to impact people. High-needs schools in the United States have budgetary concerns and low teacher retention, and students continue to drop out at alarming rates. So, what’s calling you? Why do you want to teach? Reasons to Becom ..read more

According to recent analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education, 1 in 5 teachers across America hold a second job during the school year in order to make ends meet. Based on a 2012 study, and depicted in this infographic on working hours of teachers, teachers are bending over backwards just to keep up with their first full-time job. How, then, are they finding the time and energy to hold these second jobs? And why? To answer the question of how teachers are finding the energy to work second jobs, we must first examine the why that is making it a necessity in the first place. Simply ..read more

Career exploration in the school setting has changed greatly over the last couple of decades. This is primarily due to the changing world of work. Careers are no longer limited by state, region, or even country. The world of work has stretched beyond our country and is a global playing field. In order for students to compete globally, they must first be exposed to careers outside their local community and they must understand how they are connected to the world of work if they are going to be contenders in a global market. When to Introduce Career Exploration Career exploration is not a new te ..read more

8 QUESTIONS is a series of interviews with teachers who have effectively transitioned their classroom skills into new and exciting careers in the field of education. We at Teach.com believe that teaching is a rigorous and diverse classroom in and of itself; the skills learned “in the trenches” can translate into an exciting portfolio of professional options. From education tech to consulting, the only “X factor” is where you want to go — our interviews hope to shine a light on the steps it takes to get there. 1. What’s your name, location and current profession? My name is Natalie Curran and ..read more

It is back to school season and in the midst of lesson planning, juggling assignments and trying to learn everyone’s name, it is easy for teachers to forget that parents and families can be of tremendous support. Here is an infographic along with some tips on how to foster relationships with the parents of your students. First Impressions You want your encounters with parents to be warm and gracious. Try sharing tidbits about yourself. Provide food at a back to school night. You can never go wrong with free food! You can also try fun icebreakers with parents. Have them share their favorite sc ..read more

Teacher’s jobs can be rewarding and interesting, but can also be full of stress, anxiety and long hours. You may have plenty of opportunities to exercise your brain, but being on the spot at eight o'clock and having lots of reasons to stay in school late or do some extra work leave little time to take care of your physical fitness. You cannot just let it slide and say that you get enough exercise straining your brain – many studies are placing a direct connections between physical fitness and brain health. In other words, if you want your mind to be in proper condition to handle all the challe ..read more

No one finds it surprising to know that middle school is the period in which preteens and teens experience their most formative years. What they learn, how they behave, and how they interact with others during middle school can carry on into adulthood—whether positive or negative. Teachers have the opportunity to facilitate positive thinking and actions in their students, even when it comes to building self-esteem in teens. Self-esteem is an incredible component of successful performance in life, so teachers should be concerned about preparing them in this respect as well as academically. What ..read more

While most teaching techniques and principles can be applied to all teaching environments, teachers in rural or remote areas face specific challenges. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t be successful in their classrooms. Below are tips teachers and schools in rural America can implement to overcome barriers and create greater opportunities for their students.  1. Use Technology in the Classroom Teachers can and should promote technology in the classroom. In order to have technology be effective, schools must have internet access. Luckily, with options like satellite internet—which can ..read more

Even though youth go to school and earn degrees for career paths, there are countless youth who face unemployment in today’s society. There are lots of factors that contribute to this unemployment, including changes in the economy and shifts in the types of jobs needed to support the economy. In order to combat youth unemployment, private sectors and organisations are trying to offer solutions. One of the many ways is to help youth get jobs is through programs to support youth who seek employment. These programs help students build skills needed for jobs now and in the future. Government secto ..read more

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can affect children at all stages of development. In this article, we’ll look at how to work with students with ADHD at the high school level. There are many challenges, but with a little prep work and the right mindset, you can successfully help these students prepare for college or career. ADHD: What You Need to Know As the name implies, ADHD causes a range of symptoms that can negatively affect a child’s ability to learn in the traditional classroom. The condition prevents them from applying critical life skills such as focusing on a single ta ..read more