Top 5 things to do in the beginning to get the school paper started right. So you’ve agreed to take on a yearbook, school newspaper, or journalism class, but have no experience teaching school publications. Don’t worry. When I first started teaching, I was the school yearbook adviser simply because I was the only person willing to take the job. I switched to teaching newspaper and the introduction to journalism class, and figured things out on my own. Never fear – you are not alone. Here are the top 5 things to do when starting out in a school newspaper teaching position to get started the rig ..read more

There are so many daily tasks for teachers, it can sometimes be difficult to find time to create a unit plan in advance. This is, however, the most essential part of your teaching routine and you shouldn’t ignore this step. If you begin creating unit plans, you will have much less stress in your daily routine. (And who doesn’t need less stress?) You know your end goal, and you’ve mapped out how to get students to that goal. The daily work after that is just following the steps you’ve already planned. It’s much easier to follow a map than to go on a long journey without one. Here are some h ..read more

Between juggling lesson planning, classroom management, and grading papers, teachers have a tendency to overlook effective parent teacher communication practices. That is, until there’s a problem. In my experience, the key to effective parent teacher communication is to avoid surprises at all costs. Even the most combative parents are easy to work with when they aren’t surprised. Your goal, therefore, as the teacher, is to keep parents informed on a regular basis so there aren’t any surprises. Continue reading for some tips on how to master parent teacher communication this school year. 1 ..read more

Top 5 things to do in the beginning to get the school paper started right. So you’ve agreed to take on a yearbook, school newspaper, or journalism class, but have no experience teaching school publications. Don’t worry. When I first started teaching, I was the school yearbook adviser simply because I was the only person willing to take the job. I switched to teaching newspaper and the introduction to journalism class, and figured things out on my own. Never fear – you are not alone. Here are the top 5 things to do when starting out in a school newspaper teaching position to get started the ..read more

Summer is a time for relaxation, reflection, and recharging your batteries. It is also the time to start thinking about setting up your classroom (or cart). One quick trip down the school supplies aisle will make your head spin and your wallet cringe. Setting up a classroom on a budget is possible, however. Follow these tips to get the classroom of your dreams on a realistic budget. New teachers don’t get their first paycheck until they’ve been working full time for nearly 45 days. How can teachers set up a welcoming classroom on a tight budget without going into major debt? Focus on the es ..read more

The dreaded research unit can be fun and engaging for both teachers and students if you set the class up for success. Giving students a choice, demonstrating the expectations, and providing step-by-step instructions will turn the worst unit of the school year into the one you will look forward to teaching. Are you ready to start teaching research? Click here to purchase my entire “Social Injustice” research project from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. Teaching research doesn’t have to be hard. Try these tips for a successful research unit plan. If you don’t have time, download my ready-to ..read more

The teaching trend lately is to give students choices, but every now and then you may have to teach a whole class novel. You have a couple of choices to create your novel unit plan. Regardless of how you decide to design your novel unit plan, your main goal should be to engage students and help them practice essential reading skills. What are the options? Have students read and check for comprehension. This is so boring and you would lose the students after the first few chapters. Comprehension questions are important, but your teaching should not end there. Have students complete the text on ..read more

The beginning of the school year brings both excitement and stress for teachers. One of the biggest challenges for some is surviving the parent open house or back to school night. The evening doesn’t have to be stressful; rather, it can be a great way to start the year right with parents and teachers working together to help students. Tips for surviving open house Have something for parents to take. Create a flyer or brochure with contact information, a bit about the class, and expectations for homework. Also include online information for accessing assignments, if applicable. When they have ..read more

It’s the beginning of the school year again and I’ve been working this week to get ready for my students to return. It’s easy to get bogged down with a to-do list for back to school that never seems to end. Many teachers lose sleep thinking of everything they need to get done between all the meetings in the beginning. Despite teaching for as long as I have, back to school time always brings a level of nervous excitement that I don’t feel at any other time in the year. What I’ve learned is to prioritize my list by thinking, “if my students walked in 5 minutes from now, could I get through a les ..read more

When students come back from summer break, they are sometimes reluctant to engage in school assignments. This is especially true when they perceive the assignments as “busy work” or a waste of time. If you give students engaging, meaningful assignments right from the very first day of school, you will show them that everything they do in your class matters and they will be more likely to engage in the material you assign. Here are some ideas for the first weeks of school that will give you the important data you need and will engage students during class. Make the beginning of the school year ..read more