Shaping School Culture

Teacher Toolbox There are so many engaging things teachers can have in their toolbox. Every week I will highlight something that you can put in yours! Teacher Toolbox #1: Attention Getters One of my favorite things I did with my students was using attention getters. I did a lot of group work and had my students have a lot of discussions with each other so it is important (and fun) to have some attention getters to bring the class back to the whole group. I tried to vary it up to keep it entertaining and interesting for my students.  My favorite attention getter was “If you can hear me…” You can add so many different options to this and my students loved it. One I used is If you can hear me, go swimming. (Students would act like they’re swimming.) My absolute favorite was If you can hear me, do the YMCA. This was my students favorite one too. You can add so many different variations to this and of course make it appropriate for the grade level you teach.  One basic att...

Tenacious Teaching I’ve used the word tenacious for educators and educational leaders because essentially it is someone who refuses to quit no matter how difficult something becomes as well as someone who is extremely determined. I believe that this mindset is crucial in education. Teaching isn’t easy and has many challenges, but the impact that teachers make on students is what makes those difficult challenges worth it. It is important to remember on your toughest days, your work matters more than you realize and that’s why educators are tenacious because they don’t give up and keep coming back.  Tenacious Teaching #1: Why Tenacious Matters in Teaching   Tenacious educators don’t give up on students or stop growing. They don’t allow the difficult days to define them. Tenacious doesn’t mean perfect. Teaching can be messy at times. A lesson may not go the way you planned, students will struggle and can have challenging behaviors, and parents can also be a challenge. Essentially...

Engagement Strategy of the Week  One important way to reduce behaviors in your classroom is to engage your students. There are so many great engagement strategies out there. The more your students are engaged the less behavior problems you will have and your students will definitely take away more from your lessons. Every week I will share a simple yet effective engagement strategy you can use with your students.  Engagement Strategy of the Week #1: Think - Pair - Share I have used this strategy many times. I’m sure most of you reading this have too. This is a great strategy to get all of your students involved and participating in your lesson. First, ask your class a question and give your students a few minutes to think about their response. They can write it down or just think about it. Students then turn to a partner and pair up to discuss their responses. Give your students a chance to have a good discussion with ...

  New Teacher Tips Supporting new teachers is more important now than ever. Every week I will share tips for new teachers to help them throughout the year. If you’re an educational leader or veteran teacher, make sure you are checking in and supporting your teachers and set them up with a solid foundation that will help them throughout their entire career.  New Teacher Tip #1: Teach Procedures before Content I spoke about this at greater length in my blog post The First Days Matter. Teaching procedures, expectations, and beginning to build relationships and getting  to know your students, is crucial. Do not rush into teaching your content and curriculum. The better of a foundation you have establishing your procedures and your classroom climate, the easier teaching your content will be as the year goes on. Make sure you take time in the beginning of the new school year to teach (and model) expectations ...

The First Days Matter How Culture is Established Before Curriculum Takes Hold It’s time to welcome students and staff back to our buildings for another school year! Hopefully you’ve had a restful summer and are ready for another year! Before you jump into your content, setting the foundation of your classroom environment, expectations, and beginning to build relationships with your students must come first.  The First Impression Matters  What are students seeing as they enter your school building and your classroom? Is it a welcoming environment? Are teachers excited to see their new students? It is important that our students feel like they belong and the atmosphere is inviting for them. (This is important for staff to feel too and that will be addressed in a future leadership blog post.) The first impression you make on your class is important as it sets the tone for the year. Make sure you create a welcoming...

Throughout the school year I will add a quick classroom management strategy that you can implement in your classroom. Classroom management is important and student behaviors are a big issue that teachers face. So every Monday throughout the school year I will add on and give some meaningful classroom management tips! I hope they help you succeed this school year!  Classroom Management Minute #1: Greet Every Student at the Door This is such a simple gesture that goes along way with students of any age. It not only sets the tone for the day, but also is the foundation of a terrific and welcoming classroom environment. It is also a way to have a quick conversation to get to know your students without sacrificing instructional time. Doing this small gesture consistently throughout the year will pay big dividends. I began each class this way and also ended the day at dismissal with a fist bump for every student on the way out. It got to the point that each student wouldn't leave the bui...