When I first heard other teachers talking about using a token economy system in their classroom, I thought it sounded far too complicated. I was fine with simpler methods of management, and a token system just sounded like more work, which...

I am teaching phonics, covering a lesson where I just need to give information in a lecture format. There isn’t a learning activity to go with this piece of the lesson. The children are sitting quietly, but do not appear to be interested....

These transcript templates present the academic record of a high school student in a clear and easy-to-understand format.

Jana slides the rectangular word cards around on the floor, angling some and placing others in perpendicular positions. “I finished diagramming the sentence,” she said with satisfaction. Tim cuts his paper sentence in chunks with a clause...

Handwriting gives us a view into a student’s brain. I have found that ninety-seven percent of the time I can view a student’s handwriting, and almost immediately make a very close estimation of their grade—and I’m usually correct. Viewing...

The search began in mid-August. First, I scoured the fencerows and field edges for milkweed plants. The farmer had cleaned up and this year the plants were difficult to find in the regular places. The one good stand of milkweed plants was...

Glow—something you are doing very well; encouragement to continue; area of excellence Grow – something we need to work on; area for growth I have a goal (not yet accomplished) to send home “Glow and Grow” reports with student report cards....

Note: Understandings of and expectations for student safety will vary by community. Some of the activities and policies recommended in this post may not be advisable in your school setting. In the last few decades, school safety has become...

There are a few responsibilities teachers and/or administrators should handle regarding field trips. Here are the ones I think are pretty important. 1. Logistics. Have your ducks in a row. Make sure permission slips are signed and returned...

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Once, long ago in a land across the sea, there lived a Great Teacher. To this Great Teacher there came a young man of an influential family. This young man sat down with those who surrounded the Great Teacher. He listened to the words of...

I am a stranger to much of the Christian Curriculum as well as the Church schools in North America. I feel least qualified to comment on the same. But my visit to a few schools and interactions with learners in some classes gave me a...

My last blog article shared research and reasons why grammar should be taught in all English classes because it improves communication, helps with learning a second language, enhances analytical skills, and boosts reading comprehension....

We have just finished a math test, and students are engaged in various free-time activities that they began as they completed the test. Some are buried in books. Several are drawing or coloring pictures, and one is doing a puzzle. I say,...

“Young man, you put that gun down!" Louise Degrafinried commanded firmly as Riley Arceneaux burst into her home pushing her husband, Nathon, ahead of him at gunpoint. “Young man, I’m a Christian lady and don't believe in violence," she...

A group of men clustered on the temple floor. In hushed tones they discussed their problem. There was a teacher among them who had many followers. Their position and authority were threatened by this teacher’s wise teachings. They needed a...

Please pick an element from the periodic table to construct an atomic model of. No repeats are allowed! I would like you to work with 1-2 other students to do this. To keep things relatively simple, no atomic numbers above 20 are allowed,...

In this assignment, students synthesize the knowledge they have gained about Ancient Rome to create a Roman newspaper ad.

Once upon a time . . . and they all lived happily ever after. Creative writing that uses phrases like these shows up often in elementary writing. Once a student enters middle school, inventive writing often gets pushed aside. According to...

Fair and Square First of all, I prefer to grade in a way that is what I call “fair and square.” If there are twenty-five questions, then they are each worth four points. If there are thirty-three questions (or close to it), then they are...