The first time I heard about them at Teachers Week about ten years ago, I had lots of excuses for not having February Fun Days. It was just for the younger grades; it was too much trouble; it was a little silly, etc. They were...

Note: The following article, written as an open letter, offers a mix of general principles and specific recommendations for leaders of schools. Not all of the recommendations will apply to all situations and leadership...

I’ve been a fan of Michael Linsin for a few years now. I began with reading his information on classroom management which is fantastic, but more recently I’ve been intrigued with his writing on how to function well both in and...

Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash While every classroom should reflect the personality of the teacher who teaches in it, there are a few additions that will add some creativity and interest to any classroom. These will give...

Having a good seating arrangement can be a tremendous help in the classroom. If the right students are in the right spots, everything will run more smoothly, and the teacher can avoid many distractions and potential disruptions....

The best kind of student motivation is intrinsic to the process of learning, but sometimes students need an additional incentive to inspire that extra push toward excellence. What if you could offer hardworking students a...

After several years of teaching, I compiled a list of basic classroom management survival tips. They have served me well, helping me to have order and respect in the classroom, and helping me avoid many troublesome problems that...

Introduction So I made half of the class the immigrants, and I said, "All right! All of you have a job, and your boss isn't paying you very well and you have to work 16 hours a day. And so you get tired of it. And so you go on...

These are just a few teaching tips that I've picked up over the years, a lot of them from other teachers. Cards that leave out nobody One of my favorites is to put all the students’ names, on these names, on these little cards,...

In this short ebook, Deana offers suggestions for having students write a few sentences daily, painlessly (hopefully). Students develop creative writing in concert with creative illustration and crafts. Preview the document below...

Almost every school has a few students who need extra help and tutoring, yet many of our schools do not have the staff or special resources available for these students. Rather than just let them slip through the cracks, there...

I try to come up with as many hands-on activities as I can. I don't do this every single unit, but I try at the end of a chapter to have some activity like this that we do hands-on. That's my goal. We're studying slavery right...

Let's say you're talking about the root of a tooth and so you have your science book and there's a really good drawing in the science book of the tooth, but what if you actually passed around the tooth with the gross root hanging...

Effectively motivating our students goes far beyond a piece of candy or a sticker chart. It is possible to create a classroom culture in which all students, even the ones who are the least excited about school, can be truly...

Deana says, "I've had students beg not to go to recess so that we could finish reading a chapter of a book. Sounds fishy? It is easier than you think. Discover methods to enhance learning and instill a love for literature in your...