The Teacher's Breakroom

In today’s Wall Street Journal, there was an interesting article about the current standoff between legislators, administrators, teachers and parents regarding whether or not layoffs of teachers should be based on the seniority system.

The article was not an opinion piece and did not take a position, but gave the views of all sides in the debate.  Basically, it pointed out that state and local governments were looking at all the ways to deal with the current recession, including laying off teachers.  In fact, lay-offs of teachers skyrocketed in 2009 and the situation is not really projected to improve in 2010.

While this seemed to be accepted as a fait accompli, the method of choosing which teachers should be dismissed is the crux of the argument.  Many teachers and their unions feel that the experienced teachers should be retained, at the expense of the newer ones.

Many administrators and parents, however, feel that it would be better to choose the teachers to be dismissed based on performance factors alone.

Arguments can be made on both sides.  One must look, however, at hidden agendas.

A teacher with 10 years experience (versus a first year teacher) undoubtedly brings more value to the classroom.  She or he has dealt with most of the issues which are inherent in learning any profession and require minimal supervision.  However, with that experience and knowledge comes a cost:  higher salary and higher collateral costs to the administration.

Administrators are often judged not only on academic performance of a school, but also their budgets.  An administrator who can achieve standards at a lower budget that her or his peer is often rated higher (objectively or subjectively) by their superiors.  Obviously, all things considered equal, an administrator who can ‘control’ costs is considered more effective.  What is the largest variable cost?  Teacher salaries.

If an administrator can hire 1.5 young teachers instead of 1 experienced teacher (from a salary standpoint), then the school is 50% ‘more efficient’.  The question then becomes whether the trade-off is worth it.

We all know people who become entrenched in their jobs and who only do a mediocre job, even though they are highly experienced.  Why shouldn’t these people be put at risk?

The answer seems to lie in providing protection to the individual.  A person who has invested years in a career has a stake and it seems inherently unfair to dismiss a teacher who has done nothing wrong, other than earning a higher salary, even though it’s merited.

Further, the movement toward allowing administrators to select higher salaried employees for dismissal in a cost cutting move should serve as a warning to those just starting their career.  Giving up the right to be protected (either by contract or implication), will affect them when they, in turn, become ‘the experienced teacher’.

Yes, a seniority system can be abused.  There will always be cases where an undeserving person will be protected and a hard charging newcomer becomes a victim of the numbers.  This simply cannot be avoided.  Many of today’s teachers are not protected by a union and are simply employees who serve at the pleasure of their employer.  Usually, however, there are some rules which govern why and how a person can be dismissed.

Personally, I have a daughter who is completing her first year of teaching.  I would HATE to see her laid-off in favor of someone who had less potential, but had more experience.  But, even more, I would hate to see a 10 year teacher laid off in a pure cost cutting move.

Everyone will have different opinions on this.  I’d love to hear your comments.

Imagine living in a foreign country where you don’t understand a word of the language spoken around you, yet you have to interact with the native people everyday.   It would be intimidating, wouldn’t it? That’s what many ESL students experience when they first enter your classroom.

Often times, ESL students come to school with only the fundamentals of the English language.  They may know the English alphabet, but they cannot speak or read the language.  That’s when ESL activities become important.

Obviously, the goal is to become proficient in understanding, reading, writing, and speaking English. The task for teachers is to lay a strong foundation while engaging students in fun activities that will build their confidence.

With any new language, it’s important to that they learn to speak the language as they would their mother tongue, using proper subject and verb agreement and complete sentences. Learning vocabulary words alone is not enough. They need to grasp the meaning and correctly apply the words while speaking and writing. In order to do this, engaging and interacting with other students or even computer software is essential.

The importance of learning proper sentence structure

A sentence delivers a lot of information that allows us to communicate:  vocabulary, proper sentence structure including grammar, as well as meaning. For ESL students, a complete sentence helps them recognize the rhythm and pattern of proper English.  When students learn a new vocabulary word, it’s crucial that students practice using the word in complete sentences.

Helpful activities for the beginning English speaker

Research indicates that oral questions are often the most helpful way to understand context and meaning. One way to do this is for the ESL teacher to ask random questions about the topic they are studying. Adding appropriate levels of humor is important to engage the student. For example, the teacher can ask, “Are you a kangaroo?” or ask a girl, “Are you a father?” Encouraging communication is often difficult because students don’t feel confident enough to speak. However, if the subject is interesting to them they are much more likely to participate.

Here’s one activity that encourages active participation…

The ESL teacher puts students into groups and has them name their group after a favorite musical band or sports team. Have each team face another team.

Each student receives a list of questions that have answers.

Examples:     “Do you like ice cream?”

“Yes, I like ice cream.”

“Do you have a dog?”

“No, I don’t have a dog.”

A student from one team asks a student in the other team one of the questions they were given. For each correct answer that shows understanding of the question, a point is awarded to that team. This continues until everyone has had a turn asking and answering.

Other Fun Activities For Practicing English

Teachers can incorporate fun games as learning strategies and simply give them an ESL twist.  Playing ESL Tic-Tac-Toe is a perfect example.

On a tic-tac-toe sheet, the teacher alternates within the individual squares examples of sentences that are grammatically correct or incorrect. Make sure there are an equal number of both and allow for a free space in the middle.

An X can be for correct sentences and an O for incorrect sentences.

Another childhood game that’s easy and fun to play is Simon Says. Choose a student to be Simon and have him or her direct the others what to do. For example, “Simon says raise your right hand, touch your ear, take one step back, etc.” If Simon does not begin with “Simon says…” and the student carries out the action, that student is out of the game.

Using games as teaching tools is a time-tested strategy that is engaging and makes learning fun.  By beginning with a long-term goal in mind, teachers can turn practically any game into a vehicle for learning the English language.

Teachers often joke that if they lost their teacher planner, it would be like losing track of their life. While that may sound a little extreme, if you are a teacher you know exactly where the joke is coming from.

A teacher’s planning book is often a handbook on classroom survival. Not only does it document lesson plans for the day, the best books are designed to keep track of other essential information about the students and your busy schedule.

If you are a teacher searching for the ultimate planning book, here are 7 components you should look for.

Adequate planning pages — planning books should contain at least 42 weeks of planning pages. If additional pages are added, that’s even better. Sometimes teachers like to jot down personal information such as appointments and family schedules so that everything they need to do is conveniently located in one place. Having additional planning pages makes this possible.

Pages for student information and conferences — many times students keep important student information on file in their classroom or in the teacher office area. While this seems like a perfectly fine thing to do, when teachers are working at home (as they often do) that information isn’t readily available if they should need it. By having this information in the teachers planning book, they’ll never have to worry about finding a phone number, for example, should they need to contact the parent.

Pages for substitute information — planning for a substitute takes a lot of time and effort. When you have the information your substitute will need already contained in your planning book (class change schedules, general school rules, and classroom rules) you won’t have to re-create this information time and time again when you need to be out for the day.

Seating charts — having an area for seating charts in your planning book makes it easy to document attendance or make quick changes in seating arrangements.

Storage pockets — teachers always have pages and pages of information they need to keep track of. A lesson plan book that comes with sturdy pockets for storage is a great organizational tool.

Inspirational tips – from time to time teachers need to be reminded of what a vital role they serve. If they can flip through their lesson plan book and find an inspirational quote or tip to make the day go smoothly, all the better.

Grade sheets – imagine having a planning book that not only helps you keep track of all the things you have to do for the day, but also contains the other vital information you are solely responsible for — student grades. Many lesson plan books contain numerous grading sheets for each subject and class.

The teacher plan book is probably one of the most essential elements of the teacher toolbox. While searching for a lesson plan book, if you can find one that contains all of these elements your day will go much more smoothly.

There is a television program called “Myth Busters” that is becoming quite popular for adults and students alike.  It may seem hard to fathom that there could be a TV show totally devoted to debunking myths in science, but the truth is there is enough misconceptions out there to keep the show on the air for years to come.

And unfortunately for the science teacher, many students enter the classroom with their own misconceptions and myths that are difficult to correct.

Here are a few of the most popular science myths:

*There is no gravity in space.

*There is a dark side of the moon.

*Once brain cells die they’re gone forever.

*Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.

*Winter happens when the earth is farthest away from the sun and summer happens when the earth is closest to the sun.

What causes these misconceptions?

Actually, there are several contributing factors:

1. The entertainment industry is filled with movies based on science fiction that are not scientifically accurate. This is one of my pet peeves.  For example, when a student sees an astronaut floating around in space they automatically assume there must be no gravity to keep their feet on the ground. Often times that same idea is reinforced in the movie.

In addition, teachers themselves will unknowingly reinforce this concept with their explanations of how gravity works.

2. Phrases like “the dark side of the Moon” is commonly heard in music and literature. Until students can see through demonstration that there is one side of the Moon that is always exposed to sunlight, their own experiences from gazing at the moon at night will keep that myth a reality for them.

3. Some myths remain because “bad science” was actually taught many years ago.  Now scientists realize that once brain cells die they actually can regenerate and seasons are not caused by how close the earth is to the sun.

How to zero in on misconceptions

Once an idea is ingrained into a students mind, it becomes extremely difficult to get students to consider another explanation.  But with a little ingenuity, teachers can identify the misconceptions and set out to do some myth busting of her own.

An obvious first step is for teachers to simply ask open-ended questions to find out what students know about a science topic.  After carefully listening to the student’s answers, teachers can then guide the students with direct questioning and science experiments to discover the truth.

In order for a myth to be completely busted, students need to see the reality for themselves.  This is an excellent opportunity for teachers to engage students in the scientific method. Help students develop a theory and then set up an experiment to test their theory. As the experiment progresses asked students questions about their observations and what conclusions they drew.

Though science fiction movies sometimes do an acceptable job of explaining accurate science concepts, their creative license to make a blockbuster movie always wins out in the end.  Thus, there will always be the misconceptions in science but the smart teachers can use these myths to engage students in interesting discussions and offer proof through scientific exploration.

For a wealth of science teacher supplies, please visit our site.

Spend a little time in a math classroom and you’ll often see students questioning why they should do their math work the hard way…especially when all they have to do is press a few buttons and immediately get the right answer.

It’s easy to understand why they may think this way. After all, children are growing up in the rapidly advancing Age of Technology where the push of a button yields instant everything — from micro waved popcorn to IM chats with friends.

But Does Fast and Easy = Best?

Using a student calculator is like riding your bike to school. It’s faster than walking, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get to your destination without a hitch. In other words, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll never get to where you’re going.

In order for the answer that “magically” appears on the calculator screen to make sense, students obviously need to understand how the number was derived. That’s why many teachers feel it’s perfectly acceptable for students to use calculators, but with one stipulation:

They have to demonstrate they understand the math behind the answer.

Though calculators have been easily accessible for more than 40 years, the debate over how they should be used in the classroom rages on. Many parents insist math should be taught the way they learned it — through rote drill and practice. To their way of thinking, using calculators is like “cheating.”

Technology is essential to remain competitive

However, for many reasons it’s important that students utilize technology at every opportunity – just as they will be expected to do once they are outside the classroom. After all, the classroom is supposed to be a miniature “real world” environment and preparing students to be comfortable and proficient with technology should be par for the course.

Also, students who aren’t allowed to use calculators in the classroom are at a disadvantage when it comes to taking statewide, standardized tests.  And as long as technology continues to advance, students will need to be able to keep up. After all, we don’t use slide rulers anymore nor do we write with a quill and ink well.

Some educators argue that the use of calculators make it possible to introduce more complex math at an earlier age. Graphing calculators make it much easier to understand geometry, for example.

But the real question remains… “Do calculators help or hinder the is understanding of basic mathematical concepts?”

Research suggests that it does neither, though research was halted in 1986. So, the debate continues in the educational community — which is better, ease or understanding?

At the end of the day, most educators and parents will agree that calculators are no substitute for understanding.

If at any given time you were to ask teachers why they are considering continuing education classes, you are likely to receive a variety of responses.

Some teachers find they are in a position where they need professional development courses to keep their teaching license current. These courses are often offered internally, though some teachers choose to take courses at a nearby college. These days, however, enrolling in online courses is quickly becoming the norm.

Because online classes have changed the face of continuing education, more and more teachers are taking advantage of the relative ease in which they can further their education. No more commutes after a long teaching day, no battling traffic, and no more late night classes. Online education is suitable for any formalized training program.

Here are some common scenarios that show the need for continuing education:

Mr. Jones is a veteran schoolteacher having taught sixth grade science for 27 years. Because of changes mandated by the state, next year the science curriculum will undergo a major change. Instead of teaching the physical sciences he has become so comfortable with, he is now faced with a dilemma. He has two choices – either change grade levels, or enroll in a college course to get up to speed on the new sixth-grade curriculum. Luckily, online courses are available through his community college.

Ms. Johnson received her teaching diploma two short years ago. As a new college graduate she was eager to spread her wings and move out on her own. Though she had a roommate, she quickly found her salary did not go far past basic living expenses. Ms. Johnson decided that in order to increase her earning potential, she would move up her plans to attend graduate school and get her master’s degree. She found an online college that met her needs.

Mr. Davis teaches fifth grade. He has a diverse group of students and he enjoys teaching across the curriculum. Since his is an inclusion classroom, he teaches students with all skill levels. Mr. Davis has found he has an affinity for teaching gifted students. After careful consideration he chose to take advantage of his school district’s professional development opportunity and pursue gifted certification. Several of his classes were offered online.

In all the above scenarios, the school underwrote the cost of continuing education. Both teacher and school reaped the benefits. The student’s benefited from having a teacher with increased expertise and knowledge. Equally as important, teachers received a sense of accomplishment and new fulfillment in their careers.

For teachers on a busy schedule seeking professional growth, online courses may be the best choice.

It doesn’t matter what the subject is, all students enjoy entering a classroom that is brightly decorated with colorful, whimsical, and educational displays. Just because math is considered a “left brain” discipline doesn’t mean the math classroom has to be completely analytical!  Many math teachers enjoy tapping into their “right brain” and letting their creative side have its way.

Obviously, the idea is to create a positive learning environment that continuously fosters learning math concepts.  One way to do this is through the strategic use of classroom decorations.

So if you’re a teacher looking for ideas to spruce up your math classroom with entertaining yet educational decorations, here are 9 ideas that may inspire you.

1. Visit our teacher supply store and pick up mathematical borders to trim your doorway or even around the perimeter of your room. Or you can laminate construction paper that has math symbols or formulas on them and create your own border.

2. Designate an area of your room to celebrate famous female mathematicians. Often times girls are not confident in their math skills and seeing positive role models in the classroom may make them may feel more comfortable.

3. Don’t forget about math projects — students love to see their project displayed in the classroom and they also make for attractive decorations as well.

4. Have students create posters about career opportunities in math. Another idea is to have students interview their parents to find out how they use math in their daily job, then have students make a display with visuals, formulas, and a brief report.

5. Scatter biographical posters of famous historical mathematicians around the room. You could even have an area in your room specifically devoted to the history of math and how it has progressed through the ages.

6. Use colorful storage containers for hiding away rulers, composition, graph paper, calculators, and manipulatives.

7.  Bring in small table lamps to help create the desired mood.  During quite independent work, you may want to turn the lighting down low.  During teacher presentation or busy group work, use the overhead lights.

8.  Create a cozy corner where students can use math manipulatives, play appropriate card games, or construct puzzles.  Students love to move around and this also provides an outlet for kinesthetic learners.

9. Last, but not least, use your bulletin board as a canvas. If the class is studying geometry you can find (or make your own) geometric symbols and shapes from colorful, laminated paper. One idea for younger students is to place geometric shapes such as a trapezoid or parallelogram on the bulletin board. Then have students bring in a picture of something in nature that has the same shape. Tape their pictures underneath the corresponding shape.

When you use your math classroom decorations wisely, you’ll not only furnish an area that is warm and attractive, but one that is conducive to mastering math concepts as well.

In addition to the 3R’s, teachers also have the awesome responsibility of teaching children organization skills. In order to be productive and efficient, a nice and tidy work environment is essential. That’s why classroom storage is such an important aspect to consider when it comes to arranging and equipping your classroom.

This is important not only for the students, but for the teachers as well. If your students see that you are unorganized, your supplies and teaching tools are scattered all around the classroom, and they can’t see your desk for all the papers piled on top of it, what kind of example is that?

Of course, the best argument for any organized classroom is that a room free of clutter helps students maintains their focus where it should be – on learning. Here are three organizational tips to consider when creating a positive learning environment.

Storage space for students

Everyone needs their own space, a special place where they can store their belongings. Not only that, when students have there own space, they feel recognized and important. Also, having a personal storage area helps them take responsibility for making sure their items are put away safely.

Most elementary classrooms are equipped with some type of storage solution. However, if that’s not the case its easy for teachers to create their own. The best way to do this is to make student cubbies. Plastic milk crates, storage bins, or manufactured wood units are great for this purpose. The best teachers tend to personalize each child’s space by labeling the cubbies with student’s names and a colorful picture. With personalized cubbies, students always know where to put their backpacks, coats, and lunches when they enter the classroom. Teachers can also put student’s work that needs to be sent home in the cubbies as well.

Storage space for classroom supplies

If your classroom is not equipped with storage cabinets you can find easy and inexpensive solutions for storing classroom supplies. Again, plastic milk crates work very well for this. You can also use plastic storage bins that have removable drawers. For larger items such as games, toys, puzzles and blocks, large rectangular plastic bins that come with a lid are ideal.

Other storage ideas

While most teachers are happy to purchase some items for their classroom, the truth is these purchases can add up quickly. With a little recycling ingenuity teachers can make their own storage bins.

One way to do this is to ask for the containers that file folders come in at discount stores. You can cover them with an attractive contact paper and use them for your important documents, student portfolios, or reference material. Also, empty plastic coffee or baby wipe containers are an inexpensive way to organize art supplies such as crayons and markers, pencils, and craft scissors.

You can check out yard sales for organizational items as well. Stacking letter trays and home office supplies are frequently fantastic yard sale finds. You can use the trays to organize classroom work and homework to be graded.

Another idea is to use a clear plastic shoe holder and store items in the pockets. Hang it on a cabinet door and label each pocket for organization.

With adequate classroom storage, student’s play area and learning environment will be free of clutter. By organizing your classroom, you help students organize their thinking and focus on what’s important. Adequate storage space makes life easier for teachers and students alike.

Of course, if you want to consider it, we carry a large supply of classroom storage supplies.

Using cell phones and the internet are often considered no-no’s in most schools, but this article was sent to me today which discusses a way social media can be used in the classroom.

Particularly interesting was how a teacher uses Skype to talk with students in a foreign country and compare notes. Your students can get a much better idea of other cultures and how they learn, as well as a peek at their schools.

This could be a very interesting exercise, for example, in an ESL or foreign language class. Obviously, it would have to be tightly controlled and approved at the administrative level.

One of the things we all face is the struggling reader. Here are a few ideas:

One of the most significant milestones in a young child’s life is when he or she learns to read. Suddenly, a whole new world unfolds before them as they engage in learning things outside their own experience.

But for the struggling reader, this new world isn’t quite so fun. As a classroom teacher you have the opportunity, as well as a responsibility, to make sure the child who is struggling to read is given every chance possible to improve his or her skills.

Here are four instructional techniques for struggling readers you can use in your classroom to build student confidence and skills:

1. Pre-reading techniques

One way to make students feel more comfortable is to engage them in pre-reading techniques before introducing new subject matter. One skill that will serve them throughout their school career is learning to decipher the structure of a textbook.

It in order to help students understand how textbooks are formatted teachers can model how they are put together. Point out how paragraphs always began with the main idea, branch out into details, and then end with a summary. By doing this, students are better equipped to analyze the text.

Another technique is activating prior knowledge. Before giving a reading assignment, ask leading questions so that students can pinpoint what they already know about the topic. By doing this the student can build a mental framework for any new information.

Explain how the pictures, headings, key terms, and bold words highlight important facts or concepts. This is extremely helpful for remedial readers as they try to formulate meaning.

2. Variety is key

Struggling readers often find standard textbooks intimidating. Whenever possible, offer alternative materials such as an article, supplemental piece from the textbook kit, or even a website. These often spark an interest in a reluctant reader.

Doing this solves two objectives — the student builds more confidence and the teacher is comfortable with the fact that the student is getting the required content.

3. Highlight essential vocabulary

Before each reading his assignment, began with teaching the most frequent vocabulary words though struggling reader is likely to encounter. Have them make flash cards with the words and definitions to help them with this.

By doing this, students are less likely to feel frustrated because they continuously stumble over the same words again and again.

4. Pay attention to learning styles

Students who struggle to read often demonstrate remarkable auditory skills. Allow them to listen to the textbook on tape or read important passages out loud.

Also, incorporate graphic organizers such as mind maps or KWL sheets to help with reading comprehension. Older students do well with writing two-column notes as they are reading.

By implementing these four intervention methods on a regular basis, teachers are helping students still successful and one of the most critical areas — the ability to read and comprehend. This is a gift that keeps on giving not only through our school but also for the rest of their life.