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Easter, Passover, and Springtime Books to Share With Your Students

Easter falls on April 4th this year, while Passover begins on March 30th.  Spring officially begins this weekend!  No matter which springtime rite of passage you choose to highlight in your classroom this year, there are inspiring and fun children's books to help you celebrate Spring through shared appreciation of literature.  I've selected a few that I think you and your students will enjoy.

Let me know if I've missed any great titles that should be added to the list.  Thanks!

Easter, Passover, and Springtime Books to Share With Your Students originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 01:03:59.

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President Obama and No Child Left Behind

The New York Times Editorial Board wrote today about President Obama's proposed modifications to the No Child Left Behind legislation.  One suggested change that may be of particular interest to readers of this site involves detailed, data-driven ratings systems for teachers and administrators.  This could result in increased focus on individual teacher performance.

Are you ready for the federal government to develop and implement a teacher evaluation system?  On the upside, it could mean monetary incentives for teachers deemed effective, but the drawbacks could be numerous with such a complicated and ambitious plan.  What do you think?

President Obama and No Child Left Behind originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 08:26:15.

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Structured Recess Programs

Some schools are implementing a structured recess program in an effort to discourage behavior problems on the playground.  Rather than sitting around doing nothing or arguing over equipment, all students must follow the lead of a paid "recess coach" who facilitates organized games with mandatory participation.

Benefits may include: less bullying, fewer injuries, decreased childhood obesity rates, and improved social skills.  A downside may be a lack of unstructured relaxation time for the children, which opponents argue is needed by adults and children alike.

Do you think this would work well in your school?  Do recess behavior problems get in the way of classroom learning?

Structured Recess Programs originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 08:55:04.

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Have You Ever Worked with a Difficult Principal?

Principals are people, too, and nobody's perfect.  That's why I think it's best to be proactive and positive when dealing with a principal who may be a bit more challenging that you'd like.  After all, a productive and cooperative relationship between teachers and the administration benefits the students, their parents, and the whole community.

Have You Ever Worked with a Difficult Principal? originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 08:48:28.

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Education in the News

Education was all over the news this week.  From curriculum standards to budget cuts to teacher quality, everything education-related is a hot topic right now.

• Panel Proposes Single Standard for All Schools
• Teach for the World
• Kansas City Adopts Plan to Close Nearly Half Its Schools
• Building a Better Teacher

Education in the News originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 08:47:05.

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No-Cost Classroom Rewards

Are you tired of spending precious funds on little plastic toys and stickers to reward your students for their good behavior?  I've always been opposed to material rewards for my students.  I tend to focus on intrinsic rewards and fun no-cost incentives to celebrate my students making the right behavior choices.

One of the most popular free rewards in my classroom has always been Lunch Bunch.  That's what I call it when students earn the privilege of eating lunch with me in the classroom.  I enjoy this special time, too.  Plus, I think it's sweet that my students are motivated by such a simple pleasure as eating lunch with their teacher.

What no-cost rewards do your students value?

No-Cost Classroom Rewards originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 01:29:52.

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St. Patrick's Day Lesson Plans

St. Patrick's Day is coming up on Wednesday, March 17th.  How will you "go green" in your classroom?  Here are a few St. Paddy's Day resources for you and your elementary school students to enjoy together:

• St. Patrick's Day Acrostic Poem Lesson Plan
• St. Patrick's Day Word List (for use in creative writing, spelling lists, puzzles, etc.)
• St. Patrick's Day Worksheets, Songs, Recipes, and more

If you have a favorite St. Pat's lesson, please share it in the comments section.

St. Patrick's Day Lesson Plans originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 01:00:15.

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What Do You Think of Job Sharing?

I've never job shared, but I am intrigued by the concept.  Although it'd be great to have the flexibility to teach part-time, I wonder about the challenges that come along with working so closely with another teacher.  Is it truly possible to present a unified front to the students and their parents?

I'd love to hear from those of you have job shared, whether it worked out well or poorly.  Meanwhile, here's how I view the Pros and Cons of Job Sharing.

What Do You Think of Job Sharing? originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 08:43:34.

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How to Quiet Your Students Without Saying a Word

Are you tired of trying to manipulate your students into staying quiet hour after hour?  Have you ever lost your voice from talking too much at work?  If so, try some of these techniques for nonverbally quieting your classroom.  Nobody wants to sound like a broken record, right?

If you've found other simple ways to get your student quiet and focused, please do share!  It's important to have many different strategies in one's toolbox.

How to Quiet Your Students Without Saying a Word originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 08:32:21.

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Tax Time is Coming Up - Get Your Receipts Ready

It's unfortunate but true: virtually all classroom teachers have to dig into their own pockets to buy necessary supplies to help their students learn.  That's why it's so important for you to keep all of your receipts in a handy and organized place when it comes time to file your taxes.

Use these tax time tips for teachers to make sure you are maximizing your tax benefits.  Hopefully someday we will be able to count on school budgets to cover the totality of our classroom needs.  Until then, follow your state and federal tax codes in order to claim deductions and make your dollars count.

Tax Time is Coming Up - Get Your Receipts Ready originally appeared on About.com Elementary Education on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 00:31:31.

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