So we are at the close of our first week back since the Thanksgiving break and on a couple weeks away, at this point, will be Christmas break.  Do you ever notice how the classroom can be a little groggy when we are all back?  How do you overcome that?  Are there any activities to get people back on track?  I feel like once we begin to gain some momentum again, we will be off for another week.  How can you transition through an on again off again time of the school year?  Is everyone in the same boat or does anyone have any kind of a solution to working through the dilemma?

So we’re now over a month back into school and the students and myself are into a nice routine, they know me, I know them.  Over my first 2+ years of teaching, I find myself going back to similar habits (not necessarily bad).  How do you make sure your teaching stays fresh?  How often do you incorporate new ideas/ teaching strategies without completely exhausting yourself?  Do you evaluate yourself at the end of the previous year and think about different ways that you can “switch it up” without completely starting from scratch?  I just want to make sure that I stay current and not put my students to sleep.  Any thoughts on the subject would be great!

Here we are again, the end of the school year approaches and we are at a time where we need to start thinking about packing away some of our resources, cleaning up backrooms and prepping our rooms for summer cleaning.  Does any have any rituals they go through, or maybe that your school makes you do, before you leave for the summer?  Last year I left the school I was at so I just packed up my things and left, but does anyone have any kind of guidelines/checklist they need to go through before leaving?  I work in a lab classroom so the obvious safety protocols should be followed, but other than that is there anything special you do?  Hope everyone had a great end to their year!

So I just started to create my own website using a common website creator, weebly.  Last year, while I worked at a different school, we were required to have a website and the school used wikispaces for it.  I think that it is certainly beneficial, but also a time commitment in order to constantly update and keep everything organized.  I went back and forth all year about creating one and finally came to the conclusion that I think it is beneficial.  The only concern I have, and that I always have about  technology, is what happens to those that don’t have access to the internet or have a device where they can access these kinds of resources?  On the other hand, I can post notes, powerpoints, homework assignments, etc and most students can never complain that they “never got” anything or “didn’t know” about an assignment or test.  It is almost the end of the year and I may try and pilot it moving forward, but I’m curious of thoughts on the topic?  Does anyone have any good or bad experiences with their websites?  Do you find it helpful for your students or just a waste of time for you?

Some schools set times that faculty members need to be present at the start of the work day, I actually think all schools have at least some vague guideline for it.  I show up at least an hour before the students get here, and I do it for a couple of reasons: peace and quiet, I can get my copying done with no one around and it allows me the chance to just acclimate to school before the day starts.  I know this is my choice and I gladly accept; however, everyday I see some faculty walking in as the bell rings and students are headed to homeroom.  Is this appropriate?  How do you think the students feel about this while they are making their way to class and you’re just getting there?  Is there some kind of unwritten rule where even though the contract says 5 minutes before the bell you should really be there 10 or even 15 minutes?  I don’t know, and someday when  my life gets slightly more complicated maybe I will rethink this, but until that point are we setting any kind of good example for our students by doing this, or do you think they don’t notice?  Just some food for thought.

I have a class that meets first thing in the morning or last block of the day, every  other day.  Its hard because when its first, I feel everyone is still asleep and when its last everyone is ready to get the heck outaaa here!  How can you manage something like this?  I know my class management skills aren’t in the excellent range but I also know that I can handle a class, so that’s not the immediate issue.  How can you help kids to focus in these situations.  It is an intro science course so I can do pretty cool things and have leeway to do what I want but I still find I am running into the same issues!  Does anyone have any thoughts as to handling situations like this?  Has anyone been in a similar scenario?  Do I need to just power through?

I find most times that when a student acts out that there is something that is usually going on outside of the classroom and most likely outside of school.  Often times I try and pull the student aside and try and figure out what is going on to try and diffuse the situation.  I would say that most of the time this technique works, but if it doesn’t how else do you handle a student who is being disruptive to your classroom?  You can send them out of your room to whoever the disciplinarian is, but does this actually solve the problem for you or for them?  Are there any alternatives to handling a situation like this?  At what point do you schedule a parent meeting and does this work?  I don’t face these excessive measures often at all, but I’d like to be prepared should the day come when the situation does present it self.

So we are half way through our second week after an almost 2 week lay off for the holidays.  After the break we had 2 full weeks (actually only 1 because we had a snow day) and then next week is finals week to complete the first semester.  I think that this kind of schedule make it fairly difficult to operate inside the classroom.  You spend the first couple of days just kind of regrouping from the break and then finally you’re back on track and next thing you know its finals week.  So why is the schedule set up this way?  Wouldn’t it make sense to just end the first semester before you go on break and start fresh when you return from an extended break like this?  I’ve spoken to many people and have gotten many different responses from, well school can’t start earlier because of the farmer, to it would affect the sports seasons, to ask the school committee.  I’m just not sure either way. Would it suck starting school at the beginning of August, yes.  Would it be worth it to be out of school in May, probably.  Anyways, this is going in the wrong direction, so let me get to my point.  How do you deal with a return after a break, especially if there is a time crunch.  How do you students handle the return?  Is there anything you’ve found effective as a lesson, may be an activity that has worked especially when for when you return?  We will have a February break coming up soon enough again and, although I will have new students at that time, I just want to know what has been effective for you in the classroom on the days when you return from an extended time away?

Our school has an advisory block that meets every Tuesday for the 1st 40 minutes of the day.  In this advisory teachers are to host an advisory block that can help improve the school community and culture.  There are many different advisories with some even reaching outside the school community: domestic violence, recycling and so on.  Does anyone else run an advisory or x-block or something else that allows faculty to interact with students outside the academic parameters that school has attached to it?  If so, what do you do?  What is successful in your school?  Do faculty members have an issues because it may not necessarily be drawn out in their contracts?  If this happens how does your school deal with the issues?

Everyday I question myself as to if I gave  my students the best lesson I could have possible given.  I find that I am a tough critic on myself and that the answer is normally no.  This year I have started a new job at a new school and will be undergoing a formal review process and feel that I am now being even harder on myself.  I continuously look to veteran teachers to try and capture some of their skills and use them in my own teaching.  This leads to the question of what actually makes a great teacher.  Not good, not alright, but great; the kind of teacher you remember for the rest of your lives because they made an impact for the better.  I know that when I think back some of my most memorable teachers were funny, sarcastic, and obviously smart people; however, the one thing that sticks out the most is the fact that they cared.  They cared about our learning, they cared that we succeed, they cared about each of us as individuals.  I think showing that you care, even on the days when it might be most difficult, is what sets those teachers apart from all the others.  Do you agree?  Do you have other attributes of great teachers? Post them below in the comment section!