One of my favorite classroom management strategies is Group Roles. They streamline activities, distribute workload, boost participation, and keep students focused. I introduce them early in the school year and rotate roles to give students equal opportunities. I use clear communication and modeling to ensure success. Google Drive resources and practical examples are available.
Category Archives: Classroom Management
Effective Classroom Management: Harnessing the Power of Group Roles
Group Roles are a valuable classroom management strategy for labs and group activities. They offer shared responsibilities, promote teamwork, and enhance communication and problem-solving skills. The roles of Captain, Recorder, Timekeeper, and Organizer ensure accountability and encourage student participation. Implemented early in the school year, Group Roles can effectively enhance classroom dynamics and student engagement.
Student Choice Projects: Empower Learning with Real-world Skills & Differentiation
I started using Student Choice Projects my first year teaching to solve some common problems. It turned out that Choice Projects were good for me and my instruction, and benefited my students and their learning. Win, win! In this blog post I share my knowledge on Student Choice Projects: What are Student Choice Projects? StudentsContinue reading “Student Choice Projects: Empower Learning with Real-world Skills & Differentiation”
Class Points: Transforming Classroom Management with Positive Reinforcement. How to Implement Class Points as a System for Classroom Management
The Class Points system enhances classroom management by reinforcing positive behavior through regular praise, feedback, and rewards. By tracking points visibly and incorporating a raffle for classes that reach milestones, teachers can foster a motivating environment that encourages engagement, accountability, and improvement among students, ultimately creating a more efficient classroom.
12 Study Tips to Teach Middle School Students
In this blog post I share some of my best study tips for middle school students. I learned them over the years from my amazing teacher mentors, while supporting my students, and becoming a better learner myself. Whether you are a teacher, student, or lifelong learner, these tips can help make studying easier and moreContinue reading “12 Study Tips to Teach Middle School Students”
9 Routine Assignments that are Easy to Prep and Make Great Sub Plans
The ideas in this blog post are great routine assignments to cycle through during the year. Plan ahead and have these assignments ready as emergency sub plans, or prep them quickly when you’re planning for a substitute. Students become familiar with doing these assignments. My students complete them independently and with minimal confusion. This makesContinue reading “9 Routine Assignments that are Easy to Prep and Make Great Sub Plans”
First Day of School Tips for New Teachers: Practical Do’s and Don’ts
If you’re a new teacher this year, I bet you are bursting with ideas, inspiration, and energy! That is the pure beauty of being a new teacher. You are unclouded, unjaded, and hyper focused on your objectives to create the best learning environment and experience for your students. That new teacher magic is an asset,Continue reading “First Day of School Tips for New Teachers: Practical Do’s and Don’ts”
Why Class Points is My Favorite Classroom Management System
One of the hardest parts of teaching can be classroom management. What’s the point of the most awesome lesson you planned if no one will listen or follow directions? I started using Class Points my first year teaching and it transformed my classroom and my teaching. At the end of the day, I want toContinue reading “Why Class Points is My Favorite Classroom Management System”
High School Biology Vocabulary: Units and Key Terms for Effective Teaching
I hope you enjoy reading about my favorite science terms to teach in high school Biology. I hope this list of vocabulary terms can give you some good ideas and save you valuable planning time. In this blog post I share the vocabulary terms I teach during each unit throughout the year: How I UseContinue reading “High School Biology Vocabulary: Units and Key Terms for Effective Teaching”
How She Teaches Presentation Skills
I do this short Presentation Skills class discussion with students before we do presentations in class. It is crazy the difference this simple exercise makes. Their presentations are much, much better. Students already know what a good presentation looks and sounds like. They just need to be reminded. That’s what this 20 minute lesson does.Continue reading “How She Teaches Presentation Skills”
Great Gift Ideas for Teachers!
These are my favorite gift ideas for teachers. Just in time for the holidays! Whether you are a student and you want to buy a gift for your favorite teacher, or you have a special teacher in your life, I hope I can help you find that perfect something. Many of my ideas are inspiredContinue reading “Great Gift Ideas for Teachers!”
7 Effective Test Review Teaching Strategies That Don’t Take Extra Planning Time!
These test review strategies are quick and easy to plan for (assuming I already made the test). I just don’t have time to make Jeopardy. Sorry, not sorry! These strategies are also effective for helping my students learn, and preparing them for tests. Hopefully these ideas are helpful and can save you some valuable time.Continue reading “7 Effective Test Review Teaching Strategies That Don’t Take Extra Planning Time!”
My Top 16 Classroom Management Strategies
I have way too much to do during the day teaching and grading to deal with all the extra stuff that happens in the classroom. I can’t waste any more time on unnecessary questions, losing stuff, waiting, cell phones, extra talking, distractions, bad behavior, and unpreparedness. They all take away from my instruction time andContinue reading “My Top 16 Classroom Management Strategies”
5 Ways to Take Notes Without a Worksheet
It’s good to keep students busy, but I don’t like to feel like I’m giving busy work. Lots of worksheets can feel like busy work. When students create things in their notebooks, they use their brains. They process information and learn. In this blog post I’m happy to share 5 different ways to take notesContinue reading “5 Ways to Take Notes Without a Worksheet”
More Tips for Using Science Notebooks as an Organization System
I had so much to say about science notebooks in my last post, How to Set-up a Science Notebook, that I needed to start a whole new one! In my 7 years of teaching, I used science notebooks most of the time. I tried binders too, but ultimately I like using notebooks the best. OverContinue reading “More Tips for Using Science Notebooks as an Organization System”