Is a student best summarized by a test score? I would give you a minute to think about that, but I know I don’t have to. You answered right away. Whether you’ve taught for just a year or you’re on the verge of retirement after a long and fulfilling career in the classroom, you know…
Teacher Appreciation
End-of-June Randomness
It’s tough to write a blog for teachers in the final days of June. Some of you have been done with your 2012-2013 school year for almost a month. Some of you are looking at your last few days. Retailers are blatantly guilty of starting their back-to-school promotions. And we will not give you even…
Time to Solve the Education Budget Crisis
Imagine this: Your classroom is well-prepared. Displays are fresh. Desks and tables are exactly where you want them. Your lesson plans are laid out in detail for the next month. It is the first day you will have students in your room and you are ready, or as ready as you can be, because there’s…
Theory Into Practice
Some things are good in theory but pale when put into practice. I’m thinking, of course, about a family pack of high-powered water guns as a Father’s Day gift. Or the platypus. Or teaching a class of seventh graders the word masticate. On the other hand, there are good ideas that end up being even…
Giveaway Reminder
Don’t forget to share your experiences with implementing the Common Core State Standards this year. Your input could result in a free book in the Upper Grades Exchange blog’s Common Core Outcomes giveaway. Leave your comment at the link before 11:59 pm EDT tonight to be eligible! The winner will be announced Monday.
Common Core Outcomes Giveaway
Your time at the end of the school year is valuable. So this will be a short and, hopefully, sweet blog post. Roughly 97 ideas crossed paths in my brain at one point this morning (not unusual, really), and I was left with the following questions that I want to ask you: Did you incorporate…
Time Out for Test Prep
You learn some interesting things sitting in the bleachers at a little league baseball field. While your children practice the fundamentals and intricacies of baseball, you get to commiserate with other parents about all kinds of things. This weekend, for example, a number of parents chatted about EOGs—the universal End of Grade tests administered in…
How to Celebrate in Style?
How would you like to see a photo of all The Mailbox editors wearing aluminum foil hats? I’ll make it happen before the end of the school year. But you have to do me a favor. I need lots of ideas for how a teaching staff can wrap up its school year in style. In…
Making the Most of These Days
It is my belief that every day you have students in your classroom is a day to educate. That includes the very last days of school. As much as I yearned for the opportunity to slack off a little, maybe show a film adaptation of a novel we had read, I rarely gave my students…
Life, the Universe, and School Supplies
For me, the answer is always 42, unless the question is “How many times per month do you buy school supplies with your own money?” In that case, my answer would have had to be “between three and six.” What would your answer be? Submit a comment with your answer to my previous blog post…