1. This is why we entered the profession. The opportunity to be up in front of children and young adults imparting wisdom is the vision weve all had when we chose to be a teacher. Like any other profession, there are those skilled in it, as well as, those whose talents leave a bit to be desired. Just like in those professions, there are techniques and practices which can assist you in excelling and providing your student with a rewarding school year.

2. In the immortal words of Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway, you must learn how to improvise, adapt and overcome. You will make mistakes. You will have the wrong answer key, the wrong word will be used, technology will malfunction. So many outside factors will occur that will interfere with your lesson. Acknowledge it and let it go! *Teachers who try to hide behind their mistake end up having more problems and lose respect of their students.

3. Remember Ask yourself what do you teach? Avoid saying you teach math or science or music, but rather you teacher 7th graders Think back to any lesson youve ever taken, golf, swimming, piano, etc., you learned at your level. Be understanding and aware of the levels and abilities of your students. Pay close note to factors that can allow you to teach at that level, move forward, one step at a time, and increase student success. Be aware of vocabulary. Use words and terminology that are age appropriate. Have an understanding of the content and its sequence (what theyve learned before you and where they will go with what youve taught them) Get all you can from each child. Theres just as much satisfaction getting the D student to a C as there is from getting a student to achieve an A (Sometimes the satisfaction is even greater!)

4. In reality, there was probably only one good teacher ever created. The rest of us have stolen ideas from him or her and one another. -E Bates Teaching can be a very isolated profession. Collaboration though can be very beneficial, rejuvenating, and enlightening . Teachers can be very generous and happy to share their successes with others/ So.STEAL, LISTEN, and LEARN Attend conferences, workshops, forums and web sites which chronicle successful practices/ Find the good teachers in your building and pick their brains. Good mentors will allow their mentee to view and observe other teachers besides themselves/ *Youll be amazed at how much you will learn by observing others. And how much others can learn from you!

5. *The one who does the doing does the learning! Lecturing is the least effective method of teaching, yet the most often used. How did you learn to drive a car? Did your instructor read from a manual? We learn by doing!

6. *Are you covering material or teaching it! There arent many adults who owe their successes to that of a textbook, but many who owe their successes to the influence of a teacher. Avoid teaching from the textbook, especially at the lower levels, as it may not follow the content in a proper sequence. Teachers make the mistake of seeing the textbook as the definitive curriculum for their district. Take the curriculum and determine the best resources to teach that curriculum. A textbook should be used as a teaching tool, one of several sources. Ask yourself if all the textbooks were removed from your classroom , would you be able to continue your teaching.

7. Be a good role model! Make it a part of your class rules. Be courteous, raise your hand, do not yell out answers, etc. Model it yourself. Speak in a proper tone, use positive body language, say please and thank you. Utilize group activities to promote positive social skills *Weave proper social skills into everything you teach! Assume nothing! Dont expect your students to come in with perfect manners. Dont assume they know right from wrong. Dont assume theyll work cooperatively and get along with each other. Educate the whole person.

8. Questioning techniques use these to determine strengths Ask all kids questions ask a colleague to observe and record questioning patterns. Softballs use these with the student who may have difficulty with a particular topic. Rock Stars these are the kids wholl leave the easy questions for others. Theyll answer the more challenging questions. Every single students possesses lots of strengths. Sometimes its harder to find in some, but they are there. Focus on strengths that may be non educationally related if necessary (i.e. good manners, effort, etc.)

9. When implementing classroom management activities in your classroom, REMEMBER Assign groups that have varying ability levels (assign each student a different job). Monitor behaviors to see that they are appropriate. Keep noise level under control by circulating throughout room. This requires a lot of work and effort on the teachers part. Teachers need to have a solid classroom management plan in place BEFORE implementing cooperative learning activities Student who participate in cooperative learning activities develop problem solving skills, better social skills, and achieve at higher levels. So why is it avoided by so many teachers? Kids cant get along One student does all the work Too noisy No social skills Too chaotic These are classroom management issues!

10. When are we ever gonna have to use this? All knowledge is relational. Aristotle In order for us to learn, we must have something we already know with which to connect the new skill. When work makes sense, students have a purpose of doing it. If it doesnt seem meaningful, we close our minds to it. Find the application Examples : Middle school math students can see the relevance of coordinate geometry when its applied to the job an air traffic controller performs. Students can see applications of % when its applied to how they shop. Tell stories students will relate to a topic when its connected to a story that may have been important to you. *If you cannot come up with a real-life application to a particular topic, get rid of that topic!

11. In most classes its a necessary evil, but assign in moderation. It should NOT be meant as a punishment! Homework should be reflective of that days lesson and should be meaningful and doable. It should be assigned so that you as a teacher can assess mastery of that particular topic. It on average should not take the child more than 20 minutes to complete (If it exceeds that, build time into the end of your class to begin the assignment.) Communicate with your colleagues to see what else is being assigned. If you team teach, create a team calendar, so that both students and colleagues can see important items throughout the month. You can then plan your assessments and assignments accordingly so as to not overwhelm students or create conflicts with others assessments. Helpful hint: When creating an assignment, set aside 2-3 additional questions related to that topic. Do this for each assignment and youll have a bank of questions to use on tests and quizzes.

12. Students need to see what the process looks like and listen as the teacher thinks aloud and models the thought process that goes into completing a task. Use guided notes and examples Conduct reviews of the concept in a basic sense via discussion *Imagine teaching someone how to ride a bike without ever showing them what riding a bike looks like. Model your skills as well Use proper grammar and spelling. Avoid saying I was never any good at. Provide clear and legible notes (If you have poor handwriting, then TYPE them out!) *Teaching of any manner, requires modeling. So model, model, model! Create a light of understanding in your students minds.

13. Find your niche. Let kids know what theyll expect of you during their time in your class. With clear rules and expectations, you can allow yourself to have fun with the kids. Let kids see the lighter side of you. The human side. You dont plug a cord into your head and go into your cabinet at days end. *Lighten up. Dont take yourself so seriously and add some fun to your school day.

14. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Chinese Proverb Get kids up and involved Simulations Problems on board Reading instructions/passages *What students hear in the classroom will go in one ear and out the other. What theyll see theyll tend to remember, but what they actually have to do, theyll learn, and that learning will stick with them. Create an environment in your teaching that increases active student participation, higher interest levels , the opportunity for meaningful learning, and last but not least, decreases boredom

15. Often times we as teachers assume too much. Just because a student knows an answer or can memorize a piece of information, we assume they understand. Know and applying information are 2 different things. Critical thinking involves problem solving, which creates understanding of a topic. Ex: Remembering dates or the historical reference behind them. Regurgitating a formula or having a true understanding as to how its derived. Dont be afraid to go off topic if it stimulates discussion.but bring them back. Make an effort in your teaching to switch from stating fact after fact and instead encourage students to think critically. Once they understand the concept, the facts become meaningful. Students delve deeper into concepts and remain in a questioning mode throughout the lesson *You want to create a class of students that will question you, that will ask the what if question.

16. Authentic means real or valid. So assess kids in a way of knowing whether or not your students have attained a particular skill. On a vocabulary test, reciting definitions mean nothing. Have the students use the words. A test on the scientific method should not just require students to list the steps, but also apply the method in an experiment. In a lesson involving laws of exponents, students should not just be able to recite the laws, but use them to prove why anything to the zero power = 1. *Would a written exam in swimming determine whether or not youre a good swimmer? *If you want to know if a person can cook, have them cook something for you.

17. Kids enjoy and change from the routine so MIX IT UP! Theyll love it. Kids respond to teachers who keep them intrigued. Remember though, these are TEACHING strategies, not CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT strategies. Mix it up and change your routine so it doesnt always look the same Give exciting explanations. Provide the opportunity for inviting discussions. Conduct hands on learning. Assign class projects. Allow for student demonstration of skills.

18. Sometimes the right decision isnt the easiest. There will be days when youre exhausted and will be tempted to take the easy way out, showing a video, giving a multiple choice test using a scantron. Its human nature. DONT GIVE IN to the temptation. Always ask yourself: Is what Im doing in the best interests of my students?