Teaching Is About Making a Difference
Teaching is self-sacrifice. Teaching is giving. Teaching is loving when the other isn’t always lovable. Teaching is by grace a tinkering with the future…when the future keeps slapping your hands away.
Classroom Management
5 Classroom Management Tips for Reducing Anger and Frustration
Kendra waited half a semester before dealing with a problem that ended up causing her to snap. What happened and how can we avoid the same mistake?
2 Important Parts of Classroom Management
Carrot and Stick? ? How should we follow through with our students in the classroom? Does the old carrot and stick method work? Is there a better way?
Let’s get real about punishments and consequences in the classroom.
Teachers – Do You Make These Things Clear?
Do your ELL student argue with you about in-class assignments, act surprised when there are consequences, or get upset with you a lot? These are signs of a common classroom management problem. Find out what it is as we get back into the Kid-Inspired classroom management series.
Most Difficult ESL Student Ever – Part 2
Melody was one of the most difficult students I have ever taught. In a previous article, I wrote about her adventures in making my life miserable. What ended up happening? How did things turn out?
Find out the second half of the story.
Most Difficult ESL Student Ever – Part 1
My Most Difficult Student Ever Story (Part 1)I hesitate to use the word ‘bad’ when describing students, as do most teachers. We try to avoid labeling them. They are only children after all. They still have time to change, time to grow. We want to hold out hope that even our most difficult students will get …
4 Teaching Steps to Building Confidence
Classroom Management Series:4 Teaching Steps to Building Your Students’ ConfidenceA big factor in behavioral issues is student confidence. When students are confident, they are much more likely to be interested in what you are doing. When students are interested, they try harder. They are more involved. They listen better. They don’t give up as easily. …
How to Handle Misbehaved ESL Students
Classroom Management Series:How to Handle Misbehaved ESL StudentsIf you want to manage your classroom well, you have to connect with your students in meaningful ways and there are so many ways to do facilitate connection. With most students, it is just a matter of reminding yourself when you are busy planning, grading, teaching, disciplining, administrating, …
4 Ways for Teachers to Loosen Up
Classroom Management Series:4 Ways for Teachers to Loosen UpSome of my best teachers when I was a kid were the strictest. They ran their classes with clear expectations and clear consequences. Everyone knew where the lines were and few dared to cross them. The classes were, as a result, quite efficient and also, surprisingly, a …
Do You Over-Complicate Your ESL Activities?
Classroom Management Series:Do You Over-Complicate Your ESL Activities?We all want our students to learn and most of us want our students to have fun doing it. That is why teachers try to come up with activities that are both educational and fun. Fun, educational activities can be life saving. When they work, the teacher feels …
5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Strong Students
ESL Classroom Management Series:5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Strong StudentsOur strong students make our lives so much easier in the classroom.They work hard.They are polite, usually.They are interested in whatever we are doing.They answer all of our questions.They are role models for our weaker students. Then there are the weaker students. They sit there …
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8 Times Your Students Are Waiting Too Much
Classroom Management Series:8 Situations Where Your Students Are Waiting Around Too MuchTeachers have a lot to do in any given class. There are lots of administrative things that need to get done.There are many different students with many different needs.Unexpected things come up. Life happens.It is not unusual for students to have to wait around a bit …