5 Powerfully Positive Teaching Practices

Are the pressures from administrators, parents and life outside of school hurting your teaching?

I’ve spent my career working with highly demanding urban turnaround and selective enrollment high schools. There is no shortage of challenge and negative energy in these environments, yet I’ve seen that all my successful teachers share this idea of positive thoughts and a positive demeanor when working with students.

Staying positive is no easy task, but these five positivity strategies will give you the tools to maintain an outlook that leads you and your students to perform your best.
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Top 12 Ways to Be Your Summer Self All School Year

With summer ending and a new school year beginning, the change of pace and lifestyle can be pretty jarring. However, with some mindfulness and personal commitment, you don’t have to say goodbye to summer entirely just because school has started.

Here are my top 12 tips to keep that positive summer feeling alive all school year long!
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Free iBooks from Kaplan

Just got word that Kaplan is giving away free iBooks through Monday. Visit Kaplan's page on iTunes and download away. www.kaplanpublishing.com/iTunes

One of my facebook friends confirmed that it works so enjoy!

Social Justice Starts in the Classroom

Teachers for Social Justice is a grassroots organization of teachers from Chicago schools - from public to private to independent and alternative. These educators come together to create classrooms that support anti-racist, multicultural, multilingual educational experience that teaches students to question the world around them.

With their annual curriculum fair coming up this fall, member Jonah Bondurant was kind enough to give us some insight into the work of Teachers for Social Justice.

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Is Creativity a 4-letter Word in Your Classroom?

Everybody talks about creativity in the classroom, but very few teachers actually embrace it. In fact, some teachers are downright hostile to it, especially in high school.

Creativity’s Downfall
Because in this test-taking, data-driven environment, creativity is like everybody’s favorite eccentric aunt: we all say we love her just the way she is, but nobody wants to actually be responsible for taking care of her. And she’s really inconvenient, immeasurable, erratic, irascible, and unpredictable. read more

Replace Boring Book Reports with Project Kids Love

Do your traditional book report assignments seem old and tired? Here are some alternative assignments that share the same benefits and instructional results but are infused with fun.

These alternatives can be more appealing and that will give the students a chance to express themselves in alternative ways. Students can complete a book report assignment in artistic formats or in formats that foster good communications skills while still deriving the same benefit from the task.

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Video Writing Prompts: Sound of Music Dance Party

3-5: Contagious Rhythm
If you were in the train station, would you have joined the dancers? Why do you think so many different kinds of people (young & old, boys & girls) joined in?

6-8: Ballroom Brainstorm
There are many different kinds of dances. Brainstorm as many forms of dancing as you can. What do all of those dances have in common?

Watch the video and find more Video Writing Prompts for K-12!

Top 12 Teaching Passions

As the new school year begins, there are plenty of rituals that teachers observe: the trips to office supply stores for those things that we “need” in the year ahead, the faculty meetings to welcome everyone back, and the inevitable classroom preparations that we look forward to every fall.

When that first bell rings, I want to be motivated, inspired, and contagiously happy. One ritual I'm using to achieve that mindset is creating a list of twelve things that make me passionate for the profession: Read More

Sneak Peak: Mrs. Mimi's 2nd Grade Adventures

Mrs. Mimi has been sharing her second grade adventures with undeniable wit and endearing honesty on her blog It’s Not All Flowers and Sausages for the last two years, but now she's gone big time. Her book by the same name hit stores Sept. 1.

Mrs. Mimi and her publishers were kind enough to let us peak inside the first chapter “I Love Naughty Boys.”

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Are School Libraries Expendable?

"Don't tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what they are.” ~James W. Frick

Frick would tell California, and their out-of-control budget, that school libraries are NOT on their list of priorities.

When budgets are hurting, arts are always the first to go. No Child Left Behind made social studies the low subject on the totem pole. Now, it seems, libraries are on the chopping block.

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Top 5 Start of School Myths

Because of the somewhat mythical nature of the first weeks of school, there exist many "old wives' tales" and bits of wisdom that are constantly recycled by veteran teachers, instructional books, and (worst of all) pre-service workshops taught by Master Teachers.

In the interest of clearing up misconceptions and righting some wrongs, I’m busting the top five myths about the first days of school:

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6 Back to School Tips to Organize Your Classroom

“Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning” ~ Winston Churchill

“If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won't, you most assuredly won't. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.” ~ Denis Waitley

In the midst of back-to-school madness, it’s easy to let yourself get overwhelmed with all the planning and prep. You’ve visited the teacher store, reviewed your curriculum and spent a few nights tossing and turning. Whether you are an experienced teacher or new teacher, these tips can help you organize and plan your time before school starts.

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Top 12 Ways to Start the School Year Off Right

As you gear up for the new school year, you have a chance for fresh positive start that will motive students and get you, your students and their parents working together from day one.

Whether you want to inspire your students, encourage reading, reach out to parents, or form a better bond with your students, check out these innovative ideas.

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Snapshots of Great (& Unusual) Teachers

In Bill Smoot's book Conversations with Great Teachers, he crosses the nation to find teachers in every realm of life, from the K-12 classroom to the circus to the FBI to the Outback.

Here are a few snippets from his interviews that show just how much teachers have in common, no matter who, where, what or how they're teaching. read more

TeachHUB Lesson Plans Now Free!

For the 2010/2011 school year, ALL TeachHUB MEMBERS will have access to the archive of 500+ Printable Pop Culture Lesson Plans.

Pop Culture Lesson Plans are:

• ~ Aligned to national teaching standards
• ~ Available for K-12 grade levels and core subjects
• ~ Inspired by pop culture and news headlines
• ~ Ready to print, copy & go!

Other Member Benefits:

• Members-only discounts and gifts
• Personal Blog/Journal to share with other members
• Free weekly newsletters with latest ed news & lesson ideas
• Classroom management tips, tools and recommendations
• Early entrance to all TeachHUB sweepstakes and contests

Get Free Lessons!

Going Paperless in Your School

While the paperless classroom is not yet a reality, long past are the days when the Xerox machine was a teacher’s best friend.

As ‘going green’ catches on with young and old alike, eco-friendly teaching practices have permeated our nation’s classrooms. School districts across the U.S. are evaluating ways to support their curricula without creating unnecessary waste. In addition, they are seeking ways to better prepare students to meet the demands of an increasingly digital society. read more

2010 Back to School Guide

In the 2010 Back to School Guide, you can find

• exclusive deals and discounts,
  
• recommendations,
• contests,
• articles and
• FREE lessons!!

Check out the 2010 Back to School Guide Now!

Beginner's Guide to Web 2.0

Just beginning your online presence and feeling overwhelmed by all that blogging, twitter, facebook, etc. have to offer?

Here are some strategies to keep you organized and your information secure.

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First Day of School Activities Students Love

The first day of school will be here before you know it. Most teachers face the big day with enthusiasm, but they dread the inevitable challenge: what to do on the first day of school.

Every teacher’s approach is different. Whatever your goal, here are a few things to try to get the school year off to a great start!
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Revolutionizing Urban Education with Tim Knowles

Tim Knowles is the Lewis-Sebring Director of the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago.

UEI is an innovative education program that combines charter schools, teacher education and research in their quest to provide reliable, excellent schooling for children in urban America.

Tim shares his innovative approach to revolutionizing urban education and bridging the achievement gap in a TeachHUB-exclusive interview.

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Teacher Essential: Organization Emergency Kit

Need a pen? Just look in my Organization Emergency Kit...

When broken pencils threaten to sabotage your school day, turn to the Classroom Organization Emergency Kit that our teacher blogger keeps on hand for just such crayon crises...

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Announcing $300 Classroom Poster Giveaway

Enter to win $300 worth of educational posters and wall charts from SchoolSupplyGiant.com to "deck the walls" of your school.

Prize: The winner can choose any 40 of more than 100 individual (not sets)
English, Science, or Math paper posters for at a $300 value.

Enter now!

Top 12 Classic Games That Teach

Looking to liven up your centers? Let your students play games!

Games provide opportunities for students to develop both social and academic skills. Just like working on a project in cooperative groups, interactive games require that students communicate, stay on task, take turns, and rely on higher-level thinking skills.

They can also be used in the classroom as a behavior incentive. Students are motivated to earn a “Fun Friday” afternoon of game playing by listening and following directions all week. The best benefit is that they are having fun and learning at the same time.

Here are twelve classic games and easy ways to incorporate them into your curriculum:

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Back to School Deals for Teachers 2010

As if we're all not stressed enough about going back to school, now we have to worry about spending money on clothes, classroom decorations, school supplies and all the other must-haves that accompany a new school year.

To save you some anxiety and make the most of your time and money, we've found the best back-to-school deals for teachers:

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