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Tag Archives: classroom management
Encouraging class participation
When I have a class discussion, it seems to be dominated by a few students or else no one raises a hand. How can I encourage more students to participate?
—Brenda, Warren, Michigan
I suspect every teacher has had class “discussions” turn into seminars with a few students while the others merely watch. Class discussion has [...]
Plans for substitutes
I’m a new middle school teacher, and last week I had to miss two days due to illness. When I came back, my classroom was in shambles and it appeared that the students did not do any work. What can I do, short of never missing another day, to make sure this doesn’t happen again?
—Scott, [...]
Transitioning to kindergarten: hearing from children who have been there
Some elementary schools on a “year-round” or “modified calendar” are about to begin a new school year on Monday, and many others begin in September. Children from my “fours” classes are among the new kindergarten students and I feel so protective of them even though I believe they are ready for the the work, the [...]
Classroom management
“Would you like to be a student in your classroom?” This month’s guest editorial says it all when it comes to classroom management. A well-organized science lab with students that are engaged and enthusiastic—it doesn’t get any better than that! But it takes a lot of planning, effort, and reflection to make it so. [...]
Getting (and staying) organized
For the first time, I’ll be teaching two different subjects (biology and environmental science). Do you have any suggestions for how to organize my unit plans, lesson plans, and other resources?
—Don, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I’m not an organized person by nature. So when I taught four different courses in two different labs, I had to [...]
Food safety in gardening
Read “Safety First” by Sarah Pounders and you can reassure your director and students’ parents that you are informed about how to avoid potential health hazards in eating food from a school garden. Did you guess that washing hands is one of the safety steps to take?
Sarah writes, “Grow it, know it, try it … [...]
Science talk
One misconception about science is that discoveries or new ideas are “discovered” then agreed upon by scientists in a complete form. Talking to children about the process of scientific inquiry as they do an activity may help them appreciate the long, exploratory, route to being certain in science. Foster discussion by letting children know it [...]
Easy clean up tip for fine-grained materials
Here’s a tip for simplifying the clean up of dry, fine materials. Put a smooth cloth down under the item, such as a Tenebrio beetle container or a tabletop sensory box. Use a cotton cloth that is larger than the container, perhaps a tablecloth—large enough so it covers the table or children can sit on [...]
Activities get students focused
It takes my students a long time to settle down. By the time I take attendance and collect or return assignments, a lot of valuable time is gone. I’ve heard of “bell-ringer” activities. How would I use them? Do they really work?
Nick, Paterson, New Jersey
Even good classroom management can break down at times students are [...]
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