Back to School
By Melissa Kelly, About.com Guide to Secondary Education
As teachers head back to school, the world of possibilities seem open to us. This is the time we can revamp some key lessons and change systems that just did not seem to be working the best for us. In the end, what will make the difference between an awesome year and a humdrum, or even worse, an awful year? Attitude, Preparation and Implementation. The following resources are meant to help you start with the right attitude, the best preparation, and systems for the most effective implementation.
- Building a Positive Attitude
- Preparing for Your Students
- Preparing for Unexpected Situations
- Day-to-Day Teaching Strategies
Building a Positive Attitude
What can turn a bad situation into a positive experience? The proper attitude. If you approach each day as an enjoyable challenge, you might find that you are actually enjoying yourself. Further, if you find ways to help garner a positive attitude in your students, they will be happier and achieve more each day.
- Setting a Positive Tone for the New Year
- Reconnecting With Your Students
- Motivating Students to Learn
- Setting Goals for the New Year
- Top 8 Motivational Books for Educators
- Top 10 Inspirational Movies for Educators
- Using Active Listening
Preparing for Your Students
Many of the problems of teaching would not occur with proper preparation. Days with well-planned lessons seem to go smoother causing less problems for teacher and student alike. Use these resources, tips and ideas to prepare for an awesome year - day-by-day.
- Beginning of the Year Teacher Strategies
- Icebreakers
- Create a Lesson Plan Calendar
- Rewrite Ineffective or Create New Lesson Plans
- Create Classroom Rules
- Create a Substitute Folder
- Develop Late Work and Make Up Work Policies
- Create a Tardy Policy
- Decide if Grade Contracts Are Right for You
- Create Mini-Lessons for Spare Time
Preparing for Unexpected Situations
Expecting the unexpected is the hallmark of an effective teacher. The following resources were written to help you think through and create tools that can help you prepare for emergencies and unexpected circumstances.
Day-to-Day Teaching Strategies
Implementing prepared lessons with the proper attitude can result in a successful school year. Use this information to aid in the actual practice of teaching.
