British newspaper The Guardian has put together some terrific tips for using current technologies to teach languages. In an article by Emma Durry, teachers can see how everything from cutting edge tech like QR codes to antiquated tools like music videos can be used to help students master a foreign language.
While the tips and techniques outlined here are specific to language classes, many if not all of them, can easily be adapted for any classroom situation.
As you begin your new school year, I wanted to share with you something that I did to involve, engaging and build relationships with families----I call them “Family Forums”. I decided that Family Forums would not only become a normal part of building a successful reciprocal relationship with the families in my classroom but also a time to teach and learn from one another. My forums were a party for my families, not a meeting but a place to come and have fellowship with others. It was also a...
As we begin the new school year, stop and reflect on what new things you want to try. Ask yourself how you can make your lessons more engaging or hands-on. Do you need to try new ways of differentiation? What about researching engaging ideas online or observing colleagues? Is there a professional development you have been wanting to attend?
At the beginning of each new year and after each teaching day, I...
It is the most exciting time of the year as teachers start returning back to school. Teachers and administrators are looking forward to the new school year. Many administrators think that this is a time for team building and professional development in the short time before students arrive. As a former principal, I learned that teachers are anxious to get into their classrooms and prepare for school to start.
What I was told was that our teachers appreciated how I approached the...
Summer learning has a huge impact on accelerating your child’s success for the fall. When the last bell rings for children to be out of school, it is a time for sleeping, spending time with family and friends, playing in the water, taking vacations, AND LEARNING. Children love to learn. Keeping that spark of interest in mind, you want to make sure to work with your child this summer so that skills and topics are...
As teacher professionals, we are all leaders in some capacity. It is important as leaders that we show others how to be their best selves. We need to model for others and support choices and decisions. We must also build relationships that are reciprocal with faculty, staff, and families we work with. I have been in several leadership positions, from a cheer...
Family Forums are something I implemented when I was teaching, and I decided they would become a regular part of building successful relationships with the families in my classroom. I challenge you to take the elements of my Family Forums and incorporate them into your teaching practices because they work!
Family Forums should be just what the name suggests: a time when...
I had the good fortunate of being a principal of seven schools in four states. Something I learned early in my career was unless the superintendent tells you to make these changes immediately or you are extremely familiar with the school, I would wait before I started to revamp what is already in place. If I had to guess a timeframe, perhaps a semester or a year might be a good rule of thumb. What I would consider minor changes could be implemented sooner of course.
I have seen too...