Starting off with something so simple, the first task to change your classroom to a haven of learning is to grab some Popsicle sticks from a craft store. It doesn't matter whether they are plain or colored. It doesn't matter whether they are skinny or fat. Your only purpose is to use them to write students' names.

Once you have your sticks, begin writing each student name on individual sticks until you have written down your entire roster. Be sure to include last initials of students...

Editor's Note: This week's post comes from Dave Weiss, a college professor who teaches in the education department.
The title of this post can be applied to the state of teacher education today. When I did my teacher training, forty years ago, I was armed with Piaget, Bruner, Dewey, and other theories of learning. I found these theorists exciting and stimulating. I was ready to implement these theories when I would finally be given my own classroom. My goal was to teach in an...

With the Martin Luther King holiday coming~ I wanted to share a webquest I developed on the minister and civil rights leader. Martin Luther King once said~ There is nothing more tragic in all this world than to know right and no do it." Perhaps~ you can use this quote to discuss the issue of bullying and how if a student sees something that looks like bullying-to say something!Perhaps~ you might find the webquest of value to use with your students. You can find it at this link:...

Student recognition in the classroom is a necessity to keep students working their hardest. It becomes easy to overlook the student who is always doing what is expected~ and to always notice the child who is misbehaving. But~ consciously recognizing students as they achieve great things is vital to motivating children throughout their school career.

Think about the last time you were praised by your superior. How did it feel? Did you remember whether or not you smiled? Were you then...