How do you know you're a good teacher? How do you know you are successful in the classroom? Test scores, the kids are behaved, parents are satisfied, a strong evaluation from the principal?

It's a good question, one that I think educators begin to ask themselves as they gain years of experience in the classroom. Without defining success, it's easy as a teacher to get discouraged, to work hard but not know whether you have arrived.

Recently, I was talking with...

I think good teachers have mastered one important skill: time management.

Without the ability tomanage the hours ina day~ learning does not take place~ and educators do not accomplish their goals. To makematters worse~ teachers have incredible demands ontheir time.Loads ofpaperwork~ emergency drills~ new remedial programs~ specials classes~ assemblies~ morning announcements~ faculty meetings--the list goes on.

I have to admit~ sometimes it drives me a littlecrazy. I have...

My classlearned some ofits most valuable lessonson the playground--with the teacher playing a very limited role.

Trust, cooperation, teamwork, handling pressure, losing with grace.

And it all happened by accident.

We would sneak out for recess once or twice a week (due to a tight schedule, an insane amount of attention on test scores, and other factors, recess does not always happen). Some of the boys began playing a game learned at physical education classcalled...

Preschool classroom layouts tend to be much different than traditional elementary school desk arrangements. Spaces are needed, of course, for teacher-led time. But, children of this age are not developmentally ready to sit for long periods of time. They learn through play and interacting with other children. For...