Category: New Teacher Advice

Repairing Student and Co-Worker Relationships

Educators are going to make mistakes, write Todd Whitaker and teacher-daughters Madeline and Katherine. Whether it’s a misstep with students, friction with a colleague, or a faux pas with admin, quickly admitting faults is part of being a classroom professional.

How to Build a Tight-Knit Classroom Community

Students who feel a strong connection to their classmates and teachers are much more likely to persist and achieve shared goals, learn respect, and develop communication skills. Teaching expert Julia Thompson offers strategies to help build positive communities.

A Good Learning Model for New Teachers to Use

Author and literacy consultant Regie Routman is a passionate cook who loves to make fresh fruit tarts. Here she draws connections between learning to bake and learning to teach, using her Optimal Learning Model as a framework. Fruit tart recipe included!

Three Questions New Teachers Always Ask

We asked teaching consultant Annette Breaux to write about three of the most pressing questions new teachers have in the weeks (and months) before they open their classroom doors to students for the first time. Here’s her advice on discipline, classroom management, and daily procedures.

10 Ways to Sabotage Your Classroom Management

Even with all the usual basics in place, the small things novice teachers do could be wreaking havoc on your whole classroom management system. Middle school veteran Jennifer Gonzalez identifies unproductive habits, along with more effective alternatives.

New Teachers: Creating a Shiny, Happy Classroom

Your first year? Now’s your opportunity to create a welcoming classroom where students will feel secure, valued and successful in the days ahead. Veteran teacher Cheryl Mizerny shares ideas that have helped her realize a “shiny, happy” place to learn.

How to Create an Effective Teaching Plan

The most effective teachers know that if you want to have a great lesson, you need to plan a great lesson, say experts Todd Whitaker and Annette Breaux. Novice teachers will appreciate their handy planning checklist. Bonus download: How to overplan!

How to Teach for Real Life Learning

Teaching experts Annette Breaux & Todd Whitaker are back with more teaching ideas from the 2nd edition of Seven Simple Secrets. This time it’s advice on keeping instruction real for today’s students. Read the classroom tales of Teacher A & Teacher B.