Classroom management is not synonymous with behavior management. One is reactionary and one is preventive. Based on that fact alone, one is easily received and widely successful. Why is that so? When a student feels like they are under a microscope for every move they make (and don’t make), they put their guard up. This…

Teachers write lesson plans, but rarely do they actually DESIGN a learning experience. Why is this? Traditional teaching programs focus on the theory of teaching with a sprinkle of actual techniques for how to teach. Part of that how-to process is writing a lesson plan. The emphasis is on all of the components necessary to…

Standards-based grading is an approach used to evaluate classroom performance for students. Many schools are beginning to adopt this method because it provides a more accurate snapshot of how students are performing against expectations for their specific grade level. Before diving into how a teacher can be successful in the classroom when implementing a standards-based…

Are you wondering how to set up learning walks in your building? It is actually easier than you might think! The term “learning walk” refers to the act of walking through various classrooms within the same school building to learn about instructional best practices used by your peer.  It allows for colleagues to share what…

Do you need quick “get to know you” ideas to implement into your professional development sessions for teachers? It might seem silly to play a game or plan an activity for staff to mingle and chat prior to diving into learning.  But in order for teachers to get the most out of a professional development…

Succeeding in the classroom can be tricky. There is so much to learn, little time to learn it, and not much feedback when you try it out on your own. To make matters worse, everywhere you turn, there is advice for what the new best thing is to incorporate into your teaching methods. Where is…

Were you prepared to start your first year in the classroom? I know I wasn’t. I went to a four year college to receive my bachelor’s degree in Education. And yet, I wasn’t prepared to take on my first year. I learned a lot of theory and history with very little practical application. I had…

Moving into a coaching role as a teacher can be daunting for anyone. You spent years in the classroom perfecting your craft and all of a sudden you are in a new role and feel like a first year teacher all over again. But, you don’t have to. This post serves as a guide for…

What does a day in the life of an instructional coach look like? This is one post of many in the Instructional Coach Blog Series. Catch up on the series below: Preparing the behind-the-scenes tasks of an instructional coach How to set up your instructional coaching space Conducting a classroom observation with clarity and precision Providing models of expert teaching through…

Having a strong classroom management plan ensures learning can remain front and center in your classroom. But, how do you get there? This post will help you plan and implement a classroom management system from start to finish. How to Prepare a Classroom Management System First, you need to decide what type of classroom environment…